Mountainside Mutts

Marci Matson

2024-03

I’ve cared for over 50 dogs in my adult life and always felt that I could provide appropriate training. Well, that all changed when we adopted Dexter Morgan. He is a rescue from Alabama who is 1/2 Great Pyrenees, 1/4 Lab and 1/4 Golden Retriever and is large and in charge. Although he is a mix , his personality is very much that of a guardian dog. We reached out to Als and she’s given us the tools to not only bond more with Dex, but to also teach him to want to do what I ask of him through positive reinforcement and using treats and markers. Als is an excellent communicator, teacher and is nonjudgmental. She gives clear instructions and reinforces them with handouts that I found especially helpful. I highly recommend Als and Mountainside Mutts!

Ryan Bliss

2024-02

My wife & I have been taking our dog, Danby, to Mountainside Mutts for over a year now & we could not be happier with the results. Danby has learned so many new & important skills & his socialization has improved dramatically. My wife & I have learned a lot of very helpful skills from Als too which has made our lives a lot easier & more productive as dog parents. We recently adopted another dog, Jet, and he will be attending Mountainside Mutts as well so that he can learn the skills that he needs to be the happiest & healthiest pup possible. Als is a phenomenal trainer - effective, knowledgable, results oriented & always positive. Danby is SO HAPPY every time he walks up the steps at Mountaiside Mutts to see Als, Nikki and his doggie buddies & he sleeps like a baby when he gets home. I would highly recommend Mountainside Mutts if you’re looking for dog training & socialization in the greater Rutland area.

Ann Anderson Evans

2024-03

Als has a force-free training method . Why yell at your dog when a whisper will do? She is well organized, direct, and clear. She responds quickly and has offered a mixture of home visits and classes at Mountainside Mutts, where my puppy can mingle with other puppies. She's made me and my puppy happier, much happier. Recommend without hesitation.

Tom Johnson

2023-06

I'll be honest, this is my 3rd attempt at writing this review. My first 2 attempts were way too long because I simply can't say enough great things about Als. My wife and I originally asked her to help with one issue with a dog we planned to adopt. In they end, she took on both of our dogs for an entirely different issue. She was brilliant in creating a curriculum and training my wife and I to train the dogs for the desired result. I'll say that again: she trained my wife and I to train the dogs. She didn't train the dogs, she trained us. And my wife will be the first to tell you, I'm not easy to train. But the results are undeniable. And if you don't want to take my word for it, ask my boys...

Monika Ganguly-Kiefner

2024-02

My experience with Als was amazing! My dog was attacked by an off leash dog when she was little and was traumatized, she became dog reactive and would bark and snarl at any unknown dog who approached. I tried a ton of things but nothing really worked until we worked with Als at Mountainside Mutts. Within six weeks I saw a huge difference and she was able to walk by a dog outside of Petco and totally ignore them. I was so impressed! 5 stars, highly recommend!

Stephanie Backes

2023-11

We enrolled our pup in the Puppy Start Right program and we are SO glad we did! Not only did he get the playtime needed to help shape his socialization skills, Als does a great job when it comes to training the basics. My favorite part though was WE as owners received an incredible amount of training - Als provided hand outs, different resources, and armed us with information that has proven to be so helpful with caring for our pup. We can't wait to book more sessions in the future.

Joe Laws

2023-06

I recently completed a basic dog training course with my furry friend, and I have to say, I'm extremely pleased with the results. The course covered all the essential commands, from sit and stay to come and heel, and provided us with the tools and techniques to reinforce those commands at home. Our instructor was knowledgeable, patient, and clearly had a passion for working with dogs. The class size was small, which allowed for individual attention and personalized feedback. I appreciated the positive reinforcement approach used throughout the course, as it helped build my dog's confidence and motivated him to learn. Overall, I highly recommend this basic dog training course to anyone looking to establish a strong foundation of obedience with their furry companion.

Leslie Carpenter

2023-06

I am so happy Ginger and I came to Mountainside Mutts for puppy training. It was extremely helpful for both of us to get a foundation for training and a good bond between us. We had several private classes and learned a lot. Als also provided handouts for everything we learned in that session to refer back to which was great. I highly recommend her. Positive reinforcement with constant training. I will be looking forward to more classes soon. Ginger absolutely loved Als and I can't say enough about her positivity and care for my little pup!

Cassandra Piontek

2023-06

We cannot speak highly enough about Als, she is incredibly patient and kind with both our dog and us! She's a true expert in her field, guiding us through the training process to polish some 'unwanted' behaviors with our 3 year old pupper. You can tell she loves what she does. Our dog goes to her 'day school' every Tuesday and comes home exhausted from all the learning and playing with the other dogs and takes all the training that she learns in school and applies it at home. Als and her side-kick Nikki are the best in town !

Jeffrey Candee

2024-02

I am a dog lover but l needed help with my dog Harley Thanks to Al,s I now have a dog that listens and obeys commands and without punishing her to get results truly a great class

Katherine Stiles

2023-05

I took the group basic manners course and learned a lot! Als was so patient and informative. Even though it was a group class, we got lots of individual attention. Als did a great job addressing specific behaviors for each dog in the class. My dog and I had a great time. I'm looking forward to taking some of the advanced classes in the future!

Judith Godzik

2023-06

Als and Nicki are fantastic! My dog Ellie just loves going there. They are patient and kind to both owner and pup❤️. Would not hesitate to recommend Mountainside Mutts.

Louise Kenney

2023-05

Alz provided 4 training sessions with me and my Tibetan Terrier (small -medium sized dog). She addressed the particular behaviors I asked her to. It soon became clear that she was actually training me, so that I, in-turn, would know what to do when I was away from the training environment. Alz was very knowledgeable, patient and kind with both me and my dog. She clearly explained what she wanted me to do and demonstrated as needed. She ended each session with a discussion of what I needed to practice at home.I highly recommend Alz and plan to go back again if I need some further help.

Sharron Macklin

2023-05

Als is the best! Her training methods are always positive and problem solving ideas really help you to see issues from the dog's view point. Highly recommend her!!

michael dowd

2022-05

Als REALLY cares for the dog and the success of the dog and owner! She conveys a very logical and understandable "training routine" and most importantly GREAT follow-up!Would recommend Als to everyone who needs help in their canine relationship.

Doug H

2022-05

Als was invaluable when we got our puppy,Ellie,a few years ago.She turned having a tough time into an enjoyable experience training us as well as Ellie all the basics

Paula Gagnon

2023-05

Very knowledgable trainer. We learned a lot to help train our pup.

Richard Biziak

2023-05

Enthusiastic and informative sessions that were fun for pups and owners!