Find a Dog Trainer in Fairfax

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Tommy. I came to him feeling completely overwhelmed by my 3-year-old English Bulldog’s behavioral issues—aggression, anxiety, overstimulation—you name it. Things had reached a breaking point, and I honestly wasn’t sure what to do next. From day one, Tommy brought calm, clarity, and a sense of control back into our home. He didn’t just “train our dog”—he taught us how to lead with confidence and communicate in a way our dogs actually understood. The change in energy was almost immediate. The chaos that used to define our mornings—barking, toy scuffles, dogs demanding attention—has been replaced with calm routines and mutual respect. What really sets Tommy apart is the Lifetime Guarantee of Support. He checks in, answers questions quickly, and continues to offer guidance as we work through more advanced situations. We never feel like we’re alone in this, and that ongoing partnership has made all the difference. If you’re struggling, overwhelmed, or just want a better relationship with your dog, don’t wait. Tommy changed everything for us.

John is a life saver! He is professional, patient, and most importantly he’s very effective. I rescued a small chi-mixed pup and John has helped me train him with both reactivity and crate training. I never thought we’d be able to achieve what he did with my pup! Will certainly rehire him for any training needs in the future. 10/10!

Those who know me know that my entire world is run by two miniature schnauzers. Granted, they are cuddly, cute, and have personalities the size of St. Bernards, and because of these reasons (amongst many), they have turned me into one of those crazy dog ladies that swears up and down that I'll never be able to have children because how -- HOW I ASK YOU?! -- could I possibly love anyone or anything more than I love these two creatures?Yes, Harry & Daxter are the fluffy little loves of my life, and boy oh boy, do they know it. It's not that they're bad dogs, really, it's just that they know how to get away with all the bad things that they do. Because, you know, they're cute. And while they have both gone through basic obedience and already knew how to do all the "normal" dog things like, sit, stay, and even high-five (Daxter gives excellent high-fives, FYI), a few commands does not a perfect dog make.And between the barking at every living thing (and sometimes even non-living things -- hello UPS truck) that passes by the house, Harry's penchant for eating my leftovers straight off of the coffee table, and how Daxter literally backs away from me when I say "come," it eventually got to a point where I needed to call in some professional help to turn my pups into more than just cuddly bed buddies.So thank GOODNESS for Lara and For Pup's Sake training! Under Lara's patient tutelage, my dogs now actually know how to go to their "place" before mealtime, and we're working on sending them there when folks come to the door as well. Their recall is better, they're generally more obedient, and, heck, better mannered, too! After all, a tired pup is generally a well-behaved pup, and with Lara's training these boys definitely get a mental work out.Lara comes and works with you in your home, so your dogs are learning in their environment, and gives you all the tools to continue the training when she's not there in person to guide you through it.We've worked on everything from leash-training to place-training to perfecting their patience and willpower with variations of the leave-it command I didn't even know existed. Beyond that, Lara truly cares about your dogs and wants to make sure they're set up for success from the get-go.My boys still have a bit of a way to go before they're truly the perfect pets (and I have a LONG way to go before I'm the perfect owner, hehe), but I'm so happy to have Lara and For Pup's Sake leading the way there.