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About
Puppy biting? Potty training? Lunging and barking on walks? Jumping on guests? Leash pulling? Not listening? Chewing on EVERYTHING?? Fearful? Aggressive?
We see it everyday & we solve it everyday!!
We offer a variety of training options-
• Custom training programs created specially for you & your dog, allowing you to easily train your dog/puppy exactly like the professionals do but at a fraction of the cost.
• If you’re a busy professional and looking for something that’s done 100% for you with no stress or worry, our board and train programs are among the best in the country. With a completely immersive in home training once your fur baby comes back home! +additional weekly training for up to 8 weeks is included to make sure your dog is as successful as possible!
Covering everything from basic obedience - puppy training- confidence building - fearfulness & aggression.
I’m Holly, the owner and lead trainer here at Heel K9. I have been working with animals of all sizes for nearly my entire life! From working with endangered Amur Leopards in zoos to mans best friend in multiple countries. From California all the way to Australia, I’ve seen and worked with just about every dog problem there is.
Relationship based training. Building the bond you and your pup deserve. Training dogs with love and giving owners the structure they need to handle any type of behavior. With clear communication and understanding between you and your dog, life will be REWARDING!!
I’ve developed fun games and easy to implement strategies to have any dog learning new behaviors and leaving behind bad habits. Making your life calmer and so much more enjoyable!
Enough is enough, step up to the life you and your dog(s) deserve.
Overview
Hired 16 times
Background checked
3 employees
9 years in business
Business hours
This pro hasn't listed their business hours.
Payment methods
This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Check, Credit card, Google Pay, PayPal, Square cash app, Stripe, and Zelle.
Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.
2025
2024
Services offered
Dog training package
Puppy training
Aggressive behavior modification
General obedience training
Therapy or service dog training
Dog size
Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs)
Small (16 - 25 lbs)
Medium (26 - 40 lbs)
Large (41 - 70 lbs)
Dog training type
Private lessons
Board and train
Projects and media
Projects and media
Reviews
Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and responsiveness.
Exceptional 5.0
19 reviews
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Your trust means everything to us. Learn about our review guidelines.
Read reviews that mention:
Jane D.
Jul 8, 2021
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Hired on Thumbtack
Holly and her team have literally saved our dog, Wilbur. We couldn't take him anywhere without him having a meltdown if he saw another dog, cat, jogger, bicycle, whatever. He'd bark/howl and lunge until we were well away from whatever set him off. We actually considered surrendering him but decided to see if Holly could help. After 4 weeks with Holly, Wilbur is a totally different dog--we can walk/drive him anywhere now with confidence that we can keep him calm! Holly regularly kept us informed of Wilbur's progress and scheduled weekly meetings where we could observe her training methods and practice them ourselves. Thank you Holly, and your team, for your professionalism, your dedication, and your guidance. I would highly recommend Holly to anyone looking for a professional to help train their dog. She and her team are amazing!
Details: 1 - 2 years old • Small (16 - 25 lbs) • Board and train at a facility • Aggressive behavior modification • At the pro’s location
Dog Training
Matt g.
Apr 26, 2022
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Hired on Thumbtack
Holly is an amazing dogtrainer, and we are so appreciative for all she’s done for our family. Earlier this year, our stubborn dachshund bit our 1 year old when she was crawling towards her. We had no idea if we could keep our dog as part of our family. Despite it not being a usual time to accept new dogs, Holly made an exception for us and took our dog in ASAP. When our dog returned, she was a different dog in the best way, much more obedient and calm. Holly also gave us the tools to make the dog work within our family while keeping a safe environment for our baby. She definitely developed a customized program based on the needs of our family that we are continuing to work on now that our dog is back. She is incredibly attuned to the needs of dogs and their owners. We would recommend her hands down to anyone needing animal training!
Details: 2 - 10 years old • Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs) • Board and train at a facility • Aggressive behavior modification • Biting • Barking • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.
Dog Training
Tracy l.
Feb 29, 2020
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Hired on Thumbtack
Came to our home and spent extra time to answer all my questions. My dogs really liked her. They were very comfortable with Holly. She was very professional. She even brought dog treats for our dogs. Gave us helpful tools to use while training.
Details: 0 - 6 months old • Small (16 - 25 lbs) • Board and train at a facility • Puppy training • Leash pulling • House training • Barking • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.
Dog Training
Sadie H.
Jun 30, 2021
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Hired on Thumbtack
Holly did such an amazing job training and caring for our German Shepard husky mix named Zemo, he was 11 weeks at the time. during the 5 weeks he was boarded she kept us updated twice a week with pictures videos on how well he was doing. Before he left he was puppy biting, leash pulling, eating everything off of the ground, and half potty trained. Now that we’ve gotten him back he walks fine, he doesn’t lunge or leash pull, no biting, rings the bell when he has to it ty and he’s perfectly crate trained. He listens and obeys his commands, he also doesn’t eat off the counter or table in the house. She worked a miracle on Zemo. Thank you Holly!
Details: 0 - 6 months old • Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs) • Board and train at a facility • Puppy training • Leash pulling • House training • Barking • Biting • Chewing • Crate training • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.
Dog Training
Evelyn L.
Mar 6, 2025
Working with Holly has been an absolute game changer for us and our puppy, Luka. We feel so blessed to have found her and let her guide us and train our puppy. She is EXTREMELY knowledgeable, responsive, detailed, never rushed, always willing to help with any issues, follows up on how he’s doing, has sooo many amazing suggestions in how to approach certain behaviors/situations. We cannot emphasize enough how much we HIGHLY recommend her services. She genuinely cares for the pets she works with, we feel it and see it in her interactions with our Luka. Thank you for everything Holly we look forward to making the trip to the new location as we know Luka cannot be in better hands 🫶🏼✨.
Credentials
Background Check
Holly Spanke
FAQs
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First we will have an in-depth phone consultation followed by an application process to make sure we are the right fit for you!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Years of hands on experience ranging from exotic big Cats being Trained as ambassadors for zoos education programs etc. to course certifications with the top dog training school in the United States.
I’ve work in many area of dog training- from performance & trick dogs to service dogs. I have a proficient understanding of many different approach’s and methods. We will work with you to find what fits you & your dogs needs best.
How did you get started doing this type of work?
I started working with exotic big cats and loved every minute of it. I love building relationships full of trust and love with any animal but especially dogs!! the most rewarding feeling is when I can share that experience with someone else.
