My husband and I came to Brad with our German Shepherd who was dog aggressive. We saw a huge…read moreimprovement in our dog's aggression in the couple hours that we worked with Brad. Incredible results in such a short time! We would absolutely recommend Brad! It's a relief having a dog that we can now take in public without having to worry.

Like many reviews have mentioned, we too were skeptical about seeing results within one in-person…read moresession. Nonetheless, we are so happy we found Brad! My boyfriend and I took in our cattle dog, Ollie, as a stray almost 4 months ago. Quick background: Ollie was found tied to a fire hydrant outside my work. Ollie is the sweetest boy, however is very reactive to other dogs and is a bundle of energy that presents as endless jumping and nipping. We have a senior Saint Bernard at home in which Ollie has been too rough/aggressive with her, even when our Saint Bernard makes it known that she doesn't want to be bothered. We tried water sprays at home and other attempts at training to no avail. We began to feel helpless as our biggest concern was his relationship with our Saint Bernard, as it got to the point where we felt we had to consider rehoming him. During our session with Brad, we immediately saw results which had us dumbfounded. Like other reviews have mentioned, his technique is not "mean," but is a firm mindset that Ollie requires. All the while, Brad emphasizes when to correct your dog and when to praise him, while stressing the fact that these techniques are not made to scare your dog, but rather establish a leader mentality while simultaneously letting the dog know that you provide love and safety. Of course, like any training, one can only be successful when carrying over these learned techniques at home, but Brad left us feeling confident and ready to continue the work. Even when we got home today, we already had seen a shift from Ollie. As for Brad himself - he is very approachable and really looks to understand both the dog and all the circumstances that come with them. You could really get a sense of how personal he is. We definitely recommend him. Thank you so much, Brad!

We recently did private lessons with Cassie for our newly adopted dog and honestly couldn't be…read morehappier. She was so understanding and never made us feel rushed. She came to our home, walked with us, met us at nearby parks... really went the extra mile to work in environments that actually matter for our dog's day-to-day life. She also gave us supplementary material to reference on our own which was so helpful. We've also done group classes at the Clickstart facility with our other dog and every single staff member and trainer there has been incredibly kind and patient. It's just a genuinely good vibe across the board. 100% recommend Cassie and the whole Clickstart team. Whether you're working with a new rescue or puppy or just want some solid training support.

Clickstart is the best place to take your dog for training. I live in Dana point and researched…read moretrainers in the area who practiced positive reinforcement and Clickstart was the most experienced and qualified. I move cities frequently and have had the opportunity to work with lots of positive reinforcement trainers, so I can say that they are some of the best! Liv is extremely qualified and a memory that really sticks out to me is when I was pregnant, without asking, they provided two ways to do an activity so it was easier physically for me. It was natural for them and I was able to complete the same training but at my physical ability at the time! Now having a newborn Michael has been a fantastic support taking my dog for "homework sessions" to keep her skills sharp. He also squeezes in lots of fun that include beach days and hikes! He is her favorite person outside of our home! Their trick classes are SO MUCH FUN and I highly recommend as a way to build your relationship with your dog and stretch your own brain! I can't wait to start nosework.

We started with Vladae when our Vizsla puppy was just a few months old and progressed quickly. It…read moreall made sense and yielded quick results. We were so happy with everything that we decided to progress further by sending her to his 2 week boot camp at 16 months old. When I asked why such a good dog would go to boot camp, Vladae responded with, "Same reason that the smartest kids go to university, to become all they can be and hone their skills." That made sense to me! If it was any other boot camp I would have been nervous about my baby. I know how well Vladae treats his campers though and his focus on health and exercise. "Only the tired dog is the good dog" Thank you Vladae!

As a first-time Cavapoo owner, I felt completely overwhelmed with the process of dog training and…read morehad no idea what to expect. It honestly brought back the feeling of being a first-time parent--questioning every decision, but without a nurse hotline for guidance. My husband and I were especially struggling with how to manage Chloe around our young kids. She was very unruly, reactive on walks, and difficult to control around other dogs. We found SoCal Dog Training through a friend's referral, and choosing Vladae ended up being one of the best decisions we've made. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first--so many trainers promise results--but Vladae truly delivers. The onboarding process was seamless. The initial FaceTime consultation helped set clear expectations, and I really appreciated how upfront and honest he was about the work required. What stood out most to me was his long-term commitment--knowing I could always come back for refreshers gave me a lot of confidence that I wasn't just getting a short-term fix. The training sessions are where the transformation really happens. After each session, it genuinely felt like we had a new dog--but that's also where the responsibility comes in. You have to consistently follow through with the exercises he gives you. In many ways, it reminded me that investing in my dog's future takes the same consistency and commitment as investing in my two kids. She's now quite literally my third kid. Chloe used to be extremely reactive--barking, pulling on the leash, and even jumping up on our toddlers. Vladae helped me understand the root of her behavior and showed me how to properly address it. Now she's calm, more confident, and walking her has become something I actually enjoy. Seeing that transformation has been incredibly rewarding. It wasn't an easy process, but it was absolutely worth it. Also, a special shout-out to Antonina for being so kind, responsive, and accommodating with scheduling.

I have 2 dogs, a chaotic puppy and a fear reactive German shepherd. Before working with Josh, I…read morefelt like I was always managing my dogs but still couldn't fully trust them in real life. Now they're calm, confident, and make way better decisions on their own. I can take them pretty much anywhere, which wasn't the case before. He also helped my German Shepherd become a lot more comfortable around people and other dogs. Biggest shift honestly was me. I'm way more confident, less stressed, and actually know how to communicate and teach my dogs without relying on tools. If you want a dog you can actually live life with, I'd 100% recommend Josh!

USE JOSH - This guy is amazing!…read more My dog Nuggets, is a 6 year old 15 pound, timid, terrier mix, sweetheart, but when she is on leash she displays some pretty nasty aggressive tendencies and her demons come out. As a first time dog dad, I haven't sharpened my tools around understanding my dogs emotional state and how threatened she feels and how to react or treat such aggression. So its harder for me to empathize and as such know how to handle it. I ran into Josh while walking my dog. I always see him walking his dogs, and they are so well behaved and so focused on him. So, I inquired about their training and he and i scheduled a session. Josh shared tools to improve these behaviors first from a actual tools piece like replacing a harness with a collar and a firm leash rather than a flex leash. Next, he helped me understand the psychological state of my dog and why she does what she does, it was enlightening and helped me better understand Nuggets. Finally, Josh taught me exercises to employ to redirect Nuggets focus to me. I couldn't be more grateful for the service Josh provided. You can tell Josh loves what he does and it shows by how good he is at it. That being said, I struggle to understand how anyone could complain about Bark Busters, my experience was one in which Josh , an incredible professional, was trying to help me be a better dog parent, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Tommy helped us with our Miniature Australian Shepherd puppy when no one else would! He came to…read moreour house when she was 11 weeks old (other trainers wanted to wait until she had all her puppy shots) and immediately got us off on the right foot for behavior training. He trained my husband and me as well as our puppy! So grateful. Tommy has a gift for knowing how dogs think and he shares that knowledge as part of the session. We never felt rushed to finish a lesson when he came to the house, he just dealt with our issues and reminded us to keep practicing with our dog until next time. We even decided to enroll in his weekly puppy class so that our puppy would learn to behave around other dogs. His private dog park is a god-send as we live in a condo and don't have a yard for our puppy to play in. She loved going there and we'll be back! We highly recommend Tommy. He showed us how to anticipate what our puppy was going to do before she did it and correct her misdeeds before they take place. Five stars!

Tommy came for our first private session and it went better than I imagined. My husband and I…read morelearned a lot from Tommy. He is very relatable and has a unique way of teaching that is very enjoyable and actually entertaining, all at the same time! Now that is talent! Tommy was made for this job and well worth his price. You get what you pay for. He definitely does not watch the clock and gives you more than 1 hr and does not leave until he has answered all your questions. My dog is already doing better on our walks. Tommy teaches but you have to do what he says or you have wasted your money. I signed up for 5 lessons and looking forward to the rest. I will update when we are finished.

Our German Shepherd is very comfortable visiting Paws Pets Resort. We feel very lucky to have a…read moreplace to take our baby and never worry about him while we are away. They follow my feeding instructions, take him on walks and play ball with him. We highly recommend Paws Pets Resort and are very thankful for the wonderful facility and experienced staff. And the baths are very much appreciated. Thank you. Brenda Perlin Baughman

My husband and I began trusting Paws Pet Resort, in Lake Forest, 20 years ago. They are very…read morepatient with the humans, and extremely caring for the pets that visit, for whatever the length of time might be. None of our boys have been growlers/snappers. One boy, however, must take Prozac, simply as he is like some humans and can be very stressed. Paws employees have always been kind, and it is obvious as he never has to be carried in the door ... he walks beside his brother with no fear.

My sister got a new puppy so I'm in full auntie mode! I took my furry nephew (Farley!) to PetSmart…read morefor the first time to do some shopping and get him exposed to seeing other dogs & people. The staff were so nice and the space was clean & well stocked. I only wish there were more bandanas/clothing- there was only one bandana and it was huge. We got a few things, prices are comparable to anything you'd see online. We are also looking into taking him to the puppy classes to further socialize him. They do require proof of vaccination which is wonderful and essential. Fun outing!

- - CARPET STEAMER RENTAL - -…read more I was today years old when I found out that you can rent a carpet steamer at petsmart! I called ahead of time to inquire about the process and the pricing. The manager went over everything on the phone with me. So here is the deets- $40 for a 24-hour rental ($35 deposit which will be refunded once you return the cleaner in good form). I already have carpet cleaning solutions at home so I didn't need to buy- but you can purchase the solutions in the store. The manager, Evelyn, demonstrated how to use the steamer and it's pretty easy. The steamer is pretty compact, fits easily in the backseat of my car. It's roughly about 20-25 lbs if you need to carry it up the stairs. Most importantly, the steamer worked!

Dave came to train our pup, Hanky who had serious issues with anxiety, aggression, and resource…read moreguarding. Dave was compassionate, informative, and incredibly helpful. He took time to get to know our family and tailor Hank's training to his personality and needs. He is incredibly knowledgeable and we have seen a huge improvement in our dog's behavior. Hanky is happier and now we know how to support him in order to avoid aggression. We also started taking both of our dogs to EveryDog Daycamp and it has been amazing to have a safe place where our dogs can play with other pups without me worrying something might happen to them. I can't recommend Dave and EveryDog enough!

I was visiting from Southern California and stopped in the store just to use the bathroom. Such a…read morecute store! The worker was so warm and friendly. So many unique items. They had a good selection of MLB neckerchiefs that easily attached thru his collar that I ended up buying a Dodger one for my dog.

We really enjoyed the experience of working with the Sit Means Sit team! They were all very…read moreprofessional and stood out to us as really loving the animals and what they do. Our pup loved every minute of it and we are extremely grateful for the care they gave him. We did the 20 day program and immediately reaped the benefits of their training and guidance. Our pup is back showing us all his new skills and we are extremely proud of the graduate. Thanks for your wonderful work!!

We sent our dog, Duke, to the 10-day board and train program--and while 10 days felt like a long…read moretime to be apart from him, the experience was well worth it. He was paired with Andy, and we couldn't have asked for a better trainer. Andy clearly got Duke, and Duke really responded to him. The weekly updates and training videos were a huge comfort while he was away. It was amazing to see Duke's progress in real time--it definitely helped ease our nerves. When we got him back, we were amazed. Duke was still the same lovable, goofy guy, but now with real structure and command responsiveness. He listens, follows direction, and is clearly more confident. Andy laid an incredible foundation, and the follow-up training has made us feel fully supported in continuing Duke's journey. We genuinely can't recommend Sit Means Sit--and especially Andy--enough. It's been a true blessing for our family and for Duke. If you're considering it, do it!

I'm so grateful for Heaven Sent K-9's training!!…read more We took Bug, our German Shepherd / Husky / Border Collie mix (you can imagine the energy) to Sogand and she worked her magic! We had Bug do both basic and service dog training, and he came out a new dog - same personality obviously, but with so much obedience When we picked Bug up, he was happy and definitely loved Sogand, so he was obviously treated well (which we really cared about) We get compliments daily from other people saying how respectful and "what a good boy" he is :) Definitely recommend to anyone looking for dog training!

Sogi was a miracle trainer to help my dog Dumpling get over his aggression issues towards other…read moredogs and people. We chose her 2 week board and train - aggression rehabilitation service, after a week her and her staff noticed my dog still being very aggressive in protecting his food bowl and she extended his training another week (no extra charge!) so she could really focus on that aspect to make sure Dumpling's aggression was addressed. Wife and I also highly recommend her private sessions after the board and train. 2-3 weeks is definitely not enough time to make sure behavior issues are completely addressed, so her sessions helped make sure we properly did our daily trainings with Dumping. Her sessions also evolved the trainings we did at home as our dog's aggression level kept going down and focus on his high alert/anxiety responses to stimuli, and try to help him associate his dopamine response to being relaxed. She also helped identify a food allergy that made him itchy, which added to his higher anxiety level. All these things added up and now our dog is a lot happier and hasn't displayed a snarl or showed his teeth in anger to anyone or any dogs in months! Thanks Sogi for helping Dumpling and us and hope this review helps others choose you over other trainers out there for their dogs.