Waterdogs K9 Center

My beautiful Kali is a wonderful 7 year old dog, but she's shown aggression to other dogs. Then last fall she chased a squirrel in the woods while we were walking and travelled several miles before someone found her and called the phone number on her tag. I knew I had to do something. After several months of training under Janet's tutelage I now have a dog who recalls immediately and who I can absolutely control around other dogs. I can't thank Waterdogs enough and would recommend Janet in a heartbeat. She's made my life with Kali really enjoyable whether we're at home or we're out. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I was recommended this dog training facility by someone who went there and saw great results. My wife first brought our small dog to Waterdogs to correct some behavior issues (random running away and marking in the house). He did so well with the training that I brought our other dog (well trained hunting dog) so she could help with some small issues that I wasn't able to solve myself. Janet is great. She really understands how dogs think. She taught us how to communicate what we want with our dogs in a way our dogs understand. Our dogs are happy and so are we. Our small dog also did daycare here. He loved it. He would get so excited when we pulled into the parking lot! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

We heard about Janet and Waterdogs through a mutual friend who has their GSD go through the program. Our boy is 6 years old. We've been through several different programs, have used many different methods of training - we figured maybe we just need to throw every style of training at him, and see what sticks. We knew we had a smart dog (I swear some days I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up to find him making breakfast and singing), and his obedience was good, but he could NOT relax. He was always 'on'. Like REALLY 'on. Like every noise, every movement, every person, every blowing leaf, every FREAKING raindrop was a potential threat that he needed to alert us to and protect us from. People told us that would never go away, and they were partially right. People told us that 'he's a German Shepherd, it's what they do', but something told me that no, that can't be right. We watched our dog pant and pace and whine with emotion and nerves. He wasn't being 'protective', he was losing his mind, because he couldn't relax. Things like the doorbell would turn him into a hurricane of noise and saliva. You would think a known mass murderer was on the other side of every door. Walking was great, until another dog (or sometimes another human) walked by. Again, he'd react as if the person had literally threated to harm us. It's frustrating, it's embarassing, and it took a toll on us too. We became nervous parents, and of course he picked up on that. He was a nervous dog; we thought we had failed him somehow. A nervous dog can also be a dangerous dog, and though we've been fortunate, we've had some close calls. His anxiety translated to fear, not 'protectiveness'. On our own, through six years of dedicated attention and training, we weren't able to successfully teach him to check in with us before you decide what's dangerous and what's not. Fast forward to Janet. Our boy spent over 6 weeks with her (at no extra charge). She promised to give us back a dog who was a better version of himself, and she delivered. She was patient with him, never pushing too hard, knowing what he could and could not handle. She got into his head, she learned his language, she gained his trust (and ours), and she taught our 'tough guy' that it's OK (and required) to chill out. She tightened up his basic commands, and taught him new ones, including 'Place' (which in dog language means 'park your butt, and don't move until I tell you to). It's different than stay, or down, and it's fabulous. We are thrilled with the progress that Roog made while he was with Janet and her pack. He's still a work in progress, and like any 'teenager', he tests his new way of life almost daily, to see if we'll let him get away with any of the unwanted behaviours. We are quick to correct, and he is quick to respond. When we feel frustrated, Janet is quick to respond with suggestions and reminders of how to keep things right on track. She's invested in our dog, and her deep dedication him is evident. She worked hard, and it shows. The ground work on redirecting his energy and attitude has been done; it's up to us as dog parents to continue with what Janet has so brilliantly instilled in him: confidence, obedience and best of all, the ability to actually enjoy life a little more. Our dog's 'job' in his mind is no longer to be the loudest and most obnoxious thing in the room; he's been relieved of those duties, and though old habits may die hard, he's got so many new ones that we are proud to be a part of. We can't recommend the Board & Train program enough - invest in your dog - after all, he's family! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Janet has a way with dogs that I have never see. Before. My dog, Rocket, was a disaster with separation anxiety and she transformed him. He is so much more enjoyable and we aren’t pulling our hair out anymore.We owe Janet so much and she truly is magic with dogs. Highly recommend her! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Own a Great Dane that isn't perfect. But Janet has gone above and beyond to correct every issue. Amazing. Clean facility. Great staff.

Reviewed on Google Maps

We are absolutely thrilled with how far Walter has come after being with Janet for 4 weeks for a board and train. Walter, like many young dogs had trouble following commands amid distractions. He also had some bad habits that we just couldn't seem to break him of (nipping and jumping). He was also a very skittish and timid dog. I had tried other training facilities but seemed to get to a standstill where Walter was not progressing. 4 weeks with Janet has changed all of that, she did a wonderful job with Walter and more importantly with me. It is so important to pass the skills onto the owner. Bad habits broken, response to commands is consistent no matter the environment. When Walter went home we easily transitioned into continuing want Janet started. Thanks Janet and the staff at Waterdogs K9 Center, you have an amazing facility and team that I would highly recommend to any dog owner. LOL, btw, Walter now has a clear love for apples Janet! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We had the pleasure of meeting Janet when she came up north for a weekend e-collar seminar in Sudbury. It was two full days where we were able to learn how to work with our dog the best way we could and it allowed our dog Brady (1. 5 year old German Shepherd) to become his best self where he learned that there are certain things that he could and couldn’t do. We can’t say that we had an overly troubled dog but he did like to test his boundaries and excelled at selective listening. He developed some reactivity towards other dogs and we had a hard time to break his focus and control him (excessive barking, pulling and occasional lunging). Put all of these faults together, it’s hard to build a loving relationship. We were often overly frustrated and disappointed with ourselves thinking we had clearly done something wrong… But then along came Janet. With the use of an amazing training tool (e-collar) and the guidance from an amazing trainer, we were able to learn together how to make things work, how to improve and how to build a proper trusting and loving relationship. Janet truly understands how a dog thinks, she understood his breed and she understands that no one and nothing is perfect. She is the real deal. Her attitude and passion were incredible and she made us feel comfortable with her personable and down to earth personality. I am constantly thankful for all her help. She may not be in the same city but I am always recommending her seminars to friends and family who have difficulties with their dogs. I look forward to always being able to contact Janet when needed and to continuously learn from her. Thank you Janet for allowing us to fall in love with our baby again! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Rated highly for: Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Value

Reviewed on Google Maps

When you've done all you can, and still your dog is not where he needs to be, you need Janet. She is the dog whisperer - there isn't a behaviour she doesn't understand, or one she isn't confident she can correct.

Reviewed on Facebook

We contacted Janet about our aggressive German Shepherd. He would lung and snap at people and dogs. He could never relax and was always high strung. We started to feel like he would turn his aggression towards us. We tried a few different trainers which all helped but never resolved the issues. His obedience was great but we realized it wasn’t obedience that he needed but behaviour modification. After all who wants to live with a dog for 10 years that misbehaves. I’m not a professional dog trainer and can only train my dog part time. It only made sense to go the board and train route with a process who does this day in day out. We looked at Waterdogs K9 reviews, and even reached out to a few who shared their amazing experience and results. We agreed to do a 4 week board and train which actually turned into 7 weeks with the extra 3 weeks FREE OF CHARGE. Janet stated our dog needed some extra time and she wanted to ensure he was the best version he could be. Janet would send us videos and photos of our dog and kept in touch weekly. Fast forward 7 weeks and we have a dog that is well behaved, self soothes, can play nice with other dogs and is neutral to other people. You would have to see it to believe it. Janet’s the real deal, and a great person I now call my friend.One thing to understand is if your dog needs some serious help with issues tools may be needed to fix the issues. Prong collard, e collars, and any others. It all depends on the dog and situation but be open to learn and understand why. A well behaved dog with a clear mind and clear ground rules is a happy dog. If you’re struggling with your dog and have tried everything or want it to fix it the first time around call water dogs now. Their resume is impressive and ranges from working with regular companion dogs all the way to protection dogs and police k-9. If you want any clarification prior to committing contact me as a true recent client and I’d be happy to further share my experience. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Janet is awesome and definitely knows what she is doing! We are always sure our dog is well taken care of when we leave her at the daycare and the pool is a big plus! !! I definitely recommend her services to everyone! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

It's great to see dog trainers use balance in their techniques - with all the negativity out there it is great to see facilities who aren't afraid to address the stigma related to tools and show how happy, adjusted and well mannered dogs trained with balance are! Good job!!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Waterdogs Daycare is a balanced facility offering a variety of training tools and techniques individualized for each dog. This helps owners have dogs that live happy and safe lives together . This business is being bashed by people who are not dog training professionals and do not understand the proper use of training tools. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

A great use of proper training tools and all of the dogs seem very happy and learning a lot! All of the one star ratings appear to be people who have never actually been in contact with this facility. Keep up the great work!!

Reviewed on Facebook

I am fully in support of Balanced Trainers who show skill with the humane use of many different dog training tools. If an owner is having trouble with their dog in ways that make them not enjoy the relationship, having help from a competent trainer who uses good judgement as to what the dog needs, what tools to use and how to teach the owner to be a more responsible owner, I support. Every balanced trainer I know are kind and understanding and can help owners with difficult dogs. I applaud your effort and keep helping clients develop better relationships with their animals. You are doing all the right things in all the right ways. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I love you guys!! Before I took Ranger here he was full on! He couldnt be controlled inside, was destructive and yanked me everywhere! ! But now he is an angel!! Thanks so much Waterdogs for helping me understand and train my boy! We are both much happier and have a healthy relationship. Couldn't recommend you enough!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I'm so relieved that you use a prong collar to help dogs!

As you know a prong collar is the best training collar available because you can effectively communicate with your dog using gentle leash pressure, it helps you break through to your dog to quickly change its frame of mind, and—unlike a flat collar or choke collar—it doesn’t damage your dog’s trachea or neck muscles and doesn’t throw its skeletal structure out of alignment.

A prong collar looks like a medieval torture device, but, when properly used, it is one of the safest, most humane, and least physically demanding dog training tools. With a prong collar, your dog will walk calmly beside you in heel position, and, using calm, well-timed corrections, you can stop your dog from pulling on the leash, marking territory, jumping on people, biting the leash, barking, lunging, and other reactive behavior. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

True experience means having a toolbox full of different approaches and methods and being able to correctly apply the right method to the right dog at the right time in the right way. Janet is one of those consummate professionals with the ability to do this and in a world where there are so many one method, self taught "internet experts" with no REAL knowledge, she is a rare find. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Had our first consultation for one of our boys yesterday. Kelly is fantastic! A true dog/ animal lover. She was very gentle and patient with our boy, he's not a fan of the bath tub (hahahah! ). We all left feeling great and comfortable knowing he will get amazing therapy treatments! Thanks! :) More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Great water therapy & after his therapy we have continued to go for their daycare services. Extremely clean and well run. The dogs get to have fun but it’s not absolute chaos like other places we’ve been. Keep it up!

Reviewed on Facebook

Fear and ignorance kills millions of dogs a year. Waterdogs Daycare is a balanced facility offering a variety of tools and techniques to help owners and dogs live happy, safe, comfortable lives together. Don't believe the negative comments about this business, do what works best for you and your dog. Can't we all just get along? More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Its so important to find trainers and other canine carers who are open minded and can objectively assess a dog's behavior needs in order to make him/her the best dog that they can be. Too many 'positive only' believers refuse to acknowledge the benefits of all available training tools. And instead spread untrue and inflammatory statements about these balanced training tools and the trainers that use them. So many dogs have been saved from euthanasia or an isolated life because of balanced training - which yes, uses a lot of positive reinforcement thank you very much!!!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Had the pleasure of doing a seminar on detection and competition obedience at Waterdogs this past summer. I found the staff at Waterdogs to be very welcoming and helpful, and watched them all interact with clients professionally. Janet is an extremely knowledgeable trainer with a very unique and direct way of explaining difficult concepts in a simple and effective way to clients. We taught some private lessons together after the seminar and she was an excellent teaching partner, creative and funny, and if anyone is looking for pet obedience training and behavior problem management I would recommend her without reservation!

Jerry Bradshaw
Training Director
Tarheel Canine Training Inc
Sanford NC More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Nice to see someone who really cares for their dogs and clients! It's a shame that some have targeted you for the betterment of their own agenda. It's obvious your customers have benefitted drom the work you do More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I had the opportunity to visit Waterdogs Daycare this past weekend. Janet and her staff were very welcoming and went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. Beautiful facility and amazing people. Thanks again!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Amazing. Our rambunctious puppy is now an incredible calm family dog. It took work from all of us but Janet taught us all what we needed to do to succeed.

Reviewed on Facebook

Janet is an amazing trainer. She trains each dog as an individual, is kind and patient and completely transparent about her tools and methods. And the pool is a huge bonus!!

Reviewed on Facebook

This place is great! I was saddened to hear that one uneducated person got all their junkies to give a one-star rating. Consider those one stars just literally one star. The rest of them were not customers -- just followers. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

As a professional dog trainer and boarding kennel owner in Cornwall, my expectations were very high when I visited Waterdogs Daycare for the first time. Janet, her staff and the facilities exceeded my expectations. I was so impressed with their set-up, knowledge and friendly staff. I would not hesitate, not only to recommend them but also to send my own dogs there. Thank you so much for taking such great care of us all! Hope to see you all again soon.

Svetana Kovinich
K4 Dog Training Academy & Day Care More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Such knowledgable and helpful staff, they really do want what is best for you and your pup. We walked in to Waterdogs Daycare in hopes of finding a clean and well managed daycare facility. We are so happy that we have found so much more than just a daycare! Our hard to train beagle loves nothing more than to "go visit Janet" and plays with her friends. Both my partner and I struggled with the lack of dominance in our training methods, and with the help of the e-collar, Janet and her staff our energetic beagle is finding balance and structure.

Would most definitely recommend!

Mikki-lee, Christopher and Lilith More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Very clean facility and great staff.

Reviewed on Google Maps

K9 Waterdogs is an amazing place to take your furry family member for daycare, training and overnight stays. Their staff are very friendly with your dog and owners alike. We have used their services for board and train, daycare and overnight stays. Our dog LOVES it there. They also offer grooming and aqua therapy on site. Truly a one stop shop for all your pets needs. Highly recommended them!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Used their hydrotherapy program while rehabbing my injured sport dog. Very accommodating and easy to schedule. Would reccommend for anyone trying to speed up the healing process of a injured dog.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Janet and all the staff at Waterdogs are amazing!We brought our pup Rhea to a few other facilities prior to meeting Janet they we're all nothing compared to Waterdogs. Our girl has been going to Waterdogs for years and loves it. Janet is VERY knowledgeable when it comes to training and the phycology of the dog, you just have to not be in denial and want to work on your dogs behavior. We first started bringing our dog for daycare, and then moved into full training for her as she developed some bad habits do to our lack of time and effort. We trusted Janet's knowledge and invested in the board and train program and HIGHLY recommend it. Totally worth it all! I have sent clients of my own to Janet and they trusted her as well and had GREAT SUCCESS. Dog training isn't magic, it's work , for her, your dog AND YOU. Waterdogs is a fantastic facility with nothing but the best interest for your dog!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I highly recommend Waterdogs. We send our dog for daycare and she loves it, she comes home tired and content. I especially love the structure and how Janet runs the facility. It is clean and runs very efficiently. Janet genuinely loves dogs and has so much knowledge when it comes to basic or complex training. I have full trust in Janet and all the employees at Waterdogs with my dog or anyone else's. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I seeked Janet and Waterdogs K9 Centre after my dog started showing signs of being reactive towards other dogs while on leash. She offers a variety of training options but I opted to do a Consult sessions + 4 private training sessions. The sessions were booked exactly one week apart ( Spread over one month). Janet is very thorough with her explanations. She does not talk to bore you but engages you through explanations suited towards your behavioural knowledge and her own humour. She is a trainer who teaches you to say 'no' to your dog. If you do the homework and follow the method/s she instructs you to do - you will see changes within your dog. Skipping out on one day or avoiding a method she offered, will set you back - I feel having a personal knowledge on dogs as animals versus dogs as 'pets/family members' aided myself in my dog's improvement.I saw changes within my dog within that month of training; which took me months to achieve on my own. Three weeks after finishing my private sessions with Janet and following her guidance; I was able to walk my dog by other dogs without him wanting to 'f them up'. It has been almost two months since my training sessions and I feel more confident as a handler and have created a deeper bond with my dog. He can offer me trust within the situation and I may offer him guidance. Dog training is not all what is defined within a textbook or classroom but defined dealing with the reality and the unpredictability of different dogs. Dogs live in the present and assess the situation as it comes towards them, therefore, dog trainers must as well. And Janet does exactly that. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

This review pertains to two services of the business.First service is the day care. For starters, every employee here is an adult. I have my two dogs to a few other spots in Barrie where they have teenagers taking care of the dogs and even running the front end of the business. My dogs came out of these locations nervous and dirty. This has not been the case at Waterdogs K9 center; my dogs come out of the facility happy, clean and energetic. The facility is clean with outdoor space available. Soft flooring is installed with agility features set up for dogs that are interested. Most of the employees have some sort of training related to dogs whether it be health or training related. The result is your dogs will be trained on good behaviors (letting you walk through a door first and calm during greetings when you arrive for pickup) but also having an educated staff to bounce questions off. I have had my one dog on the monthly daycare program for the past ~9 months and my other dog goes occasionally so he doesn't get left out.The second service I can comment on would be the board and train program with Janet. My younger dog (1yr old) had a leg injury at only 10 weeks old and the following vet visits had caused some serious fear issues with her. She was a great dog in the house, albeit not perfect, but outside and on a leash she would loose it on other dogs and even people sometimes. At first I tried a different trainer who was recommended by a family member and while he taught my wife and I many tricks as trainers his methods were not enough for the issues my dog had. I put my dog into Janets 3-week program and she kept her for 4.5 weeks at no extra cost due to the extra care that was required. Janet understood that my dog required some extra attention and that this extra attention would yield even more positive results. My dog has since returned and has done a complete 180. She is still the same old dog with the same goofy character/quirks BUT is now much more confident, can be introduced to any dog on the street even while on leash and is incredibly responsive to her commands. Janet had us come in for a couple days to teach us some tricks with the dogs so we could maintain and improve upon what she had done with out dog.My wife and I are thankful to have found the day care so we can confidently leave our dogs for the day but even happier to have found Janet and her training services. We had a dog that we could not manage but now we have two great dogs that are happier as a result of her help. I would recommend her services to anyone looking for help or even just looking to improve their relationship with their dogs. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I have only taken group training there with my pup, but he has improved so much! Great techniques that are easy for humans to understand dogs.

Reviewed on Google Maps