K9 Academy

Tom is very unprofessional arrives late, leaves early, sometimes he would tell me to call him to wake him up and also bring him coffee, he charged me 1300 upfront saying that he can train my dog off leash but he just couldn't do it, a lot of negative dog training with a choke collar, sometimes he would get mood swings go from happy to irritated in seconds. Once he got the money it looked like he really didn't care. I would never reccommend his to anyone there are other trainers you can go to that will give you better results for the fraction of the money he is charging.

Paid 1000 in February. Only show up once. Then turn off the phone and disappeared.

Beware. Could never recommend. Read the fine print on his website before you hand over money.

I'm not really sure this review is necessary given all the other comments but I will add my support for the training skills of Tom and K9Dojo. We had a big, unruly 8-month old border and german sheppard cross who was controlling everyone he met. After one lesson I could not believe the difference and after one week of lessons each day, we had a different dog. When he came instantly when called from playing in the water with other dogs I knew it had been worth the investment. Those lessons have stuck and we can now call him when off-leash and walk him on-leash without worry.

K9 Dojo / Tom the dog trainer, has helped us to understand our problematic rescue - Mastiff Rottweiler mix and help correct undesired behaviours by giving us the tools and practices to use. He is always open to new questions regarding any new issues that may come along via phone or text.

Our dog is not an easy case - we are her 3rd home after being intially rescued from a hoarding situation, she has health issues and disabilities which prevent some traditional training methods that other trainers would use. Other training schools and trainers have denied our dog because she had behaviour issues which we were trying to address, in addition to this, they could not use traditional restraints and training methods because of her disabilities. Tom was creative and empathetic, and created a training approach to suit our needs creating a much more confident and happy dog.

Tom helps his clients create realistic goals in a positive and hands on approach. He is descriptive in his methods and shares insight into situations as to why your dog may act certain ways and why you should correct them based on a tailored approach to your pooch.

Tom will do an initial assessment of your dog to observe and evaluate, and also discuss any questions or issues the owners may have. He will then give you some solutions to the issues you experience and work on problem behaviours using positive reinforcement (praise - not cookies!) to which our dog is exceptionally responsive as she is not food driven.

We are very greatful to have been given the insight, tools and realistic expectations for our dog which has made our relationship with her and our experience very positive.

Thanks Tom & K9 Dojo!

German Shepherd puppies are the cutest things ever, however if not trained early and properly they will soon turn into adult German Shepperds who can be difficult to manage. So as soon as I picked up my Shepherd puppy, I called Tom. He knew exactly what to do and her training started that same week. Tom saw her high learning ability instantly. He even managed to get her in the river for a swim the very first week. We now have a full grown Shepherd who is keen, alert, obedient and always eager to learn. She's so well socialized with other dogs that dogs who generally don't want to play will end up playing with her. Her recall is amazing (thanks to Tom) I have no problems walking her off leash anywhere. I would recommend Tom to anyone who owns a dog. He makes the training fun for the dogs and in the end you will have a wonderful family member who will be extremely loyal to you always.

I have been involved with rescuing dogs for years now. I have seen dogs recover from many major behavioral issues, but Tom's techniques are the best I know to teach a dog to be off leash reliable, 100% accountable to commands and most importantly - happy and confidant!

My dog was a timid little thing when I brought him home. Working with Tom helped me learn how to communicate more effectively with my dog. Now he is 100% off leash reliable and very obedient. Because of the bond we created while training together and because I trust him, my dog’s confidence has sky rocketed.

I am very pleased with the results I have seen using Tom's techniques. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to train their dog beyond the basic commands.

Thank you so much!

The K9 Dojo was hired to train my puppy (6 months) to stop peeing everywhere and to stop eating my panties (which cost was escalating daily). Tomer's training skills were unique & very effective immediately. He also trained my dog to listen to me with out me speaking and just using certain hand gestures and movements. I loved the experience and super grateful that my dog no longer eats my panties, doesn't pee everywhere and listens to me without me having to repeat myself.

Very glad that I met Tom from K9Dojo, now my fourth month old german shepherd is incredible on and off leash. In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect, he did look a bit scary, but he is far from it. Absolutely everywhere I go people are fascinated by me and my dog's relationship and the connection we have. I didn't feel confident that I would be able to take care of such a high energy dog, but he really worked around the breed and it's specific needs; now I feel fully in control! And best of all, my german shepherd baby loves me just as much as I love him.

K9Dojo really is reliable, thanks so much Tom!! Can't wait to keep working with you.

For the dog owner that requires manners and proper etiquette, look no further! Tom will train you to become a proper pet owner and give you the ability to own a great pet. His methods are truly effective and create the ideal relationship between master and dog .

Truly a great trainer and friend!
My highest regards.
Richard and lexi

I worked with Tom on and off for about a year and I now have two German Shephards that I can easily walk off leash anywhere One was dog aggressive and he now can approach all dogs without any issues. Work with Tom for any dog issues.

Rose Reisman

My dog Waldo is generally well behaved but would not listen when I would try to get his attention around other dogs. Tom very quickly and efficiently helped Waldo learn "come" and now my dog listens to me when I call him. Choose K9 Dojo!

I have a beautiful high-drive female German Shepherd who was difficult to control. At the age of one she would get it into her head to stay 20 feet away from me after we had played off-leash. Anyone else could put their hand on her collar, but I couldn't. By working with K-9 Dojo I now have recall, sit, down, wait, release, heel and close commands at my fingertips. I can throw the ball, she streaks after it but stops on command and comes to me before being released to go get the ball. And these commands have had real-life value when she has wanted to chase another dog or a kid on a skateboard or toboggan. I think Tom of K9 Dojo delivers the goods. People with younger dogs look at us in the park and wish their dog was trained like mine. Thank you, Tom!

I had one dog aggressive shepherd. I was ready to give him away. k9Dojo literally resolved the problem. My wonderful shepherd now goes anywhere, off leash and is totally trained. He has become a joy for my family. Tom is terrific

Rose Reisman - cookbook author and media personality

Tom is an excellent dog trainer using extremely effective measures. He customizes the training to fit your specific needs. Muddy was a shy, insecure and submissive puppy of four months when we adopted her. With Tom's training, at 7 months old, she has already blossomed into a wonderful pet with an excellent response time to the recall command and a protector of our three small children. We are so pleased with the results.

We were having a lot of difficulties with our 1-year-old german shorthaired pointer - he would not listen to us when there were other distractions around, and we had no control over him in on- or off-leash situations. We had completed previous training based exclusively on reward (treats), however our dog was getting so many treats that he would eventually lose interest, nor did we believe it was very healthy.

When we first met Tom we liked his firm but non-aggressive approach and our dog responded very well after just one session. After a few more weeks he quickly learned that he had no choice but to obey, and his entire attitude changed.

We now have complete control over our pup and total confidence in his behaviour on and off the leash. He will obey all commands, even across a busy dog park, and he is a much more enjoyable dog. We get compliments all the time on how much his behaviour has improved, thanks to K9 Dojo.

Feel free to contact me with questions: sykes.marlene@yahoo.ca

Tom worked with our female Walker Coonhound/Bluetick Coonhound cross Mabel and our Sheppard cross, Hank – to say the difference is immense is an understatement! I cannot thank Tom enough for the help and guidance he gave us in training and communicating with her, he truly has made a difference in Mabel and Hank’s live and ours.

Mabel, being a true to form hound, would follow her nose, jump fences and take off – anywhere and at any time. This behavior created a great deal of stress and anxiety when taking her to the park to get the exercise she needed; the constant worry when she was near the fence was too much and I had stopped accompanying my husband to the park to avoid the highly stressful situation. At our first meeting with Tom (to evaluate each dogs behavior), Mabel jumped the fence as always, leaving me in tears and my husband chasing after her (this was my breaking point); it was then that Tom promised me it would never happen again and that the problem would be fixed. I took him at his word and can truly say it has never happened since (within 3 sessions the difference in Mabel was noticeable by all that knew her); Tom kept his promise and has helped us with Mabel more than we could have expected. I can now take both Hank AND Mabel off-leash to the park to run around and play, something I never thought possible – Mabel also has begun to master in motion commands as well!

Tom’s passion and caring for a dog’s needs is amazing. He is understanding and will take the time to assess the best training method for each dog – he truly treats them as individuals. You are getting a tailored program that is worth every penny. The training and support is not restricted to the 1-hr sessions, but is continual throughout your training program.

Thank you Tom for all of the training; we couldn’t ask for more!

When I got my 2 month old Great Dane puppy named Hugo I knew I wanted to put him in some kind of `puppy school.` I have always wanted a very well trained dog but didn`t know how much was possible until I was taking Hugo for a walk and ran into Tom from the K9 Dojo. Tom was with his dog Scarlett who despite the cars driving by, kids playing, and my puppy barking at her, listen and obeyed every command Tom gave her. That was when I knew I had to hire Tom, forget those other schools I was looking into, and starting training Hugo to become my perfect dog.
Within our 1st lesson Hugo could sit, lie down, and `go to bed` meaning he would go to his dog bed and lie down. This was just the beginning! Hugo and I have now finished the novice training with the K9 Dojo and words can`t describe the changes in his behaviour and attention level.
Now that we have a 3 month old baby girl, I couldn't be more thankful for everything we have learned from the K9 Dojo. Our dog is gentle and sweet with our little one and obedient and patient for me! Very helpful when I have my hands full and I need him to just do what I ask (without a treat, or a leash, nothing but my verbal command!). Tom even followed up to make sure everything was running smoothly.
If you are a dog owner you owe it to both yourself and your dog to hire Tom. The K9 Dojo is a safe, stimulating way for your pets to learn and a serious education in dog training for you! Do what is best for your pet, Call Tom at the k9 dojo now!

Wally, our German Short-haired Pointer puppy was getting bigger and being a social butterfly that he is, he was becoming harder to handle. He is a well tempered boy and absolutely loves everybody, so when he encountered other dogs or people he would just go berserk from happiness jumping and pulling like a 70-pound flying piglet that he is. Tom's bold, simple, no-BS approach to training sure changed that. K9 Dojo employs easy techniques that are easy to follow, make sense and produce noticeable results within minutes! It was hard to believe it's the same dog after just the first lesson! A big THANK YOU to Tom!!!

I was having some issues with our 5 month old Dutch Shepherd puppy. She was a great dog but we did not know much about what made her "tick" and why she behaved the she did (nipping, out of control outbursts, etc). I was frusterated and so I decided to call Tom. He was very excited to get started with Gunner and we are so happy with her progress...after only a few sessions! She is only 7 months old but is trustworthy enough to walk without a leash...even when there are other dogs around! She was great before but now she is our dream dog!

Tom is an excellent trainer but also very knowledgable about dog behaviour...hard to find in a trainer!

Thanks Tom!

Sarah and Gunner

360 degree difference in our rescue dog in just 4 sessions! Would definitely recommend K9 Dojo for anyone struggling with anything from the basics right up to advanced training. We were extremely satisfied.

Tom is a great trainer for both the pet and the owner. He may not come across as most trainers, however, his programs work very effectively. My 5 month old bouvier has only had 5 sessions with Tom, the last 3 in an leash free dog park. the exposure to real life activities, rather than an in class program makes a huge difference. although it is harder training, it is most beneficial, since the dogs are exposed to reality recalls daily.

tom has helped me with my two german shephards. one who is dog aggressive is now walking off leash with other dogs. it took a couple of months and it's finally clicked. He understands now by my tone to keep out of trouble. no question tom's technique made all the difference.

Rose Reisman

We have a little Chorky and we had issues with obedience training and barking. We almost with our newborn had to get rid of our little Chorky, however Tom at K9dojo was introduced to us and we decided to try him out. He made our life so much better with the newborn, his obedience training course for our little Chorky was amazing, results right after the 2nd class. We feel save with our newborn in the same room with our Chorky. He's of course still part of our family. I would recommend him, if you have a dog and has issues with obedience and barking and especially if you are expecting!!! Best dog trainer ever, I tried many Cesar Milan tricks and had little luck, K9dojo's classes are effective and I will continue to support his training methods. Best darn dog trainer in Toronto!!! His videos don't lie!

I contact Tom after seeing some of his training videos on youtube. He picked up promptly and showed up the same evening for an assessment of our 5 month old Doberman puppy.

He spent 1 hour consulting us and explaining his program. After that me and me family decided we wanted to go with Tom and the K9 Dojo.

Ever since then our dog sits, stays, comes and downs all on command. He is only getting better and we are starting his off leash training as well.

If you are serious about dog training with real results contact Tom.

If you want a direct reference you can call me 647 708 9878 my name is Mazi, and im more than glad to refer Tom to anyone

Thanks