TERRIBLY RUN. Cant go see the facilities (to see if its a good fit for your dogs) unless you bring your dogs too -because they want to assess your dogs. No need to asses our dogs until we are clear we want them to stay there, right? It's a "requirement" that we all know the boss can easily accomodate. We let them know with our 4 large breed dogs it was a lot on ourselves AND the dogs to have to bring them in just for that (if it wasnt a good fit). They didnt care. Just sent another business to go to if I wanted a "phone consult" which was unusual(&manipulative :/) because we never discussed phone consults..all we wanted was to come take a peak at their facilities. It was the male who's voice is on their answering machine whom we communicated with. I think his name was Dan? Aweful & too bad;). read more

If you're like me and went down the rabbit hole of researching board and trains because of all the internet horror stories, read this!! I am truly amazed and so grateful for Don, Gabe, and the team at Crafty Canine Club. They have a ton of certified experience and have done fantastic behavioral modification work with my French Bulldog (and myself) in their board and train programs. I have learned to be a better leader for my dog and how to keep him mentally balanced so he's at his best. The structure of the training programs and regular boarding at CCC are solid and well planned so our furry family can learn and have fun in a safe environment while in the care of strong leadership. A bonus in my particular case; CCC techniques are aligned with what is recommended by my board certified vet behaviorist and was covered by my pet insurance. CCC communicates with me openly and regularly before, during, and after any bookings and will send photos and videos of the fun which helped ease my thoughts in the beginning. Now, I will only use CCC for care and follow up training for my boy. I believe they truly care about him and our relationship. A very small investment for huge lifelong returns you won't regret! read more

We recently left our pup with Don for 13 nights while we were visiting family in Tennessee. We wanted our girl to get socialized with other dogs as she was a rehome that was exhibiting anxiety around other dogs. Don and his team took amazing care of Roxy and she seemed to really thrive in the Crafty Canine environment. I would highly recommend Don and the Crafty Canine team to anyone looking for a trustworthy boarding/training facility. We got updates and pictures daily and the pups get so much more outdoor interaction than other boarding facilities! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Our girl enjoying the large outdoor space - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

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We have used crafty canine for years. Don and his crew are fantastic. Everyone is warm and welcoming. The property is clean, warm and inviting. When we drop off Milo he doesn't look back. He can wait to interact and play with his friends. If you have any special needs or requests they are happy to accommodate. When traveling they provide us a daily photo. It's a fantastic treat for us. We get to see that he is happy and safe. I highly recommend Crafty as we trust and appreciate them read more

Have been meaning to write this review for a long time! We were referred to Crafty a few years ago when our dog was having serious seperation anxiety issues (could not leave him alone without non-stop wailing and stress), was reactive, and overall not "behaving" very well. We did a 3 week Board and Train, and when we brought him home he was such a less stressed, calm dog - and they were even able to get him to be comfortable in his crate (which we had been very unsuccessful at!). He now sleeps it in every night and spend some independent alone time in it during the day! I learned so much for how to interact with our dog from them (what I wish I knew when he was a puppy)! We now have another dog who is also slightly reactive, and are so happy to have a place where we can board both dogs when we are out of town, where we know they will both be safe and will utilize the same commands we use to keep their training in check! Cannot say enough about how much Don and Gabe have made such a positive impact on our doggos! 10/10 would recommend! read more

Highly Recommend Crafty Canine Club! We've boarded our two dogs, Duchess and Buddy, at Crafty Canine Club twice now, and both experiences have been excellent. The staff clearly cares about the dogs, and it shows in the way our pups look when we pick them up--they always look healthy and happy. Duchess and Buddy were happy to see me when I arrived, but didn't seem anxious to leave, which speaks volumes about how comfortable they are there. We especially want to thank Gabe, who was incredibly helpful and provided great information. We also really appreciated the photos they sent during the week, giving us peace of mind that our dogs were having a great time. When we got home, Duchess and Buddy were definitely tired from all the fun and excitement, which tells us they had plenty of activities to keep them occupied and engaged. The play areas are clean, and communication throughout their stay was always clear and prompt. I feel completely comfortable leaving my dogs in their care and will definitely continue to use Crafty Canine Club for our next time away from home. Highly recommend! read more

My wife and I have been bringing our dogs to CCC for years, since we moved to San Diego. When we moved to SD in 2020, our one dog (at the time) was suffering from a huge amount of separation anxiety and a few other behavioral issues. After being referred to CCC, we brought him here for their 3 week board and train and he came home a new dog! Much more confident and well behaved. When we got our second dog about 2 years ago, we knew Crafty was the right place for both of them. We travle a decent amount, and would really be up a creek without a paddle if it weren't for Don, Gabe, and the rest of the team at Crafty. It's an amazing feeling to know our dogs are safe, happy, and having the time of their lives while we are away. We get daily pictures of their fun play times while we are gone too!. Additionally, Gabe has come to our house a number of times for some behavioral training for our second dog and helped us teach him how to go on a walk (he was super reactive when we rescued him) and not to be so aggressive when people come to the door at the house too! Thanks so much Crafty, I wish we could leave more stars, but 5 will have to do! read more

Don, Gabe, and the full team at CCC are our favorites! We've been taking Lenny to their facility since he was just a young pup. The peace of mind while we're out of town knowing our little guy is safe and enjoying a structured, supervised playtime with other dogs is invaluable. Dozer, Farrah, and Bella are the best dog role models we could ask for. Lenny goes bonkers with excitement when we arrive at the property because he truly loves visiting. The photos and updates shared by the team are one of our favorite parts and help with the anxiety of leaving your pup for an extended period of time. I'd recommend CCC to any dog owner looking for boarding or training services! read more

Crafty Canine Club is like no other! Its like a vacation resort for our fur baby. Our dog doesn't turn back when we drop him off for boarding. He's learned to socialize with other dogs and has become part of the pack. Don and his staff are dedicated to each and every pet. They demonstrate genuine care and kindness. The grounds are clean and comfortable. Highly recommended! read more

Don is AMAZING. We are classic, overprotective, overly obsessed with our pup dog parents. He has a few minor behavior issues and so we took him to see Don. The behavior assessment was quick and easy and we left with so much information and were able to begin training him at home immediately. Don recommended we board our pup so that he could build a relationship with him prior to training. We had never left our puppy before and were super nervous, but don exceeded any expectation we could have had! He kept us informed numerous times a day with pictures and videos so we didn't miss our guy too much! He also has come out to our house to help us with training walks and I can't say enough good things about him! Our dog wanted to add a few sentences to this review, forgive his spelling... Don iz my best furiend. I luv hiz dog Dozer, he is gret to play with. Don does me some petz and even chazes me wen I don't lik to go enside for sleepz. He says I good smol boi. I luv socks read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

My husband & I recently decided we wanted to adopt a rescue dog & decided to go through second chance adoption, which is how I found Ellis. When first going to meet Ellis we were told he was staying with a trainer due to some behavior issues. Once we arrived at Crafty Canine Club we were met by Don the lead trainer who had been working with Ellis for the last 4 months & explained to us in great detail all of Ellis's history & behavioral issues. Ellis had unfortunately been abused & shot with a BB gun so he had major anxiety & PTSD. This Anxiety would cause him to go around in these circles, barking & gnawing at his side. These behavior episodes would go on for long periods of time. Don told aside from this issue he was a great dog, total sweetheart, super affectionate, great hiker! He explained to us all the tools & methods he was using to help him work through the anxiety. Don wanted to be sure we knew what we were in for ensuring success both for Ellis & for us as potential new dog parents. When deciding to follow through with adoption Don offered his help in getting Ellis acclimated into our home, continually being there to answer questions & help with any behavior issues and training questions. I have to say I fully understand why Second chance dog rescue works so closely with Crafty Canine Club. They understand what some of these rescue dogs have been through & the special care they need from people like Don who go above & beyond. We have had Ellis for almost a month now & I can't express how happy we are! He's an amazing dog and I believe he has come leaps & bounds from where they first found him. You can tell he has had great training & lots of love. I think it takes very special people to see that potential & to be patient enough to not give up on these dogs. I would highly recommend Crafty Canine Club for training or any behavioral needs your dog may have. They are the best!!!! We've also recently boarded Ellis while away for a weekend & I can't even tell you how much fun he had! Such peace of mind to be out of town & know our precious Ellis is well taken care of. Thank you Crafty Canine Club, Thank you Don for everything you've done for Ellis. Can't wait for his next visit! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Ellis enjoying some sun at Crafty Canine Club! - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

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My 10 month old Australian shepherd, moose, was starting to become very reactive to other dogs and strangers. I knew I needed help to correct these behaviors, and decided to do a two week board and train at crafty canine. To say I was nervous was a understatement, but the whole team at crafty canine made me feel very comfortable with leaving my dog in their hands. I was blown away with the amount of communication throughout the two weeks. I was sent texts, pictures, and videos of moose almost daily, and I could reach out any time I wanted for an update. When the two weeks was up I could see major changes in moose's behavior! He has been more open to greetings from strangers and his reactivity towards other dogs, when on leash, is almost non existent. His loose leash walking has also been a night and day difference. He has not pulled me one time on a walk since coming home from his board and train, and I get compliments frequently on how well behaved he is when we are out. I would 100% recommend crafty Canine to anyone looking for training or a place to board their pet! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

We last minute boarded our Golden puppy for the first time over the Christmas break, and she absolutely loved Don and her time there and has been back since. We love that's he's a certified trainer, so she comes home tired AND smarter. While we were gone we received photos and vids the whole time of her making new friends and having a great time (even in the rain). We weren't even sure she'd want to come home! We also received a PDF of a training manual so we could continue with whatever he was working on with her. When we picked her up she came out with cleaned ears and smelling like peppermint, and she somehow remembered us. The facility is great with lots of space to run, and you can tell how much love and time and thought actually went into the planning of it. I already know if a pool gets put in she's going to be in it the whole time. She surely already can't wait to go on a hike and work on her off-leash skills. It's also nice to see the rescue horses next door when you turn in We've told all our friends, and when the next ones get their puppy this year, when she's big enough they'll both undoubtedly be coming here together. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Izzy never complains about playing in the rain :) - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

I just don't know where to start! Donn and his team have the biggest hearts, and are truly dog whisperers. Their method is relationship based and it absolutely works. They have it down to a science. We brought in our rambunctious Aussie of 10 months in for a 21 day board and train. She as jumping, chasing everything that moved and had severe separation anxiety. What we got back was an amazing angel, her spirit is so much more at ease and she is following her commands. We have been provided daily videos, texts and support through and after the training and we just love Crafty Canines. They are a part of our family. Thank you! Thank you Michael and Davita read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

I have been boarding and training my dog with Don and Crafty Canine for over a year now and I highly recommend them. Our 7 year old GSP loves it there; the photo of her is literally from one her stays. Here's what you should to know about them: - They are an extremely rare group of professional dog handlers/trainers who are laser focused on taking care of your dog. - Don, who is the owner, is very personable and hands-on. He has an incredible understanding of canine psychology and training as well as how to work with the owners. This is the key differentiator for me as 99% of other companies in this space are "boarding facilities" that lack the level of experience and attention to detail that Don and his team have. - The CCC team is incredibly responsive; we receive a lot of photos, videos, and status updates throughout our dog's stay. - The property is well maintained and the kennel area is very clean. - There's a good mix of different sized breeds. The dogs have a lot of room to run and interact or just chill. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

One of my dogs, Rocco, isn't very social and fears bigger dogs (perhaps because of his experience before he was rescued), so it's not easy for him to be around other dogs he's unfamiliar with. But every time he stays over at Crafty Canine, the training that he gets from Don and his team really helps him gradually build that confidence he needs to play around with other dogs. Here he is on day 3 of his stay, enjoying his playtime with another guest doggo. I get to enjoy my time away knowing that my doggos are in good hands with the folks at Crafty Canine. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Rocco (left) is being very social and enjoying his playtime with another guest doggo. - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

Our Dachshund-Beagle mix, Dolly, was having trouble with separation anxiety and lacked social skills. Her separation anxiety was very hard to deal with since my boyfriend and I both work. Leaving her alone would lead to lots of barking and whining/crying while we were out. We had to resort to leaving her with family when we would go to work during the day. But that was starting to prove unsustainable very quickly. Dolly's socialization also needed a lot of work. She would tug on walks, be reactive toward other dogs and/or people that we would walk past. Living in a high traffic area near lots of shops, this made walks very challenging for us. Having guests over would also require constant supervision of our little pup as she would bark and growl at newcomers almost the whole time they were over. Crafty Canine Club came highly recommended by our Dog's Vet. After reading many glowing reviews, I scheduled a behavior assessment a few days after Dolly's Vet appointment. Upon scheduling, Don was very friendly and gave us lots of information about Crafty Canine Club. During her assessment, Don observed Dolly and asked all the right questions to get an idea of what he would be working with and find the root cause of her behavior. He gave me lots of information about boarding her, how he would approach training during her stay, and what to expect. Fast forward a few days later, we brought Dolly home and we noticed a big difference in her behavior the very next day! She was more relaxed on our walks and listened to commands without hesitation. She was also walking next to us with a loose leash which we could never get her to do before. Constant barking at other dogs and people was also no longer happening on our walks! Dolly's separation anxiety also improved after working with Don and she is more calm when left alone. We are still working on her socialization but we already knew that would take some time and practice (for us as owners as well), so Dolly will be back to hang out at Crafty Canine Club soon. What really helped us and boarding our pup for the first time was Don's open line of communication and his feedback. He will keep you updated every day on how your dog is doing. If he is training your dog, he will send you home with great tips to keep up the training, and even follow up to see how it's going. His dedication to the dogs he works with and their humans is really great! We are so glad to have found Don's services and will definitely be working with him in the future! read more

Don is awesome! I was struggling to find a place to board my 1 year old German Shepherd puppy, Dashi, because he isn't neutered. I heard about Crafty Canine Club through my neighbor. Once I reached out to Don, we came out to get a tour of his facility. From the day we dropped him off with Don, we received many photos and videos of our pup! I felt comfortable leaving him there as Don could work on Dashi's mannerisms. Don is very flexible with his drop off and pick off times which helps A LOT! This is my first full day back home with Dashi, and I can tell he is tired from his weekend stay at Don's. I love that he also gave us constructive criticism on how we can work on Dashi's obedience. If Don builds a pool in his facility, I know for a fact that Dashi won't want to come home! I will definitely recommend Don to all our friends. He limits the number of dogs he takes in at a time, which to me, means he actually cares for your dogs. I'm sure Dashi is excited for his next stay with Don! read more

Thank you Crafty Canine Club for giving us the opportunity to adopt a wonderful dog! Also, big thanks to Don who is so kind and patient when it comes to training us as owners so our boy Bucky can succeed in any situation! 11/10 recommend this place if you're looking to adopt a furry friend! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Bucky - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

What more can you wish for in a boarding facility? It's beautiful, clean, fun and engaging for our medium mix-breed girl. She came back to us happy and healthy and a bit more grown up than when we sent her. The staff exceeded my expectations in every way. I love that you can pay for an hour of of 1:1 training as you want it, and even a bath! We definitely will be doing the 2-week board and train program this year. Thank you, Don and crew, for a fantastic experience! read more

We couldn't be more pleased with our training experience with Don. Our French bulldog Watson constantly pulled the leash on walks, failed to listen to commands and lacked social skills with other dogs. My husband and I knew this eventually needed to change and decided to be more proactive instead of reactive with the training piece. And let me tell you - it's the best thing that's ever happened to our little family! We've had multiple training sessions with Don and took advantage of the daycare service while we're at work - the results are life changing. Watson has changed and has improved drastically! We're so grateful Don came into our lives and was able to give us the skills, knowledge and confidence we needed to be successful at training our dog. The best part is that he trains us, the owners, so we know how to properly handle our dog going forward. Don gives us constructive criticism and is so informative. I recommend him to our friends, family and clients at work. You will not be disappointed if you hire Don. Incredible prices, training and service. Thank you again Crafty Canine Club! read more

We were so blown away with the Crafty Canine after boarding our mini labradoodle Brady. From the start, communication was very good and we were able to do a trial weekend before our week long board during our out of town wedding. We were able to go out and see their massive play area and get an idea of what a day at the Crafty Canine is like. During her trial and boarding week, we weren't sent videos, pictures and updates almost every day. When I dropped Brady off for her full week, she jumped right out of my arms and dashed through their gate. We are crazy dog parents and were very torn about boarding her. But In the end we have so much peace of mind leaving her at the Crafty Canine. I mean, just look at that smile during play time!!! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Brady is having the time of her life at the Crafty Canine!! - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

We took our 90 lbs, 14 month old puppy, Bippity, for the weekend. He LOVED his stay there! Don sent us videos throughout the weekend so we could enjoy his stay as much as he did. The layabout at Crafty Canane is perfect for dogs! You can tell he loves dogs by the planning he put into the yard areas (plural) and the doggie dorm & dedicated doggie indoor area. We're already scheduling regular stays at Crafty Canine so Bippity can play with his new friends there. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Don and the Crafty Canine Club. I decided to take my little Piper (9 month old Mini Dachshund) to Crafty Canine after realizing she needed a little more controlled social interaction with other dogs. We met with Don for an assessment and decided that a short 2-day stay at Crafty Canine would be the best place to start! As this was my first time leaving Piper overnight somewhere, I was a little nervous, but Don reassured that she would be just fine! We saw the facility and filled out lots of information about Piper's routine. I felt great about leaving her in such good hands. While Piper was there, Don worked with her to interact with other pups and updated me along the way. I received daily photos and videos as well as update texts. I absolutely loved it! Crafty Canine is clean and reliable. Don and his team take GREAT care of all of the pups! I will continue to take my dogs (I have another Dachshund too!) to Crafty Canine Club and cannot say enough good things about them! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

If I could give more stars I would. Don is simply, the man!! The space is amazing. The care is next level. I've always been hesitant to pay for a place for our dogs to stay, mostly because I felt the money wasn't worth it if they were being put away for 10-12 hours/day. Crafty Canine Club is worth every last penny. I honestly think my two Rhodesian mixes enjoy coming here more than anything. The dogs enjoy a vacation which allows us to enjoy our vacations knowing they're being cared for like family!! They make sure to keep you updated as much or as little as you want. The dogs have a comfortable place to sleep and rest, they come home better behaved than when they left. What I mean by "dog vacation" is that they get to be a part of a pack. The socialization with other dogs has made an amazing difference in our dogs, which are 10 years old. Thank you Crafty Canine Club!!!! read more

Thank God we found Crafty canine club! Now I can finally relax when I go on vacation and have Peace of mind, because I'm super comfortable with Don and his staff taking care of my 2 babies! I have a senior pug and I was really stressed out with him being away from me! Son would send us pics and videos of the babies every single day we were gone and I really appreciated that! It would make me smile and feel great knowing they are having fun with all the other dogs on their very own vacation! Special Thank You to our friends Debbie, Drevis, and their baby boy Dashi! I knew if they trusted Crafty canine that I could trust them too! I already referred a few of my friends, because I knew they were going on vacay and would need someone trustworthy with their dogs when they're away! I Thank God that I now have a place to take my babies when I'm away from home! I would definitely highly recommend CRAFTY CANINE! Thanks again Don! You are a Life Saver! read more

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Don is truly the best individual to work with pups of all sizes and temperaments. His love and care goes into how he treats the dogs and his work speaks for itself. Rocco, Mia, and Coconut were very happy there and treated like family while we were on vacation. Thank you so much Don for your time and energy into working them into your pack. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Coconut, Rocco, Mia - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

I have a 10 month old doodle, Bucky. I was very excited to hear that CCC was accepting new clients as I've read many great reviews and a family member of mine have only great things to say about CCC. We were on a wait list for a few months and respect the fact that CCC takes in a minimal # of dogs at a time for boarding so they can give quality service to our furry babies. We also love the fact that the staff at CCC are all dog trainers. Our initial assessment with Gabe was seamless and he answered our questions as we wanted to use their boarding as well as the training and board/train services. We noticed that there were no dogs barking and that was great to know as we needed guidance on how to help our pup with the reactive barking. We do plan on having him certified as a pet therapy dog in the future and pleased to know that CCC have training programs that can assist with that. We met Gabe and Austin for our pup's initial boarding for 2 nights. We received updates via text as well as pictures of him playing in their large, very clean and spacious yard. When we picked up Bucky, we were speechless as to the significant change in him with less barking. Gabe and Austin shared with us some tools and tips to continue at home and we continue to do so. I have also emailed them with questions and Don and his team have been very responsive. We have already booked future stays with them and have added some training sessions on one of the boarding stays (yes! You can opt to add training sessions (and bath ) when using their boarding services). We look forward to having Bucky spend more time at CCC and working with Don and his team. Thank you ! ( I wish I could give CCC more stars but limited to 5 here) read more

We recently rescued a Samoyed/husky to be our daughters ESA because she has Autism and Agoraphobia. Loki our new fur baby had issues with socializing and walking. A friend recommended don for us to take Loki to. Don did a awesome job of sending us videos and teaching loki to socialize appropriately. My husband just walked Loki by the dog park and Loki didnt bark or flip out and walked right past it with no problems at all!!!!! Its amazing what two over night stays with don did for Loki. We are definitely bring Loki back for more training and socializing. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

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It has been very difficult finding someone we trust in taking care of our very smart but crazy dog, Kai, while we're out of town. Though my husband and I love to travel, we always dread being away from our furry child especially after a couple bad experiences. Traveling had not been the same since! Even though Kai is very friendly, he can be difficult to manage. That being said, we even opted to wait a few months for our honeymoon to find someone really trustworthy to care for Kai. Our patience paid off when we finally found Crafty Canine Club! Don is very knowledgeable and Kai really seems to listen to him. He sent us frequent updates, photos, and videos of Kai while we were gone. It really made our trip worry-free knowing that Kai was in great hands. After Kai's stay at Crafty Canine Club, he has been noticeably better at listening and following commands. Not only did Don take great care of him, but he also trained him well after telling him of our struggle with Kai's toy aggression at the park. We've always thought that Kai was too crazy to be a good canine citizen, but with Don's expertise and help, it might be possible. We're definitely planning on taking some training classes with him! read more

Don and his team at Crafty Canine are truly amazing. We have taken our 10 month old Great Pyrenees, Leo, to Crafty Canine Club for boarding and training four times now. As over protective dog parents we hate having to leave our baby but we always have no doubt he is in good hands every time! They send us frequent updates and pictures and the dogs get ample outdoor and play time! I would highly recommend Crafty Canine Club to anyone that is in need of training or boarding for their dog. They are all amazing! read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

There are not enough words to express my gratitude to Don and Crafty Canine Club. We have a 90 lbs 14 month old puppy who will need boarding in January for 4 nights. I booked a trial 2 night stay for him to get acquainted leading up to his stay in January. The few days before dropping him off, I was nervous. The moment I shook Dons hand upon arrival, I was completely at ease. The knowledge, care, respect and love he has for animals is evident from the start. Don understands dogs behavior, and understands how to work with it on all levels. I seriously cant say enough good things about my experience. My pup is now going to be a regular for playdates with Don and his pack. If you're on the fence, jump off and let your dog experience Crafty Canine! read more

Poway is so lucky to have so many qualified dog trainer and Yelp to help us find them. I contacted Crafty Canine Club that is very close to my house. Don came over right away to evaluate our dogs and tell use about the different types of training he offers. He couldn't have been more helpful and knowledgeable, not to mention very personable. He has several training options and the prices are super reasonable. Don is willing to go out of his way to be helpful. He has a very educated staff too. I can't wait for Cuddle's and Cotton 's training to start. I'll keep you posted as to how well it works out. Dons Crafty Canine Club got top reviews in NextDoor too. read more

Crafty Canine Club - Pet Training Near Me - Poway, California

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Awesome pet sitting and training! Our yellow Lab Max loves to stay with Don, he is a great trainer as well as pet sitter. Max gets all the attention he requires. Max had a great two weeks stay with Don. Don is very easy to work with! read more

I am so very grateful that we found Don and the Crafty Canine Crew. Our English Bulldog, Nelson, came from a tough background before we adopted him. He had very bad leash / collar reactivity that made it virtually impossible for us to put his collar and leash on without risking being bitten. In addition, Nelson would bark from the moment he got into our car to the moment we got where we were going. We ended up avoiding all car journeys except to our vet. This meant no dog park, no dog beach, no dog socialization. We went through three trainers with no resolution. Then we found Don. Don helps dogs using relationship based training - not something we knew about or had experienced with other trainers. We introduced Nelson to Don for an hour then a couple of days later had him stay for two nights with Don and his Canine Crew. When I picked Nelson up, Don walked me through the training he had done and explained in detail what I needed to do to make the training a success. Don also provided multiple videos of him working with Nelson that made it very easy for me to understand how I needed to act. We noticed an immediate significant difference; no issue with putting a collar on and only some / minimal issues with the leash that was quickly corrected using one word - "enough". Likewise, we were able to stop Nelson barking in the car using the same word. We've now had Nelson at Don's for three two night stays. Nelson no longer barks in the car and is, instead, extremely calm and chilled out on car rides. We can put his collar on with absolutely no issues. We can pick his leash up without him lunging at us. In addition, Nelson is a happier pup. He had never learned how to play or be around other dogs. At Crafty Canine Club, he has a stable and consistent pack (Don has four dogs of his own) and an environment where Don and his dogs help Nelson to be a happy and confident dog. Finally, I have found a person (Don) that I feel completely confident will take care of and love Nelson and a place that Nelson is excited and happy to go to. Prior to finding Don, I would not leave Nelson with anyone so was unable to ever leave San Diego overnight. I cannot recommend Don and his crew highly enough. We have gone from despair at not even being able to put a collar on our pup or put our pup in a car to a happy, confident dog who is quite happy to have his collar and leash put on, get in our car and not bark as we drive him to Fiesta Island. read more

Don is absolutely fantastic! He had our pup for a week while we were out of town and our dog had the best time. I got daily picture updates and Don was very communicative throughout my dog's whole stay. You can tell he really cares about the dogs and makes connections with each of them. We will definitely be repeat customers! read more

No personable at all. They don't answer the phone and then when you request anything online they send out a blanket text message saying they aren't taking on new clients. What does that mean? You are all booked for that time period? You only accept a select few dogs even if you have availability? Sounds like a poor business model to me. read more

Don and his team (humans and dogs) are just as fantastic and responsive as the other reviewers have described! My two dogs, Blue and Happy, are treated really well there. The team at the Crafty Canine Club definitely understands different dog temperaments and takes very well care of each dog guest. I started taking my dogs there in 2021 and will continue to take my dogs there. When I took Blue and Happy in for their onboarding/ orientation process I could immediately tell it would be a great fit by how excited both my dogs were and how skilled and knowledgeable the trainers were. Blue is a 9 year old shepherd mix and Happy is a 2 year old husky mix. My dogs both have anxiety issues but Don and his team were able to match them with great dogs to keep them calm throughout their stay. The team sends out daily updates and pics of the dogs which is a great bonus to receive while we are traveling. Don and his team also shares some great training tips and insights specifically for each dog which has been super helpful. I know I can trust Crafty Canine with Blue and Happy and look forward to booking more stays for them. read more

This is by far the best pet boarding and training facility I have been to. The owner trainer Don is unbelievable with the dogs in his care. He's a great trainer the dogs just love him. The facility is just awesome a Playard for the dogs and training course. The kennels are set up so they don't look like kennels he has music playing for the dogs couches..... the dogs are happy and all get along. You won't be disappointed to take your fur baby to be trained or boarded with Don in this beautiful facility. I can't say enough about the facility and about the training for your dogs it's awesome! Stop by give him a call try it your dog will love you for it:) read more

I can't say enough about Crafty Canine Club. I have a 6 year old German Shepard that does not interact with other dogs because he can get aggressive. I told Don about this and he said he would love to work with Max. Don setup a meet and greet the week before we were to go away. Don has an awesome dog named Flint that he introduced Max to and after a short time my mind was at easy with boarding Max with Don and Crafty Canine Club. 1 day into our trip we started getting pictures and videos of Max with many other dogs and getting along with all of them. Hikes, trips to dog beaches and just having a great time with the dogs. You can truly see Don's love for animals. I also want to mention that I have boarded Max and my last dog Jeter in a few different kennels that seemed liked I was dropping them off at a juvenile detention center. Don and the team at Crafty Canine Club are not out to nickel and dime customers for things that should be done with the boarding fee, walks and play time to mention a few. Thank you Don and the team at Crafty Canine Club for all your help!!!! John Gerardi read more