Beacon Bay Dog Training Reviews

Pat Lee 2026.03.06

     

Meghan is quite simply, incredible! She saved us in early 2022 after we had two bad training experiences with our puppy Ripley. She not only took Ripley through her program, but equally important trained us. We could not have been happier with the training, and continue to enjoy the outings she has about monthly to reinforce the training. The outings are always great fun!! Meghan, Thank You SO much!!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training

Thank YOU for not giving up on training Ripley after that bumpy start. He has a great life and I enjoy hearing about his adventures.♥️

Jennifer Jones Connolly 2025.12.29

     

We had a wonderful experience with Beacon Bay Dog Training. Meghan helped us as much as she did our puppy! North was a 9mo old Aussie who had developed some really bad habits including jumping on everyone, counter-surfing and being generally overbearing. After a week at Beacon Bay he was much more regulated, unwanted behaviors have ceased and we have the tools to thoroughly enjoy every day with him!! We also love Meghan’s follow up and the opportunity to continue to see her on her scheduled outings!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training

Thank you for including me in your North-ward journey! He is an amazing young dog, and he is going to have a great time going on adventures with you.

Dawn McConnell 2025.12.16

     

As a first-time dog parent, I truly had no idea what I was doing when it came to training my puppy. Meghan came to the rescue! She took my very stubborn 6-month-old puppy and turned him into a true gentleman. Before going to Beacon Bay, my puppy would only listen if treats were involved, consistently chased and attacked my cat, barked excessively, and would not come when called. After his time at Beacon Bay, the transformation has been incredible. He now obeys commands immediately, sits and stays, comes running when called, plays fetch like a pro, and walks on a leash like a gentleman. While he still has plenty of happy puppy energy, he is now a dog I can confidently take out in public and truly enjoy at home without major issues. I highly recommend Meghan and Beacon Bay!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.12.30

Dawn, Thank you for trusting me to guide you as a new dog mom! You have done an amazing job with Macklin and I enjoy seeing his adventures.

Caitlin Anderson 2025.07.30

     

We’ve worked with Meghan to train both of our dogs, and we can’t recommend her highly enough. Our first dog, Winston, started Meghan’s program around a year old, and the transformation was incredible. Winnie became calm, confident, and truly an amazing companion. With our second dog, Blue, we’ve had Meghan’s assistance with puppy foundational training alongside the Fresh Start Plus program. The ongoing support Meghan provides is invaluable. She helped us understand and manage all the quirky (and sometimes frustrating) stages that come with raising a puppy. Meghan’s approach is clear, consistent, and rooted in truly understanding dogs. If you’re considering training, don’t hesitate to reach out to her. It’s one of the best investments you can make in your relationship with your dog.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.07.30

I’ve loved working with your whole crew—Winston, Blue, and the rest of the family! Watching them grow into calmer, more confident dogs has been such a joy. Blue is going to be a late bloomer but I will be here to get you through it!

Thank you for trusting me not just once, but twice. I know how much intention and care you’ve put into raising both dogs, and it shows. I’m so glad the ongoing support has been helpful. Can’t wait to see what adventures are next. Go, Blue! (And Winnie, too!)

Rachel Hunter 2025.06.16

     

Meghan is absolutely the best dog trainer I have ever worked with! I’ve hired 5 different ones in the past for different dogs and Major (our German Shepherd puppy she trained) is the BEST trained dog we’ve ever had! I spent several hours researching and calling around and Meghan answered all my calls and emails, even before signing a contract. I had the must haves list and she nailed all of them. Major went and stayed with her at 6 months and is now 9 months and people think he’s older because he’s so well mannered. He is to the point that he can chase a deer (literally) and I call him and he stops dead in his tracks and comes to me. Oh, and did I mention she provides EVERYTHING you need! I would rate her 6 stars if I could.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.06.18

Wow, this absolutely made my day! I loved working with you and Major and am so proud of how well he’s doing for you. That deer story says it all. What a rockstar! Thank you for putting your trust in me and for doing the work to keep his training solid at home. I know how much it means to have a dog you can truly enjoy. I’m honored to be part of Major’s journey and yours!

Samuel LaSusa 2025.04.10

     

I was completely lost after an incident involving my dog that made it critical to get some professional training. Thankfully, we found Beacon Bay Dog Training. Their team helped me to understand what the next steps would look and helped to ease my anxiety. They were incredibly supportive and professional, and helped us navigate through a difficult time. This training has truly changed our lives. My dog, Bean, has become obedient, confident, and calm allowing us to enjoy more time together and bring him along on my adventures. The experience of working with Beacon Bay Dog Training gave us back our freedom and autonomy. None of this would have been possible without their amazing team. We will forever be grateful for saving our little family and am happy to call them our friends.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.04.11

This means so much. I know how scary the situation felt in the beginning, and I’m so proud of how far you and Bean have come. It’s been an honor to help you both through a tough season and watch Bean grow into the dog you can take anywhere. Thank you for trusting me—I’m grateful to be part of your journey.

Dodd Russell 2025.03.12

     

Meghan is the best! We have had her train our three dogs and, most recently, our WPG. She took the WPG and training requirements of a bird dog seriously and took her own time to study the Upland Insitutes program, which she integrated into her own program. If you want a caring, kind, top-notch dog trainer, Meghan is it!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.03.12

Thank you for including me in Midge's journey. It has been wonderful to watch her mature into such a nice bird dog. Go, Midge!

K. “Mrs. Zickert” Zickert 2025.03.06

     

This is the second dog that Meghan has trained for our family. When we welcomed a new puppy, we knew that Beacon Bay would be a key part of our plan for him. Bogey was just over seven months old when he went for training with Meghan. Our objectives included having him behave well on a leash in public and ensuring he had reliable recall for off-leash walks. Ultimately, we aspire to have him become a visiting dog at our local long-term care facility. Meghan excels in her work and provides support whenever things don't go as expected. Bogey is thriving. He has turned one year old and demonstrating all the skills necessary to be a good doggie citizen. I wholeheartedly recommend Beacon Bay Dog Training to anyone who wants to fully enjoy their time with their dog, both at home and in public.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.03.11

Karen, it was my pleasure to work with you and Jon! I am excited to follow Bogey's adventures now that he knows how to behave out and about. ❤️

Savannah Molner 2025.02.26

     

My dogs behavior and the adventures we are able to go on now speak volumes about Meghan’s work. I worked hard to train my dog myself for three years but things as simple as going for a walk were still difficult and stressful, let alone trying to go to the beach or take him to a restaurant. I was constantly stressed and embarrassed of how he would behave around distractions. Now, he comes everywhere with me. Our bond is stronger than ever and everything we do is fun and stress free! He walks downtown, goes to bars, wineries, restaurants, and is on a mission to become a BARK Ranger at as many national parks as possible. Meghan has helped me achieve the dreams I had for my dog and he is living the most amazing and exciting life because of it. I couldn’t be more proud to have a Beacon Bay dog.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.02.26

Savannah, I love hearing about Wally's adventures now that his behavior has improved. And congratulations on become a real National Parks BARK Ranger!

Molly Melwani 2025.02.19

     

I highly recommend Meghan as an exceptional dog trainer. From the start, it was clear that she possessed a profound understanding of canine behavior and training methodologies. My dog, Taco, a Corgi, exhibited stubbornness and behavioral challenges that necessitated a refresher training course. Meghan’s patience, kindness, and effectiveness in addressing these issues were remarkable. The training sessions were meticulously structured, and Meghan consistently provided comprehensive explanations of the techniques employed and their rationale. She also offered clear instructions for us to implement at home, significantly enhancing the reinforcement of the training. Additionally, she conducted follow-up visits at our residence to address any remaining inquiries and assess Taco’s progress. What truly impressed me was Meghan’s ability to tailor the training to Taco’s unique needs and temperament. She refrained from employing harsh methods and consistently emphasized positive reinforcement, ensuring an enjoyable experience for our family and Taco. Within a few weeks, I observed a notable improvement in Taco’s behavior. He became more obedient, confident, and well-mannered. I am deeply grateful for Meghan’s expertise and unwavering dedication. If you are seeking a dog trainer who genuinely cares for your pet and delivers tangible results, Meghan is the ideal candidate. - Ahsan & Molly Melwani

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.02.20

I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience! It was clear that even with Taco's challenging behavior you were committed to helping him learn how to be a better family member. I look forward to seeing you out and about when the weather warms up!

Deb Duranczyk 2025.01.12

     

If we could give more stars, we would! We were initially unsure if training would help our anxious 5-year-old German Shorthair Pointer, who had issues with other dogs, jumped up on people (scaring us and them), and pulled us on walks (even resulting in injury a few times!) But after reading glowing reviews for Beacon Bay Dog Training, we felt confident in our decision to give it a try. The results have been nothing short of amazing—our dog is calmer, listens to commands, and even goes off-leash in the yard! Meghan's expertise, patience, and nonjudgmental approach gave us the tools and confidence we needed for success. After the training, she provided invaluable follow-up support, and now we can take our boy everywhere with us, which was one of our goals, proudly receiving compliments on his excellent behavior. Meghan IS simply one of the best!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2025.01.14

Deb, It has been amazing to watch the progress you have made with Dylan! I love hearing your updates about the things you are now able to do together. Keep up the good work!

PaulyJ Jonart 2024.12.19

     

Meghan is fantastic at what she does and we knew right away she was what we were looking for in a dog trainer. She went above and beyond and provided us counseling prior to adopting our furbaby then delivered on everything she promised. Would bot only recommend her but plan to use her for any other dogs we bring into our family as well.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.12.22

Humprey hit the lottery when you pick him as your new family member! He was a good dog and with your commitment to training he is now a great dog. I look forward to hearing about your adventures together.

Rachel Valice 2024.08.29

     

We are very happy with the results Meghan was able to achieve with our 15 month old Bernedoodle! We are busy family with 3 children and didn’t have the time to train him properly or consistently. He is such a large dog we were finding that the limited time we had spent on training was not going to make him the family dog we dreamed of. We couldn’t take him anywhere, he would pull on his leash the entire walk and would jump on and bark at visitors. We felt absolutely defeated before calling her and embarrassed that we let things with him get out of control. Meghan is extremely understanding and patient. She was able to lay down the ground work for him and set him up to be the family dog we wanted. He comes when we call him, walks nicely on the leash, and sit on his cot while guests are visiting. He also so much calmer, yes he still gets excited but he knows his boundaries and when calms down when we tell him too. She also has helped us start learning how to teach him fun tricks, be less reactive and walk off leash. We are so grateful to have her help and support. If you are wanting a family dream dog, she is the dog trainer you want!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.08.30

Thank you so much for your kind words! It was an absolute pleasure working with Charlie, and I'm thrilled to hear about the progress he has made. I know how challenging it can be to balance the needs of a large, energetic dog with a busy family life, and I'm so glad I could help you turn things around.
Your dedication to Charlie's training, even with your packed schedule, has truly paid off. I love hearing that he is becoming the family dog you always envisioned.
Thanks again for trusting me with Charlie's training. Wishing your family and Charlie many happy and joyful years ahead!

Christy Baginski 2024.08.06

     

Great experience for my dog and myself! Megan was wonderful & easy to work with!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.08.06

Thank you! I love it when people want a well-trained Frenchie. Lego is a great ambassador for the breed!

Sharon Husted 2024.07.30

     

Before we enrolled Izzy in Meghan’s training, she barked at anything & everything. She pulled when on a leash & chased cars down our driveway. And she was obnoxious when we had guests in our home. After the training & since she has been home with us, she rarely if ever barks, she is wonderful to walk on a leash & minds so much better. She comes when called & no longer chases cars. When we have guests in our home, she goes on her cot (we call it her “place”) & stays there until we release her. All in all she is a much nicer dog to have & to be around. She is very affectionate & loving to all that meet her. Sharon Husted

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.07.31

It was so good to see you and Izzy last night at our training outing. She behaved beautifully! I'm so proud of how you have kept up her training and continue to expect the best from her. She really is an amazing dog! ❤️

Dan Mackey 2024.07.29

     

I met Meghan at Beacon Bay through a friend that had his dog trained by her. He showed me some things that his dog had been taught by Meghan, (his dog was a rescue who had some issues, and needed some help) we have 2 French bulldogs, sisters who were about a year and a half at that time. They would bark at anything, jump up on people, would not come to us when outside, we had to keep them on a leash at all times. We needed some help. Met with Meghan, we went with the 10 day plan, because I liked the idea of any issues you might have later on, for life, you were covered. Our dog's, who were trained separately came back to us were 2 different dog's. The barking, jumping up, and not coming when called, was history. I was amazed at how well our dog's behaved. We still have a moment here and there, but we deal with it, learn from it, and move on. My opinion is if you want one of the best trainer's in norther.n Michigan you need to go talk with Meghan at Beacon Bay training. Dan Mackey

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.07.30

Dan, It was my pleasure to work with your family and "The Sisters". They sure were giving you a run for your money! Your dedication to practicing with them and becoming more consistent has been the key to long term success.

Carolyn Keith 2024.07.24

     

Meghan of Beacon Bay Dog Training is a gem. We had her train our puppy 5 years ago and then another puppy recently. She continues to elevate her programs. My husband says she can think like a dog. She also is kind and has a good sense of humor. She works with the family to establish or quench dog behaviors to make your life easier. For example, she taught our Border Collie to sit in a place (elevated bed) where he can be calm and rest himself as well as us on command. My friends that have hired Meghan as a trainer for 2 of their dogs have also asked her to train their new puppy. You won’t be disappointed.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.07.27

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It’s always a pleasure to hear from clients and your kind words mean the world to me.

I'm thrilled to know Gale is doing well with his training. John's observation made me smile – understanding dogs and helping owners do the same is my passion.

I look forward to continuing to support you and your dogs in the future.

Dr KAM 2024.07.24

     

We adopted a deaf dog who spent 2 years in a shelter without any meaningful training. He was not crate trained, he could not walk nicely on a leash, he bugled in the car, and he did not know any hand signs. Since we knew his shelter behavior was deeply ingrained, and that a vibrating collar would be key to his training, we sought out Meghan of Beacon Bay for help. Ashi (our pup) quickly trusted her and Meghan was able to resolve those most important issues in 10 days he was with her. We were kept informed of Ashi's progress via her social media posts, and had follow up lessons. Ashi has relaxed into a more confident dog and we are better able to communicate with him. Meghan was upfront about what our expectations should be. Since our dog is a deaf rescue, she warned us not to expect perfection and to think through what was most important. Our previous dogs were not perfect (also deaf rescues) so we understood immediately, but I deeply appreciate the fact that a trainer would have that level of honestly with her clients. A rarity. Ashi was a lovely dog to begin with, but now that he better understands us, we can safely take him out in public and increase his experiences and enrich his life even more.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.07.24

Kathleen, Ashi may have been a "rescue" dog but you and Jaime are the ones who truly saved him. By finding a way to overcome his communication barrier, you opened up a whole new world for him. Watching Ashi come out of his shell and become a real dog is one of the most rewarding things I have ever been involved in. I am honored to have played a small part in his story.

RL Strehl 2024.06.28

     

Meghan is a fantastic person and dog trainer. In addition to helping us understand our dog’s behavioral needs, she transformed our 1 year old Wheaten Terrier into an extremely well mannered and responsive family pet who now regularly accompanies us to social activities and during our travels without concern or incident. We highly recommend Beacon Bay Dog Training.

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.05.28

Thank you! Sunny is such an amazing dog and I love to hear about his adventures.

sage mitchell 2024.05.15

     

Meghan worked miracles with our dog. She was such a delight to work with. Worth every penny- we were struggling with our Roo’s constant barking and now we have a more peaceful home :) thank you Meghan!!!

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Reply from Beacon Bay Dog Training 2024.05.20

Thank you for everything you have done for Roo! Wishing you all many more peaceful years to come!