Beth and Seth are fantastic. The best thing we did for our puppy was get him into classes at. A Paw Above. We are constantly complimented on his behavior. Personally I loved the classes, I loved the positive enforcement approach to dog training. And I loved the explanation. They made dog behavior make sense. They're kind and committed and you can tell the genuinely love dogs and care about them. read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - Our little CGC graduate thanks to A Paw Above Training - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

We are LOVING these classes! We're so thrilled with Seth, Beth, and all the trainers! We really can't recommend these classes enough! We take our rescue puppy, Zero, to the puppy socialization classes on Tuesdays and Saturdays. He started out hiding under our chairs and after 3 weeks is starting to play with the other puppies! We're so happy with his socialization progress, especially because he has no other outlet yet while he's only partially vaccinated (puppies require 2 of 3 vaccine rounds). We're also so glad to have the trainers' help when assessing his play, Zero is our first puppy so we don't yet understand what his behavior means; Seth and Beth are incredibly helpful in interpreting what our pup is feeling! The trainers, led by Seth and Beth, give excellent lessons in obedience; they've really helped me see how "tricks" like sitting or touching are the foundation for good behavior later on like being home alone or recall. They also take time at the end of each class to make individualized recommendations, which has helped a ton with our puppy's biting. With lots of at-home practice, our puppy has learned a lot of really great behaviors; now that he's playing with other pups, he's starting to get distracted in class, but we're so thankful to have the trainers' help in redirecting him! The puppy classes are a mix of training and play with alternating 10-15 min sessions of each, which allows socialization and prevents the pups from getting bored of training. The trainers here really balance training and socialization well (which we never could have done on our own), they know just when to let our puppy play and when to give him boundaries. If you're thinking of taking your puppy here, all I can say is "DO IT!" read more

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Our puppy Remy came to us with a huge personality and a whole lot of love. Not long after we got him a family emergency flipped things upside down for a bit, so with everything going on I needed help with learning how to understand his particular needs better and give him his foundation for manners and training. I found out about the puppy socializing class and I am so happy we did! He learned how to play well with other dogs and we worked on particular lessons. The puppies got a chance to get their energy out, did their lesson, and then got to play some more, all taught with positive reinforcement and guidance. I also had Beth work with us on a couple of private sessions at my home to address his fear of walking by houses with aggressive dogs in the yards we pass. It made all the difference. Life has settled back down a bit and we have a happy, good, and confident boy. The trainers are all really tuned in to dog behavior and signals. It is a safe environment to teach your puppy how to learn to be around dogs they don't know, as well as learn how to be a well behaved family member. It was also great to see some whole families turn out to be a part of the training experience. I encourage every dog owner to bring their newest family member to class, there's nothing better than a room full of happy puppies playing together and learning. read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - Being a good boy! - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

I received my puppy as a birthday gift a couple months ago. I've never had my own puppy and I wanted to learn as much as I could. I stumbled upon the puppy socialization class while googling and I decided to take my puppy Penny. We have been to two classes so far and Penny is coming out of her shell! I'm so happy we found this class and both Seth and Beth are awesome with all the puppies! read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - Penny (in the sweater) meeting new friends. - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

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I took my peaches to puppy class for the first time and I can see right away how this can benefit my puppy. She already made one friend and she acted so differently than she does at home. Everyone needs help training a dog and this is a perfect place to get the help you need. read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - My puppy took over my seat on her first day. - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

I have never owned a dog before and last November we got a 2 year old mix lhasa apso from a rescue. I really wanted to make sure we did everything to learn all we can about how to have a well behaved dog. We went to A Paw Above Dog Training so we could be trained to properly communicate with our new dog. We learned so many cool things on how to read her, why she does certain things, how to care for her better, and most of all how to make her responsive to our instructions to keep her safe. We believe we now have the best dog in world now that we know how to communicate with her. She is so well behaved and we are so grateful for Beth and Azure's help. If you are wondering about the class and how it works, give Beth a call! The class is so awesome. They will help you to understand your dog at your own pace. What's really cool is that they also mentor other future dog trainers in the class! All their methods are so positive and they help you find what motivates your dog best to get them to want to follow your instructions. If you any questions about your dog, they can help. A Paw Above Dog Training also allows first time clients to audit the class to see if you will be comfortable with how they do things. She really makes sure that it's a win win win for you, your dog, and the others in the class. Beth and Azure have been in the industry for many years and it really shows! Our dog Muffin LOVES them too! Thank you! read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - Muffin learned so many things! She is now the best dog ever! - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

Unfortunately my dog got bit at one of her classes by another dog. Dogs that are not well socialized are mixed with her puppy classes. The dog was a rescue and not well socialized. It was pretty scary. My friend and I noticed the dog intently following my dog the week before but I trusted I was in a training class so everything was being monitored. It was my bad for going against my instincts. The other owner was super responsible and caring. Come to find out the class was not conducted as it should have been. A class size shouldn't be more than 6 dogs (there were way more than 6 dogs) and if dogs are not socialized extra precautions should have been taken. read more

The trainers truly CARE about you and your dog. They want both of you to have an encouraging, positive experience and they take you every step of the way. They educate you so you understand the method they are teaching. So patient, motivating and all about a great experience for you and your dog. There are so many courses that only care about getting you in and out :( A Paw Above want you and your dog to have training that will last a lifetime so you and your dog can enjoy great experiences together being healthy,happy and with manners in any situation ;) They offer 1st class FREE so check it out. What have you got to lose?...But a great dog training ... :) read more

we rescued a 1 year old Pit Bull (Sweet Pea) from a LA County kill center in January 2014 and wanted to insure that she had good training to be a wonderful family pet . we started her training immediately at A Paw Above Dog Training. We have owned dogs forever but the knowledge we gained from Beth and Azure is amazing. Our little girl is still a work in progress but she is a wonderful, well adjusted, loving pup that now gets along with all humans and just wants to run and play with all other dogs. The training WE received has been fantastic..............we love the class and will attend forever cuz Sweet Pea loves being there. Beth and Azure really made a difference in helping us raise a wonderful new family member............ I cant say enough about the quality of the service they provide. read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - This is Sweet Pea our 1 1/2 year old Pitt bull...........sweet as sugar!! - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

Beth met with us at our house for a private dog training lesson and she was absolutely fantastic! Our dog learned so much, or shall I say, my daughter and I learned so much! We have so many things to work on and try teaching her now, it's fantastic. Beth is caring and great with animals and teenagers :-) I highly recommend her, very very positive experience! read more

Last October I adopted a one year old lab-pit mix from the Pet Fair at Hart Park in Newhall. Named him Blue (long story - he's almost all black). I've owned dogs my entire adult life and I'm 60, so that covers a lot of years. By far, Blue has been the biggest handful, but probably the smartest dog I've ever had. He was wild in those first few weeks. So with some basic obedience skills I/we learned at our local pet store in a few private lessons, I went to work on Blue. He caught on to everything, quickly/easily. My only real serious problem (and it was serious), after those first few weeks, was teaching him not to flip out (literally) upon seeing another dog, cat, squirrel, skunk, lizard, bird etc. The bigger the animal and the closer the animal, generated the worst reactions. He would jump and lunge and wail and drag me and flip in the air - he came out of four different types of collars over the months. I literally walked him EVERY day for four to five months past a yard with a dog and a yard with several dogs and in the neighborhood where we would see someone else walking a dog in an attempt to desensitize him to other animals. EVERY DAY for that four to five month period before I found Beth and Azure and "A Paw Above," I tried to be out in the world with a crazy dog. He needs to be walked EVERY day because he has a never-ending supply of energy and becomes destructive if he isn't given the opportunity to release that energy. Beth and Azure came to my house because I was afraid to bring him to class with other dogs. I was still not sure if Blue was aggressive or excited about other dogs. Beth asked me to show her some of what I had been working on with Blue and was amazed that I needed help. He was so attentive and responsive to me and we had all the basic commands down. All I had to do was take them around the corner in site of another dog and they got it, within seconds. Within sight of another dog, I ceased to exist in the world of Blue. But Beth said immediately, "I can help you. I know how to help you. Bring Blue to class." She did not think he was aggressive, but excited and just hadn't been socialized around other dogs so he doesn't really know how to act and remain calm and he's a little bit afraid of the other dogs and what to do. Basically, that Blue does not know how to PLAY. I trusted her judgment because of her extensive work in animal shelters - she has worked with animals that are aggressive and have been seriously neglected, resulting in a variety of behavioral issues. I trusted Beth, but was still very afraid of walking into an environment with other dogs and trying to keep control of Blue. But Beth started this out so easy and so slowly and gave Blue (and me) only as much as she could see that he could manage/handle. Introducing one dog at a time and watching/supervising Blue's reactions. That was about two to three months ago. Today we walk into class, Blue still a little bit tense, but no longer is he dragging me all the way around the world. He plays easily and interacts with the other dogs. Once in a while he needs to be reminded that he is not playing "nice." My favorite thing about A Paw Above classes is that the first 15 to 20 minutes is spent with free play, allowing the dogs to release some of that pent-up energy and the anxiety of wanting to meet every dog in the room, without having the constraints of a leash. If the group can handle it (depends of the personalities and the level of dog comfort), they are allowed to run around and play off-leash. They are always supervised. Sometimes, they have to be on leash until all of the dogs are comfortable. Sometimes we come in one at a time if a dog is struggling like Blue was and needs to meet each dog one on one instead of all the dogs romping around them at once. After the dogs have had some free play time and worked off some of their excess energy, then the lesson of the week begins. Classes are often catered/organized around the dog that has the most/worst issues - all the other dogs get to learn whatever is being worked on and how to deal with a dog that has "issues." There is no judgment about a dog and his/her issues, only attempts to gradually modify the troubling behaviors. Hey.....people could use this! I can walk Blue around my neighborhood now. He doesn't attempt to drag me all over the universe, though he still struggles when he sees another dog. This may always be tough for him, but it is so much more manageable now. I have learned the skills to get Blue to return his focus to me and they work about 90% of the time. I can deal with a 10% failure rate and actually, it just keeps getting better all the time. Even when we fail, it is now very brief and I can "manage" it. I can't say enough good/great things about "A Paw Above." I hope that Blue and I might meet you there...... I promise that we will both "try" to be nice :-) read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - Here is my Blue! - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

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Beth and Seth are amazing. We had private training sessions, doggy daycare and boarding with Beth and puppy playtime with Beth and Seth. Our puppy is now very well socialized and they and their team provided us with great guidance as we were getting through our first months. Very caring people and very reasonable on costs. I cannot recommend them enough. read more

I was told, "All dogs LOVE Beth". And Its true! She and her assistant were fair in their training assessment, gave us great guidance, and challenged us to succeed. I look forward to seeing what's next for me and my 2 year old mastiff. read more

The trainers are great. Their advice is best and works wonders for my dogs. They are always on time and you get the biggest bang for your bucks. I haven't found better trainers than Beth and Azure. They are very informative and highly educated on how to train each dog and packs of dogs. I love their classes. My dogs and I benefited extremely well from their training. They are very down to earth and are extremely sweet to every dog and owner. I love how then encourage the rest of the family, including kids to get involved and learn commands. It's outstanding when I see youngsters commanding the dog to sit and the dog obeys.  They use positive training and it works quickly and lasts a lifetime. They also encourage happiness into training. Each owner walks away educated with a well trained dog. If you want the best... contact them and become a happy family with happy dogs. Their other services are great too. The boarding arrangements are wonderful. The dogs are happy and very well taken care of. Private lessons are amazing. That one on one is perfect. They train where the dog's problems exist. So the issues are fixed quicker, with long lasting effects. They haven't become stuck on any dog issues. Again, they focus on positive training.  I am so happy I found them. They did an excellent job training my dogs and educating me about keeping my dogs well trained and happy. Our little pack is excellent and happy due to the dedication of these 2 awesome dog trainers. read more

A Paw Above Dog Training - My very well trained, happy dog Sara. Jumping for joy!!! Thanks to Beth and Azure. - Pet Training Near Me - Valencia, California

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We adopted our 2nd dog (Skittles) about a year ago; he was labeled as a shy dog and came with a number of fear issues. Our 1st dog (Lollipop) is definitely the leader and helped show Skittles the ropes, but Skittles needed more help than either Lolli or we could do on our own. We contacted A Paw Above and worked with Beth privately for 2 or 3 sessions. She helped us to make walks enjoyable for Skittles, and how to temper his reaction to other dogs encountered on walks (how to walk past other dogs without lunging, barking or going into a heightened state). Beth provided us with different ideas in training Skittles (Gentle Leader, treats, engaging his nose) that were very helpful. With Beth's guidance, we gradually saw improvements in Skittles' behavior. As the next step in his (and our!) training, we signed for an off-leash obedience/socialization class for both dogs with A Paw Above. With Lolli, who is entirely food driven, Beth suggested that we just use her regular food for incentive since treats like hot dogs and cheese send her into overdrive. The classes helped train Lolli to focus on us (regardless of the food distractions nearby). Again, the steps were gradual and Beth and Azure worked with us to help Skittles find his footing. He would start each class with his muzzle on and as he relaxed, we were able to remove it. Skills are worked on in each class but there is also time for the dogs just to run around and sniff and interact with each other. In addition to solidifying learning such as sit and stay etc., Skittles learned about what is appropriate behavior when hanging around with other dogs and how to play with dogs (besides Lolli). It's been wonderful to see his confidence grow. A Paw Above Dog Training has been a great experience for our dogs (and us)! read more

Beth and Azure did wonders for my pit bull pup 4 years ago. I only took puppy kindergarten with them, but what they helped set up was a lifetime of great doggie manners. My dog has her AKC Puppy Star and AKC Canine Good Citizen. She'll be taking her AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen soon. She is also now my service dog and I couldn't have done it without the solid foundation we worked on here! The training and puppy socialization was well worth it! read more

Everyone here is amazing! My dog, Rocket, is a rescue with a history of abuse. Needless to say his doggy social skills need improvement! All the trainers are patient and understanding with me and with Rocket. They take the time to explain behaviors and methods of training so I have a full understanding of everything. They had more confidence in Rocket than I did! I am so thankful I found this class! read more