Reviews

PumpkinPups is simply amazing. Viviane and her team are absolutely wonderful and by far the best trainers that I have ever encountered. I got my puppy right after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and the virtual assistance they offered saved me! My puppy Bari, was exhibiting many undesirable behaviors such as mouthing, nipping, tearing clothes apart (while we were wearing them), etc. PumpkinPups helped us end and/or greatly reduce many of these behaviors in a short amount of time. I also learned how to socialize my puppy during the pandemic thanks to PumpkinPups, which was not easy. My pup has become extremely socially well adapted and very obedient. I frequently get compliments on his behavior while out and about with him. He is so well mannered now. Viviane and her team are so thoughtful and nonjudgmental in their responses. They really listen and are committed to individualizing solutions to your unique situation. Also, they have so many valuable low and no cost activities that help pups relax while meeting their need to be mentally stimulated. I am forever grateful to Viviane and everyone at PumpkinPups!!!

Kim Baxter, Exeter, RI

We started having trouble with our pup early on in the quarantine, which was terrifying because we didn't know how we'd be able to address it without seeing a trainer in person. Viviane at PumpkinPups was able to quickly meet us for a series of virtual training sessions that almost immediately improved things at home, plus providing us with lots of reading material and videos for reference in between sessions. I can't recommend these folks strongly enough!

- MC, pet parent to Doc, who is a much happier and better behaved pupper now :)

Thank you again for all of the training tips for our pup Marshmallow. In just 2 weeks after our virtual training session with Viviane, his behavior has completely changed. He is so much calmer. She gave us a lot of tools to help with his crazy outbreaks of nipping and biting, and he is just becoming so much more cuddle-y and friendly. Even though our session was via Zoom, Viviane was as hands on as she could be, coaching us step by step in how to train and handle Marshmallow. He's almost fully stopped biting and instead moved on to licking and giving a lot more kisses, it's the cutest thing! We still have some work to do of course, but we're so much more confident that we can manage him better now!

Sherice, Marshmallow and Family - Far Rockaway, NY

We've been with PumpkinPups since our Oso was a pup. Can't speak highly enough about their commitment to dogs and their overall competence. Every time we reach out to them they offer such great support. We always feel taken care of and their sensitivity to dog issues is unparalleled. During the quarantine, they've even done a live zoom session to help with all dog issues during this tough transition! If you're looking for training that gives you strong structure and support for a dog in the city, PumpkinPups is the place!

Erin & Sean - Crown Heights, Brooklyn

FLEET

After having a few private sessions with Kizz, one of the PumpkinPups trainers, our dog Fleet was ready to attend Manners 1 class. Fleet was quick to pick up parlour tricks like left & right paw at home, so I was excited to see what he could learn in class. We found out quickly that Fleet LOVED to work and was very excited to get to class each week. The formal class structure with syllabus and homework was fantastic. Having homework training for 5-10 minutes a day helped us build a better connection with Fleet. We also learned leash walking skills and a solid “drop it” (which is critical for a scent driven beagle mix who loves to scavenge for street snacks). Relaxation Protocol homework quickly became part of our regular routine and we continue it today. I can’t recommend PumpkinPups classes enough. They’re a great way to build a bond with you & your dog, and learn important skills that make living with a dog in NYC much easier.

Jennie & John - Kensington, Brooklyn

Viviane is a fantastic and very knowledgeable dog trainer. She helped us immensely when our adolescent dog Leo, became increasingly people and dog reactive while on leash. We really appreciated her positive, rewards-based approach and she had some great advice for us regarding adapting different training tools to our very crowded Brooklyn neighborhood. For example, many dog training books recommend the “look at that” game to help create positive associations with triggers and Viviane gave us some really helpful advice on how to use the game but ensure that our dog doesn’t become more anxious scanning the environment for triggers. Although we only met with her once, she has continued to be a great resource for us, including helping us find an excellent dog walker/boarder in our neighborhood and connecting us with other dog owners in our neighborhood. We now have a regular walking buddy, Lexie, the pretty brown dog- our dog helps her deal with scary noises and she helps him deal with strange dogs.

Nadia and Nick - Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn

Viviane is a wonderful trainer who really understood our puppy Sawyer’s needs. She equipped us with tools to establish good behavior habits and he has shown vast improvement in just a few weeks. Viviane addressed several different issues from begging to showing signs of attachment with patience and ease. We now feel best equipped to perpetuate his good behavior and feel that Sawyer is a happier puppy as a result!

Erin, Tucker & Sawyer - Manhattan, NY

In the six months since we adopted Frosty, our 1 year old pit bull, we have taken a group class with Viviane and had private sessions; both have been extremely helpful for our puppy’s behavioral development. Through Viviane’s gentle techniques and clicker training, Frosty, who was somewhat anxious when we rescued him, has turned into a very happy and responsive dog! In addition to her classes and private sessions, Viviane has been more than generous with her time, advice and reassurance whenever we have had questions or concerns. We highly recommend her for help adapting to life with your new companion!

Tony & Jen – Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

Between a private training session and puppy classes at PumpkinPups I learned A to Z about my puppy and how to help integrate him into our family. I have a 4-year-old son, so I knew it was important to socialize the puppy and learn how to communicate with him. Puppy class with co-trainers, Viviane and Rachel, made getting to know and understand our puppy lots of fun, while giving incredibly valuable information. With the training and the great socialization experiences that we were guided through, Blue is growing up to be a well-behaved and happy pup, who everyone loves to meet. Thank You!

Liz - Ditmas Park, Brooklyn

Peanut has always been obsessed with food, and her pantry raiding was very frustrating. Viviane’s close questioning revealed the possibility that perhaps Peanut’s behavior was driven by a real need for more calories and higher quality nutrition and was not simply an annoying habit. Since we changed her to a better quality food that is higher in protein and fat, we have noticed a pretty significant change in Peanut’s behavior. Peanut has been calmer and generally seems more satisfied with her meals; she doesn’t try to steal the ferret food at every opportunity, and has been less interested in our food at meal times.

I think the other major factor responsible for her amazing behavior change (including no pulling on leash) was our excursion to the beach this weekend. I have never seen her so happy or so tired. I almost can’t believe the difference we’ve seen in her. We’ve always known exercise is very important for dogs, and thought we were doing a good job, but Viviane pointed out that Peanut has a much higher need for exercise than most dogs! Seeing her so happily exhausted; we are going to try our hardest to get her out much more on the weekends. Hopefully it will get cooler next month and it will be easier to do a few more mountain climbing trips. In the meantime, she will have to settle for long walking tours of other, less humid cities in Taiwan!

We will certainly keep you posted on Peanut’s adventures.

Lots of love from all of us!.........Jessie, Jenny & Peanut - Taiwan

At the beginning our goofy, excitable dog was so wound up he could barely learn a thing in class. Viv was endlessly patient and imaginative in coming up with ways we could work to get his attention, and help him get hold of himself. By the last class, he was a model student, and of course those skills have carried over into “real life” in countless ways!

Sara, Robert & “Buce,” - Ft. Greene, Brooklyn

I can’t say enough good things about Viviane. She is a true professional. She put us completely at ease and was able to break down the training into very simple terms. She made everything seem like common sense. She has wonderful tactics, great techniques and is a natural with dogs. With three daughters, Viviane assessed our situation and was able to adapt the training in accordance with our needs. Looking back, Viviane didn’t train our dog... She actually trained us! We are forever grateful.

Nadia, Kola & family - Park Slope, Brooklyn

Winston came to us with some severe anxiety issues. Thanks to Viviane’s help and instruction, he is now a happy guy who brings joy into our home everyday.

Viviane taught us how to work with him and bring order into chaos. She showed us how to build up Winston’s confidence, and ours. From our first phone call, Viviane had immediate recommendations and steps to take. She has a holistic approach which really works.

We are truly grateful for everything she has taught us and done for us. We can’t recommend her enough.

Jeff & William - Kensington, Brooklyn

Looking back at the date of our last correspondence, it’s hard to believe that was over 6 months ago! I think of your comments/advice everyday with our now 2 1/2-year-old pup Taylor. She has made such great progress in many areas. I wish we lived closer so that you could meet and work with Taylor. Some of our greatest challenges with Taylor took place when she was on a leash, and she has improved tremendously in that area. I am always thinking about possible triggers (for her, it includes strong wind, motorcycles, the sound of cars in the rain, etc.) for her lunging/leash biting, etc. Because we can anticipate many areas of possible anxiety for her, she rarely reacts the way she used to on the leash. I can’t remember the last time she attacked the leash in the back yard, and even when she looks like she might, she stops pretty quickly. She clearly trusts us now too. We discovered a local dog park, and that has changed her life dramatically. She is such a happy and social girl and is a star at the park with her signature “keep away” moves when she steals a ball or toy in an attempt to get other dogs to chase her. We have some other training issues to continue working on, but your advice remains on our minds always as we do so. I just wanted to send along an update to let you that you have had a tremendous impact on our lives. We are so grateful to be able to understand our puppy’s unique qualities. She is such a joy to have in our lives (she also likes that she now gets to sleep on our bed!). Thank you again, and we wish you continued success with the pups that you work with in your area!

Suzanne & Eric - New Hampshire

I was truly enlightened after 5 minutes in Viviane’s puppy kindergarten class with my Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy Donny. He was 15 weeks and already weighed over 60 pounds. For weeks before we started class our close friends and neighbors had oodles of advice - none of which sat right with me or worked to help shape good puppy manners. I knew instinctively that the best way to inspire respectful behavior was to treat a creature respectfully! Viviane’s dog training methods proved me right. We praised and treated him for his puppy accomplishments and handled his difficult puppy behavior (like enthusiastically jumping up on us with his huge puppy body) by teaching him to “sit-to-say-please,” and by turning away and disengaging to give him time-outs until the behavior stopped. Donny, now 7.5 months old and weighing over 90 lbs. is almost as easy to live with as a house cat. After Viviane’s puppy kindergarten class I was armed with the tools (which included a training manual and email support) that will help me keep Donny on a path towards a great life with our family.

Pamela - Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

The leash handling you taught has made such an impact on my own walks with Billie! I've always tried to use the same technique but haven't paid much attention to how much I flap and swing it around.

Our walks have always been pretty relaxed but this takes it to a whole new level. I just wanted to let you know how big an impact it's made.

Danny H.
(PumpkinPups Pros Member)