Alice is a professional and compassionate trainer. We came to her with a friendly but unruly rescue Pit Bull one week out of the shelter. In one group class we were able to have him walk on leash without pulling and sit on command. I recomend you attend one of her group classes if possible, to see her style with a variety of dogs. We were persuaded right away and followed up with a set of private classes. Be prepared to work, because Alice advocates for your animal and will tell you straight what your dog needs from you to be healthy, happy and engaged as a joyful member of your family.

Alice is the Female Cesar Millan!

Alice came into my pup Reilly’s life four months ago. Reilly was just a three month old border collie/Lab mix puppy bursting with energy, teething and crazy wild as could be. After attending the first Boot Camp session we decided, Reilly and I, would both benefit from some one on one lessons, Alice saw that due to my chronic Lymphodema of the right arm (breast cancer survivor, yea!) it was imperative that Reilly did not pull me around. After just one lesson he was, healing, sitting and behaving wonderfully! Very impressive, and his continued training has now brought him to the level where he is moving on to “Therapy Dog” training with “The Good Dog Foundation” We both start classes on the 18th of July and I know Alice is so proud of him. We could not have come this far in 4 short months without her. Of course we will continue to visit Boot Camp and also see Alice one on one for a little “Cute Tricks” training. Dog owners, just let me say this, a well behaved dog is a happy dog and Alice can help you learn to bring that about in your pup…..its never really the dog that is the problem, its usually us, and she can do wonders. Give her a try, she’s really amazing!

We have a Siberian Husky pup who was chewing on everything. I went nuts one afternoon when coming back from work, he had chewed on the TV cables and pulled them out of the wall. Mind to tell you, we ended up with a big hole in the wall and no TV. That same weekend, Alice was hosting her first dOggie bOOt cAmp session of 2016 and my husband and I, plus our lovely, if a bit energetic pup, attended. We decided to hire Alice on the spot and it has been the best decision since getting Stark. Alice is not only an excellent trainer, but she is also fun and caring and a great human being to be around. Over the course of almost 8 weeks (one consultation + 5 sessions), my husband and I learned to communicate better with Stark, to learn when it was only a tsumi (big energy moment) or if he was testing our limits. She taught us techniques to control his behavior positively, but firmly, and to establish a long-term bond with him. He knows very well all basic obedience commands and we will continue practicing them for a few months by ourselves. We plan to work with her again later in the year to continue strengthening Stark’s training. We are very happy with her work, the love she puts into it, and her commitment and passion for animals. We recommend Alice 100% and are grateful for her teachings.

Alice is Staten Island’s Dog Whisperer!!!

Alice Marino has a remarkable skill set for training dogs. I have observed, first hand, her firm yet kind control, while executing clear, consistent and concise instructions to attain a specific good behavior in dogs. She also works her magic with all the dogs at Doggie Boot Camp on Sunday afternoons. Her simple instructions, calmly and assertively given produce positive results.

It is truly a gift to teach owners and pets. Alice has the talent and education to do both.

She may not do bugs but she does do a mean (terrific) training.

I have a story to tell everyone about Alice and my dog Jeb. A month before sandy hit I had to send my beloved dog Chester over the rainbow bridge. I had never known such sadness and I vowed never to get another dog. So a week before sandy hit I did it again. I adopted Jeb. He was only 6 weeks old and the cutest dog in the history of the world (as least I thought so.) Unfortunatly he was also the worst dog I ever had. He was wild, destructive and he bit everybody and everything that his mouth came into contact with. As all dog owners know, puppy teeth are like razors. After sandy, I called the Vet and begged him to help me. I was preparing to give Jeb back to the North Shore Animal League where I adopted him. He gave me the name of Alice Marino. She came over and Jeb bit her. I remember thinking there goes my insurance rates. She diagnosed his problem within minutes. Over the next weeks between home visits and several boot camps Jeb was trained. I on the other was harder to train or so Alice said. Today almost 2 years later Jeb is the dog everyone would want. He is part of me. I owe this to Alice. She gave me the dog I wanted and gave Jeb the training he needed and deserved. Hopefully he and I will have a long happy life together. Now if only I can train Jeb to do the laundry and clean the house. Oh well.

I will always be grateful…

I want to tell everyone how wonderful and how productive the sessions that you conduct at the park are. My rescue dog GeeGee has learned so much and I have also learned just as much. She was so timid and afraid of everything that moved. You have given her the socialization and confidence that I could not have given her if I had not met with you. The training you gave to us in the few short weeks that we attended is so valuable that it is hard to express how much I appreciate the patience and time you spend to help all of US new dog owners.My rescue GeeGee has come to understand that all humans are NOT her enemy, and your patience and understanding have brought her a long way up and out of her fears. I also appreciate the friendliness of YOU and the other owners to help my shy and timid dog to come out of her shell. She has loved every moment of her class and will continue to learn from the basics that you have taught her. Please continue to conduct these classes outdoors and in the friendly atmosphere that you create. I will always be grateful for your help in the training of my rescue dog. Thank you so much.

I work at Bay Street Animal Hospital and see MANY dogs in need of training. I’ve gone to the Boot Camp myself and have sent a few dogs. I can see the difference in the owners and the dogs the next time they come to the Animal Hospital. Not only is Alice patient, but a real sweetheart too. I will continue to refer the ‘”unruly” to her : )

New baby coming… “How will we become one pack and live as a family?”
We were referred to Alice by a few friends. We wanted to have the dogs trained after 4 years because we were having a baby. We have two Yorkies. A toy and a standard. Their names are Yankee and Yogi.

They basically had the run of the house. They were never sectioned off, never walked on a leash, the run of the mill so-called “house dogs.”  We knew the dogs and us needed an intervention. How will we become one pack and live as a family? Giving up the dogs was never an option and from all the reviews we knew Alice was the Trainer for the Job.

The first night Alice came we achieved getting both dogs leash trained and walking by the time she left. They do not use my kitchen chairs as fire hydrants anymore. We kept them on a routine of a half hour walk in the morning and again at night which is a total of 3 miles a day. Not only is that good for the dogs but it is good for me as well for my health.

My standard Yorkie named Yogi has attachment issues with me. We both worked with Alice on how to detach to a point where the dog respects my wife’s and my space. Before the baby was born that problem was settled.

We worked with Alice and used her protocol for getting the dogs ready for the baby was coming.

Our baby was born and we introduced the dogs to her. My toy Yorkie Yankee had no problem with her but Yogi, the one with the attachment issue had a little bit of an attitude and needed to be reminded that the baby needs to be respected and is above him so they can get along. As I stated in the beginning getting rid of either of the dogs was never an option! So we had Alice come in for one more training section. The smart Yogi was acting normal and like nothing was happening. It was like the baby wasn’t even there. Alice excused herself out of the room so the true issues showed themselves. Alice worked her magic and showed us what protocol to use on Yogi and he has been getting along with baby ever since. He knows the boundaries we want for him and knows we are one pack as a family.

I am so happy we chose Alice as our trainer and I would highly recommend her to anyone who needs a dog trainer especially when it is time to extend your family.  Dogs are part of peoples family and there should never be any conversation of getting rid of them because you are having a baby, or you cant handle them with the baby. People said to us that my dogs were too old to be trained, well the first thing Alice told us was no dog is ever to be to old to be trained and I am witness to that.

Thank you Alice for everything

the (whole) Maniscalco pack

I love attending Doggie Boot Camp with my puppy Duchess. Duchess gets to mingle and play with other dogs and I get to socialize with other dog owners. Alice is very approachable and ready to answer any questions and give specialized advice. I am a first time dog owner of a Shiba Inu. I read that this is a very hard breed to train but Alice assured me that it can be done and gave me some tips on how to handle Duchess. Alice is very knowledgeable. She loves the dogs and I find it amazing that she remembers every dog’s name. Doggie boot camp is a very inexpensive (only $10.00) and productive way to spend a Sunday afternoon with your dog. Whether you are a veteran dog owner or a new dog owner like myself, I highly recommend Doggie Boot Camp.

A great experience…

Alice is amazing. My Boxer, Duke, had never been in a pack before, and now is so much easier to handle. Instead of pulling and jumping to get to other dogs, he now is so much more socialized. We’ve had to stop going to Doggie Boot Camp since it got hot, since Duke does not do well in the heat, but we’re both looking forward to the cooler weather sessions.

I first met Alice at Doggie Boot Camp which was referred to me by a friend who was familiar with my unruly pack. I thought that there was no hope for my bunch and had almost given up. Alice came to the rescue! Boot Camp was amazing and my poochies learned so much from that one session that we have gone back again and again. I think Alice taught me the most during the first boot camp because she showed me that I could take back control, which I did. I have since had Alice to my home to give more concentrated lessons to my boys. We have all learned so much and have had fun in the process. My pups love Alice and respect her. Alice helped to make all of our lives much happier and I would refer her to anyone and everyone!

Alice is a Great Dog Trainer!

I really know you are a great dog trainer. You knew how to make my little tiger Sparky into a little lamb by putting a gentle leader on him. When he has it on he is the perfect dog. I love the classes at the park. It is a great way for them to learn to socialize, how to interact with other dogs and how to behave . Your private lessons with both dogs was fantastic. Sparky will walk next to his cousin without biting her. We are getting better in the house too.

Best Dog Trainer in NY/NJ Area

I am writing this review to let others know what a great dog trainer Alice is. When I watched her work with and train my Shiba Inu puppy it was clear that Alice has a natural affinity for dogs and that she has a talent for dog training. Alice taught my puppy to walk on a leash with no pulling or tugging; something that I had tried to do for months with little success. I have also attended Alice’s boot camps. They are fun and social for the dogs and owners alike and my puppy Duchess looks forward to socializing with the other dogs. I also want to mention that I go to Staten Island from Fair Lawn, NJ because my puppy, my girlfriend, and I love Alice’s boot camp that much!!

We just love RufF lOve dOg traiNIng doggie boot camp…Roxy our Boston Terrier is a great dog but lacks in the dog socializing department. She also lacked in walking on a leash and knowing how to heel. Alice our trainer has done wonders with command behavior. Our Roxy is a “good student” and is learning to be part of a pack and “good heel” She is a happy, tired dog that looks forward to her days at camp. When told she will be seeing other dogs, learning good heel..good sit…good student…She runs looking for her leash and can’t wait to see Alice and her friends…Thank you Alice for your time and devotion. We are so grateful for the love, patience and dedication you give to our babies and to us also…

Alice is great. My dog listened to her immediately and now listens to me a good part of the time. This is from one session only. It is clear she loves her job and the pets.

We rescued our dog and we expected for her to have some issues but she had a lot more issues than we expected and they were more severe then we could handle. We were contemplating returning her to the rescue organization but I saw the flyer at the vet and decided to give it one more shot. After our first private session with Alice it became clear to us that with some intense training of both our dog and ourselves we could become a happy pack… After several sessions and boot camps our dog has become so much better and we have too. Thanks for saving our pack Alice…You Are the Best!

I think Alice and her staff are very dedicated to their passion of dog training. My Sofie walks normal on a leash now and still listens to the commands she was taught by Alice. I was very happy for the doggie boot camp and would recommend it to anyone who needs a little bit of help to get the control they need. And Alice will let you know if you need private help or you need just to show who the pack leader is.She is truly about helping the pups and not all about the money : ) So go and let you dog meet so many dogs and meet Alice!

I am forever grateful to Alice and her amazing Ruff Love Training. Not only did she research and help me find my beautiful Lili Girl (Staffordshire Bull Terrier), she helped train me to be the best dog owner I could be! Her dedication to owner and dog is beyond compare. With her guidance and love our Lili Girl is the best dog we could ever hope for. She also trained my 11 year old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel to do things I never thought he could! Whoever said u can’t teach an old dog new tricks has never had the pleasure of working with Alice!!!!

SO HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND ALICE…

I have only attended the boot camp once, but it was such a positive experience. I was delighted when I saw the advertisement in the Staten Island Advance. Never knew about it until then. I have been unable to attend for a few Sundays because of other obligations, but will be going back as soon as I can. It was great. I think there were about 15 dogs present that day, all sizes and breeds, and Alice seems to have a lot of patience. She is very professional. I wish I would have met her sooner. She does a great job!

Nothing like someone who truly loves what they do!

Alice is such a fantastic person inside and out! I have attended her doggy boot camp as well as doing a personal session with my pup and she is absolutely fantastic at what she does. She truly has a passion for animal’s and you can tell she loves what she does. Not only did she teach me how to train my dog but she taught me the key things to being a first time dog owner! She is very sweet and anybody who needs to get their doggy in tip top shape – shes your girl.

Alice is a wonderful person and a personal friend of mine. Although I have a couple of cats and no dogs-I have attended many of her Doggie Boot Camps. I only wish I had a dog to bring along! I just go to enjoy meeting all the dogs and their parents and to see Alice in action. Alice truly loves the dogs and has their best interest at heart. Everyone has a great time-Dogs, owners and the Krazy Kat Lady too!

Alice trains us to train our dog. In one meeting, we learned a lot so that he would listen to us.

Thank you,

Amelia

I have used Alice for over 8 years with several dogs and she is amazing with the dogs and knows how to teach the humans the correct way to bond to their dogs. When properly followed through her training works all the time but as with all training it also requires the owner to practice with their dogs. I would recommend Alice to anyone who truly wants the best for their dog.

Alice Marino, not only found me by fur baby but trained him to be the ultimate caring angel and companion for my son and our family. She is beyond knowledgeable and experienced and I give her my highest recommendation. She has not only trained my puppy but all the puppies in my family.

I signed up for dog training for my Havanese with Alice at Ruff Love Dog Training. I was very impressed with the results. Alice is wonderful!!

Alice was the best, not only trained Orachino but trained my husband and me how to handle and work with him.

Alice is super cool a down to earth dog trainer. My dog was older with not much training then when I took home kittens, we were concerned but with the help of Alice life was so much easier, now everyone loves each other. I would highly recommend Alice at Ruff Love Dog Training.

Not only is Alice an extraordinary dog trainer/behaviorist/nutritionist she is a really cool friend. My 3 pups Brody, Bullitt & Olivia adore her & love when she comes over to visit. She trained all of them and they still listen to her better than they listen to me.

Alice is truly a passionate, down to earth woman who loves dogs (and other animals too) as much as a fat kid loves cake lol. Everything she advised us on was spot on from behavioral issues to nutrition. Highly recommend Ruff Love Dog Training.

Alice not only helps you train your fur baby she helps you train you. Your fur baby trusts you to help him to be his best. Alice gives you those tools so you can help him and yourself be the best team ever. Whether class training or individual training she can help your fur baby be your best friend.

Alice is the best, she is extremely well educated, professional and amazing at what she does! She helped so much when my two spoiled fur kids were getting out of control. Truly the best dog trainer and dog person. Very highly recommended!

Our Maddy is a graduate of Ruff Love Dog Training Academy. Alice came to our home for 6 weeks and got our Jack Russell on the right track. We got her as a 3 month puppy. We also went to Alice’s group training where she learned to interact with other dogs. I would highly recommend Alice Marino to train your dog. She also got us on the right track with her food. Educated us on what our Maddy should be eating. She knows her stuff. Thanks for everything Alice.
All our best,
John and Joanne Pasquale

Alice is a wonderful person and excellent trainer. She worked so well with our dog Jack while including everyone in our family. Alice is very knowledgeable in dietary and wellness needs and we recommend her!

On a recommendation of a friend, I called Alice the night before I brought my puppy home. It was the first pet for our family and I had never had a dog growing up and knew nothing about what to do. She was so supportive and came that next night to help us with our sweet girl.
In one of our training sessions I mentioned that I purchased a retractable leash. I had seen so many people using them. They are sold everywhere. She told me never to use it because they were not safe and could break/snap. It seemed impossible, but I trusted her and didn’t use it again.
One day we had friends over with a bunch of kids and I grabbed the retractable leash to put on her while we were inside the house to keep her near me and….guess what…it broke. I was so shocked but more horrified that it could have happened on a walk outside. I can’t even imagine how badly that could have turned out.
Thanks Alice. You’re the best!

My family and I are very grateful to have found Alice Marino to train us and our dog! Alice was very patient with all of us and listened to all our concerns and addressed them, and believe me, I had a very long list of issues for our Boston Terrier, Benny. Our issues included Benny not listening to commands, mouthing, growling, and biting of family members and others, excessive barking at people at front door, dog reactive, stranger reactive, leash reactive, nutritional issues, and dashing at front door. Alice has helped us greatly with all of these issues and more. She has given us the tools to allow Benny to become a more well-mannered member of our family so that we can all relax and enjoy each other. Thank you, Alice!!

Alice came highly recommended to us several years ago, and we began taking our little girl to her boot camp classes down by Fort Wadsworth offered on weekends. The classes were both insightful and extremely helpful to the new dog owners that we were, as Alice demonstrated her knowledge and professionalism along with kindness at every session. Her sincere love for dogs was apparent. Recently (and many years later) when Alice caught wind through Facebook that our baby girl was extremely ill, she took the liberty of reaching out to us in a very genuine attempt to offer us help with our terrible situation. Unfortunately, as hard as we tried…my little girl ended up passing. I will never forget the kindness, concern and compassion that Alice showed us during that heartbreaking time simply out of the goodness of her own heart. It truly meant the world.

Alice is one of the BEST trainers around!! Alice worked with my dog and myself to teach me the right way to train her. To this day my dog is doing GREAT thanks to Alice; Ruff Love Dog Training!!! Highly recommended!!

Alice is an incredible dog trainer who not only taught our dog some manners, but also taught us how to better communicate with him. Before Alice, our then 7 year old Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix couldn’t sit, come, lay down, heel (walking outside with him was always a disaster), leave it, etc on command. However, after a few sessions, he was, and still is, able to do all of these things. We can enjoy taking him for a walk now without him pulling, lunging, snarling and barking at anything and everything. During the sessions, Alice would coach us as well, teaching us the most effective ways to communicate to our dog what we wanted him to do. She also modified her different techniques for our dog to find the right technique that he would be receptive to for what we were working on. Fast forward a few months down the road after our sessions had ended, Alice goes out of her way to be available for our pup if we need to call her for pup advice. It’s clear that training is her passion and we couldn’t say enough wonderful things about her and her approach to dog training.

I don’t know how many good things I can say about Alice and her training. It was impossible for my wife and I to go on a walk with our Jack Russell puppy because all he did was lunge, pull, and bark at other people and dogs. We had no idea how to control him. However, once we set up some appointments with Alice, our dog, Rex, started to come around and listen to commands. She not only taught Rex how to behave, she also taught us how to tailor to his needs. She gave us recommendations for better food for him to eat and it seems he has a lot more energy now. She also held free group training lessons which Rex did a great job in since he needed to interact with other dogs. Rex can now sit, lay down, stay, leave it, heel, correctly play ball ask to go on the couch, and wait for us to go through doors before he does. He has turned into a little angel through Alice’s training. Even though this training was over a year ago, he remembers everything and if we ever need anything from Alice, she is always a phone call away and always happy to help out.

Alice really helped us with our 40 lb puppy! Teddy was rambunctious and full of energy and at times tough for me (4’11’’) and my 2 young kids to control. Alice trained us and the dog on the most important commands – sit, stay , drop it and leave it – she also helped with his feeding and schedule. I highly recommend her if you are having trouble with your dog or puppy!!

Alice was great with our puppy Betsy. She made an immediate connection with her. Betsy was very excited to see Alice at each session. Alice was a tremendous help with training our crazy puppy.

Alice is a very educated and professional trainer. She understands the needs of the handler and the dog. Alice’s classes are educational and fun. She treats each dog as the individual it is. As well as each of the people holding the leash. My daughter wanted to work with her dog and Alice gave her the training and experience to handle a large dog. Alice gave my daughter the confidence to continue working with our dog to pass the CGC. We have taken Alice’s Ruff Love Dog Training more than once and have learned so much. Each class was a continuation of the last and progresses each week. She is a true GEM in this field of dog trainers. Alice was always available to answer questions as they came up before, during and after class. I wish more people had the same passion for their profession as Alice does.

If you are looking for a dog trainer, RufF Love Dog Training is the one to call! Alice is amazing and wonderful! She is a true dog whisperer! She has a true love and passion for training dogs! Alice has many years of experience! So, so happy we trained with her! I have highly recommended her to many dog owners! Thank you ALICE for all that you do! Love Tara & Brownie🐶

All I can say is wow! Our new dog who is now over a year old had been giving us trouble with aggressive behavior toward us and then with our new puppy. I was ready to throw in the towel but decided to call Alice Marino of Ruff Love Dog Training. After just one visit, problem solved. I was amazed and not to mention thankful to you Alice Marino for keeping our family together!! 🐶🐶❤️👍🏻 🐾

Alice had great control of the dog and taught me how to be just as effective. Keep in mind, you must practice with your dog on your own. She was fun to work with and my dog loved her.

Alice is a wonderful trainer. She helped us a lot with our Shih Tzu. She is very knowledgeable, patient, and has a true love for dogs. We highly recommend Alice for her compassion and dedication as a trainer. Thank you Alice for all your help. We love you!!!

Alice saved us! We adopted a rescued Chihuahua mix during quarantine. We had no visitors for weeks. Our Lola got used to it! Then when we started going back to normal life – Lola was not socialized at all! She became increasingly anxious & one day growled at our youngest child. We called around & other trainers refused to to help – told us to rehome her. Our vet tech recommended Ruff Love. She saved our family!! Alice taught us about nutrition (with a more holistic approach). She educated us on vaccines / general dog knowledge. We did a training program with her and also a group class. We can never thank Alice enough. She is now so well socialized, calm. Walks well on a leash. Listens to our commands. She is the greatest addition to our family. Our kids are in love. They say Lola is the best thing to happen in 2020. We owe it all to Alice. She turned an anxious, fearful Chihuahua into the warmest loving family dog.

Alice is the most amazing person and trainer! Her genuine love for the fur babies is evident in all of her skilled and effective techniques. With Alice, your baby is not only lovingly trained, but you are taught to become the trainer, with positive reinforcement meant to encourage and foster success. My golden retriever enjoyed every minute with her, and couldn’t contain her excitement when I said, “Alice is coming.” Her sense of humor, knowledge, kindness, and patience creates the most unique and positive environment. She patiently works with the entire family, and is always available to answer any questions and provide assistance. Alice’s personalizes instruction is designed to suit the needs of each family, and each dog is treated with the same love that she gives her own. We are so grateful that she worked with our new addition!

We absolutely love Alice! We adopted an anxious rescue dog and Alice was able to support us in ways we didn’t even expect. We learned so much about doggie behavior and how to help our pup manage her anxiety. We loved both our individual sessions & the group classes, they were very fun, professional and informative. We felt so much more confident with our dog on walks and were able to give her lots of new skills. Alice is an excellent coach, teacher, and dog-lover–she always looks out for her pups & their parents!

Alice is a wonderful trainer who cares about the dogs and families she helps. We are first time dog owners and she answered our questions about everything from behavior to food. Alice’s love of dogs is present in everything she does. The group training classes were helpful because Alice taught us basic commands and pointed out nuances within how we gave the commands to help us make the commands more effective. She helped our children and other children in the class learn as well and corrected them with patience to make sure the dogs listened to them.

Alice has helped our family tremendously with our 2 Beagle mix rescue puppies. She is extremely knowledgeable, patient, and understanding in both dog and human behavior! We attended group classes, as well as private sessions and our pups and family have come a long way with Alice’s guidance. She took the time to get to know our kids and included them in every aspect of the training. She even got our tween daughter feeling more confident in her ability to manage the dogs on her own. Alice is professional and reliable, and truly passionate about her job. She loves animals and is very experienced in all types of behavioral issues. No matter what the issue, Alice has a solution. Thank you Alice, we will keep working hard with Lucy and Linus and look forward to continuing our training with you!

For the past decade Alice has played an integral role in the training of several Rottweilers for the family. I couldn’t possibly recommend anyone more. She has been patient yet persistent, vigilant and determined. A true professional that is not afraid to train us humans as much as the dogs! She not only trained our dogs in all the traditional ways, but she made dog ownership far more enjoyable. Its quite a site to see my 10 year old daughter walk a 130 lb Rottweiler with complete control and confidence.. THANK YOU ALICE!