Dan provided a straight-forward approach to dog training. I was amazed at how he was able to immediately get our frenchie to obey. Great follow up. I would highly recommend to anyone with a new puppy hoping to gain some sanity! read more

Dan Perata Training - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dan was referred to us by the folks at Pound Puppy Rescue where we got Cesar. Though Cesar started off well with soft mouth and bite inhibition, he went through a period of a few weeks where he got progressively more aggressive. We were at our wit's end and had been in constant communication with the rescue folks. Dan arrived and within a few minutes, had taught me how to assert myself with Cesar and not let him take on the alpha dog role. We took Cesar for a walk and within 10 minutes, managed to go farther than I had in the previous 3 weeks combined. This is a work in progress and we have to stay consistent, but it was Dan's teachings and guidance that got us on the right track with Cesar. Dan followed up a couple of days later to make sure things were going well. We would highly recommend Dan to anyone who was having behavior issues with their dog. In our case, it was about nipping this behavior in the bud as soon as possible and not letting it get too ingrained. read more

My dog Reuben and I originally met Dan and Natasha back in May 2017, and they truly changed our life. I adopted Reuben at 5 years old from SPCA with a number of people and dog aggression issues. For two months, I tried to train him on my own, but struggled to get him to make meaningful improvements. SPCA's trainers were not able to help, and suggested medicating Reuben to control his aggression. I'm sorry, I'm not medicating my dog. I was lucky to have a good friend recommend Dan, and while I was initially apprehensive to be away from Reuben during the week, we signed up for Dan's Board-and-train program. Dan and his team of talented trainers really turned Reuben around, and taught me so much about responsible dog ownership (even though I grew up with dogs, and have had them for most of my life). Dan went above and beyond to make sure Reuben was adhering to the lessons, and regularly improving. I'd be surprised if many other trainers have Dan's work ethic and are as devoted to truly changing dogs (and owners) lives. They are so generous with their time, and are some of the kindest people I know. I'm so grateful for the amazing work that Dan, Natasha and team have done for Reuben. They've made him into an amazing dog! read more

Dan has been a godsend in helping me manage my 2 rambunctious golden retrievers. Over the years I became more and more accepting of their bad manners and barkiness and I'd lost hope that they could ever be calm and well behaved. I had tried a couple of other trainers in the past, but they didn't have good technique for dealing with 2 crazy dogs at the same time. They also were very stingy with their time and the cost was way too much for what I felt that I was getting. Dan on the other hand has been very generous with his time when I call with followup questions, and he's not in a hurry to schedule another training session and squeeze more money out of me. From the beginning he was confident that one training session would be enough and so far that has been the case. I will definitely want to schedule more training for off leash work once my boys have graduated from the on leash walks I've been giving them. The main issues with my dogs were pulling like crazy when going for walks and also getting testy with other dogs. When at home we had problems with them barking at every little sound and generally having bad manners with regards to personal space. Dan's advice has improved all of these behaviors dramatically which has definitely improved my relationship with my dogs (not to mention my girlfriend). One last thing... I recently informed Dan that I'd be going out of town for a few weeks and that my dad would be watching the goldens in my absence. I told him that I would explain all of the new training procedures to my dad so that we wouldn't lose the momentum we had going. Without hesitation Dan suggested I give my dad his contact info so that he can call him directly with any questions. That level of care and support really illustrates that Dan just wants more happy dogs out there rather than being totally focused on taking owners' money. Wag more, bark less read more

We have a 70lb territorial pit bull that does not like any dogs within a 1/4 mile of her block. On walks, If I would see a dog half a block away I would turn and walk the other way in order to avoid her going ballistic toward the other dog. Dan helped me realize that I was in charge of the walk, not the pit bull. I had been used to fleeing every time I saw another dog. Dan coached me on correctly using a choke chain in order to prevent the dog from pulling me (the Iditarod effect) and using the chain's sound to correct the dog and get the dog's attention on me and off of the other dog. The key is practice via repetition - never give up! read more

I emailed Dan via his website during the holiday vacation period and was stunned and happy to hear from him within a day. I honestly expected him to be on vacation like everyone else. He was really nice on the phone and we set up a day for him to come to my house in San Jose. On Saturday he arrived promptly at 10am as we had scheduled, and the training began immediately. Auzzy (my Mini Australian Shepherd) is having issues such as barking at strangers, pulling on the leash, bad recall, destructive behavior, and lunging at people on walks. The training starting with my husband and I learning that we make the rules. Auzzy thinks the whole world revolves around him and that's a serious problem. We learned techniques that over time will stop him from barking. It's only been two days, but you can see Auzzy's attitude changing. The next thing we learned was how to take Auzzy for a walk. We did not know that Auzzy had been taking us for walks!! Which is part of the reason he behaves so badly. Dan had told me to go out and buy a gentle leader and on Saturday he taught us how to use it. It's amazing that within 10 minutes, Auzzy was heeling!!! We also learned how to stop him from being distracted and barking at strangers. We have since taken him for a few walks, and he's doing much better. I know eventually he'll stop barking completely. He's a really nervous and scared dog which is why he barks. Dan stayed and talked to us about everything after the training session was over. We get free e-mail and text advice from him now! He is extremely knowledgeable and I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone who is having trouble with their dog. In a couple of weeks, if Auzzy is doing a lot better (which I have no doubt), we will most likely do another training session with Dan to work on Auzzy's recall and interaction with other dogs. read more

Dan is helping us with our four month old, long-haired German Shepherd, Bella. After being attacked at a park one day recently, she has had some socialization issues and is not confident when around other dogs (despite the fact she's bigger than most of them!). Dan came to our apartment and also went with us to the park with his dogs. He showed us how to properly handle our dog to give it more confidence. Dan also give us lots of tips during our session, including kennels and training games for us to play with her. I have already noticed a difference in our dog's behavior and Dan tells us that she will continue to improve. I strongly recommend Dan and his methods. He makes himself available after the sessions as well via email and text, which I think is great. He knows what he's talking about and has a no-nonsense approach, which we loved. Thanks Dan! read more

Our two puppies (8 months & 1.5 years old) had separation anxiety, barking issues & they constantly pulled on the leash. We used to dread taking them on walks. Dan came highly recommended by two of our co-workers so we gave him a call. We are so happy that he was able to accommodate our schedule. Dan solved all of our puppies' issues in just one hour. More than anything, Dan taught my husband & I to be Alpha over the dogs and to show them what we want them to do. It's been only 3 days since our session and the puppies are completely different. They now obey us with just a few simple tricks that Dan taught us. We were blown away with how quickly our dogs responded to Dan's suggestions. In addition to teaching us invaluable lessons during our one-hour session, Dan has followed up with us via phone calls and offered to answer any questions that we might have in the future over the phone. You couldn't ask for better customer service! If you are looking for help whipping your dogs into shape or getting them to listen to you, look no further. As you can see from all of the other Yelp reviews, The Dog Whisperer is amazing. Dan's expertise is priceless and we highly recommend him. read more

We have used 3 different dog trainers with our rescued hound, and Dan was clearly the most effective in helping her to learn the confidence that she so desperately needs. Dan does not use treat-based training; his style is more along the lines of "pack leadership", and within 3 seconds of entering our home, it was clear that the dogs respected his leadership, before he'd said a word or acknowledged the dogs. In addition to his incredible ability to connect to canines, Dan has been very honest, fair and forthright with us -- I would wholeheartedly recommend his services to anyone who is having difficulty with training their dog - we definitely got our money's worth! read more

Dan, Natasha and their entire staff are wonderful and my Husky/Malamute mix Milo is a new dog thanks to their four week training series. For the last year, Milo has been trying to be Alpha Dog to our lovely pack family. He pushed limits, jumped on couches, chased our cats and pulled when on leash, sometimes going after small animals. He needed training! Dan and team worked with Milo daily during the week and assigned homework for us when Milo returned home on weekends. Soon Milo was not pushing limits, allowing his human to be Alpha and he no longer jumps on the couch. Each week we worked with Dan and team and practiced. Much of the training is actually for humans so we know how to interact with our dog. Dan is engaging, fun, and absolutely knows how to train dogs to live with their families. I so so so recommend Dan and team. Your dog will come back happy and well trained. read more

I sent an email to Dan through his website and he responded back to me. You can tell on your very first call with him that he knows what he is talking about. Dan spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me identifying the types of issues I was having with my Corgi puppy. He explained to me the techniques that he would help implement at our meeting to address the issues. Dan met me at my apartment complex and we immediately got going. The issues I was having with my dog were that he was pulling on leash, whining when he was bored and barking at people. Dan was very good in showing me how to use a special training leash to address the pulling issue. He also showed me a bunch of other techniques to address the other issues. I saw quick improvement after our 1 hour session. My little guy is already starting to walk better on his leash and I have seen a vast improvement in his whining and barking. If you are looking for quick, noticeable improvement in your dog's behavior then Dan is your guy. Dan also followed up with me by phone to see how everything was going. He provided me with more training exercises and ideas. He makes sure to let you know that you can contact him at anytime if you have any questions or need more help. read more

We needed Dan's help w/ our 13 weeks old australian cattle puppy ( biting and jumping mostly). Dan showed us some simple but helpful techniques. He also told us it's all about how we walk him so we spent most of the session doing that. After Dan left, we actually had a peaceful meal without our dog jumping on us or nipping at our feet! We did not have to tell him "down", "stop" , "off" while chewing our food. He still jumps and tries to bite at times but at least now we know what to do. And it's good to know we can call Dan if we have more questions! He did follow up w/ me a couple of days after our session, which was nice. read more

Our troublesome PWD went through bootcamp with Dan a few years ago and has been boarding there when we travel ever since. We had tried everything else and came across Dan on Yelp of all places. 4.5 stars and the positive reviews tells you everything you need to know. I can't tell you how much we appreciate Dan, Natasha and the team - they are absolutely brilliant. They genuinely care for our boys, and are always helpful and responsive. Highly recommended. read more

Met with Dan once and learned SO much in a short period of time. I want to thank Dan and his staff for taking the time to meet with us and our dog- it's only been two days and we've already seen a difference in our pup! I can tell this establishment is very busy (for good reason) and the fact that Dan took time out of his day to answer some questions speaks volumes to the business he runs. The experience is evident from the very beginning. Can't say enough good things about this place. I highly recommend! read more

Left my puppy there for a week and he came back a changed man. He was not only so happy, but very obedient. I love the layout and the cleanness of the facility. There is a lot of free space for the puppies to roam around and explore! All the dogs seemed happy and content! I highly recommend Dan and his team for training and would 100% leave Soli (my dog) the next time I'm traveling :) read more

Dan is awesome. I was thinking I was going to have to give my dog back to the breeder because she was starting to growl at my kids and had bitten me. She was also very hyper and out of control. After one sesssion and a walk around the block I have a new dog. We just met yesterday so hopefully me and my family can stay consistent. I highly recommend having Dan come over. He doesn't have an attitude like some of the other trainers I have talked to. read more

Dan is amazing! I have a Shiba Inu/Jack Russell mix that is dominant and his technique has worked to calm her down. She's still a work in progress but now I don't worry about her nipping other dogs. If you need help with your dogs contact him. That hour will fly by and you will learn so much! read more

Guy is a drill sergeant. So glad we chose to do dog drop in training classes elsewhere with a more relaxed vibe opposed to this. I truly feel that if we had sent our puppy to him for the camp that she would have lost all personality. read more

I can't put to words with enough enthusiasm how fantastic Dan, Natasha and the team over at Dan Perata Dog Training are. Effective no nonsense get the job done training. If you want to learn the ins and outs of getting your dogs behavior(and your own ) in line you've come to the right place. The team has trained two of our dogs with various behavioral problems that we just couldn't correct on our own (and believe me we tried and tried). So much happier at home and the dogs are as well. We have also used their boarding services several times . Love Dan Perata Dog Training. read more

My wife and I brought our newly adopted shy, timid and what we feared dog aggressive pit bull mix to Dan and his team. After meeting and speaking with Dan in detail about our dogs behaviors as well as our own, we enrolled Ipoh (affectionately known as IHOP with Dan and staff) into camp. Ipoh has progressed immensely since going through camp. The training is absolutely fantastic for both owner and dog. Each lesson/visit we've left with more knowledge, understanding and ultimately confidence in our dog as well as our ability to control our dog. Thank you to Dan, Natasha and the entire staff of trainers for everything you do and continue to do. I'd recommend their services, from helping with specific behavioral issues, to room and board for the weekend or even day, with out hesitation. They're all professional, passionate, personable and the no BS attitude is very much so appreciated. We look forward to continue working with them and seeing Ipoh grow ever more confident in herself and continue to develop into her best potential. read more

I was having some trouble with my 6 year old poodle mix. She started showing teeth to anyone who came near her she'd decide to plant herself anyplace that would be in my way, and since I'm disabled she'd constantly tie me up with paws and leashes. Lucy and I went up to the City for our interview with Dan Perata and almost instantly I knew this was the right place for Lucy. Dan met with me patiently and answered all my questions and even answered the questions I didn't bring up. We toured the facility and I met some of the staff and I was very impressed with the attention each dog was receiving as well as the cleanliness and size of the facility. I had researched all the alternatives for training offered in the Bay Area and decided that a Board and Train Program would be the best for me. Driving to the City once a week to pick Lucy up wasn't a hardship since Dan's facility is conveniently located off 101 for me and I'm not going far into the City. Each week I saw a more responsive yet still affectionate dog. While I brought her in for anger issues she learned better walking skills, she no longer pulls, reacts to squirrels or birds. Lucy doesn't go nuts when people come to the door and for me the best part that the staff taught her to wait at the stairs to be told to go up or down and she takes 3 steps at a time so I am secure going up while holding the leash, cane and railing. Dan explained that he and his staff become members of the family because they are always there to help with refresher sessions for both you and your dog, any potential dog walkers, pet sitters or potential fiancé/s, etc. While Lucy has become a better dog, I have become a better dog owner. As far as I'm concerned Dan Perata Training was money well spent, no doubt. read more

Dan Perata saved my dog's life. I rescued my puppy, Strider, in March, right before the height of the Covid outbreak. All my socialization plans went right out the window. He quickly became fearful of other people and extremely aggressive with any dogs we came into contact with. When I walked into Dan's facility for my consultation, Strider was a snarling mess. He wasn't capable of meeting new people, children, or dogs without lashing out in fear based aggression. Dan told me that he'll be a challenging dog to work with but assured me that he had helped fix many dogs just like him. At first I was nervous about dropping my puppy off on Monday for his first week, but I knew it was for the best. From my first class, Dan and JV coached me on how to manage eye contact with my dog and how to keep Strider under control while walking around new people and dogs. They've helped me to be the confident and relaxed owner that my dog needs. Stephanie has helped me countless times with scheduling conflicts and comedic relief. Now that we've graduated from Dan Camp, I look forward to attending weekly lessons with Aaron, where I get the important reminders to keep me on top of training at home. When you work with Dan, your dog is a Dan Perata dog for life. When I ran into a new challenge with Strider, I called up Dan and he walked me through our new training plan moving forward. Dan is committed to helping me foster a successful relationship with my dog. Dan and his incredible staff can't magically solve all of your problems for you, but they can equip you with the techniques to take your success into your own hands. If you aren't willing to put in the work then this is not the training facility for you. Frankly you probably shouldn't have a dog then either. Like many things in life, you get out what you put in. If you take the process seriously, show up on time, thoughtfully critic your own training approach and ask as many questions as possible then you will succeed! I am so thankful for the entire staff at Dan Perata Dog Training. Without their help, I wouldn't be the dog owner I am today. Strider and I have a long journey ahead of us but I am confident that DPT has my back all the way! read more

After meeting Dan, I am entirely convinced that whatever money I spend on any dog training program would be a waste. Before meeting Dan, my puppy Dalton was enrolled in a 7-week puppy class in Walnut Creek. He was doing great until he started to show signs of aggression toward any puppy that got near me or near his little zone. After he actually bit another puppy during a "leave-it" exercise I knew I needed to find a professional that could effectively address Dalton's aggression problem. I searched all over the internet and read reviews for probably dozens of other professional trainers....and thankfully came across Dan's yelp page...and was by far impressed by what others had written about him. It did not take long for me to get why this guy's reviewed are riddled with 5-stars....I called him on a Sunday night, expecting a call the next day or something, but he promptly returned my call that same night and even talked me through an over-the-phone exercise with Dalton. I met him later that week with Dalton, and Dan told me that he would show me how to walk him. Literally within one minute....Dan had my dog (who is super skiddish and hates being around strangers) walking, even prancing, right by his side. Pretty amazing considering the fact that just an hour prior, Dalton was virtually the one walking me. I really believe that not just anyone can go out and decide to be a dog trainer...and that one must have an innate and natural talent to lead and train dogs...Dan definitely has that quality which Dalton and I are very thankful for. Dan is professional but still relaxed and approachable....better yet, since Dalton and I went to go see him, Dan has taken the initiative to check up on Dalton's progress a couple times and has extended an opportunity for me to contact him anytime via text, phone call, e-mail, smoke signal, whatever...with any questions concerning Dalton or even my other pup Beso. Since meeting Dan, Dalton's behavior has significantly improved, and he no longer shows signs of aggression or over-protective behavior. This improvement resulted from just one hour of working with Dan. He has probably done wonders for my blood pressure too since my puppy is so much more calm and tame now. If you are concerned about your dog's behavior or even just need help in being a better leader for your dog, then I recommend to give this doggie guru a call! read more

Dan took on our anxiety ridden , fear based aggressive , flight fancying pup whom also happened to also be prone to in house demolition. What a transition this little Boxer/Pitt rescue pup has made! It has been over a year since she went to "Dan Camp" and our confident, loving, playful dog is a poster pup for what can be accomplished if you have the right guidance. (*"right guidance" is key here since several respected experts thought our case hopeless"). At the moment she is sound asleep, curled up with her best friend, our 8 year old son; on a daily bases this changed dog brings constant joy to our family and this would not have happened without Dan's hard work (as tough as she was to train I am sure our family was the hardest part of the equation.) Thank you Dan for all your help. He is a pleasure to work with and if he could train our pup..... anything is possible. read more

I have a one year old chihuahua my main issue was taking him for a walk and leaving him outside coffee shops restaurants etc he will freak out and after reading all the amazing reviews about Dan I decide to call him and OMG in just one session after walking few blocks we actually went inside a coffee shop and like a miracle my dog didn't freak out at all by the end of the session I have a different dog what can I say I don't give Dan 5 star rating I give him a 1000 star rating DAN IS JUST AMAZING read more

I took my new rescued 4 mo. old chihuahua puppy here attempting to start off, what I hoped to be, a well mannered, well behaved life together. I had looked around and after seeing some of the rules and practices of other places, I called and spoke with Natasha. She told me to come in and meet with Dan. I was a little concerned at first since many of his 4 legged clients are there for aggressive / behavioral issues and worried my 8 lb. guy might not be safe. I was reassured that there would be separate areas for dogs with different needs. At times the aggressive dogs were in the same area, but always under leashed supervision. This was to teach both the timid and the aggressive to co-exist and be comfortable. I liked the style of training and soon learned it was equally about training the owner AND the pet. The price was steep but sometimes you get what you pay for. My dog came out of boot camp completely crate trained. No fussing when crated, sometimes even in the crate with the door open, sleeping in the crate in another room without a peep! He understands the command "leave it" and will stop pursuing something that distracts him. I found him better socialized with other dogs, big and small. He isn't as needy as most dogs I've had despite being a tiny dog. He walks better on a leash with his "head collar". This is a small summary of some of the benefits I got. I'm also allowed to bring him back on Wednesday forever for free group training refresher classes. Did I mention they also do boarding? He is done with boot camp but goes again tomorrow to board [and train] while I go out of town. This is his 2nd boarding in a month. The staff is excellent and truly love their jobs. Everyone takes interest in your dog's success. read more

Dan Perata Training - Eben Fogg - Happy boot camp graduate! - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

Update April 2017: Almost a year later Boone is doing great and we're much more mindful owners since. Dan and Natasha have kept in touch. I'd love to take Boone up for more training. Update Aug 2017: Boone is doing great. Dan's team have checked in on us a couple of times. read more

As good as it gets is an understatement! Dan Perata and Team go above and beyond. Their ability to teach the dogs and the humans (probably more of a challenge) the importance of safe and successful handling is outstanding. The individual care and concern shown to us as a total family started from the first point of contact when we called to inquire about the facility, the training program, the daycare and overnight boarding. Natasha was professional, thorough, knowledgeable and went out of her way to accommodate our working schedules. Dan spent a lot of time with us explaining his techniques and philosophy and showing us around. We were sold! The facility speaks for itself. Everything is thought out. Dan and Natasha work alongside their staff and maintain a high profile on site. If you want the best look no further - you and your pup will work hard but it will be well worth it! read more

Dan was recommended to us by the dog rescue organization where we adopted Brendan. Brendan did not have the best start in life and when we adopted him at six months he was very fearful of humans. We had rescued other dogs and the problems had been minimal but Brendan was a very different problem. We initially thought that he would be less fearful after he got use to us but after a month it was clear life had been very unkind to him and while he wasn't afraid of dogs and followed our other dog everywhere, he was very afraid of people. He would get up and run from the room if we stood up. When we got ready to take him for a walk he shook and cowered in fear. On the walk he would become so fearful that he would hug the ground and shake. Dan came to see us to evaluate Brendan and it was immediately clear he understood Brendan's problems. On the first long walk that day Brendan was responding better on the leash and acting more confident although still fearful. Dan recommended a period of walking him without our other dog so he would bond with the person rather than with our other dog. We concentrated on getting him use to walking with us and being around other people. But Brendan still was very fearful and would not even take treats from our hands. Wasn't clear he knew what treats were. Dan took him for several days and worked with him extensively. When he brought him back Brendan was much more confident. He walked erect, he would look you in the eye and while he still has a long ways to go, huge progress had been made. Dan continues to give us advice over the phone as Brendan progresses with us. We would recommend him to others in a heartbeat. read more

I came to Dan and crew to nail down the puppy basics and work on my dog's separation anxiety, so I signed up for a few hourly sessions instead of a full camp. It was incredible! The team gave me the tools for success, each time focusing on little things that I could repeat at home and at work. Since Moo and I started coming to lessons, people at work have regularly commented on how much better behaved he is [I can now leave Moo at my desk while I grab lunch and when I come back, he is sitting quietly!]. The team was SO SO patient with me [shoutout to Aaron!]. I was not the easiest owner and got overwhelmed at first, but Dan and Aaron worked with me and made sure that I had a great experience with the training. For my situation I didn't feel the need to do a full camp or boarding yet, but I totally would trust this team with my pup. read more

This is the best place to take your dog if you want your dog and yourself to be well trained. The trainers understand both the dogs and the owners. That can be uncomfortable for the owners, because we don't know how to do this and we all make mistakes with our dogs. But the staff are professionals who will guide both you and your dog toward good, social behavior. The dogs respond so well to the environment and the care and training they receive. I put my puppy through the 6-week training course and it was the best thing ever for him. (My sister, the vet, told me it would be!) He learned how to behave, and I learned how to get him to behave. It has made him a safe and happy dog. He trots in wagging his tail when we go back for refresher classes or boarding. read more

Frankly, I find your bullying tactics of posting my full name for posting an honest Yelp review highly unprofessional, and this alone should serve as a serious red flag to anyone considering your services. We had sent our puppy to your dog camp twice, and each time he came back, our dog seemed completely traumatized. Although you are now essentially calling me a liar (another red flag to future customers), I stand behind every word of my review, and I am including my March 3, 2014 email to you to help Yelp readers decide who is telling the truth. --------------- From: Jane Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 9:58 AM To: Fetch Perata Hi Dan ~ I am wondering if you offer guarantees and give refunds when training doesn't work out for a dog. We sent Sparky to you for 1 1/2 months, and before he left, he never pooed or peed in his crate, loved his crate and slept in it every night without fuss. When we got him back from your training program, he seemed crazy. He absolutely hated his crate and would go crazy in it pooping and peeing in it every night and would yelp for 5-6 hours. I finally had to let him sleep outside of his crate because I couldn't take it anymore. Now, after all this time, I am just now getting him to be able to go back into his crate although I have to leave the door open to his pen. He also wasn't potty trained at all, barked all the time, bites, and growls, and was worse than when we originally sent him. I have worked super hard this last month to potty train him, and now am finally almost there. I had to do extra work myself, and feel that we spent $3,500 without results. I have been asked by others about your training program, and feel that I need to be honest that it didn't work for our dog. Please let me know what we can do. Jane --------------- Dan, at the time I sent the email above, you did not refute any of the issues I brought up. Yes, you offered us a follow-up lesson, which we took you up on, and yes, we sent our dog back to your camp again, but after the second stay, our dog continued to have the same hyper-anxiety and "Post Traumatic Stress" symptoms when he returned, and I felt continued efforts to send him to you would be abusive to our poor dog. As you may recall from re-reading the email above, when our dog left your camp, he was not crate trained as you now claim, and he did not know any of the commands. Yes, he did walk well alongside us with the "Gentle Leader" harness, which was a great recommendation I would like to now pass along to anyone reading this review who wants to train their dog, as it gently forces the dog to walk right next to you. (BTW, Yelp readers, you might want to save yourself a lot of money by just purchasing this leash, along with its accompanying training CD, for $30 on Amazon)! However, when we initially paid the $3,500 fee, we were not told that we could not go to Tahoe on some weekends after our dog was trained, so anyone considering your services should also take Dan's "explicit instructions not to travel" into consideration. And yes, we did have one friend (not several, as you now claim) that recommended your services, so we decided to spend the exorbitant camp fee ($3,500) plus follow up training fees to train our dog. Ironically, it was this same friend who has several times encouraged me to write this Yelp review (my first and only) after I had told her about our negative experiences. I kept thinking about it and felt it was the right thing to do to let people know that they may spend a lot of money on your services without getting the desired results. Again, your services may work for some, but not all. ----------------------- Here was my original Yelp review: Doesn't work for everyone. We paid about $4,000 to train our Coton to no avail. Our dog came back freaked out by and pooping in his crate (he had slept in it every night before we sent him and never once pooped in it), not potty trained, barked like crazy, and panicked about being left alone. To be fair, it was when Dan was moving facilities, so I think our dog was left alone in his crate all day. We let Dan know the issues, and we sent our dog back at Dan's new facilities to try again, but again to no avail, even though at home we followed Dan's rules for dog training. After about a year, we were able to train him ourselves. We never received any $$ back. read more

My dog, who is a rescue, is a gentle dog, but had some minor behavioral issues, like pulling on a leash sometimes. Someone recommended Dan to me. He came to my residence and he is a big guy with a big personality. That is fine, but my dog is little. Dan commented that my dog very "chill", which he is. Dan's training techniques are not chill, however. In fact, they are pretty aggressive. He took me and my dog on walk where he proceeded to walk behind us stomping his big feet loudly. This mainly succeeded in making my dog pretty nervous. He insisted I use a gentle leader. It goes over the dog's nose and then you correct the dog by pulling on the leader and jerking the dog's head. It seemed overkill for my dog. I mentioned to Dan that my dog had separation anxiety. He said he could help with that. He then proceeded to describe his training method for dogs with separation anxiety which was to put them in their cage and then do various what have to be called punishments when the dog gets upset, such as spray water in the dog's face or sometimes, kick the side of the cage. He also went on kind of a rant about how people who only believe in positive reinforcement for dogs are "idiots." After this meeting, I talked to a vet who specialized in animal behavior. She said the methods Dan uses don't actually teach a dog anything other than to be afraid, which can make a dog obedient if that is what you are after. It also can make them more aggressive in a lot of cases, although that does not happen in every case. Much as Dan might not like it, the vet said dogs learn through either positive enforcement or not rewarding bad behavior (as in no positive reinforcement, not punishment.) She also said that the dominance theory about dogs wanting to be dominated by pack a leader has been shown to be incorrect. Even the original author of the theory has disavowed it since the study behind it was done on wolves in a captive situations. In the wild, wolves live in families and there is no pack leader. This review is not to say Dan's method or Dan as a person are bad. Its just to say that for my dog and the life I want him to have, I don't think Dan was the trainer for me. Maybe if I had a big dog with lots of problems, Dan's methods might be what is needed. But my dog ended up being trained with gentler methods more in keeping with who he is. read more

Glossy photos, dogs wagging their tails, happy testimonials, just a pack of now well behaved dogs all hanging out at camp thanks to Dan. I'll admit, I wanted a well behaved 15 week old Sloughi puppy too and I took the bait and bit down hard. I'll liken Dan's methods, more so the recruitment of new clients, to a slight mix of a cult and a seminar up sale scheme. The company website invites prospective clients to inquire about a one hour one-on-one session with Dan that will most likely be all you'll need to fix your dogs problems. I called mentioning their website and that exact language, scheduling my one-on-one for the following Tuesday. Monday, the receptionist calls and asks if I can reschedule to the Wednesday, as Dan was overbooked on Monday and needs Tuesday to regroup and catch up, "to give my pup the proper attention he deserves." Wednesday we drive up to the industrial area where the the camp is located and walk-in and wait. The staff needed to eat lunch which I was fine with, I was able to catch up on my reading, two magazines worth (granted I wasn't reading all the articles, more like skimming). I meet Dan who is quite personable and we briefly go over my puppies "issues" - jumping, pulling on the leash, and housebreaking difficulties. The Dan method calls for a head halter and while putting his borrowed halter on, Teddy jumped, and Dan addressed the jumping by stepping on his paw, purposely. Yelp! We then walked up and down the street addressing Teddy's lack of confidence and leash skills through behavior training and doggy psychology 101. I will say he had improved by the end of the hour and was walking a bit taller and with a smidge more confidence. Once we got back the receptionist and Dan went on about how they had their signals crossed about what I was actually there for in front of another waiting client. The receptionist thought I was there for a camp eval and Dan thought I was there for a private lesson. I tried to straighten out the confusion but in the end, the receptionist who calls you hun, shug, and all other sorts of southern sweet pet names decided that since I got a private lesson, I should be charged for one, $250 for less than an hour. Ouch! I would have expected $75-$100 but $2 Hundred freaking $50!? A minute later she revised the total to "just $200 hundred darlin' since you weren't even here an hour." Bless her little heart. It wasn't made clear if Teddy would be a good candidate for camp or board and train or if he was good with just that lesson. I was expecting a sort of debrief and the proposed next steps but nope it was left to me to decide if I felt this one "lesson" (which no one was even on the same page if it was a lesson) would be sufficient. Or if I wanted, I could drop $750 a week for 4-6 weeks on who knows what would be addressed (because that was never addressed). I was rushed out because the "goat had bloat" (I kid you not) and gave back the head halter. As I'm walking out I give a quick goodbye to Dan who is already assessing his next potential client, a Doodle of some sort with aggression issues. Dan says, "bye hun, make sure you leave the ($15 at best) halter!" For $200, I kind of felt they could have let me keep the inexpensive halter... I believe Dan and his staff are quite good at what they do, especially with aggressive, poorly behaved dogs; their work is probably a godsend to the worn down and bewildered owners of those dogs in need of serious rehabilitation. I think my needs and expectations in a dog trainer just didn't match their methods and intended outcomes for my pup. C'est la vie. But what really gets my goat (and there are two roaming the urban premises) is the staff (including Dan for a while) kept calling Teddy a "she" - unlike cats, but similar to humans, it's easy to see that a male, a he if you will, has a penis and two balls between his legs. Sort of an important distinction in my opinion. read more

I have a dog with moderately severe separation anxiety. She's a 3 year old rescue and we had her for about 1 year before we brought her in to Dan. She's clawed the grout out of our tiles and the paint off of our doors when we left her alone. The worst part is that she refuses to eat or drink, so if we leave for 4 hours +, this got very worrisome. We tried the Choose Positive dog training method before, which didn't work. We spent thousands of dollars on training sessions, training implements (a Treat n' Train machine that is now sitting in the dust), web cams. We even went to the vet and got Fluoxetine (aka Doggie prozac) Nothing worked. We still couldn't leave the dog alone. In my research, I found Dan. Great reviews on Yelp. Seemed he was one of the few trainers that had a decent track record with separation anxiety, which is extremely difficult to solve. We invested over $4000 in a 5-6 week Dan Camp session. This included 3 weeks of boarding too because we had a vacation during that time. The 2 main training objectives were (1) get her walking well on leash because Dan's philosophy was that if the owner is in control at all times, especially during walks, then the dog will calm down even when they are alone. (2) Crate training - keeping her in the crate at all times until she loved it. The Staff: Dan and his team are obviously pros. If I could give more stars just for the staff I would. Dan always gives it to you straight. There's no BS with him. Their Guarantee: They claimed from the beginning that they were 'in it to win it' and they were true to their word. After the first 5 weeks, when we still weren't improving, they took her back for a 6th week at no extra charge The Method: Parts worked well for us and parts didn't. The leash walking had definitely improved. Dan's team has perfected the training method for that. The crate training just never took. A big part was our fault. At first we couldn't bring ourselves to crate her at night because we live in an apartment and we were afraid her barking would disrupt the neighbors. But eventually we did force her to sleep in the crate at night. After a while ,she just flat out refused to go in the crate no matter how many treats we threw in there to lure her. The crate-her-until-she-loved-it just never happened. In fact, she seemed to hate it more than ever. The straw that broke the camel's back was the condition we found our dog in after we got her back after the long 3 week boarding stretch and again after week 6. She came home 2.5 lbs lighter. She is a 15 lb small dog at normal weight...so this means she lost over 15% of her weight. We could see her ribs. It was alarming. Also, we snuck a peek at her log and we noticed at least 1 missed feeding. She also had mysterious welts all over her body that eventually scabbed up and went away. We kept an eye on them and intended to go to the vet if it got worse, but they did disappear. Overall, Dan's method could work for many dogs, especially aggressive dogs. And even perhaps for us, it could have worked after a longer period. However, we just couldn't bring ourselves to continue after the condition we found our dog in afterwards. read more

Dan Perata and his team have been the most helpful, attentive, and professional dog trainers we have ever worked with. We began Dan Camp in January 2017 with our dog Wyatt, a rescue who was abused as a puppy and has aggressive and anxious tendencies. We've noticed remarkable change both in our dog's attitude and our ability to manage him no matter what the scenario. Let's be real - the road to changing your dog is not a quick-and-easy "fix" that is often preached by other trainers, several of whom we have both worked and consulted with in the past. Dan is very clear that his program is NOT this...he's a realist. Our dog is less than a year into his new life and we couldn't be any happier with the results we've worked for thus far. Additionally, the team at Dan Perata schedules lessons at short-notice, are flexible, and are extremely trustworthy when we board Wyatt - we do not feel any reason to worry about our dog while we're out of town because we know he's being treated with the attention and care that he needs. Basically we can't say nice enough things about Dan or his team. If you've got any behavior issues to work through with your dog or puppy, look no further. read more

I have found it VERY difficult to communicate and schedule with Dan. I met with him once and felt the experience was rushed, although he seemed to be very knowledgeable. After trying to re-schedule for the past several months, I have been repeatedly canceled-on at the last minute. The last straw was this morning when Dan and I were supposed to meet and I was staying home from work and the appointment was canceled 45 minutes before it was scheduled to start. NO BUENO. I will find a more professional trainer. read more

We respect your time and services. We did offer to pay for additional sessions and would have gladly. You are a very talented dog trainer and we thank you very much for your help with Havana. I can appreciate you took us on as a "free client" we did not expect anything but the courtesy of following through when arrangements were made. I apologize for the less than stellar review but if this is your business practice in terms of prioritizing your "free clients vs. paying clients" and confirmation policies at least your current clients are now aware. read more

Dan and his team did an AMAZING job. I really cannot stress enough how well they trained my puppy. I sent my golden retriever puppy , Boots, there at 10 weeks old for the 6 week puppy camp ( i got him back on weekends during this period) and a 2 week break after the first 4 weeks. Every weekend i got him back he was progressively more trained and by the end of it i can honestly say he is the best trained puppy i have ever seen, and he is definitely better trained than most older dogs. Its not cheap, but its completely worth it, they are going to make sure your dog masters three commands, Stay, Here, and Leave it (drop it). Three commands may not seem like much, but you honestly do not need anything else, and once they get those 3 down, you can teach them anything you want super easily. I highly recommend the puppy camp, not only for the training aspect, but also to get your dog well socialized, they really can't go out anywhere until their shots are done, and the dog park is especially out of the question, you have a small window to make sure they get the experiences they need to make sure they don't end up anti-social ( scared, aggressive etc.. ). The camp gives them the opportunity to play safely with other vaccinated puppies in a controlled environment. They definitely go above and beyond, working with Dan and his team is not just a transaction, they are not going to nickel and dime you, they really do care about giving you a well trained dog and from what i have seen will do everything they can to do so. There are bunch of free lessons scattered through the process and they will not be opposed to putting more time in with you if they feel your dog needs more work.You'll also have a safe place you know and trust to leave your dog when you can't take him with you for a weekend away. Just do what they tell you ,there is a bit of homework, but after being away from you dog all week you'll really be more than happy to put the work in during the weekend. I can't not mention Natasha, she really does a great job making this whole process go smoothly and is super accommodating. If you want a super well trained dog, trainers you can trust and that care about your dog take into account your lifestyle and schedule, i highly recommend Dan and his team. read more

This is not so much a review about the quality of training, which I think is mostly accurately covered in the other reviews, but about this business's practices. After reading reviews on Yelp, I set up an appointment with Dan for my Schnoodle. He did not show up at the appointed time. After some calls and texts, Dan said that he had mis-calendered the appointment and would come by in about half an hour. More than an hour later, he finally arrived. One hour and $200 later, I was satisfied with the appointment. Not everything was "magically" fixed, but I felt like I had a much better idea how to handle my dog's problem behaviors. As justification for his high price, Dan promised to be available by phone and for an occasional follow-up group session at an SF park. After many voicemails and text messages asking for advice on a specific issue and asking when I could join a follow-up session, Dan finally text'ed a one-sentence reply that my question would be answered when we met for a group session. After many more voicemails and texts, and more two months after our initial meeting, Dan finally said he was going to meet with clients at Fort Funston later that week. After clearing my calendar on a weekday for this group session, I called and texted for the details, but Dan never replied. After two months of pursuing the illusory group sessions, I finally gave up. March 2014 Update: As Dan states in his reply below, he has hired additional staff for his business which I think is great for him and for his clients because he can now give his full attention to his customers rather than running the day-to-day of his successful business. I have attended two of the group walks that Dan now regularly schedules which have been a very helpful refresher. I think that Dan has done a great job of turning around the business problems identified above (and also pointed out by other reviewers from around the same time). Therefore, I am changing my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars. If I were coming to Dan for the first time today, without the negative experience I had in December 2012, I would definitely give him 5 stars. read more