Training Carolina Dogs

We came to training with two 3-year-old sibling dogs, a brother (Cooper) and a sister (Murphy) and we were honestly at a breaking point. Cooper was reactive toward other dogs. Big reactions, scary sounds. Both dogs had zero boundaries. Add a newborn into the house, and suddenly we had no way to tell them to settle, stay in a place, relax, or respect space. We loved them, but we were overwhelmed and out of tools. We chose to do the 2.5 week board and train with both dogs together, and after interviewing over six trainers and meeting three in person, choosing Nicole was the best decision we could have made. We picked her for several specific reasons and every single one of them ended up mattering. Nicole integrates the dogs into her everyday life instead of training them in an artificial bubble, which means the training actually transfers to a real home. She uses an e-collar, but she also uses just as much positive reinforcement. She is the rare, perfect balance between both schools of thought and she explains why she does what she does so you don’t feel confused or unprepared for reintegration at home. What truly sets her apart, though, is that she doesn’t just “finish” training and disappear. Training doesn’t magically end when dogs come home, especially dogs who have spent years learning certain behaviors. Cooper’s reactivity was almost completely gone when he was with Nicole, but it was harder for him when we were involved. Instead of brushing that off, Nicole met with us repeatedly, trained us as much as she trained Cooper, and stayed committed to the process. We’ve seen incredible progress because of that support. The biggest change has been how Cooper and Murphy exist in our home now, especially with our newborn. They understand boundaries in a way they never did before because “no” actually means something to them. They can stay on place when guests arrive, when we’re giving our baby attention or when we need to set her down in an unsecured area where chaos just simply isn’t an option. They walk politely at our side in public and look to us for leadership instead of reacting to everything around them. Most importantly, we now have a clear way to communicate with them, to give them a job and an understanding of what we’re asking, rather than just yelling words like “no” or “down” that used to mean absolutely nothing to them. I think it’s important to say this clearly: training is a process. Anyone who promises instant, perfect results with adult dogs isn’t being realistic. Dogs aren’t robots. They have personalities, histories, and emotions. What actually works is time, trust, leadership, and consistency and Nicole is honest about that from the start. She is humble, deeply knowledgeable, and takes your concerns seriously. She keeps you in the loop with daily pictures, videos, and updates. She even hosts free pack walks for past clients so dogs can get continued exposure to other dogs and public spaces. She is genuinely invested in long-term success, not just checking a box. I spent hours searching Google for a trainer, trying to sort through flashy websites and generic promises. I’m writing this for the next person who is doing that same work, who wants real help, not a big conglomerate churning out one-size-fits-all training. Nicole’s work is personal, thoughtful, and effective. Honestly, she should charge more than she does. I’m just grateful she doesn’t!

Nicole is amazing! She did a board and train for our 1 1/2 year old dachshund with amazing results. She is very knowledgeable and compassionate with the dogs. Her environment that she trains in provides real life scenarios and is very clean and safe. She was able to diagnose our and our dog’s negative behaviors and provide solutions to encourage success. She is a great communicator. She provides videos and pictures to keep you up to date on your dog’s progress and success. She is thorough in her explanation and training for us as well. Our life with our pet has been improved in so many ways. We highly recommend Nicole and Training Carolina Dogs.

Nicole is such a beautiful soul, and our Day Training with her was an absolute pleasure! When we started, my beagle was really reactive to other dogs and not very socialized, which was our main concern. In just a couple of days, we saw amazing progress. Over the next few weeks, he’s become a completely different dog in the best way possible. I loved the whole process! I feel so much more confident with Richie, and our walks and time around other dogs are finally stress-free. I can’t recommend her enough!

I have been patiently waiting to write this review about my experience with Training Carolina Dogs because I wanted to see how the training my female Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy received would stick in our daily lives post training and if it would pass the test of time! Would my dog regress to the mean after leaving her board and train? Would she forget the training and techniques she learned with Nicole once she returned home and changed environments? It has been almost two months since we picked up our dog from her board and train session, and I can honestly say that this board and training session was the best thing we ever could have done. Our lives have been changed for the better and we couldn't be more excited and grateful for Nicole's services. Nicole was gracious enough to board and train our Ridgeback for 3 weeks while my Wife and I were across the country for our wedding. We couldn't have felt more comfortable leaving her in Nicole's hands. Nicole sent constant updates and daily videos that we looked forward to each and every day. We shared the video updates with our family and friends, or basically anyone who was around us at the time. Everyone was extremely impressed with her skills as a trainer. Our situation and areas of opportunity with our dog were extremely important to remedy, otherwise we would not have been able to give this active and physical breed the life she deserved. Monty the Ridgeback was always a sweet and loving dog; however, she grew fast and did not understand her own strength. Growing up in an apartment, in a busy city for the first part of her life, she became quite reactive to other dogs and people. It got to the point where my wife was unable to walk her by herself, and our dog was only getting exercise if I was available to take her out. We also struggled gaining ground on any type of recall while she was off leash in a safe environment. These factors were of the utmost importance to us, the quality of life for us and our dog depended on us fixing these reactive tendencies. Through patience, consistency, and e-collar training, Nicole was able to get through to our stubborn, yet happy dog. The end result was very impressive. We were sent videos of Monty improving her threshold manners, her reactivity was effectively curbed, and her leash skills were completely flipped for the better. Monty is now 100% walkable by any and all humans. She learned how to behave accordingly due to her size and strength. The most important part of this deal has to be the consistency that Monty receives post training. Nicole has done an exceptional job of training my wife and I, making sure we are knowledgeable of her techniques and are able to give Monty that same support and due diligence that she received during her board and train. The follow up she gives shows that she cares about her work and does not want any of her dogs to fail once they leave her home. I can easily and happily say that the training Monty received during her time with Nicole has changed our family's life for the better. While Ridgebacks are a stubborn breed, Monty has retained her training and is receptive to all the methods that Nicole helped implement into her life. I cannot recommend her services enough and I will continue to recommend her to anyone that was or is in the same situation we were in! 10/10 Bonus points for the observation I made when picking Monty up from her boarding session: The way Monty looked and responded to Nicole's presence and commands showed just how deep the connection goes with Nicole and her dogs that she trains daily. The passion and love she has for these animals is unmatched and it shows in her work. Thank you for everything, Nicole!

We can’t say enough good things about Nicole! Our dog was completely wild when we first brought her to training — full of energy, jumping on everyone, and showing some aggression. Now, she’s truly the best dog ever! She’s calm, listens to us, and still has a fun, playful puppy personality. Nicole trained her in her own home, which provided such a warm, loving, and structured environment. You can tell she genuinely cares about the dogs she works with. The transformation has been amazing, and we’re so grateful for everything Nicole has done. Highly recommend her to anyone who wants a happy, calm, well-behaved dog!