Reviews (47)

I have used Heather for virtual training and after only 3 sessions, I am feeling much more confident handling and directing my 100 pound dog. He has learned so many skills in these few weeks- name recall, leave it, staying, not pulling, etc. Despite the trainings being virtual rather than in person, the direction and homework is very clear and I’m looking forward to further developing our skills in our upcoming sessions.

We sent our two rescue dogs, Lola and Charlie, for a two-week board and train with Heather, and the experience was incredible! Both dogs come from traumatic backgrounds, and Heather tailored her approach to their individual needs, focusing on building their confidence as well as improving obedience. She kept us updated with photos and videos, and it was clear they were safe, happy, and loved the entire time. Heather returned our pups with better manners, calmer energy, and more trust than we ever thought possible. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a skilled, compassionate trainer who truly cares about the dogs in her care!

I truly don’t know where Tucker and I would be without Z Dog Training. Tucker is my 17-month-old rescue pup, and when we started this journey he was struggling a lot. Walks were stressful instead of enjoyable — he would lunge and whine at other dogs, pull aggressively on the leash (which is no joke with a 90 lb dog), refuse to get into the car, and felt really unsure around new people. More than anything, he just lacked confidence in himself, and I often felt overwhelmed and unsure how to help him. In just 3½ weeks with Team Z, I feel like I have a completely different dog — and more importantly, a completely different relationship with him. They didn’t just train Tucker… they helped both of us. They taught me how to actually communicate with him, how to build his trust, and how to support him when he’s feeling unsure instead of just reacting to the behavior in front of me. The improvement in his leash pulling and reactivity alone has been incredible. For the first time, walks feel calm and enjoyable instead of stressful. But the biggest change has been in Tucker’s confidence. Seeing him grow, feel safer in the world, and start to trust both himself and me has honestly been emotional. Heather and Chris have been absolutely amazing. Tucker adores them — sometimes I think he might like them more than me at this point 😂. The entire Team Z group has been so supportive, flexible, and genuinely invested in Tucker’s progress the whole way through. Knowing he’s learning in such a structured, safe, and thoughtful environment gave me so much peace of mind. For the first time since bringing Tucker home, I feel truly in tune with my dog. A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I’m so grateful for everything they’ve done for both of us. I cannot recommend Z Dog Training enough. They have made such a meaningful difference in our lives.

Heather and her team have been absolutely phenomenal. They’ve worked with both of our dogs and the progress we’ve seen has been incredible. Through their private sessions, our dogs have learned so much more about obedience, walking properly on leash, and simply being calmer and more focused. Heather has a great way of explaining things and making the training practical for everyday life, and her staff is just as patient, knowledgeable, and encouraging. You can tell they genuinely care about the dogs and about helping owners succeed as well. We’ve seen such a positive change in our dogs thanks to their guidance. I can’t recommend Heather and her staff enough for anyone looking for thoughtful, effective dog training.

We have had such a great experience with Heather. I would highly recommend Dog training to people with dogs of all ages. Ours are three years old and were shelter dogs with some anxiety and reactivity issues. Very happy we were referred to Heather.

Heather is a wonderful dog trainer! She is gentle yet firm and seems to understand the language and mannerisms of dogs really really well. She loves what she does. She worked with both of our dogs for separation anxiety and leash aggression and we were very happy with her services!

We LOVE Z Training! Heather is the best! Our rescue dog, Pepper is a Dalmatian puppy with tons of energy and she had only been with us about 2 months when we decided we could use some help. Heather was calm, knowledgeable and incredibly patient, not only with Pepper but with us too. (Not to mention her patience with the our two older rescue dogs who sometimes attempted to "assist" in the training!) One of my favorite things about Heather's program were the videos she creates of her training sessions, designed to support our work with Pepper specifically. In fact, I am still using these for reminders, etc. Yay! Thanks Heather & Monica!

Heather and her Team are amazing at what they do. We had 3 large dogs and were integrating another puppy who was going to grow up huge. Heather has taught us how to manage so many different behaviors and preferences. She is patient with the animals and the humans. The trick is- the HUMAN has to follow through with the training 🤣. We have managed to follow through with the training and our busy lives. The confidence she gave me as the pack boss and the education she gave me on what cues to watch for in their interactions are priceless. Thank you so much!

We rescued our dog Teddy very young and almost immediately ran into challenges that we now know stem from the high-energy breeds he comes from. We almost didn't know if we could keep him at one point. Heather was a strong and calming guide through the intensity of those early puppy days. Today, because of Heather, Teddy has fully integrated into our home and hearts. Heather's training courses gave us the tools as handlers to respond to Teddy's energy thoughtfully and corrected the behaviors we struggled with the most. Her follow up with guiding homework and the support through phone and text was priceless. We fully intend on continuing working with Heather through day camps and boarding because she is worth every penny! She is a great trainer with excellent communication skills, but more importantly a great person who loves dogs.

I can’t tell you how amazing Heather and her team was with training my puppies. I have a 6month old German mix and 11month golden retriever. I did their doggy day camp where they saw them twice a week. We had an initial consult where Heather came over to meet the puppies and go over our thoughts on what we were hoping for and what heathers plan was for them. They picked up and dropped off our babies which was so helpful, they sent videos and tools to help with their training. As at home continued training is the only way they can continue to learn. :-) they were always available for all of my questions. You can see the passion and love they have for dogs. Not only dis my dogs love them and love going to training , I felt relaxed and knew they were in the best hands possible. I will continue to take some private lessons just to make sure we continue with their trainings in the right direction. Not sure if anyone else had a German shepherd puppy but they need a little more attention lol. You and your fur babies are in the best hands possible with this team!

I had to start by saying, if I could give 1000 stars I would! Heather really saved our relationship with my Border Collie. He was struggling with resource guarding to the point we thought we would need to rehome him. He had bitten us a few times and we were feeling quite hopeless. I decided to give training a try and after just a few sessions he is like a different dog. Where he would usually bare his teeth when we came near him while he had a toy or treat, he now plays with us and willingly drops them when asked. Heather has truly been a godsend! I highly recommend her as a resource to help teach you and your pup!

I am blown away, even after just two weeks, by the knowledge, patience, and understanding of our household's needs and the needs of our very fearful Honey. We have raised many dogs in our lifetime but never one like Honey. We were at a total loss as to how to help her and build her confidence. Just within these first two weeks, there is a marked difference in Honey's behavior, and I have had to learn how to better communicate with her based on her needs. I recommend Heather and her team for any training needs because she is absolutely the best. Thank you Heather!!!

We were recommended with Heather the trainer through the rescue company we adopted our dog from. As it was my first dog it was very important I learn to properly take care of my dog as he learns to be at his new home. Heather was very good at giving us all the tips on how we needed to both respect each other as well as properly take care of a pet that comes from a broken past. We did a package of training classes and I truly think it really helped me take care of my dog properly. I am trully thankful for the guidance we received as well as our dog learning to respect our home. Thank you for starting our journey with dog the right way!!

Heather and her team have been a godsend to our family! We have two dogs- one is a dog meat trade rescue and is very skittish and anxious. The other is a pandemic pup, and was not socialized enough early on, resulting in fearful interactions with new people and dogs. Even though we had gone through weekly training at various pet stores, we had struggled with our dogs keeping calm when people visited our home or if we experienced new area with them. Heather came to our home in our first meeting, spent a good amount of time discussing our situation, concerns, and goals. She put together a comprehensive plan and it’s been a game changer ever since. I think I had some separation anxiety at the first training pick up, but our dogs clearly had such a great time with Heather! They both darted to her for their second pick up! It’s been wonderful to have both our dogs look forward to their sessions with Heather and Christian and return mentally and physically tired! Heather’s commitment and expertise are apparent through her informative videos she has sent us to help explain home training work. More than anything, though, is her compassion, patience, and love she shows our dogs and the others we’ve seen at pick ups and drop offs. She truly treats our dogs as well as we do! I cannot recommend Heather enough- she has transformed both our dogs to much more confident and actively engaged companions!

Heather gave me and my dog the help we needed (knowledge, confidence and understanding). What she shared with us is invaluable. I highly recommend Z Dog Training - for your dog and for yourself.

We had two very reactive 1 year old Bernese Mountain Dog brothers who got very large, very fast. We had been good with walking them but it was always a struggle and as they got bigger, it was almost impossible for us to control them. They were also very excitable and tended to jump on us and visitors. We were at our wits end and found Heather. She and her team of amazing trainers worked magic on our boys! They came home different dogs! She worked with us to learn how to continue the work she started, and provided us with videos and written instructions on what to do so that it made it easier for us when we went home. Her calm demeanor and vast knowledge made us feel very confident. We are extremely happy with the progress the boys have made in just 30 days and it’s the best decision we could have made. I would say a definite 10/10! And we would recommend her for any size or breed of dog!

We are beyond grateful for Heather! 🐾 We have a pack of larger dogs ranging from 9 years old to 3, and we just needed more control—especially with visitors, daily walks, and general household chaos. Our youngest was showing signs of reactivity and getting distracted easily on walks, so we called Heather for some in-home sessions. From day one, it was clear—Heather wasn’t just training our dogs, she was training us 🐶💡 After just a few sessions, we decided to rescue a puppy (surprise! 😅) and quickly realized the dynamic needed some professional help. Heather took both the puppy and our 3-year-old for a 2-week board and train—and WOW. 💥 Her honestly and live for them showed when she said she wished she had a little more time with them. They stayed another week to really understand everything she had taught them. And Boy does it show! The transformation has been nothing short of incredible. Our once-chaotic home now feels calm, and I actually feel in control. If I call the puppy’s name, he stops and listens. If I call the 3-year-old, he responds immediately. Their leash manners? Absolutely gorgeous. 🚶‍♀️🐕🐕 The “hall monitor” behavior from the 3-year-old is gone, and the puppy? Heather gave him the sweetest habit—every morning he runs out of his crate to grab a toy, tail wagging with joy, rather than harassing the pack! 🧸💕 I was anxious at first—four big dogs is no joke—and I truly thought there may not be a chance that I could hold things together! But Heather taught me how to lead with love and clarity. She poured her heart into our dogs. You can feel it in the way they move, listen, and are confident in their behaviors. 🥹 I wish I had done this with every dog I’ve ever had. The joy, control, and peace in our home is something I never imagined was possible. Heather didn’t just train dogs—she saved our pack. 🐕❤️🐾 Forever grateful. —Shiela B.

Heather and Chris have really helped us with our Boxer pups Hope and Beau. They are extremely knowledgeable and patient, using positive reinforcement to help both pups follow instructions even with distractions. Their program is different and it works. I am very happy with the results, this training has really helped.

Heather is amazing! She’s worked with our two smaller dogs for the past 6 months and has achieved incredible results. Both of our pups really enjoy the fulfilling days spent with Heather, which are a mix of training, enrichment, and fun! Her communication is superb, with custom training videos and worksheets, and we always have an easy time coordinating pickup and drop off. Our dogs can be a bit excitable, and one of them tends to be quite anxious, especially around strangers. Heather has been able to improve his anxiety significantly, and we can tell he’s a much happier pup. What I like most about Heather is her training style and depth of knowledge. You find so many trainers that want to turn your dog into a police robot dog who lives for your commands, but if you’re looking for someone who knows a lot about dog behavior and prioritizes their health and happiness, then look no further.

Heather and her team have been great to work with! We started w/ private classes that were easy to schedule and convenient in our own home as well as heading out in public w/ my reactive boy. We are now doing more intensive work as I continue to see him grow. Thanks to Heather I have learned good tips on how to manage him and help him experience a happy life!

I highly recommend Heather 💯 for dog training. I had a very reactive and young maltese that she really helped me with. Before working with Heather I was unable to take him anywhere because anytime he saw another dog he would becoming aggressive and unmanageable. Heather taught me the tools that I needed to get him to focus on me and to stay calm. It has changed our lives so much being able to go anywhere with our dogs now and not have to put stress on him or us. We are so happy that we found her. Not only is she like a dog whisperer, she is just a really kind person. We can’t say enough great things about her. Before Heather i tried two other training programs that did not help at all.

We highly recommend Z Dog Training! Heather was absolutely wonderful to work with—knowledgeable, patient, and so encouraging. We saw amazing results with our dog and feel much more confident as owners thanks to her guidance. Couldn’t be happier with the experience!

Heather and her team have been an absolute joy to work with. One of the highlights was seeing how excited our pup, Bella, would get every time she was picked up, it was clear she adored her time training with the team. The training sessions were incredibly valuable, not just for Bella, but for us as well, we quickly realized the humans needed some training too! While Bella is still a work in progress, we now feel equipped with the right tools and guidance to support her continued growth and success.

Heather is the BEST!! She came over for a consultation the day after we rescued our dog and immediately became our go-to trusted resource to get our new family member integrated into our home and lifestyle. She helped us safely transition our dog into the home with another dog and toddler and constantly reassured and supported us when we felt overwhelmed with the process. We have seen our dog improve tremendously, and she is now an integral part of our family that we could not live without. I know without a doubt that we would not have gotten to this place without Heather's guidance, support, understanding, knowledge, and expertise. I could not recommend Heather enough!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Amazing Dog Trainer! Heather at Z Dog Training is truly incredible! My Shiba Inu, Roux, had a rough start—she had to undergo knee surgery as a puppy, which meant she missed out on normal play and socialization. As a result, she didn’t really know how to be a puppy and would get aggressive during playtime. We were feeling frustrated and unsure how to help her, but then we found Heather. Heather’s expertise and patience made all the difference. She taught us how to channel Roux’s pent-up energy in positive ways and, more importantly, how to communicate with each other to avoid misunderstandings and frustration. The transformation was amazing—Roux became more confident, playful, and happy without the aggression. Once Roux was thriving, Heather also helped us introduce my brother’s dogs so they could all play together safely at family gatherings. Her ability to read and understand dog behavior is remarkable, and she made the entire process smooth and stress-free. She not only connected with the dogs immediately but also explained everything in a way that was easy for my family and me to understand. Heather is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and truly has a gift for working with dogs (and their humans!). If you’re looking for a trainer who genuinely cares and gets real results, I cannot recommend Heather enough!

My dog, Sully is a Pitbull/Boxer mix. He is almost 7 years old . He's been a handful since the start, so we have worked with a lot of trainers. Heather is the first one who addresses the root cause of the behaviors we want to correct and how to help Sully make the choice to manage his triggers. As we move through this process, we are all becoming more confident. Sully is well on his way to becoming a model citizen. If you think your dog is too old or beyond reach, give Heather a chance to show you how much your dog can learn. This has been a true awakening for our family.

I couldn't be happier with Heather and Z Dog Training! My dog and I have learned a lot! I get videos and notes after each session. I would definitely recommend Z Training. You won't be sorry!

I highly recommend Z Dog Training Academy! Heather is so in touch with the current training techniques. She has taught us (or should I say trained us) in knowing how to have a well-adjusted, well-socialized, good listening dog! Dottie, me, and my husband thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Heather was so great with our anxious rescues. My pups have made great strides with her help and I have such a better understanding of their behavior. My only complaint is that I wish I would have called her sooner!!

Working with Heather was the best choice! She worked with me and my kids to train our dog and help us all get more comfortable. Another trainer told us the dog was untrainable, and Heather definitely proved that wrong. Working with her changed our house from one filled with stress around a dog that felt unmanageable to a calmer more playful home. Our dog is high energy and has guarding tendencies and we are now equipped to manage our space and interactions in a way that is great for everyone! Highly recommend!

Heather is a fantastic trainer. We were first time dog owners and with her help, our golden retriever River went from chewing everything in sight, jumping up on us all the time and pulling endlessly on the leash to a calm dog who walks with us rather than trying to drag us through bushes, is crate trained and doesn’t destroy the house! We couldn’t be happier and we definitely recommend Heather!

We have had such a great experience training our Bernadoodle puppy with Z. Dog Training Academy! Our dog responded so well to the techniques that Heather taught us and they were easy to implement and practice. I highly recommend her.

I was having anxiety issues with my 2 year old pup Willow so I reached out to Heather and signed up for personal training with her. Heather was amazing. I had the foundation from previous group training with Willow but lacked the confidence to help Willow's overcome her issues. With Heather's patience, knowledge and skill she taught me how to work with Willow and guide her through her anxiety. We now have a strong bond and trust in each other. I would highly recommend Heather and Z Dog Training Academy to anyone who is even thinking of training for their pup. Willow and I thank you Heather!!!!

Heather has been a life saver with my dogs. She is literally a dog whisperer. She took my out of control dogs and literally made them look like show dogs on THE FIRST DAY of training. She has trained several dogs for me over the years. She is soo sweet and kind with the dogs and the dog parents. My dogs loved her. She was great with teaching us to understand our dogs. I recommend Heather in a heartbeat.

Heather did an excellent job training our two year old Shih Tzu, Bentley. She has a great understanding of canine behavioral issues and helped us to work with our dog. We highly recommend Heather in training your dog.

I love working with Heather @ Z Dog Training. We have a very energetic farm dog and Heather has helped us all live together in harmony. She has great insight into these animals and is very thorough and kind. She never made us feel guilty or badly for not knowing what to do or forgetting what to do. She is patient and kind with us and our doggie. Highly Recommend!

Heather worked with us diligently and professionally to help our family and dog. She was compassionate, gentle, kind, and understanding and took into account all of our needs and concerns. Heather also made it a point to include our teen in the training. She gave us literature, suggestions, tips, and tricks that significantly made our lives with our pup better and easier! Her positive and encouraging attitude made a huge difference in our feeling of confidence that we could improve our relationship with our dog.

Heather came to our home to train our puppy, Elroy, in his environment, which I found so helpful. Not only did she train Elroy, but she gave us detailed, printed instructions on how to maintain the work that she did with him on our own and she also trained the kids how to be with him. (Which was arguably the hardest part!) I would definitely and have recommended her for other families looking to train their puppies.

We were so lucky finding Heather! She turned our crazy, food aggressive, jumping, biting puppy into a much calmer, non-food aggressive, non-biting sweet puppy. Heather is kind and personable and so knowledgeable. She’s reasonable and completely reliable. We even do follow up dates for touchups and babysitting. She’s been awesome and our chocolate lab has turned into a pretty perfect dog! Highly recommend!

“I can't recommend Heather enough! They did an amazing job working with my Australian Shepherd on staying calm and not bolting out open doors—something I thought would be impossible to fix! They were also fantastic with recall training, and now my dog listens so much better, even in distracting environments. Their approach was kind, patient, and effective. My dog is now more relaxed and responsive, and I feel so much more confident in our daily routines. Thank you for all your hard work, Heather!

Was ready to "re-home" my insane Aussie Shepard "Frida" until i was referred to Heather. She taught me so much about the breed and completely re-framed our relationship. Not sure what i would have done without the tools Heather taught me!

Heather is an incredible trainer who really knows her stuff. I would recommend her to anyone and my dogs love her!

I am incredibly grateful to Heather and the entire team at Z Dog Training Academy! ❤️🐩 Heather has an amazing ability to understand both dogs and their people. She is patient, intuitive, encouraging, and uses psychology, communication, and trust rather than fear, submission, or shock collars. She doesn’t just train your dog—she teaches you how to communicate with your dog. Before Z Dog, training walking Mollie felt overwhelming. I often felt like I didn’t know what I was doing or how to help Mollie understand what I wanted from her. Heather changed that completely. My biggest “AHA” moment came when Mollie was fully engaged with me and I suddenly realized: I wasn’t working ON her—I was working WITH her. We were moving together, communicating, we were bonding. Mollie understood what I was asking of her! That moment was AMAZING! The program was perfect. Mollie trained with Z Dog three afternoons a week, and then Heather worked with me on Saturdays. I could ask questions, practice what Mollie had learned, and actually understand how to continue at home. Heather gave us notes, videos, practice sheets, and was always available for questions. What once felt confusing became manageable and rewarding! Heather didn’t just help train Mollie—she taught me how to understand her. Now Mollie and I walk together as a team. ❤️ I will always be grateful for what Heather and Z Dog have given us. They truly changed our relationship. Thank you so much, Mollie and Deby♥️

Working with Heather and her team has truly been life-changing for both our family and our dog, Nova. Heather has been incredibly patient, kind, and understanding throughout the entire process. She takes the time to explain everything in detail and communicates what needs to be done in a way that makes us feel supported and empowered rather than defeated. Since becoming part of this training program, we have seen such a positive transformation in Nova. We have learned so much about how to better understand and work with her, and we are incredibly grateful that we found this team. I cannot recommend Heather, her team and their dog training program enough. They genuinely care about the dogs and their families, and the difference they have made in our lives has been amazing. ❤️

Finding a dog trainer with Heather‘s expertise and application is a blessing!!! She truly understands dogs psyche, and works with each individual dog where they are at.

Working with Heather has been a great experience. My puppy has gained so much more confidence and Heather has really been able to help me understand my puppy's behaviors without assuming. I would recommend Z Dog Training Academy to all of my friends with dogs.

I have purchased what I thought 10 training session with them. At first they were very nice, but never really knew what they were doing with my dog. I made it very clear I wanted her to be super comfortable with people because I show. I have only received 2 videos of her walking around a store. Never gotten guidance, never gotten homework, nothing. In the very begging I asked if she was going to teach me her method of training, because I have different way and she said absolutely. The whole time I was saying nothing has changed, she’s actually getting worse, again no support, no guidance, no nothing. She told me she was going to teach me what she was doing with my dog and offer me two sessions more to work one on one because she agreed she never gave me support or guidance…. The day of ( after me missing work) she canceled and said it’s because of the way we communicated to each other. I’m ubset, feel taking advantage of, and expressed that. She’s super unprofessional, and it’s very much day care vibes because all they really do is play with them ( like her husband has stated to me jokingly ). Don’t waste you time with these pure positive only trainers. With any training or services, you should get something out of it, I got absolutely nothing or no results at all. I will now be getting a lawyer involved. Just warning others.