The Sophisticated Dog, LLC -

Sam Furie

Irith is one of the best dog trainers we have worked with! We have a very reactive dog and went through at least 2-3 trainers before working with Irith. She is extremely insightful comprehensive and overall great to work with. We would highly recommend her to anyone, especially with a more difficult case.

Brennan Votel

Irith and The Sophisticated Dog were a godsend for us. We have a dog that has responded very poorly to “negative reinforcement techniques” and we were determined to find a positive reinforcement trainer and we’re so happy that Irith was recommended to us.

Our dog may look cute but he was stubborn, he would occasionally nip people that got too close to him, he was territorial, and when he was triggered he was impossible to communicate with. From the first visit with Irith, we were immediately put on the right path. Not only did she work with us and show us exactly how to get results, she is also one of the most thorough and detail-oriented professionals we have worked with, giving us a comprehensive recap in writing of every session with detailed notes, instructions, and recommendations for us to reference at any time in the future. I can’t imagine a trainer that is more diligent and works harder than Irith. On top of that, she absolutely loves dogs and everything she does or recommends is in the dog’s best interest and happiness.

Since working with Irith, our dog has virtually stopped leash pulling, is finally a lovely dog to go on a walk with, and we have gotten a hold on his triggers and can spot any problem areas before they have a chance to begin. She also helped us understand an invaluable amount of information regarding what makes dogs tick and why, and has been a priceless resource for specific questions we have had regarding our unique dog. And while Irith won’t train your dog for you, she will definitely give you the tools and show you how to use them effectively, which I think is all you can ask for as a dog owner.

And finally, not only did Irith help us with our dog’s behavior, but with her knowledge of all things dog, she was able to put us in touch with the best vets in the industry and recommend the best products and services. She was even able to get us in with a highly sought-after vet that was no longer taking new patients. The amount of money and time that we saved from avoiding sifting through mediocre vets and bad products is worth so much more than the cost of training.

Long story short, I highly recommend you hire Irith! You won’t regret it!

Amanda McKitterick

Irith is one of the best trainers in the industry. I, along with many other fellow trainers, frequently seek her for advice and solutions with our own clients and dogs. Not only for her immense amount of knowledge, but also her patient, generous, and kind heart and soul. You are in great hands with her, always.

aleve ates

Irith is just fantastic! She is a great trainer. Just in a few weeks with only once a week meetings my puppy made a tremendous amount of progress! In addition, she is a very responsible, very generous, very kind and a very nice person. I would highly recommending her.

Katherine Tavarez

To say that our experience working with Irith was extraordinary, is an understatement. We had the opportunity to work with her remotely (and this was during pre-pandemic times) - through online video sessions since we lived in an area outside of her in-home services. However, we did eventually have the pleasure of meeting and working with Irith in person as well, outside of our home. Regardless of us working with Irith in person or via an online video session, the improvement in our dog’s behavior has been incredible, and that is thanks to the professionalism, knowledge and experience Irith has to offer. Each session we've had with her, whether it’s with our dog or a foster, has been nothing short of a positive experience.

Danny Y

Irith and Paul at the Sophisticated Dog are both great trainers and wonderful people who really helped us improve both my family and dog’s quality of life. They are equal parts calm / low key and highly focused, organized, and detail oriented - which together really helped both me and my dog learn to communicate better.

We started working with them after my wife and I found out we were going to have a baby and we needed to help reduce the reactivity and improve impulse control with our 7 year old Mini Aussie so that she could coexist happily in a house with a newborn.

We had been through many trainers in the past and while we were very familiar with many dog training concepts and theories just couldn’t get anything to stick until we started working with them. After 5 or so lessons, both on zoom and in person, and several months of reinforcement the difference is night and day.

Sheila Bazleh

Irith is absolutely phenomenal! She trains my cat, Kaidence - a 1 year old Maine Coon. Irith demonstrates to us how to train Kaidence, and explains every step of the way extremely clearly, telling us the reason behind each step so that we can understand why we need to do things in that way. One can immediately see well though out every step is, which is why it all works so well! Irith is a true professional. She is not only highly qualified and experienced, but she is also extremely thorough, intelligent, with a great sense of humour, patient, and is very sensitive to the pet's temperament, energy level and needs. So, she knows how far to push and when to stop.) She is as sensitive to the pet's companion(s)! I HIGHLY recommend Irith for any pet, as I couldn't be happier with her expertise and personality.

Hudson Shock