Fortunate K9 Dog & Owner Training Derry, New Hampshire

Had a nice meet and greet with owner and dog. We are doing the boarding school training for 4 weeks starting the 22nd of May. As sad as it is to send him off for an extended time I am confident Fortunate and their staff will have my boy in proper shape when we get him back. ????????????????

The best place and community. We are learning so much about training our dog. Best staff. Our dog did great in Boarding and now he is a weekly student!

Honestly this place has saved our dogs quality of live. They were both people and dog aggressive. Starting with 1 on 1 and progression to drop ins, they have both made huge improvements and we can’t wait to see what they can do for years to come. Highly recommend fortunate K-9

Excellent owner great attitude and very helpful

We brought our 10 month old rescue to Tom at FortunateK9. Yes, it isn’t just for big dogs! Charlie had very random aggression towards my husband and we didn’t know how to begin to deal with it. We had tried a different trainer who gave us information that did not work with Charlie’s demeanor (reinforce bad behavior with treats) . When I was told to look into a Board and Train program, I found FortunateK9. No one is comfortable leaving their dog with strangers for 4 weeks but just reading through the FAQs on the website made me feel better almost instantly. Starting from the first evaluation, I was already learning how to be a better dog owner! While we definitely missed our dog for the four weeks and I cried multiple times wishing he was home, I can’t thank Tom enough for giving us so much information in a short period of time to make it an easy transition for Charlie from “summer camp” to home. Small things that caused huge outbursts of aggression no longer exist and if they do happen, we know how to correct it. If you are at a loss with your dog, please contact Tom and ForunateK9. They helped keep our little family together.

We have had an amazing experience training our puppy here. She was a very nervous cane corso puppy. Rick helped me learn the best way to train her and build my own confidence handling her. Her confidence has grown as well. We successfully finished the puppy class and signed right up for private lessons. Rick answers all of our questions and guides us through real life situations. Our puppy is happy to go to class weekly and much less nervous. We are excited to have such a well behaved dog. Thanks Rick!

We cannot say enough good things about Fortunate K9! We were almost at the point of giving up on our rescue dog because of his severe aggression toward humans and other dogs, but after just one training with Tom we noticed a difference. After just a few lessons we’ve been able to better manage his reactions and are amazed at how quickly he’s improved. All the dogs we’ve seen at Fortunate K9 are well behaved and trained! We would highly recommend to anyone dealing with a reactive dog.

We just finished puppy class with Jen. Before we started classes we were worried and unsure because of our high energy puppy. She eased our minds, answered all our questions, took time and helped all the people and puppies in class to become really comfortable and successful. We had so much fun and felt so confident with what we learned and we look forward to more classes. Our puppy LOVES Jen!!!! I highly recommend this training, we've been to other training classes with other dogs in the past and they were nothing like this.

Best training program in the world

Jen is a wonderful and insightful trainer who is knowledgable on many different types of techniques you can use to train your dog and subsiquently yourself. Highly reccomended.

FK9’s incredible training program became the foundation of a relationship with my yellow Lab, Molly, who is now all most 13, that I never thought possible. I only had one dog in my life prior to Molly, and I’m sad to say that I had not done any formal training with her and had no idea what I was missing. Julia’s training during private lessons, followed by many FK9 drop-in classes over the years, have made such a positive impact on my life and Molly’s, that I can’t thank them enough. We spent hours working together and forming a close bond, we competed in Rally, and have done some therapy work. My daughter brought her puppy to FK9 six years ago, and as of today, has another new puppy who will be starting FK9 classes soon. Thank you Julia, Rick, Tom, and Jen for making such a difference to so many families and their dogs.

Best training for challenging dogs bar none. Was effectively kicked out of another another outstanding training outfit because they were not equipped to handle my dog, but FK9 can handle ANY dog. It took some effort, but my dog went from zero to hero, winning obedience blue ribbons and doing therapy work. Everyone that works there is the BEST. This is the place to go when the likes of Victoria Stilwell are writing you and your dog off...

I've been training with Fortunate K9 for over 10 years, first with my male German Shepherd, Barkley and then with his daughter, Sadie. I've trained with all of the trainers here and I can without hesitation, highly recommend anyone of them. Their knowledge, skills and experience are second to none. I have a dog walking and pet sitting business and I highly recommend them to all who are interested in training their dogs and puppies. Sadie and I go to the Sunday drop in with Tom, currently. I always leave there with a high level of confidence and complete satisfaction. I give the highest rating. If you really want results and a great companion dog, this is the place to be. Your dog will thank you for the opportunity to be the best they can be.

This is training saved our dogs life. We have 2 dogs and one was reactive towards strangers. With the help of our trainer Jen, our dog is now looking to us and not reacting. This training has improved our relationships with our dogs and we can’t wait to continue learning. Thank you! We enjoy the drop in classes on Sunday with Tom as well. It shows our dogs that they can trust us and provides them with a boost of much needed confidence. Thank you fournate k9, we would recommend you to anyone with a dog.

My husband and I enrolled our sassy 2 year old cocker spaniel/poodle mix in the private training sessions at the recommendation of the FK9 staff after a few emails back and forth. She had several behavioral problems including fear/aggressive behavior toward strangers. We were paired with Julia for the individual sessions and she was amazing! So knowledgeable and available to answer any questions we had. Over the 7 sessions, our dog's behavior really began to turn around. She is far from perfect, but now she no longer pulls on the leash when walking, and we learned lots of techniques for what to do when she behaves undesirably toward strangers. In general for dog training, most of it is actually "human training", which I knew before I signed up for the lessons. We got a whole wealth of valuable knowledge on how to work with our dog and set her up for success. I can't say enough good things about this company! All of the staff were wonderful and the atmosphere was always positive. There is a reason why there is a community of people that frequent this place- because the trainers know how to get results while educating effectively.

This review is so long overdue. My husband and I have a wonderful, mini-labradoodle named Cooper who we both adore. He is smart, loving, has never chewed one of my shoes or nibbled on a piece of furniture. So what possibly could be the problem you may ask. Since the time Cooper was a pup and I began the training process, I would tell Cooper to sit and Cooper would look at me and I swear in dog language say, “Ya right.” Cooper would not sit, lay down (unless it was his choice), stay on command and when he saw a dog outside he could not pull me fast enough to get to the other dog. I actually developed a problem in my shoulder because Cooper pulled on his leash so hard. On top of all of this Copper was skittish. If a big truck or fire engine drove past him he would literally jump out of fear. I put him on anxiety medication but it did not agree with him. I really was at my whit’s end. Then one day, I noticed one of my neighbor’s dog in the elevator. He was calm, he listened to her every command she gave, never pulled or tugged on his leash…he was amazing. I had to ask where she trained her dog. She told me Fortunate K-9. So I looked into it. The reviews were great, the school looked great but in order to get the best results for Cooper, the owner Rick told me Cooper should stay there 3-4 weeks. 3 to 4 weeks I said to myself – that is a long time to be away from my Cooper…I can’t do that. How could anyone do that I said to myself. So I waited and the months began to past. Cooper kept tugging on his leash, pulling me towards any dog that came in his sight, he would not sit, lay down or even come when I called him…unless a treat was at the other end. Finally, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired of Cooper’s behavior – or lack thereof and I called Rick again and set a date to bring Cooper in. Having Cooper trained at Fortunate K-9 Dog training was the BEST thing I ever did for my family and my shoulder! When we came to pick up Cooper, my husband and I sat in a large room and Cooper walked in with Rick. The old Cooper would of went ballistic. But the new Cooper, as much as I knew he wanted to come over to us, was calm, cool and collected. Rick went through a routine with Cooper having him sit, stay in place, lay down, etc. I could not believe that this was my dog. Rick had Cooper walking right next to him – there was no pulling of the leash going on here! Rick would give Cooper command after command and Cooper would execute the command without hesitation. Then Rick gave Cooper permission to come over to see us. After our wonderful reunion, Rick showed my husband and me how to do everything he did with Cooper. I thought I was with a different dog. I would tell Cooper to sit and he would sit - lay down and he lay down! I was walking around with Cooper and he was by my side – no pulling of the leash! Although Cooper is still a little skittish (this is part of his genetic makeup), he has gotten so much better. People that knew him before cannot believe the changes in him. One person who knew him prior to my sending him to Fortunate K-9 is sending their dog for training next month so they can take their leash back. Cooper can now have a fire truck pass him and he has no reaction to it and so much more. So if you are sick and tired of your dog training you, take your leash back and contact Fortunate K-9. The new, better, loving bond you that is created with your dog as a result of this training is priceless. But the training does not stop after you leave…Rick has drop-in classes several times a week if you need a little help (and who doesn’t). Mary and Ed Glazer Boston, MA

After lots of research, we brought home our very first German Shepherd puppy in 2009. We signed him up with a petstore training program and were fortunate enough to get a very knowledgable and experienced German Shepherd trainer. Unfortunately, she was resrtricted by company policy to give us the intense training we desired. She did, however, give us the information we needed to find the very best of training for our incredible German Shepherd. We worked very hard with our puppy and he had some good, reliable commands but we needed more. We searched for what seemed like forever and found Fortunate K9 and we haven't looked back! Private lessons with Rick and constant but fun work from us gave us the dog of our dreams! We now have nine German Shepherds, all trained with Fortunate K9's amazing, dedicated, supportive, compassionate and knowledgable crew! We have done all of our Obedience 101 classes with Rick, and a few puppy classes with Julia and Tom. We have not been in any of Jen's classes yet but have worked with her at some drop in classes and follow all of their classes! We continue with drop in classes when time allows, and look forward to each and every one! We have made so many amazing friends and consider our Fortunate K9 group our extended family! Always supportive, encouraging, compassionate and dedicated in seeing you and your dog succeed! We have one German Shepherd that we brought into our home at the age of three and although he is an incredible boy, he came with a few issues that needed to be addressed. I contacted Rick and he did not hesitate to set up an appointment for an evaluation. In just one session, he helped us to find the best approach. We worked hard with him, brought him back a short time later and was over-the-top excited with his progress! I see the joy in their eyes with not only our dog's progress but the success of each and every dog and their handler! I am in constant need of the owner training part and work very hard with every one of my dogs. They are always there for me with a lifetime of support and for that I am truly grateful! We couldn't do it without them! Thank you all! Jeff and Karen Russell

I have had a wonderful experience with Fortunate K9 in training my two Austrailian Cattle Dogs!! Jen is absolutely AMAZING! My dog Quinn went through puppy class with her as well as staying in her home for boarding/training for three weeks while my husband and I were abroad. When we returned we were shocked at all she had learned and how well trained she was (and continues to be)!! After our great experience with Quinn, we did private lessons with our older dog and enjoy taking them both to the drop in classes. I highly, highly recommend fortunate k9!! They are attentive, caring and have a very effective philosophy on training!!

I have trained at Fortunate K9 with Tom on a weekly basis for years now. He is every bit the miracle worker so many of his students say he is. I brought him an adolescent cattle dog knowing how to do the alligator death roll to escape any form of restraint, had to be sedated orally to be vetted because 2 vet techs and a vet couldnt give her an injection or draw blood, was reactive on leash, would pick a fight with other dogs over food/toys/territory, and she didnt have any semblance of a clue what obedience was. He helped me turn her life around in about 4 private lessons. After the first lesson, she was never sedated to be vetted again and veterinarians started asking where I trained. Within the first month, she was holding a down so reliably that the family dog could stand over her attempting to dominate her and she wouldnt react. Through the years, Tom has helped me understand how my feel, timing, intensity commitment and genuineness/authenticity impact not only my dogs obedience but also my relationship with that dog. The masterful way that I have seen Tom assess what seems to be a complicated situation and offer a simple effective solution, challenge handlers beyond what they thought possible to build trust and confidence between dog and handler, and teach his students in a manner that they strive to emulate his feel are the reasons I train at Fortunate K9.

Did not have a good experience from the trainer Jen. Also no one from fortunate k9 reached out to me after the incident of Jen hanging my dog from a prong collar. Unprofessional

Brought my dog in about a year ago for a 4 week training program with Rick and have been regularly attending walk in classes on Saturdays. My dog is a 5 year old 70lb pit mix that I have had for 5 years and he was incredibly difficult for me to handle, and he was getting increasingly worse. Working with fortunate k9 has improved my dog IMMENSLY. He went from growling and spinning on the end of his leash at the sight of a dog or person a quarter mile away, to keeping it together while spending an hour in a room filled with other dogs of all sizes and behaviors. I am super confident with my dog now and I couldn’t ever have said that before! Rick gets to know the quirks in all the dogs he works with and makes the drop in classes beneficial for all involved. Jen occasionally helps out on the Saturday classes as well and she has been nothing but knowledgeable, helpful, and pleasant! All in all I highly recommend fortunate k9 and I am incredibly thankful for all that they have taught me and my monster!

I highly recommend training with Fortunate K9. ALL the experienced trainers care very much for our four legged companions and want nothing more to watch us and our dogs succeed. Frankly, I don’t think Jesse would have remained living with us if it wasn’t for Fortunate K9. They not only helped us train Jesse to become a more productive member of the household/society, they also trained us into more responsible, proactive owners. I would trust Fortunate K9 with Jesse’s life. They helped us develop a mutual respectful relationship between owner and canine. We will always train our dogs with Fortunate K9.

Over 4 1/2 years and 2 high energy dogs later I would never take my dogs anywhere else!! The consistency and support they offer for years to come is priceless. Thank you for all you do!

My aggressive foster dog who later became my dog needed some training but even more so I needed training. We worked with Julia for our one to one trainings but worked with Rick and Jen for our group trainings. My dog and I learned our correct Alpha order and tasks like walking, car rides, and vet visits became much easier. Jump ahead a few years and I’m down and out with cancer. My baby is mostly being taken care of by family and friends. When I’m better to walk her she is all over the place. Doing reverse behaviors. We go back to Fortunate K9 for a refresher- more for me- and bam in 2 weeks time momma’s back in charge and my little lady is lovin life. If it weren’t for Julia, Jen and Rick I probably would have given her back instead of keeping her. She is a completely different dog. I should note that she was 4 when we began this class, history of abuse from men,aggressive towards men and protective of me. Now she is still all those things but not overly aggressive and I learned how to reassure her I’m ok. We walk great on a leash in crowds,trails and roads even Home Depot a few times. I can’t say enough how amazing the staff is. Thank u Fortunate K9!

My pup Lolabelle, my husband and I attend the class with Shosha and her beautiful Doberman. Our experience is quite different. Lolabelle is a Mountain Cur and she is confident and assertive. We waited almost 18 months for her and subsequently I thought this was not the right breed for us and that we would not be able to raise this pup properly. We listen closely to Jen and watch her work with the dogs; under her guidance Lola has blossomed and we can see that Lola will become her best possible self and our loyal and loving companion. Yes we are using the prong collar for training. Jen is efficient and expert with the collar. The only time I feel badly is when I don't use it as proficiently. It is far better than having Lola straining and choking at the end of her leash on a nylon collar. But Lola is a hunter dog and she has plenty of time in the woods on a check cord and regular collar. Perhaps some breeds don't need a prong collar for training but it is working for us and I am happy to have found Jen and Fortunate K9.

I can't say enough about the professionalism and caring of the trainers at Fortunate K9. I brought my first dog Atticus, a reactive, anxious doberman, to FK9 about 9 years ago. He boarded & trained with Julia for 3 weeks and when we picked him up I couldn't believe the transformation. Fast forward to earlier this year, Atticus lived a happy life but unfortunately passed 2 years ago. I know have 3 dogs, all rescues and of course I brought them to Fortunate K9 for training. I had the pleasure of working with Jen in the 6 week puppy training class. She was professional, and educated us not only in training technique but also dog behavior helping us to understand our new puppies. It turned out my puppy was dog reactive and with Jen's help I was able to get that under control immediately and it's no longer a problem. As for my other 2 dogs, they too have been to training with FK9 and will continue with their drop in classes. I highly recommend you bring your puppy or adult dog to FK9. They understand dogs and their no nonsense approach to training is effective and respectful of the dogs which in turn gives you a dog who respects you.

I'm following up on my husband's original review and the inaccurate response from the owner. We did in fact pay upfront for sessions of training that we did not schedule. We asked for a refund, almost immediately after the initial consult. We did our homework and changed our minds and went with another trainer we met with a few days later that turned out to be fantastic! You refused to refund our money for classes that we NEVER scheduled and instead sent out a certificate of completion for our dog. ALL of your response is wrong and your a rip off.

Great place for our dog training. Great people fun dogs!

Absolutely the best training anywhere. We had our dog trained almost a year ago and he is still the same happy and obedient dog as when we picked him up. Thanks Rick!

I was excited to potentially work with the trainers there, and a girl name Jen was rude in her email to me and very pretentious. Her context in her email was belittling my experience and my excitement of what I could learn from them. Her customer service is extremely poor and now has just lost a client willing to spend $499 a week on a program for 6 weeks. I would NEVER recommend them to anyone based on Jen's customer service skills.