I had to go away last minute and tried looking for a 9 day board and train for my puppy. Karma Dog…read moretraining felt like the best pick, so I trusted them and incredibly glad I did. I was paired with trainer Michell and she did an amazing job with my puppy in such a short about of time. I was extremely nervous in the beginning but she truly made my puppy feel like she was at home. I had constant updates, was able to ask questions, and was able to get an amazing foundation for my puppy. I highly recommend and would come back!

I haven't had training from Karma yet, but I needed their help w some consultation about adopting a…read moredog and contacting the shelter to let them know I was going to train the dog that I wanted. Long story short, Jeff, the owner, contacted me right away and was as caring as possible and did everything he could (wrote a letter and called shelter) to help me get the dog...which I will know in a few days if I do. I will update this review later about any training I receive, but I can tell you right now that Karma dog training has a very appropriate name and caring staff.

I would highly recommend Karma Dog Training to any dog owner!! Myra led our class and is a very…read moreexperienced and effective trainer. We adopted our sweet pup Butters a few months ago. We knew we wanted to give him solid training, but hadn't had of a dog of our own as adults. They cover the needed commands for any new pup, but also did a very good job with the socialization aspect. It's often overlooked, but very important if you want a dog you can have around other dogs, people and kids. They help you read your dog's behaviors during these sessions to know how to guide them to be better playmates. Myra was always available to give us guidance on how to address certain behaviors specific to our dog. He was a jumper and not the best at understanding when other dogs wanted to stop playing, he now keeps 4 paws on the floor and is on his way to being a very well mannered dog. We saw a lot of progress over the 7 weeks and have recommended Myra to many others.

I highly recommend Karma Dog training to everyone with a new puppy/dog! Branca is very patient and…read morecalm, which is perfect for the chaotic atmosphere that can surround first time or new pet owners. All of my questions were answered and the advice I was given about housebreaking worked! I could not be happier with these training classes!

We were having a behavior problem with our older dog Pepper. He is 11 and this was a new problem…read more He has always been the sweetest, best behaved dog. But in the past several months he began odd behavior. He began growling, particularly in the evenings, often at nothing. Just walking around. Sometimes, if he heard a noise upstairs. If our other dog came to the stairs, he would growl. If my son or daughter came down the stairs, he would get up on his hind legs and put his feet on them, bare his teeth and growl. And of course, like many small dogs, the barking. In excitement when people came over, and in response to every sound. We met with Vivianne and she was amazing! She taught us some games to play with Pepper to build his confidence. She also taught us many different techniques to manage his behaviors. Over time the growling and the aggression have stopped. We have learned his triggers, and how to avoid them, and how to redirect him. Friends and family are impressed with how quiet he is when they come over to visit! Thank you Karma and Vivianne for helping us to help Pepper go back to his old happy self!

Viviane has been such a gift for us and our dog Basel. We came in with a long list--impulsivity,…read morechewing, guarding, approaching other dogs--and she's handled it all with so much competence and care. We trust her advice completely, and it's made such a difference for us and for Basel. We had worked with three other trainers before finding Vivian, and none came close. We won't go anywhere else now--she's truly the best!

Highly recommend Karma Dog Training! I really appreciate the number of different options they have…read morefor when and where to train. We chose to do 10 sessions in our home and that has been a really good decision. Our trainer Michell is beyond amazing with our puppy! He can't wait to see her each time, and she is so intuitive with him! He acts like a star pupil, working so hard to learn what she's teaching and please her. I have learned so much from Michell, and have really enjoyed our sessions. She has been super communicative outside of sessions when I need advice, and scheduling has been really flexible too. I tell all my puppy owning friends they need Michell!

Michell is an incredible trainer! She is helping me train my dog Cleo with the end goal of Cleo…read morebeing a therapy dog and performing things like DPT to help with anxiety. Cleo loves Michell, you can tell she understands dogs extremely well. I've been so impressed with how quickly Cleo responds to Michell's training! Michell has also given me a great education on what to be doing outside of our training sessions to train Cleo myself and grow our bond. She has so much knowledge about dogs it's been such a blessing to have her as a resource. Professional and great at communicating. I highly recommend her as a dog trainer! I connected with Michell through Jeffrey, the owner of Karma Dog Training, and he was equally pleasant and helpful! It was a quick and easy process to start training. Thank you!

Puppy class is great but getting some on the phone is not easy . Customer service is not there…read morestrength

Karma Dog really helped me train my puppy! I was put in touch with the owner of the company, who…read moreheard my needs and put me in touch with Viviane. She had a ton of experience, was extremely gentle and great to work with. All their training is positive reinforcement only. Not only are they teaching the dog but they're teaching you how to behave towards the dog to meet your goals. Every session was followed up with a summary of your session and ways to continue working towards your goals. It was easy to see that my trainer really cared about my puppy, had plenty of experience and made sure I was happy with what I was learning. I'd highly recommend Karma Dog

As new dog owners, my family wanted to have the best investment in our Labrador Retriever puppy's…read moretraining so we could build a mutually rewarding life with him. I began exploring all kinds of programs with various trainers around the idea and Primal Canine stood apart from the get go because: (1) Erin is an amazing, kind and professional person to work with. She is prompt, yet not pushy. She worked with the facts and empathy for our needs and budget to help us get to the right program. (2) The trainer we were assigned to was forthcoming, efficient and excellent with the training. He was clear with what we could expect and what the constraints were. (3) Primal Canine is local to where we live, and we really preferred to go with a nearby small business, as both one we could support and build a relationship with, and for convenience. Within the 3 weeks of board and train our puppy went through, he came back with solid foundations and ability to understand and respond positively to basic commands. Primal's role does not end with the program - they constantly support with our needs and questions even after graduating from B&T, and actually offer a lifetime of resources to help us grow and flourish with our new best friend. We could not be happier we went with Primal and would recommend them to anyone who is looking to build a rewarding relationship with their dogs. Special shout-out to Erin and the trainer we worked with - you've been amazing to our family. Thank you!

I can't begin to thank not only Farrukh, but Mike and the rest of the staff at primal canine for…read moredoing such an incredible job with my dog Bodhi. From pulling him off the kill list, through the tireless training they did to set him up for success in his future endeavors, managing finding him the perfect home, to eventually entrusting me to become his forever home. I couldn't be more in awe of the work they've done with Bodhi and the countless other dogs I've seen the update videos on, I will forever be grateful to Farrukh and Mike for their faith in me, and the continued support/guidance Farrukh has given me since he flew Bodhi out to me in August, 2025.

We have been working with Heather for a couple of years and she is by far the most patient,…read morethoughtful and talented trainer for us. Our 2 year old German Shepherd has really leaned in to the engagement work that Heather has taught ALL of us. Our pup has not only learned wonderful manners and skills - he has grown more confident and eager to calmly interact with his surroundings both at home and in social situations. Heather's approach is measured and calm with a mix of joy and fun - and the sessions are as much for us humans as they are for our dog! Heather is supportive and encouraging at all times - and we are all the better dog handlers because of her expertise. Heather makes it look easy!

Heather was instrumental in teaching us (the GSD and the humans) obedience and good behavior. The…read moretraining lasted the full 14 years of our wonderful Roxie's life. Because of heather and our training, Roxie fit in everywhere she went, and protected our domicile with grace and finesse. We are in the market for our 4th GSD and Heather will definitely be our choice when the puppy arrives.

I adopted a sweet young cat named "Reese". She's one year and 1 month old. I renamed her CoCo…read more She is loving and kind. So sweet and was loved by the staff there. She has coloring of a little female tiger. I have been trying to isolate her at first, so she can get used to all the sounds in the house. The process was easy and somewhat quick. It was the 3rd kennel we visited and the minute I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one. I'm so happy to have her in my life. If you want to adopt a cat you need to be able to write a check or pay in cash. So grateful I got to her first. She's meant to be mine. Staff/volunteers are so kind and helpful. Kennel room smelled very clean. Definitely check PetSmart on River St, Santa Cruz. So happy I did Erin

This experience was honestly very disappointing…read more I have three dogs, and the cost of caring for them is significant. Beyond grooming, I also regularly spend on fresh food, treats, and other essentials, which adds up to thousands of dollars over time. This is not to brag, but to explain that I take their care seriously and expect a certain level of quality and consistency in return. However, during this visit, one of my dogs was groomed in a way that lacked overall balance and did not feel properly finished. It honestly felt worse than what I could have done at home myself, which was very disappointing. At another place, while I understand that appointments typically need to be adjusted 24 hours in advance, unexpected situations can happen. Being asked to pay $50 without any flexibility in such circumstances felt unreasonable and uncomfortable. Overall, the level of service and consistency did not match the cost, and the pricing felt unclear and inconsistent depending on the situation. These experiences have significantly reduced my trust, and I will likely choose to go a bit farther in the future to find places that are more reliable and consistent.

Vicki is one of the most caring and patient trainers that I've ever met. Not once was I worried…read moreabout my shy Shiba Inu, Tali, when she was with her for a 3 week board and train program. We searched for a truly positive dog trainer that could not only have endless patience with a sensitive breed like a Shiba, but one that truly put the safety and happiness of her dogs first. Vicki is it. She kept us updated often about her progress, was always responsive to messages, and gave us great advice on how to improve Tali's eating habits and allergies. Tali came back a much more confident pup and has improved so much with her leash walking skills and obedience. We can't thank Vicki enough for sharing her extensive knowledge and techniques with us.

Took a class with her at Clear Minds and she did teach us a few things. She was, however,…read moredisorganized. Always sent email for the classes with wrong dates and times. Teaching seemed a little haphazard as she was always checking her phone to see what to do next. Sometimes she would email a review of what we learned that week and what to work on and there were times we wouldn't receive anything. My dog got his graduation certificate but was dated last year.

I hardly ever leave reviews, but I want to give hope to anyone who is struggling with their dog and…read morefeeling frustrated and helpless. The first year with my golden retriever, Luka, was extremely hard. He was a mouthy dog who had zero boundaries at home or outside. He would get excited or frustrated and grab/bite onto my shoes or clothes daily. Walking him became an impossible task because he was extremely dog-reactive, and he dragged me a couple of times while trying to chase another dog. Walking him also became a two-person job, with someone always on the lookout for other dogs so we could turn the other way. He also began to resource guard and snapped at my dad twice.. I had already spent thousands on another trainer and didn't have much success. I began to feel like this was just what life with Luka would be like forever. It got to the point where I felt scared of him, and the life I was giving him out of that fear wasn't fair to him. So I decided to try and get help one last time. I found Lori's page and after reading the reviews I became hopeful again. I took Luka in for an evaluation, and Lori recommended their board-and-train program. I can't thank Chelsea and Lori enough for everything they've done. I've learned so much about Luka, how to manage different situations, and how to better understand his behavior. We had training lessons throughout his board-and-train stay and afterward, because we are the ones who need most of the training! Chelsea did an amazing job with Luka. At home, Luka is unrecognizable in the best way. We can actually go on adventures outside without being terrified that we won't be able to handle him. Those who knew Luka before his stay and see him now always comment on how well he is doing. I cannot recommend Lori Hamilton's Dog training enough to anyone who feels like they've tried everything and is feeling discouraged. I am so thankful because it finally feels like Luka and I can start living life and enjoying everything around us.

Lori helped transform our 1.5-year-old golden retriever Ruben from an 87# spirited, jumping, land…read moreshark to a calm, obedient family member. He was an anxious, leash pulling, cat chasing, chewing, biting and jumping-- hiding inside an adorable shell. We started in Lori's group class, then did private one on one training with her and ultimately 4 weeks of board and train at her facility. She trained us and trained him and ultimately transformed life at home. Our 3 cats are now able to be in the same room as him. Our visitors no longer have him standing up on their chest in exuberant greeting. We can relax and have dinner without Ruben trying to eat our feet or running zoomies around the room. We can walk him without having our arms ripped out of our sockets. He is calm around other dogs. He is crate trained and easily goes to sleep at night. He has his own treadmill and works out twice a day, in addition to our daily walks. We been to Pack walks with Lori and 15 other dogs, all walking obediently through the Pruneyard shopping center. The dogs get to work on socialization and good manners on these field trips. Lori came to our house and we staged a meal with a visitor. It really helped us learn how to keep him on his best behavior during meal time with a guest!!! Our first year with Ruben was really tough, he was not the mellow golden retriever we anticipated. Lori's teaching changed everything. She provided the methods and the tools to help us have the best outcome and a relaxed home life with our beautiful dog; more than we ever expected!!!