“Our dog Kona came back from rascal a changed pup!
Before training, we had been struggling with leash pulling, recall, and constant attention seeking behavior in the house. Dinners were a combination of redirecting her destructive behaviors, loud barking, and trying to prevent counter surfing.
We decided on Rascal for our board and train needs since Zoe focused so heavily on for everyday situations. Since she’s based in Portland proper, Kona was able to learn how to behave in the same types of situations that are part of our life, like coffee shops, errands, city parks, and food cart pods. She even took Kona camping and worked on her skills with wildlife distractions.
Since Kona came home she’s been a changed girl. She crushes recall in the dog park, sits quietly on her platform bed at home during dinner, and stays right alongside us during walks. Zoe also gave us the tools and skills we need to redirect Kona to productive behaviors. Now we understand the types of activities that give her the most mental and physical stimulation. This understanding of her needs help us better satisfy her on a daily basis and help us learn how to better engage with her as part of her life long training. All of this together leads to a better behaved, happier, and less anxious dog, and has significantly improved our relationship with her. We’d recommend Zoe and Rascal to anyone looking for dog training.”
“Second review here and honestly, if you wanna gift you and your family a holiday present- a board and train season with Zoe and her team is probably the best and most rewarding gift for you and your relationship with your furry friend.
I pride myself in having benefited from training tips and a serious study into how to be a good trainer/leader for the crazy pup but there was only so much I could be consistent and reinforce by myself I called Kopi my B+ girl.
Zoe really helped us take her to an A class dog. She knew us through the years and this is a crazy 30lb pup who understood a lot, knew lots of tricks, very eager to train for food but just genetically had impulses that were hard to manage. We were embarrassed by her. We have two kids in our family and having a dog that we would coexist with is so important.
The investment and trust we put in Zoe really paid off. I've interviewed many other trainers and have taken her to many other consultations and evaluations with other organizations and no one has been able to crack Kopi's code like Zoe.
And Zoe wants us to succeed and make this a lifetime journey. It's taken me months to write this because I wanted to feel assured that the training instilled gets passed on to us and Zoe helped us reinforce it after the B&T and now we have a pup who has a great life off leash and also is able to hike with us on a loose leash and minimal corrections and reactivity. Many others have tried to help but nobody transformed our rescued mutt to this more relaxed pup like Zoe/Rascal.
To understand the magic and confidence of a talented and committed trainer like Zoe, you have to meet her and see for yourself!”
“Let me get this out the way right now. SEND YOUR DOG HERE. If you are even considering a board and train, do it.
We sent our big oaf of a GSD rescue (Shadow) to Rascal after a ton of research and it was the right choice. My partner and I live in Montavilla and wanted to be able to bring our dog everywhere we could. Unfortunately, she was an 85 pound asshole that couldn't walk on a leash and spent her life being anxious and obsessive. She also couldn't hang with our cats and would waste her days staring down the hall at them - nothing could tear her away.
Looking through the Rascal website and instagram I knew that Zoe was the right person. As Shadow progressed through the program she was able to go on a ton of field trips. This aspect was very important to me, knowing that Shadow would have exposure to public places (home improvement stores, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc.) with someone who can make sure the experience is positive.
Shadow has only been home a few days, but it's been amazing. She can go for walks now without giving us blisters on our palms by pulling. She is able to lay down in the front yard with me while there are crows and squirrels around. SHE HEARS ME WHEN I CALL HER.
The hardest part of the whole thing has been my own training, but even that is easier every day.
Seriously, Rascal Training is worth it a thousand times over.”
“This review is for Rascal's Board and Train services for common dog issues (anxiety, reactivity, leash pulling, bad manners, etc.).
First: whatever issues your dog has, Zoe can handle it. Watch her IG to see for yourself. Your dog will learn so much, gain confidence, and behave so well under Zoe's training and care. Your dog may even become obsessed with her too- our dog certainly is.
Second: What I think is more important to review is the process for what happens when your dog comes back to you and you're NOT a dog trainer. How does one keep the dog that has just proven they can be so good and doesn't just revert back? That's where Zoe shines. Zoe is a very good teacher, so incredibly patient, very down to earth, and has a good sense of humor. She supports you and your dog and works within your situation. We never felt pressured, we asked all kinds of dumb questions and weren't judged, and we knew we could always circle back for clarity or more support if needed. Our dog, and more importantly how we help her, has improved exponentially.
We board our dog with Rascal and take her to Mother Pupper for healthy play and continued training, and know she gets top notch care and consistency at both. We're all happier for it.”
“After getting our second puppy after only having the first one for a year we were in over our heads.
We made the decision to board and train our dogs with Rascal Training. If you are considering training your dogs in the Portland area, DO IT.
Zoe and the other trainers at Rascal are truly amazing. They loved our dogs as their own, taught them a ridiculous amount of things and offer follow up trainings with the dog owners after the board and train is complete which is invaluable.
We did the 4 week board and train. Just to name the biggest changes in our pups:
- down, here, wait, shh, sit, go to bed, uh ahh (commands)
- loose leash walking
- off leash walking
- recall (which was VERY huge for us)
- crate trained
I can't even type out how much this has changed our lives for the better. Dogs are happier and so are we.
Zoe has answered every question we have had, which has been a LOT. She is super kind, patient, and professional.
We have had our dogs go to walk and train sessions as follow ups and find those very useful as well.
I cannot say enough praise for Zoe and Rascal Training!”
“I have nothing but great things to say about Zoe and the Rascal Training Board and Train! I really wanted to find a program that I could trust, and after extensive research I found Zoe. For reference, before going to Zoe, my puppy had problems with leash pulling, impulsive eating, ignoring commands, and other common puppy behaviors. Going on walks or out in public felt like a chore that I hated due to how stressful it was, which was difficult because of how much energy my puppy has. We enrolled her in the two week program, which we then extended to the one month program with Zoe’s recommendations, and I was so impressed by the results! Now my puppy walks right alongside me without problems, easily follows commands, exhibits patience, has excellent recall, and is more happy and confident than ever. She is still the same loving and playful dog, but now I can really trust her as well.
Walks are fun for both of us, and I’m more motivated to keep up her training because of it!
On top of the training, Zoe took such great care of my dog overall. Progress videos were shared through her Instagram and I loved seeing my dog on there going to so many fun places! Zoe is also extremely kind and super responsive - I sent her emails and asked a ton of questions, and she was always happy to help with super thorough replies. Zoe is now the only other person I trust with my dog, and it’s clear my dog adores her. There are not enough words to describe how happy I am with Rascal Training, and I can’t recommend Zoe enough!! If you’re considering a board and train, this is the place to go!”