Hear It From Our Happy Clients: Testimonials for Alan's K9 Academy

A great experience working with Alan in training our 2 year old lab, Reba who I thought was untrainable. 

I was super skeptical enlisting another trainer for our crazy, hyperactive purebred lab after our first trainer was such as disaster but Alan is the man. He has a lab from the same mother as our dog so he knew what he was getting into. He put together a great training program where he came out each week and gave me things to work on at home between sessions which was key to making sure the training sticks. Fast forward to many months after we finished training as I write this review, Reba is a completely different dog. Even given her hyper tendencies, she understands the commands we taught her and listens. If you are considering dog training I highly recommend Alan and his team. We were working with him when he was expanding his team and bringing on new trainers and i know he was very particular with who he brought on board. I would trust anyone on his team given his leadership and training program he follows.

– John G.

I highly recommend Alan’s K9 Academy.

Our trainer, Janelle, was very knowledgable and I always looked forward to our training sessions. Not only did she give our Millie confidence when out in public, she also showed my husband and I how to handle situations. Our Millie girl has came a long way, and for that, I will always recommend Alan’s K9 Academy.

- Andrea W.

Janelle worked with my ‘stranger danger’ reactive dog and she was amazing! 

She showed me how to reinforce positive behaviors and train my dog to behave differently when triggered to the point where he ignores triggers. 100% recommend!

- Jacqueline G.

Alan and his team are the real deal. 

They went above and beyond to help me out with our reactive GSD foster dog, Buddy. Alan is one of Buddy’s favorite humans now!

- Deanna B.

Alan is a miracle worker when it comes to behavioral modification of canines.

What he can do with those considered “untrainable” is nothing short of amazing. He’s the best! AND he does so using positive reinforcement, not punitive measures!

- Bryan C.

Director Etowah Valley Humane Society

Alan and crew are top notch.

It's important to my nonprofit organization that we utilize CERTIFIED trainers who have the ability to use methods that fit the dog. Their programs are not canned or one size fits all. They will work with you and your dog to create a training program best suited for everyone.

- Lisa P.

Owner Georgia Dog Advocates

Glad we have a trainer we feel confident in sending our patients to!

We have referred several of our clients to Alan for training and they have all had wonderful things to say about him. Glad we have a trainer we feel confident in sending our patients to!

– Dr. Leslie B.

She knows all of her newly learned commands.

Great results in leash walking and command training. Alan was so wonderful training Harper, who just graduated from puppy 101. She is much easier to walk on a leash and knows all of her newly learned commands. We are so proud of her. Thank you so much Alan.

– Vicki H.

We were also impressed with the patience and kindness with Carlos without screaming and harsh pulls.

Alan was referred to us by a friend who has a lab that he had trained. She said she had used several trainers and he was the best she had ever been with. Carlos, our wire haired vizsla, was with him for 6 weeks and returned to us recently. We are very happy with what he has learned and with Alan’s time spent with us after as we had several questions. Alan also sent pictures and communicated with us during our 6 weeks of training. We were also impressed with the patience and kindness with Carlos without screaming and harsh pulls. I highly recommend him.

– Debbie B.

Improved behavior through commands and leash training.

Alan is an excellent trainer. Ruby was a rescue who had been mistreated and lacked trust with men. Alan bonded and earned her trust very quickly. In a short time, he taught her many commands that have improved her behavior immensely. She gets along well with other dogs and is doing well with walking on a leash. I highly recommend Alan to anyone looking to train their dog

– Suzanne M.

Ernie is a much happier and well-behaved dog.

Ernie and I had reached a critical juncture in our 4 years together - he was becoming more aggressive and uncontrollable with our new living situation. I had to decide whether to find another home for him or find a way to keep him happy here. My vet recommended that I try private training and gave me a brochure from Alan’s K9 Academy. Thanks to Alan’s patient and calm yet firm approach using positive reinforcement, Ernie is a much happier and well-behaved dog. Alan also provided me with plenty of tools to continue practicing the techniques that work specifically for us. Thank you, Alan, for an amazing experience!

– Davida F.

There is no question Alan, and his staff, are all dog whisperers!

We took in our puppy, Daisy, as a 9-week-old rescue having no prior experience with puppies. We tried two different puppy classes which were a disaster. As Daisy was growing quickly in size and energy we began to panic, spending countless hours watching YouTube training videos trying to learn what to do, and failing. In desperation we reached out to our vet. She showed us Alan’s brochure, letting us know other clients spoke highly of him. We really liked how he presented himself, as well as his history with K9’s and veteran status. Investing in Daisy this way has been the best decision. Alan taught us how to teach her as well as how to integrate her with our other adult rescue. There is no question Alan, and his staff, are all dog whisperers! We look forward to more training with Alan as Daisy gets past the one year mark.

– Lurah B.

Created a loving and well-integrated family puppy.

We just graduated from Alan’s basic training program and want to recommend this trainer to everyone who has a puppy. Alan showed us that with patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement your puppy will be a loving addition to your family. Alan trained our puppy at our home and I think that was a game changer. He was able to see what we were struggling with and addressed these issues where they were occurring, giving us practical solutions specific to our puppy. His passion for and understanding of dogs shows in every aspect of his training program.

– Michelle P.

Transformed my misbehaving dog when other trainers failed.

We had tried two other trainers before Alan to stop our 5-year-old Lab from pulling on the leash and being too exuberant at the front door. We were shocked to see how quickly Alan got our dog focused and understanding what we expected of her. She’s truly a different dog now. And she loves Alan so much! I highly recommend Alan for any issue you and your dog might be having!

– Lynne K.

Got excellent results with reward-based techniques for my puppy.

We knew Finn was going to be a big boy so we needed to be sure that we had control and he minded us. During our initial assessment, Alan listened to our concerns, set expectations and helped us understand the “why’s” behind each command. We really liked Alan’s approach (reward based behavioral corrections) K-9 background and we quickly realized Alan is a true dog whisperer! We were able to see a big difference with Finn after the 1st session. Alan is always encouraging and responded to questions via calls/text messages. Alan was able to offer simple commands and corrections. Alan never made Finn’s humans feel bad when our training time or techniques took a step back. If you do the work with your puppy/dog, everyone reaps the benefits. Finn enjoys his training time and loves it when Alan comes to the house. Finn is now 9 months old. He has grown so much and is now a well-behaved “good boy!”

– Liz H.

Corrected multiple behaviors and taught us methods to train.

Alan is a terrific trainer and exceeded our expectations with his training of our dog, Roe. He was able to correct all the behaviors we had discussed with him prior to starting the training (excessive barking, walking on leash without pulling, and following commands of stay and place). Alan regularly asked for feedback to make sure we were satisfied with how things were going and if there were any other behaviors we wanted him to focus on.

– Laura D.

Dog became calmer and safer around grandchildren after Alan’s patient training.

Alan’s K9 Academy did an amazing job training Tozer. He is a 2 year old typical German Shepherd that chased my grandchildren when they rode their motorized toys, chased and nipped at them when they rode the zip line, and played very aggressively with them. Mr. Alan was very patient with Tozer in helping him calm down and pay attention. He addressed problematic behavior in a firm, but gentle way. He also taught my son-in-law how to be firm with Tozer and to let Tozer know who was in control. My grandchildren can now run and play without the fear of being nipped. They can throw his ball without it being snatched out of their hands. Tozer has come a long way. Many thanks to Alan’s K9 Academy and their hard work!

– Bobbie H.

Alan returned her significantly more adjusted and calm.

Working with Alan was great! We were referred to him by our puppy trainer at PetSmart due to our rescue dog’s continued and concerning fearful behaviors. After a thorough interview and assessment of Luna, we started out with two weeks of boarding/training with Alan and he returned her significantly more adjusted and calm. We continued with seven weeks of individual training in our home and community. Alan was extremely knowledgeable and patient with us and Luna as we progressed in her training. We have no regrets in hiring Allen and it was a pleasure working with him! You will not regret this valuable investment for your furry family member!

– Kelli F.

No longer afraid of strangers

Alan and Janelle are amazing trainers! I adopted Wally, a Pit Bull who was an owner surrender and had been in the overcrowded shelter for 8 full months before I brought him home. It was very clear that his prior family hadn't socialized him or offered him any training and he was becoming increasingly leash reactive and defensive around strangers. With Alan and Janelle's help, my sweet Wally has become more comfortable on walks (even in the busy area of Midtown Atlanta where we live) and he has started to get to meet new doggy friends. My parents are always bragging on how much progress he has made, and I know I wouldn't have been able to get to where we are without Alan's K9 Academy! They are money well spent!!

– Laura B.

My 9 year old can give him a command and he LISTENS

I am so thankful that we found Alan and Janelle! Before Alan and his team, my husband was the only one who could even somewhat control our big boy. We felt like we were at a total loss and would never be able to teach him good behavior or control him, and now thanks to Alan and his team, my 9 year old can give him a command and he LISTENS . The only thing we regret about hiring them is that we didn't do it sooner!! We will for sure be using them in the future for our other fur child! Thank you Alan and Janelle for helping us and Judge! If you are thinking about calling them, don't think anymore, just do it, I promise you won't regret it!

– Caylee T.

He puts in the time and effort

I researched a LOT of trainers and met a few before deciding to work with Alan. His calm demeanor and history of working with dogs sold me. Throw in the fact that Petra became comfortable with him rather quickly (and she doesn’t much care for strangers!) made my decision easy! If you want a trainer who actively seeks ways to work with your specific dog and specific issues, you need to call Alan. He puts in the time and effort to make it money well spent!

– June F.

Alan always makes sure he is addressing our primary concerns

So happy with our experience with Alan's K9 Academy. We could tell from our first meeting that Alan is a gifted "dog whisperer". He connected immediately with our beautiful hound Dany. After our first meeting with Alan, we knew he could teach us so much. Each visit, he taught Dany a new skill, then had us practice giving the commands and reinforcements for Dany. Alan always makes sure he is addressing our primary concerns with Dany's behaviors. Dany no longer pulls on walks. She is an expert at "sit", "stay", "down" and "come". While she continues to be an enthusiastic greeter of visitors to our home, we are working on perfecting her waiting in her "place" prior to coming to say hello. Prior to working with Alan, we tried group puppy classes and had a few individual training sessions with other dog trainers. Alan's expertise, his ability to immediate bond and command respect, and his focus on building skills each session are simply unmatched.

– Pam C.