The Balanced K-9, LLC

We are very thankful of Chuck and Luciana. We have a 95 pound 2 year old Cane Corso. We were having a few issues due to Maximus being our first dog and we picked a breed that has strong traits and personality. Due to lack of discipline and setting boundaries between my husband and three boys it was hard for us being on the same page. So thus Various trainers were inconsistent in methods and showing up to follow-up with training. Maximus is extremely protective of us and won’t leave anyone that walks by our property unanswered from his thundering barks. But with the increase in robberies we kinda allow it. He would jump at anyone who came over, was impossible on a leash. We didn’t even have people over anymore because we didn’t know how he would be. We were completely lost and afraid that there was no one who could help. Luckily we found Chuck & Luciana after nights and nights of research and talking with trainers. After just speaking with him we felt so much better about our situation. Now having Maximus back we could not be happier. He is so much happier and is able to really get out and enjoy things that we couldn’t do before because of his behavior. His walks are much better and controlled. There is no more him walking us. Much more behaved and listens to commands. Don’t get me wrong he’s a Cane Corso he tries to test us but we have better control. I have recommended friends knowing that they are in good hands . Chuck and Luciana have since visited the house when in the neighborhood to check on Maximus and his progress. We feel comfortable to just reach out with any questions or concerns We have going forward because of the knowledge they have. They completely saved our family from our worst nightmare of having to give up our boy. We are forever grateful! ❤️❤️❤️ More...

Reviewed on Facebook

If your dog don’t have any aggression issues, this is a good training class. They use prong collar and e-collar to teach your dog some basic commands, like place, break, heel, etc. My dog is a 2-year-old corgi, Maru, and he is doing okay on the basic thing after 6-week training. However, Maru also has some aggression issues, like resource guarding, food aggression, and touch sensitivity. He came back and those defensive behaviors still exist. They only trained the OUT command, so he would stop eating. But still, he will snarl or even try to bite me if I want to touch him. Same with his toys or anything he likes. Maru has relatively complicated touch sensitivity issues. Sometimes he will try to bite you when you touch his head, but sometimes he won’t. That’s why I spent so much money seeking help from some professionals. Really disappointed. Not worth the money. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Outdated fear based methods.

Reviewed on Facebook

I highly recommend getting your dog trained with Luciana, Chuck, and their team. I talked to them about my 7 month old Aussie, Biru, at the time and wasn’t sure which training facilities to bring my dog to. We had a lot of choices however, Chuck and Luciana really stood out because they truly wanted to provide the best for my dog. Biru had zero bite inhibition, extremely leash reactive, constantly pulling on the leash, ran out the door the second he hears the door knob turning, jumping on strangers, and he also had bitten another dog’s leg. The Balanced K-9 taught Biru from the beginning and helped him build a strong foundation to coexist with the other dogs and people. We also get updates on how he’s doing. Going on a walk used to be extremely exhausting but now, we’re able to walk Biru calmly and it’s such an amazing experience compared to before. His recall is 10/10. We’re constantly training him everyday just as Chuck and Luciana advised to remind him how to behave when he sees other dogs or strangers on a walk. The place command that he learned is very useful so he doesn’t jump at us when we come home. Overall, love the experience! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Chuck and Luciana. We have a 85 pound black lab Rottweiler and we were having a lot of issues due to honestly a lack of discipline and boundaries on our part. Bo was extremely protective of not only toys and food but also space to the point that he was aggressive at times. He jumped at anyone who came over, was impossible on a leash, ripped apart the house whenever we left etc. We have a six month old baby at home and Bos very unpredictable behavior put us at a point where we really did not know what to do. We didn’t even have people over anymore because we didn’t know how he would be. We were completely lost and afraid that there was no one who could help us but Bo was and is our first baby and we would do anything for him. Luckily I found Chuck after nights and nights of research and talking with trainers and after just speaking with him felt so much better about our situation. Now having Bo back we could not be happier. We can take Bo anywhere and everywhere on and off leash. He is so much happier and is able to really get out and enjoy things that we couldn’t do before because of his behavior. We took him hiking this past weekend and there were so many people and other dogs and we got at least ten people commenting on how amazing Bo was and on his “training”. I honestly recommend them to everyone and I know in the future I will send all of my dogs to them as well as just reach out for any questions or concerns I have going forward because of the knowledge they have. They completely saved our family from our worst nightmare of having to give up our baby boy. We are forever grateful! ❤️❤️❤️ More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We entrusted our dog, Traveller, To Chuck and Luciana. We had so much fear that his behaviors could not be corrected. We were overjoyed to find so many changes in his behavior. Luciana was so dedicated to his training and ours. That’s right: much of the training was about us. We are so very grateful! I had not walked him in over a year because I did not feel like I could manage him. My partner had taken on the responsibility of walking him but struggled with the task daily. I walk him daily now at least once a day with confidence and peace of mind and so does my partner. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to do that. We are so very grateful for all their time and effort ❤️ More...

Reviewed on Facebook

My experience with Luciana and Chuck at the Balance K9 was very pleasant and positive. The Balanced K9 was very attentive to answering their emails with any questions that I had about their program. They were also very accommodating and understanding when I needed to push back my puppy, Coal’s, drop off date due to a last minute issue. When dropping Coal off, Chuck explained the process that they implement with the dogs and reassured me that Coal would be well taken care of. Throughout Coal’s stay at the Balanced K9, I received daily video updates that showed Coal learning the new commands and the excellent progress that he was making. I was also able to see updates and videos on their Instagram page, as well as chat with Luciana about his progress. The pickup session was about two hours long and was very informative. Luciana went over all of the commands that Coal learned and had me practice with him for a seamless transition back home. While Coal is still a young puppy and has a lot of energy and times of over excitement, he is so much more obedient and I couldn’t recommend the Balanced K9 enough! The progress that they were able to make with him over the span of two weeks is remarkable and I am so happy with my decision to send him to the Balanced K9! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Luciana and Chuck are incredibly knowledgeable and caring human beings. As someone who has experienced the overwhelming influx of information and confusion surrounding being a responsible pet owner, both as a crazy dog mom myself and as someone who works in the veterinary industry, their patience, understanding, and clarity was a breath of fresh air. Stark, my two year old shepherd/husky mix was running the house before we took him to Luciana and Chuck for the 3 wk behavior modification course. It wasn’t until a bite to the hand sent my mother to the hospital that we really knew something had to be done. From day one, they were attentive and honest in all the preliminary phone conversations and emails. When we dropped Stark off, they sat and answered all of our questions for an hour before we left, and while nothing was harder than leaving him behind and knowing I’d have to wait to see progress, I knew it would be worth it. And it was! At our two week check in, Stark demonstrated amazing self control by holding his ‘place’ command for over an hour while we sat and talked, despite his overwhelming desire to jump on me. They once again assured us of his progress and addressed all questions and concerns and took more of our feedback to heart. After that I knew I had made the right decision. When the end of the three weeks was nearly up, Chuck actually reached out to me to ask if they could keep Stark some extra time (free of charge!) to make sure his commands were “bullet proof” considering he had guarding history. Despite the disappointment of having to wait longer, I was blown away by the offer and the attentiveness to Stark’s needs and progress. It’s incredible to know that despite Stark not being their only student, they were so keyed in to what he needed specifically. It turns out the extra time was worth it. When we finally got to pick Stark up, he was still the same goofy diva we all loved, but with the self control we all knew he needed. The same dog that would disregard all commands and run to the first person who walked into the house, once again managed to sit in his place while we talked and ran through some distractions with him. He didn’t even flinch at their cat who was befriending us during the visit! The same dog that required three of my colleagues at the vet to hold him down for a nail trim stood perfectly still while I used the dremel to file his nails. The same dog who pulled my girlfriend to the ground on his last walk before going to Luciana and Chuck’s care, walked perfectly at our sides down the street, not pulling, reacting, or leading us, but allowing us to lead him. Now that he’s been home for almost two weeks, the foundation he built with Luciana’s guidance has made him the dog we all knew he could be. It’s a learning curve, adjusting to life back at home. We have to re-learn how to treat and respect each other, but Luciana and Chuck gave us every tool we needed to do it correctly. It’s up to us to be consistent to solidify it. But they couldn’t have made it any easier. Stark no longer steals items when he’s bored and guards them aggressively if we try to retrieve them. His counter surfing days have come to an end. With some guidance, he will hold place during meals instead of begging at our feet, and will wait to greet guests there as well. Just today, an installation team was here to put down a carpet in our house and Stark didn’t break place to go up to them ONCE. Even as they walked in and out, past him every time. It was incredible. If you read this review to this point, I know you’re like me. You’re trying to figure out what the best option is for your baby, what will make it so you can give them the life they deserve without living in fear and anguish that you’re failing them or they’re failing you. All I can say is follow your gut. The money, the time, and the waiting is worth it to give your family their best shot at living happy, fulfilling lives. Whether they walk on two legs, or four. I hope this helps. Big thanks to Chuck and Luciana for all they did for Stark and our family before, during, and after, Stark’s stay with them. Your continued outreach, support, and advice reminds us we are not alone in our challenge to build a balanced, safe, and loving home for every member of our family. ❤️ More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Highly recommended by me and my wife. Luciana and Chuck are definitely the best people for any issues with your dog. The second we met them, for our lil monster Oreo, we felt that we were in great hands. Turns out that our hunch was so correct about them. Our lil monster is now a very well structured doggie. We understand that being consistant with her is the way to keep her as our loyal friendly feline. Ty Balanced K-9. Best Regards - David and Paula More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I highly recommend The Balanced K-9. I have a 4 year old miniature dachshund named Welly who suffered from aggression and behavior issues with a bite history. After trying several different trainings I felt lost and depleted. People couldn’t come over, he didn’t like my boyfriend and the stress consumed a lot of my life. I would have to lock him up around strangers and resorted to not bringing him around often. After a bad incident it was suggested by others that he should be put down. I love my dog and that just wasn’t an option. I did lots of research and filled out a form in great detail about all his incidents. I was not only surprised when he got accepted, but also surprised they knew what I was going through and how to fix it. After a long phone call with them, I drove to CT to drop Welly off. I was so anxious knowing how he acted around strangers, but they eased my worries. Luciana is a true natural and took Welly on a walk immediately showing me she could handle him. I left that day still worried, but I knew he was in good hands. Chuck messaged me that night to ensure me he was okay. The next day I got a message that he was handled by some of the trainers. I loved following the Instagram and Facebook. Seeing Welly on their stories in Home Depot or on walks playing with dogs eased my worries. Welly wasn’t able to go home on the planned date and they even gave me an extra week free to make sure he was fully ready to go home. When I picked him up I was so shocked to see the calm and happy dog in front of me. They took time to teach me the training, as well as took us to the store to walk around and work on commands with them. It was an amazing experience. Welly is now home and continues to demonstrate the behavior taught. Everyone is so shocked and surprised at how well he is behaving. He’s the same dog but he is less anxious and no longer feels the need to guard and protect. He even looks to me for direction. I am more than pleased with the training and I am hopeful. Luciana has a true gift and it really shows. She truly saved Wellys life and mine. I am forever grateful. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

My Portuguese Water Dog spent 3 weeks at The Balanced K-9 for behavior modification. He was always a very sweet boy, but after being neutered, he became aggressive and destructive. Luciana is an absolute goddess, and through her process, she turned our boy into the best behaved dog we have ever seen. He still has his spunk and spirit, but he follows commands perfectly now. No more jumping, counter surfing, biting the leash, resource guarding, running away from us, barking and growling at other dogs on the street, or stealing everything from the house that is not nailed down. Now our time is filled with pleasant walks, fun games of fetch and lots of cuddles. Also, wherever I go these days, people stop to ask if I’m a dog trainer, because my dog is so well-behaved. Thank you, Luciana and team, for everything! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

My experience with the balanced k-9 wasn’t at all what I expected, I was told that my dog needed to stay for three weeks instead of two because of her bathroom issues, let’s just say she still has the same bathroom issues and is the same as she was before they took her. Over 3,000 dollars and nothing has changed, it was a total waste. It also took me sending multiple messages to find out how my dog was, I understand there busy but my dog is a part of my family and I wanted to make sure she was ok. She started “training” on October 9th and I had to ask for an update on October 20th because they never sent anything. So let’s just say I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone I know, now I have to find another trainer, and spend more money it ridiculous!!!!!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

As the definition of a “crazy dog mom” I did my research when it came time to finding who I would trust with my fur babies. I have a female blue nose Pitbull puppy and a 7 year old Pit/Pointer mix who are officially two of the best dogs in the world thanks to Luciana and Chuck! When The Balanced K9 answered my e-mail and addressed each and every question in detail, I knew I wanted to talk to them further. We agreed that the 3-week board and train program would be best for my puppy, Rosie and the 2-week behavior modification would be best for my older dog Gunnar. Due to the pandemic and how much life changed for the pups and I, all training we had been working on came to a halt and I found my puppy was regressing. Her recall was terrible, and as an outdoor lover this was not okay. My older dog Gunnar started viciously pulling on the leash when the puppy came into the mix and walks were no longer enjoyable. Not only did The Balanced K9 stay in communication with me about their progress while they were being trained, they let me and my boyfriend visit and have a practice session with Rosie when we were dropping of Gunnar! I could go on and on about how happy my family and I are with the results of our dogs. Luciana and Chuck demonstrated utmost compassion with their training and treated my dogs like their own. They went out of their way to help us continue training on our own and we are still in contact. We all live an amazing life! My puppy is now an ESA and will be coming with me on her first adventure on a plane to go hiking in Arizona in the fall. This has been a dream of mine and would not have been possible without The Balanced K9!10/10 More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We didn't have a positive experience with The Balanced K9, which surprised us due to the many rave reviews we read. When we originally reached out to Chuck and Luciana about our dog's training, they were wonderful-- informative and responsive to our questions and inquiries. After some email back and forth and a long phone call where they answered all our questions, we decided that we liked what we heard and wanted to commit to sending our dog. Chuck and Luciana explained that it's nearly impossible to predict how long a dog will need to stay in training but made an educated guess of 3 weeks which was great news to us as we had predicted our dog would likely need 5 weeks. Chuck explained that in the first week of training, Luciana trains and tests the dogs on the basics and after the first week they can determine how long a dog will need to stay. When we arrived to drop our dog, Chuck and Luciana spent a considerable amount of time with us explaining their process and we noticed how clean their home was which made us feel safe and confident in leaving our dog. We got to meet their husky who also looked healthy and was extremely well trained which also made us feel great. We asked to see where the dogs slept and our request was dodged by instead showing us the training room, which they informed us was "exactly like the room where the dogs sleep". They also disclosed that the room was going to be painted in the next few days which we didn't really think about when we dropped her. We asked about how they send updates and what to expect and was given an unclear and cryptic response that the first few days are generally just used to get to know the dog and that we shouldn't expect to hear much or worry if we don't. We said okay...but also said we would greatly appreciate any photos/videos whenever possible just to see our dog. It seemed like we were all on the same page. When we finally handed our dog off to Luciana, our dog responded extremely well to her and Luciana seemed like an absolute natural with dogs. We were sad to leave our dog but felt like she was in great hands! We dropped our dog on Monday June 29th and sent a follow up email with her feeding instructions and got an immediate update that our dog was settling in well and had met another dog she was intrigued by. We reached out on Friday morning to ask for an update, picture, and to see how our dog was settled in. No response. We followed up again on Saturday. No response. During that week we also noticed that there had been posts on social media about the training room being under construction. It was frustrating to see activity on social media yet no response to our emails. All we were looking for was a picture of our dog or some sort of update. On Sunday we got a response, a small update, and an apology for the "slow reply". No picture but the email alluded to "off property videos" and pictures of "our girl" coming soon. 8 days after dropping her we reached out again, since our understanding was that we would have an update on timeline within the first week and would be able to determine how long our dog would be staying. We tried to set up a call that Thursday (a week and 3 days after dropping her) to get an update on what was going on. 30 minutes before our scheduled call we got an email from Chuck that said a go-home was running behind and they needed to reschedule to the next day, Friday July 10th. We responded to Chuck's email, upset and concerned at the continued lack of information, and we insisted that we speak that evening as planned. Chuck and Luciana eventually called us about an hour later on a Facetime with our dog. We were elated! She looked happy (although not particularly well trained) and we addressed our concerns on the phone. Luciana took the call and apologized and said that our dog would be going to a public store on Friday and that we would likely have an update on timeline by Saturday. We were happy, felt like we left that call with everyone on the same page, and were ready to move on. On Saturday we got a text update from Luciana with 2 pictures of our dog, which was great! This was the first picture we received of our dog after 12 days in their care. On Saturday night after 10pm, we received an email that said: "Yesterday’s storm set us back a day in our off property testing with Cali. While we promised an update today, please bear with us another day." We hear nothing Sunday, nothing Monday, so send an email Monday evening asking for an update on timing. This is after 2 weeks in their care. Monday night we finally get a vague update: "Bottom line - Cali is doing well but she needs more testing in high distraction environments. We would like to keep her an extra week so we have more time to work with her in environments that are triggers for her. She is great in dog friendly stores and on our property but Parks are still a work-in-process. We can share more specific examples but her resilience in high distraction environments is key to her long term success." We responded instantly asking to set a call because we wanted to ask questions and get details before financially committing to another week in training. We hear nothing all day Tuesday so follow up again with the below: "Hi. I'm following up on my email response from last night. I'd like to get a more thorough understanding of a few things before we commit to the extra week. 1 - I'd like a more in depth update of Cali's training to date. What have she mastered, what are her deficiencies, and what specifically would you be looking to accomplish in the additional week? 2 - What would be the new proposed go home day? We would need to coordinate this with you so we can arrange around our work schedule. 3 - What is the cost of the additional week? Please let us know when you can speak. We are available for a call tonight after 7:30." We received no response so we follow up again two hours later with a follow-up email. Chuck and Luciana respond asking to speak the following evening. We responded immediately that we preferred to speak that night and also called and left a voicemail. We received no response. Finally on Tuesday 7/14 after over 2 weeks with our dog in their care, we sent the below email: "Hello, The lack of response here is alarming. I especially feel that way after re-reading the chain below. We’ve repeatedly reached out for updates and rather than picking up the phone to call us, you’ve repeatedly given half answers and delays. You’ve suggested below that you would be happy to provide more detail and communication, but our attempts to schedule calls have been met with silence or a severely delayed or cryptic response. It seems you have forgotten that our dog is In your care and has been for over two weeks. You are asking us to accept an additional week of boarding with no specific detail about Cali’s training to date and with no information about potential future costs incurred. This is extremely concerning. We just tried to call you twice and both went directly to voicemail. What is going on? We need a response immediately. " Upon receiving no response, we decided that we no longer felt comfortable or safe with our dog in their care. We drove up to their facility on Wednesday 7/15 to pick up our dog and bring her home. Chuck invited us in while Luciana went to get our dog but due to COVID-19 we chose to speak outside. We asked why they repeatedly had ignored our communication and would not respond to which Chuck respond: "We wake up really early and go to bed a lot earlier than most people." Chuck did not apologize or acknowledge the problem. Luciana, though surprised by our arrival, offered immediately to take Cali to a park to show us what she had learned and to practice but we respectfully declined. We asked them to bring up Cali's belongings because we wanted to take her home. Luciana was apologetic and explained that she spends all day with the dogs and that Chuck runs the emails. Chuck brought out our dog's food but not the blankets we had brought to put in her crate (as is suggested in the email sent before you bring your dog). He asked what they looked like (clearly they weren't in the crate), and once he brought them out it was very clear that they had just sat in the bag we brought them in during the whole visit. After bringing our dogs supplies outside, Chuck turned around to go back inside without speaking another word to us. From what we experienced and observed, it seems like Luciana is an exceptional trainer, who clearly has a special gift to work with dogs. The reason we chose not to continue with our dog's training is because of extremely poor communication and a lack of respect for us, the client. Unfortunately due to the poor communication, we lost confidence in the process and no longer felt comfortable with our dog in their care. It was particularly shocking to observe how communicative and responsive Chuck and Luciana were to our emails prior to dropping our dog off. We also were disappointed to see several social media updates on their Facebook and Instagram accounts while our emails went unacknowledged. It was impossible to judge our dog's training upon arrival because she was excited to see us and the environment was particularly stressful. Luciana reached out to us within an hour of leaving to apologize and to inform us that we had been fully refunded, which we appreciated. We chose to write this review because if we had heard an experience like this prior to sending our dog, we would not have sent her. For $2750+, we expected much, much more, especially given most facilities in NYC charge a fraction of the price, with more dogs in their care, but somehow manage to send daily updates to their clients. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Amazing training! Pepper had separation issues and a habit of going potty in her crate. She has had no accidents since training and listens to commands, no more leash pulling either. Highly recommend!

Reviewed on Facebook

We highly recommend Luciana. We spent so much money and time with several trainers and programs for our dog Toby for his reactivity to other dogs and basic obedience over the past year. Toby became reactive after spending time with a different trainer for obedience and since then our lives have been stressful trying to get him appropriate help. Nothing we tried worked. When our local daycare said he has not been reactive, we thought it was time to get another dog and that is when we adopted Abby. Toby and Abby did okay at first but then came the fights for dominance. We put them both in the hands of Luciana after speaking to A LOT of different trainers and I am so glad we did. Our lives are so much different and stress free. They both walk on the leash beautifully! They listen to basic commands. And we are learning how to re-focus Toby’s attention when another dog walks by. There have been no fights and they’ve even snuggled on the couch together! Both of us parents are still learning how to manage them and the training continues with us but it is a world of a difference. Well worth our money. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Where to begin. When I dropped Mac off at The Balanced K-9, I was a nervous wreck. How can I leave my anxiety ridden pup at a strange place with strangers. Well it was the best move I’ve ever made. After 3 weeks with Luciana and Charles, Mac seemed to be making a ton of progress and we would have been making plans to bring him home but then COVID-19 hit. Mac ended up staying there an extra 3 weeks till Luciana, Charles, and I all felt safe enough to bring him home. I was so excited to see him and to see the progress he had made. When they brought Mac home it was a beautiful reunion, and then it was time to get to work. It was time to train me!!! Of course Mac tried to go back to his old habits and I needed to learn to hold my ground. Luciana & Charles call and check up on me all the time. They left the door open for me to contact them any time with question or concerns that I might have. They are excellent at their jobs and so patient! Mac’s anxiety is almost non-existent. He still has leash aggression, but with the help of the “educator”, it makes it so much easier for me to handle him. I feel like Mac is adjusting to home life and we take it day by day. This has been a wonderful experience for both of us!! THANK YOU SO MUCH LUCIANA & CHARLES! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

They took really great care on my puppy ???? I just got my her and I can see the changes in her and the huge improvement, extremely highly recommended

Reviewed on Facebook

Luciana is an excellent dog trainer. Our dogs have returned from intense training very well behaved. Both Luciana and Chuck have given us great home instruction as well. They are always available for questions and concerns. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I waited a while to post my reviews (my board and train [B/T] experience was February 29-March 15, 2020) because: 1) I wanted to be fair and knew I could not do that if I answered while angry, and 2) I wanted to take some time to be sure that Blaze wasn’t just overly excited to be back home and would later adjust and be able to exhibit what he learned. It has now been long enough for me to know that there is no discernible difference between Blaze pre and post B/T. I had originally wanted to do a Doggy Day School program offered by a trainer in Brooklyn, who came highly recommended by a pet account I follow on Instagram, but we live outside of her range. She and I then discussed her B/T program, but that fell through because she required that Blaze be crate trained, and he isn’t. So I went searching the internet and found this place, which appeared to be reputable and was relatively nearby in Connecticut. Not a lot of reviews, but the ones I saw were good, and there were photos and videos. I reached out to them and after a few exchanges, decided to give it a go. Notably, Blaze and I had already done some one on one training with a trainer I love. But I felt Blaze needed more, and I wanted something that would solidify the skills he already knew, and make his responses more immediate and reliable - especially his recall, because I really wanted to be able to take him on off leash adventures. I decided to go with the Basic Training, two-week program (from the website): Basic Training $1990 The price covers a two-week Board & Train Program for dogs focuses on basic obedience. The dog will learn the following commands: sit/stay down/stay heel come place Additionally, I was informed that “Training includes us returning your pup to you and spending several hours (plus a f/u visit if requested) in your home and community reinforcing their training. We encourage owners to bring their dogs to our home so they can see where they will live and learn during their training . . . .” Because I wanted to meet these people and see where Blaze would be staying, I decided to drop him off. On Saturday, February 29, 2020, I met the owners, who seemed very nice, and saw three of their rescue dogs, who seemed very well trained. I talked at length with Chuck, who said that I could video chat with Blaze if I missed him, they would take good care of him, things like that. After maybe 40 minutes I left. Over the course of the next few days I looked for photos or videos or any sign of what was going on, but there was nothing. So I started asking. It often took them longer to respond than I liked, but I decided to chalk that up to them working with the dog, which is what I want, right? Occasionally, in response to my requests I would get a photo or a video, but mostly it was radio silence, which was hard as hell for me! March 15, 2020 could not come soon enough... On March 12, 2020, I received a calendar invite and the following message: “Tamala, Good afternoon. Blaze has been a wonderful student and will be ready to go home this weekend. We would like to bring him to you on Sunday afternoon around 4:00 if that would work for your schedule. As discussed earlier, we would like to go through any and every scenario that would be part of your normal routine with Blaze. For example, typically activities might include a walk as well as working on activities in the home including entertaining guests, taking deliveries, cooking, etc. Let us know if that time works for you. Warmest Regards Chuck and Luciana “ I was ecstatic! On March 13, 2020, I received another calendar invite changing the duration of the “Go Home.” Okay.... On Sunday, March 15, 2020, 1.5 hours before they were supposed to bring him back, I received the following email: “Tamala, Like businesses of all sizes, we are working to define how to best serve our clients and our staff during a period with great uncertainty around Covid 19. As a precaution we have suspended all go- homes for one week to give the US infrastructure time to catch up with the viruses. We did not arrive at this decision casually. Please know Blaze is comfortable, and enjoying his playmates and extra outside time thanks to the better weather. Given the fact that you live in NYC where the cluster of patients seems to be expanding rapidly and the potential for more pro-active measures such as suspending travel in and out of the City is a reality, we wanted to provide you with options so as to not risk an extended separation from Blaze. I wanted to suggest two options: 1. If you are in a position to travel to us (today or during the week) we would be happy to conduct a modified go-home outside of our home or -. 2. If you would prefer to meet somewhere in between we could schedule a go-home in Greenwich, Port Chester or Stamford (we are excluding New Rochelle for obvious reasons). We labeled it modified as we would offer you further in-home demonstrations and training once the infection risk has started to level off and decline. If you are comfortable leaving Blaze with us for now there would be no additional charge for the stay. We acquired additional dog food supplies to guard against any disruption and are happy to arrange a FaceTime or Skype call to help assure you that your wonderful boy is prospering. We recognize that there are no "perfect" options that ideally balance your desire to have your wonderful pup back and our need to ensure that we minimize our exposure to the virus and are capable of provide appropriate care to the animals entrusted to us. Let us know your thoughts. Chuck and Luciana” It’s difficult to describe what I felt receiving this email less than 2 hours before I expected them to be knocking on my door, so I won’t try... I asked to meet them in Port Chester at the same time as the original bring home. I didn’t hear anything back until after that time had already passed, and they wanted to do it the next day. Well, I work, so that wasn’t going to happen. They kept mentioning leaving him for another week and saying he is comfortable. Um no — they canceled his go home because of the COVID-19 outbreak, in a week that would be worse, not better! So I decided to drive the hour or so to Connecticut to pick him up. The first thing I noticed was that he went crazy when he saw me, jumping around, spinning, flipping, truly ape$hit. I was happy to see him too, but uh, that ain’t supposed to be happening anymore, right? After talking to Chuck for about 15 minutes, I left. It did not take me very long to realize that there was absolutely no difference between the dog I sent and the one I got back. He still responded to commands when he felt like it, if at all. His recall was still practically nonexistent. He walked moderately better on the leash, as long as there was no other dog, or food, or a squirrel... Ring the bell in the house and there is mayhem. So exactly what did he learn in two whole weeks away?? I asked them: they described what they taught him with respect to sit, place, and heel, but added: “Please understand we conditioned him to take communication from an e-collar to "help" when his puppy mind lost focus. As there was no time to demonstrate that today he is missing an important tool that can help you remind him when his enthusiasm gets the better of him.” My response: “Are you saying that nothing you’ve done will work here without an ecollar? I took him on a long walk this morning - it was a terrible experience. We saw two dogs, he went crazy seeing both. Would not listen to any command. He picked up food off the ground and didn’t drop it when told. He sits when he wants to, not necessarily when told. He does not stay in place for more than three minutes at a time. All of this he could do before he left. He was gone for two weeks, and I cannot see what he learned. You said I would be proud of what he’s learned, but I am so deeply disappointed I could cry.” This was all on Sunday, the day I had to go get him because they were too scared to bring him back to NYC. On Monday, March 16, 2020, while I was at work I received this email: “Tamla, Hi. Would you be available at around 6:30 to do some outside work with Blaze in your neighborhood? It would not be a proper in-home hand-off for obvious reasons but there is no reason for you to struggle outside. We should be able to demonstrate a proper walk while maintaining appropriate distance. We don't normally just hand a dog over and say good luck. Blaze is still very much a puppy who needs guidance when he is stimulated. I believe we can show you that he is very capable of controlling himself with some simple direction. Chuck” I could not respond to this right away because I was at work, my last day before being required to telework, so it was a very long, very rough day. Later that day, around 6:15p, the owners called saying that they were near my neighborhood and could drop by to do some outside work. I, of course, was nowhere near home. But here is what baffles me: if it was possible for them to come to NYC and do a modified go home on Monday, one day further into the COVID-19 crisis, why couldn’t they have brought my dog home the day before, as scheduled, and done the same thing? Further, if the go home is so important that I would notice zero difference in my dog before and after the training, the go home should have been done in its entirety, and it could’ve been done safely, with a few easily adhered to precautions. As things stand now, I have paid $1,269.82, which is 60% of the total cost, and other than giving him a place to sleep for two weeks (I provided his food), I see no evidence of any training whatsoever. So, how do I feel about this experience: I feel cheated: out of my money and out of two weeks that I could have spent with my puppy. I feel upset: because I will likely have to spend more money to have someone help me get him to where I need him to be. I feel disappointed: that neither I nor my dog got what we needed. Would I ever consider a B/T again? That is highly unlikely, since I would need a personal recommendation from someone I know and trust before I would believe it works. I had such high hopes for this experience that I told everyone — my family, my dog parent friends, my neighbors — expect a new dog! Imagine our surprise... In the interest of full disclosure, after I posted about my experience on Instagram, one of the owners reached out and asked what could be done to fix this situation. I didn’t respond, because what really would be the point? I don’t trust them. They took my money and gave me nothing in return - how do you “fix” that? More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Our always handsome, now happy, “balanced” Nico, a Rhodesian Ridgeback/Boxer mix, came home on Sunday and we could not be happier with the results accomplished by Luciana! ! When we took him to Luciana & Chuck, he had severe separation anxiety and was extremely dog and leash reactive. We were unable to comfortably walk him anywhere we might encounter another dog or cat. He had even attacked a relative’s dog. Luciana, Chuck and their staff are absolutely the very best! Luciana’s & Chuck’s knowledge of canine behavior and their obvious love and respect for their students (our fur babies) shows through in every aspect of their training. They delivered back to us a much calmer, in-control Nico who was ready to listen and obey the commands he’d be taught! We recommend The Balanced K-9 and if possible, would award them 10 stars,,,,,,you cannot go wrong when using their services! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Our dog Kobe was reactivate since he was a puppy. As he grew it became more of an issue, where we would have to put him away if guest were around. He would jump on people, nip at a couple of strangers. He would get out of control when seeing another dog. We worked years with Kobe’s behavior. My husband would walk him very early at 5am and much later at night to avoid people and dogs. Which was very difficult in New York City. It was very difficult to not be able to travel anywhere as a family because who could stay with him!? Both our quality of life and his was being adversely impacted. He didn’t deserved to be constantly isolated and not interacting with anyone new. We didn’t know what to do until we found The Balanced K-9. We got in contact with Luciana who came to see Kobe in action. She went over why she thought he was behaving the way he was and what they would be working on while he was away. Luciana was so dedicated to deliver Kobe back to us as a balanced dog. We knew Kobe would be a challenge. Kobe spent 5 weeks with Luciana, in this time we got several updates on Kobe’s training. When the day arrived that we got to see our Kobe. His behavior made much improvement. To even think that Kobe did good with her and many other people was astounding to us. He was much less reactive to dogs to now being not reactive to them at all. To us having him walking around while guest are in the house. Now everyone can know how sweet our boy is. We trust the balanced K-9 so much that Kobe went for boarding while we went on vacation. Thank you The balanced K-9! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Luciana and team are excellent!! I have a much more balanced schnauzer!!! Here’s Winston in Home Depot this morning. A month after training in stay position.

Reviewed on Facebook

Luciana is a wonderful dog trainer. She’s very professional, very sweet and caring! My dog has fear aggression, and couldn’t be around other dogs/cats and also was not so good around strangers. He came home much more confident, much more balanced! Thanks to the balanced k-9 staff! Now I have all the necessary tools I just have to reinforce them! My poodle mix Onyx and I are very happy! ???????? More...

Reviewed on Facebook

The best in all angles recommend to all

Reviewed on Facebook

Working with The Balanced K-9 made all the difference with our 2.5 year old rescue, Macho. Over the course of a few months he became increasingly reactive with strangers, especially men, and we had to muzzle him on all walks. We worked with two different 1:1 trainers, and while the experience was helpful, it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage our pup's behavior. We were on the fence about a board and train, but after our initial conversation with Luciana and Chuck we decided it was the right choice. AND IT WAS. Luciana is an excellent dog trainer and it's clear she truly cares about each dog. She is also a professional and clearly explained the process and answered all of our questions. We highly recommend working with her and will be boarding our dog for our upcoming vacation. (Which we originally didn't think we could make due to behavior issues.) More...

Reviewed on Facebook

To state it very simply, The Balanced K-9 gave us our life back. Luciana was able to completely transform our 8 year old dog from a fearful, anxious pup who quite literally thought he was the 'king of the castle' to an obedient, confident member of our family pack. I had always heard that old dogs can't learn new tricks; Luciana's work with Rudy completely defies that. Rudy is now calmer and able to be around people and animals of all sizes without fear of a negative interaction. It is clear that Luciana was made for this type of work. What she was able to do for Rudy in only 6 weeks was beyond our expectations. If you are someone who is at your wits end with your dog's behavior, I highly recommend The Balanced K-9; You will be forever grateful. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

The Balanced K-9 were a pleasure to work with! We have a 6 year old rescue blue nose pit named Nala. Nala came to us with the basic training instilled but with an entire lack of socialization and some intense reactivity both on and off leash with dogs and humans alike. We found them off of a thumbtack search and are so very happy we made the call. Nala spent 17 days under the care of their team and came home to us as the same sweet dog without all of the baggage! We can now enjoy company in our home without her guarding incessantly, walk leisurely and with full control under any situation, and a lot more. What we have learned from The Balanced K-9 team is how to communicate with our dog and have a better quality of life because of it. Training and bonding with your dog is a lifetime commitment but the Balanced K-9 team will kickstart that and help you get through any and all barriers that you may be experiencing. We were hesitant to send off our dog for the first time, but truly could not have made a better choice for our family. ???????? More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Working with The Balanced K-9 was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend them. Luciana took the time to show and explain to me why and how she would be training Rae, which made me feel at ease for leaving her with my pup for two weeks. Luciana clearly loves working with dogs, she laughs at them, loves to see them happy, and succeed. She is making this world a better place for all dogs (no matter the breed), by educating the owners she works with about animal behavior. I think I learned just as much as Rae did. Rae clearly enjoyed her training, she was comfortable and happy with Luciana's daily training routine. Luciana is able to create and expose dogs to a variety of situations that truly creates a well rounded, calm dog. Rae is now a balanced dog who can take full advantage of everything the world has to offer! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

My gem came home a very balanced dog. She no longer pulls, lunges, or jumps and is very well behaved. I no longer have anxiety about her behavior in public and at home. Luciana and Chuck have done wonders for me and her! I am forever grateful that I came across their training program. They are extremely helpful, encouraging and just overall such trustworthy humans. I felt completely at home when I met them! If you are in need of training or anything, the balanced k9 is your place. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Our little devil, Ike, was driving our family nuts with cuteness; and unfortunately, bad behavior since his arrival three months ago. About three weeks ago, we went on vacation and left him in Luciana and Chuck's capable hands hoping for improvement in many areas (house-breaking, nipping, heeling, and begging - HELP!!! ) and when Ike was returned to us two weeks later we found that he had dramatically improved in all of these areas. Now he knows his "Place" in our home - a key to having somewhat sane family meals. And more importantly, Ike has become a much more responsive and trainable boy in such a short amount of time. He's still the same old sweet and rambunctious guy, but he now is on the path to being a much calmer and sweeter member of the family. Ike also loved being away at their Connecticut home; we received daily updates via text and email with photos and descriptions of what he was being taught and all the fun he was having. I have no doubt that he'll be going back for a little tune up or two in the near future (and of course, just to hang out with his new canine and cat buddies). I was somewhat skeptical that so much could be accomplished in a short amount of time but the Balanced K-9 team really does deliver on all fronts. We couldn't be happier with the results and I think Ike is actually a much more relaxed and happy boy now that he knows what is expected of him. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

The BALANCED K-9... what would I have done w/out them??? ????????????... I lost all hope in retaining my big boy Rambo. After about a year in of doing some intense research, I spoke with the BALANCED - K-9. .. it was from the moment we spoke that I knew they were as real as they come, I felt my chest release all I’ve been dreading of losing my boy... Rambo was REACTIVE to EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. I couldn’t take him out at all. After this MAGNIFICENT DUO finished with my boy.. he became a PERFECT K-9 citizen.. I wouldn’t choose ANY ONE over this DYNAMIC DUO.... I urge YOU to please... at least contact them for ANY issues your babies may be having. You will be APPALLED at how SINCERE they really are.( which I can say many aren’t)...their DIRECTOR or TRAINER really have a TREMENDOUS ❤️ for our BABIES. ???????????? it doesn’t cost ANYTHING to call them. You will not regret it!!!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We found the Balanced K-9 on thumbtack after researching and talking with many trainers for our Dogue de Bordeaux Gypsy, our 5th child in our eyes. She was aggressive because of fear and was biting, lunging at people and animals and fighting with our other dog Sophie. She was wiith Balanced K-9 for a month and came back a different dog! we no longer live in fear of her reacting and we continue to train her with their guidance every day. Highly recommend! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

The Balanced K-9 gave us such a wonderful and successful training experience with our dog Wes. Wes went into his two week training program with The Balanced k-9 with problems with keeping his manners in social situations with dogs and people as well as having trouble walking nicely on a leash. He would jump, get very over excited in new situations making him out of our control. He came back to us relaxed, in control and still his love-able lab self! We now enjoy off leash walks with him with no challenge. Even with distractions(dogs, kids and food) he is very capable of continuing to walk by our sides and listen to our commands. He is also able to politely interact with other dogs without getting over excited. He now respects boundaries such as door openings. He no longer will charge out first he now waits patiently for permission before moving. This training was vital to us as we are expecting our first baby in the new year. Having Wes be so responsive is crucial to our lives. We have been able to enjoy him even more now that has had this training and is able to be the best version of himself! I would highly recommend The Balanced K-9. We loved getting updates of the new accompaniments Wes was achieving along the way as well as new dog friends he was making there during his time! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We are in love with our rescue named Diesel who is an English Bulldog! Luciana worked with him training his in so many areas! He’s house broken, crate trained, walks perfect on the leash, wonderful with our kids, does not jump on furniture or people and knows to go to his ‘place’ when we eat at the dinner table! Luciana also watched him for us when we were on vacation and sent updates and pics showing us he was doing well! He needed to go to the vet suddenly and she took him for us and also sent a detailed report with updates on his visit. She’s amazing and loves what she does and it shows! Very experienced and easy to work with! She’s continued to answer questions throughout the entire adoption and training process! She made sure our kids were comfortable with the dog and that we all knew how to continue with all he has learned. We highly recommend her! Outstanding and positive experience all around! Very professional! More...

Reviewed on Facebook