K9 Conditioning LLC - Auburn, California

christine C.

We were referred to K9 Conditioning by a good friend who recently had her dog go through the program. This has been a life-changing decision for Willow and our family. Willow was so reactive to every sound and every sight. We needed training and so did she. Willow came home today. She is the very same sweet loving girl, but she is in such a good place now. She is calmer, she has really embraced being led. And we are loving that she can depend on us to guide her and advocate for her. We’ve learned so much. We highly recommend Stephen and his team. He is educated, experienced, intuitive and compassionate. You can feel his passion for this special gift he has. We are forever grateful.

Matthew M.

This experience has transformed our home. At the end of our dog’s 4 week board and train he came back a different dog to a different family. Dexter used to spend his days barking at everyone that came to the door, jumping up on people & counters, barking at squirrels, fence fighting, and doing his best to ignore any attempt to get hip stop. We were unable to take him around other dogs. Trips to the vet were a nightmare. He would bark and lunge.

He now feels secure enough to let us worry about the door, he is non reactive to other dogs, and he is great on walks! I never thought I would hear someone comment on how well behaved Dexter is. They do!

It was obvious to our whole family that the environment at K9 Conditioning was kind and supportive to Dexter. He absolutely loves the staff there! They keep the number of dogs in training small so our dog got the time he needed & the continued support they offer will help us to not slip back to old behaviors.

I can not recommend or thank K9 Conditioning enough. They are fantastic!

Michiko W.

We boarded my dog Turkey with K9 Conditioning for 5 days while we were in Idaho. He received daily exercise on the slatmill (non-electric dog treadmill), healthy socialization with other dogs, and also practiced his basic obedience. Turkey LOVES the slatmill. Although I wanted my dog to socialize, I also wanted him to have his own quiet space to rest. So I really appreciated that the dogs are crated in the house at night or when they need a break. Stephen was also great at answering all my questions, and kept us updated while we were away.

When we all finally got back home, he acted like it was just another normal evening. You’d never know he just spent the week away from us, which lets me know he felt right at home with Stephen at K9 Conditioning.

There was also a crew of Australian Shepherds being boarded at the same time. Turkey successfully infiltrated their pack without being noticed.. or maybe they just played along lol. Either way, he was happy to be apart of the Aussie Pack 🐾 It was like doggy summer camp for him!

Lorena V.

I am very late at posting this review. I highly recommend K9 Conditioning to anyone needing assistance with dog training.
My 2 1/2 year old Australian Shepherd Canela, all of a sudden, started having resource guarding and reactivity towards other dogs. We did the 2 week board and train this past summer. Stephen was GREAT. He sent pictures/videos almost daily. He kept me well informed and gave me detailed instructions on what I needed to work on. Yes you read it right. A lot of times we the humans are part of the problem.
Although Canela is still a work in progress (as training never stops) she is doing so much better that I am able to take her on walks and go to public places knowing I can redirect her if needed.
When time permits, we try to attend the group training on Sundays. Canela is always so excited to see Stephen and Tracy! That’s how you know they treated your dog well. Our experience with K9 Conditioning was great and continues to be great as Stephen will still take the time to help if needed!

Sherry M.

I can’t express enough how grateful we are to have found K9 conditioning! Stephen & Tracy are truly an amazing duo. They’re extremely knowledgeable & professional. We had our two Pomskies, Vader (6 M) and Luna (7 F) in K9 conditioning for a 4-week training course. At first, we had some apprehension about leaving our small dogs at a training camp that mostly catered to larger breeds. However, that apprehension was quickly diminished after meeting Stephen & Tracy and receiving
constant updates on the dogs and their training (photos & videos provided daily)

Luna & Vader both went into the training course with the following behavioral issues: barking at everything, separation anxiety, jumping up on people and furniture, anxiety around other animals and people, bad recall, and ignoring commands.

Stephen did an absolutely outstanding job correcting these behaviors and placing them on a great regimen that ultimately helped eliminate many behavioral issues. Not only was the training occurring with the dogs but with our family as well. Stephen taught us how to transition the training back at home properly.

We truly have noticed such a huge change in both their behaviors and couldn’t be more elated with how the 4-week training course went. The training and new routine have followed us home, and we can say that the dogs are happier & better off for it.

tara

When we got Juno (gsd), we decided right away that we wanted to invest the time into properly training her to meet her needs because we lacked experience in owning a large breed dog; we couldn’t be more grateful for being referred to K9 Conditioning for this journey.
We started with some at home sessions with Stephen to evaluate her and get some more knowledge to navigate through her training, diet and daily needs. He answered all our questions and concerns on how to establish a foundation with her.
Once she was 5 months we were ready to go with their 4 week raise and train program. As someone who was a bit nervous about dropping off their pup somewhere and being apart from her that long, those worries were quickly put to rest because we were reassured with what to expect out of the program but mostly because you can see they’re genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about what they’re doing and want your dog to succeed. We were constantly updated with photos, videos and instagram posts of her progress.
Going in Juno would bark at everything, was nervous in social settings and had never interacted with another dog. In just a few weeks of their training regimen, you can see the difference. She’s been properly socialized and is now more confident in public settings, doesn’t bark at everything, has done great in place/down/crate/threshold work, heeling and has had the chance to interact with other dogs in a controlled setting and make fur friends while learning boundaries and play manners.
Stephen also set up some sessions to help guide us on continuing the same training drills at home. We now have a routine that includes the proper exercise and training to help her thrive.
So very grateful for all their hard work, dedication and guidance. Thank you so much K9 Conditioning !

Andrea

We enrolled our 4mo old black lab in the 4week board and train program. I was very nervous about dropping off our puppy Aspen somewhere but Stephen was wonderful in explaining the program and answering our questions. He posted regular video updates on their IG story so we could see the training and our puppy's progress! Near the end of the board & train, Stephen had us meet him and Aspen at a park and at Home Depot so we could work with Aspen in the same manner as he was trained, using the same commands. Our now 5mo old puppy is socialized with other dogs, can stay in his "place" for extended periods of time, will hold a long sit or down in public while we walk away, and heels beautifully! It's amazing he has such good behavior at 5mo old! We just took him on a hike and received so many compliments. Sending Aspen to K9 Conditioning was 100% worth it and I'd do it the same all over again! Thank you Stephen for doing such a great job!

Alisha S.

Stephan and the K9 conditioning team is the best in the biz! I have two difficult dogs, even with each other, and one needs to be completely alone and Stephan is the only person I trust with them both when I travel! It’s so clear how much the team cares about the dogs and how knowledgeable he is on behavior and training. So grateful for this team!