Philly Unleashed

So happy to have a great trainer like Nicole. When we adopted a nervous reactive dog we didn’t know how to train her. What Nicole taught us was valuable. Our dog was super smart, we were the ones who had to be trained to understand her. 5 years latter. .. Kirin is every dog sitter’s favorite, her favorite game is tricks and treats especially with kids who will give her treats for any trick.
She is so good we bring her everywhere, on planes, trains and automobiles all across US and Canada.
Thank you for helping us understand Kirin.

$ 150/​private session, «but you have to bring a friend or family member’s dog.» Words out of Philly Unleashed’s own trainer, Nicole’s mouth.
We spent quite some time on the phone after I had emailed them explaining how my American bulldog mix’ reactivity with *some* dogs was our biggest issue with her. I told her that our 2yr old dog had already done a bunch of classes at another company that uses positive reinforcement only methods and already passed obedience classes, but that I wanted to increase her positive socialization interactions with other dogs. She did say some things that gave me hope during our conversation that they’d be willing and able to help us such as, «bully breeds don’t fully develop socially until about 2.5−3 years old,» but that then became, «some breeds just don’t like other breeds.» I was especially suspicious when she then said that neither her nor the other trainers at the company had a dog they could use to work with my dog with, adding, «our dogs all have their own issues too, haha.» (Code for we don’t have good control of our own dogs/​we can’t handle yours even though we’ve never met her.) I said, «really? I have to imagine that our dog’s issue is not that unique.» She said, «yea, well since your dog has already bitten another dog and she’s 2 yrs old already, it’s going to be very difficult…» NICE. All I hear in that is, «we’re not competent enough to work with your large dog that actually many if not most reactive dogs struggle with.»
But if «bully breeds» don’t develop socially until about 3, wouldn’t NOW be the perfect time???
For $ 150/​hour, I’ll pass.
All other owners of puppies and fluffy toy breeds can spend this chunk of change if they want.

I brought my dog Otto for two levels of obedience training during the spring/​summer of 2015 with Dana. I can’t praise this service enough! I would encourage anyone in the area who has a new dog or a puppy to sign up for one of these classes. You won’t be sorry. Some of the great features of Philly Unleashed’s Basic Obedience class included:
–Reasonable rates
–Good location (at least in my case, it was at Companion Animal)
–Safeguards always in place for a multi-​dog environment
–Easy to follow guidelines that are customized for each dog’s ability.
–Emailed notes and summaries after each class to help you practice at home.
I learned a lot of really useful techniques and ways to better communicate to my dog what I want him to do and best of all, the class setting is really relaxed and fun. Previously, Otto was highly nervous, afraid to be near other dogs and mostly un-​trainable by me. Within the first couple of weeks, he began to improve. He loved going to class and always appeared to be having a ball while we were working. His behavior has improved noticeably since we began and he now knows several commands.
I also can’t say enough fantastic things about Dana. She’s a true professional and really knows her stuff but she is also kind, down to earth and non-​judgmental. She has a really thoughtful and quite wonderful way of showing you what you may not be doing right without making you feel like an idiot or a bad dog parent. It has honestly been a great pleasure to learn from her.

Dana and Nicole have been a wonderful influence on my huge nutty muppet of a bernedoodle puppy. We did Dana’s Puppy Kindergarten class where Tuck learned all the curriculum, plus Dana spent extra time giving helpful tips which got him to walk better on leash and get used to the fact that he lives in a noisey city now.
We did a private training session with Nicole to help with his random freak outs and she spent extra time with us, answering my many, many questions, providing information on behavior and explaining the various training philosophies so I was aware of what she was doing and why. She also introduced us to all her friendly animals on the farm, which Tuck loved.
Tuck and I liked our experience so much with Dana and Nicole that I sent him to Farm Camp while I was away for a long weekend. They took extra care to give him his medication, and watch out for how he likes to eat dangerous objects and kept him safe and healthy. Super extra bonus they trained him while he was there. He came home tuckered out and now knows «leave it» and is responding to other commands better, and is more used to water. A very happy puppy.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a woman who was going to bring her 4 year old rescue to the shelter to be put down because she no longer wanted to take care of him after raising him from a puppy. I convinced her to keep him for a few more weeks while I search day and night for a new home to save his life. With all the homeless dogs and cats out there you couldn’t believe how difficult a task this is until you take it upon yourself. He is a great dog, however he was neglected and abused by his owner and had some abandonment issues. With the help of many people we finally found him a home. After two weeks we felt like we could finally breathe again knowing he was safe and would not be put down.
After a few days, his new owner contacted us and expressed concerns over his minor issues. Fearing he would give up on this wonderful dog we offered to get a trainer to help him adjust in his new home. I reached out to a friend who recommended Nicole from Philly Unleashed. I contacted her 3 times leaving multiple messages. She never contacted me back. Nothing…
I can understand they may be busy, but this is not a way to run a business. I am really upset I wasted precious time waiting on this company when a dog’s forever home is depending on this.

It is a rare occasion these days when I can give a business a full 5 star review. Philly Unleashed deserves every. single. one. I signed up my dog Oliver for the Rescue Classes which run for 6 weeks and are held once a week. I figured it would be a good way to give him a little bit more training but I figured he already knew everything the class would cover… WRONG! They teach you so many valuable skills for focusing your dog on the task at hand. I’ve learned so much about my dog just by going to these classes.
A special shout out to our trainer Lydia who has a wealth of knowledge about the appropriate ways to train your dog. We happened to miss a class one week and she took the time after the following class to go over what we had missed. That was so amazing and it truly speaks to Philly Unleashed as a company.
Also, I might add that the classes are not pricey by any means and even if it is a stretch, just go for it. It is worth far more than the dollars I spent on the classes.

I love love love the ladies at Philly Unleashed. They are so good to me and my pup :) They are incredibly knowledgeable about training techniques and dog behavior. My dogs main issue was distractions and being dog selective which I know many dog owners in the city struggle with, They offer lots of different classes and different training locations that are easy to get to. Nicole and Jenn are the best!~

We called Philly Unleashed for private home lessons for our 16 month old Boston Terrier. We wanted to freshen her up on some basic commands and wanted to work on new goals. We were so lucky to have Dana V. as our private teacher for several weeks. Dana came to our home and really listened to our concerns and tailored each lesson to our needs. Each week she set specific assignments for us to work on which was rewarding for all of us. She checked in on us over the week and followed through with every task. Dana even brought over special treats to reward our dog knowing her specific food allergies. Dana is very organized and is always on time. She is committed to her work and her love for animals is obvious in the way she trains and treats our dog. We were so happy with her and her teaching style, we decided to continue on with her in the group dog classes.
You will not be disappointed in the servies Philly Unleashed has to offer. The attention and care Dana has given to our Boston is more than we can ask for. We will continue to support and trust in Philly Unleashed as we continue to create a fun and exciting environment for our dog.

We have had an amazing experience with Philly Unleashed. We adopted Violet as a ten month old pup and didn’t know that she would be able to learn so much in such a short time. Dana is really amazing: patient, confident, and always shows us the perfect way to train Violet. I like the way that the class always builds on what we learned the previous week. Violet is much better behaved, knows a ton of commands, and we feel confident that she will continue to grow. I cannot wait for the next level of class! In addition, Dana was always available to answer specific questions and help us learn how to be better dog owners.

We contacted Philly Unleashed for basic obedience training for our 10 month old Rottweiler, Tucker. Nicole responded quickly to our email inquiry. She answered all of our questions & provided information on Group training as well as Private lessons in our home with Jennifer. We opted for 4 weeks of Private lessons with Jennifer & it was money well spent! Jennifer focused on the areas we needed Tucker to learn each week & checked-​in with us to see how Tucker was doing with his training in between lessons. Jennifer has infinite patience & demonstrated gentle yet firm control to which Tucker immediately responded. Tucker has learned the basics & we couldn’t be happier! Jennifer is genuine & 100% committed to her students’ well-​being. We look forward to working with Jennifer again for Tucker’s advanced training.

This review has been long overdue. As a first-​time dog owner and a workaholic, you can imagine how tough it was for me to care for my separation-​anxiety and needy puppy.
THE ISSUE (S):
She feared being in her crate as if she viewed it as the mouth opening of a scary monster. She would run somewhere to hide when she knew it was time for me to leave for work to avoid being put in the crate and would cry every time. I felt hopeless and thought I made a terrible decision to keep her.
When I thought all hope was lost, my BF discovered Philly Unleashed through ravishing reviews and thought that we should give it a try. Jennifer, our dog trainer and class instructor, not only taught us the basics on how to train our dog, she took the time outside of class to address the specific issues we each had at home.
THE RESULTS:
Payton loves her crate now and would go in it on her own without me telling her to when she knows I’m getting ready to leave the house. She doesn’t cry anymore and is very obedient with my commands. She also use to go on the couch and onto the window sill. A simple training of the word «OFF» worked like a charm.
If you have «doggy issues», Philly Unleashed is your solution. Trust me.

I cannot speak highly enough of Nicole and her work with Philly Unleashed. Our super sweet pit mix would crumble at the word «No», thus making it impossible to train and control our new pup without spoiling her. Trying to housebreak her was a nightmare!
Nicole was able to schedule a one on one session for the same week that we called. She helped us with how we communicate with Maggie, as well as build her confidence. Then she helped us establish clear boundaries without undoing what we worked on before. After two sessions, we are on our way to a confident, well behaved dog!

If it were possible, I would give Philly Unleashed approximately 17 stars. I’m obsessed (as obsessed as someone can be with a dog training company). Seriously.
I recently became a first-​time dog owner and totally romanticized the process in my head, basically forgetting that dogs aren’t magically born knowing how to do things like oh, live in a house and maintain perfect behavior. My biggest challenge with my rescue pitbull was crating — Brew absolutely refused to step foot in his crate, which made leaving my apartment almost impossible (and come on, a girl’s gotta make it to happy hours… and oh, work and stuff). After a few days of intense struggling (tears included), I reached out to Philly Unleashed for help. Nicole talked to me on the phone and listened patiently as I recounted every detail of my frustrations, and suggested I start working with Christy. Best. Suggestion. Ever.
Christy came to my house for our first appointment, and I kid you not, after an hour of working with her, Brew was willingly stepping into his crate and sitting down. I basically passed out from surprise. Now, six weeks later, Brew crates with almost no effort, is calm, relaxed, and even hangs out in there on his own, which is something I never thought I would see. He’s better behaved in general, listens to me more, understands more commands, and is just more awesome than he was before we started working with Christy (and he was really awesome to start, I swear).
I have to say though, the best part about working with Christy and Philly Unleashed is the support beyond the training sessions. I basically put Christy on speed dial and called or texted her with any and every question related to my dog, and she always took the time to talk to me, calm me down, reassure me that I wasn’t being neurotic and/​or the worst owner ever if I made a rookie mistake. My parents, my friends, my vet and my boss all know about her because I’ve been so thrilled with how things have changed since she started working with me and Brew.
Rates are fantastic, scheduling is fantastic, trainers are fantastic, my dog is fantastic and your dog will be (more) fantastic as soon as you start working with Philly Unleashed. The end.

We were lucky enough to find Philly Unleashed after our pit/​terrier rescue failed the evaluation to get into doggy daycare! We knew she had her share of issues, and had been doing different classes with her, but it wasn’t until we started working with Nicole and Christy that we saw a profound difference. Her only major problem was reactivity with other dogs, but now, she has been able to have appropriate relationships with other dogs! Not to mention, she’s great with all the standard commands, and more!
Nicole and Christy are so knowledgeable and caring and do excellent work with the dogs. They are super enthusiastic, and the classes are always fun to attend… not something we cringe at when we realize we have to make room in our crazy schedules for!
Definitely give them a try for anything from just a time to bond with your dog, to real issues that need some work. We even did home visits with Nicole until our pup was ready to be in a class setting with others! They really bend over backwards to help correct any doggy issues you might be dealing with!
I honestly don’t know what we would have done without them! We love our little one, but her behavior got beyond frustrating at times, and couldn’t be better now!

Nicole is simply the best, her enthusiasm keeps you and and your dog striving to be the best!

Nicole helped me understand my temperamental Australian Shepherd mix’s behavior. My dog is now Canine Good Citizen Certified! Her explanations of dog behavior and training methods are easy to understand. She pushes you to push your dog to more advanced levels of training. And she’s really enthusiastic about what she does.