Testimonials

We just wrapped up working with Kim for the last three month on learning how to best help our new rescue with stranger danger (very scared of new people, barking, growling, even one bite.) Through working with Kim my husband and I were able to reach a whole new level of being able to read our girl’s body language. We now know how to best support her when she feels nervous, and have a procedure to get new people into our home without our girl freaking out. Our girl went from hating someone just being outside our door to being relaxed and playful with two strangers within our small living space.
If we ever return to Tucson for an extended visit again, we’ll definitely be reaching out to Kim/Building Bonds to continue our learning. We HIGHLY recommend!

We have had an amazing experience with Building Bonds! Kim’s methods align perfectly with our values (positive reinforcement, fear free training) and our dog loves going to class every Saturday! Kim is so knowledgeable and organized, we always know we will walk away with new skills and ideas after each class. The online classroom she provides also has a ton of useful resources for continuing the training at home/outside of class. For all that we get through the class series, it feels like a great value and one that will continue paying off in the many happy years with our pup that are to come. We can’t recommend Building Bonds enough!

We have worked with Building Bonds several times to help with a wide range of behavioral issues for foster dogs. The training methods Kim uses are excellent and have always produced lasting changes that helped our foster dogs live happier lives.

Kim Silver is an absolute wizard. Our two rescue littermates, Quimby and Huggins, are delightful. But they were also very fearful. Born at the height of the pandemic, they hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to socialize with the rest of the world.Add in the twins’ factory-installed anxiety settings and we found ourselves with two dogs having regular meltdowns. A visitor to our home, the neighbors in their yard, taking a walk, an empty box – just about anything could trigger incessant barking and alarm.To top it off, the twins were attached at the hip: They couldn’t stand to be separated, even if it was just a few feet of distance. And sometimes, when one was frightened, it would trigger the other. I enrolled the twins in Building Bonds’ Fearful Fido course – and what a difference it has made! I wasn’t sure Kim would take on two anxious dogs at once, but she didn’t bat an eye: Two completely separate personalities? Two completely separate sets of triggers? No problem. To us, it seemed like an impossible situation. To Kim, it was a challenge she was totally up for. We are so impressed with her work, which is clearly a labor of love. She did a thorough pre-visit diagnostic to get to know the twins, their environment, and their distinct personalities. Her observations during home visits were equally as thorough – and very interesting. From day one, Kim made it easy for us to understand what our dogs were trying to communicate, and how to make simple adjustments to our environment that help the dogs feel less anxious and build their confidence all at once. Based on her observations, we started working through a variety of strategies and systems to introduce the dogs to novel stimuli in a way that felt safe to them – and their confidence has increased markedly. We’ve learned so much more about what our dogs are thinking or feeling at any given time. (If you’re a person who wonders, “Why does my dog do that?” or “How do I know if my dog is happy?” her coursework is for you.) The best part is that so much of the work we did involved play! It turns out dog training can be cleverly disguised as fun activities for dogs and owners. (We’ve really enjoyed putting together scent training games and other enrichment activities that the dogs go crazy for. And there’s always something new to try!) We’re also deeply thankful that Kim believes in (and fights for) force-free training methodologies, the efficacy of which continues to be proven time and time again. Training and behavior modification not only *can* be achieved through force-free methods, but are best achieved that way. Positive. Reinforcement. Works. Kim is a brilliant instructor who accounts for lots of different learning styles. Between working with her one-on-one and all of the great training assets she’s put together (videos, infographics, lesson plans), you’ll have lots of different ways to make sure that you always remember (and can reinforce) what you learn in her coursework. The name “Building Bonds” hits the nail on the head. If you wanted to, you could measure the success of Kim’s hard work by the sheer number of incredibly happy clients she has. But even better than that is the improved quality of life her dog-clients achieve, and the lasting bonds built between dogs and their owners. We’re sorry to say goodbye to Kim as we move out of state, but along with building the dogs’ confidence, she’s given us confidence that we have the tools and skills to help our pups navigate the new environment ahead. We cannot thank her enough for her incredible insight, patience, and expertise. She has a rare and important skill set that can benefit any pet owner. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with her – and Quimby & Huggins would agree!

Joyce S.

Building Bonds was recommended by a friend and we are grateful! Our pup came from an environment that had not afforded her opportunities to play and she had very limited leash skills. Kim has helped our very shy pup emerge into a confident walker and a playful pooch- eager to engage in games and learning. Kim has been responsive to all our questions and willing to work around the restrictions Covid 19 has imposed. The training is professional/ respectful, helpful and fun!

Sarah B.

I did the loose leash class with my dog and the tricks and techniques Kim taught us were so helpful. Kim focuses on positive reinforcement, but is adaptable to what works with different dogs. The class was a good size (4 dogs total) which was great for seeing how different dogs learn and process the training, but wasn’t overwhelming or chaotic.

Karen O'Hagan

My pup and I have taken both group classes and private training with Kim. I switched to Kim because I wanted to get away from a pinch collar and find a way to build rapport with my dog. Kim is professional and attentive and provides a lot of resources to continue training outside of designated sessions. She’s patient and great at taking multiple approaches to addressing a given behavior or concern and checks back to see how we’re progressing. I’d highly recommend Building Bonds to anyone who is seeking to address particular issues with their dog (my pup is a bit reactive and fearful), or who just wants a some guidance and a great way to bond with their dog.

Alexis K.

I had a very shy dog, who would growl and try to run for the hills when seeing anyone or any dog around her. Taking the puppy kindergarten got her used to seeing other people and dogs. She even used to growl at Kim, with a little work she was Kim’s best friend and no longer wanted to run for the hills, this class is good for anyone who’s looking for traing for their puppies to help brake bad habits or fears. Plus it was something I looked forward to each week.

Ava M.

Wonderful experience. Learned a lot and had a great time!

Rita H.

I highly recommend dog class here! I love the positive reinforcement philosophy – it is more fun for me and for my dog, and I really see the benefit when apply the training to real life scenarios. The class was fun, the instructions were clear, and she was so helpful with my high energy dog. Thank you!

Agnes D.

Tiffany R.

Great place for dogs and pet parents. Kim is very knowledgeable and uses positive methods. She has several certifications and stays up to date on training methods that are dog friendly! Oh and she even trains birds!

Adriana G.

Recently went to a seminar promoting “Fear Free” veterinary visits and really enjoyed it. This trainer came highly recommended by another trainer I work with, and seems to be very knowledgeable in positive reinforcement training techniques and promoting fear free lifestyles for our furry friends. Was given some excellent recommendations and resources for my clients.

Gail H.

Yesterday attended a seminar “Victory Vet Visits” put on by Kim Silver. As a pet parent I learned how I can prepare my dogs for “Fear Free” vet visits. I highly recommend this seminar to all pet parents, veterinarians & veterinary techs. I also always recommend Kim Silver as a trainer.

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Kim is the perfect dog trainer! Patient, professional, knowledgeable. The building is clean, well equipped and provides the right space for group classes. So glad we found her. We are first time puppy parents and this is just what we needed! Looking forward to taking more classes

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Kim at Building Bonds was our third attempt at finding a trainer for our dog. We were relieved to find someone who uses force-free methods, and seeing how much our dog loved her compared to how she cowered from past trainers really says it all. Kim is very knowledgable, helpful, upbeat, and cares intensely for the needs and wellbeing of the dog. I think any trainer should be primarily concerned with these things but it seems rather rare. I have watched my dog become more confident and I feel like we have the tools and skills we need to move forward with training for a lifetime. I highly recommend Building Bonds!

Pam O.

Building Bonds has an exemplary POSITIVE training program. My two young dogs (Wylie 20 months/Buzz 10 months) and I do multiple classes and have learned great skills while having fun! In addition to the lively classroom the instructors provide multi-media materials as reference. Try it with your furry friends-you’ll love it!

Rainbow Service Dogs Inc.

I have worked with Kim and absolutely love her. I refer many people to her and send my clients to her for snake training. She is patient, kind, willing to approach issues from various directions in order to find the perfect solution. She is amazing and knows her stuff. I am a better trainer because of miss Kim

Alison B.

This is a great place to help you understand your dog and how to teach him how to participate in the activities you want to share. Highly recommend this loving method for dog training!

Pam C.

I have been to many different trainers with my Australian Cattle Dogs. Building Bonds has been the best by far. Kim is extremely knowledgeable and very patient with my fearful dog. All training is positive and the building is spotless.

Susan M.

My dog, as a puppy, was completely out of control and Kim never made me feel uncomfortable about him. She just kept finding ways to outsmart him so that he was somewhat successful. I really appreciate Kim’s acceptance and love of all dogs 🐶. The warehouse where the lessons are held is perfect for distancing and you will love Kim.

Richard J. T. Ryan, MA

It’s easy to endorse Building Bonds and co-Owner/Trainer Kim Silver. I have just enrolled my puppy in her “Puppy Kindergarten,” after observing a couple of her classes. In addition to seeing her work, Kim has provided helpful assistance even before I enrolled–it doesn’t get better than that!!

Teresa S. & Richard K.

Kim is the ultimate professional and knows her craft. She focuses on the owners’ behaviors as much as the dogs which is why her business name, Building Bonds, is so appropriate. We highly recommend her as she gave us so many tips to leave with after our training sessions had ended.

Leonard N.

Building Bonds helped us train our fearful dog in a way that made her look forward to training sessions (lots of treats involved). Kim is a real advocate for our canine companions

K. L. Seifert

As a KPA certified trainer myself, I have been extremely impressed with Kim’s knowledge and insight regarding the behavior and interaction between dogs and their owners. You can never go wrong coming to Building Bonds for help and direction. Positive reinforcement is used in all teaching, one of the very few places in this area where this can be truly experienced!

Daniel J.

The facility is very clean and Kim is very responsive to your questions and needs. She has been willing to go out of her way to accommodate us. And most of all Ollie (our dog) likes the facility and Kim and is excited when he arrives!

Genice F.

Both Trainers are top notch. All the classes I’ve taken have definitely improved my dog’s skills! Great for agility, scent work, and obediance.

Terri B.

Kim Silver gave us some amazing BAT sessions with our rescue who was quite fearful of everything but mostly men. I highly recommend her gentle approach and experience to training fearful dogs. We are very pleased and have many tools for continued use and training at home.

Veronica P.

Kim is amazing at finding the best positive methods to train my fearful pup. Canela started with puppy preschool, kindergarten and still attending classes and is currently 11mos old. Kim is great at accommodating for handler as well as dog.

Karen O.

My pup and I have taken both group classes and private training with Kim. I switched to Kim because I wanted to get away from a pinch collar and find a way to build rapport with my dog. Kim is professional and attentive and provides a lot of resources to continue training outside of designated sessions. She’s patient and great at taking multiple approaches to address a given behavior or concern and checks back to see how we’re progressing. I’d highly recommend Building Bonds to anyone who is seeking to address particular issues with their dog (my pup is a bit reactive and fearful), or who just wants some guidance and a great way to bond with their dog.

Jon K.

Grade A experience. For the first time, someone who says they know how to train a dog actually knows how to train a dog.

Linda F.

Kim was very positive and attentive to my dog Taz. She gave me lots of good ideas and offered excellent feedback. My dog loved the experience (and the treats) and learned a lot.

Gayle Y.

I had a GREAT EXPERIENCE! Kim was very helpful. I’m seeing satisfying results already after only 2 sessions

Laurel B.

We have had a great experience with Kim at Building Bonds. We have two dogs with two very different personalities and Kim took that into account and gave us many great tips and tools to work with each of them. I appreciated her knowledge and positive approach to working with the dogs. She truly went above and beyond for us, and I would definitely recommend her!

David J.

After our family rescued a dog we knew immediately that she had some challenges that we needed help working with. I contacted Kim and we started working on the small things. Kim is absolutely wonderful! Not just with our dogs but with us as well. She is calm, understanding, extremely knowledgable and resourceful. This dog we had rescued (Sadie) was the biggest “challenge” dog I had ever had. After working with Kim, Sadie has turned into an amazing part of our family. Thank you Kim for your dedication and continued support with Sadie.

Pat P.

Ben, me and Jordy have learned so much through Kim’s approach to calming Jordy and making him work for his praises. He is doing very well, going to the mat without a problem. We still have some issues with him wanting to be right where the grandkids are, but as soon as soon as he has calmed down, he’s able to join. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but being consistent with him is the only way we can and do make it all happen. We really like Kim’s training by example as it lets us know when we’re not where we should be in any situation. Thanks Kim. I know we’ll be seeing you soon!

Lisa S.

I had the pleasure of working with Kim with our dog, Dublin, who was newly rescued at the time, and suffers from separation anxiety and fear aggression. Using positive reinforcement, improving Dublin’s experiences, and building his self-confidence, we were able to improve and modify a number of issues that we were having. We have continued to work diligently with Dublin to continue to improve his quality of life and decrease his stresses. I would highly recommend Kim and the techniques that she uses. In addition, she continues to learn and broaden her knowledge base to offer even more to her clients and their pets.

Louise K.

Kim is a caring, dedicated, and knowledgeable dog trainer who has been extremely helpful to me and my rescue dog, Brie, in helping 5 year old Brie decrease her manic type behavior, that could appear aggressive to another dog, when she sees another dog on a walk. Kim only uses positive reinforcement techniques to help improve a dog’s behavior. With consistent practice, I am convinced that Brie’s dysfunctional behavior will be totally eliminated. I highly recommend Kim and her use of positive reinforcement, clicker training, to help a dog owner with any behavioral problems that her/ his dog may present.

Karen S.

As a trainer that retired several years ago, I am impressed with the patience that Kim demonstrated while helping to update my technical knowledge. She was able to give me lots of practical new ideas for helping my recently rescue dogs that are both fearful and reactive. I would certainly recommend her to any one needing help in changing the behavior of their dogs in ways that will enhance the relationship for all involved

Kimberly D.

I have been lucky enough to have had Kim work with 2 of my dogs, personal and foster. She has shown everything from basic commands using clicker training and gestures, to desensitization and counter conditioning. She is a patient trainer, who will answer any and all concerns you have and check up on her students as well. Months ago, JJ and Eddie were not friendly at family get togethers, and I would put them in another room. Now they are confident enough to socialize and jump up on laps to be pet. Eddie has made huge strides with being touched in certain areas. And now knowing what triggers his moods, I am able to distract him with games, treats or just verbal cues. I would highly recommend Kim and Building Bonds to anyone who needs some help, it doesn’t matter if it is a little or a lot. I LOVE her methods using force free training! She has left me with the confidence and knowledge to work with my other dogs too! I can’t thank Kim enough!!!!

Nathan T.

Kim is a great trainer! She uses positive methods of training your pet to be a good citizen, learn tricks, and generally be a great pet. I learned a lot from her puppy kindergarten class, and my puppy has thrived from the added discipline and training in his life. I plan to take more classes here, and would definitely recommend them if you are looking for training for your pet!

Eleanor S.

We could not be happier with the work that Kim did with our little-year-old puppy who was rescued from a very, very violent situation. When we first got Merlyn, he would not get close to any humans and kept hiding in various places in the backyard refusing to get anywhere near us. The whole situation was tragic and we were determined to help him heal and become a playful puppy. Kim worked with us several times a week at first and he eventually proceeded to eat out of our hands and lay peacefully at my feet as I studied. He is now a playful and curious puppy, who loves to play with his buddy Meka and now welcomes strangers to the house with a curious tilted head, even if he doesn’t want them to touch him. I am sure that most shelters would have put him down being so terrified of everything. But, with Kim’s help we have a wonderful, playful companion who bounces around and races with his toys throughout our backyard, cuddles, and does not want to miss anything going on! Thank you so much Kim.

Murphy

I was referred to Kim at Building Bonds when I checked with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for a proper trainer for my interest in therapy dog training. I had ZERO experience in handling/training dogs and I really wanted a true professional that was knowledgeable and interested in training (some train but don’t seem to be interested in training) as well as being kind and educating the dogs and their owners/handlers. Kim does just that. She is special and the dogs love her. In attending her classes, I was amazed at the many accomplishments and the importance of the words “Building Bonds”. The teaching is simple and powerful. In maybe taking 10-15 minutes daily to work with my teammate, I really started to see the training working and I just loved it! We (my dog and I) both enjoyed and learned from each other and my dog smiles when we train together! It really is fun! Kim indeed knows her business well, and she brings joy, interest, education and fun into the workout. I am going back to take more classes and strengthen and renew those bonds. Be investing in a small amount of time, life and living with your dog brings much more than expected. This training conveys great joy and happy, enjoyable times! My sincerest gratitude goes out to Kim for changing my life in a way that I could have never expected.

Ryan F.

I cannot recommend Kim enough if you are on the search for a dog trainer. She is extremely qualified, uses only the most effective and humane methods, and has a compassion for her job that is very visible in the quality of service she provides. She approaches each dog and each client differently, and has an amazing ability to find the most appropriate solution to any problem you may have. My recently adopted dog, Finn, had serious issues with anxiety and fear towards new people and new experiences in general. She developed a plan to help change Finn’s fearfulness, and since implementing it I have seen a dramatic change in his confidence and ability to handle new situations. If I ever have a question or concern she always gives me a detailed response almost immediately. If you are looking to not only train your dog, but also build a trusting relationship with them, then choosing Kim is the best choice for you.

Alexis K.

I had a very shy dog who would growl and run for the hills when seeing anyone or any dog around her. Taking the puppy kindergarten got her used to seeing other people and dogs. She even used to growl at Kim. With a little work, she became Kim’s best friend and no longer wanted to run for the hills. This class is good for anyone looking to for training for their puppies, to help break bad habits or fears. Plus, it was something I looked forward to each week.

Toni M.

We signed our little Shih Tzu Walter up for the Rockin’ It With Your Reactive Dog class at Building Bonds due to his reactivity to other dogs in our condo complex. I really likes the way Kim took the time to make sure everyone in the class understood how to read our dogs body language, she kept the class small so that everyone could get the most out of the class. She made it fun for the dogs and really knows how to work with the dog owner combination so that they can work together and learn what the other is asking of them in a positive and calm way. If you are looking for a great trainer who honestly cares about your dog and want’s to help you understand your dog better then Kim is the trainer to go to.

Tom S.

Kim, thanks so much for your help. We are adopting Amber as the cat and dog are now co-existing. We sought out lots of help, but your encouragement and tips were the best.

Michelle R.

Training was a gift for my mom and a Yorkie. Kim was very knowledgeable about dogs. She provided helpful ideas and suggestions to help the two get along better. Kim went above and beyond proving samples, literature and resources on subjects of interest. Highly recommend her service.

Trina P.

Building Bonds works wonders. Kim is wonderful. She takes the time to get to know you and your dog. She is very knowledgeable about a variety of topics. She is extremely patient and calm, which makes everyone else calm

Ashlee D.

When my husband and I adopted a dog, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, we just knew we wanted a dog! Luckily, Kim was there to help. I had zero experience with dog training (my family always used a shock collar) but our little guy was so sweet and I hated the thought of hurting him. I was so relieved to learn that Kim uses clicker-training, which I hadn’t heard of at the time.To make a long story short, I joined a group training class and it was awesome. Our dog learned all of the basic commands and Kim taught me how to train him too! He responded so well to positive reinforcement training and I felt good knowing he was enjoying it. I finished the class armed with the skills to continue to teach our dog new tricks.Kim is not only very knowledgeable, she is also professional and truly a lover of all animals. I appreciated her understanding that I had zero experience with dog training, and she answered all of my crazy dog mom questions without judgement.