Once a Client, Always Ohana
Read more to learn about how we have helped to train dogs and empower owners across Oahu.
To say Deanna changed our lives through training our dog (Karl - Golden Retriever) is an absolute understatement. There have been maybe a handful of times in my life that I've been absolutely blown away by the quality of work someone provided, and Deanna is easily the top of that list. For me personally, I was, without a doubt, a skeptic when it came to dog training in general. I was constantly saying, "We can do this on our own. It can't be that hard. It's not worth the money" towards everything that we looked at. It wasn't until my wife found Deanna that we decided to take a chance...and I honestly couldn't imagine what our life would like if we hadn't. To cut to the point, in about three weeks, Karl went from an absolute velociraptor, jumping on everyone, biting everything, to a well behaved young pup sitting at a dinner table with the family like he'd been doing it his whole life. What is more remarkable is Deanna's understanding of who Karl is at a level that allowed the training to occur, but in a way that was uniquely "Karl." Case in point, Karl would return when called but instead of sitting facing you like most dogs, he would sit between your legs facing out and then look up/backwards at you, tongue out, just happy to be there. Deanna takes the training a step further and also taught us how to communicate with Karl in a way that he understood. In these sessions, we learned that a lot of preconceived notions we had towards dog training weren't entirely accurate, and the effectiveness of changing the communication methods were astounding. All this to say, when you work with Deanna, you are meeting a friend for life. Unfortunately, we had to leave Hawaii a few years ago, but she has kept in contact with us ever since, and quite frankly, I'd fly back just to have my dog trained by Deanna.
Read MoreMy wife and I recently traveled to Japan for 3 weeks and needed a safe and responsible option to board our Kody-Bear. We found Hawaii Dog Training Services and owner Deanna Nieves. We could not have made a better choice as we returned home to a much more confident and well behaved dog! Deanna sent us videos of the training progress and lessons for us to perpetuate his training after we return home. Deanna was very professional and we will not hesitate to choose HDTS again for our next boarding and training experience. Mahalo Deanna for taking excellent care of Kody-Bear!
Read MoreDeena was referred by a trusted friend - she then became a trusted friend quickly when she demonstrated her knowledge, passion, and respect for her clients and their fur babies. She provided me with in-home private lessons for my 1 year old dog which shaped such fantastic behavior out of him with the skills she provided me with. She also provided tools, resources, and access to other opportunities like pack walks. After our home sessions had ended, I was still able to contact Deena with training related questions and she was more than happy to help. Now, my dog is three years old and experiencing some health concerns where vets have left me feeling confused on what is best for his wellbeing. After visiting four different vets, I gave Deena a call and I couldn’t be more grateful of the open arms she welcomed me with along with a wealth of resources. I am finally no longer feeling out of control over my dogs health and ready to help get him back on track. I should have started with her to begin with! If you are new to dog parenthood or seeking dog support for your older doggos - she is my go-to! Ps. She has a soft spot for senior pups.
Read MoreI chose Hawaii Dog Services because of all the reviews I saw online. I will not lie, I thought that nothing could be done with just 5 private lessons, but they really have changed how everyday life is with my pit bull, Texas. From a dog that went to chewing up anything in site and being scared of anything on a walk to a calmer, more confident dog. I like to think they not only trained Texas, but us as well. They also send follow ups after every training to make sure that you don’t forget certain things and understand how the dog is thinking. I recommend Hawaii Dog Training Services 100% to anyone that is looking.
Read MoreDeanna, her board and train, and follow ups have changed our life! Our girl Basil was a pandemic pup and unfortunately was afraid of her own shadow when starting out with Deanna. She went for confidence building and off leash training but came home with so much more. We now feel equipped to care for our dog and make sure she is confident in happy in every situation. Deanna also reminds us it is a lifelong journey and there’s always more to learn. Couldn’t recommend HDTS and Deanna more!
Read MoreWhen I think about Deanna and Hawaii Dog Training Services, I think of a life saver. Our 1.5 year old french bulldog, Miki, was ruling our lives. Taking her out for walks was exhausting with her lunging out at people and other dogs and pulling on her leash. We couldn’t have anyone over to our home because she would growl, bark and lunge at them as soon as they entered the door. Deanna is a miracle worker. After 5 sessions, we can take Miki on walks and even have people over. She is a very different dog. My family and friends have commented on how much she has changed and how amazed they are. I too am amazed and so grateful for Deanna’s help!
Read MoreIn 5 sessions Deanna changed our big Goldendoodle puppy into a wonderful companion. No longer pulling on the leash, lunging into friends and neighbors, trying to eat off our dinner plates, Kelsey learned manners and the desire to please us. We also needed the training to be better puppy handlers! Deanna was amazing and we are thrilled with the results of her training program.
Read MoreOur chocolate lab puppy Boone spent 3 weeks with Deanna for a board and train program and it has had the most positive impact on all of our lives! After Boone was kicked out of his previous training and we were told he was untrainable, we were desperate and hopeless. Boone was constantly jumping on and nipping at guests, making our friends and family uncomfortable in our home, barking at an ear piercing level while in his kennel, walking him was impossible due to his pulling, and he would not come when called. After his training, he became a completely different dog! Our friends, family, and even my husband when he returned from deployment all could not believe how much progress he has made. Not only did Deanna teach Boone, she taught US as the owners. Going in, I didn’t expect even a fraction of what change we’ve seen in our dog. We and Boone are living such a happier, stress-free life now thanks to Deanna and all the work she put in, and continues to put in even after his board and train finished. We could not be more grateful and satisfied with his training experience!
Read MoreOur 6 month old chipoo Kobe, completed the 2 week board and train with Deanna. Before training, it was challenging to walk Kobe around the neighborhood since he wanted to stop and explore every step of the way. Now, we are able to take him on longer walks at an even shorter amount of time than it would’ve taken prior to training. Deanna is absolutely amazing and did a phenomenal job training both Kobe and us, on how we should handle him. He is now able to focus, listen to commands, and is even more enjoyable. I’m so grateful I found HDTS!
Read MoreI am so grateful I found Deanna the dog whisperer! I never thought I would be able to bring my dog Lucas anywhere other than dog parks and on walks. Before I found Deanna he would lunge at other dogs and people on walks, pull the entire time, not listen when I said no, and so on. I was defeated and thought I would have a house dog only. Now after training we go to the beach multiple times a week off leash, hikes, and now to restaurants!!! Thank you Deanna for giving me and my dog a life we can share together. Forever grateful.
Read MoreI highly recommend Hawaii Dog Training services. Six months ago I got an 8-week old, very rambunctious puppy and I knew he was going to be a bundle of energy and would need some structure in his life. Deanna and her team were great in teaching me the fundamentals of how to create a healthy relationship with my pup so he would listen and still be a puppy at the same time. Thanks so much Deanna!
Read MoreOur 6 month old Goldendoodle completed a 3-week board & train with Deanna. Before training, Harley was counter-surfing, eating grass, jumping on us, and pulling on leash. She came back so disciplined and matured. She still loves to play, but is much more calm. Deanna is so awesome and sent many pictures and videos of Harley. When she returned, Deanna took her time to explain how we should continue Harley’s training at home. During the follow-up, she took her time answering all of our many questions. Such a great investment and new friendship!
Read MoreDeanna is a dog angel. I contacted her for puppy training and she ended up working with my older dog as well . What a difference. Bottom line is ... I had to be trained too. She gave me tools to continue training after our sessions were finished. I am so happy I found Deanna , she is absolutely amazing with the dogs .
Read MoreDeanna is incredible, we were having behavioral issues with our Boxer, and she helped us get him in the right track. We can now leave him in loose in the house when we're gone and when we come back, everything is as we left it. He's really been a good boy, and I know we owe a lot of that new attitude of his to Deanna and her training.
Read MoreCouldn’t be more thankful for or thrilled with Deanna on her work with my dog, Coco. I was afraid to take coco anywhere because of her fear of people. Well after 2 weeks and some follow up sessions so I could learn too, I’m confident enough to take Coco to her favorite places. I finally feel like my family and I can enjoy our dog again.
Read MoreI'd like to thank Deanna for the fantastic job she did with Maxie! You've given our family a new lease on life! We're so exited to take on new adventures with our pup around the island with all the confidence in the world. -BTW we replayed some of the feedback you'd given us and Maxie was at attention looking for you; tail wag and all!
Read MoreDeanna is AMAZING. The biggest challenge with training my rescue dog Coco was actually training me! Deanna is extremely knowledgeable and explains things clearly. Luckily she is also very patient and supportive, since I had a lot to learn (and unlearn) in order to help Coco do her best. All of her techniques are effective and fun, and Coco does really well when she is receiving Deanna's style of training and feedback. Deanna was even able to teach my water-avoidant pup to swim!! The cutest thing ever 🙂
I've also boarded Coco with Deanna on multiple occasions, and it gives me so much peace of mind to know that she is being so well cared for. It takes about a minute of knowing her to see that she is passionate about her job and the animals she cares for, and I never worry about Coco when she's with Deanna.
Deanna is a wonderful dog trainer and all-around amazing human. Coco and I are lucky to know her, and would recommend her to anyone and everyone!
Read MoreDeanna with Hawai’i Dog Training Services has been an incredible teacher, for both humans and dogs alike! We reached out needing help with behavioral issues for our mixed breed rescue dog, Lava, and Deanna’s calm, assertive confidence blew us away. She is very caring yet calculated and is committed to helping us rehabilitate Lava, which we deeply appreciate. Professional and fun, Deanna keeps it real through her tactful training and grounded personality, plus she has excellent communication skills and is very punctual!
It also feels good supporting her services knowing what an all-around good human Deanna is — from dedicating volunteer hours to encouraging donations to keeping her rates affordable and including training tools in her hourly rate (i.e. collars and leashes), we have genuinely enjoyed working with her. And Lava has made huge strides in her training! A big thank you to Hawaii Dog Training Services for supplying Oahu with an excellent option for educating dogs and their owners — we all should be so lucky to work with Deanna!!
Read MoreDeanna has been great with our French Bulldog and with us! We know that when our dog is training or boarding with Deanna she is safe, she is having a good time and learning. With Deanna’s help our puppy has made great improvements. We are thankful for all she has taught us and look forward to more training together.
Read MoreDeanna has a true passion for helping others, solving problems, and dogs! It’s the perfect combination for an exceptional dog trainer. She well exceeded our expectations in a direct, no nonsense yet likable approach. If you hire Deanna to train your dog (or your human — I may have been our dog’s enabler), you won’t be disappointed. She is much more than a dog trainer — she’s a friend, an advocate, she’s family!
Read MoreWhen we say that "Deanna saved our lives", we really mean "Deanna SAVED our lives". Prior to Deanna, us humans and our two dogs were not confident in public. We thought we'd never be able to go for a comfortable and drama-free walk. Pre-Deanna, our walks were stressful, uncomfortable, and many times ended in a human argument about whose fault it was that the dogs weren't properly trained. As two type-A people, we felt like failures after Petco training didn't get us far, and our clicker training went nowhere. I met Deanna while she and I were at a spayed and neuter clinic at the Waianae Homeless Camp. I saved a neglected hunting dog that fell out of the truck in front of us, and she was there volunteering her time. I knew it was fate when we met --- I was trying to save a dog (meaning, I could potentially be adding a third to our pack), and she was volunteering her time to assist with the clinic. It was meant to be! She and I immediately clicked. My husband and I ended sending our two dogs to her weeklong "board and train" while we rehabilitated the foster dog. It was the best money spent. So much so, that we made it work and sent the foster dog to her a month later. The foster dog (who is now permanently part of our family) came back as a different dog. Pre-Deanna, the saved dog was scared of every single sound, was deathly afraid of leashes, and didn't know a single command. In two weeks, she transformed him into a dog with confidence, one who can walk on a leash like it's something he's done his whole life, and one that actually listens so us! Her work is priceless and her passion is evident from the moment you meet her. We are so happy to have met her and know that our life has improved tremendously since meeting her. We love her...LOVE HER!
Read MoreDeanna not only worked with my dog, she also worked with me. I now have confidence when I walk my dog. On our very first lesson she prevented a dog from attacking my puppy. Such calmness and control. We also used her boarding services and were so happy with our dogs welfare.
Read MoreOur family has 2 very large and high energy dogs, one of which is also dog aggressive. I have always been afraid to walk them, especially while pushing my daughter in the stroller. So far, we have only had 3 sessions with Deanna and already I can walk both dogs by myself, even with other dogs around! I highly reccomend this amazing woman to anyone that has unruly doggos.
Read MoreWhere do I start to tell you how great Deanna is and how much she believes that ever dog can be trained. She shows you how love and consistency can make your pet a pleasure. She helped us with 9 month old puppies they are great. Thank you Deanna for training me land the dogs. You can't go wrong with Hawaii Dog Training
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Deanna was outstanding. Within the first two minutes of meeting her, I knew we made the right choice. She was pleasant, knowledgable, up beat, and fired up to get started. I will absolutely hire and/or consult her again if in need.
I was vary happy with my experience with Deanna! She was amazing with my pup and taught me so much. This is my first dog and really had very little understanding of how to handle a miss behaving pup. She halled me put him right into place and he’s been doing amazing! She was also amazing when it come to dealing with me. I am a little clingy and she had my baby for one week. I would text her every morning and every night asking how he was doing, asked tons of questions every day and she put up with me bothering her 24/7 and was happy about it! When I get my next pup she will be the first person I talk to about him/her.
Read MoreWe would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a dog trainer. She managed to train our very hyper and unruly dog to a calm, obedient dog. We are so grateful for time and effort she put into training our dog and teaching us how to handle her. We are so happy with everything Deanna did for us!
Read MoreDeanna was awesome. Never having had a puppy before, she helped the whole family with tips and skills in taking care and training our new pet. The puppy boarding/boot camp was well worth the money and our pup was rapidly trained! Love her!
Read MoreDeanna came recommended by a friend. The first time my dog meet her she tried to bite her. That was one reason we contacted Deanna. My dog had tried to bite other people out of fear. Deanna worked with me on how to make my dog more confident and we worked with the e-collar for my dog. It has been 1 month since our last session. I am able to take my dog for walks on the beach and even on bike rides. I am no longer afraid of my dog biting other people out of fear. And she seems to be a more confident dog. Thank you Deanna!
Read MoreDeanna is a miracle worker. If you need help with your dogs, she is the person to go to.
We have 2 dogs. One HAD anxiety based aggression and the one was just over-excited about everything. EVERYTHING? EVERYTHING! We could never take them out for walks because the aggressive one just kept lunging at other dogs, and the other just kept pulling from excitement dragging us to a point where have almost tripped over several times.
One day, I saw Deanna doing what she does best. I witnessed her training a dog. She went into a coffee shop and the dog she was training then was sitting obediently waiting for her outside the door. When I saw this, I immediately approached her and asked her for help.
The first time she came to our house, neither one of our dogs even barked at her. She didn't force our dogs to come to her. She squatted down and waited patiently until our dogs were ready to approach her. Within seconds, the dog with anxiety immediately came up to her, sniffing at first and then started wagging his tail then onto kissing her all over. That's when we knew she was the right fit for our dogs.
We started with home visits once a week for about 30 minutes with each dog. Within the 1st session, we saw transformation. We did the home visits for about 3 weeks and then we had them boarded with Deanna for about 10-14 days. Our dogs came back home happier and calmer.
The most important thing about the dog training is that WE too need the training. So we made sure that we followed through what Deanna has accomplished with our dogs by using everything she has taught us. We now enjoy our walks (us and our dogs) both on-leash and off-leash, their recall is amazing, their sit-stays actually stay. Our dogs are getting older now and we already have decided that our dogs will be trained by Deanna too, whenever that will be. Thank you so much, Deanna. You have made our relationship with our dogs so much more fulfilling.
Deanna is a true professional! We have 2 vicious pit bull puppies (joking)! She met them when they were just 8 weeks.old and gave us guidance on how to potty train and make them feel safe and comfortable and us as well. Fast forward to 5 months and she took them for one on one training. This was a hard long time for us being away from our little loves for 10 whole days! Deanna sent us videos of their progress daily and even pictures when they were snuggled in for the night. She brought them home.off the leash trained AMAZING!! They went from rowdy pups to well behaved little furballs. We can not reccomend Deanna enough, we just went to Europe and she boarded them for us while we were gone sending pics of their pack runs and night snuggles. We are so grateful she came into our pups and our lives.
Read MoreDeanna is awesome and very responsive. We have known her for over a year now and she is wonderful with our terrier mix. He loves her and is always happy to see her. She is our go-to for training and boarding. Deanna is great with teaching our girls how to be calm but assertive with our dog. We have referred her to friends who have used her for boarding and training as well. We soon will be departing Hawaii and heading to the Mainland, we'll miss many things, Deanna heads the list!
Read MoreIf you want to be able to enjoy your fur baby, make sure to give Deanna a call! We paid a lot of money for a 2-week puppy boarding/training before we met Deanna, but a few short weeks after bringing our GSD back home you could hardly notice that she had been through any sort of training at all. You see, you absolutely cannot be an untrained "parent" and expect good behavior from your "child" 🙂 A friend of mine had been raving about Deanna for months... and it seemed that every time I turned around someone was recommending her to us, so I finally gave her a call. From the moment we met Deanna life got easier. The specialized training that Deanna gives, whether it's at my house, walking down the street, or at a park is invaluable! So if you're at home and dreading taking your dog out, (or having people over), do yourself a favor and call Deanna. You'll be so happy and relieved that you did!
Read MoreDeanna is amazing. She trained myself and family how to be in control of our dog with assertiveness and love. We can now take our dog to the beach and he stays by our side without a leash! I am a firm believer that dogs are the best judge of character and our dog absolutely loves Deanna. Thank you for all you have done!
Read MoreHawaii Dog Foundation loves Deanna. Her honest and open approach to helping us humans build better relationships with dogs is a godsend. From teaching puppy basic obedience to the tougher behavioral issues we’ve encountered, she’s been with us every step if the way coaching both the dogs and the fosters. We hope to be lifelong partners!
Read MoreDeanna has completely changed how much my border collie & I can enjoy spending time together outside the house. Archie was really leash reactive so it was hard to imagine him ever being off leash and just enjoying his surroundings. Now we are both able to enjoy beach walks, hikes, and bike rides. He used to hate bicycles and Deanna had him happily running along side one in 20 minutes. It changed so much for us. Got him the exercise he needs & got me to believe in miracles. She is willing to work with you where ever you are and on whatever you and your dog need. She is great about being honest if you as the handler may be contributing to the cycle of anxiety that your dog is stuck in. She provides tangible suggestions & tools that can completely change your life. I recommend her to every friend who is struggling with dog behavior issues.
Read MoreDeanna is a miracle worker. We have recommended her to all of our friends. Our pit bull was having issues with fear-based aggression and we were scared to leave the house with her. After a board and train she was completely transformed, and Deanna worked with us as the owners to realize how our own behavior and anxiety impacted our dog. She has done lessons with us at home, on walks, in the park, and she boards our dog when we are traveling. This is an unbelievable gift - we were told our dog was basically untrainable by other dog trainers, and that she could never be let off leash or boarded, and to see her happy and confident and friendly is truly a miracle. She loves people and other dogs, and even our friends who thought they donʻt like dogs have fallen in love with her. We canʻt thank Deanna enough.
Read MoreWe LOVED Deanna and we would recommend her to any of our friends. She trained our super active, always distracted Chewy. We chose the in house boarding option and when we got him back, he was a different puppy!! All good changes. We used to have the loudest dog on the block who didn't listen to anyone... to an obedient puppy that can now enjoy himself even more off the leash. Our goal was to be able to take Chewy out to the beach and on hikes with us without any worry that he would run off and never come back. He used to bark and growl and everyone passing by, but now he can be off the leash and come back when we call him to come. Deanna gave us videos and up to date reports every single day. We knew Chewy was in good hands! Even after getting our puppy back, she keeps in touch with us and answers any questions that we have! If you have a doggy that needs a little bit of training.... go to Deanna! She's the best
Read MoreI just finished a training session with Deanna. I have a year & a half old “energetic” Dutch Shepherd. 90% of the time, he is a good dog. I didn’t know how to deal with the 10% bad dog issues. I’ve never tried an e-collar, but I’m glad I did. Deanna addressed all my concerns and more. She certainly “speaks dog” & has helped me understand what my dog is saying to me. I highly recommend her.
Read MoreAfter doing a lot of research on dog trainers in Hawaii, we chose to go with Hawaii Dog Training Services. We are so pleased with the results. Deanna recommended five to eight private lessons based on our initial meeting but after three, she felt we didn't need to meet again. She was honest and caring. She wants to help you with your specific goals for your pup and works with you to make them happen. She also offered to coach us over the phone should we have any future concerns. I would definitely recommend Hawaii Dog Training Services.
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