"I booked a 1-on-1 session with Ethan hoping to finally find a solution for my Doberman’s reactivity after struggling with it for years. Before finding Ethan, we had worked with three different trainers, watched countless YouTube videos, and spent years trying just about everything. We’d make a little progress, only to end up right back where we started.

I felt like my boy needed board and train but I wasn’t able to make that financial commitment just yet. I was also skeptical that a single session could make a difference, especially for issues like leash reactivity and barking at dogs through our home and car windows, but I was VERY wrong.

Ethan was incredibly flexible with scheduling while I was starting a new job and even rescheduled when it was too hot to safely train.

What really set Ethan apart from the start was how straightforward and genuine he was. I’d heard it’s the owner, not the dog from other trainers before, but no one ever took the time to explain what that actually meant or show me how to improve. Ethan did. He was very up front about where I was falling short, but also gave me the tools to fix it. He taught me how to set clear boundaries, properly correct unwanted behaviors, and communicate with Loki in a way he understood. Once I put those changes into practice, the difference was incredible. Seeing Loki calmly walk past other dogs without reacting was something I honestly never thought I’d experience.

In that one session He addressed every concern I had, taught me how to help my dog truly relax too. Through that exercise, I came to realize my dog didn’t actually need medication that he was more than capable of calming himself down, but needed guidance from me on how to. Ethan also made himself available for questions and follow ups after the session which I really appreciate as we implemented these new teachings to my own neighborhood.

As someone with ADD, I also really appreciated that he recorded the training session. Being able to go back and rewatch everything made it so much easier for me to retain what I learned and stay consistent afterward.

I can’t recommend Ethan enough. If I ever get another puppy, he’ll be going straight to Ethan for board and train. I’m incredibly grateful for everything he taught us and a big thank you to him for also teaching me a very important life lesson on “trying”.

Sara A, Arlington, VA

"I brought my recently adopted dog to Ethan shortly after we discovered she had leash reactivity. I cannot speak highly enough of his work and how much of a difference he made with our dog in just one session. I'll just start by adding two pluses to the five stars I rated him above. I've had some real dud dog trainers in my past for dealing with a range of issues, so did considerable research trying to find what I thought would be a good trainer fit for our dog. I was sold on Ethan, largely after watching several of his amazing videos. Because our girl is only in her 6th full week with us, I did not want to send her away for the board and train session before she had at least her rescue-recommended three month period to adjust to her now home. But I wanted to start addressing the reactivity issue as soon as possible, so I scheduled a private training session with Ethan. Because I had to wait about two weeks for our session, I started employing some of the techniques suggested in his instructive videos, and we made some slow but steady progress with just those efforts. Before employing those tactics, our girl would bark and lunge at any dog she saw at any distance - far across the street, hundreds of feet across a dog park, you name it. Within 3 weeks, reactions reduced considerably, and we were able to get within a 25 foot bubble of dogs about 80% of the time. But I also wanted professional guidance to ensure I was doing all the right things to continue progress and more important, prevent any unintended negative consequences of missing the intricacies of techniques or applying others incorrectly, so felt strongly about having the private session to learn those nuances. Best decision I've ever made! Within the first hour, Ethan showed me some things that made a huge difference - getting the leash "pop" at the right angle for effectiveness, adding verbals at certain points, taking advantage of opportunities for learning after corrections and neutrality occurred being just a few. Within the first hour, we had my dog calmly sitting next to me with Ethan and his dog not more than 3 feet away. Then we dealt with two dogs, and barking and running dog - some reactions, but all ones that we ultimately dealt with and got her under control -- then repeated with complete success. The real proof in the pudding was our morning walk the morning after our training session. Amazing! Our "bubble" distance from other dogs shrunk a bit this morning, and we had some reactions, but ones I was so much better at handling and getting under control. There are no overnight fixes for reactivity, and I know we still have work ahead to fully recondition our dog, but the difference I saw after our one training session blew my mind. What's best is that I am so much more confident in my ability to handle remaining reactivities that arise, and that is key to the ultimate fix. I cannot recommend Ethan highly enough - but I made my first attempt this morning at the dog park, recommending him to a friend who took in a still-reactive dog about a year ago. If you've got a dog in need of help to be heir best self, I'll take my second leap and tell you Ethan is your best bet."

Nancy L, Northern Virginia