Jerry and Danyelle have been training dogs since 2014 and we specialize in puppy training and socialization, basic obedience, advanced obedience, behavior modification, and personal protection. They are trainers who work with owners to achieve reliable obedience and change in their dogs, regardless of breed or size.
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16 customer reviews
Connor Alexios
I went to multiple trainers before i found Specter K-9 and had only bad experiences. Jerry and Danyelle are extremely knowledgeable about dogs and their experience showed in the training. My dog heels perfectly, pays attention to me and is dog friendly now. Its night and day and I would recommend them to anyone! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Mattie Brown
Jerry is a fantastic dog trainer! I came to him looking for an apprenticeship. Not only was I greeted with kindness and generosity as I started to learn with him, but he has also been a HUGE help in retraining my dogs behaviors. Coco, my oldest, has gotten sharper with the tips and methods Jerry has taught me. Zoomer is getting over his dog reactivity, and my newest, Winnie, was saved because Jerry was willing to teach me how to train her as my own project. I am grateful Jerry took us on. I highly recommend him! More...
Lyric Feu
Jerry and Danyelle saved Lyric's life. After she was mauled she was shutting down and when she came home from her 5 week board-and-train she wasn't the fearful, reactive dog she was before. She plays with dogs all the time! She's eager to go out and she's happy. Specter K9 will "make your dog happy". 5/5 More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Catie Feuker
Jerry and Danyelle changed Lyric’s life. After Lyric was attacked she was shutting down. Now her quality of life and eagerness to greet the world is immeasurable! I would recommend them to anyone. They really love and treat each animal with care. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Vaia Mcginnity
We never go away anywhere without our dogs. We know Jerry & Danyelle & felt very confident that our boys would be treated like family and they would be safe. I wouldn't trust anyone else with our precious boys. I highly recommend Specter K-9 for boarding and also board & train. They are caring, kind & compassionate & our boys love them. The boys will be back!! 5 Stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Jihra Gavilanes
Jerry and Danielle are both amazing in what they do. They took our Bruno in for 5 weeks plus and extra week for Boarding. I can’t imagine the amount patience of expertise a it took for them to teach our pup all the commands he is now very comfortable with . They worked great with Bruno and my family. They truly care for these pups. Super recommended !!! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Brian J. Church
Jerry is a professional. my Animals needs where never in question i would not hesitate to let him care for my animal again....
Reviewed on Facebook
Wan Istalo
We've had a great experience with SPECTER K-9. They are very caring and wonderful with the dogs. Great communication and follow-ups. We've had them out to our house twice to help with our transition to having more dogs and SPECTER K-9 has been so helpful. Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Tomas Roman
My Victorian Bulldog Khaleesi just got back from her 4 week training at Specter K-9. She kicked butt and took names! She is so calm and attentive. She is a dream to walk and play with.strongly recommend this guys!. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Mark Fuller
I left my dogs with Jerry while we attended a Memorial service in Catskill. We are from Charleston, SC and found him through an online service. He did an outstanding job and we would not hesitate at all to use them again. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Linda Walsh
So far incredibly good. Beautiful place. Spotlessly clean. Safe for the dogs. Enthusiastic trainer and got right to getting to know Reggie. Looking forward to more reports. Thanks so much! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Kara Phipps
They LOVE the animals and truly care for them. They're professional and knowledgeable and I know my fur-baby is in great hands!
Reviewed on Facebook
Tomas Roman
My Victorian Bulldog Khaleesi just got back from her 4 week training at Specter K-9. She kicked butt and took names! She is so calm and attentive. She is a dream to walk and play with.strongly recommend this guys!. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Wan Istalo
We've had a great experience with SPECTER K-9. They are very caring and wonderful with the dogs. Great communication and follow-ups. We've had them out to our house twice to help with our transition to having more dogs and SPECTER K-9 has been so helpful. Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Brian J. Church
Jerry is a professional. my Animals needs where never in question i would not hesitate to let him care for my animal again....
Reviewed on Facebook
Mark Fuller
I left my dogs with Jerry while we attended a Memorial service in Catskill. We are from Charleston, SC and found him through an online service. He did an outstanding job and we would not hesitate at all to use them again. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
What do you love most about your job?
What we love most about our job is how it never gets old. Even though the training itself is generally the same, each dog is different. They have their own little personalities that can really shine and flourish under the right leadership and training which in turn, bring their own unique challenges to the table. The hardest part of our job is transferring that leadership to the owner, as people tend to have as many bad habits as the dog, but once everything comes together, it's extremely rewarding to see the owner build their confidence with their dog and get the dog that they wanted, or as close to it as we can get.
What inspired you to start your own business?
We had worked for pet store chains and private kennels and found that neither institutions were satisfactory with providing both owners and dogs the tools they need to be successful. Pet store chains are cheaper for owners but have a lot of regulations as to tools that can be used, the employees aren’t properly equipped to handle all dogs/situations, and dogs that are allowed in the workspace. A lot of times, the people who need the most help are the ones who are turned away from the store. Private Kennels can be more flexible in terms of training ideologies and tools used, but they also don't provide the complete picture. Your dog is learning in a kennel environment and a lot of time doesn't go through training in a more relaxed home setting. It can be very stressful for your dog because they may not be used to a kennel life and/or the other dogs in the kennel can be intimidating for your dog with the craze that can occur when people go to take dogs out for training. Also, depending on the size of the kennel, your dog could be spending more time in the kennel than you are led to believe.
We wanted to provide both owners and rescues a home-environment training service. All the obedience is taught in our home, applied to everyday living, and then extended out into the public to provide dogs the best level of training we can provide. We want to provide owners and their dogs the highest level of success possible. That means training the dogs for success in the right environment and providing the owner with as much support as possible. We offer unlimited free handling lessons for all dogs that undergo training with us as well as lifetime support for owners and their dogs.
Why should our clients choose you?
Clients should choose us because we aren't like every other trainer out there. We are actually using scientific based training that is systematically designed to help every owner with every dog. Even if another trainer is "balanced" do they use their tools fairly or do they just provide the quick fix? (HINT: These trainers offer a 3-week board and train program, often time regardless of the dog they have. Very few dogs can actually be trained fairly in 3 weeks, especially if they have issues. A lot of the time, the dog needs 5+ weeks). Do they remember to always reward the dog? Give them a reason to work for them? Dogs are not robots, they need to bond and feel like they are a part of the pack. Positive only trainers are completely missing all other aspects of learning. You can't ignore away aggression. If a dog really wants to bite someone or another dog, they will not care about the food in your hand. Also, they tend to make situations worse by rewarding the behaviors that we don't want and a lot of times recommend medications or euthanasia as a solution to dogs that are outside of their skill set.
At the end of the day, we treat your dog fairly and hold them accountable for their actions, just like we do with our own personal dogs. They are taught with patience, understanding, care, and of course food (or whatever motivates them)! But they are also taught that each command will be enforced, they will be expected to follow the command, and what happens as a result of ignoring or breaking commands. When training this way, truly reliable obedience is formed and aggression (if this is what they are in training for) is indirectly addressed because we are correcting the dog for breaking command, rather than their feelings of fear or wanting control. Teaching them that their emotions are valid, but they are expected to hold their commands, regardless of the situation. Teaching them that we have their best interests at heart and new ways to deal with situations, rather than what comes naturally to them. This is all done at a level that is motivational for your dog, whether that be a martingale collar, a slip lead, a gentle leader, a star mark collar, a prong collar, a choke chain, or an e-collar. And even then, with time, consistency, and patience, all tools can eventually be worked down and weaned off.
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
While there is a lot of push for online/remote training, we have not found this mode of communication to be successful with a majority of our clients.
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
We do not hold group classes, so it will be individual attention for private lessons and handeling lessons. We are both vaccinated and will maintain social distancing during these lessons when possible. If there is closer contact needed, we can mask up and provide santizer. As part of our regular cleaning protocols prior to COVID-19, floors and surfaces are washed in a diluted bleach solution twice a week to prevent disease transmission.
Dog Boarding
Our boarding rate includes walks, play time, and any additional care that your dog needs, all from a home environment, rather than the stresses of a traditional boarding kennel. We prefer dogs to be crate trained so that they have a safe space to sleep overnight, but we can accommodate for dogs that aren’t. We will take in dogs of all ages and temperaments, though safety is our number one priority and we may require additional cooperation on the owners part in order for us to be better able to help them and their issue dog. Dogs will never be left unattended during their stay with us, so owners can feel comfortable bringing their young puppies or older delicate dogs that require careful attention and have special physical/medical needs. Dogs will also not be allowed to socialize with dogs other than our personal pack. While we will always take time to play with your dog, if you'd like your dog to play with another dog, that will have to be specifically requested.
Private Lessons
For lessons, the number of sessions vary heavily on owner participation, on your dog, and what your goals are. Without owner participation, you won’t really see the change you want in your dog, or only will see it during our lessons, as your dog will learn that we are a believable authority. You also must be willing to apply pressure on your dog, so that you both learn how to perform during more stressful situations. Your dog will also play a role because every dog is different. They all learn at different paces and they all have thresholds that they may or may not surpass. If your dog is perfectly balanced and you are just looking for reliable obedience with them, maybe you’ll hit a stubborn patch down the line and will need extra time or maybe they get so aroused that they blow through the commands (for example when it’s time to play or at the pool). If your dog has issues, then extra time will be needed for them to work through it. How much time is dependent on your dog (as well as you). And lastly, what are your goals? If your dog is fearful towards strangers, is your goal for them to be friendly with everyone or just to stop lunging, barking, or running to the hills? Will you be open to the possibility that some of your goals can’t be reached? Do you want on and off leash obedience? All these things are interconnected and will affect how long you would need our help.
During our lessons, we would go over the following commands or any combination of commands that will help you achieve your goals with your dog.
Attention: Our attention-getting exercise teaches each dog their name. This lays the foundation for everything else you will ever request of your dog. If your dog is paying attention you can get him/her to perform anything within their ability.
Leash Manners: This teaches dogs to work properly and confidently on a leash. Preventing unwanted pulling and jerking is often a concern of many dog owners. Teaching dogs not to jump on to people is also covered during this training phase.
Sit/Sit Stay: Dogs are trained to sit on the first command and must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Down/Down Stay: Dogs are trained to lie down on the first command and must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Come: The dog must come and stand near the handler when given the command to do so. The dog must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Heel: The dog will walk on the left side of the handler and turn or change pace as needed.
Release: Everything that has a beginning must have an end. That is why each dog is trained to the "FREE" or release command.
Place: The dog is trained to go to a mat or defined space and remain there until released.
Leave it: The dog must disengage with a person or object of focus.
Ok: Opposite of “leave it”. The dog may re-engage with object or person.
Out/Drop It: The dog will release any item that they have picked up and will not re-engage unless given the ok to do so.
House Breaking: We establish general house rules, such as potty training, jumping on furniture, counter surfing, and calmness in the home
Each command is trained in a controlled environment until the dog clearly understands what is expected of them. Then, we gradually introduce environmental distractions to ensure they will perform in the presences of people, traffic, other dogs and different common environments.
Dog Board and Train
In our board and train program, your dog will be staying with us and we will train your dog for you. The duration of your dog’s stay will typically range from 4-6 weeks, depending heavily on your dog’s issues and learning speed. For owners of balanced dogs that only want reliable on and off leash obedience, then the dog will typically be with us for 4 weeks. Dogs with aggression issues we start at 5 weeks and depending on the severity of their aggression, we will ask for more time with your dog. You will have to come for multiple handling lessons to pass the leadership onto to you which will be weekly and start the second week your dog is with us until we bring them home to do the final handling lesson.
During our board and train program, we will have your dog understand and be able to perform reliably the following commands:
Attention: Our attention getting exercise teaches each dog their name. This lays the foundation for everything else you will ever request of your dog. If your dog is paying attention you can get him/her to perform anything within their ability.
Leash Manners: This teaches dogs to work properly and confidently on a leash. Preventing unwanted pulling and jerking is often a concern of many dog owners. Teaching dogs not to jump on to people is also covered during this training phase.
Sit/Sit Stay: Dogs are trained to sit on the first command and must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Down/Down Stay: Dogs are trained to lie down on the first command and must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Come: The dog must come and stand near the handler when given the command to do so. The dog must stay until released or asked to perform another task.
Heel: The dog will walk on the left side of the handler and turn or change pace as needed.
Release: Everything that has a beginning must have an end. That is why each dog is trained to the "FREE" or release command.
Place: The dog is trained to go to a mat or defined space and remain there until released.
Leave it: The dog must disengage with person or object of focus.
Ok: Opposite of “leave it”. Dog may re-engage with object or person.
Out/Drop It: The dog will release any item that they have picked up and will not re-engage unless given the ok to do so.
House Breaking: We establish general house rules, such as: potty training, jumping on furniture, counter surfing, and calmness in the home
Each command is trained in a controlled home environment until the dog clearly understands what is expected of them. Then, we gradually introduce environmental distractions to ensure they will perform in the presences of people, traffic, other dogs and different common environments.
Doggie Day Care
For owners who want to leave their dog for the day, we offer a day care service where we provide all the luxuries of a boarding dog, minus staying the night. This includes walks, play time, and any additional care that your dog needs, all from a home environment. Doggie play time must be specifically requested and would be with our own personal dogs, not another client dog. We are flexible with pick up and drop off times and can also feed your dog if needed before they go home, just bring their food as the house kibble of choice is Orijen, and unless your dog already eats high quality kibble or has a stomach of steel, they will get upset tummys from the drastic food change.
