Whoever meets Kim and has the privilege to work with her, quickly finds out that dog training really means relationship training. 

I am a dog trainer myself and still did benefit greatly working with her: I had added a new dog to my household and lost my leadership role in a hurry. There is an old addage: sometimes you don't see the forest because of all the trees - well this happened to me. In a very short time, Kim got me back on track and now we all will live happily ever  after... i hope.  And if not, I know who to call.

Sybille and the gang --
Maurice, Jimmy and Zip - who get along just fine now!!!

Sybille Wells
Shadow Hills, CA

I first met Kim when I had my German Shepherds, Agador and Sundance. We were on a phone consultation and Sundance, who was 7 months old was screaming at the slider, wanting to come in the house. I will never forget Kim saying “Is that noise okay with you?” at which I got quite wimpy and said “Noooooo” while holding back the tears and saying " I need help."  I was truly at the end of my rope as I had already worked with 6 other trainers and this was still happening!  It was Sundance's way of getting what she wanted and nobody so far had been able to help me with it. 

Further in our conversation, I was saying how she gets me up every night around 2am to go potty. She replied “Does she have a medical condition that makes her have to get up in the middle of the night?" I burst into laughter and said “NO!” It was at that time, I knew this was the person I wanted to work with and that I needed a live consultation. Her answers made sense, she was witty and I knew she would make training fun.

I worked with Kim and soon life changed....for the better. She has amazing animal communication skills and can explain to you just how they perceive certain situations which ends up being nothing like the way we see it.

It's now over 10 years later and I have 2 Aussie puppies that have been under her guidance and leadership since the day they were born. These 2 boys are now a year old and are very well behaved and mannerly. I have worked with Kim on many aspects of my Aussie's behavior and she is right each and every time. Kim always makes you see things their way and when I didn’t understand a certain technique or I didn’t get it just right, she would go over it until I did get it. I think it took longer to train me than it did to train them. She's a natural trainer that makes learning fun.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a first rate trainer that understands your dog and your concerns, Kim is the one I would recommend.

Dana Giammaria
Burbank, CA

Thank you for all of your help with Socks.  He always come when we call him now and our walks have become as much fun for us as they have always been for him.  We get such a kick out of how much he loves his "auntie Kim" and how excited he always is when he knows that you are coming.  We understand why, because we think you're the best too!

We are all so happy we found you. 

Rob, Karen and the lovable Socks-ahoy! 

Robert and Karen Stills
Hollywood Hills, CA

I started working with Kim after my neighbor recommended her to us. Since the birth of our second child, our 5 year old Boxer had become over protective and was slamming against the front window of our home when he saw people outside. He had already smashed through the window twice and the second time he’d cut himself up pretty badly.

We hired two different trainers, who were unable to help us with the problem. The first one wanted to use an electric collar on Buster. When I refused to let him, he warned me that if I didn’t change my mind I might as well get used to the idea that my dog was eventually going to kill himself.

The second trainer wanted me to tie Buster’s leash around my waist to keep him with me at all times. With a four month old infant and a toddler to look after, there was no way that was going to happen. When I explained this to her, not only was she unsympathetic to me but she really didn’t seem to like my children at all. She “jokingly” suggested that I find a new home for my kids. Needless to say, she wasn’t invited back.

By now we were at a loss as to what to do. Our dog was relegated to the backyard, because we didn't know how to fix the problem and we’d lost our trust in dog trainers in general. Buster was miserable and so were we. My husband started reading training books and we tried a couple of things he’d read about but nothing worked.

My neighbor kept insisting that I should call her trainer. She told me that Kim had worked miracles with her dog and that she would help me to understand my dog much better. She believed that I would change my mind about dog trainers after I worked with her. I was skeptical but also desperate, so I finally called to schedule an appointment.

From the first moment she stepped through our door, I knew I’d made the right decision. Buster instantly gravitated to Kim’s side. It was easy to see why. She was warm and friendly, not only to the dog but also to me and my children. She listened to my concerns about the practicality of trying to train a dog and take care of two babies, and she reassured me that she could help me find a way around that. Kim suggested that the best thing to do would be to train Buster to stay out of the room with the large plate glass window. She taught me how to best accomplish this and although it didn’t happen overnight, with some diligent work on my part that’s exactly what we did. She took into consideration the fact that I couldn’t just set aside my family obligations to work with Buster 24/7, and gave me practical suggestions for managing him until he was thoroughly trained.

The best part is that Buster is a better dog in general as a result of our working with Kim. She gave me so many helpful tips and insights into how to work with him to get him to be the dog I want him to be. She really helped me to see almost everything about him in a whole new light. As she says, “it’s really about the relationship.”

Our dog is perfect now and the only down side to that is that we don’t get to see Kim very much anymore. We’re talking about getting another dog sometime in the next couple of years and you can bet that when we do, Kim will be the first person we call.

By the way, as it turns out, our neighbor was half wrong and half right. I haven’t changed my mind about dog trainers in general, but I’m certainly a big fan of this one.

Janice Dyer & familly
Pasadena, CA

I have known Kim since 1994.  I had a boxer “Roxanne”, she was about a year old, and we were training for obedience competition.  Roxanne was my first and so far only dog.  We had been competing for a short time, and had been doing well.  We were having some issues with her recall, along with an overall lack of enthusiasm.  Kim and I started working together, and within a very short time we were back in the ring.  This time we were placing in the ribbons every time.  In fact, by the time we stopped competing, we had done so well that not only had all of our issues been more than dealt with, but I overheard judges talking about how well Roxanne had performed and how they had not seen boxers work that well in many years.  And Roxanne earned the title of top 7 boxer in the U.S.A. for that year!  Roxanne has been gone for some years now, and I miss her every day, but the lessons she and Kim taught me have been permanently etched in my mind.
 
Over the years I have had the opportunity to watch Kim work with numerous other dogs.  She has a real “way” with them, in fact she seems to be able to talk to them.  Her passion for her craft comes through in spades, and is incredibly evident in all of her dealings with animals and their owners.  Her clear and easy to understand guidance makes it possible for people to see through their mistakes and make the necessary changes.  What I admire in her style is that she never lets you feel like you can’t get it, she stays patient and encouraging throughout the process.  She adapts her style to both the owners and the pets so that everybody gets the personal attention they need.
 
How many dog trainers have you met whose dogs actually listen?  Want to see a group of dogs that enjoy listening?  Watch Kim and her dogs, and you will see far more than that.  You will see dogs that love their lives!  Dogs that are very well adjusted, that can integrate into virtually any situation.  Her dogs don’t blast their way into people’s faces or personal space.  They don’t bark incessantly at every object, person, or animal that happens by.  In short they are a pleasure to be around.  They are still dogs mind you.  They are far from robots.  Let them run and play and you get to see the boundless joy they all have.  When they let go they totally let go, playing at full throttle with ultimate abandon.  Call them back if they are running too far, and they turn on a dime.  When play time is over they quietly curl up in a contented pile of exhausted splendor.
 
So who is Kim?  A dog trainer?  Yes.  A teacher?  Yes.  A coach?  Yes.  And so much more.  Working with Kim will provide you as it did me, a happy well behaved dog who is much more than a pet, but a family member.  One you can with time and her guidance learn to communicate with in ways you didn’t realize were possible.  I would highly recommend working with Kim.  My experiences with her have solidified my views and strengthened the ease with which I can recommend her services.  I have been witness to Kim’s growth and further development in this field she is so passionate about.
 
I highly recommend that anyone in need of help with their dog call Kim.  After all, it’s like she says; it’s not just dog training, it’s relationship therapy.

 Dr. Mick Rubino, DC
Newhall, CA