All Testimonials
Georges & Zaka
★★★★★
"Having adopted an energetic rescue puppy with many behavioural issues, Southwest has helped our dog Zaka tremendously. The personalized approach was very useful, and Devin’s knowledge helped answer all questions we had with innovative advice focused on positivity. Not only will Southwest help with your furry friend’s obedience and recall, the methods and techniques can help dog parents adapt to many situations."
Chloe, Clement & Hazel
★★★★★
"We hired Devin when our pup was 4 months old (she's now almost 8 months), and we've all benefited from his training. He's helped us with so many commands, as well as walking our dog, Hazel, on leash. She's a pro now! I've experienced many dog trainers in my life and I can say that he's the best, without a doubt. We will keep training with him whenever we can."
Julia & Connor
★★★★★
"Devin really helped me with my dog’s anxiety around going for walks. Not only did he give me a very detailed plan for how to proceed and manage my dog, but he checked in weekly to see what progress we were making. Highly recommended!"
Biliana & Yankee
★★★★★
"The trainer was very helpful to get us to better understand our dog. We were quite overwhelmed with trying to adopt a very energetic adolescent lab. Devin showed us how to channel that energy into positive and promising behaviour. The tips on mental stimulation were especially useful!"
Tyler & Ace
★★★★★
"I recommend Southwest whenever I hear someone is making a dog addition to their family. Since working with Devin, my dog Ace has improved in terms of both his obedience and his behavior. Leash pulling/biting, jumping up when guests would arrive, and recall were all problem areas for my pup. Devin put together an adaptive plan to put these to rest once and for all, and was there every step of the way to consult whenever I had questions or was stuck. If your dog is in need of training - no matter what the problem may be, Southwest is the answer!"
Boomer, Cassandra, & Kylo
★★★★★
"We couldn't have been happier with the 6 week program we had with Southwest. We have got at bernese/cane corso that will be a big breed, we knew proper training would be vital. What we learned from SW will make our lifestyle and peace of mind so much better. Kylo's recall is excellent because of the training style we implemented with Southwest. I don't worry about dropping something (medication etc...) on the floor, Our training gives us great peace of mind. I and Kylo highly recommend Southwest."
Neil & Max
★★★★★
"Southwest has been great for my Golden Retriever Max and I. Devin has been super positive, patient and very methodical in preparing Max's weekly training. As a result, Max's default behaviours are conditioned for easy obedience in the house. He also now responds well under distraction and new environments. The training program comes as a Google Doc which is updated weekly to monitor progress and adjust based on development and needs. The training has been really helpful to work on basic obedience, recall and calm temperament. I especially enjoyed the training because it allowed me to bring Max to new environments without stress. The training has also really strengthened Max's demeanor around other dogs, which is calm, playful, and gentle. We are now progressing into off leash training which is lots of fun for Max and I. I highly recommend Southwest!"
Tara & Bunk
★★★★★
“As someone close to Devin, I have seen him train his dog, Cash, since he was 8 weeks old. Cash has become a great dog who is obedient, socialized, and much more. Cash is a Bernese, and with a Bernese often comes issues like stubbornness and separation anxiety to a certain degree! I have seen Devin work very hard not only to fix these habits, but prevent them from becoming real problems in the first place. He and his training programs are not only great at teaching the basics of dog training, but he is also persistent and diligent in working through specific issues depending on your dog’s habits. Devin is very clear and detailed in his training programs. They provide explanations to dog owners about the technique and logic behind his approach to dog training. Devin and his programs make training fun and easy! Highly recommend!"
Harry, Lena & Keedo
★★★★★
"Getting a puppy was the best and scariest experience. Luckily, we had Southwest's support throughout the process. Before getting our little Keedo, Devin was available to answer all our million and one questions. Once we got our puppy, Devin guided us through all the puppy phases and helped us shape the good boy Keedo is today. What we love the most about Devin's training was his willingness to adapt his training for our needs and his thinking outside the box. Thank you Devin for your continued support! We couldn't have been able to do this without you!"
Susana & Kai
★★★★★
"Devin is an amazing trainer. He goes above and beyond to help us with any circumstance we might face while training our dog. He is patient and loving in the way he helps us learn how to train our dog. His programs are focused on you learning how to teach your dog anything you would like, so instead of creating a dependency to him, he helps you do it all by yourself. We are currently using his online training and I can tell you, it works! So if you love your dog and want to help him/her to behave better, face situations calmly, be obedient but at the same time have fun like dogs do, please do yourself a favor and hire Devin!"
Nicolas & Dagobert
★★★★★
“Devin is a real professional - Very knowledgeable, patient, and committed. Being a first time puppy parent I was very anxious to make sure I did things right. Devin is always available to answer questions and offer valuable advice which made the entire experience very enjoyable. I am amazed at the results!"
Rikki & Marty
★★★★★
"We started working with Devin when our cockapoo puppy was 4 months old (now 6-7 months), and we only wish we'd started sooner! Immediately after our first session, Devin put together a training plan that suited our schedule and targeted our puppy's more challenging behaviours. We've seen great improvements because of this, and we have every intention of continuing to work with Devin. We highly recommend him to anyone looking for dog training!"
Jorwin & Iver
★★★★★
“My dog Iver has been training under the Good Dog Method training plan since he was 5 months old. The plan helped greatly in creating structure in Iver’s learning. It gave us guidance and set goals on what we wanted to achieve based on his age. Since starting the program, Iver’s impulse control has improved tremendously (for a husky haha). Through consistent training, Iver is able to “sit/down stay” in almost any environment which has been great for practical use like waiting at a traffic light or asking him to sit when people want to greet him. Spot/Place is also one of the most useful cues that we learned from this program where I can point at a mat or bed for my dog to target and lay down on. It was extremely useful when I first took him on a cottage trip and I had him hold “spot” near the bonfire for a considerable duration. “Spot” training also allowed us to work on calming behaviours in different environments but especially at home. Leash walking continues to be a struggle occasionally but he has been able to walk a near perfect heel when walking in front of the house or in a non-distracting environment and we will continue working on the drills provided to improve this further away from home. He also had issues with resource guarding before we started the program and now that rarely occurs thanks to some routine practices recommended by the Good Dog Method. All in all, my dog has truly benefited from the training plan and we look forward to hitting more milestones as we progress through the program!”
Carina & Jasper
★★★★★
"Devin’s dog training is simply magic, and if you’re scrolling through dog trainers in the area (like I was!!), stop scrolling because you’ve found the best one! Devin makes sure to listen to the specific problems you have with your dog, and caters the training plan based on that (and often adapts exercises on the spot based on what he sees the dog--or you!-- struggling with). The weekly program is super detailed and easy to follow along. Like you, before getting training I was super lost and confused. Even though there are so many resources out there, it’s so hard to try it out with your dog when you have no idea what you’re doing (and when they don’t listen as so often puppies do). But Devin will show you an exercise with your dog and the dog will immediately follow along (and make it look so so easy!) And if your dog doesn’t get it at first or doesn’t listen, he has 5 different ways to adjust and help them get there. Most importantly, it’s always through positive reinforcement, which was really important. He really cares, so you’re in great hands :)"
Louisa & Sully
★★★★★
"Working with Devin has been an absolute pleasure. We engaged him to help us with training our 9 month yellow Lab, Sullivan. We have been working with him for 3 months and it has gone really well. Sullivan has become extremely responsive and well behaved.Devins is professional yet his methods are approachable and workable. He is very accommodating and fabulous to work with. His methods and exercises are very effective. He was able to determine what Sullivan needed and adapt the training accordingly. Highly recommend!"
Dawn & Harry
★★★★★
"Recently adopted a 4 yr old chihuahua who suffered from separation anxiety. I reached out to Animatch to ask for a reference and they recommended Devin. Devin put us on the path to success! Using drills, positive reinforcement Harry is catching on and becoming well adjusted and somewhat confident. We definitely couldn’t have come this far without Devin’s guidance and instruction. He’s given us the necessary tools to support Harry. Thanks Devin!"
Becca & Romo
★★★★★
"I have nothing but great things to say about Southwest. I started working with Devin when my puppy was 5 months old. He gave us all the tools that were necessary for me to train my puppy. From learning how to keep him calm, potty training, to learning how to reduce him barking at other dogs/people, Devin has taught me everything I needed to live an easier life with a new puppy. I highly recommend everyone invests in dog training with Southwest!"