Linda Brodzik, Canine Behavior & Training Specialist

I highly recommend Linda not only for training, but for handling behavior issues. We participated in several of her classes, as well as a home evaluation, in learning how to work with our rescue dog. He was really looking for us to show him what to do and what we expected. Linda patiently worked with us as we dealt with an unfortunate incident involving our dog. Linda understands not only how to motivate dog behavior, but people too!

I had a horrible experience taking level 1 and level 2 of Linda’s classes. She did not treat my miniature poodle anywhere nearly as respectfully as she treated the other dogs and at one point told me she was basically hopeless because she had fear issues because I did not get her until she was 10 weeks old. I’m sure if you have a larger dog that she likes she’d be a good trainer but we walked out during level 2 halfway through class and never came back. My dog was so upset she just laid down and froze. I started taking her to Canine Coach after we moved to Minneapolis and she now has her Canine Good Citizen and is enrolled in Therapy Dog Training. Don’t waste your money here.

«Linda Brodzik has changed our lives. We have now raised two Bernese Mountain Dogs with her exceptional training skills. Our first dog was a „mouther“, chewing on everything including us, when she was a puppy. She was not following any commands, and was incredibly hard to walk on leash. We were seriously at our wits-​end. Linda came to our home and spent time educating us as to how to redirect our good intentions but not-​so-​helpful instruction to our pup! We then joined her positive-​reinforcement classes and our dog was on her way. We saw such a transformation in our relationship with our dog, and how much happier she was after we all learned to communicate. Making the decision to head to Linda’s training series classes (we have done all 3 for both dogs and drove an hour each way every week for them) with our next puppy was a no-​brainer and we have two very happy dogs who are very well behaved. We bring our dogs everywhere and always get comments on how well-​behaved and well-​trained they are. Could not have happened without Linda Brodzik. Cannot recommend her enough. The payoff for learning how to train your dog well from Linda is that you establish an incredible, trusting relationship with your dog. Can’t be beat. »

I’ve worked with Linda on a number of occasions and really respect her approach. She is gentle, but effective. She practices humane, science-​based animal training. If you’re familiar with Karen Pryor’s work, you have a good understanding of Linda.
She teaches in one room of a pet clinic, which is spacious and fine. But she will also schedule private lessons in a park or elsewhere which is sometimes more effective and focused. Either way, if you have a chance to train with her, I’d take it.

I cannot say enough nice things about Linda Brodzik. She approaches her work with dogs, and all animals, with the objective of building a positive relationship with the animal and helping him/​her reach his/​her full potential. I have one dog that suffers from severe anxiety. Linda has helped me a great deal with making baby steps that have slowly built up her confidence. My other dog has a very different personality and she has helped him a great deal as well. I have taken Obedience I, II, and III and Tricks I with one of my dogs, and Obedience I and II with my other dog. We’ll be starting Obedience III soon. Linda is not about training your dog for you; she is about teaching you to effectively train your dog using positive reinforcement. This builds a lifelong connection and bond with your dog in a way that dropping your dog off with a trainer somewhere and having them do the work for you never could. Training is a lifelong activity. Dogs, like people, need adequate physical exercise and mental stimulation or behavioral problems are going to occur. You have to be willing to put in the work. Linda awakened in me a passion for learning about training theory. Her classes are about much more than «sit,» «stay,» and «come,» although those basic skills are definitely covered. They’re about learning to effectively communicate with your dog and understanding that every interaction you have can be an opportunity to teach, to learn, and to make a positive connection. I would recommend working with Linda if you wish to have your dog learn anything from basic skills to complex tricks, while deepening your positive relationship with your pet.

We were very fortunate to have found a trainer with Linda Brodzik’s level of knowledge and caring so close to where we live. I cannot begin to express all that we have learned from her in the scope of one review. She is not just a trainer, she is also a college educated behaviorist which makes her an expert at reading canine behavior as well as dealing with new handlers. We had a dog with a pretty high drive. She came from working lines and could be quite assertive as well as a little aggressive. We knew excellent trainers, but none of them lived near us. We also did not have the time, nor finances to travel extensively to avail ourselves of their services. How lucky we were to have found Linda Brodzik here in our own town! Linda guided us how to harness our dog’s assertiveness into training/​learning opportunities with amazing results.
When we first met Linda, we had very different philosophies on training. However, after studying various methods of training, we found that many of the top trainers (who were getting the best results) were using methods similar to the ones Linda uses. So, we decided to take a beginning obedience class with our puppy. We had taken other obedience classes before we took one with Linda, so we did have some experience as to what is out there. What first impressed us was the size of the class. It was much smaller than the others we had taken. The other thing which impressed us was how long each class lasted. This combination allows Linda to spend significant time with each student and their dog working on any issues the trainer might be having. This was something we valued highly as we were fairly new and had a lot of questions.
My wife and I took our first class with Linda in 2004. Since that time, we have taken numerous classes with her over the years. We have also recommended her to at least 5 friends and received rave reviews of Linda’s classes from all of them.
Finally, and I can’t stress this enough, if you take her class or use her services, one must do the work. The education and services she provides are for the handler. Any results I may or may not be getting from my dog are solely do to my ability and willingness (or lack thereof) to follow Linda’s instructions and advice. Many dogs are put to death each year in shelters because people can’t be bothered to learn how to train their dogs, or worse, attend classes, but don’t do their homework. Our community is lucky to have such a dedicated professional such as Linda Brodzik. I highly recommend her to anyone serious about taking their own education to the next level.

Our German Shepherd puppy is in Linda’s level II obedience class. Linda has helped us to be better trainers and owners. When we follow through with her teaching consistently our results are excellent. Linda teaches for success – she is easy to understand and what she teaches is common sense and kindness. She is a wonderful advocate for dogs and we’re so grateful to have found her. We have a relationship with our dog that we’ve never had with an animal. Our dog is able to walk into Pet Smart and be around other dogs without pulling, jumping, barking or growling. It is a pleasure to walk with her on the leash and she loves to train! We receive comments and compliments all the time on our dog’s well-​behaved, easy manner and people are always asking who our trainer is. We are! (With Linda’s help!) We are looking forward to Level III!

Did not have the best experience. Paid her a significant sum of money and didn’t feel like I got the follow through I deserved for the amount. BS walks. Don’t waste your money.

I contacted Linda because my dog had serious fear issues and had become aggressive toward other dogs and occasionally people in certain situations. Linda was able to analyze what was going on and how I was contributing to the issues, and gave me a clear plan of action to work on addressing them.
I have met with her privately and have taken several classes with her, and have been very pleased. I found her to be always available when I called between classes or consults with questions.
I gladly recommend her to anyone who needs help dealing with behavior issues with their dogs, or who just wants to have a well behaved dog. She only uses positive methods for training, which makes it fun for both the dog and the owner. Another plus is that she limits the size of classes so she is able to give personalized attention to each owner and dog.

I would (and do!) recommend dog trainer Linda Brodzik to any dog owner looking for greater obedience & attention, or who merely wants a better «working» relationship with their canine.
Linda takes a calm, gentle-​yet-​firm approach which not only teaches us, as owners, to get our dogs to work with us; they WANT to work with us!
I receive compliments all the time on how «obedient» and «well-​behaved» my 18-​month-​old German shepherd is… and I owe it all to Linda (and maybe some dedication and hard work). She has been a wonderful teacher and always returns my calls and takes the time to answer my questions… of which I have many!
Thank you, Linda, for sharing your wonderful gift of knowledge and teaching me how to become a better dog owner!
(*Note: Linda’s obedience classes aren’t just for puppies, but for dogs of all ages.)