"I have known Marlo since 2006 on a professional and personal level. Marlo is a dedicated person that strives to excel as a trainer. She continuously improves her knowledge and abilities through seminars, workshops, and consultation. Moreover, Marlo is a compassionate and caring individual that will go to great lengths to help dogs and other animals.
I have recommended Marlo to many of my clients (who need assistance with dog training) as I would trust her skills and techniques in helping owners helping their dogs. I have personally discussed with her on different topics in canine behaviour, learning, and training and appreciate her skills. Apart from dog training, Marlo devotes time to take care of many other animals as a member of different rescue groups, and as a foster for dogs, cats, birds, and small critters. Likewise, I would not hesitate leaving my dogs in Marlo’s care as I have been doing on a regular bases for over 15 years now. Seeing my dogs' reaction to Marlo’s arrival I know how much they love spending time with her on walks and in play. From talking and treating Marlo’s pets in the past I know how far she will go to help and support them. She will not save or spare any means to treat her own and foster pets in her care. This dedication is not a common practice to many pet owners, and is greatly admired."
Sagi Denenberg DVM, Veterinary Psychiatrist
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine
Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Behaviour

​"I have known Marlo Hiltz for many years. My dog, Sookie, is always excited to see Marlo and comes back from her daily walk well exercised and exhausted. Immediately upon meeting Marlo, it is evident how much she loves animals and how much they love her! Marlo has also looked after my pets in my home while I am on vacation. She is completely trustworthy and responsible. Marlo assisted with training of Sookie, when she was a puppy. Marlo has an extensive background in animal behaviour and training. I have referred many friends and family members to Marlo and they are always thrilled."
Dr. Karri Beck, DVM

I have had the pleasure of working with Marlo with my Portuguese Water Dog fifteen years ago and again this year with our toy poodle. The way she works with both the owners and the dogs is so incredible! She provides support, kindness and personable true caring to everyone. The only way that I would get our toy poodle was if Marlo was available to help, train, support and be there for all of us. I am so appreciative of everything she has done to make our transition to a dog family yet again so pleasurable and easy!! Thank you Marlo!!! We all are so grateful for your professionalism and expertise in raising dogs!!
Jocie Middlestadt

We just took Marlo’s puppy socialization class and it was such a positive experience. All the dogs played together in a safe environment while learning some basic behaviours. We also had a wonderful group of puppy parents and Marlo is so much fun! Highly recommended!🐾🐾
​Michele Lenick

​"Before enrolling in Marlo’s Puppy and Me class, and in fact before we had even picked up our puppy, we went to meet Marlo and watch a class already underway. It was obvious to us within minutes that Marlo was the one we wanted to learn from and expose our puppy to!  She is a natural and intuitive person – around dogs and people – and everyone immediately is comfortable and charmed by her open, friendly, calm, confident and extremely knowledgeable approach. Marlo taught us and our black Labrador puppy, Hudson, all the wonderful basics and got us started off brilliantly through the Puppy and Me classes, her wonderful notes and information that accompanied the class, and her willingness to always answer our questions about anything puppy related. Even though this was not our first lab puppy, we learned so much and are better owners – working with our dog in a more consistent and informed way.  Marlo also helped us with intelligent choices for fun and challenging toys to keep Hudson engaged. Hudson absolutely adores Marlo and is always so excited to see her! We’ve carried on with Hudson’s/our training through subsequent classes after graduating from Puppy and Me. If Marlo offered any other classes we would have taken them with her in a heartbeat, but she referred us to someone who did teach advanced classes. When Hudson recently graduated from the class, the trainer commented on how well he’d done and said she could tell he was one of Marlo’s students!  
Thank you, Marlo, for your good humour, trusted advice and the coaching and reassurance you give us as we raise Hudson to be a social, loving and well-trained lab."
Laurie and Phil Grantham

Marlo is simply the best! She was my first and best point of contact right from my information gathering stage of how to prepare for a dog and what to expect. As a trainer she is phenomenal. Marlo taught our family a lot and made the puppy stage much more tolerable. As a person, she lives her trade. She helped us over the phone, called to follow up on issues that arose with the dog and genuinely cares for not only the dogs that she works with but the families that she comes in contact with too. The help that Marlo has given to us is truly second to none. Thanks for going over and above and all the best!!
So yes... we highly recommend Marlo. Give her a call, you'll see right away why I rave about her.
​Aaron Silverberg

Our first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, though well socialized, nonetheless felt intimidated by, and so avoided larger dogs, energetic dogs, and hyperkinetic children. This we attributed to the gentle, affectionate, and submissive nature of the breed. On getting a second Cavalier, our new veterinarian recommended Marlo Hiltz as a trainer, suggesting we enrol our pup in one of Marlo's puppy socialization series. We saw immediate benefit, but more importantly, more than a year later we have a gentle 20 pound dog who nonetheless won't hesitate to mix it up with a Husky. He ends up as a soccer ball in these situations, but just gets up and runs back in. We never would have thought. We also retained Marlo privately to address a phobia of moving cars. We couldn't solve it; she did. In five minutes.On a personal note, we've found Marlo a pleasure to work with and a delight to have in our home. She's warm, personable; doesn't lecture, isn't condescending, treats you as an intelligent equal. She'll love your dog no matter how delinquent, and he or she will love Marlo. So will you.
Andrew Simpson

Marlo was recommended to us by several people and with good reason. She helped us plan out what to look for when picking our puppy and all the the way through his adulthood and obedience. We now have a one year old dog that is well socialized and a pleasure to be around for both young and old people. We have been so happy with the multitude of services Marlo provides and would feel confident in recommending her to anyone who asks for a good dog trainer.
Andrea Schwartzman

​"Marlo has been involved with Speaking of Dogs Rescue for approximately 15 years and has helped in various capacities; foster mom, behavioural advising, assessments, home visitor, seminar/event volunteering and her latest undertaking is as our newsletter columnist “ASK THE TRAINER”. Marlo’s cheerful and engaging ways are inspirational, she always has time for people and that is, no doubt, the reason she makes a new friend wherever she goes.  When it comes to training dogs she is what one might refer to as “double-gifted”. Her ability to work and communicate with dogs in unquestionable; she is knowledgeable, experienced, patient and resourceful and when it comes to working with the dog’s owner (the other end of the leash) she has the same capabilities which is truly a gift. Her goal is to help enhance relationships, to set and build on success and embrace dog and guardian as a unit, a team.  Marlo has proven to be respectful, reliable and trustworthy; she has fostered many dogs for us and we have come to rely on her to help other foster parents connect with some of the special needs dogs. We feel blessed to have her on our team."
Lorraine Houston
President
Speaking Of Dogs Rescue

"I have known Marlo Hiltz for over 15 years, and it is with the utmost confidence that I can recommend her as a dog trainer. I have worked in the veterinary field for almost 20 years and have participated in a training apprenticeship with Donna Davidson of Puppy People. Through the veterinary clinic, I have known Marlo in the capacity of a client, dog walker and a trainer. I have referred clients and friends to Marlo in the past and would not hesitate to do so again. Marlo has a broad knowledge base in training and behaviour, and is continually striving to improve her skills through workshops, lectures and practical experience. Her initiative, high energy level and commitment to her chosen field is simply unparalleled. Marlo possesses a natural talent for working with dogs as well as people. I have accompanied her on several training sessions and am extremely confident in her abilities. I have seen her work in difficult situations, where the environment is chaotic and no one is listening. Her ability to relate to even the most reluctant members of the household, and bring everyone onboard and involved with the training program is remarkable. I believe her extraordinary ability to communicate with, relate to and empathize with owners is what sets Marlo apart. Her enthusiasm is infectious and her genuine concern for the well being of every dog she meets is evident to anyone fortunate to have her as a trainer. I would highly recommend Marlo Hiltz as a dog trainer and have received extremely positive feedback from past referrals. Marlo is a credit to the dog training profession."
Catherine Thorp

​"It is without hesitation that I would highly recommend Marlo Hiltz's services for your pet whether it is training, advice or dog walking and group activities. Marlo is dependable, trustworthy and flexible, but above all, my dog loves her! Marlo has taken extra time and patience with my pet as she requires special attention. Also, where she could easily not take my dog on certain days as my dog is hesitant in certain situations, Marlo goes the extra mile to include my dog and make accommodations accordingly. For this I am very grateful to have Marlo and confident in her commitment to my dog Stella!"
Robin Iacurti and Maxi

​"We purchased a puppy Sept 1/05 and my husband and I never owned a pet. We did not know anything about training and raising our dog Roxie. We were given Marlo Hiltz's name and number and called her for guidance. She taught our entire family the responsibilities of pet ownership. Our dog is so well trained that our kennel that we use when on vacation remarked to us as to how well behaved Roxie is. Marlo taught her everything from sit, stay and come, to greeting everyone in a positive way. Marlo has the utmost patience with all that is necessary for training both the dog and the family. She is kind, caring and very loving in her interaction with all dogs. Whenever she sees Roxie they are both thrilled to be reunited. I know that if Roxie could talk, she would speak of Marlo in glowing terms. I give this recommendation with full confidence that Marlo is the right choice for helping anyone with their pet!"
Marla Singer and Roxie

​"I first met Marlo Hiltz when we got our very special, beautiful daschund, Noki 13 years ago, when our puppy was then about 10-12 weeks old. I'll never forget how Marlo had noticed us, me walking the puppy in a basket as I was afraid of dogs. Ever since that day, Marlo has been in our life, taking such care of our precious Noki. Marlo came to our house daily while we were busy working, picking up our dog, taking him with his buddies for hikes, frolicking and healthy exercise. Marlo is the most caring, helpful, compassionate person (friend) I have known and we had and always will trust our Noki with her. Not only she is an expert at everything when it comes to animals but she does it with such passion that is unparalleled. Marlo notices EVERYTHING that is out of the ordinary with pets, just like we (no, even better so I call her 'hawkeye') would. We can thank her for noticing our dog's eye 'not being normal', while walking him, she took him immediately to the Vet and because of her expert, immediate action is that we were able to get early intervention that had prolonged Noki's eyesight for 3 years. Marlo has a knack and intuitively knows when there are problems with the pets she takes care of. We trust her judgment so much so that I would consult her with regard to our dog, had taken her advice, recommendation and followed her in her selection for Vets. She takes care of others' pets like her own, with concern, responsibility, love and endless affection. Marlo even created a group for the daily walks, selecting doggies with similar temperaments, she knows them all just like the back of her hand. When our dear Noki had started to permanently lose his eyesight, it was Marlo who suggested that it would be safer if Noki did not go with the group any longer, in case if the other pals would spook him. She walked him separately on his own!!! 
I don't think anything else would be of greatest recommendation that the fact that we have an agreement that if anything should happen to us at the same time, it would ONLY be Marlo who we would leave our most precious Noki with because we know that he would still be with the family he loves and where he is being loved!"
Val Lazar and Noki

​"Marlo has a true love and appreciation of animals. Over the years she has walked our dog, Murphy, in all kinds of weather, making sure he receives a good amount of exercise, plenty of fresh air, and all the love and care he deserves. She consistently reports back to us and gives us good advice regarding his well being. She understands that some of her animal clients might have injuries or aches and pains and adapts her routine accordingly. She speaks to the dogs kindly and showers them with kisses, hugs, and healthy treats. Whenever we have called upon Marlo at the last possible moment to help us out with a walk, Marlo has always been there for us. Murphy is incredibly lucky to have Marlo in his life, as we are."
Pam and Harold Garfinkle

​"I got my first dog ever last spring, and it turned out to be an exceptionally challenging pet! Thank god a friend of mine recommended Marlo Hiltz to come in and train the dog and the whole family in our home. Not only did she save us in a time of turmoil, but she also opened my eyes to the whole world of dog training and love for animals. She has given us ongoing support, and I recommend her to every pet owner, for every issue, especially if it is their first pet."
Dr. Homa Jammehdiabadi and Sunny

"Marlo Hiltz is indeed gifted in assessing the needs of your dog, and training the behaviours that concern you. She truly loves animals and we feel confident that our dog is getting the best training and attention possible. Thank you Marlo, we appreciate all your help! We would definitely recommend Marlo Hiltz for any of your dog training needs."
Laura Shiner, James, Kieran and Jim Maloney and of course Midnight too.

​"My name is Neil Rubin and I have known Marlo Hiltz for several years now. I was introduced to her by my Veterinarian and my dog walker, both, who I have a strong and a mutual respect for. They both highly recommended Marlo for her patience and natural abilities to work with dog owners and their best friends. I was having some behavioural problems with my pup, Ozi.  Unfortunately, Ozi has had a rough life for his young years. He was obviously frustrated at being so sick and in pain so often in his short life. He was lashing out at me and experiencing serious aggression issues with his food and his treats. To put it mildly, he was growling and showing his teeth. He even lunged at me and snapped at me twice. After spending some time on the phone with Marlo and explaining our problems, we booked an appointment within the next few days. In the house comes Marlo and she quickly takes control of the situation and has Ozi under her complete control. I have met and spoken to many trainers in my life but I never met a trainer that had this uncanny ability to connect with my dog. This ability of Marlo’s is not learned, it comes completely natural to her. Just like someone has a talent to dance and be expressive, Marlo has this ability to dance and be expressive with animals. My only concern of course, was Ozi. Ozi quickly responded to Marlo and her commands. During these teaching sessions, when the time was right, Marlo had me repeat what she did. Ozi, just as quickly responded to my commands. I repeated this one command with Ozi that we were working on for a period of time. Once I was comfortable with this situation, Marlo started working on another issue, and so on and so on. She only worked with three sets of issues during this one hour period that day.  This way, Ozi and I did not have too many new things working at once and to continue to practice over the next few days. The hour passed by very quickly. It was a learning experience for both Ozi and I. If you are looking for just any dog trainer then Marlo is not for you. If you are looking for an individual that connects with you, your dog and has the patience and talent, then Marlo is the lady and trainer for you and your best friend."
Neil Rubin and Ozi

​"A friend of mine recommended Marlo's services to me. My position at work can be demanding and as I also have 3 other pets besides my dog to care for, my free time to exercise my standard poodle can become limited. The dog daycare that I used to take my pet to closed and although I visited several other day cares, I did not find one that I was comfortable with. As soon as I met Marlo I knew I had found the answer to my dilemma and I have not been disappointed! Marlo Hiltz loves animals and my dog loves her. She is reliable, trustworthy and always willing to work with me on last minute schedule changes. I am very thankful for the care Marlo gives to my dog and I would recommend her services to anyone."
Crystal Avon (and Finnegan too!)

​"There are very few people that I trust to care for my dog, and Marlo Hiltz is one of them! I recently had Marlo taking care of my dog while I was out-of town, and she discovered he had bladder stones. She went above and beyond what I expected, always keeping Taxi's safety and well-being (and my sanity!) as her top priorities. Taxi is now safe and has a clean bill of health thanks to her quick response and knowledge of animals. Marlo's love and devotion to animals is apparent from the moment you meet her. She will care for your pet as if it's her own; she is truly a special person who is lucky enough to have found her true calling in life!"
Melissa Kuttas and Taxi

​"One of the best decisions we made as first time puppy parents was to enroll our puppy, Emma, in Marlo's Puppy and Me class. Marlo is truly passionate about helping owners and their puppies establish a great foundation. Plus she is very knowledgeable, well educated, and very patient. We thoroughly enjoyed each session and through the sessions, we learned how to properly train our puppy. At each class, Marlo was an excellent resource for all our questions and even though our classes have finished, she graciously has answered questions for us.  Last but not least, I think one of the biggest benefits of the classes was the opportunity for Emma to be around the other puppies in a safe environment.
This helped socialize her and really helped build her confidence around other dogs. Thank you Marlo!"
Melanie Wells and Emma

​"Amazing, extraordinary, phenomenal – synonyms, yes, but they are all words that describe Marlo Hiltz. Marlo is an amazing dog trainer; our experience with her has been the most exciting and educational journey we could have ever expected to embark on with our new puppy. Not only did she teach our dog to behave himself indoors and outdoors, but she bonded with him in a way that has procured his, and our, friendship for a lifetime. By the second session with her it took only the sound of her voice to get Seriy excited about puppy class and private training sessions! Her patience is astounding; I’ve honestly never seen anyone maintain such a positive and serene attitude, even with a stubborn and hyper little guy like our Seriy. Her use of only positive reinforcement definitely worked faster in getting him to follow cues than anything we were doing before her arrival! Thanks to Marlo, he now sits, lies down, goes to his bed, goes to his kennel (willingly and on cue!), loose leash walks, and plays nicely with other dogs – not to mention some of the cuter educational tid-bits we’ve picked up, like high-fives and playing dead!
We strongly recommend you choose Marlo Hiltz as your dog trainer, we couldn’t imagine having had a better experience than the one she provided!"
Janna and Ilan

"I have a 3½ month old golden retriever named Rylie. I called Marlo when Rylie was 10 weeks to help me train her. As soon as she walked into my house I knew that I had made the right choice. Marlo has a sense of calmness and confidence.... she is so knowledgeable and offers great advice! Not having a puppy for many years and wanting to train Rylie the "right" way...Marlo answered all my questions...had terrific literature for me and more importantly made me feel confident and reassured in my ability as a dog owner. To watch Marlo interact with Rylie was fascinating! It was like they spoke the same language! She is so present in her training approach and by that I mean whether she was teaching Rylie to sit...lie down...walk with her leash ...etc....her only focus was us! I also loved the fact that if I had any other questions or concerns I could always call or e-mail her even after our training sessions were done. Marlo is a very special person with an amazing gift! I can't thank her enough for all of her kindness and help with my Rylie!!!"
Susan and Rylie Bloom

​"My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marlo after bringing our 3.5 month old Golden Doodle puppy, Harley, home from a breeder. We had agreed that it was important to learn as much as we could about dog behaviour and our goal was to nurture him into becoming a happy, well-adjusted, well-mannered, social companion.
Marlo was everything we had hoped for in a trainer! She gives off a wonderful positive energy and Harley loved his time with her. He was alert and responded immediately to her techniques. Our one-on-one sessions were specifically geared to our lifestyle and she ensured we accomplished the goals that were important to us. She was also extremely adept at providing relatable examples which helped us as owners understand dog behaviour. In addition, Marlo provided us with invaluable insight into Harley's body language and mannerisms allowing us to better understand his needs as he grows, enters adolescence and then adulthood. Her sessions definitely deliver what she advertises! At the end of our time together, we felt quite confident in carrying on with everything we learned. Harley is now 8 months old and we are so proud of all he has accomplished with Marlo's assistance. We can take him everywhere we go and often receive comments on how well behaved and calm he is. The dog walker we use on occasion has also told us how good he is to walk and that he interacts well with other dogs.
Contacting Marlo was one of the smartest decisions we made to start Harley's life off on the right paw!"
Valerie and Harley Butler

"Marlo has provided our puppy/family with two services. Marlo takes Ralen for a walk, provides training, and gives him his food as he is still eating during the day. Knowing that Marlo is providing this service has allowed me to work without worrying about his care. Marlo’s philosophy is to provide puppies with “what to do” rather than “what not to do”.  This approach allows Ralen to enjoy his training and he is so excited each time Marlo comes to work with him. As a dog owner, working with someone who is passionate about their job and furry clients provides me with peace of mind. As new puppy owners the perpetual motion, chewing, lack of sleep has been overwhelming. Marlo has supported us with strategies that have reduced the stress and allowed us to enjoy the awesomeness of our new addition!"
Marlene and Ralen

"We found Marlo through her website (www.wooff.ca), after welcoming our dog-son Harvey into the family, and were instantly grateful from the moment she walked in the door to our home. We knew we wanted to take training classes to ensure we set Harvey and ourselves up for success, and to gain the tools to teach Harvey positively and consistently. Marlos’ force free reward based methods were easy to understand, supportive and extremely effective. We took her in-home private training, and following her fun guidance and methods allowed us to successfully train Harvey to walk, sit, come, appropriately socialize, and crate and house train, and so much more. With the news we were expecting our baby boy a year later, we naturally called Marlo back to assist us in positively priming Harvey for our new family member, and to avoid jealousy and negative behaviours. We were once again beyond blessed and appreciative of her training and support, and we now have an enthusiastic and well behaved big brother in Harvey. Marlo is a fantastic trainer and human being. We are extremely happy to have met and learned from her, and highly recommend her to anyone."
Amanda, Melissa, Harvey and Hendriks

​"I echo the sentiments of so many others who offer testimonials praising Marlo Hiltz’s exceptional abilities as a dog trainer. Beyond her professional credibility, knowledge, astuteness and skill, she has a well-cultivated intuitive gift...not to mention an astounding capacity for observation of even the subtlest behavioural details within the blink of an eye. Marlo is a natural. She breezes in like a modern-day Mary Poppins, bringing love and pure positive energy to her vocation. You should see the way my Maltese, Sunny, responds to her presence! It’s a beautiful thing to watch. Of course, Marlo doesn’t just have a way with the critters—she’s amazing with people, too. Her kindness, gentleness, approachability, and sense of fun are qualities that endear her to her clients (or should I say her clients’ people? haha!). Marlo’s clear communication with me and ability to inspire my confidence and understanding has made all the difference. It means that the right approaches and methods for Sunny will get implemented effectively because I’ve had the right coaching and instruction from Marlo. After all, Sunny’s training depends on mine. 
Marlo has been a wonderful advocate for my dog, a trusted advisor for me, a big help to our family, and a real pleasure to work with. I recommend her wholeheartedly."
Janice Dudar Ciugudean 

​"No matter who or what your furry (or not so furry) creature may be, Marlo has the skills, knowledge, willingness and ability to ensure your pets are well taken care of and loved while you're away, just as they would be if you were home.  She has given expert care to our Boxer, Guinea Pigs, Budgie, and Gecko allowing us to go away for short or long periods of time with no worries or hesitations - we HIGHLY recommend her!"
Cheryl Combot

"Most people question how my dog was trained because she by far is one of the most gentle dogs ever and is exceptionally well trained. Most people are amazed at how well behaved she is. Guess what? My family invested in Marlo and her fabulous training skills when we brought our puppy home. Each member of my family took care in following all the advice and 7.5 years later we are all still reaping the rewards of a great family pet! I highly recommend the training from Marlo Hiltz Speers".
Heather Teperman Kleinberg

"I have had the privilege of knowing this fantastic woman for a few years now. She truly is an extraordinary person in that she has a unique capacity to interact with all animals. She is extremely enthusiastic about her work. I have been feeling that I would like to have a dog in my life, and was afraid to take the steps to acquire one. It was Marlo who encouraged me, did all the research for me, provided me with all the tools necessary for a successful relationship with the right dog. She found a truly remarkable Havanese dog for me and helped me get organized with the appropriate vet, groomer & all the ancillary support. This was no easy task, as Marlo made it easy for me and provides me with on-going emotional & practical support as well as running a very successful dog-walking business. I have never been happier since Roxie came into my life and this is due to Marlo's constant support. Marlo has all the character traits to be successful at any occupation relating to animal care. She is responsible, kind, considerate, intelligent, hard working, optimistic, practical, loving & most of all fun! She is also very active in saving all kinds of animals. The world is truly a better place when the likes of Marlo are able to make such a profound positive impact on people and all animals."
Miriam Rosen