Garden State K9 — Local services in Roxbury Township

Briggs (aka Briggsy), our 10 month old chocolate lab was very excitable and very difficult to handle. He is the first dog we've ever owned and although we tried our best, we didn't know what we didn't know. He did not walk well on a leash and was constantly pulling, he didn't listen to commands, he counter surfed regularly, jumped on anyone within reach - including my 80 year old father and stole and demolished any packages that arrived at our house. He had been through 6 weeks of puppy training and then individual training sessions afterwards but nothing seemed to work. His behavior hadn't really improved and we didn't know how to be the best teacher to him, we were at a loss.

One day while venting to my sister, she mentioned that her neighbor's dog went through a program and he came back a totally different pet, it was like a night and day change. I asked her to get me the details about the program because this sounded to be exactly what Briggs needed, what we ALL needed. Once I got the information I signed up for the orientation the next week. During orientation Briggs showed his true colors by knocking over a chair and breaking my glasses trying to get to another dog, I was mortified and frustrated but his behavior just solidified that we were in the right place.

We signed Briggs up for the Top Dog program that day and shortly he was off for his 3 week training with Bryan. Bryan kept in communication with us over the weeks sending texts and pictures of his progress. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw photos of him lying calmly in the middle of the Home Depot surrounded by Halloween decorations and of him just chilling out on his climb bed next to his new german shepherd bestie. It was such a good feeling to know that he was finally getting the training he deserved.

As we approached the end of the 3 weeks, our emotions were a mix of excitement and fear - excitement because we missed Briggs and fear that we might not be able to continue what Bryan implemented. We did not want to mess this up!

So on D day, our whole family went to get Briggs and meet with Bryan for his training session with us. The download with Bryan was exceptional. It was organized and thorough with lots of time for questions and practice with Briggs. He gave us the tools and most importantly the confidence to continue to reinforce what Briggs had been taught. Bryan stressed the need for consistency, Briggs was not a computer that he programmed and then returned, we needed to do our part to ensure continued success.

Full disclosure, Brigg's DID, in fact, try to push the limits the second he got home (which Bryan warned us might be the case) but we swiftly got to work using the new tools in our tool belt and he snapped back to his new reality and man, what a true pleasure it is to be in his company now. We love taking him for walks around the neighborhood and he is rocking the "heel." He loves being outside this time of year smelling the air and enjoying the fall. We've been getting compliments at how well behaved he is, in particular from those that have seen his poor behavior in the past. To date, not one dishtowel has been grabbed off the counter or one Amazon package shredded to smithereens - WIN!

This program has been a game changer for our family. Briggs is new and improved and so are we. A huge thanks to Bryan for all of his work and dedication to all of us, we appreciate it more...

My husband and I picked up our dog, Jersey, yesterday after she spent 3 weeks with Julia doing the Top Dog program. We were hesitant to send her at first, the cost, the time, the effort - what if it didn't work? Jersey is a high energy working dog and she was not fitting into our home well, we have 3 children and a 4th on the way - so chaos is understatement and Jersey just added to that chaos, not in a positive way all the time. We were contemplating rehoming her because we weren't giving her the life she deserved and it felt like torture for us in the process. After hearing success stories, going for the interview and meeting Julia, we made the plunge and sent her for training. Well, yesterday, we were extremely and happily surprised with the amazing work Julia was able to do with Jersey in just 3 weeks. The last 2 days in our home have been nothing like they were when she left us. There, of course, have been some moments of testing all of our patienc and skills, Jersey included but she is following the commands she and we were taught and we are all adjusting to how that looks in our home after spending 3 weeks in Julias home. Julia warned us of the testing period and she was correct - so it isn't coming as a surprise which is nice. Our expectations were appropriately and adequately curved and we couldn't appreciate that more. Despite the boundary testing by our pup, the transformation is incredible. Throughout the process, Julia was responsive, proactive and communicative with us. She sent us photos, videos, and updates of Jersey's journey with her. She was responsive to our questions and was so kind. We never worried about how jersey was being treated - training aside. We have already inquired about her taking Jersey again for boarding/refreshment training over the summer! We could not recommend not only the top dog program, but our specific trainer, Julia, enough. I hope this continues to improve our lives and our dogs life because so far the progress is speaking for itself and the success that Julia had with our pup is incredibly impressive. Thank you Garden State K9 and thank you Julia! We...

A Life-Changing Experience – Thank You, Bryan!

We can't thank Bryan enough for the incredible transformation he's made in our home and in our 6 month old puppy, Xena, - Husky-Malanois-German Shepherd mix, Xena came with a lot of energy, intelligence, and… challenges. We were really struggling with nipping, reactivity, and recall, and despite our best efforts ( hours of training, mental and physical stimulation per day), nothing seemed to work. Our three young children were even becoming afraid of her.

Enter Bryan. Over just three weeks, he worked wonders. The difference in Xena is night and day. She has gone from an overly excited and reactive puppy to a calm, loving, and obedient companion. Her demeanor has completely shifted—she's now receptive to affection, responsive to commands, and clearly wants to do the right thing. Bryan didn't just train our dog—he brought peace back into our home.

What once felt like chaos now feels manageable and even joyful. We were seriously questioning our decision to bring a puppy into our family, but after Bryan’s expert training, we can't imagine life without Xena. Quick examples - would have never dreamt of taking Xena in public by myself before this -now she goes into Starbucks, hangs out on patios with other dogs and people passing by. Can’t wait to take her to our favorite winery and our sons baseball games soon!

Bryan is not only highly skilled, but truly gifted at what he does. We are so grateful for his help and can’t recommend him enough to anyone who feels overwhelmed or unsure of their path with their dog. He truly changed everything for...