Reviews (14)

Evolution Dog Training has been wonderful to work with and transformed my two puppies. I adopted two 4 month old sisters that were picked up as street dogs in Mexico. They were very reactionary, high strung, and barked at everything/everyone. One of them would even try to hide under cars when we went for walks. I started working with Leanne right after adopting them and it’s made such a difference. From the start I was impressed by Leanne’s patience and understanding while working with the girls. They are more confident and less reactive in public places and love going to the puppy play dates. I was so stressed and overwhelmed when I adopted them. Leanne not only helped plan a path forward; but has been instrumental in giving Penny and Pippa the correct exposure, and me the correct tools, to make their training successful.

Leanne James is the absolute best. Our dog at age 11 was extremely dog reactive and always pulling on walks. Leanne gave us tricks and tips that made a huge difference in 8 weeks. He is now so good on walks and no longer freaks out at every passing dog. Of course success depends on the owner follow through. My husband and I could easily duplicate Leanne’s guidelines especially when progress was obvious. Miracle worker.

Leanne has been helping us train Charlie, our Golden, since she was 3 months old. She is now 1 year old. Leanne started us on puppy training , then basic training , then leash skills and now we are starting Rally class. I loved the puppy preschool that Charlie attended at her home. The preschool taught her patience and how to socialize with other pups. In addition to training , she generously shares current and best practices in dog toys, leashes, dog food and dog psychology. Thank you, Leanne, for giving us a great start on training, Charlie. I highly recommend Evolution Dog Training.

Leanne was absolutely amazing! She takes the time to get to know you and your dog. She not only trains your dog but trains you to train your dog. My puppy was in her beginner obedience group class and after just 6 weeks it was like she was a completely different dog. Leanne genuinely cares about your dog and was always super excited to start class. I would definitely recommend coming to her for training! She takes the time to really understand what it is your dog needs. I will be signing up for her intermediate training class!! For graduation day, she even made little gift bags and mailed a picture of my puppy to me!

We are so happy our vet recommended Evolution Dog Training. Leanne is amazing! We participated in the Family Dog Training Program for our goldendoodle puppy Wally starting when he was around 10 weeks old. Leanne was so great not only teaching Wally how to be the best dog he can be, but also teaching our 2 daughters (ages 10 and 7) how to interact with and take care of him. She included the whole family at each of our sessions and was sure to tailor our training to any specific puppy issues we might be facing and goals we wanted to achieve. We also participated in awesome puppy play dates so that Wally could learn how to interact with other dogs and a group leash walking class that we all learned so much from. Our puppy experience has been greatly enhanced by hiring Leanne and participating in the training she provides! We are so thankful for her and her years of experience.

When we first adopted Pancake, my husband and I were overwhelmed. With Pancake being our first rescue dog, we weren't sure how to train or help her adjust to a new environment. We had called around and had tried other dog trainers in town but when we enlisted Leanne's help, we knew it was the right fit. Leanne took the time to get to know Pancake, building trust first and with a lot of patience and encouragement, Pancake started to become a bit more confident after each session. From the beginner leash classes to the private sessions, every resource that Leanne showed us has been helpful and is an extra tool for us to use when Pancake starts to regress. We are beyond grateful for Leanne's help and are excited to go on another adventure with Leanne with our additional rescue Storm. If you're dealing with a dog that has anxiety or fear-based behaviors, we can’t recommend Evolution Dog Training enough.

We feel so lucky to have found Leanne! When my rescue dog, Monty, turned out to be extremely reactive and a ball of stress we felt really lost. Monty really needed a gentle touch and we were completely against shock collars and other cruel methods of training. Leanne taught us how to work with our dog and manage his stress. We couldn’t be more grateful. She also helped us with both of our senior dogs who, in fact, did learn new tricks! Our 12 year old dog, Vera, had the best time in her leash training class and our 10 year old dog, Louie, loved his tricks class. Our dogs are so well behaved now and Leanne still takes them on adventures to further instill their training and enrich their lives!

Leanne's classes are very informal while very informative and instructional at the same time. I have a skiddish boy who refuses to do some instructions while in public, but Leanne is very patient with him and we lessen the job so that he can accomplish it. It has really built his confidence. I would definitely recommend these drop in dates to anyone who didn't want a strict obedience training even though we do learn obedience and parkour, and wanted to have fun with their pup!

We picked the right trainer for our Cavachon puppy. Leanne first takes the time to get to know you, your dog and your training priorities. She works with you and your dog in your home so that you can build on her training. She also offers playdates at her home which my Karly absolutely loves and has learned to interact with all types of dogs. We've also had leash training in a park and a Pet CPR class. I know she works with dogs of all ages and can help resolve many problems with older dogs

Leanne is an absolute treasure, and I'm so happy we found her to train our sweet little Great Pyrenees, Freya. When Freya came to us as a rescue she was fearful, anxious, and had multiple issues including resource guarding and aggression toward our other dog. Leanne worked with her to help her gain confidence, and under Leanne's training Freya's anxiety has diminished, her resource guarding is successfully managed, she gets along well with her dog sibling, and she can go on outings and walk outside on a leash. Thanks to Leanne, she's now a successful and happy member of our family. Leanne uses the most current and evidence-based training techniques that are grounded in respect for a dog's autonomy and promote gentle and kind handling. She was wonderful with Freya, and I wholeheartedly recommend her services.

Evolution Dog Training has done a remarkable job with our REZ rescue puppy! We picked her up in Flagstaff and immediately fell in love w her big heart and sweet disposition. Her "manners" needed some work and that's where Leanne worked her magic. "Tilly" warmed up to Leanne immediately and became an attentive student. (The treats helped because she was very food motivated...) In addition to socializing Tilly, Leanne was able to help our 10-yr old Siamese male cat make friends w the new, intruding, bouncy puppy. Nothing short of a miracle! The Puppy Play dates that Evolution offers were instrumental in helping Tilly learn to interact w other puppies, many of them much smaller than Tilly. (She is now 50 lbs at almost 10 months.) Tilly has learned to "handicap" herself when playing "tug" with her buddy who is a little Cavachon. Very sweet to see! I could go on an on and on... Leanne is very creative w her approach to dog training and will customize to your needs. She is tireless and very devoted. Any puppy in her care is lucky pooch!

I cannot recommend Evolution Dog Training enough! Not only was Leanne the perfect trainer for our opinionated 10 year old chihuahua mix but she also just offered a first aid CPR class for dogs and cats! I learned so much in those 2 hours and if I ever needed to help our pup out I feel confident that I can do what is needed.