Montreal dog trainer reviews

Just like our dogs appreciate a warm hug, a pat on the back or an “Atta Boy!”, it’s always nice to get a complement from a past client who appreciates the work we’ve done together.

My absolute gratitude to all my clients for the continued support and trust in my work over the decades, it’s been a journey of a lifetime!

From Puppy Training to basic & advanced off leash obedience, helping resolve canine behavioural problems, such as reactivity, aggression, separation anxiety, and much much more Family K9 Dog Training does it all.

Here is a small sample of reviews from past clients.

The amazing part of this whole adventure is that we as owners have been educated as well as Daisy. Nick is very professional, knowledgeable and patient while providing the needed education to both the dog and owner. When correcting us in our technique in training, it was delivered most respectfully and always included was an example and rational of the reasoning. Daisy graduated this past Wednesday and we are so proud of her and can actually see how content she is when she follows directions and will look up at us to demonstrate how proud she is as well.
In summary, our interaction with Nick was amazing and we are very grateful for his expertise.
Thank you Nick,
Daisy, Laura and Alain

I’ve known Nick for over 25 years, and he has helped me train every one of my dogs—from my wild chocolate lab years ago, to a goofy retriever puppy, and now my 4-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog. I can’t recommend him enough.

If you’re struggling with the “puppy blues,” Nick is the person you want in your corner. Raising a puppy isn’t as intuitive as it seems, and I definitely needed guidance. Nick helped me realize that the key wasn’t just about training the dog—it was about learning how I communicate with my puppy. That shift in perspective made all the difference.

Thanks, Nick, for your patience, wisdom, and for quite literally saving my sanity. You’re the best!

Jennifer and Frankie

Daisy 🐶and I arrived at Family K9 Dog training, practically a nervous wreck. Our fun walks had turned into running from any dog on the street so she wouldn’t react in shreaking. Thanks to Nick the trainer competence and patience with both of us, we are back enjoying our walks. Instead of running away, we almost look for other dogs so we can practice what we were taught. 🤗 Best investment in both of our training. 👍❤️
Thank you!
Katalin and Daisy

Nick is an exceptional dog (and people) trainer. We brought our 3-year-old dachshund, Walter, to him for help with severe separation anxiety and reactivity to dogs. It was starting to take a toll on our quality of life and, more importantly, Walter’s. We found ourselves avoiding everyday situations just to prevent him from getting overwhelmed.
Nick has an amazing understanding of dogs and their behavior. He helped us see the world through Walter’s eyes and gave us practical tools to help him manage his stress, build resilience, and gain confidence — not by trying to “fix” him, but by meeting him where he is. The transformation has been incredible. Walter’s reactivity has improved so much, he’s noticeably calmer, and his separation anxiety continues to get better every day.
What really stands out about Nick is how deeply he cares — not just about the dogs, but about their people too. His approach is honest, thoughtful, and always supportive. We wouldn’t hesitate to bring any future dogs to him, and it’s comforting to know he’s always there if we need help down the line.
We can’t recommend him highly enough — he’s made a huge difference in all our lives!

Calvin, Lauren and Walter

First time dog owners wanting to get things done right!

Dear Nick, Yes, first time dog owners in our 50’s but from the first day training we knew we had chosen the best dog trainer! ❤️ Your expertise, great knowledge and most important your support made us feel confident that with consistency, time and teaching we would get were we wanted with our Dog! It was a pleasure for us to go threw our trainings with Nick but most important, we know that we can reach out to him at all time for advice and support! Thank you! It was a pleasure for us to be”trained” by you!❤️ 🙂🐕🙂❤️ Ann Déry

Reactive dog in training (previously failed training elsewhere) owner Brianna Esterson-Tucker

Owner of Tyson After already seeing one trainer and not having satisfactory results we brought our 1 year old Rottweiler, Tyson to Nick for his board and train program. It broke my heart to leave our guy for 3 weeks, but after seeing (and now living with) the results of Nick’s work with Tyson, we would do it a thousand times over. Nick was extremely helpful and thorough in his explanations during our consultation and during the transfer lesson. He kept us updated throughout the entire 3 weeks, and made us feel completely at ease knowing our dog was in good hands. One of the things we loved most was how up front Nick was in terms of who are dog is, and what our expectations of him should be/can be moving forward. Walks with Tyson are a dream now compared to the pulling nightmare that they were before, and living with this crazy, rambunctious, amazing dog of ours has become much more manageable now that we know exactly how to harness his drive, tire him out, and work with him instead of against him. Thank you so much Nick, for allowing us to really get to know our dog and truly see what a joy life is with him in it.

Border Collie mix, reactive dog training - owner Kathy Prophet

We were looking for a hero to help us with Indy, our collie/lab puppy. We were at the point of thinking we would have to re home her because of her extreme reaction to cars, bicycles, dogs etc. After meeting Nick for a consultation, it was clear, he was the hero we were looking for. Nick’s customer service, professionalism, dog training knowledge, passion, and his commitment to getting it right and getting results, was all beyond our expectations! Indy did the 3 week in kennel training and we couldn’t be happier with the results. He helped us to understand what drives our puppy and how to have a successful relationship with her. We are grateful and thankful to have found Nick and have recommended him with out hesitation to friends and family. Once again, thank you Nick.

2 Corgies in training to help with obedience, control and infighting - Owners Anisha and Keegan

We have two 5 and 6 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgis who started getting into nasty fights with each other once our baby was born. Any toy or treat falling on the ground became a trigger for fights. They always had their eyes on our baby’s toys or crumbs of food around her high chair. We became really worried that they would either snap at her one day or start fighting with her in the middle. We had to take action to keep our child safe. We found Nick after searching for dog trainers for a while. Family K9 Dog Training had very good reviews so we decided to give it a shot. Just on our first consult with Nick he taught us so much about the behaviour and demeanour of our dogs. Ever since then our lives have improved so much. The dogs do not come near our baby when she’s eating on her high chair, they do not interfere when we have guests over, they leave our baby’s toys alone and heel very well during walks. There have been absolutely no fights between them. In fact, they have started playing with each other and submitting to each other, something we had not seen in a year. Nick helped us understand our dogs so well. Something we would never have known to do if we hadn’t met him. It’s almost as if he taught us a new language. He gave us some great obedience tools to manage them very well. This combined with consistency has improved the quality of our lives to a great extent. His method has not only helped us manage the specific problem we went to him for, it has made our dogs generally more obedient, affectionate and manageable. We 100% recommend Family K9 Dog Training to anybody who has a dog that need training.

Mixed Breed rescue Private Dog Training - Owner Wendy Keating

Nick, rating you a 5 doesn’t seem good enough! You are most definitely a 10!!! You are more than a dog trainer, you are the entire package that any dog and dog owner needs. You connected with Boomer in under 3 minutes on day 1 and it just got better from there! You take the time to understand the dog’s needs as well as the owner’s needs and adjust your training to fit those needs. You are ultimately the best trainer around these parts! I will recommend you to anyone in a heartbeat! Looking forward now that Boomer’s training is over for me to take the reigns on Monday! It has definitely been a pleasure and an experience watching just how amazing you are with animals. You were given a rare gift and you put it to use with class and precision! I cannot thank you enough!

Labradoodle Obedience training Owner with Physical disability needs specialized training

My husband and I are truly thrilled and impressed with the training that our dog has received. I have a large labradoodle ( 75 to 80 lbs) whose energy level is through the roof. I had tried 2 different trainers in my area with no success. One of the trainers told me it was the breed and that I would have no luck before he turns at least 5 years old !!!! I then got on the computer and searched. I found the family K9 website and as I watched the videos and read the testimonials I realized that this had to be it. I was impressed when my husband and I first met with Nick, with his professionalism, his love of dogs, and the attention he paid to my list of complaints. I walk with a cane at a slow pace and Nick was able to take my extremely rambuctious dog and in-kennel train him to heel and walk at my pace. The dog also now respects place and I am no longer fighting him at the door when I need to open the door for guests. Miracle of miracles he is no longer jumping on guests or stealing food. Jackson (my labradoodle) is so much better behaved and he has learned, and is continuing, to self manage his excitement level. Of course, we continue to work with him at home, but he is already trained and I am able to follow-up on that. I would recommend Nick Zevgolis to anyone that I meet that is looking for a serious dog trainer with a love of dogs. My dog`s behavour is so vastly improved, that I cannot thank Nick enough. The in-kennel training was worth every penny. Thanks so very much Nick, Shirley and Ranny

Fearful rescue dog in training to help build confidence and bonding - owners Emma Middleton & Matt Aubin

Owner of Luca – rescue dog Nick is absolutely brilliant at what he does. Not only is he the best dog trainer around, he is just as good at teaching people! We are first time dog owners, and adopted our little dog Luca from the Humane Society after they rescued him from a dog meat farm. He was traumatized, anxious, and scared of just about everything, including my partner. We had a consultation with Nick, and were immediately won over by his approach. He really gets to know the individual dog (and the owners) to come up with a plan for their specific situation. He sets realistic goals for the training, and explains what is possible. He told us, as we suspected, that leaving Luca at the kennel would be far too stressful for him. So we decided to drive out for lessons. You can trust that Nick always has the best interests of the dogs he works with at heart. We learned so much just in that initial consultation. Nick distills his years of experience studying dog behaviour into clear explanations that anyone can understand. By the end of the training we were confident dog owners with the tools we needed to support our dog. Luca went from belly crawling through doorways, and spending every walk scanning for threats, to a being a happy little guy who trusts us to keep him safe. He heels and sits on command, comes when we call, and snuggles up to my partner on the couch every evening. We really can’t thank Nick enough, and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a dog trainer, or a dog-owner trainer! We found his youtube videos really helpful before we even went in for training – check them out to get a sense of how he works! Thank you Nick!

Husky in Obedience Training - owner Maria Lalous

Nick is AMAZING! There is truly no words to describe his experience and love for the dogs! If you want results, wherever you live in Canada or USA, DO NOT WASTE MONEY ON ANY OTHER TRAINER! Call Nick directly! He took our 4.5 month old super stubborn and super energetic husky, and turned her into the most obedient and sweet puppy ever in three weeks! We had tried other trainers with puppy training with minimal and inconsistent results, that her behaviour depended on whether you were holding a treat in your hand! Nick gave us a puppy that we can now truly connect with, is focused on us and listens to every command! Of course we feared there would be no listening to us once we were home! But he was so great training us to continue the training with Storm! We are super grateful to him! He has allowed for a relationship with our dog that involves zero frustration anymore and just pure joy! We look forward to working with him again in the future for even higher level obedience with our husky! Thank you Nick for this great gift you gave us that will last a lifetime

Multiple German Shepherds Obedience training on and off leash owner Jennifer Gentile

I have been training my dogs with Nick for the past 16 years. I have done in home training and kennel training with him and have always been amazed at his knowledge and understanding of dogs. I am always completely satisfied with his service His calm and non judgmental nature puts everyone at ease especially the dogs. Nick is always responsive and helpful whenever I have a problem with my dog He offers his time, his knowledge and support anytime I ask. We have been blessed knowing him and having him train our dogs.

PitBulll Training Downtown Montreal Oren Bornstein Owner

No one better or more experienced. If you want results call him. He made my dog (pitbull mix) manageable and the envy of other dog owners, before Nick the vet told me putting her down might be the only option. Nick is also one of the nicest and most honest people in the business. He is not going to sugar coat things or B.S. you. Worth every penny.

Dog Trainer Saint Leonard Montreal East end Dog Training

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Puppy Training and Advanced Obedience training - Owner Manaf Balayachi

I wish google would allow you to give someone 6 stars. I’m 28, and I propbably haven’t seen much of this world. But even if I could use that extra star only once in my life, well I would give it to Family K9 dog training. If you are reading this, it means that just like me you are looking for a reliable trainer you can trust. There are so many trainers out there, so many schools, and different advices. It’s hard to make the right decision. Here is what I can tell you: – I have never seen Nick whisper to my dog, but he definitely took the time to talk to me and understand my needs. And not once have I felt pressured to do something. – He also took the time to observe my dog and understand his behavior and discover his personality. He has treated my dog like his own, and Sirius loves him like family. – He made sure to explain everything he did. It’s important that it makes sense to you otherwise how can you trust the training. I could go on and on and on. Bottom line is whether you are experiencing problems with your best friend, or you just want the best training for him, you are in good hands. I will vouch for family K9 anytime, any day. Thank you again for everything!

German Shepherd Obedience & Reactivity training Owners Paul and Caroline Smith

We are very pleased with the work that Nick (Family K9 Dog Training) has done with us and Malik. Malik was dog aggressive, lunged at vehicles, barked non stop at people he encountered, etc. Not only has Nick given us the tools to properly deal with Malik but Nick has very patiently explained to us what was motivating Malik to act the way he was. Instead of walking Malik at times and places where we hoped not to encounter anyone we can now take him anywhere and have him act calm and not be reactive. Thank you Nick. We have learned a great deal and will miss attending the weekly training sessions.

Family K9 Dog Training

1269 Rte Harwood, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Qc, J7V 8P2

(514) 990-5959

Montreal’s Best Dog Training for over 25 years!