Ridgeside K9 NorCal Dog Training - Chico, California

Sue

I brought my 8 month old puppy to Ridgeside for the group classes. I wanted her to be pleasant to be around and to be safe. I knew that I needed training as much as she did. The class atmosphere was non threatening and gentle. My puppy enjoyed the classes and we both progressed weekly. At the end of the sessions she walks beside me on a slack leash and doesn’t try to stop and smell or eat things She stays in place, comes when called and doesn’t rush out of doors ahead of me. We know how to continue working at home and we both enjoy it. I have been encouraged to call Ridgeside if any problems occur. I strongly encourage anyone looking for a place to take their dog for training to check Ridgeside, you won’t disappointed.

Shayna Tinker-Rein

We just got our puppy Eddie back from a three week board and train with Tish and Madison. They did an amazing job with him! You can tell they genuinely care about the dogs and their success, going above and beyond to make them happy and comfortable in their home. During this three week period they taught him how to listen, play responsible, relax when he becomes overly excited, and response to so many new and different commands that will make it easier for us to enjoy life with him. They were also super supportive with us teaching, answering questions, and staying in touch, sending numerous pictures and videos everyday with his progress. We are excited to continue working with them to improve on both Eddie and our skills. I would definitely recommend them to anyone else looking for a dog trainer.

Marisa Landes

Working with Ridgeside K9 was the best investment we’ve made for our pup! My husband and I adopted our pup from the shelter and he’s overall the best boy! However, we struggled for months with recall and leash pulling especially when he’s excited to be around other dogs. Due to his breed being a pitty mix, he’s given a lot less grace when he’s off leash.

Going into classes at Ridgeside taught us so much!
We worked on a lot of correction and consistency while navigating around other dogs in class. Rich and Elisa really commit to working hands on with each dog and their owners to build lasting skills. We saw noticeable improvement after just a few weeks and in the 6 weeks of group training, our pup Groot has really made strides in his recall and overall behavior. I would 11/10 recommend training here!

Yesenia Rangel

If you have a dog that doesn’t mind very well, or keeps you from having family over because they jump on people or constantly bark, or are destructive etc. Or you are afraid someone may leave the door open too long because they may run off, or any other behavioral issues, I highly recommend Ridgeside K9!

When Moose first came to live with me he was a year old and full of puppy energy! Never having had any rules or guidance, he was a 75 lb bulldozer, unaware of anything in his path and did whatever he wanted. One time he was chasing a cat towards Highway 99 and I was barely able to get him before he made it to the Highway. That cat wasn’t so lucky and became a smear on the pavement. I knew I had to do something because that could’ve been Moose. I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure how I was going to come up with the money. I spoke to the ladies in the office who advised there were payment plans available through a few different lending programs, so I finally decided enough is enough and put him in the three week board & train program and let me tell you I was not disappointed. I received weekly updates about his progress and pictures! It was always the highlight of my week. The program gave him all of the necessary foundation he needed to understand what was expected of him. At the go home I received all the necessary tools and a lesson on how to manage him at home.
For those of you who may think that was where it ended, it did not. I now had to teach Moose that I was now someone who was setting boundaries and expectations for him unlike the whole first year he had spent in my home. First night went great, the second night he started testing everything, and I had to make sure I remained consistent no matter how tired, or how much I didn’t feel like it. When I was unsure about to handle certain situations, I was able to reach out to my update trainer by text and ask questions and they also checked in on us and our progress a week after his go home. Here we are, three weeks later and he is now able to be off leash (with supervision and his e-collar on for back up) outside to go potty and to play with my other dog. Which was something I thought would never be possible because living on Highway 99 just seemed like it was something I didn’t want risk.

Thankfully, the trainers at Ridgeside K9 were able to give me that peace of mind and my dog freedom he so desperately wanted and needed in order to run and play. Thank you Rich, Kylie, Elissa, Yuri, and everyone else who helped Moose through his training! I will never be able to thank you enough.

Dana Vitorelo

This is long. If you are on the fence and have a dog with behavioral issues - this might be worth a read.

In May of 2023 (about 5 months ago) we adopted a mixed breed from the local shelter. The shelter had done what they could with him. They said when he had arrived 6 months earlier as a stray, he was a total menace. Of course, my partner and I fell in love with him instantly. When we got him home, we realized that the heavy cocktail of medications the shelter had him on were making his ADHD and anxiety worse. Our vet helped us slowly ween him off those which was helpful. Off his meds he was a bit calmer, learned quicker, and was less mouthy. But we still had a 14 month old, 80 pound, 70% feral and highly unpredictable dog to figure out.

Initially, we used a trainer from the shelter (they were lovely for the initial transition!), but our dog was having big behavioral issues as he decompressed from shelter life, ones that hadn't shown up in the shelter at all. He was territorial and randomly aggressive with people that weren't my partner or myself. We were worried that he was going to bite someone and we would end up having to put him down. In came Ridgeside team, Rich, and Elissa. Thank God!

I can't explain to you the incredible work they did with our dog and with us humans. They are clear, patient, and have a wonderfully blunt way about them. They tell you when you're doing something wrong/not helpful and when you're getting it right. Pre, post, and during the training they were available for any questions and even reached out to check in. They sent us pics, vids, and written updates weekly along with posting him on their IG. So I felt like I knew what was happening each step of the way which eased my anxiety.

Tank came home being leash, e collar, and muzzle trained. They also built his tolerance for trust, down time, physical touch, and taught him place, down, sit, out, heel, etc. The most subtle change to others but profound to me is now he WANTS to be with me like all the time. He isn't overstimulated by just being in the presence of humans anymore!

Our former dog trainer was a wonderful human who discouraged us from doing any board and train, saying that they have had many clients who simply did not benefit or worse, dogs came back traumatized. I am grateful that I went with my gut and chose Ridgeside. It felt like our dog's life depended on it. I'm sure there are many trainers and facilities that aren't anywhere near as amazing as Rich, Elissa, and the Ridgeside team. We plan on continuing 1:1 training sessions through them and boarding our pupper a couple of times a year for continued education and becuse they are the only ones we trust to take care of him while we are away.

Thank you so much Rich, Elissa, and the Ridgeside team - in different ways, you have given each of us our lives back.

Jennifer White

I had a great experience today with Rich at RidgesideK9. It was very exciting to finally have confidence to learn how to help my Pup be successful. He was so informative and very patient in his teaching techniques. I can understand how some of us dog owners can confuse our dogs. We have certain expectations of our dogs but we are not teaching them correctly. I have a lot to learn and homework to work on and hopefully I can be consistent and learn quickly to correct unwanted behaviors so my pup, George can thrive , be confident, and mindful of his position in this world. I look forward to our walks and not being pulled around !!
Thank you Rich & RidgesideK9……….Now, I am going to go have some fun with my dog !!!! I am adding to my review. I just completed a 6 week class. I can finally enjoy walking my dog George without being pulled as well as him placing for longer durations. I am excited for the next class. Thanks Ridgeside k9 NorCal!! ?❤️

Beth Hagewood

I am so pleased with the progress my 5-month pupy made during her 3 week home board / train with trainersTish and Madison of Ridgeside K9 NorCal. The process before, during, and after Maddie's time with Ridgeside K9 NorCal exceeded my expectations. Maddie and I have learned so much and have enjoyed working on maintaining and building on the skills we have learned thanks to trainers Tish and Madison, and Ridgeside K9 NorCal. Maddie and I are looking forward to future board/ train and group classes with Ridgeside K9 NorCal

Brittany Mott

Our golden retriever Murphy did a 3 Week Board and Train at Ridgeside and we are so glad we did! The trainer, Kylie, was fantastic and so was the staff who helped get everything scheduled and prepared. As a stay at home mom, their flexibility and communication was amazing. Not only did they train Murphy but they trained us too and gave us lifelong tools to help continue and maintain his training at home.

Murph is 4 years old and had no formal training as a puppy. He is a great dog with tons of energy but as we added kids to our family his bad habits became very prominent. We could barely walk him because he pulled on the leash so bad, he struggled with separation anxiety, and he couldn’t calm down around people/visitors/other dogs.

I was nervous to leave him since I have never left him but he was in great hands with Kylie! She kept us updated and sent pictures and videos which made me feel so much better.
It’s been only a few days since he came home and the improvements we’ve seen are life changing for our family. He’s walking on a leash, waiting calmly at the door, staying in place during meals and was able to calmly greet visitors today. Our goal was for us to be able to include him more in everything we do and so far his training has only brought him closer to our family. He seems happier and more at ease in his own home (and at the local brewery!).

We definitely recommend this training facility!