Z&M K9 Board & Train — Toronto Dog Training

Sound familiar?

You love your dog. Living with them is a different story.

Every walk is a negotiation

You cross the road when you see another dog. You've quietly stopped using certain parks. You time walks for when the sidewalk is empty, and you brace before the elevator doors open.

You've already tried

Group classes. A trainer, maybe two. Hours of videos at midnight. It works in the living room and falls apart the second you step outside the front door.

It's going the wrong way

What started as pulling is now lunging. What looked like excitement has an edge to it. You're no longer sure what your dog will do, and that's the part that keeps you up.

Three weeks from now, this could be behind you.

Your dog lives and trains with Maxim full time — then comes home with a handover session so the results hold in your house, not just his. It starts with a free assessment.

Book your free assessment

The programs

Pick the length your dog's problem actually needs.

Boarding and training together — one flat fee, no per-night stacking. The marks under each name are one tick per day of training.

Most chosen

Transformation

The program most owners actually need — real, lasting change.

21 days · 3 weeks

$3,450^from

Full obedience — sit, down, stay, place, recall
Loose-leash walking & house manners
Off-leash recall under distraction
Leash reactivity & impulse control
Socialisation with Maxim's trained dogs
Full family handover session
30 days of follow-up support

Ask about Transformation

Behavioural

Reactivity, aggression, fear, anxiety — dogs other trainers turned away.

35 days · 5 weeks

$5,450^from

Everything in Transformation
1-on-1 behavioural rehabilitation
Weekly progress calls with you
Structured real-world exposure work
Handover session + follow-up visit
30 days of follow-up support

Ask about Behavioural

Included in every program

No surprises at pickup.

Free assessment first

A no-cost 1-on-1 intro class before you commit a dollar. If your dog isn't a fit, we'll say so.

Daily updates

Photos and video every day, so you see the progress instead of hearing about it at the end.

Small numbers

A handful of dogs at a time. Your dog trains with Maxim, not a rotating kennel staff.

Go-home session

The part most programs skip. We train you, so the dog that comes home stays that way.

Real-world proofing

Downtown sidewalks, parks, elevators, streetcars — where your dog actually has to behave.

Follow-up support

30 days of direct access after the program — included with both.

What actually changes

The difference you'll feel on the first walk home.

Before

Pulling hard enough to hurt your shoulder
Lunging or barking at dogs on every walk
No recall the moment the leash comes off
Can't settle at home or anywhere public
You avoid parks, elevators and busy streets
Guests at the door are an event you dread

After the program

Loose leash on a downtown sidewalk
Calm passing other dogs, no reaction
Comes back on one cue, off leash
Settles on command at home and in public
Parks, elevators and streetcars are routine
Guests arrive and nothing happens

How we're different

Your dog trains with Maxim. Not with staff.

Most board & train programs run out of a facility, where your dog is handled by whoever is on shift. That's the part we do differently.

	Z&M K9	Many board & train programs
Who trains your dog	Maxim, every session	Kennel staff, often rotating
Dogs in the program at once	A handful	Facility-scale
Where the training happens	Real downtown streets, parks, elevators, streetcars	Mostly on-site grounds
Updates while your dog is away	Daily photo and video	Varies
Go-home handover session	Included	Sometimes
Support after pickup	30 days direct access to Maxim	Varies
Assessment before you pay	Free 1-on-1, no obligation	Varies
Pricing	One flat fee, boarding included	Varies

Who trains your dog

Maxim Dorofeev

I've lived with dogs since I was a child and I've been training professionally for over 12 years. Over that time I've built my own methods — relationship first, pressure never as a shortcut.

What matters most to me isn't a dog that performs tricks. It's the relationship between you and your dog: that you can trust each other, walk down a street without bracing, and actually enjoy the animal you brought home.

I'm also an American Bully breeder, with two females trained entirely by me. Your dog trains alongside dogs that are already where yours needs to be.

12+ yearsBehavioural specialistOff-leashProtectionSport & swimmingBark Elite Pro

Verified reviews · Google & Bark

5.0 across 49 reviews on Google and Bark.

Not a single review below five stars, across both platforms.

High energy · Recall

"He's got amazing experience and definitely knows his dogs."

Karolina L. — Google

Board & train

"A great experience leaving my dog with Maxim for a board and train program."

Vidit — Bark

General obedience

"A game-changer for us and our pup."

Kate T. — Google

Reactivity

"I have a completely different dog."

Jay — Bark

Puppy training

"Maxim is a dog whisperer."

Carina — Bark

Leash reactivity

"Walking him is such a pleasure now."

Laura — Bark

Owner coaching

"He trains you to be a better pet owner."

Rain — Bark

Off-leash

"Now he can confidently walk off leash!"

Pasut — Bark

Before you enquire

The questions owners actually ask.

What training methods do you use?

Both, and it's your call. Maxim's approach is relationship first — building the dog's motivation to work with you rather than against you. He also works with training tools, including slip lead, prong and e-collar, where an owner wants them and the dog needs them. Nothing gets used without discussing it with you first. If you have a firm preference either way, say so at the assessment and he'll work within it.

Is my dog too far gone for this?

That's exactly what the free assessment is for. Maxim works with your dog in person and tells you honestly whether he can help, which program fits, and what's realistic in the time. If he doesn't think it's a fit, he'll say so rather than take your money.

How do I know what's happening while my dog is away?

Photos and video every day. You watch the progress as it happens instead of hearing about it at pickup.

What happens when my dog comes home?

You get a handover session — Maxim trains you, not just the dog. This is the part most programs skip, and it's the reason results fall apart in week two. After that you have 30 days of direct access to him for anything that comes up.

$3,450 is a lot of money.

It is. It's also one flat fee with boarding and training together — not a nightly kennel rate with lessons billed on top. And you don't commit to any of it until after the free assessment, where you find out which program your dog actually needs before you spend anything.

Step one is free

Tell us about your dog.

We'll reply with the right program and book your free intro assessment. Usually within a day.

Your name Please enter your name.

Phone number Please enter a phone number.

Email Please enter a valid email address.

Your dog — breed and age Please tell us your dog's breed and age.

What do you want fixed?

When would you like to start?

Your details go straight to Maxim. No spam, no mailing list, and we never share your information.

Something went wrong sending that — your enquiry was not received. Please check your connection and try again.

01Maxim replies personally — usually the same day, always within 24 hours.
02You book a free 1-on-1 intro class. No cost, no obligation, no card needed.
03He assesses your dog in person and tells you which program fits — or if none does.