Testimonials

My experience with Neuman K-9 Academy was stellar and deserves the highest possible rating.

My 4.5 year old wheaten terrier just completed the twelve week program. Our dog was always amazing with our family, but there were behaviors their were limiting our enjoyment of our dog and also causing possible concern for his safety. Specifically, he was highly leash reactive which really limited the enjoyment of taking him for a walk. Also, he would occasionally run free if someone left a door open or accidentally dropped the leash. At this point, our dog would not return until he ran himself to exhaustion or we cornered him in someone's yard. We had friends that recommended Neuman K-9 Academy so I decided to give them a call. I spoke with Josiah a couple times and he was never pushy and always very straightforward and fact based about the program. We signed up for the twelve week program after determining it would be best for our dog's age and breed.

Dropping your family dog off at a strange place for three months is disconcerting, but the staff at Neuman did an excellent job managing that process and addressing all concerns and questions. The people that work there clearly love dogs and want to help you enjoy your dog more. The weekly e-mails and photos of our dog in training were great and helpful to our kids who really missed their dog. Now that our dog is home and I can only say it is truly a transformation. He is the same lovable dog, but we are easily able to manage every behavior that previously concerned us.

The pick up day was invaluable in getting used to being the 'handler' and we went back a week later for an optional check in with the trainers. This was very helpful. I was curious to see how my dog would react to being brought back to the academy. Basically he was incredibly excited and enthusiastic which tells me he loved being there. We now plan to board him there in the future.

One thing I will say is that you need to be committed to the process and approach that Neuman utilizes. Now that we are with our dog day to day, ensuring consistency in our approach and keeping to what our dog learned is critical to getting the outcomes we want. Your dog needs you to be consistent as a handler so he can follow the commands and be set up for success. I highly recommend Neuman K-9 Academy.

-Ray

My puppy Lucy completed her training at Neuman K9 in June. I split my time between New York and California in apartments and take my dog to the office every day. I needed my new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy to be ready to be a super adaptable dog who could literally go everywhere with me.

Her training has made that more than possible. Since leaving her 8 week puppy camp she has been on 6 cross country flights, 2 ferry rides and a couple of long car trips (6+ hours) all of which have gone off without any dog issues at all. It is actually more fun traveling with her because people love to come over and say hi.

For the first 2 months after we got home I set aside 1 hour per day to practice her commands. After about a month we started doing all of her commands off leash and I had gotten to the point where we seldom needed to use the e-collar for corrections. After 5 months we only use the e-collar off leash as an insurance policy if she got distracted and started to chase a bird or squirrel.

I was initially worried about leaving such a tiny puppy at a school that seemed to work with mostly larger dogs. I was also not familiar with e-collar training and worried that it was not appropriate for such a young and small dog. Both fears were 100% unfounded. The trainers at Neumans really really really LOVE dogs, it comes through in the weekly email updates and during drop off and pick up. They only want the best for your dog so that he or she fits into your family.

Lucy did not come home as a "dog robot" or at all fearful of people or the e-collar. She is a loving, sweet puppy and eager to please. She loves her e-collar and I sometimes put in on her while we are at home playing because it really makes her happy to wear it, which I think is the best support you can have for a training device.

I can't recommend Neuman's K-9 Academy enough. The cost of training, travel and time are worth it.

-Elizabeth

I can't give Neuman K9 anything less than 5 stars. They deliver exactly what they say and I get complimented on my girl Sophie regularly on our walks. Here's some context on what it was like for me, before, during and after the 8 week puppy boot camp experience.

I chose to go with Neuman after a lot of research online, multiple emails and phone calls with Josiah and a site visit where Summer sat down with me and showed me around where I would be sending my sweet puppy for 8 weeks. There were two big factors that made me chose Neuman. The first was the clear focus and structure of the training with a proven methodology that they were very candid about. The second was my time spent with Summer on my visit. She showed me around the facility, where the dogs were kenneled, the play area, the training grounds (indoor and outdoor) and then shared with me the e-collar and what the dogs experience. They were patient with my questions and incredibly transparent about the experience, so I knew going in that it would be a good thing for Sophie.

Dropping her off was incredibly tough. There is an overview of what happens for 30 minutes and then you say goodbye. It was very hard for me to say goodbye. But then 2 days later I had the first update from Mya and the video course to do as homework. The weekly updates from Mya were great, and she was incredibly responsive with questions and candid about Sophie's progress including where she was doing well (Socialization) and where she was struggling a bit (staying calm). They provided 8 or so pictures a week, so I could see how my puppy was growing and doing in the training.

A few days before pick up they share the graduation video. Even though I've seen at least 50 other dogs' videos, I still was so excited to see Sophie's. When I came to pick her up, there was a 1.5 hour session talking through understanding my dog's progress and sharing some key issues including her normal correction level, using the e-collar and ability to regulate water. After the presentation, Joe brought her out and I was so impressed that she was able to curb her jumping impulse. Joe, Jenna and Summer worked with us on site that day and helped me to see how Sophie should behave and how to use the equipment. This time for me was incredibly valuable as my puppy knew what to do, I was the one that needed training! (Side note - if you are worried your dog will forget you - which I was concerned about - she didn't forget me at all!)

After we came home, it wasn't perfect and Neuman was super clear that would be the case. I needed to re-establish our relationship and that the rules she learned at camp were still in force at home. And she had it tough when we came home. We live in an apartment and encounter 5-10 dogs on an average walk. But Neuman gave me the tools to work through all of the distractions she would encounter. And I will tell you I'm regularly complimented on her good behavior on our walks. We still have some corrections, but we don't have pulling issues and I enjoy the safety and fun we can now have together. The training hasn't stopped, it is just integrated into our lives.

And last thing, we weren't able to make the follow up training session and had Summer come out to work with us in downtown Minneapolis. I cannot tell you how valuable having her in our environment was. She answered all of my questions and helped us work through areas where we had more issues with distractions and excitement.

I know this was a long review, but I was looking for something like this when I researched. I highly recommend reaching out to Neuman to have a conversation with Josiah prior to making a decision. He isn't going to hard sell you, he's going to tell you exactly what they can do and what they don't do. That transparency is refreshing and I appreciate it so much.

Thank you to the entire Neuman K9 team!

-Suzy

My dog Flynn was difficult to control on a leash, would bark and act aggressively towards other dogs, and was almost impossible to control. He had "passed" several other obedience schools with little to no change in behavior. Being at my wit's end, I contacted Josiah at Neumann K-9 academy and we talked about my goals for Flynn and realistic expectations upon boot camp completion. After the 12 week course, Flynn is amazing. He's the same lovable pup with the same personality, but he behaves in ways I didn't think possible. He is a pleasure to walk now, with no pulling or tugging. He can walk past other dogs now without throwing a fit. His ability to follow commands is remarkable, even in the presence of intense distraction. He was in the backyard staring at a deer and I called him to me and HE CAME!! He loves running after deer, but with his training, he likes being put to task more. Josiah, Summer, Mya, and everyone at Neuman's are the most patient, capable, and compassionate dog trainers you will find anywhere. I can't recommend them enough. They have given me the joy of dog ownership back, and you can't put a price on that, so I consider their cost to be money fantastically well spent.

-Jennifer

We had an excellent experience with Neuman K-9 Academy. Our 16 month old Beagle/Labrador, JJ, attended the eight week bootcamp. We adopted JJ at 7 months old and found him to be very excitable/reactive, especially with squirrels, rabbits, and other dogs, and he was overly boisterous when interacting with other dogs. We tried structured, instructor-led obedience training for months on our own and were not making progress as quickly as we wanted to, and JJ’s performance was very dependent on treats. In the house, JJ would harass our senior basset hound, tear apart the furniture, and could only be controlled around other dogs and squirrels by using treats to distract him (and that was not always successful). We decided to try Neuman K-9 Acadmey based on the recommendation of a friend who had enrolled their Wheaten Terrier to the 8 week bootcamp. JJ has returned home transformed in a very positive way. He is still happy and sweet, and now he is more relaxed and mellow around the house. We learned how to prevent him from pestering the other dog and tear apart the furniture. With some coaching, he can heel past squirrels and other dogs, which is remarkable. The handler-training provided us the knowledge we need to successfully maintain and build upon the discipline he received from boot camp. We were very impressed with the knowledge and skill of all the trainers at Neuman’s and will definitely bring future new dogs there to make them well-behaved members of our home.

-Heidi

Updated review: It's been about four years since Lovie left Neuman K-9. Tonight I took him and Lucy down to a concert at a local park. There had to have been over 1,000 people there and 100 dogs-it was crazy! Kids playing, bubbles in the air, loud music, balls, ballooons---you name it. I had to go and throw something in the trash and my daughter wasn't in the mood to listen. I asked Lovie to "down and stay" and told my daughter to hold him. I walked away to find the nearest trash can-about 25 yards away. I thought my decision was going to be disastrous. When I turned around to head back, I saw Lovie still in the down/stay position, with Lucy and a few other kids that decided to love up on him. As we were leaving for the night, I couldn't manage holding him, packing up our stuff while trying to convince my 5yo it was time to go. I had to down/stay him again and drop the leash. He did what I asked, even with kids, dogs, and soccer balls flying past him. Such a good boy!

There isn't a day that goes by that we take him somewhere that I don't think about you guys and feel so grateful for his training. Best investment I ever made 😘❤️! Truly priceless!!

-Joy

Our doodle went to boot camps 1 and 2 last year. As hard as it was to leave him, Josiah insisted that because he was no longer a puppy, it would take a while to break old habits. Oliver, our doodle, would jump on people in our home. I told them to ignore him but they replied it was like ignoring a Mac truck! He would pull on his leash on our walks and go crazy when he would see other dogs. After two months of bootcamp, we picked up a much better behaved dog who could walk at a heel, sit, stay and so much more. When people come to visit, I can "place" him and he waits perfectly until I "free" him.

Oliver went back to boot camp 3 in February 2017 and this training has been the icing on the cake! He now walks at heel without a leash, makes perfect eye contact and is a pleasure to take anywhere. Josiah, Summer and his team did a great job. I continue to talk to them if I have any questions and board him there when we go on trips. I highly recommend K9 Academy!

-Nancee and Tom Bruggeman

We brought our year-old lab to Neuman K-9 Academy in September for an 8-week stay at boot camp. The transformation was incredible! The whole process made us feel as though Boji were in the best possible hands while he was gone. The good care started within minutes of me sending in Boji's questionnaire before he even went to camp! There was resource guarding issue that I mentioned that prompted Josiah call my husband and me to start working on immediately with common sense guidance.

The weekly updates with photos not only made us confident that he was learning things we could have NEVER taught him, but also made us feel that he was being very well cared for. His graduation video was more than we could have hoped for. Amazing! Kudos to Josiah, Summer, Joe and the whole team. They really know their stuff.

We will be boarding Boji at Neuman's from now on. It's worth the drive for the attention he'll get and the refresher training. Way to go, Neuman K-9 Academy! We are lucky to have you in the area!

-Michelle

We sent our 3 1/2 month old mini golden doodle puppy through the Boot Camp II program, picking her up a little over a month ago. I will say it was a difficult decision to send her to the program... 2 months away and quite a large investment. However, we had tried a 'positive reinforcement only' training class and had worked with her extensively at home on training to very limited success. She knew many of the basic commands, but would only listen when she wanted to and often was quite a terror in the house and with our 3 children.

Having heard positive feedback through a friend about the program, and feeling frustrated and overwhelmed with our own lack of success, we decided to make the commitment to invest in the program. I can say that we have not second guessed our decision since. Our adorable, but terribly misbehaved puppy is now the perfect canine companion... at only 6 months old. No more running in the house, nipping/biting everyone who dared get close, being a nightmare on a leash, and generally disregarding anything we asked of her (unless, of course, we had a treat in hand). Now she heels beautifully, will go to her bed and wait there when we put her in her 'place', comes when called, and obeys when you ask her to 'sit', 'down', 'leave it', go to her 'kennel', 'wait' at doorways or before being released from her kennel, or 'stay'. We continue to reinforce her distraction proofing... always a challenge for any curious puppy, and she is doing very well.

She is happy because we are not constantly scolding her for misbehaving or not listening and she gets to go many places with us since she is so well behaved in public. We are happy because we can take her places without worrying about her behavior, and we feel she can be trusted now with our children and knows the rules of the house so she isn't always trying to test and/or break them. It was an investment towards the next 10-12 years that we will have with her, and given how things have gone since she returned home, we all feel it was worth it.

-Michele

Daisy Mae spent 8 weeks at the Neuman K-9 Academy participating in their Boot Camp training program. She is a very high energy dog who was difficult to control and would not follow commands. Our family was so impressed with their staff and facility right from the start. We appreciated the fact she got treadmill training to help with her abundant energy, had outings to build on her social behavior in public and daily times to interact and play with the other dogs.

We received training ourselves to know how to reinforce the training and new behaviors learned. We feel much more confident in dealing with challenging behaviors she may exhibit. We are exceptionally satisfied with the training she received and life with Daisy Mae is much less stressful. We love our newly well behaved dog who listens to our commands. She is so delightful to be around. We no longer have to worry that the door bell ringing will put her in a uncontrolled barking frenzy and jumping up at the door. She now knows she must go to her place and lay down. She is able to greet our visitor when we release her from our command. She then is calmer and quiet when greeting others. We think the value in what we received with her training was well worth every penny spent.

We missed her a great deal, but we received weekly updates and pictures of Daisy Mae's progress and training. Trying to arrange to attend training when your work schedule is variable is impossible and sending her to training was the easiest for us. We think there is great value in doing the training as an 8 week boarder. The positives were that she received multiple training sessions in a day and everyone who trained and cared for her could reinforce the training . I really feel this is effective in eliminating negative behaviors and the reinforcement of positive behaviors.

We also have used the Academy since her graduation for boarding. We even used the service where they come to our house to pick her up for her boarding session. This service was so valuable when we have had time constraints in our travel or are traveling to a destination that is out of our way to bring her there. You know she was treated well at Boot Camp because when she saw Summer, who was one of her trainers who picked her up, she was very excited to see her. She jumped right into the kennel in her vehicle and was eager to go with her. While boarding we have opted for the refresher training sessions, treadmill sessions, and grooming. We know she is receiving exceptional care and her training is being reinforced.

We highly recommend the Neuman K-9 Academy to anyone who is looking for their dog to be trained or are frustrated with their dog's behaviors. We would definitely use them again if we ever got another dog. We are so thankful of everything they have done for us.

-Nancy Schult