Spot-On K9 Training - New York, New York

Jenny Lung

Stephen is not the first trainer my husband and I have worked with however the results from working with Stephen has exceeded our expectations. Before starting SOK9T our dog Z would excessively pull on the leash and was very reactive to other dogs, to the point where walking him was very stressful and not enjoyable.

After our first private lesson with Stephen, we saw an incredible difference in Z's behavior on walks and I would say walks became much more enjoyable. We also wanted to work on Z's off leash & recall. In the beginning I had doubts it would be possible, and did not have much expectations for Z to be able to run around off leash. By the final class, Z was walking around Central Park for over an hour off leash with amazing recall and a calm approach towards other dogs.

Stephen was an amazing trainer, he uses both positive and corrective training tools to ensure Z learns boundaries and makes positive choices. Stephen goes above and beyond, answering all our questions and concerns with detailed explanations and plenty of material after each class for us to reference while practicing on our own.

Although our private lessons have ended, Stephen still offers free monthly group lessons to reinforce the training learned during our private lessons and is still available to support and answer any questions we have.

It has been an amazing experience that has exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend this training to anyone who wants to give their dog more freedom but still understand their boundaries.

Anna Pepe

We worked with Stephen to help improve obedience (stopping while walking, stubbornness) and recall for our energetic, 3 year old lab Suzy. When we first started training, she was ignoring cues and very selective when obeying commands around distractions (especially dogs). Upon working with Stephen, we are now confident in our ability to have Suzy off leash around distractions due to her improved recall and ability to settle. We are so excited to be able to explore new places with our dog thanks to Stephen. She also LOVED Stephen to the point that she didn’t want to leave training sessions! Thank you!

lily heft

Stephen has been the most amazing trainer for my pup! She came to him with behavioral issues namely aggression towards other dogs and separation anxiety. Throughout the training sessions i have seen major changes in bambi and we are now able to live a much happier life! Bambi is able to walk incredibly on the leash, stay in place for up to 45 minutes and is slowly getting more comfortable around other dogs. I am so happy that we were able to make these changes as her behavior was making us question if we were a right fit for her and her needs. Bambi went from a scared and shy dog to a much more confident puppy! Thank you so much Stephen!

Nancy Opel

Spot-on Training with Stephen is fantastic. My dog is scared of his own shadow on the street- but after our four private sessions, we attended a group class today very successfully. Here's the thing: if you are consistent you will see RESULTS. If you put in the time you'll be paid dividends! Happy dog, happy handler.

Nairi Enright

10/10 recommend Stephen as your professional dog trainer!

When I began classes for my 4 month old puppy, my puppy did not listen to commands and had a difficult time walking well on the leash. It was difficult to take her for walks since she would stop in the middle of the sidewalk and not want to walk any further, so we would have to turn back home. She also would not listen to basic commands, such as “come”, “sit”, “stay”, etc. which was frustrating as a new dog owner. I felt really lost with how to train her.

After working with Stephen over the course of 5 sessions, I can say he is the most effective dog trainer I have come across over the course of my time having dogs. Now, my puppy walks with no issues and will walk right at the heel. She can go for walks as long as 2 hours now and will remain right at my heel the entire time. Another huge point of success is that she now stays in place until I call her name to release her, which is very important for when I have guests over. Stephen also had our puppy work on off-leash training. I feel very confident in her ability to stay close to me if she is off her leash or come back when I call her name, which is especially important for when she runs around in large fields or when we go walking on trails.

Stephen was extremely attentive in each of our 5 private sessions, and he truly cares about you and your dog’s training progression. His professionalism, responsiveness, and kindness made training so seamless and made confidence-building as a trainer easy as well. Don’t hesitate to sign up for classes - using Spot-On K9 Training was the best decision for myself to learn how to approach training the right way and for my dog to build her self-esteem walking in the big city!

Ashlyn Thompson

In Sept of last year I lasted 5 whole days fostering a one year old golden retriever mix before signing the adoption papers. He was a dreamboat from day one but his biggest hurdle was the leash... I don't think Benny's previous owners ever used one, and his puppy energy, sheer size and the fact that he is *fiercely independent* made walking him a nightmare. He would pull me down the street, dart off after anything that got his attention, try to eat everything in sight. I was embarrassed taking him out because he was so good otherwise. But taking him out less meant he got out less energy so it quickly became a bad cycle, and one that needed to change. I tried every tip I could find but ultimately decided it was worth investing in a personal trainer. I can't tell you how glad I am that we found Stephen! In a few short months I went from not wanting to leave the house with Benny to trusting him completely off-leash in the middle of Central Park. It still blows my mind!

My original goal was just to be able to walk Benny through the streets of NYC without having my shoulder pulled out of socket, so we started by booking four 1:1 sessions each 2 weeks apart. Stephen sent over AMPLE reading material and homework that was massively helpful before we ever even met. Quickly after the first session we decided to explore off-leash training. It wasn't something I had considered before but when I found out we'd be moving to LA for work (loads more outdoor space) it made sense. Now I can't shut up about it!

Throughout training Stephen kept sending resources and tips and was readily available for any questions I had. He was also flexible and accommodating when I had to reschedule our sessions. He was kind and compassionate throughout the entire process but didn't let me off easy - this I especially appreciated. He held me accountable to working with Benny and doing "reps" outside of our time together and would call me out if he could tell we hadn't been practicing enough. I truly think this was one of the biggest benefits to Stephen's training method. Leash training, especially off-leash for a high-energy/reactive puppy, isn't a quick fix or something you can just check off a box for one hour every other week. My entire relationship with Benny and the way we live life together has changed. Stephen made sure I understood this was about building a foundational relationship with my dog, one where he knows I'm there to love and protect him but that at the end of the day I still call the shots.

I feel like I "get" Benny more now - I know his triggers and what to look out for as well as how to correct behaviors before they even start. Over a few short months he completely changed the way Benny and I interact with one another and I can't thank him enough for working with us!

Charline Marrero

I called Spot-On K9 training at a time where I felt I had exhausted all of my options for my reactive 1 year and a half golden doodle, Cairo. Cairo is a very affectionate dog but has struggled with anxiety and reactivity towards other dogs since we got him at 4 months old. He would lunge and bark extremely loud in public and I could not get him under control. Cairo would not pay attention to anything I was doing in this heightened state as if he was stuck in a tunnel vision. Walking him caused me a lot of anxiety due to feeling embarrassed and even shame for not being able to control him. I started to solely rely on my backyard for his using of the bathroom and his exercise. However, I realized this was not fair to him and was not good life for a dog.

Prior to calling Stephen, Cairo had gotten kicked out of a board and train due to aggression second to his separation anxiety in less than 4 hours. I realized a board and train would not be helpful to Cairo and made the call to SOK9T. Cairo was so bad that when we had our first session in Central Park, Stephen already knew who the problematic dog was in a park full of so many dogs. Stephen just observed the first few minutes on how our dog Cairo behaved first hand. Once he made his assessment, he taught us how to train Cairo with the proper tactics. I also appreciated his honesty because he explained that even with all the training, Cairo does not have genetics on his side as anxiety is often what you get with golden doodles.

As a result of learning all the tools and tactics on obedience and how to foster bonding, Cairo has become a very obedient dog and less reactive towards people and dogs. He still has some anxiety that he may not ever 100% overcome but with the roadmap Stephen has given us, I now feel confident in helping Cairo overcome his fear and live a more fruitful life.

It is so important to find a trainer that is actually passionate about dogs and Stephen is that person who loves helping people and their beloved pets.

P.S. This picture was the first time Cairo was able to be calm in a park full of dogs and I saw the progress!☺️

Thank you Stephen!

Will Messick

I reached out to Stephen at Spot On K9 Training based on the many excellent reviews here on Google, and Stephen’s training lived up to these reviews and more.

My main concerns were about my dog (a 3-year-old Australian Shepherd mix) Georgia’s lack of recall when off leash (she would chase after squirrels and birds and ignore me) as well as her pulling hard on leash when she encountered distractions. A secondary issue was her reactivity towards certain dogs. Although it took a lot of work and practice for both of us, Georgia and I made excellent progress following Stephen’s training with the E-Collar. I never thought there would be a day when I would be comfortable enough to allow Georgia off leash all the distractions in Central Park, but after her training, I am! Additionally, having the added confidence in each other has helped her reactivity as well, and she’s able to interact positively with dogs that she might have previously had issues with. Walks with her (both on and off leash) are now a much more rewarding experience for both of us.

Stephen cares about each and every dog in Spot On K9 Training, and his advice is invaluable. If you’re having similar issues with your dog, I can’t recommend Spot On K9 Training enough.