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March 2024 by Tiffany Lemon
We took our Great Dane Hank here for training. He learned so much ! Great place. We have also boarded as well with no issues.
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March 2024 by John Soard
Wonderful people - very clean facilities
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January 2024 by John Peebles
Steve and his team are excellent dog trainers. Reasonable boarding as well.
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January 2024 by Nicole Klender
We took our Mini Aussie there for training. He was protective over his home and didn’t like being around people.After our training sessions, we have no issues with people coming over or even encountering strangers. The Kastens team did an amazing job with him, they were able to assist him in ways that were positive to him. The staff also helped us learn how to calm him down and redirect him in situations that would previously set him off.I highly recommend Kasten’s programs.
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January 2024 by julie sedwick
If you were to tell me a year ago that I would be calmly walking my 150lb, 6year old German Shepherd, or don’t have to call the vet when I’m in the parking lot to make sure room is ready and there are no dogs inside, I would have never believed you. Steve and his team were amazing and have truly changed our life with our dog. I thought he was too old and too set in his ways to train. We discovered the first time we boarded him, extreme separation anxiety and he absolutely could not be around other dogs. And walking him? Forget it. He walked me.I called a lot of places with in a 3 hour distance who claimed to work on anxiety/dog aggression. Out of all of them, Kasten’s was the only place I instantly felt like knew exactly what I was dealing with and was confident they could help. Steve was the ONLY trainer who not only called me back, but spent at least an hour explaining all the ways he would handle my dog and how he would overcome the many concerns we had with our dog.I can now walk my dog calmly and not in complete fear. I can now take him to public parks and to PetSmart, and the vet with no fear of dog aggression or not being able to control him. I am also incredibly confident in being able to plan a vacation and know that he can be boarded there and they know how to handle him (my parents would always have to drive 9 hrs to come dog sit and could never board).I am so thankful for the opportunity Steve and his AMAZING staff (literally, they are all awesome!) have given us. They have given us our life back and given Blitz a much better life as we are are now able to get our dog the proper exercise needed. FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH!! ❤️
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December 2023 by Valerie DeMello
Trained my German Shepard Jerry Lee. See his happy face on the website! Kept him during a medical emergency and I couldn't be more grateful.
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August 2023 by Garrick Lankford
Excellent experience with our dog. They get to know the dog's personality and the best way for them to learn. They provided a solid foundation and tools to help. Highly recommend!
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July 2023 by Charlene H
Top notch dog training services! We've been back for both classes 1 and 2. Excellent staff, very knowledgeable and helpful in teaching you what you need to know to continue training at home to be successful.
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July 2023 by Mitch Kaylor
Our dog is definitely on the up and up with his training thanks to Kasten's. They are extremely professional and their trainers are absolutely amazing. Our dog was a hard one to break but they were able to get him on the correct path. It's up to us now since he's home from training but the materials they gave us and the knowledge should help continue him on his new path. They are the best in this area for sure.
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June 2023 by Autumn Three
I am finally ready to write my review. This has not been influenced by anyone but my dog, my child, and my husband.We have a wonderful puppy who has too much energy and likes to chew - everything. "No" mean "chew faster" and honestly our entire household was on high alert all day from his behaviors.We did two weeks of board and train and here are our results (thus far):- Our dog still returned with his personality in tact (believe it or not that was a fear of ours even if it may be illogical) and he's still naughty as ever.BUT.. it is very obvious that he has learned commands, that they need to be followed, and what is expected of him.The change is amazing.He jumped onto my child's table to grab food. My child, who was scared of the dog, said 'off' and the dog listened. Better yet - the child isn't scared anymore.He started right back for my shoes. We were easily able to redirect him and (it's been a few days) now he has stopped going after them. I expect that he will try to sneak in a bite or three in the future but I also know that he will stop.He cannot hold place for long periods of time -but- he can hold it. Our family is fine with practicing and going over it so he can learn to hold it longer. The fact that he wasn't able to settle at all before was the main issue. He is calmer and able to settle - which if huge for us.Walking the dog is enjoyable. He doesn't pull, he sits when we stop walking, and today was the first day my child took over and we all felt safe with him doing so.* You will have to go home and practice what your dog has learned, but we expected that.I will say that my one compliant was the front desk (on weekends not during weekdays) she didn't know the program or the basic idea of how dogs were trained. We were told some wrong information that put us on edge and had us worried.The front desk lady on weekdays cleared things up quickly and connected us with a trainer to ensure us that our dog was happy and healthy. I honestly think that all staff should have a basic understanding of what is going on at the facility - the question was, "About how long do they train a day?" and we were told - one hour total out of their cage - which of course isn't acceptable in any situation (and not true)We have our follow up lesson soon and I'm excited to bring up some new quirks and tricks that our dog has learned so we can address them.I will also state that the trainers worked very hard with us to answer our questions and teach us how to continue to train him at home. They were so amazing and really cared about our pup.If you're not fully sure about training, I highly recommend you take the plunge. It has been a game changer.
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May 2023 by Rori Meyer
Kasten's Dog Training facility had my 1 year old St. Bernard for 4 weeks and I am ecstatic over the results!! Before she went there, she would jump and knock people down, run across the street and ignore my pleas to come back, and would run over and tackle my other dogs to the ground. She is now very well behaved, calmer, more confident, and a pleasure to have outside with me. Everyone at Kasten's is friendly and professional. They keep you informed with videos or calls, the facility is spotless, and they give you all the tools and personal information and instructions YOU need to continue the training at home. This is not a dump & run program. If you love your dog and want a long, enjoyable relationship with it, you need to contact Steve Kasten today!! The fees are well worth the quality and it is an investment into the future with your dog!!
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May 2023 by Joan Lee Parkes
We have been using Kasten’s dog training to help train our dogs for 20 years Steve Kasten is terrific. Extremely professional , nice and an awesome trainer
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April 2023 by Meg B.
My 6 year old border collie had always been a nervous dog and did not like strangers around her. She would nip at people without warning, so we did not take her anywhere. Even though our family was pretty social, she was never part of our social life. When people came over, we put her in a locked room. She rarely went in the car anyplace, and going to the vet was a nightmare. Last summer, I turned Aubrey's world upside down. I got married and moved into a new house. This household included another dog and a special needs 26 year old. The first few weeks were stressful. Aubrey was very anxious and my stepson did not read her cues. There were a few bite incidents and nobody could relax. I didn't know what to do and thought I would have to surrender my dog. I looked online and saw Kasten's Dog Training, which I knew to be close to my new house in Elkhart. I truly doubted that anyone could help my six year old dog. I called and scheduled an online interview. I remember feeling very optimistic after that first phone call. Right away, I felt like there was someone who understood what we were going through, and was going to help me keep my dog. I had nothing much to lose, so I signed her up! Aubrey participated in Program 5- Behavioral Modification for Aggressive Dogs and Dogs with a Bite History. She spent 21 days at Kasten's split into two sessions. After the first 9 days, I came to pick her up and immediately noticed a difference in her demeanor. She completed the second half of her training right before Christmas. When my son came home college, he was shocked to see how much better she was behaving. She had a new confidence and was no longer so anxious. She was a treat to take on walks and we didn't have to worry about her darting out the door anytime it opened. We have taken Aubrey to Kasten's for boarding several times in the past year. Being able to board her, and know she is safe, has been such a blessing. The fact that she was receiving refreshers as she stayed there was an added bonus. Before coming to Kasten's, I never would have even thought that I could board her anywhere. The trainers at Kasten's were so helpful and did such a great job with Aubrey. They worked tirelessly with her, and I could see the extra effort that they put in to get her to feel more comfortable, and eventually enjoy training sessions. Kasten's Dog Training has improved our family's life. We can now enjoy our active social lives and include Aubrey. She jumps happily into her kennel when told, walks on a leash like a show dog and even goes on trips to the hardware store several times a month. She and my stepson have a mutual understanding, and both of them feel much safer around each other. Making that phone call to Kasten's was truly one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Thank you to everyone at Kasten's - you have made such a difference in our lives!
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February 2023 by Emily Sulka
I worked here in 2021. Some dogs would be so distressed by the training tools that they would scratch at themselves or thrash against the floor until they bled. The training methods made my dog's reactivity worse. New employees with no dog knowledge would be working as a "professional dog trainer" within weeks - it takes years of experience to work through behavior problems. Anyone who claims to fix aggression in a month is selling you something.
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January 2023 by Roz Katzeling
Our friends had their 2 pet dogs go thru the training and have brag to us how great their pups are trained and how happy with the results
