Client Testimonials

"Kris Hale is not only an exceptional dog trainer, she is an amazing human being. Kris is incredibly passionate about dogs, she is knowledgeable, thorough, kind, caring, and patient. She creates an individual and sustainable approach to training for each dog she works with. I first met Kris through volunteering, where she helped navigate even the most challenging of behaviors with various shelter dogs. Kris approached every case individually and took the time to get to know each dog and his or her behavior, then created a training plan. She has truly saved lives through coaching adopters and foster parents who have had dogs with a number of behavior concerns that may have initially appeared to be issues too difficult to work through. Instead, Kris set these dogs - and owners - up for success.

When we recently adopted an abused and neglected dog from a very unique background and needed some help, I did not hesitate to reach out to Kris. Our dog previously had little to no human interaction, and none of it was positive. Kris has helped us build our pup's confidence slowly, and provided recommendations that have allowed us to slowly make progress in building trust with our dog, and even making training fun! Most importantly, she helped me set expectations, and reminded me that the progress may feel slow at times, but it would be worth it. We are definitely making progress and could not have done this without Kris' expertise.

Kris is the absolute best, and five stars aren't even enough. I'd highly recommend her for any training needs for your dog!"
Amy C.

"Kris is a fantastic person and dog trainer! I met her while volunteering at Best Friends, and she gave me many tips to help me walk/work with the dogs.

Kris also provided training for several of my dogs and gave us valuable training information. She uses positive reinforcement and is patient and kind with animals.

Another thing I appreciate is how Kris is realistic and won't mislead you. One of our dogs, Charlie, is super impulsive and has a high prey drive. Kris helped manage our expectations by giving us realistic goals but also being honest about probably not being able to quash his prey drive completely."
Erin J.

"Kris is fantastic to work with. We started early, planning for our puppy's training. Kris was very flexible with scheduling and provided good guidance. Our Aussie Labradoodle puppy loved working with her, she gave good coaching to us new puppy parents and also was available outside of training hours for advice. Would definitely recommend her as trainer."
Jayesh I.

"We have absolutely loved working with Kris! We were apprehensive about finding a trainer that would be willing to work with our pittie rescue that only used positive reinforcement, but then we found Kris! She met and exceeded all of our expectations. We could tell the difference in our pup's behavior after a couple sessions. Kris has helped us understand how to train our dog using only positive reinforcement. She is accessible to answer any question we have and really got to know us and our goals before we began. We saw such good results that we bought a second package to continue working with Kris. She's super knowledgable and provides real-time feedback during training to help us correct in the moment. She treats us and our pup with respect and love, and Kris deserves all the credit for our pup's new tricks and improved behavior. We cannot recommend Kris enough; she's been an absolute game changer!"
Liz R.

"I had a fantastic experience working with Kris. I have a 1 y/o rescue who had been having problems with impulse control and bite inhibition. Kris was able to provide a lot of helpful insight, tools, tricks, and knowledge about how to help my dog. He has improved a significant amount already! I am very grateful for Kris, Best In Dog, and the experience I had. I would highly recommend these services. Thanks again Kris!"
Sarah S.

"We had a wonderful experience with Kris coming to our home to work with our newly adopted beagle, Iris. Iris was very skittish and tentative at first...by the last visit, though, it was like having a friend over to play. Kris worked with us on basic commands, socializing Iris with her older pup brother, Wesley, and other little quirks that are characteristic of beagles. As a teacher (and because she's a teacher), everything she told me made so much sense...and reminded me of my middle school classroom! I look forward to staying in contact and getting little tips along the way."
Elizabeth L.

"Kris has been volunteering with our shelter and foster dogs for quite a while and has been an amazing asset to us. She has worked with staff, volunteers  and fosters to teach them positive training methods to work with our animals. She is great at explaining animal behavior and training techniques so that anyone can successfully work with their animals. I highly recommend Best In Dog for your training needs."
Michelle H.

"Excellent trainer and experience for both my dog and myself. Stella, my dog, loved Kris right away and looked forward to her coming to the house. I learned so much and Stella did also! We have grown so much together and have bonded unlike any other dog I've ever owned. I would highly recommend Best in Dog for anyone who needs help with a puppy or and adult dog that is a rescue!"
Ann B.

"Kris has been a lifesaver helping us with our new puppy!  This is our 5th dog, but Kris taught us things we never knew which helped us get off to a great start with training.  She is a skilled communicator with people and dogs!!  
Kris comes to our home, which is far less stressful for the dog and far more convenient for us.  She is also very responsive to our questions in between sessions via email.  My husband and I highly, highly recommend Kris from Best In Dog!!!!"
Debbie P.

"My pup Lou is 1 1/2 year old pit mix rescue. He had been neglected and abandoned when he found his forever home. He has so much love to give but was incorrigible. Kris came to the rescue. Personal home training was a life saver for us. Kris really goes the extra mile. It is evident she's a teacher! Lou is a young dog with a lot of energy, but he listens to commands, walks nicely on the leash and is able to navigate through everyday distractions. He's not perfect, but he's come a long way in a short time. Kris has so much experience and is a great communicator. Give your pup the benefit of a truly caring professional."
Elyssa L.

"Thank you so much for all of your help, time, care and advice these past weeks with acclimating Bella. You really are an expert and your positive approach with both her and our family has been tremendously effective."
Susan