Westchester K-9 - Serving Westchester, Putnam, CT, NYC

Stacy and her team at Westchester K9 are hands down the best training and boarding facility you can ask for. From day one, I knew our puppy was in good hands. After training he came home a new dog. Sure it takes work to maintain the training, but that’s life.No wonder he always bounds into the van when they come to pick him up! The daily pictures posted when he’s boarding help us all to know that he’s having fun at “doggy sleep away camp”. He always comes home healthy and obedient after his stays and we never worry about them following his special diet or medicine protocols.

Westchester K-9 has been fantastic!!! Kylo, our 9-month-old Belgian Malinois X, needed a professional, and we are so grateful we found this company. My sister and I have watched many YouTube dog training videos, but they weren’t helpful for the most part. The videos had an adverse reaction, which made us more anxious.Stacy and her personnel have tremendously helped Kylo‘s behavior improve. When we adopted Kylo, he was what we called “Kylo Phase 1,” where his lack of training made us experience high levels of anxiety, emotional distress, and exhaustion (I’m not kidding). After training, he is leaning towards “Kylo Phase 3.” We understand him much better, and Stacy helped train us to ensure that we continue instilling what he learned— after all, it’s crucial to instill discipline continuously. This was very important because we were doing everything wrong, which included enabling his bad behavior by giving in to his tantrums.Sometimes, the human needs more training than the canine - he was mirroring our anxiety. This was proven in our case when Stacy came over for our one-on-one training sessions. We are incredibly thankful to Stacy and her staff!!!

I first met Stacy , from Westchester K-9 , 16 years ago when she helped me train my golden retriever. My current dogs are frequent boarders and love their home away from home. In fact, when I put the food containers by the front door, my Bernese knows her “camp bus” is coming to pick her up and eagerly awaits by the front door. She then runs out of my house and jumps in the car. She is always well cared for and returns clean and healthy!

Westchester K-9 was recommended to me to help my rescue dog Zoey realize shes safe, loved and staying in her furever home. Her former owners surrendered her due to jumping on counter after popcorn. She also demonstrated fear and some aggression to other dogs, never hurting or biting. I also learned her former owners left her in a crate for entire 3-4 day weekends with little to no food, so yes we dealt w/ some food insecurity. I did not want to let her go for the 3 weeks Westchester K-9 needed to work with her, however i knew it would be best for both of us. The day I picked her up was amazing--I noticed her demeanor was positive, and affection was more present.... Zoey still has a few little personality traits that make her the pup she is, but shes loveable, snuggly, and allows everyone to love her. I highly recommend the services Westchester K-9 provides...they helped me help Zoey. Rescuing her and sending her to camp was the best decision ever.

Westchester K9 has been our dog Riley’s home away from home. Our first experience with Stacey was 13 years ago right after we got him as a puppy for a stay and train 3 week session. We had never had a dog before and Stacey answered my every call and text those first few months when I wasn’t sure what to do. Since then he has gone back every time we have gone on vacation, had a graduation, summer camp visiting day etc. Especially since Riley is now a senior dog I wouldn’t think of trusting anyone else with him. Stacey and staff treat him as if he’s their own which is very reassuring. (And of course we love all the Facebook pix letting us know that he’s enjoying his stay!!)

Westchester K-9 is a fantastic resource to help you and your doggie have a happy life together! Stacy is an expert with dogs, and her team is wonderful. In particular, the stay and train 3 week program made a huge difference for our dogs.

I have been bringing my 10 year old rescue dog, Honey, to Westchester K-9 for many years now. I first brought her there after I was told she could not board at another kennel because she does not get along with other dogs. After an evaluation at Westchester K-9 Stacy told me they could have her stay with them in their training program boarding her during that time. When I returned to pick her up I received a well behaved dog who was happy and playful. What a pleasure. I still bring Honey to Westchester K-9 every week or so just for the exercise and play time. She loves going to play with the puppies and all the people who care for her there, its the best part of her week I think. Stacey keeps a well run, clean and professional kennel and I would not bring Honey anywhere else. I highly recommend Westchester K-9!

My pup learned so much, radical transformation in his behavior. He seems to love his time Westchester K9, i sent him back for a brush up and playtime with other pups and the amazing staff. Oscar looks forward to coming back there soon!

I cannot say enough positive comments on the results that Westchester K-9 gave us. My 5 year old lab had become increasingly more reactive towards other dogs, particularly when she was on a leash, over the last 2 years. Her reactivity caused such difficulty for me -- I had been dragged to my knees, across the street into traffic, broken a finger, and got a black eye -- all because she could not control her reaction to other dogs and I could not control her behavior. I could no longer walk her so, my husband who worked from home during COVID took on that responsibility. In July 2021, we realized that he might be returning to his office in the fall and I had to so something. My neighbors recommended Westchester K-9 and I called Stacy. She listened to our story and offered her professional opinion. I had trepidations having never needed a professional trainer nor boarding program with my other dogs. After our conversations with Stacy, however, we were convinced this path was the best for all of us.Ella already knew many commands -- sit, down, extended stay, wait, retrieval of the newspaper, etc. -- but not when another dog was around. Once at camp, the trainers recognized this and quickly focused in on the behavioral issues.Three weeks later, Ella came back a changed dog. With much at-home practice and training and the recommended prong collar, Ella has become a delight to walk on the leash. I am no longer afraid to take her out! She still has her moments (as Stacy said, You cant take reactivity out of the dog.), but I (my entire family) find walking her a much more enjoyable activity.In our experience, Westchester K-9 provided excellent and professional service. Ella came back to us happy and calmer. During her stay, the trainers communicated with me by phone and email. Once she was home, we had a home visit, zoom calls and follow up text and FaceBook messages. The home visits were amazing and so much insight was provided. Stacy was very responsive to each and every question or concern. It was a very supportive system.I feel confident that Ellas training was the best option we had and I would not hesitate to recommend Westchester K-9 to anyone in need of help.

I took my 10 month old miniature poodle puppy Louis to Stacy after I was told that he was aggressive enough to need a muzzle. Well that simply wasnt true. He was being leash reactive. Stacy and her team worked with Louis for a week as a day student and I have a different dog in my life. He was a sweet puppy before but now he is a pup who listens and responds to me because I know know how to get his attention. I had noisy workers outside and after one leave it command, he ignored them and played with me for 20 minutes with them right there. That would have never happened a week ago. I know I have to follow through with training but its fun because he is so responsive. I also know I have a place to board him and a place to keep him for a day when I need to go out. Thank you Westchester K-9

Stacey and the team at Westchester K-9 are my dog’s second family. Stacey trained our dog when she was a puppy and it changed everything about how my family related to our dog and she related to us. I can’t thank her enough. We continue to send our dog to Westchester K-9 for boarding when we go away- we call it camp - and our dog absolutely loves it. The best is that they posts pics of our dog playing with her friends so I can see how she’s doing . I recommend Westchester k-9 wholeheartedly.

Our two dogs love Westchester K-9! After doing board and train 4 years ago, we have trusted Westchester K-9 to care and play with our pups when needed. They taught our two dogs commands that last a lifetime! Highly recommend! The staff there is wonderful!

When we wanted a good trainer for our 8 week old lab puppy (Sherlock), we wanted to ensure the trainer is a good person first - someone who is empathetic, understands each puppy and family is unique and meets them where they are. Stacy and her team have been just that and more! She understands the science of dog behavior, will push us as dog parents to be better for our dog and in the process, train our puppy into becoming a good, loving and well behaved dog. If youre looking for help for your dogs, look no further - good, genuine and real people you can trust. Thank you Stacy, for your continued help and coaching!

Westchester K-9 is the best hands down. We have used them for boarding our two dogs as well as for training. They have stressed the need for us, as the dog owner to be consistent and follow up with what our dogs learned from them at home. We had a minor issue with our rescue dog and they came to our house to help evaluate. The underlying issue was with our kids and their approach with the dog, so they not only worked with our dogs but with us and made significant corrections. It is hard to leave our dogs while on vacation but always feel they are in good hands and looking forward to traveling soon and leaving them with Westchester K-9.

We brought our two-month old Cockapoo puppy, Stella, to Westchester K-9s Board and Train program for puppies. Stella came back great, behaving well and understanding basic commands. Now at six months old, we continue to take Stella back for occasional daycare so she can play with her puppy friends, or for longer board periods (a week or so) when we cannot bring her with us on the road. We also attend Zoom meetings when we can for additional video instruction.Stacy and her staff are professional and caring. We look forward to continuing Stellas development with Westchester K-9!

I rescued a terrier mix during the Covid-19 shutdown and was having many problems with her. Even though her name Daisy sounds sweet, she was anything and everything other than that. She had leash aggressive, separation anxiety, and would charge people or other dogs whenever we left the house. A friend recommended I contact Stacy Hirsch at Westchester K-9 since she had her dog trained there years earlier and had good results. Stacy couldn’t have been kinder or more understanding of my situation. I felt a sigh of relief when I signed Daisy up for the six month virtual and in-person training. The weekly virtual sessions were great and I was given lots of time for questions about Daisy and practiced drills to show her progress. What made the difference was the socialization Daisy got when we went to the weekend group classes. At first, she was wild and very distractible (unfortunately she was already 4 years old when I got her and you know the saying about old dogs and new trucks!) but she learned quickly with the help of Stacy and her staff. Daisy loved her classes with her doggie friends! I live in Greenwich and it was well worth the drive to Carmel. She doesn’t pull on her leash nearly as much, can greet a dog on the street or walk by without charging, and overall she is a much more calm and content dog. Daisy has come a long way thanks to Westchester K-9! I highly recommend if you need training for your dog.Mary Bellofatto

We board our two large dogs at Westchester K-9 regularly. We are satisfied customers! Westchester K-9 has been highly flexible, taking our dogs on last minute notice. The dogs have outdoor play time, and get plenty of exercise. WK9 is careful with vaccines. Their employees clearly love the animals. There are humans there 24 hours a day, not always true at some facilities. They dont cage the dogs at night (in fact, our dogs sleep on furniture, which is something they dont get at home!). And, I notice that when we approach WK9, our dogs are very happy and excited, almost thrilled to be there. I regret that we did not send our dogs there for training as puppies, and the next time we raise a dog, we will have WK9 train.

For over 5 years, our go-to for training and boarding has been Westchester K-9. Being able to see our cockapoo play with other dogs freely through pictures while he stays there gives us so much joy. After training with K-9, our pup and our family has a better relationship since he is much more calm and obedient. We really appreciate what you do!

We sent our golden retriever puppy over 4 years ago to Westchester K-9 for the “Board and Train” program. After 3 weeks there, Murphy came home following basic commands and most importantly happy and healthy! He has since been back many times to board when we travel and jumps out of the car to get in to see all his friends. The staff have always been caring, attentive and responsive. Having peace of mind when we need to leave Murphy has been a tremendous relief. For that, we can’t thank Westchester K-9 enough!

Westchester K9 and Stacy Hirsch have been monumental in our lives with our dogs for years. They have trained 3 very different dogs for us in their board and stay program. With every new dog we get, they communicate and help us with our follow through long after our dogs come home. They are truly committed to the dogs and owners they work with.

Stacy took the time to understand our training needs and the behaviors were wanted to change in our 1 year old English bulldog Ruby. While there, she was trained by Alex. Although she was only there for a week, Ruby returned with a great foundation in place for us to build upon. I’m sure every dog is different when it comes to training, but we found Wk9 to be a great experience for us and for Ruby, and will continue to use their services going forward.

Stacy is fantastic!! As a first time dog owning family, we had a lot to learn. Her board and train and her regular dog training lessons were both invaluable to us. And our now 1 year old goldendoodle is the best behaved dog and so much fun. We could not have done it without her help!

Westchester K9 has been an incredible resource since we first brought our puppy home a year ago. We registered for the online class, and the videos walked us through all of the basics - potty training, basic commands, leash walking, and especially focus. Stacy and her staff are always available should we have questions or concerns, and I have learned so much from them and other pup parents in the class through our online discussions. Whenever we have had a specific concern or question, westchester k9 is quick answer it and provide a demonstration video to help us really see it in practice. Dog training isn’t a magical snap your fingers, and thanks to westchester k9, we learned how to establish positive behaviors with our puppy from day one, and consistently work through any issues that arose. The homework videos that we sent back and forth were especially helpful, and I appreciate how they guided us to solve problems so that we can really know why our dog is behaving a certain way and how to stop bad behavior should it occur.

When myself and my girlfriend moved in together, she brought along her mutt (who has now become mine also) that was adopted from a shelter. His previous owner had been an ugly one, so the poor pup wasnt social and doesnt get along with anyone other than ourselves nor does he like dogs around.Yet one place that he loves is Westchester K-9. He gets along with the staff, and is comfy whenever we have to go out of town and board him here. If they werent genuine when it came to loving and caring for animals, I dont think that my puppy would be comfortable here. They even know how to calm him into getting along with other dogs.Good people I say!

I started bringing my terrible 3 to Westchester K9 in the summer of 2017, and I couldn’t be happier. Not only are they much easier to handle at home, they come back so tired and happy after their boarding stays. I’ve met a few members of the kennel staff, along with the office manager, and they are truly some of the nicest people. My spastic dog ended up ripping her dew claw while playing in the yard, and even though i was extremely worried, both the office manager (I believe her name was Lynne?) and the owner, stacy called me to reassure me that everything was fine and that they were getting her over to the vet immediately. I’m so thankful for them, because my dogs are my babies; but they really made me feel so much better about everything. I’ve been bringing my bunch a bit less over the winter, but once the weather warms up again, I’ll be dropping them off for daycare! Thank you again, Westchester K9!!

We had our yellow lab with an attitude trained and boarded here a number of years ago. The owner was very professional and took our dog’s training very seriously. We used Stacy for about 3 1/3 years until we moved. We have since had 2 more yellow labs and it has been very difficult to find a facility as good as Westchester K9.

We brought our one year old rescue puggle (Mugsy) to them the week we got him after he ate through our telephone wires and tore up every toy in sight. After spending time in the in-house training program he came home a different dog. To this day, he is well behaved and continues to follow most instructions. Would absolutely use them again.

We used Westchester K9 for two of our dogs. We have done a stay and train and boarding. These people know dogs. They took us in with our first dog who was very quirky. So of course when we got a second, there was no question on who we called.

Rudy needed some manners training when he first came to us. Westchester K-9 definitely helped. Stacy and her team do a great job.

Our dog is not an easy dog. At 3 years old, she was still difficult. We sent her to Board and Train and saw a big difference when she came back. We then followed up with private lessons. We now know how to deal with her and she knows what is expected of her.

My dog Max came 2 summers ago and learned how to be obedient and fun to have around. Stacy and staff are great and will answer all of your questions. Special shout out to Jen, Max’s trainer! Max also gets invites to parties that he loves!!😀

We got a rescue pup who was described as “extremely active “ before we got her. Babka was a sweet dog, but super strong and pulled on the leash and didn’t listen. We sent her to Stacy for a 3 week board and train. When she returned she was a different dog. No more leash pulling. She listened to our commands. We now had a manageable dog. We could see other dogs on the street and she would sit and watch them walk by. We could take walks around the neighborhood and have her under control all the time. Stacy was a lifesaver!! We also board Babka with Stacy when we travel. She loves going there and gets taken care of so well.

We took our now 10 year old dog Leo to Stacy and the staff of Westchester K9 for a couple of lessons when he was about 1 year old. Seven months ago we adopted a very energetic puppy Franklin and decided to send him to Stacy for a board and train 3-week program. Although Franklin is still very energetic, Stacy has held our hand after the 3-week program ended and we are now in her 6 month program. Stacy is very knowledgable, experienced, personable and very accessible. She is always available to answer every question or issue we have with our puppy. Franklin has come a long way from being an unruly puppy to a happily trained puppy. If not for Stacy and her help and patience I dont think we would have been able to keep Franklin. Now he and Leo are best friends and he loves training. I cannot recommend a better training, boarding or daycare facility. Franklin will be spending two weeks boarding in April, and our dogs mean the world to us and we cannot feel any more comfort than knowing Stacy and her team are watching him.

I have boarded 2 dogs here over the years and it has constantly been a very good experience. The staff has always been friendly and my dogs were returned in perfect condition. I would highly recommend

It was a very good experience, had a very difficult dog who now is a pleasure do to the had work and team work with Westchester K-9. Had good communication. Highly recommend

Rico loves his second home. Staff is well trained and caring. So comfortable leaving our dog with them

We’ve had Stacy and team look after the dogs for years, from training to boarding, and the experience has always been nothing short of wonderful.

Simply awful. $3000 and 3 weeks of training and I can see no discernible difference in her behaviour. Biggest rip off ever. I wouldnt recommend this place to anyone.

The owner and chief trainer is well educated and a good teacher. From stem to stern is is an efficient and effective organization. I highly recommend Stacey and her staff.

Wonderful staff and facilities. Stacy is great and we really trust her with our babies

We initially brought our 6 year-old dog to Westchester K-9 for a 3-week board and train program in 2019 with an emphasis on training to live in NYC. We were moving into the city from the suburbs and were worried how our dog would adjust! K9 was wonderful; They helped our dog so much and us so much! Our dog has since had a few refresher courses and we board her there as well when we go away. Two other members of our family have sent their dogs to Westchester K9 for training, for a total of 4 dogs! Overall, I am feel very blessed to have Westchester K9 as a resource for dog training and boarding!

My familly had 3 Wiemaraners stay with westchester k9. They always came home happy and tired. Our newest girl just did a play and stay. She came back with amm the basic commands done but my son still spends time with her every day perfecting them . Its a forever dog. The two older girls were the same.Good people exceptional boarding service

Wonderful training and facility that we (Highlander German Shepherds) highly recommend.