Puppy and obedience training, in our clients' words.

Steve was amazing! He was very reliable and trusty worthy. I always knew that my puppy was safe and in good hands. My puppy, phil, came back a changed dog. I’m so grateful for the experience.

I got 2 puppies at the same time and Steve at K9 Key saved my sanity. He took them into his home and kept them as long as needed to teach them basic commands and better leash behavior. Walking them used to be a nightmare and now I can walk them both without fearing I’m might fall when they get excited or otherwise. At home they have a routine and understand commands allowing us all peace! Steve also offers boarding services which is a load off my mind when I travel - he refreshes training during boarding which is a huge bonus.

Steve did such a wonderful job with my boy Dior! Before he went he was just a typical pup doing puppy normal puppy behaviors, but with my work schedule it was hard to get him to where I needed him to be. After he went to Steve for a board and train he came back a completely different pup. Very well mannered and behaved, mastering sit, down, stay, place, and heel. Dior is 8 months now and is still constantly improving on his skills that he learned every single day. I highly recommend Steve if you are having any behavioral issues with your dog, he is an excellent trainer, and I promise that you will get the results you are looking for!

We were having a difficult time walking our dog. He would pull uncontrollably whenever he saw another dog. After several weeks of training with Steve, he is a different pup. No more stressful walks. Other behaviors were also addressed. He also offers weekend training at no additional charge. Steve worked wonders with our pup!

Sending our four-month-old Smokey (French bulldog) to Steve for an eight-week program was a game-changer! Smokey returned home a new pup- well-behaved puppy, mastering sit, heel, place, down, stay, and come. Steve's ongoing support and willingness to answer questions are fantastic. Without a doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend Steve for exceptional dog training!

I had a very positive experience with K9KEY for training my standard poodle, Venus. Before the program, she had some challenges with walking in the heel position and her recall off-leash, as well as some aggression and reactivity. After completing a six week board and train, I’ve noticed significant improvements.

Venus now walks much better in heel position, and her recall off-leash has immensly improved, which is a big relief. Today I even went on a bike ride off leash with her (at a park) and had her on heel for a while :)

Steve and the trainers at K9 Key are very knowledgeable and worked well with her. Communication was good throughout the process, and I appreciated their video updates.

I especially appreciate their Saturday classes where we can continue to improve her (our) skills. I have already recommended their services to friends of mine and hope to continue her training with Steve in the future.

Overall, I’m very happy with the results and would recommend K9KEY to others looking to improve their dogs training, communication and especially their relationship with their dogs.

We sent our dog Dublin to Steve at K9Key at the recommendation of my cousin who had previously used Steve’s board and train services. My cousin raved about how amazing Steve was with their dog so we knew he was the right choice. After 6 and a half weeks we were reconnected with our perfect boy. He is much better walking on a leash now and quick to correct any unwanted behaviors. Thank you Steve!

Steve and his team did what I think was not possible. I was about to give away one of my two dogs (mom and daughter) because the mom would not stop attacking the baby. But I decided to spend the money and prayed for the best with back up plan of giving away baby. (1yr old already). The team boarded and trained my dogs longer than the 1 month we paid for and the dogs came back with an off switch on fighting!!!!

Can’t say enough about K9Key

K9key changed our life. We are an elderly couple that adopted Stella. Stella was rescued from Antigua, she was a lot to handle and very sweet at the same time. We weren’t sure if we could keep her or give her back to the shelter.

We looked diligently for a board and train group and discovered K9 key.

Steve Hong and his team have exhibited the best that you could hope, for we were dealt with honestly, our questions were always answered and the training materials and videos were terrific (and easy to understand)

We are extremely lucky to have found K9key.

Stella came back to us a different dog in all positive ways.

My wife and I were searching for an affordable trainer who genuinely loves dogs to train our dog, Homer. After contacting several places to find the right fit for Homer, Steve from K9KEY was the perfect match. He took care of Homer for 4.5 weeks, and he returned as a transformed dog. I can now walk him with ease and use just one command to keep Homer in check.

I would definitely recommend K9KEY to anyone looking for a reliable place to train their dog. It was a great experience, and after training, you can board your dog with someone who understands your dog well. We recently had Steve watch him, and he mentioned that Homer was very well-behaved and calmer. I thanked Steve again for everything he did for Homer and our family.

Steve and the K9Key team did a wonderful job with my girl, Skai. We had probably the opposite issue than most dog owners where she is almost too friendly and would get overly excited with people. She would have a very hard time calming down and regulating herself when we had company. With working from home, she would always cry while I was on a call or meeting which made things difficult for the both of us. Skai stayed with Steve for over 8 weeks and she has made so much progress! One thing I was worried about was that she would loose her happy personality but she is the same happy girl she just listens to commands so much better. We can now have company over without an issue. I can now work with her laying beside my desk or in the other room without her crying. The weekly classes that you are able to go to for free after training is great for both owner and your dog. Steve and his team are so caring and really show you how to have a better relationship with your dog and make both of your lives easier. I have tried numerous trainers in the past and would have saved so much time and money if we found Steve sooner. If you have been trying to find a GREAT trainer who cares, please go with K9Key. Thank you so much Steve and team for all you do!!

I found Steve on google, and arranged for my 5 month old boxer to go to his program. She was young and very wild, we arranged for his 4 week crate and train program, my rambunctious pup took an extra 4 weeks for her training, there was no additional cost to me. He got her on a food that was great for her stomach. She learned many basic commands. He also offers lifetime weekly group trainings, that we have not been able to take advantage of yet but will in the future. She is night and day from when we sent her. Well worth it.

K9 Key is Ever's favorite summer camp. We boarder her there every summer when we vacation. Ever was trained by Steve and his crew for 1 month back when she was around 1 years old. She listens so well now and no longer chases small kids. I recommend k9 key to everyone who has a dog. Our family is so thankful to Steve and his crew! Ever is looking forward to seeing her friends.

I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up with dogs in my childhood and can appreciate all the benefits it provided then. Now, as an adult, I can understand how challenging adding a dog to a young family could be. Especially dogs that are not particularly trained and obedient as I had growing up. I’m not quite sure how my parents pulled it off. I imagine under great distress.

Well, I didn’t want to repeat that with my own young family. Like anything I thoroughly researched. First about breeds, looking for what breed would fit my family best. We landed on a Standard Schnauzer and made efforts to find the best breeder available to us. Next, a deep dive into professional training. If we were going to make an investment in adding to our family we wanted the best version of a pet we could achieve and thinking back to my childhood dogs I knew the only way was to seek professional help.

The world of dog trainers is difficult to navigate. The space is filled part time trainers, chain store trainers, and novice/amature trainers all in business with varied outcomes. We were seeking a true professional. Someone who only trains dogs with a history of success. One name kept coming up and it was K9key and Steve.

We sought out an appointment and met with him with our entire family in tow. He fielded questions form my spouse and I, as well as my two children 6 and 8. He detailed his methodology, addressed questions and concerns, provided evidence based practice as to why his approach is so successful. Steve was transparent as to what our participation level would have to be to achieve the compliance and obedience we were looking for in our pet. After careful consideration we understood that this system was our best option.

One of the hardest things to do in this experience was handing Shelby our Schnauzer over. So with our entire family we dropped Shelby off for training. Immediately I came to appreciate Steve’s experience and attention to detail. He engineered an exchanged that considered both the emotions of my children and the anxiety of my pet. I was reassured we made a good choice.

A good choice it was. We have the dog we wanted. Shelby is smart and obedient. Great with commands, great on walks, and great with visitors. Shelby has learned a lot in her training but we as a family have also been educated. Ongoing training on the weekends help reinforce what Shelby now has engrained thanks to K9key. We speak the same language and our dog understands. We are forever grateful and fully appreciate the gift of a great dog and companion that Steve has helped us achieve.

I recently enrolled my beloved mini dachshund, Harry, in a 4-week board and train program, and I couldn't be happier with the results. The experience at K9Key was exceptional from start to finish, and I highly recommend their services to all dog owners seeking professional training for their fur babies.

From the moment I contacted them, the staff at K9Key were friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about their work. They even worked with me to take Harry when I was going out of town. They took the time to listen to my concerns, understand Harry's behavior, and tailored a training program specifically to address his needs. Their commitment to individualized attention and personalized training plans set them apart from other facilities I had researched. Not to mention Harry got to stay in a house with people rather than a kennel which I was worried about with other programs.

During Harry's stay at Steve’s I was pleasantly surprised to receive regular updates and photos of his progress. It was reassuring to see him engaged in various training exercises, socializing with other dogs, and forming a bond with the experienced trainers. These updates not only kept me informed but also made me feel connected to Harry throughout his time away from home.

When I finally reunited with Harry after the 4-week program, I was amazed at the positive transformation in his behavior. Harry needed to stay for an extra 4 weeks to work more on his needs. Steve had worked diligently to address Harry's specific issues, including separation anxiety and leash pulling. They utilized positive reinforcement techniques, and it was evident that Harry had formed a strong trust and bond with his trainers. Not to mention Harry is quite the shy boy and only really opens up to his “people” but he loves Steve! He wags and gets on his belly every time he sees him.

The training didn't stop when I brought Harry back home. Steve provided me with detailed instructions, practical tips, and ongoing support to help me maintain the progress Harry had made. They truly went above and beyond my expectations in ensuring a successful transition and continued improvement in Harry. We even attend the included weekend classes to keep Harry fresh on his training.

I wholeheartedly recommend the 4-week board and train program at K9 Key to all dog owners. They possess a deep understanding of canine behavior, employ effective training methods, and genuinely care about the well-being and development of the dogs they work with. Harry's progress speaks volumes about the quality of their program, and I am grateful to the entire team at K9 Key for their dedication and expertise.

Thank you so much for your outstanding service!

Worth every penny! Steve and his team trained my 8 month old (80lb) Doberman, Nuke. We told Steve we were having trouble with him pulling on leash, counter surfing, not listen to commands that he knew, jumping on people when they come in the house, digging holes in the yard and jumping up on our newborn baby’s bassinet, crib and swing trying to steal binkys, burp cloths and bibs. It was like a game for him that he wanted to play all day long. With two babies at home I needed help and I really needed Nuke to listen to me and obey commands. When we finally got him back he was great. Steve taught us how to walk him with the prong collar which has been great. I’m able to walk Nuke with a hands free leash and push both kids in the stroller to the park. We can also bring him to the school and have him sit and stay from half way across the field. We would’ve never been able to do that before. In the house we have the ecollar we keep on him if he needs to be corrected. Every Saturday Steve has free group classes. So far we’ve been attending all of them and learning so much. Nuke has been improving even more since being with Steve and having upkeep with training with us at home. We can’t thank him enough for helping us!

Louis

Steve is the best. We still get compliments on how well trained our Doberman is. He’s able to be off leash. Has great recall. Knows all his commands. I’ve recommended K9key a handful of times to people. Great family.

Talia

After we had been to another training school for our rambunctious Marvin and it was a complete fail, we had our doubts that anyone could help. Well we were wrong!

Steve Hong and his team at K9Key are the best! Steve’s knowledge and training skills have helped Marvin become a new dog and have also taught us everything we need to know to keep him happy and well-behaved. He follows all his commands, walks great on leash and is miraculously calm now around other dogs. We are so happy we decided to first board him with K9Key for a bit for the start of his training. It changed all of his behavior issues right around and was worth every penny. Can’t thank Steve and his crew enough for helping our boy become an even more wonderful and lovable addition to our family!

I got Kylo (GSD) when he was 8 weeks old, he was such a sweet pup with a good temperament but showed disobedience, impulsiveness, and constantly pulled on the leash during walks. I knew I needed to address these issues before they got out of control as he got older. After some looking around I found K9KEY as the best option for him. I decided to do the board and train program under Steve and his trainers, he was there for 7 weeks in total. What I thought was unique about the board train program at K9KEY was that Steve and his trainers give you your dog back when they feel the dog is trained well enough to not only your standards but also to theirs at no extra cost. This meant a lot to me because it shows that Steve and his staff truly care about your dog in correcting whatever behavioral issues that are present.

When I picked up Kylo after the board and train program I was worried that his personality would be changed but nope! He was still the same loving and kind dog that he was when I dropped him off with of course the addition of having an excellent foundation in obedience and training. Thanks to Steve and his trainers Kylo now heels at my side during walks, follows both vocal and hand commands with down, sit, stay, place, recall, and is well-behaved and well-mannered around family, friends, and other dogs! In fact, when taking Kylo on walks I have gotten countless compliments about how well-trained and behaved he is. Furthermore, included in the board and train program is lifetime group classes that are held once a week which I have found to be extremely helpful in not only maintaining the training Steve has done with Kylo but also in teaching me how to be a better handler myself.

Steve and his team are also extremely knowledgeable as well. Prior to training, Kylo had some mild allergies that not even a veterinarian could help relieve him of biting and itching his fur. After receiving Kylo back Steve recommended the diet he should be on and sure enough that did the trick! Not only has Kylo’s allergies gone away, but his coat looks amazing along with him being in a state of extremely good health! I cannot recommend K9KEY enough to anyone considering their training, you won’t regret your decision to go with Steve and his team!

My mini goldendoodle Tank had severe resource guarding and aggression issues. Whenever I tried taking something away from him that he shouldn’t have had, he would bite and growl at me. It got to a point where he swallowed a toy and ended up needing major surgery. We tried training with a trainer who would come to the house but it didn’t help. Then when we turned to Steve and K9Key as our last ditch effort to help our pup - and we’re glad we did. After about 7 weeks of training with Steve and K9Key, Tank came back to us a different (in a good way) pup! We were able to take toys and anything else he shouldn’t have away from him without getting bit or growled at! We now just have to say “Drop!” and he drops whatever he has in his mouth. Tank also was trained to be more disciplined and WE were trained to be able to communicate with Tank about what we expected from him. Steve and K9Key literally saved our pup’s life and we couldn’t be more thankful!

ABSOLUTE GEM! I am a first time dog owner (Great Dane) and knew that I wanted to have our fur baby trained early on and trained well. After much research, we selected K9Key. Steve has been nothing short of AMAZING!! ABSOLUTE WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT ("period"). As a result of Steve (and his team's) work, our pup is soo well behaved that we're able to take him anywhere dogs are permitted without issue. Beyond the training, Steve has ALWAYS been there to provide advice and to take care of our baby when we're out of town (added bonus of more training)!! In addition, as part of Steve's service, he hosts weekend group classes which any graduate may attend for life; a necessity for endless success and an absolute lifeline for continued advice, reinforcement, practice and updated training. Steve is building a community and I am proud, honored and lucky to be part of it. Our pup LOVES Steve and he has become a member of our extended family!!!!! #TeamK9Key

If you are concerned about your dogs behavior - this is the place to call. We are grateful for Steve and K9 key. Our GSD Thor was in a constant state of alert and protection mode around people and animals. It was difficult to do anything with him. Car rides needed earplugs and walks were a combination of strength training and patience. The vet was even afraid of him. After a lot of research we found Steve Hong/K9 key. Steve quickly identified Thor's issues and its complexities. I want to express here that Thor can be intimidating to most people but Steve handled him with ease, calm and confidence. It is clear that he knows dogs. He explained the process, answered my questions and covered the importance of training once Thor returned home.

Fast forward to now, and our walks are no longer a fitness event, car rides are quiet, and the vet was very impressed with Thor on his last visit and asked for K9 Key's information. We are very grateful for Steve and K9 key. We know if we have questions we can reach out to Steve or to the outstanding K9 key community. I would 100% recommend K9 Key to anyone concerned about their dogs behavior.

Our dog Winston is a two year old, 45 pound Goldendoodle. We decided to enroll Winston in K9KEY Dog School because he exhibited aggression / resource guarding behavior (especially over socks!) and we were expecting our first child. We also wanted to develop some consistency with Winston responding to commands. After several weeks and a few updates in between, our boy Winston came back home a completely new dog. While he still exhibits his vibrant personality, he is much more relaxed and subdued in nature. He also has not exhibited anymore resource guarding behavior, responds to well to the “drop it” command, and even disregards objects on the ground that do not belong to him. Winston is now able to consistently heel, sit, down, stay, come, and go to his “place”. Winston’s success at K9KEY has really helped open up the communication line between Winston and the rest of the family. As new parents, we have so much joy watching Winston develop a safe and comfortable relationship with his new baby sister! We really love reinforcing and building on the baseline training Winston received from bootcamp by attending follow up training classes on the weekends. We as a family cannot be happier with the results and incredible bond we have built with Winston during the training process. Thank you Steve and K9KEY Dog School for making that happen!

K9Key & Steve Hong changed my family's life! We have a rambunctious, highly energetic, overstimulated Labrador and could not get her to listen to basic commands, stop barking at everything, and pulling when being walked. She had no off-switch and we tried many different trainers within the NYC area (even the famous ones) and it did not work. We were left feeling dejected and stressed to the point where someone ALWAYS needed to keep an eye on her. We literally could only get groceries, cook, and do basic household things when she was sleeping in the early morning or later at night. It was the opposite of what I thought being a dog owner would be and made me doubt if having a dog was a good decision.

We connected with Steve based on the high reviews and had our dog join the 4 week boarding program after a consultation. Steve is VERY thorough in this consultation and shared the plan along with what our dog needs work on. He explained things that we didn't even realize could be a trigger and how he would train Penny. He also shared that it's very important to keep up the training AFTER the boarding is over. Long story short, we received our dog back after 8 weeks (she really needed a lot of work, hence the extended training) and she is AMAZING. It has honestly made us love her more (lol) and we have continued to keep up with the training. Our neighbors didn't even realize our dog is back until weeks later because she does not bark at all anymore!!!!! I can honestly say that working with Steve has made me contemplate even getting a 2nd dog (lol) because my dog has been such a dream since. I have recommended Steve & K9KEY to everyone I know (including random dog owners I bump into) as well as friends who are thinking about getting a dog.

THANKS SO MUCH, STEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve and his team at K9KEY did an amazing job with our young German shepherd Houyo. The training went very well and gives Houyo more confidents, more control of himself. The only rule : Keep going on the training. Steve train your dog but also train you as the coach of your dog. if you dont continue to practice EVERYDAY, you just throw your money out. its simple. its been few month that houyo is back from K9KEY and still responds very well to commands and always ready to train. We are very happy that we trusted Steve and will never regret our investment.

Thank you K9KEY

I took my 1 year old adopted pitbull mix, Santi, to Steve because I was having a hard time controlling her. It's not that she was mean or aggressive, but she had problems with going to the bathroom outside, tearing up shoes and furniture, and just overall having no manners. I can't express how much Steve has meant to Santi and I. Because of Steve's training I can now fully enjoy the relationship with my dog. I don't have to worry about coming home to ripped up items and seeing Santi relieve herself in the house. I put Santi in his month long board and train program and she came back a completely and totally new, amazingly behaved dog. The best part is that with signing up for the board and train, you are able to go to every saturday group lesson for free after. It is actually very much encouraged to attend them. All in all I am so grateful to of found K9 Key and would not trust anyone else with my precious Santi.

Steve is a very knowledgeable person when it comes to dogs. I was very pleased with K9key and their outstanding work with my 6 month old GSD Hunter. He wasn't showing that many problems, but I wanted to make sure he had a good foundation. I thought he knew sit and stay before, but after the training he was completely transformed. I would recommend K9Key to anyone from puppies to seniors.

I did not want to send my dog to a bigger training school, and have him grow up in a kennel enjoinment. I wanted him to learn in a home environment. Steve seems good at managing multiple dogs at a time. All in all, he stayed for approx 8weeks.

K9Key and Steve really helped my dog. Before the list of his issues couldn't even fit on the page, but after training I don't have any that I would even write down. The additional free training and guidance after the whole process was also extremely helpful in keeping up my dogs training. Would highly recommend to anyone with a dog

I was having trouble with my 4 months old American bully since I got her. From peeing and pooping in the house, leash pulling, and aggression towards my toddler at times. I wasn’t able to train her myself. I became desperate. I was searching online for trainers and I came across Steve’s board and training service. I read great reviews and saw that he is also in competition himself. After 8 weeks of board and training, my American bully came back a new dog literally. I couldn’t be more happier with the change. I would highly recommend anybody that needs a good dog trainer!!!

Where do I start.... we sent our 1 year old dog Enzo to K9Key because he was CRAZY! He was our first dog so we gave him so many bad behaviors. Enzo is a mini golden retriever so he is very high energy. I wasn’t completely onboard with sending him away, but my husband did a lot of research and found Steve. We met with him and he was awesome and very knowledgeable so it was an easy decision. Being away from him for 6 weeks was very hard but SO WORTH IT! I was somewhat against an E-collar but at the end of the day that is the only thing that worked. We got to visit Enzo once and Steve sent us videos and pictures as much as he could. I can honestly tell you it was worth, Enzo came home and he is amazing!!! He is still his spunky crazy self but he is obedient. He knows heel, come, down, stay, out and so much more. He is sooo much more manageable. It changed our lives for sure. You of course have to keep up with training and stay on him and really change yourself from making the same mistakes. Also for the E-collar I was so scared to use it but it is so easy and honestly we really just do vibrate and he listens. But when he’s really bad or not listening then we use it and he’s completely unharmed. He got off the leash the other day and all I had to do was say Enzo come and he came and let me put his collar back on. We’re also able to take him places like restaurants, the wineries and he just sits there like a good boy, it’s amazing . I 100% recommend their training program because it really worked for us!

Steve is professional, knowledgable, calm, patient and above all, I knew immediately I could trust him with my three year old furry family member, Tucker (a Village Dog / Mix pup).

Tucker is as fearless, adventurous and independent as they come! After moving back to NY from abroad, I didn't have access to the same hikes and his exercise was greatly reduced. Tucker did not have recall in the past (and a huge obsession with squirrels, rats, etc), but it became a greater issue now living near high traffic roads. The lack of recall caused me a great deal of stress to the point where I couldn't let him off leash for regular exercise ultimately causing Tucker a great deal of anxiety due to the reduced exercise. Eventually Tucker escaped a dog park in Manhattan trying to chase down a squirrel and I could not stop him. That is when I knew this could not continue as I wanted a better life for Tucker to channel his energy appropriately and safely; after researching and interviewing several trainers, Steve was the right fit.

Tucker returned from training calmer, disciplined, and what I appreciated the most was that he is the same happy go lucky pup, just a better version of himself. The ongoing training sessions are an excellent resource, too.

I highly recommend Steve, Tucker wasn't an easy case and it was clear Steve is able to train all types of dogs at all levels.

There is no better feeling than the trust he has fostered between Tucker and I, so we both can have a great life together. Tucker is now off leash wherever he is allowed, and I always receive great compliments about how well behaved he is!

Hiring Steve to help me train my dog has been the best decision. I have owned dogs all my life but the perspective of training a new puppy was a bit overwhelming. Althou she is a very smart and highly trainable puppy, I didn’t feel confident in my skills. Steve was patient and worked around our expectations and worries and provided a great program for our puppy to learn the foundation of dog obedience. We did the boarding program with k9key. And now we are following up w weekly group classes. Totally worth the investment, but you also have to go in understanding dog training is not a few weeks and done, you have to put in the work after with consistency.

K9KEY Steve is an excellent trainer. He is highly professional with good knowledge and experience. My Nana came home after 8 weeks camp and she is obedience and well trained.

Working with Steve and K9Key is probably the best decision we made. We were looking for boarding for our trip abroad for our female pitbull. She has some behavioral issues and we were very concerned with leaving her in a boarding facility where she wouldnt be let out enough and would hurt the progress we had made thus far with her behavior. Steve's assessment of her issues were spot on. Prior to her leaving to K9Key, she and I (female) had a rough relationship.. mostly with owning my position as the woman of the house. Since returning, our relationship has dramatically improved. Her response is dramatically improved. Her listening, attitude, walkability, literally everything we were struggling with improved. I have told everyone about Steve and K9Key. After boarding, we recieve weekly classes (paid for ONCE with boarding) and advice whenever needed. They truly care about the wellbeing of your pet - we HIGHLY recommend them and are so so thankful to have had them work with our girl.

Steve was most understanding and compassionate upon first meeting him at our orientation. In meeting Steve, I knew we had sought out the right individual for training our dog Ziggy. At nine months of age, Ziggy was becoming more than a handful with an infant at home. With the thanks of Steve and the rest of the K9Key family, Ziggy is a pleasure to spend time with again. Having kept Ziggy for more than six weeks, we now have a dog that listens, walks like a gentleman, obeys commands, and greets his little companions with ease. We no longer have fear of Ziggy becoming too anxious and bolting out the front door upon opening it. Ziggy has only been home for a week and half, but we already see so much growth in him. Thank you so very much to the dedication and commitment from the K9Key family.

Where do I start?

Gatsby, my one year old labrador, is a wonderful ball of energy. I have had him since he was seven weeks old and we live in Manhattan. I went through the very expensive at home training with another company in NYC, but nothing really stuck. Maybe it was me not following through all the time due to my demanding schedule but nothing really got better.

Now I did some research as he got huge and was getting more and more aggressive -- Steve and K9 had some amazing reviews for board and train so I decided to do an evaluation...

The second I saw Gatsby with Steve, it's obvious that he knew what he was doing. I was very scared that Gatsby wouldn't remember me, that he felt abandoned etc... Steve put all that worry to rest and we scheduled (around my needs) for Gatsby to go do the board and train.

Steve was very responsive while Gatsby was there -- always returned my helicopter dad texts and would send pics and videos. I got to visit him two weeks in and it melted my heart.

Gatsby spent 5-6 weeks with Steve and when I got him back - WOW. I really don't know how I can put into words what kind of amazing best friend I have back now living with me. He is still a 100lb 1 year old lab, but the amount of focus and tranquility he has now is mind blowing. Every single thing I wanted out of this came true, and it is truly priceless getting your best bud back like I did.

The first night back, he slept at the foot of my bed, then moved over to the floor right next to the bed - protecting me. I have never seen this before and it was a dream of mine that came true. I'm already recommending him to my friends with dogs with any problem...

I can't thank Steve and his company enough for everything and would recommend him to anyone who wants to see a drastic change in their best friend!

Thank you Steve!!!!

Steve did such a wonderful job at training my one year old German Shepard dog Sheru. Sheru was his own boss and did NOT listen to us one bit, he would run after the mailman, other dogs and people. He was very mischievous and it was just getting harder for us to get him under control. After Sheru spent a month and a half with Steve, he came back as a whole new dog. He listened to my every command and walking Sheru was like walking an angel, not once did he leave my side or drag me. He also stopped running after people and other dogs. He is such a good dog and he is very well behaved. Steve made our life so much easier by training Sheru so well. I would recommend Steve 100% to anyone that is having trouble with their dog. He knows dogs extremely well and I felt so comfortable leaving Sheru behind with him.

We found Steve when our Doberman Pinscher puppy, Lady, was about 6 months old. She was already getting pretty big and we were having trouble walking her. We also wanted to nip any signs of aggression towards others before they worsened. When we found Steve, he gave us a detailed description of his training process. He sent pictures and video updates often. What we loved the most was that if Steve felt that a dog wasn't ready to be sent home, he would keep them for more time without charging extra. Steve kept Lady for an extra 4 weeks. This just showed how much Steve cared about his work.

That was about a year ago. Ever since we picked Lady up from Steve, she knew sit, stay, heal, down, place, and overall was much more well behaved. We go to Steve's free group training every Saturday to reinforce the commands, and to socialize her with other dogs.

I would 100% recommend Steve to anyone experiencing behavioral problems with their dogs. My family and I are very thankful for the thoughtfulness and care Steve put into Lady's training and the care he continues to have for us and his past clients.

Our family adopted Carmen from a rescue organization who told us she had been kept by someone in Texas with over 40 dogs. After being rescued from that situation and driven across the country to us, she was extremely fearful. She would freeze in fear out on the street, and she would bark and urinate if anyone came into our house. She was too scared to follow any commands outside of the house. As soon as we met Steve, we could see how good he was with Carmen. He was able to put her at ease immediately and start interacting with her on her terms and determine what she could and couldn't handle.

After going through K9Key's boarding program, she has gained confidence and stability and learned commands (and we also learned how to deliver the commands effectively and provide reinforcement). Now, she is able to walk on the street and accept guests in our home. Most importantly, getting through her fear has allowed her natural personality to come out and she is the sweet and spirited dog we hoped she could be. We are all extremely grateful to Steve and K9Key for helping Carmen become her best doggy self and helping us learn how to take care of her!

K9key has trained our Gigi since we got her. As amateur dog owners training her was essential. K9key had her listening and behaving so impressively. We were taught how to Embrace our puppy as well as be able to have some sense of stability with her behavior in the house as well as outside in public. The experience was amazing and we thank them!

Steve has been a great trainer towards Rocky

Our dog Chewy has been trained by Steve since we first got him. We are extremely pleased with the temperament of our dog and his behavior. He has done a great job training the dog as well as give us tips on what to do with him at home. Fast forward two years later and we still send Chewy to Steve when we are away. Our dog always comes back happy :). Highly recommend Steve and his team for the training of your dog.

I would highly recommend using Steve and his team for your dog training needs. We got our German Shepherd “Jade” at 6 weeks old and tried to train her early on, going to classes at Petsmart and using training videos. She was digging holes in the yard, not listenting to basic commands, was jumping on people and was being mischievous in every way. We sent her to board and train with Steve for 4 weeks. Upon meeting with Steve, he asked about what our issues were, how we were handling her and what we wanted to get out of his program. He provided updates and videos during the training. He even kept her a couple of extra weeks (at no extra fee) to ensure that she was ready to come home! When we picked her up, it was an extremely noticeable difference in her demeanor. Steve went through everything on how to handle her with us and we have been extremely pleased with her ever since! Jade has become the dog we always wanted! We can’t thank Steve and his team enough for their work!

Wonderful , Steve is the best . He trained our dog from pulling , & jumping. We take our dog to work & everyone loves him. He is so protective & gentle with our grandchildren. You will never go wrong with Steve’s training. We love him & so does our dog. We never worry when we leave our dog at Steve’s pet hotel.

I had a German Shepard puppy mix that I loved. It was nipping, chewing and digging me out of my home. I found Steve through a neighbor and was so happy. He took my dog into his boot camp program and my dog came out a well behaved, loveable and fun to be around. We can't imagine life without our Dog and we have only Steve to thank for it!

We got a 3 month old puppy from the shelter that was out of control! We had such a difficult time trying to house train her and could not control her ankle nipping or eating everything in the house. Our pup stayed with Steve for 8 weeks and when we got her back she was house trained, stopped eating walls and stopped herding us around the house. We couldn't have been happier with her training! Thank you K9 Key!

Steve did a great job with our energetic Australian Shepherd. Our friends and family immediately noticed how much more calm and obedient she is after training with Steve. She no longer gets on furniture or chews things around the house. Steve even kept her an extra week in his program to make sure she was fully prepared to come home. We could tell how much our dog enjoyed being around Steve, too. When we went back for owner training sessions, she was so excited to see him! He clearly treated her with care while also training her and setting behavioral boundaries. We highly recommend his program for any dog!

Rocky is a Victorian Bulldog. That means he has all the characteristics of an English Bulldog (including stubbornness) but is about one third bigger and heavier. So when he sets his mind on something it’s hard to persuade him otherwise. As you can imagine this led to all sorts of bad behavior, including pulling on walks, jumping, and mouthing. We took Rocky to a pet store trainer and got little result.

K9 Key was recommended to us by friends who had their dog trained by Steve and his team. They raved about the positive results. We talked with Steve and he recommended the board & train course. Rocky spent five weeks with the K9 Key trainers this summer while we were on vacation.

He came home a changed dog. He is obedient and responsive to commands. No more pulling on walks, no more chewing or mouthing. We recently had Rocky along on a Halloween walk accompanying some friends who have a small child. They couldn’t get over how well behaved he was, heeling without pulling away, sitting when we stopped, and staying when folks wanted to pet him (in the past he would jump up on them). There were other dogs on the walk and although Rocky did take notice he did not bark and pull as he would before K9 Key training. We continue to take Rocky to train with Steve on Saturday mornings. Rocky looks forward to these training / socialized sessions. K9 Key came highly recommended and we enthusiastically echo the recommendation.

Rev. Robert and Sue Grimm

K9KEY did an AMAZING job with my english bulldog Lucy!! Steve took her on soon as she had all her shots. Throughout the entire training process he kept me in the loop with pictures and updates on her progress. I couldn't imagine doing any of that training on my own with my work schedule. He was a life saver and now I have a perfect little bulldog. Not very little, but sounds better. Also knowing that he can watch her when I travel is a major stress relief. She loves going to see him. Thanks K9KEY!!

Steve is absolutely AMAZING! I've send all 3 of my dogs to him. i had a very difficult time getting them to stop having accidents all over the house and one would even roll around in it! they didn't listen at all no matter what i tried but after they went to steve they are perfect. i can walk them without a leash in new york city and they can do their business both outside and on the wee wee pad. i give his contact to everybody i run into that say they have trouble with their dog and they all thanked me for it

K9key has done an amazing job with training my German Shorthaired Pointer. Steve has been a godsend. If not for this company I am afraid we would have given up on our beautiful dog. I highly recommend this company for any of your dog training needs. He truly loves what he does and it shows!

Last year I adopted a puppy from NSAL. Beau a rottie mix was an extremely independent pup. He wanted to be the boss from day one. I had heard of Steve and K9KEY from a friend who had her German Shepherd trained. I contacted Steve and as he did his evaluation he stated that he would NEVER BREAK HIS SPIRIT. Upon hearing those words I knew K9KEY was the BEST place for my Beau. Beau spent two months with Steve and came back a great pup. He still has his moments but with weekly group training he is one good pooch. I love Steve he truly has a rare gift.

The best trainer in the tri-state area.

I am a proud owner of Cooper, an Entlebucher (one of the Swiss Mountain Dogs). I got Cooper when he was 8 weeks old. Right away I knew I needed a trainer. The first trainer I hired told me after 3 weeks that she could not train my dog. Cooper knew all his commands the trainer taught him like sit, stay and down, but the problem would be all the other times I didn’t give him a command. Cooper would bolt out of the crate and jump and nip at me relentlessly. Cooper had such energy he would never rest. You could not pet him without him nipping and you could never go down on the floor at his lever because he would pin you down and start biting. Upset and lost at what to do, I googled dog trainers and came across Steve’s website. Our first meeting with Steve, he quickly knew Cooper’s temperament and most likely mine. I was concerned Cooper was an aggressive dog and Steve assured me he wasn’t, but a strong alpha dog with high energy. He recommended boot camp for six weeks and I agreed. It was an investment, but one I never regretted. After boot camp I continued to go to lessons and tat is when I learned how to handle Cooper. Cooper tested me many times, but I stuck with the program and I am grateful I did. Cooper is the loving family pet my family and I were hoping for.

Gina Miranda

My whole family would like to thank Steve and K9KEY. Our 8 month old Labrodoodle, Lola was on her way out. She was destroying all our furniture, shoes, paper, anything. Our young children, 6 and 3 years old could not play with her because she would just jump on them. My 6 year old niece would not even walk in our door until she knew Lola was in the kennel. My husband and I thought we made a BIG mistake. We sent Lola away to K9key for four and a half weeks. We actually enjoyed the time without her because it was so stressful having her in our home, but when she came back…… it was like we got a completely different dog. Now because of Steve’s training my niece is no longer scared of dogs. My kids play ‘house’ with Lola all day. My husband and I enjoy her so much, she became a true part of the family. It was worth it all. Steve was so helpful even after she came back. I wanted to make sure Lola didn’t lose her training skills, he was on my speed dial and Steve was there for me, talking me through any situation that arose. We are so grateful to K9key.

Thank you!

The Scannapieco family

After years of waiting for the right circumstances and another year waiting for the right puppy, my wife and I finally got the dog we have been dreaming about in Lucy. She is smart, beautiful, gentle and kind, and possessed with a strength of personality that has always been impossible to ignore. As a Shiloh Shepherd, she has always been big and strong, even at just 9 weeks old, she was strong enough to pull harder than we could have imagined possible, and when feeling stubborn she could transform herself into an immovable object. We knew from the start that we would need to bring her for training as she is our first dog and admittedly we knew nothing about what is needed to raise a healthy, happy and well behaved large breed dog. First we tried puppy kindergarten and found that it was primarily about socialization, which while crucial, was redundant for Lucy as she spends hour a day with other dogs in the park or in daycare. I began looking for a more structured training system that would allow Lucy’s German shepherd heritage to have it’s instincts satisfied, while training her in obedience when I found out about Schutzhund. In looking for a local Schutzhund club to talk to I found Steve Hong, and from that point on things quickly became a whole lot easier. From the start, Steve was incredibly informative and clear. He explained what Schutzhund was in detail and what it would entail in terms of commitment for all involved. He also explained several other training options, as well as answering some questions about diet, and in the end, we opted for private sessions once a week starting with an interview session where he met and got to know Lucy.

From the moment Steve first walked in the door at our first meeting, I knew everything was going to be okay. He was, and has always been incredibly professional and relaxed. And when he met Lucy, something truly hard to believe happened. Within literally 3 minutes from the time he walked in the door, he had Lucy sitting perfectly at his left side politely waiting for her next command. It was a little spooky as this is a dog who while lovable, had never done much of anything we had asked her to do and was more prone to laughing at our commands than obeying them. But somehow, within absolutely no time at all, Steve had gained her attention, respect and trust and in the process she was transformed from badly behaved puppy to show dog. The training that followed has been nothing short of miraculous and while it did not happen all at once, not surprisingly, it turned out Lucy needed less training than my wife and I, over time Lucy has been transformed into all the things we had hoped she would be. Each individual session has resulted in real progress and we have opted to continue working with Steve as we enjoy the process of learning as much as Lucy does. Over the last several months I have recommended Steve and K9 Key to other dog owners that we meet at the park and everyone has been very happy with both the experience of as well as the results of his training. Steve has also become our main go to person for just about all questions dog related. He has provided indvaluable assistance in helping us pick the right food for Lucy, which as anyone with a shepherd knows is not so easy to do, as well as being the first person we call when we have yet another of the random questions that seem to come up while caring for one’s first dog. Overall, I can’t recommend Steve and K9 Key strongly enough. I truly believe that anyone with a dog could benefit from his experience and training.

Eli Weissman

Brooklyn, NY

I recommend Steve without hesitation or reservation – what a fabulous job of training Espresso!!

As you can see from the pictures, when I first got Espresso, he was a very energetic dog that not only destroyed couches, but also tugged on the leash and chased squirrels…I left him with Steve for the 4-week program, and Espresso came back as a totally transformed dog. He’s exceptionally good at walking next to me and obeying commands. He doesn’t chew on couches anymore either! In fact, you can see from one of the pictures that he even let us bury him in the sand on the beach! Great job Steve!!

Peter Lee

SVP DataSynapse Group, TIBCO Software Inc.

We got our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in February 2010. We have 3 kids and felt we were finally ready for a new addition. The kids were thrilled at his arrival, but we didn’t have any idea what we were doing and we wanted to do what would be best for all of us. A friend recommended that we give Steve a call. Steve came to us when Buddy was about 8 months old and definitely made a difference right away. He integrated the kids into the training sessions so that we could all learn how to interact with Buddy and help him grow into the family pet we hoped to have. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I am not sure who was happier to see Steve, Buddy or the kids. It is such a comfort to know that we have Steve to call on as Buddy grows. We have recommended Steve to a friend who is training now and couldn’t be happier.

Jodi

Port Washington, NY

To K9KEY and friends,

I am writing this letter to proclaim my sincere gratitude for the outstanding German Shepherd Dog that I received from you three years ago. She is a beautiful sable out of your old dog Karo and Yoshi daughter, Nikki. I have been training dogs for about eight years. It is a pleasure to have a dog that loves to work. Kara has finally matured and has become the dog that I was looking for three years ago. You are truly a Master at breeding. The support you have bestowed upon me has allowed Kara to become the dog she is today. People who encounter Kara are impressed with her temperament. I am an administrator at St. Martin de Porres Marianis School, which enrolls students aged three to fourteen years old. My students absolutely love her and never leave her alone. Kara believes that she belongs in the classroom with the students.

I have seen Kara’s obedience improve during every training session with Ki Hong, founder of Canine Key Kennel Institute. David will always use the natural drives that my dog has to create ultimate focus and end on a successful not.

Ki’s son Steve has done the protection helper work with Kara. He truly knows how to read the dogs that I have seen him work. Steve consistently brings Kara to a higher level every time he works her. I feel that her confidence is at a high level due to Steve Hong’s natural ability. Steve has also done protection work with my bullmastiff female. I could write a full length novel on the wonders he has done with her.

It has been a blessing to learn from Ki Hong and his son Steve. I truly look forward to working with you both soon.

God Bless,

John Holian

To K9KEY and friends,

We are writing this letter to express our appreciation to Ki Hong and his son Steve. We enrolled in Canine Key Kennel Institute with a special request. We no only wanted Ki to teach us basic training, but wanted to get a foundation in Schutzhund training as well. It was in the course of the next 10 weeks that we realized how blessed we were to have found this institute.

We thank you for the extra effort that you put forth everyday to assure that we had a good understanding of the lesson at hand. Whether you were teaching us the correct way of performing a simple command, like sit and stay, or teaching us the intricacies of competition style obedience, it was always your attention to detail that made the lesson a special one. With a combination of film, class discussion, and hands on training, we graduated from your institute well prepared.

We traveled from Connecticut to New York everyday, but you and your family made us feel at home. It was an honor to have the chance to learn from a person with such a passion for the craft of dog training and we will continue to look to you for advice and guidance.

Sincerely,

Donald Dinkins & Edward Taylor

Dear K9KEY teachers & staff,

First of all I would like to thank you for the great experience that I had from attending the professional dog groomer/ dog trainer courses at Canine Key Kennel Institute. I have always loved dogs since I was little, and I have always thought that later on in my life I would want to work with dogs. Last winter I decided to make a big change in my life. I am very thankful of all the things the teacher and staff have done for me. Even after I graduated, you would let me come to the school and do more work until I was ready for the real world. Then I was able to get a job as a dog groomer and now after all this time and great foundation that I built at school, I have finally opened my own shop at Sunnyside, NY.

Thank you once again for your knowledge and support, which I definitely needed to become a professional dog groomer and dog trainer.

Best wishes,

Shin Hye Jung

Super Doggy Wonder Kitty