It's now 2026 and I am still not over the disappointment of my experience "to get experience" at ABC. It altered my life - after talking with them in detail about my internships which did not follow the game plan I made with ABC, well I do foster dogs now but will always wonder about where I would be if their program would have had proper protocol in getting real experience after excelling 2 times on the academic requirements. read more

Don't do it! Let me tell you why this program does NOT work! Externship placement is at public community agencies which focus on Spay/Neuter, and immunization services. With reason (avoid liability), students are placed as "volunteers" and are expected to practice over 100 standards for veterinary assistance; students do not have opportunity to practice most skills! Students are not placed at private veterinary clinics. This information is not disclosed at time of registration. But they do state that the externship agency is NOT a school. Good point... Hence the scoring of students is unreliable since most skills were not experienced and the scoring is completely subjective. The individual scoring the student may have not observed the student practicing the skills and can only assume he did or did not. This is why an old fashioned program is best for this career. Students need to hear the theory but also need guidance for hands-on experience. It is sort of how a lab (hands-on class) is required for science classes in college. ABC provides very few videos in each unit but not enough to cover all the standards required. If you go this route, look for as many videos as possible on all the standards. read more

I went through the Dog Training Obedience Program and graduated in 2016, and I started building up my clientele to start my own business. In 2025, I was asked to become a mentor trainer to new students to help them gain experience working with dogs and their owners. I just recently graduated from their Service Dog Training program and I'm now able to offer more services and help to those in need. This college has been amazing, the programs are very easy to follow and the staff are very supportive throughout the whole program. I would recommend this school to EVERYONE who wants to become a successful trainer. This school has taught me so much, and I would not be where I am today without them! read more

I was recently contacted and invited to attend Animal Behavior's "Pawsitive Advice Series for Pooches: Ask the Trainer with Steven Appelbaum who is the founder and CEO of Animal Behavior College in California. Thank you Angela Pena, Heather Rupe, and Steven Applebaum for allowing me to participate in this informative experience. A special shout out to Steve's dog Roy. The event was held via Zoom and participants were able to submit questions ahead of time as well as ask anything they wanted during the event. I have a Jack Russell terror I mean terrier named Sunny and a Chihuahua named Taco. Even though my dogs are elderly Steve assured me you could still teach an old dog new tricks. Steve was able to give me advice on trying to get Sunny to get along with certain family members and we also discussed how he prefers to have my bed to himself. I enjoyed getting to hear about Steve's experience training animals in the entertainment field. I think I spoke to him for close to two hours and I could have picked his brain all night. To that end he even made himself available to me by email after the event. After the event I was even sent a few gifts for my pups who loved the treats and especially the brush. If you have a chance to participate in this event I highly recommend it. Steve has a vast wealth of knowledge concerning animal training and it is so kind of him to share it with all of us paw parents. Thanks again Steve from Ariel, Sunny, and Taco. read more

I have a 1 year old Bully Pitbull named Otis that I've done most of the training with on my own so imagine my excitement when I was able to participate in the Pawsitive Advice series for Kitties and Poochies: "Ask The Trainer" event that was hosted by the Animal Behavior College on 10/17/2019! To be able to pick the brain of Steven Applebaum, the Founder and President of A.B.C. and ask any training questions that I had really was SO HELPFUL to me as a pet parent! I now have a game plan on what to do to further the training with my fur baby Otis! This event was held via phone conference w/ just a few other pet parents so we were able to ask Steven any training questions we had & his feedback was very helpful and very thorough. He really took time to answer each of our questions & offered resources to help find local trainers, if needed, which was so appreciated! And I have to say it was also very interesting & insightful to listen to the questions that the other partcipants had. Kudos to The Animal Behavior College for hosting such an amazing event!! Keep up the AWESOME work! My fur baby Otis and I thank you!! :)) -Rebecca out read more

Animal Behavior College - My Otis ready to take his training to the next level w/ all the great info given during the Pawsitive Advice series! - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Santa Clarita, California

I recently attended a webinar online with Steve, Angela and Heather on "Ask the Trainer". We got some great insights and information to work with our grand dogs. I was honored to be selected along with 5 other people. It was about a 1.5hr session. In addition, I was graciously provided a "Poochie box" via USPS from ABC. It contained some dog snacks, key chain, dog toys and an Amazon gift card.! I am so grateful to be a part of this webinar. I suggest checking them out. read more

I was able to participate in my 2nd Animal Behavior's "Pawsitive Advise Series: Ask the Trainer" on Thursday August 12, 2021, with the Founder & President of the Animal Behavior College, Steve Appelbaum. This event came right on time for me. I was needing advise regarding her newest behavior. She now likes to spend excessive amounts of time under my bed. The good thing is I have a sleigh bed that sits high off the floor, so she can easily crawl underneath and chill. I first introduced her to my room, hoping she would enjoy sleeping on the floor next to me. I was trying to introduce her to new areas around the house. Well, fireworks were going off in the neighborhood and she became very anxious and headed straight to the back of the house and right under the bed. Ok, that's understandable, but then when nothing was going on, she'd want to go under the bed as well. I am a fur-baby mom again for the second time to yet another Golden Retriever. She is a retired breeder whom previously resided outdoors her entire life. She shared a run along with two other goldens. Since the last session I attended back in October of 2019, this little girl has come a long, long way. So I was excited to attend this event to obtain some much needed and valuable information. Oatmeal is still her sweet, silly and interesting self. Her confidence has increased greatly and she has made major strides. The events are still intimate and personable, taking place via a zoom conference with just a handful of other fur-baby parents. We each pre-submitted our questions beforehand, to be answered by Steve, during the conference. He addressed each of our questions individually, giving each participate elaborate and informative advise, addressing our individual issues and concerns. The conversation allowed each participant to expand on their topics, in a one-on-one setting, even though we were in a small group. The night of the event, before we were to begin a storm came through STL, affecting my neighborhood greatly. My neighbor's massive tree limb was blown off of the tree and over into my yard, landing on top of all of my power lines. A few minutes before the event, I emailed Heather to inform her that I was experiencing difficulties with logging on, even on my cell phone. After awhile Angela P., reached out to check on me. She asked if I was still interested in participating in the event. She was able to call me on my cell phone and placed me on speaker phone so I could still participate for the last hour and 15minutes. This particular session went over a bit, but it was soo well worth it!!! Since I was unable to receive my time with Steve, to obtain the answers to my questions, due to the storm. Steve soo graciously reached out to me via email. Steve answered each and every single question, in-depth and provided me with much insight. I submitted like 5 or more questions and the time he took to answer each question soo deeply and provide examples, was soo heart warming. This man took time away from his busy schedule to reply with multiple paragraph answers for each question and even offered additional assistance if still needed. Whaaaatttttttttttt, who does that!?!?......someone who cares.......that's who!!!! I am soo grateful to Angela P., for not only extending an invitation to attend but also for going above and beyond. Angela P., checked on me while the event was taking place as well as a few days after. She made sure I was still able to attend the event by connecting me through speaker phone so I could. participate. Thank you soo much Angela P., for all the hard-work you put into organizing these events!!! I am also extremely thankful and appreciative to Steve, for taking soo much time to educate and support each us with the challenges we're experiencing with each of our fur-babies. Thank you for reaching out to me after the event to follow-up with answers and by providing an open door for future assistance. These events are ALWAYS soo much fun and provide everyone with a plethora of insightful information, laughs and support. THANK YOU!!!!!!! read more

If you want a school committed to there students and always striving for the best then this is the the school. There programs are designed to set you up for success. As far as the tuition snd I did my homework with looking into other schools, by far the tuition here by far is in the lower range but your getting the same curriculum or more as other schools. You will also receive support to find a position after you have completed all of your training. There is so much they offer ! You will not be dissatisfied to start your career and schooling here! read more

I attended the introductory class via Zoom and that was the best hour spent in regards to learning about a thing or two for my pooches. The speaker is very knowledgeable and personable. I would definitely reach out if you're on the fence of learning about animal behavior and anything in between! A+++ experience! read more

If I started a petition to get our tuition refunded how many would sign with me ? This school is a SCAM I paid 3,000$ and because I went over a little time they refuse to give me my certificate. and also claim that I owe them 5,000!!!!. They bribed someone saying they will default the owed money and let them continue school if they take the bad review of the BBB website. Pathetic! I will also be writing a review on the BBB. DO NOT GO HERE, if you want a better future. !!!! read more

My love pup Boba and I recently participated in a webinar, Animal Behavior's "Pawsitive Advice Series for Pooches: Ask the Trainer". The meeting was hosted by Heather Rupe and Angela Pena and featured speaker and animal trainer, Steven Appelbaum. There was also 5 other fellow Yelpees that attended as well, which was nice because everyone had a chance to get all of their questions in. I really enjoyed the class. Heather and Angela did an amazing job in facilitating the class, it was so organized and well structured. During the class a lot of my questions that I didn't even think of were answered because I found that I wasn't alone, other new fur mamas also were experiencing same issues I had as well. Steve is just an amazing, genuinely kind, and wise soul. Even after the class he took the time to email me and answer my questions in depth. I got so much helpful advice during this meeting. And afterwards, they so generously sent a Poochie gift box for my Boba as a thank you for participating. Thank you, Animal Behavior College! read more

I had the pleasure of attending the "Ask The Trainer" dog training event and speaking with Steven A. and Heather R. along with other Yelp Elites. We had questions about our pups and Steven was very helpful in answering everyone in depth and providing examples through real life experiences. It was informative and nice to see everyone's pups during the meeting. Attendees also received a pup box filled with goodies for the fur babies and an Amazon gift card. Thanks Animal Behavior College, Yelp and Angela P. for this event! If you need any help with training, do not hesitate to contact ABC! read more

It's been almost 7 years since I was a student with ABC. Since I completed the program, I went on to become a full time groomer, and a business owner. I am very thankful to everything that ABC did for me. The online education isn't for everyone. With my hectic life of raising kids and pets and working full time, I was never going to be able to do a traditional school. This school is the only option that would work for me. If you are a motivated person who has drive and is self motivated, then this is the place for you. If you procrastinate or hate taking tests, or don't know how to use the internet I won't recommend this school for you. This school is here to help people who want to be better, they want to help people reach their goals and dreams. They can't do the work for you so it's important that you have determination!! The externship part was my favorite, after spending 9 months working on book work, it was exciting to get to fully dive into my externship and be able to bath and brush so many dogs. Once my mentor was comfortable with my handling of the dogs, she allowed me to do more and I began working on my grooming. I completed my externship with more knowledge then I expected but I knew I would still be learning more for years to come. The one thing that I tell all my staff when I hire them, "bathing is the most important part of the groom, without a good bath the groom will never be done right" I admit I can do a decent groom on a bad bath but I can't do an excellent groom on a bad bath and my clients deserve the best. I am thankful to ABC for guiding into a career that I love! read more

National Pet Month is observed annual in May & it is a celebration of the benefits that pets bring to people's lives - and vice versa. To celebrate National Pet Month, ABC was offering a "Pawsitive Advice" for dog parents to "Ask the Trainer". I attended the "Ask the Trainer" event via a phone conference. ABC offered this series by phone, so that dog owners from all over the USA could participate. However they kept the registration to a minimum, so that we all had the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice from the host, Stephen Appelbaum. Stephen is the Founder and President of ABC. So we received advice from the President. (insert paws clapping sound here) Stephen answered participant questions for a 2 hours and offered us a wealth of information, advice, things to consider and threw in some good personal examples. I took down some good notes and plan to try a couple things that he recommended. Stephen even gave us his email and encouraged us to contact him if we have questions in the future. If you have an opportunity to participate in this series, i would highly recommend it. They also mentioned that they will be holding another one soon, for the feline parents. Meow. read more

As a participant in the Animal Behavior's "Pawsitive Advice Series for Pooches: Ask the Trainer", along with other dog lovers/owners like me, we got to have a Question and Answer session with the Founder and President of Animal Behavior College, Steve Appelbaum. It was such a great learning experience for new and old dog owners alike. We were able to ask questions regarding how to train our dogs or puppies, the right way. Steve was very informative and he definitely knew his stuff. He has over 30 years of experience and he loves to educate. You can tell he loves what he does and especially pours his heart to the Animal Behavior College with his passion for dog training. Learning more about dog training and the work they do at this school is very interesting and what they do is very rewarding for dogs and trainers. The friendly and informative staff of this school whom got to speak with was Steve Appelbaum and Angela Y., the director of public relations and student services. This experience was definitely a Pawsitive one! read more

I just want to say that Animal Behavior College is not a scam school. I have gone through a couple of the programs and this school is great and legit! It bothers me when I see people who say bad things about the school, just because of financial reasons. I know of a couple of past students that liked the program/school, until they couldnt pay their tuition anymore and then all of a sudden, they say negative things. Like most schools out there, you have to pay some kind of tuition. And like other businesses, if you dont pay your monthly bill, you are in default and they try to collect. So dont get mad and say something is a scam, just because you decided not to pay what you promised, when you signed the enrollment and tuition agreement. I am here to say to not listen to any negative reviews about Animal Behavior College. They have been graduating students for over 30 years and have been doing business with vet hospitals, grooming salons, and dog trainers, all over the U.S and Canada. If they were a scam school, why would they still be around and have good standing relationships in the animal industry? Animal Behavior College is the best school out there, if your looking to pursue a career in the animal field! read more

This school is the absolute worst school I have ever attended. I finished my testing for a veterinarian assistant certification back in March , and they still have not been able to place me in an internship in September. After I placed an official complaint they told me that what I was asking of them was "the impossible "then, they continued to get rude with me, totally disregarded my urgency , and need for education. I have a family member undergoing chemotherapy. I have taken over the entire family's expenditures. Even after explaining the situation, ABC refused to waive the hundred measly hours (like other schools). In addition to ABC's complete lack of compassion or understanding for the current pandemic, I have been stuck in the same position for close to eight months now due to the inefficiency to move forward with their program. All of the wasted hours, thousands of dollars on intuition, and all of the miles that I have spent putting into trying to acquire my education just for them to ride me off like I don't matter at all is absolutely revolting. Once the school has acquired your intuition they could care less about your progress, or what you're trying to accomplish in your life. read more

I'd love to say that I have the sweetest, gentlest, obedient furbaby. But the reality is my 99.9994% angel can be testy in certain situations. It breaks my heart when he abruptly reacts. Is it me, us, the human, the other dogs? Anxiety? What brings it on? Then the guilt sinks in immediately after his poor little eyes shows how remorseful he is. :( So when the invitation to take part of phone sesh concerning dog behavior I did not hesitate to say yes. There were a few others on this Q&A who had some important issues and questions. The first portion of the call was quite informative as to this awesome institution. Thereafter we were introduced to the founder, Steve. Just by the calm sound of his voice and attentiveness to each of us, it felt a little like a great support group. Hearing what some of the challenges or issues other dog owners/parents deal with and by his responses, he truly is a wealth of knowledge. Both presenters on this call gave such great advice and suggestion. Extremely interactive that prompted me to recognize signs. Authentically very caring. I'm very greatful for having participated. For sure, it has given me great insight as a furbaby mom. read more

I was privileged with an invitation to attend a webinar for "Ask The Trainer" with Steven. We were given Q&A time with really helpful responses. Angela is a sweetheart with great communication. I appreciate Animal Behavior College and would recommend them for any training you and your furbaby may need! read more

I'm currently enrolled in the vet assistant program. I'm 19 and always knew I wanted to work with animals. After high school this school seemed the best option; cheaper than community college and online, so I could work at the same time. I've completed all my book work and I'm now in the externship portion of the education. I'll be meeting with a Vet next week at a local hospital to discuss my externship. I am nervous because no one really tells you what exactly is expected of you. I haven't been able to apply my knowledge in real life, and in the time between I feel like I've forgotten quite a bit. I work as well so I can't really spend hours a day reviewing material. In my opinion I would have loved to do solely hands on learning versus book work. The book work gives you an idea of what you'll be doing in the externship, but at the same time, I feel like I'll be expected to be able to be on my own, which I don't feel prepared for, and I'm afraid to tell the Vet that, otherwise they might drop me and then I'll fail. All in all I think this is a good program for what you pay, in the end it is just a vocational school and its cheaper than regular college. It's short and if you pass you'll most likely be certified within a year or so. I'm lucky enough to have lots of veterinary hospitals around me so jobs are available, but I do wish you got more hands on experience to feel more prepared for the externship. read more

Great teacher in helping us understand dog behavior. I did an online webinar with him and he thoroughly answered any questions and concerns we had about our dog. He also went over different habits and how to train our dog to divert from these bad habits. Highly recommend!! read more

I Started the Dog Grooming program in 2015. I chose this program because I love animals, I needed a change in my life, it was affordable at the time, convenient, and flexible, so I jumped on the opportunity. About eight months into the program I had many personal set-backs. I almost gave up but ABC never gave up on me. Angela Pena was extremely helpful to me in not giving up my dream, so I didn't give up. All through the studying and test process, student services was always there for me when I needed them. I completed step 10 behind schedule (final step before the final exam) and the externship services found me a great grooming shop close to home with an owner that was very willing to teach me how to do the actual grooming. In the meantime, I was offered a professional groomer job with the shop where I externed, while still having some personal set-backs. Angela Pena, Director of Student Services, has been one of the most helpful professionals that I have dealt with in my entire lifetime, and I am pushing 50 years of age. I have had nothing but good experiences with Animal Behavior College and their staff. I would recommend them to anyone with 10 stars, if they had that many stars. Thanks to ABC's caring staff I have achieved my dream of becoming a professional dog groomer. Thank you to everyone that was there for me and especially Angela Pena. Lela V. read more

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I'm a recent graduate from this school. My honest review of ABC is this: It's a wonderful reference point for foundational knowledge to get you off in the right direction. My experience with the externship portion was rewarding and solidified the knowledge and skills I learned with the provided curriculum. In regards to staff I can't say much as we had little to no correspondence, mainly because I didn't need much help. I spoke with my externship coordinator, Lisa, the most; she was friendly and just as enthusiastic as I was about my externship stage. The only issue I had was 1 rude girl who answered the main line , she had an attitude and hung up on me . The call was nothing more than a simple inquiry about the next step after stage 11. Towards the end of the call I thanked her for the information and her time and she hung up before I could finish. I chalked it up as maybe she had a bad day (we all have them) so I know it's not personal. Over all, I recommend ABC because the information and hands on experience is a solid foundation to get you started in the right direction. If you're looking to further your skills and knowledge this program preps you for furthering your education for other certified programs. It was a pleasure being a student at ABC. It was a PAWSitive experience! read more

I've attended for 2 years now and have had nothing but issues. 1. It takes FOREVER to get in contact with anyone. I never can get ahold of anyone. 2. They f*ck you over. Yep. I signed up for two programs, and was forced to do both at once. That's not actually the bad part, but it's the fact they forced me to, when ultimately they tried to first give me the decision. 3. It doesn't work on YOUR schedule. That's bull. they say it does, but they don't care. They'll schedule your externships when you have work, when you have appointments, whatever. You say you're doing something important? NOPE F YOU! CANT RESCHEDULE SHIT. False advertising, ABC! 4. They give you opinion based questions on your tests, and tell you your opinions are wrong. Okay? Why ask then! I AM PISSED WITH HOW THIS SCHOOL TREATS PEOPLE! read more

My experience here started out okay. When I was signing up for cat training, I specifically asked about doing my externship during covid and was told it would not be a problem and deadlines could be extended. And they were somewhat. My first program manager was fantastic, but she left with no notice to any of her students minus an away message on her email!! The school clearly didn't understand the potential this had for stressing out students, especially those at the end of the program--and right as I was finishing the special exception externship she had helped me to arrange. Her student should have been informed!! I got bounced between several staff members, some very helpful, some not so much. There didn't seem to be a solid record of the externship, and I was nervous I wouldn't get to take the final and graduate. I was able to talk this through with staff and take my final, which I passed with a 94%. But then I have heard not a single peep from them now that I've completed the last test two weeks ago, so I feel like I have spent a lot of money and walked away with nothing. The knowledge in the text is good, but what do I have to show for all this other than an email that says I got a 94 on the final?? There is something fishy about this program if you complete your final and get zero communication and/or guidance about what to do next. As someone who is already a professional in the animal field, I have to say at this point that you should save your money and go elsewhere. read more

Beware of this College they are scammers and only try to take your money and not help you out in any way. And good luck getting an externship its near impossible to get one especially now with Covid-19 you could be left waiting for several years to get one and still be having to pay them for nothing read more

I have a miniature poodle, and I've learned first hand that not everyone should be grooming animals. I've taken him to a few reputable places, and he has come back with visible gashes, which was mortifying! I tried clipping him myself, but I quickly learned that I wasn't any better than those over-priced groomers. A friend told me about ABC's online program, so I decided to give them a try. As other reviewers have noted, it's really what you put into it, either throughout the course or through the externship. It's worth it, though! What's great is that I always felt supported and knew that the staff at ABC would be available to answer questions, especially about areas I struggled in. I can now proudly say that there are no more nicks and gashes on my dog (or any of the dogs that I groom), and it's all because of ABC! read more

Hello I'm a veteran and I'm medically retired with a 100% service connected rating for PTSD. When I wanted to go back to school I was very apprehensive. My concerns were not being able to keep the pace with the classes in a conventional school environment. With my PTSD I get overwhelmed easy and tend to drift when in conversations of any kind. Staying on task is very hard for me when it comes to studying. ABC is very flexible when it comes to this because I'm allowed to go at my own pace within certain parameters. So if I find myself not able to sleep which often happens I can read or start my stage tests. Testing for me has been another issue as the added stress of having to take the entire test in one sitting causes me to shut down and go blank in spite of how much I've studied. ABC is not like that and Because of this I'm making A's in my veterinary assistant program as well as recently starting the canine obedience course program. Both of these in my opinion are full-time courses when it comes to the amount of time that I need to put in to each one of them. In the past I would not have done this. Iy would've been too much for me. In the past when trying to go to Junior colleges if the slightest thing stressed me out I would drop classes and then eventually drop out. I've never completed a semester since I've been diagnosed with PTSD at conventional schools. During my veterinary assistant program and shortly after I started my obedience training program my grandmother passed. I was very close to her and this was very stressful. I had been told that if I needed the time I can put my study is on hold. I called the staff and my instructors to do just that. They were very kind and helpful allowing me extensions for the stages I was on so that I didn't have to stop my schooling. Everybody was so kind and so accommodating that any anxiety about speaking with any of my Instructors as completely melted away. They have currently added new courses like service therapy and working dogs which I am looking forward to taking as soon as I am done with the veterinary assistant and dog training program. I have never had so much fun and been so interested in learning as I am at ABC. I want to acknowledge a few individuals by name and let them know that I will always be grateful for the help that they gave me. Kim kleinmam program manager and instructor of canine obedience course. Angela Pena Director of student services. Debbie Blaisdell R.V.T. Program manager of the veterinary assistant program. Daniella Retamal externship coordinator. Since my grandma died all of these wonderful ladies have called multiple times to make sure that I'm OK and to see how my studies are going. I have never felt so taken care of by School as I do with ABC. I also want to thank all the individuals behind the scenes especially the very kind young lady who answers the phone and connects me to the right person when I don't know their extension. I encourage anybody who is reading this and is considering the school to further their education to definitely consider them as your first option. read more

Animal Behavior College - Studying with help from my service dog Micro. Couldn't do it without her help. - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Santa Clarita, California

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We paid thousands of dollars for a photocopied pages of an old textbook. Did not include any instruction from any teacher whatsoever. this is not a college it is a scam read more

After graduating from college, the thought of being a dog trainer never entered my mind until I saw the commercial. Out of curiosity, I went to the school's website to learn more and was immediately sold. What I liked most about the dog training program was the convenience and flexibility. I have a full-time job and a very busy schedule. This wasn't a problem. The program is online and my ABC program counselor worked with my schedule and was always helpful when I had questions. The other staff people I was in contact with were friendly and seemed to care about my education. I learned everything from obedience commands to my favorite - problem-solving bad behaviors. I even used what I learned to train my friend's dog. I enjoy my full-time job and currently teach private lessons when I have time. I'm not sure if I'll ever train full-time, but I'm glad I took the program. read more

Animal Behavior College - Dottie and any dog I come into contact with benefits from the training I received with ABC! - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Santa Clarita, California

Okay, so I get a lot of messages on how the program ended up turning out so here's my second review for everyone- Am I a successful dog trainer?? To be honest, no. Sorry to burst your bubbles haha. But this is not a bad thing. I ended up following my other passion which is health and nutrition. I am majoring in Kinesiology and will become a Registered Dietitian and I am much looking forward to my future career. Here's how things went for me-During and after the ABC program I was working with (for free mind you) 2 successful dog trainers, Jeremy and Stephanie of K-9 Behavior Services, who specialized in dog protection work and service dogs. This work had nothing to do with ABC though. They did offer me a paid position but I was already working full-time and going to school full-time. My major at the time was Animal Health Science, as I eventually wanted to own a hotel/daycare for pets and offer training as well. I still would love to do that but my drive for health and fitness is stronger. That being said, depending on what your goals are should determine your decision of joining the ABC program. Obviously it's pricey, so if you are unsure about dog training or if you really don't believe you can make it in the very tough business of dog training, than you should wait on making your decision. But, if you are sure that you want to be a trainer than ABC might be right for you. The lessons are very detailed and the externship programs give a great insight on the business of dog training. I was teamed up with a great trainer named Penny Scott-Fox in Pasadena. After completing the program they keep in touch with you and are sincere about trying to help you with finding a job or starting your own business. The main point you should take from my review is that ABC is a great program, although it is not necessary to be a successful dog trainer. The other 2 trainers aforementioned, Jeremey and Stephanie (http://www.yelp.com/biz/k-9-behavior-services-fillmore) are very successful trainers and they did not participate in a program. Although I should mention he told me he worked for free for about 6 months with a mentor to show him the ropes of dog training. So will ABC help you with your success? Most likely. Just keep in mind everyone makes there own path. You just need good marketing skills, talent, persistence, and a bit of luck. Hope this was informative enough for everyone. P.S.- I forgot to mention that this program is a very positive-reinforcement type training, and does not teach much compulsion training. Although compulsion training does have negative publicity to it's name, I have seen it be very useful in training certain types of dogs, where positive-reinforcement just wouldn't reform the dog. Compulsion training is a very touchy subject, but has proven to me to be more successful than positive only training. K, good luck to you all! read more

I attended Animal Behavior College back in 2008-2009. I chose ABC because I really wanted to learn about dog training (I love dogs), and I loved it's flexibility. At the time I started ABC, I was actually in the military and deployed to Iraq! The program is broken up into two main parts: dog training theory and dog training hands-on experience. The dog training theory portion is a lot of reading and short question/essay completion, which solidifies the dog training positive reinforcement concepts. I came from a background in which I knew very little about dog training, so of course this part was crucial to my learning. I was able to complete the majority of this part of the program overseas. The second part of the program is hands-on experience, and you will train under a professional dog trainer. You will have to attend 18 classes with the trainer: for the first 6 classes, you observe the trainer's dog training methods and take notes/ask questions, etc.; for the next 6 classes, you help the trainer and his/her students with the classes; and for the last 6 classes, you will take a dog through the class and train it. Of course, the training builds on what you learned for the first part of the course. The hands-on training with a professional dog trainer is invaluable, and you will learn so much more. It's so great to put the theory that you learned in the first part of the course to practice. There is another part of the course (I believe that it's optional....I'm going off of memory, though) in which you can volunteer at an animal shelter and train dogs at the shelter. It's pretty much hands-off where you are responsible for training problem-plagued or untrained dogs so that they become more adoptable. I loved this part of the course because I trained several dogs that had been at the shelter for a while, and they were adopted out during my training! In fact, I was in the middle of training one dog that had been at the shelter since he was a puppy (he was a Parvo survivor and he was missing a few toes), and we was actually adopted out in the middle of my training!!! I know that I made a difference in that dog's life, and I felt so accomplished to have helped him find a forever home. Anyway, the program is challenging (again, though, I had very little exposure to dog training prior to signing up for the program). Even after you are finished with the program, you have the opportunity to interact with graduates who have years of dog training experience and who can help you solve advanced, serious dog behavioral problems. Most of the graduates have opened dog training businesses, and many of them are nationally respected (and some are internationally respected) dog trainers. At any rate, the support system during the program and after the program is great, and, as an ABC graduate, I would highly recommend ABC to anyone who wants to become a dog trainer. read more

What a great awesomely efficient school! Now only if we could get our public schools to run as well as the Animal Behavior College does, California would be much better off. Not that I didn't have enough on my plate and to do everyday, I've now gone back to school just to add to the nonexistent sleep that I was getting with two babies under two and a third in the 3rd grade. Let's hear it for those Moms raising a family and in school. Go on with your rockstar self! I've attended a few schools in my day. High schools, Junior Colleges, College (Go Bruins), other Trade Schools and none have been as dynamic and well-organized as this. Everyone has their job and the order to do it in. From the time you fill out an application to the time you have your head in the book reading is so very fast because all of the staff is on top of things. You miss something, they will call to give you a friendly reminder instead of you and your paperwork falling to the wayside. Something I really appreciated in the enrollment process is not getting asked the same questions over and over again because the answers to the questions asked are entered into your file so that the persons you come into contact with all know whats going on. What a concept! I wish that the nurses in labor & delivery rooms followed that same procedure. The school is VERY computer savvy. Like you know, I have three kids, it would very impossible for me to attend school if it weren't online and as efficient as ABC. I am now in the 5th stage of Dog Obedience Trainer Program which has eleven stages in the program. I am enjoying the reading, tests, and working with my very awesome and Program Manager Heidi who is very knowledgeable and caring. Everything just flows so well and I'm looking forward to getting to work with all the different people and dogs in the field. #AnimalBehaviorCollege read more

As a older student online I initially did not know what to expect, however the study materials are extensive professional and fascinating, the online testing is easy to follow , but most of all the personal care given to my studies by the staff is phenomenal. I mean they are 2000 miles away yet I can call or email and I get tips advice and counseling daily . My education counselor Jennifer always there for me when needed . I never wait for reply her insight helped me navigate through anything confusing. Then once finished with the text portion, my externship counselor Rachel continues to help me once sometimes twice daily on phone , email even assisting with my resume writing which got immediate results . They always steer me in right direction, I begin my externship this week and I feel confident that the studies prepared me along with the ongoing support . You are never alone my counselor is with me every step of the way Joseph, Massachusetts read more

ABC was great! Their program is exactly what I was looking for, and I especially loved the exerternship portion. I was paired with the most amazing woman who has been working with dogs for years. She focused mainly on aggressions and socialization issues, which ABC S written cirriculum doesn't really go into. That's probably the only thing I wish they had more of. I loved working hands on with the dogs and getting more involved in the shelter and rescue community. When I had financial issues, this wonderful woman from student Services reached out to see how she could help me. I've never had a school do that for me. All around, I would recommend this school to anyone. read more

ABC's Dog Training Certification program was my first online school program, and it was positive all the way through! From the minute I thought "Hey, I'd like to do that!" to the day I received my certification, ABC's staff was pleasant, professional and willing to work with me to meet my needs. The written portion was fun to learn and kept me fascinated all the way through! I was living in a small town in northern Minnesota at the time, and ABC was able to pair me with an excellent teacher for my externship. I couldn't get enough of working with the dogs! I graduated in February this year, and I'm looking forward to starting my career, with ABC's help. Altogether a fantastic experience! read more

I graduated from ABC's dog obedience instructor program with honors in late 2017. Overall, my experience with the staff was positive and the curriculum was well-organized and easy to access. The fact that I could work (mostly) at my own pace was one of the reasons why I chose Animal Behavior College. The price was very good however in the end I wished I had spent more on a higher quality school. You do get what you pay for after all, and ABC is no exception. Staff Support: 4/5 The people I interacted with throughout my education were very friendly and put visible effort into making my experience with the school as positive as possible. My emails were responded to promptly and they did their best to answer any questions I had. When it came time for my externship I waited nearly four months to be paired with a mentor, but given the fact that my original coordinator fell ill and I was living in a rural part of a rural state, I can let this slide. I'm overall very satisfied with the support I received from ABC staff. Curriculum: 2/5 As someone who is very passionate about learning theory and the highly-complex, highly-technical side of animal training, I was disappointed with the quality of the curriculum offered. ABC claims to regularly update their curriculum, and while there have visibly been updates throughout the years I quickly noticed that not only do the chapters state multiple contradictions on information, there is also plenty of outdated information. Had I not had a long history of training knowledge previously I would have graduated miles behind other trainers. The full course does go through all of the basics of dog training, including an in-depth study of learning theory. It also equips students with some well-known techniques for basic obedience and introduces training tools as well as safety and other topics. This program is, in my opinion, excellent for someone who has little to no knowledge on dog training but a poor investment for someone with years of experience behind them. Cost: 4/5 The price of this program is decent for the amount of information given. They offer a variety of payment options and have many mini courses available after graduation. These mini courses can be taken to earn CEUs, which will help graduates to continue their education. If you are someone who wants to start their dog training education but don't know where to begin, Animal Behavior College's program is for you. Be aware however that the curriculum is outdated in part and that graduating from this program alone does not guarantee success in the industry. You will receive a very basic understanding of how to train dogs and then how to work with their owners and solve problems with clients. I highly encourage anyone who attends this school to continue their education with other schools and organizations and gain multiple certifications. Simply holding a ABCDT title should be enough to get you a job at PetSmart, but it won't be enough to make you an excellent dog trainer and business owner if you don't put in the extra effort and continue to improve your knowledge on this very, very broad subject! read more

Best educational experience I could have asked for. My program manager helped me a lot with understanding the curriculum and making sure I was able to finish the program on time. My externship was amazing. I loved being able to train under an established Dog Trainer and my externship manager did a great job keeping me accountable. I am now finishing up some of the short term programs to further my education. Highly recommend for any future dog trainers, just make sure you have self-discipline to complete the online courses. I procrastinated a bit, and while the program manager did an amazing job helping me with my problems, they are only able to help so much to make sure you complete the program in the span of 1 year. read more

Wow. ABC went above and beyond my expectations as a student. Their programs are completely amazing my mind was blown. There was so much detailed information and knowledge in their courses. I highly recommend their Dog Obedience Instructor Course to any and all people looking to become professionals in the animal industry. I had mentors and program managers that assisted me and helped me the whole way through! There are so many perks to benefit from becoming an alumni, you don't want to pass up opportunities like this! Definitely got my money's worth!!! read more

As soon as I contacted Animal Behavior College to get information on the Dog Obedience Program they provided everything I needed and helped me make the decision to go ahead. I was quite apprehensive as I had graduated College in 1999, but once I received the reading material, those reservations quickly disappeared. The material was very informative and I could read and study at my own pace. I have a very demanding position as a corporate trainer overseeing 91 franchises in 5 states, making my travel schedule very stressful. I was able to read study and take my exams where ever I was, which was super convenient. My Program Manager Samantha Hamilton was helpful whenever I needed her, no matter how many questions I had. The study materials are challenging but I feel like I have learned so much. It's such a good feeling when you study hard and pass an exam! I want to thank Samantha Hamilton, Colleen Burbank, and Angela Pena for all their help. read more