Dog Training Reviews

Ralf’s methodology was exactly what our Malinois, Leo, needed. The foundation of his training is building a strong relationship with the dog and using intrinsic motivation for positive reinforcement of good behaviors. For Leo, that was the ball and it was enlightening how strategic use of the ball could help him learn so quickly (and while having fun).

My husband and I loved receiving weekly videos of Leo’s progress and they were also very helpful for learning Ralf’s techniques to use at home. When Leo needed correction, it was never excessive and always constructive towards mitigating undesirable behaviors. Ralf is incredibly knowledgeable and methodical in his work but he does it with heart; that made all of the difference for us. After Ralf’s board and train, Leo emerged a happier, calmer dog and we were better equipped to direct his high-strung nature in healthier ways. Thank you, Ralf!

— Katie O.

I cannot recommend Ralf enough! We needed to correct some behaviors in our Shiba Inu and had tried other trainers with few results. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to find good dog trainers and we found a lot of the training methods in use by other trainers to be ineffective and even silly in retrospect. Fortunately, we really lucked out by doing our research and ultimately finding Ralf. Ralf is an extremely experienced trainer with many years of experience with all types of dogs. Ralf worked with our dog through his board and train program and he came back completely changed! As soon as he got home, our dog listened to us so much better and we are now able to enjoy taking him out without worries about unwanted behaviors. Ralf sets reasonable expectations up front and we found that these were achieved. Day to day life is now much more enjoyable and everyone is a lot happier.

Ralf does an excellent job explaining his process for training and answering any and all questions about dogs. He always addresses questions in a friendly manner and he is super responsive and supportive even after taking your dog home. Training with Ralf was an excellent investment for our dog, and my only regret is not finding Ralf sooner. Ralf also has a podcast that provides great information about dogs and might give you more insight if you’re considering training with him. I really cannot thank Ralf enough for all the work he put in for us and the impact he’s had for our family.

— Milton M.

Ralf is a very great and well knowledgeable trainer! He does a very great job in explaining the dogs mind and way of thinking after carefully analyzing them during training. Every question gets answered in a very well explained way. He is very thorough during the training session and gives great tools and instructions for your own personal downtime/training with your dog after the session.

It didn’t take many sessions for my dog to get acclimated with him and go to him for comfort if she was feeling stressed during the session. He was also very funny at times which relieved any stress that I was giving off that affected my dog. The walks he took my dog on were very efficient with training her to be able to be around other people without her continuing to be filled with fear during the sessions. He showed me immediately how to handle and respond to her in order to stop her nervous behavior of barking and growling.

One of the really important aspects that he taught was how to instill playtime into training my dog at home which worked wonders. Hands down I would recommend him to anyone who needs to find a great trainer for your dog. He is well informed, efficient and very professional at his craft. This is more than just training with him it’s a great investment for the future of your dog! I give him five stars all day long! Very highly recommended! 🙂

— Heather F.

Ralf is a fabulous trainer. We sent our German Shepherd puppy, Zeus, to him when Zeus was about four months old. He worked with Zeus and spent the time that our dog needed. I really liked his combination of play reward, positive reinforcement and only when needed a bit of the negative reinforcement. He spent several session with my son teaching him how to continue to train Zeus. The results were great. It did take time, as he told us it would, for Zeus to settle into his new routine at home (after all he is a dog and you can’t tell him, “continue to do what he said….”). We did have to learn the new vocabulary and commands and continue to use them daily.

Right now, Zeus, at 8 months old and 85 pounds is calmly sitting on the floor, relaxed, and staring at me. He is still learning to “leave it” with the cat but she is starting to be able to walk around on the ground when he is in the same room without him trying to chase or lunge at her. This was a big deal for me to have him well trained enough with commands that I could train him not to chase the cat and our other small dog. Overall, I would highly recommend Ralf and his Happy Dog Training program. Zeus it truly a happy dog!!

— Leanne D.