Testimonials
Board and Train
"Kenzie is nothing short of life changing. We were at the point of having to make a heartbreaking decision to re-home our German Shepherd, Max. He had grown into an unmanageable adolescent male GSD: extremely reactive while on leash toward strangers and other dogs, abhorrent behavior while at the vet's office, and uncontrollable in our home when any guests came to visit. It's not that he was without basic obedience training: he would mind us at home when it was ONLY us. But we were slowly having to shrink down our lives into being homebodies who had to cater to our dog's misbehavior. It just wasn't sustainable anymore.
In a last ditch effort, we reached out to Kenzie. The first thing I appreciated was her humanness and her honesty. She sounded optimistic about being able to work with Max, but also realistic. I was feeling really hopeful when we dropped Max off for his training, especially knowing that she has a passion for high-drive dogs like GSDs. (Full disclosure: my husband and daughter were a mess during the four weeks Max was gone for his training. That might have been the worst part of this whole process!).
When we picked Max up after his board and train, we knew all our worries about potentially rehoming him were behind us. He really is a good boy! He still has all of his personality quirks that make him "Max," but he's no longer the ruler of the house. And Kenzie's coaching of us at pick up has had a lasting impact. She built up our confidence, which had been a missing component to this whole story. WE are in charge and are no longer fooled by his too-smart-for-his-own-good manipulations. We can take him for walks and it's actually a pleasure! Our young daughter's friends have started visiting again, now that they're not afraid of being bowled over by his joyful, but obnoxious jumping and barking. Ultimately, I don't have this constant sense of dread in the back of my mind anymore that we don't know how to control our own dog. That mental calm itself is well worth the investment in Kenzie's training.
I hope by sharing our experience we can help others in similar situations. She has a gift and we will forever be grateful to her!"
- Pamela Ash
Max | German Shepherd
4 Week Board and Train
"My dog is a new and improved dog thanks to Shanna and her amazing training skills! I was apprehensive about sending him to an intensive 2-week Board & Train because of the cost and the concern that he would be miserable and sad while he was there. I also didn't want him to lose his pep & personality, just the bad behavior. My exhaustion with him won out. From the first phone call with Shana, I felt at ease with her style and knowledge. Throughout the two-week training, Shanna sent me videos of his newly learned skills and she kept me updated on his progress. It was evident in the videos that he was certainly not miserable or sad. He was having a great time and learning wonderful new behaviors along the way.
Shanna laid the groundwork and provided the tools to enable us to enjoy our dog again. I can't thank her enough! She is worth every penny. To see the transformation in his behavior, it is clear she worked with him a lot and wasted no time. I still can't believe how much she accomplished in just two weeks! He came home with so much more control of himself and now I have control when he doesn't. I do continue to work with him, as these are life-long skills that need to be nurtured, but I am enjoying my dog again!"
- Jodi Gibson
Lego | Golden Retriever
2 Week Board and Train
"I recommend Elite Obedience Training to everyone who has a dog that needs some training. All the trainers are incredible trainers and incredible people. Our 9 month old Doberman (Allie) just went through a 4 week training with Cynthia and I'm amazed at how much Allie listens to her commands and seeing her actually wanting to do the right things to make us happy. Before Allie was in charge of us in a sense but after training we are not in charge of Allie. Cynthia was so incredibly good to our pup and taught her all the things we were having trouble getting Allie to do. Cynthia showed us how to continue progressing the things Allie learned by her training and we have been able to continue it at home. Cynthia is totally reachable to answer the questions we've had since having Allie home. The help continues even after the 4 weeks training with the trainer. I can't say enough amazing things about Cynthia and how thankful I am for having Allie go through this training with her. It was the best thing for Allie and she will be a much better minding pup because of it. Thank you Cynthia and Elite Obedience Training!!"
- Bren Keltner
Allie | Doberman
4 Week Board and Train
"Sending our Aggie to Elite was the smartest and best thing we could have done for her. When she entered our lives, she was only six months old. All of her brothers and sisters had long been adopted, and she had already been through several foster homes. And if I'm being 100% truthful. I fully expected we would be just one more. But she was timid, destructive, resource-guarded people and toys, and was extremely fearful of men. Given her "quirks," we knew that her chances of finding a home that would be willing and able to work with her were nill. We couldnt let this baby bounce around anymore. She had been through enough. So, it was decided: Aggie would join the family permanently and become not only our first ever foster but also our first ever foster fail!
Aggie was at her forever home, but we knew she needed more help than we could provide alone. So, we began our search for an obedience school, and we knew it would need to be intensive. Those 1 or 2 night a week offerings at the big box pet store werent going to cut it. Aggie needed help! Daniel & Miyagi level help!
Highly recommended by multiple people we trusted, including our vet, the foster organization we got her from, and a friend/co-worker. Elite and Kenzie to the rescue. And they did not disapoint! The transformation Kenzie brought on in her four weeks with Aggie: it's truely nothing short of miraculous, and we could not be more grateful.
Kenzie took a dog that desperately needed help – a dog that crawled under the car and hid during our evaluation meeting, a dog that would run away anytime I walked into the room, a dog that had no understanding of pack order or social cues – and brought her out of her shell.
Aggie is now the happy, brave, goofy and well-behaved (mostly) girl we knew she could be. We still have A LOT of work to do now that she is back home, but with the foundation Kenzie laid, Aggie is on her way to a whole new life.
Kenzie, We thank you. Aggie thanks you! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!"
- Matt Wright
Aggie | Husky Mix
4 Week Board and Train
"I cannot recommend Elite Obedience and Shanna enough. We had our 7 year old pit mix, Stella, that was an anxious mess and would not go in her kennel to save her life. We would have to cancel plans some days because we could not get her in and she was destructive when left at home after we had our baby. If we were able to get her in the kennel, she was hurting herself from how hard she was trying to get out of the kennel and would bark the entire time. After training from Shanna and team, she now CONFIDENTLY walks in the kennel, does not bark, and SLEEPS in her kennel until we get home. The added bonuses were her walking and not pulling our arm out (we can even walk her with a stroller, which is not something we thought we'd ever see) and I used to not be able to walk both our dogs and now have no problem with it. She used to bark at our neighbor kids and we can control her now. Our neighbors say it shows that she had a "Harvard education." It was a hard decision to do the four week board and train, but gosh it was the best decision we ever made. Stella still visits Shanna for weekend boarding when we are traveling too which is just the added bonus.
Shanna was communicative, empathetic, and loving towards Stella. We are so grateful to her and the team."
- Paige Mieko
Stella | Pit Mix
4 Week Board and Train
"My wife and I adopted a very reactive 6-month-old German Shepherd named Kona from the local animal hospital. As far as we knew, Kona had been running the city streets with her mother her whole young life. We live on an acreage with horses, Alpacas, chickens, and cats, so having a dog that we can trust to be calm around our animals while being protective of them and us is very important. We have owned several farm dogs, but never a very reactive German Shepherd. Cynthia was excellent to work with before, during, and after Kona's month-long board and training. Cynthia worked with us to develop a plan that would give Kona the structure, training, and confidence to become less reactive to other animals and human strangers. During the training, Cynthia sent us videos that showed us the manner in which she was training Kona and the progress Kona was making. When we picked up Kona from the month-long training, the learning time with our dog under Cynthia's supervision during pickup was very helpful because we were able to ask a lot of questions and have her help us troubleshoot potential challenges we might have after taking Kona home.
I am pleased to say that several months after the training, Kona is much more manageable and continues to show signs of gradual improvement thanks to Cynthia's training (of both us and Kona). We are very happy that we chose to utilize Elite Obedience Training and would recommend them highly."
- Jason Shepherd
Kona | German Shepherd
4 Week Board and Train
"Rikku stayed with Kenzie for a month long board and train for his bad behaviors. He was 9 months when he started and he had the bad habits of resource guarding, counter surfing, digging in the yard and getting in the trash. When he came home, I couldn't believe the change in him! He was still the same goofy dog I dropped off but with manners! Since he's come home, I've been able to handle our infant twins and 5 dogs without any stress. Kenzie was amazing with Rikku and when I picked him up after a month, I could see how comfortable with her he was. I was sent updates and pictures the whole time. If you're looking into this training, I highly recommend spending the money to do it if you can. Best investment I made for my sanity and for Rikku's happiness. Thank you so much Kenzie! You were the best!!"
- Danica Barone
Rikku | Golden Retriever
4 Week Board and Train
"We worked with Shanna, and this experience once again is proof that paying a professional to do their job matters. Shanna was an absolute joy to work with. From our free consultation to signing up, dropping off and picking up- every single part of the experience was driven by her vision for excellence and making her clients feel comfortable. If you are concerned about leaving your dog with someone you don't know (we all are), that concern will quickly vanish. These folks will treat your dog like their own. Their professional and proven training has helped our dog Louie overcome behavioral obstacles we wouldn't have been able to address. In two weeks of training and returning to our home, he's stopped barking, he listens, and he's become an even better dog.
This is also not a one and done scenario. Shanna truly cares for your success. She's interested in how your dog is doing and is always willing to help and assist with issues.
Her experience and care for animals made our experience wonderful. We don't go anywhere else for training.
If you want results, this is the place."
- Lukas Voss
Louie | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
2 Week Board and Train
"Cynthia is absolutely amazing! My dog Goose benefitted so much from doing a 1 month board and train with her! When I dropped him off he was extremely anxious, constantly whining, fear aggressive, and an overall unhappy dog. I had little hope when dropping him off that anything could be done but Cynthia went above and beyond with him! She sent me updates all the time on his progress and communicated with me better than I could have hoped. Before his board and train my dog was very unhappy and so was I, and I can truthfully say after that things are a complete turn around. I now can enjoy my dog again and take walks together and be outside and have fun with each other. Goose is so much happier now than I have ever seen him and I can't thank Elite Obedience enough for giving me my dog and my life back. No matter the problem your dog might have, if anyone can fix it it's Cynthia! Thank you again!"
- Jayce Pedro
Goose | German Shepherd
4 Week Board and Train
"Rebel, our 8 1/2 month old lab finished his 2 week board & train last weekend. What Kenzie was able to do with him in that amount of time is nothing short of amazing. Rebel, who may have been overly spoiled was very reactive to strangers, nuisance barked until got his way, pulled so hard on a leash our teenage boy was drug across the front yard, and loved to chase the cats. I love that we can now take him in public without constantly barking at people. We now get to play in the yard with NO leash, no chasing the cats, and have leisurely walks off and on leash. He’s still a happy and loved puppy, just with better manners, obedience, and freedom. Coming from someone who was very apprehensive about sending her pup away, it was so worth it and I’d do it again."
- Tricia Beatty
Rebel | Labrador Retriever
2 Week Board and Train
"Our 1 year old Bernedoodle completed the 4 week board & train with Shanna. Before training, we struggled with our pup jumping on people, nipping at people and our other pets, pulling on the leash if not on a harness, and refusing to come in the house when called. Shanna is a miracle worker. Our dog has now been home for 2 weeks and all of those issues are drastically improved. We now have a dog that's much better around humans and other pets, walks are more enjoyable because he doesn't pull, he knows how to heel, he can be off leash when appropriate, and his recall is perfect. Shanna was amazing through the process, keeping us updated, and sending us pictures and videos throughout the month. It was just the help we needed, and we're so happy we made the decision to use Elite Obedience Training!"
- Nicole Ridgeway
Kobe | Bernedoodle
4 Week Board and Train
Private Lessons
"Elite Obedience Training is truly exceptional. I trained my first Golden with Shanna nine years ago, and most recently brought my new puppy through training with Cynthia. Both experiences have been nothing short of amazing. My brother has also trained his dog at Elite, and we all have nothing but great things to say.
The trainers are knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely invested in helping you and your dog succeed. They've always been available to answer my questions- big or small- and have provided exactly the support I needed at every stage. It's clear they love what they do, and that passion comes through in the results.
I can't recommend Elite Obedience Training enough. If you're looking for a place that treats you like family and helps your dog become the best version of themselves, this is it."
- Madison Phillips
Cooper & Jones | Golden Retrievers
Puppy 101 & Basic Obedience Private Lessons
"Mackenzie was so great in helping to train Zeus! He started off reactive to almost everything and was so nervous! Now Zeus can go on loose leash walks and not disturb anyone else we see along the way. Everything we worked through has helped Zeus become a much happier and more comfortable pup! We've come a long way, thank you so much!"
- Molly Reed
Zeus | Mixed Breed
Basic Obedience Private Lessons
"Shanna is amazing! We just got a Golden Retriever puppy that she has been working with for a few months. She not only helps our dog, she helps my husband and I too. She is so passionate about her work and about helping our family succeed and have our pet be obedience and enjoyable. She is so encouraging when we have rough days, which happens sometimes as a puppy. She loves our dog so much and every time we meet it is very apparent that he loves her too! He is so excited to work and obey! Thank you for all you do for us, Shanna! You are incredible!"
- Abbi Ruhser
Max | Golden Retriever
Puppy 101 & Basic Obedience Private Lessons
"My husband and I started with our Bernedoodle, Hank, in Puppy 101 with Cynthia at just 3 months old, and it was the best decision we could have made. In that first class, he learned important foundations like handling and desensitization, potty training tips, and building engagement and eye contact. Those early skills carried us through his first year, helping him grow into a confident pup who listened well.
As he neared his first birthday, we wanted to refine his manners and work through some unwanted behaviors like food begging, counter surfing, and jumping. With Cynthia's guidance, we introduced an ecollar and not only resolved those habits, but also taught Hank to walk politely on leash and recall to us even with distractions.
The transformation has been incredible- Hank is truly a dream dog now. We constantly get compliments on how well-behaved he is, and we know it's all thanks to Cynthia and Elite Obedience Training. We are beyond grateful for their expertise in helping us bring out the best in our sweet boy!"
- Kaylee Eichenberger
Hank | Bernedoodle
Puppy 101, Basic Obedience, & Off Leash Private Lessons
Group Classes
"I brought my pup to class with Kenzie hoping to teach her some basic commands and self-control. I quickly learned that it wasn't my dog being taught, it was me! Kenzie very quickly instructed the class on basic obedience skills, and I have been amazed at the progress my pup and I have made. As a retired school administrator, I have years of experience observing outstanding teachers. Kenzie shows a natural ability to teach, scaffolding her instruction so that what is being taught makes sense to her human students and their canine friends. She is a natural teacher. This is the best money I've spent in a long time, and my pup and I will be moving on into future classes."
- Joel Schutte
Murphy | Mixed Breed
Basic Obedience Group Class