Hilsbos Dog Training - Clever Canines and Detection Dogs

“Birgit is a gifted trainer with sensitivity to the human owner and pet. I had just moved to Switzerland months before setting out on what felt to be a daunting task—training two 22kg labs that never had any previous training. Birgit was patient and compassionate with all 3 of us. Having never lived abroad, the move here was exciting but also overwhelming and on the days where it was all just too much and I got lost trying to get to our appointment, Birgit calmly guided me to our destination over the phone. Upon arriving (both times!) she made me feel it was OK and everything would be all right. I never felt judged by her. For our private lessons, she was very organized and timely. Each session had a focus and upon completion of that lesson, she would help me see what went well and what needed to be improved and what we would focus on the next time. We made great strides but also need to stay consistent with the training. Even though we may not look like a perfectly trained trio walking the streets and trails here in Zurich area, I feel confident that I have the tools and tricks I need to be in control of my labs and have them show up as good canine citizens. It was a great growth experience for us all and Birgit is a firm, kind and intuitive teacher. I am so grateful for the experience.” – Diana, USA

“Hilsbos Dog Training is wonderful! Birgit is very knowledgeable, patient and professional. After only a few lessons, my German Shepherd was an obedient pet and listening to my commands. And Birgit speaks fluent English which was a huge plus for me!” – Susan, USA

“Always looked forward to training days with Birgit. She was so easy and friendly to work with, and so effective with our pup (and with me!) Penny is a very head strong Bernedoodle with a lot of energy and we got a lot out of training and she is now a well behaved and happy…” – Deborah, USA

“Honest, kind and firm – a great combination. My dog and I were lucky to find such a knowledgable trainer who both loves and understands dogs. She helped me tremendously get on the right track with my new puppy, who is now one, and happy and well behaved.” – Julie, USA

“Birgit is great. Based on the training we improved significantly with Aspen and believe me, he is a handful. He still needs more training, but we are delighted to come back.” – Abel, CUB

“Birgit is very knowledgeable and provided great activities to teach my new puppy. She was able to learn quite quickly with the tools Birgit provided. Although stressful for me, the group sessions were probably the most helpful by putting Bailey in “real life” situations.” – Kimberly, USA

“We love Birgit for clear information, punctuality, great attitude and humor!” – Tanya, UKR

“I cannot thank you enough, what a joy it is to have a loving, well-behaved dog.” – Jocelyn, USA

“Friendly, knowledgable, effective. Great at teaching kids, too.” – Matt, USA

“Birgit is focussed, patient and clearly loves her job. Friendly yet strict, my dog and I learned an awful lot in a relatively short period of time. Excellent value for money.” – anonymized

“Easy to follow instructions & guidance, genuine care and concern for the dog’s overall wellbeing, always helpful and hopeful! You are a fabulous teacher, I can’t thank you enough.” – Julie, USA

“The course was very well organized and the information was easy to understand and implement. I felt that my puppy and I both benefited from the training and learned techniques which I will be able to continue to use in working with her on my own. Birgit is a very professional and skilled trainer who clearly enjoys her work and the dogs she works with. I’m delighted to have found this course.” – Ann, USA

“The course was excellent; so informative, friendly, and a lot of fun. The ‘real world’ situations that we trained in meant that each lesson had transferable value to our everyday lives with our dogs. I am delighted that Birgit was recommended to me and I’ve already recommended this course to a number of my friends. The course and the wonderful way that Birgit teaches it has provided me with so much to build on. Birgit is clearly a very experienced and knowledgeable trainer and dog owner and was able to identify my dogs unique characteristics and motivations very quickly. This is testament to the care and attention that she gave us during each session. Thank you Birgit!” – Katy, UK

“I liked how personal it was, Birgit scheduled with me to my needs. I would have prefered 2 days with 2 hours each compared to 4 days at 1 hour, but this is the only criticism I have. I also like all the examples Birgit gave me from her own experience. I enjoyed the hands on training with practicing the recall in a triangle and the eye contact exercise. Thank you very much!!!” – Corinne, USA

“Birgit was very open, honest and helpful with all of our questions (including emails prior to the class). I am very pleased that she could do a private training at our house and that she actively discussed the do’s and don’ts of puppies with my children and myself.” – Julie, USA

“She came over to our friends house, we met her there. (pluspoint). Very nice woman, quick and clear spoken. But most importantly she could answer any question asked about health, keepsake or treatment. And provided information about swiss law and regulations. All in all perfect fit, Im looking forward to learning from her again!” – Zenith, SWE

“I thoroughly enjoyed the SKN Theory Course run by Hilsbos Dog Training. The teacher Birgit was extremely knowledgable and explained the information in a relaxed and easy to understand way. We covered all the basics of dog ownership including feeding, health, grooming, basic training and travel (and much more besides!) and I learnt a great deal in the process. Birgit was also very helpful in answering all of my questions. Now I can’t wait to get my puppy! – Zoe, UK

“Birgit is fabulous. She presented the information extremely clearly, and answered my questions extremely well. Her SKN practical course met my expectations a lot better than I expected. I can highly recommend her.” – Melissa, USA

“I did very much enjoy the workshop. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow. The atmosphere was kept agreeable to all. Your time was shared equally with everybody, while still taking the time for the individual teams. Great time management. You have a really good eye for the dogs and people.” – Angela, VEN

“Birgit is a precise and careful dog handler and trainer. She uses positive and reward-based training methods, and is patient throughout. She has an open mind, a wide base of experience, and is a good problem-solver. I really enjoyed the chance to work with her and I learned a lot from her.” – Erin, CAN

“Birgit and I were members of the same volunteer search dog group and so I worked with her during dog trainings for 3 years. Birgit is a patient handler with a diversity of experience and knowledge in dog training. She also assisted other handlers to solve behaviour issues that might occasionally come up while developing our working dogs. She also directly started and helped with the training of several new search dog handlers and their dogs. Birgit will always ensure that the best interest, health and happiness of the dogs come before any desired outcome.” – Janeal, CAN

“In a society where ‘quick fix’ dog training is dominated by choke, prong and shock collars Birgit stands out in her ability to connect with both dog and handler without pain related methods. Birgit’s knowledge of canine behaviour and her ability to relay this information to the handler makes every session with Birgit a worthwhile experience.” – Andy, UK

“I have known Birgit for more than 10 years and she is a highly knowledgeable canine health coach. I enjoy working with her very much and I love her many various ideas/approaches for different dogs to achieve the goals for yourself and your dog. I highly recommend Birgit and look forward to work with her for many more years to come.” – Tania, CAN