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49 years of trusted experience
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Reviews
4.8317 Reviews
Showing 151-175 of 317 reviews
Dave S.
02/2013
dog trainers
+ -1 moreIt went well. Our dog appeared in August on our deck near death. After getting her health back we attempted in vain to find her owners. Today, 2/4/13 she is scheduled to graduate from obedience training at Best Friends. I found the experience to be fun, but at the same time a reasonable amount of work. I had taken two dogs through similar training at this same location in the late eighties. It is now under different ownership, but the results were the same, a great experience for not only me but my dog. I am certain her life will be better from this point on because of the training she has received. Bruce and Kyle are great to work with. If you have a dog you love, make this investment. You will not be sorry if you stick with the training.
Description of Work: Dog Obedience Training
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$175
Bonnie S.
01/2013
dog trainers
+ -1 moreKyle and Melissa arrived prepared to assist us in training our 3 y/o English shepard. Jada is well behaved 80% of the time but with some visitors, strangers/animals outdoors she would revert to her breed of aggressive/protective behavior with excessive barking and herding/nipping at feet and biting. Kyle and Melissa took turns knocking/ringing the doorbell. When outside they had brought another dog to broaden the training session. The session lasted @ 90 minutes. Jada retained the commands quicker than I did! It was a positive experience for us all. We are encouraged to call in a couple days to share how she is doing and to call if any problems arise.
Description of Work: We were instructed by demonstration, use of a new pronged collar and repetitive hands on training how to: 1. control her barking when the doorbell rings 2. control her behavior when visitors/strangers arrive indoors 3. control her behavior outdoors when encountering people/dogs/wildlife/cars
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$178
Marcy H.
01/2013
dog trainers
+ -1 moreWe participated in Bruce's 8 week Novice Dog Training Class. My golden retriever was almost 6 months old when she began the class. Prior to the novice class we took the Puppy class. Both classes were excellent! We learned so much. Even though I had a dog before having Emma, I had forgotten a lot about having a puppy! The classes were great for me because they held me accountable. I knew I needed to work with Emma and she learned a ton! Bruce is very knowledgeable and always willing to help and answer questions. He cares about the dogs and owners. He also encourages the entire family to get involved. Bruce and his staff provide excellent customer service. I highly recommend First Friend K9 for dog training.
Description of Work: Novice Class...graduation day on 12-11-12 after 8 weeks of dog training
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$89
Shermie S.
01/2013
dog trainers, kennels
+ 0 moreI find them to be an excellent. They are bit of a drive but definitely worth it. I found them very easy to work with along with being very patience. They explain things thoroughly and have great assistants. I would definitely use them again and they are very supportive. They also breed German Shepard’s so it was really nice to have someone that really knows the breed.
Description of Work: We did 8 weeks of dog training and a week of boarding and in house.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
Guru P.
12/2012
dog trainers, kennels
+ 0 moreExcellent. Bruce and his team come highly recommended for both animal training and boarding. Our dogs did the novice class and I feel like his techniques are unparalleled as they have been much better behaved. In fact, the most important aspect of their change in behavior is that they listen much better to my wife and me. Additionally, we recently boarded our dogs there for a night and we were delighted after picking them up. It is great to hear that Bruce and his staff do know your dogs and how they did that night. I greatly appreciate this personal feel. Finally, the prices here are very competitive. Everything from classes to products, I guarantee you won't be able to find cheaper prices...even on Amazon. Great job, First Friend K-9. We will definitely be coming back for their advanced class and anytime we need to board our dogs in the future.
Description of Work: Novice class and boarding
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$200
Anne C.
12/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreOur dog doesn't jump on furniture anymore & is 60% better about people. He is still a puppy, obeys well. We were ready to get rid of dog until we found this place. We drive over an hour to get here - hate that part but so worth it.
Description of Work: Train dog obedience. Taught basic dog obedience. Had good usable answers to problems with dogs - ex jump on furniture, people, biting during play.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Robert S.
11/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreRescued a pit-bull puppy and was very concerned about the breed. Bruce's class was very good at teaching me to become the top dog without any negative feedback. Rocky is doing great and ready for the next level.
Description of Work: Puppy school.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Dennis S.
11/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreWonderful! Mr. Bruce and his staff were caring, helpful and very professional. Our dog is doing better than we ever dreamed!
Description of Work: Novice dog training (from 13th September 2012 to 1st November 2012).
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Amy D.
11/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreWe attended all of the classes and did our homework. Great staff that helped us train Mr. Puppy to be a well-trained dog. We plan to take the next class.
Description of Work: Attended 6 week puppy training class
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Ernest J.
11/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreBruce and has staff performed flawlessly. Great experience. Would use this training center for any future training needs.
Description of Work: Novice obedience training for Rottweiler. This involves sit, down, heeling and come commands, etc.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$99
MADELAINE S.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 more.Please see statement above.
Description of Work: I enrolled my son's English Bulldog Polly in the Novice Class at First Friend K-9. The price for the eight classes was $99.00. As strongly suggested, I also purchase of a leather leash and a training collar at that time for approximately $62.00. During the eight weeks that followed, I found the classes to be most worthwhile and the training techniques used very effective. The instructor is very enthusiastic and dedicated to his craft. It is evident that he has spent a lot of time studying the best training methods for both dogs and their handlers. Bruce does a marvelous job of controlling the large classes of dogs and their owners and keeps things moving at a steady pace. In fact, at times I was convinced that the class benefitted the handlers more than their pets. In addition, the written material provided participants with good reinforcement of the lessons presented in class and was well organized and clearly presented. After taking this course, I feel more confident in handling my dog and being in the "Alpha" role. When my son returns from his deployment in Afghanistan, he will be pleasantly surprised at how responsive his once stubborn Bulldog is now. Although we certainly have more positive behaviors to learn, Polly is now off to a very good start. My only suggestion for Bruce, the owner and instructor, is to perhaps vary the introduction of new concepts so that they are not always presented at the end of the working session when the animals and handlers are tired and not as focused. During some of the sessions, for example, it might work better to warm everyone up briefly and then present a new technique. The class could then practice it and return to it for a quick wrap up review at the end of class so it is fresh in our minds for the following week. The middle of the hour could still be used for reviewing the previous week's lessons as we usually do. In conclusion, I would like to congratulate Bruce and his wonderful staff. You are all doing a wonderful job and I would not hesitate to recommend you to all my friends and acquaintances. In fact, I have already done so.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$165
Sharon T.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreVery well: Bruce displays a genuine concern for the puppies and a good understanding of their behavior and how to train them.
Description of Work: Puppy training class
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$95
Mike M.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 morevery good, they do a great job with training info and working with the handler and dogs. You start out with the basic's and each week taught more training tech's to work on and work with your dog. And each week gets a little more advanced and the dog continues to work and learn more. But you do have to work with your dog at home to make all training work. Can't just expect to only do it in class and have your dog learn and advance. I have worked with dogs in the past as I was a patrol dog handler in the USAF, so I already know a lot of traing work, but I have learned new things here. In the military you start out with dogs over 1 yr. old, so working with puppies was not part of my previous training. Bruce and his staff do a very good job. I have learned a good amount and my GSD puppy has also.
Description of Work: Took the 8 week Novice course, meets every Thursday evening for 1 hr. They do a very good job with training info and tasks to work on with your dog. And have always been very friendly to all in class. would highly recommend to others
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Glen V.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreVery organized and professional. We used this company 15 years ago for our yellow lab and we are just as happy now as we were then. Some people may dings the approach harsh, but it works. I can count on my dog to not jump on company and to stay when commanded too
Description of Work: Novice training for our Chocolate lab and son
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
John B.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreBruce McNabb was excellent from the start. He definitely knows how to work with handlers in training their dogs. He was always on-time, courteous to the handlers and helped in any way he could. Trust me, some training sessions were stressful as pets don't always follow the commands when you want them to. However, over the past 20 years, we have worked with First Friend K9 Training with 3 Giant Schnauzers. This is the first time we have ever had a Schnauzer that truly learned the commands and follows them. Kudos to Bruce.
Description of Work: We took our Giant Schnauzer to First Friend K( Training when she was 7 months old. Bruce McNaab worked with our family and several others on training our pets. This was a class of about 25 or so dogs, mostly large. Bruce taught the handlers how to command their pets to sit, stay, heel, come, down, This was an 8 week course and also required continued training at home by the handler.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$99
Joanna M.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreOur dog, Lucas, had aggressive behaviors the were progressively getting worse. We had done training with him as a puppy at Petsmart and he did well. Shortly after we completed with him my husband died and we didn't put as much time with him. He is a Newfoundland/Retriever mix so he's a very big dog. Without having consistent socialization and training from us and with other people he started to learn that he was big and could scare people to get what he wanted. We sent him to in-kennel training for two weeks where he trained with Rip. It was amazing the difference we saw in him. Yes we bought a different pincher collar and Lucas even required a shocker collar that we used remotely to get his attention since he knew that he didn't have to listen if we couldn't reach him. We learned all kinds of different ways to work with him. It's important to understand that Bruce and Rip did amazing work with Lucas and showed us his trigger switches that caused him to become aggressive. The change they made was phenomenal. But it wasn't totally up to them. They made that clear to us that we had to continue the work with him for the changes to remain. He had to learn that we were in control, not him. The work we had to do was taught to us both after the in-kennel training, Rip called to see how he was doing once we got home and then we took a novice class where Bruce expanded on the work they had done. We had been told that we would have to put our dog down because of his aggressiveness or live with a dog that would always be a "problem" to some degree. I was in tears. Then I called First Friend. We had used them with our first dog, Chester, and loved them. I didn't think of them first because of the distance from our home. With the choice of putting my dog down or the drive, it was a no-brainer! Great job!
Description of Work: In Kennel training with trainer Rip for two weeks then Novice class with Bruce for eight weeks.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,000
craig W.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreBruce and his staff did a great job of not only training our puppy but also teaching and training us. Thor our GSD is doing great and is now enrolled in Novice class, he loves it. Definately would recommend to anyone with any breed of dog, who wants to get the most out of their relationship with their pet.
Description of Work: Puppy training
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
scott H.
10/2012
dog trainers, pet grooming
+ 0 moreBrice McNebb, owner and instructor, held an informative two-hour orientation for puppy owners. The subsequent 5 weeks involved step-by-step, patient instruction on dog care & obedience. Bruce has expertise in dog care and a talent for relating to canine and human!
Description of Work: 6 week puppy classes instruction included basic obedience, health care (teeth, ears, nails), guidance and some good-to-know general facts about dog ownership.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Lauren N.
10/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreFirst Friend's Puppy Class taught us the basics of training and groom our new puppy. Bruce is the main instructor and does a wonderful job. He is passionate about training these dogs and takes the classes very seriously. Bruce taught us different commands to use when commmunicating with our puppy (ex. sit, down, stay, off, etc.). He taught us the correct grooming techniques such as how to brush our puppy's teeth, trim his nails, clean his ears, etc. This class helped us train our puppy to stay off furniture, not to bark, listen to our commands (even when we don't have a treat), etc. I would highly recommend this class for anyone with a new puppy in their home. We are signing up to attend the "Novice" program that First Friend's offers, which is the second of three training programs Bruce run.
Description of Work: We took our puppy, to the "puppy school" that Bruce offers in an eight week program every Saturday for 1.5 hours.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$99
Lynn S.
09/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreI am very pleased with the service that First Friends provided for our dog. He had some trouble adjusting for the first few day, as he was very nervous and fearful. So it took them a couple of days of working with him just to be able to get his attention so that they could do the training. When they told us about his fear issues, they offered to keep him a couple of extra days, at no cost, just so they could work with him to get him to where he "ought" to be after one week of training. Once he came home, our grandson kept saying, "That is not your dog! What did they do with your dog?" Haha! Our trainer was Kyle and he gave us a great head start in working with our dog.
Description of Work: One week of In-Kennel Training for our 9 month old Rottweiler Mix.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$350
Samantha L.
09/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreWe loved First Friends! Bruce was wonderful and we learned so much. Highly recommend First Friends!!
Description of Work: Our golden retriever puppy went through Puppy Kindergarten.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Curtis G.
09/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreBruce ran the class and is very thorough and disciplined in his methodology. He and his staff demonstrated several times during each class and answered questions and concerns. We have trained several dogs with Bruce and the quality and service is high and consistent. Our dogs always learn easily and look forward to classes. We are amazed at the transformation of the owner skills over the span of the classes. Starts in complete chaos and ends in relative calm. We will only go to First-Friend for our dog training. We like their approach in training (owners and their dogs) and how they personally connect with the owners and dogs.
Description of Work: Puppy-training - 6 week class for our English Shepherd.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$99
Janet C.
09/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreOutstanding. Learned handler techniques in a group setting.
Description of Work: K-9 training.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$200
SHARON K.
08/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreEverything has gone very well. They do a great job.
Description of Work: We take our dogs to maintain what they learned here before.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
Sheryl W.
08/2012
dog trainers
+ -1 moreBruce, the instructor, is very serious because he cares for the dogs. The training was easy to follow and it works great! We did follow all instructions that Bruce gave us.
Description of Work: Puppy training class.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$99
Contact information
12401 Reynolds Dr, Fishers, IN 46038
www.firstfriendk9.comService hours
Sunday:
ClosedMonday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMTuesday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMWednesday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMThursday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMFriday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMSaturday:
8:00 AM - 3:30 PMLicensing
Bonded
Insured
State Contractor License Requirements
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Service Categories
Animal Training,
Animal Boarding Kennels,
Animal Grooming,
Animal Rescues/Shelters,
Animal Removal,
Pet Stores
FAQ
First Friend K-9 Training is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5.
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
First Friend K-9 Training accepts the following forms of payment: Check,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
No, First Friend K-9 Training does not offer free project estimates.
No, First Friend K-9 Training does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, First Friend K-9 Training does not offer a senior discount.
No, First Friend K-9 Training does not offer emergency services.
No, First Friend K-9 Training does not offer warranties.
First Friend K-9 Training offers the following services: Dog training, boarding, day care & grooming.
Contact information
12401 Reynolds Dr, Fishers, IN 46038
www.firstfriendk9.comService hours
Sunday:
ClosedMonday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMTuesday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMWednesday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMThursday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMFriday:
7:00 AM - 9:00 PMSaturday:
8:00 AM - 3:30 PM