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March 2024 by Brittany Robinson
My puppy and I are in our third class at YDF. The space is well-appointed, there are multiple different classes to choose from, and the price is accessible and competitive. More importantly, however, the trainers are incredibly thoughtful and kind. They understand that they are ultimately training owners, not dogs, and they help break things down for the densest of us :) I have specifically taken classes with Sarah Stoycos and Morgan Stroup, and they are wonderful. They are so patient with all my questions, and I feel like my understanding of dog psychology has truly improved.But one of the behind-the-scenes gems of YDF is the coordinator, Nicole. She is incredibly organized and goes above and beyond to help owners access the resources I need. The other day she called me after hours just to talk through a struggle I was having and offer practical suggestions towards resources that might help. So grateful for Nicole and the YDF volunteers!
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February 2024 by Laura Horsting
Fantastic team all around and very easy to learn from them with their teaching style
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November 2023 by afdunnham
I love this place. I attended the puppy party and my little guy loved it. Dogs were matched by temperament and size.
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September 2023 by Danielle Korban
We went to our first puppy kindergarten and I was extremely happy with the class. The instructors were knowledgeable, helpful, and accommodating to each puppy’s personality and needs. The training uses positive reinforcement and techniques only, which was exactly what I wanted for my pup. I am so happy that I found this organization.
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July 2023 by Elena Fernsler
Great classes! Definitely the place to go if bringing a dog of any age into your home.YDF was repeatedly recommended to me when we brought home a young puppy a few months ago. She is now flourishing because of their classes. Take a 6-class series to get off to a good start and prevent problems later. I’d theorize that if every person with a new puppy took one intro series, then the rate of adolescent dogs landing in shelters would reduce drastically. Not an ad. Just giving praise where praise is due
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July 2023 by Nicole LaRiviere
We really enjoyed and learned so much from the Basic Manners class. Everyone was so nice and patient, Sarah is a wonderful instructor, and it was a great way to bond with a new dog, have fun, start some good habits, and avoid some bad habits.
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June 2023 by Keara Lindsay
I took Dewey (chocolate lab) to their puppy kindergarten with Robin and it was so helpful! They teach basic commands along with meeting other puppies for socialization. They also send class recaps/videos to help with at-home training. Highly recommended!
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June 2023 by diana Kitt
I've taken my last two dogs here for training mainly with Sarah. She has been extraordinarily helpful, positive, and has great rapport with both 4-legged and 2-legged creatures.
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May 2023 by Meg M
This place is great! Highly recommend if you're looking for positive reinforcement training. I've really enjoyed bonding with my dog during their classes - and we've both learned a lot.
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May 2023 by Jennifer Strohm
The trainers approach every new behavior with love and lots of knowledge of dogs. Highly recommend them for all dog owners.
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December 2022 by Will R.
I have been taking Apollo, my 5 month old mixed breed pup here for the last 2 months for a puppy kindergarten and socialization. It's really convenient that it's close to my place, which is just the icing on the cake: everyone here really cares about dogs and bettering the community by helping us be better owners. Couldn't recommend them enough!
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November 2022 by Dom Perez
Our new pup is loving the basic manners class. Melissa Dilla is an amazing and enthusiastic instructor giving positive instruction in our group class with tips specific to our pup’s needs. We look forward to taking other classes with YDF and Melissa!
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October 2022 by Trevor Fisher
Practical, effective and affordable dog training. Entrance is on the side of the building with additional parking there.
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October 2022 by Denise Gaudian
Simply great ! Great coaches for humans and dogs! Great atmosphere and lots of fun! We love it !
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August 2022 by Catharine Bellinger Rowen
We live in DC and it's a 45-minute drive to Your Dog's Friend, but chose them anyway after *lots* of research about the best puppy kindergarten and dog training classes in the DC area. I love that they are a nonprofit organization, how experienced their trainers are (with all relevant certifications), and that they are positive-only (as recommended by AVSAB- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - and best supported by research).We started with puppy kindergarten with our golden retriever (6 sessions, starting around 14 weeks) and LOVED it. I can't say enough good things. The trainers at Your Dog's Friend are so knowledgeable about research-based, positive training and socialization. Everything we learned from Sarah Stoycos and the other trainers we have put into practice with our puppy, Griffey. After puppy K, we signed up for puppy first-grade and will be starting this weekend. We hope to keep going all the way through Canine Good Citizen and potentially do some of their nosework and agility classes, as we think Griffey would enjoy them!
