My first impression of Jimi came from my daughter, as she was working at Scottsdale Fashion Square and this wonderful man came into her store with an Airedale off leash and my daughter was so impressed! We knew from what she said that our future puppy would need this man to help train him. So we finally found him- THE DOG GURU. We got our puppy about a month ago and we are under Jimi's guidance in his training methods. From day one, our whole family has been in awe of the knowledge and love he has for dogs. We are so excited to continue with him. If you are in need of training, you will not go wrong with Jimi. No nonsense, all common sense and what is best for the dog... read more

We walked away from our training with Jimmi with a whole new perspective on how to treat our dog, how to break our own bad habits and question why we even do some of the things we do with our dog. It was so eye opening, and he's so compassionate in how he delivers his training. No shaming. Just learning. He's a master at his craft. read more

If I could give 8 stars I would. Jimi and his expertise is something that would benefit so many dog owners. From the "why" behind the training, to the execution, he is one in a million. Don't hesitate to call him, you'll be thankful that you did. read more

We've had several dogs in the past, and various trainers. Nothing ever worked very well, and our dogs were always treat-demanding, poorly behaved, barking in the house, and difficult to walk due to leash-pulling/jumping/barking at other dogs. We had the same problem with our new dog Ollie, our beautiful standard red poodle. After failing several other trainers and various classes, we were referred to Jimi Livshitz of Your Dog Guru. After Jimi trained Ollie at his training facility, he brought Ollie back to us, then Jimi came to our house daily for a number of weeks to train us to be able to not only use all the commands, but to also teach us how to protect Ollie from danger, particularly from poorly controlled dogs. The results of his training are nothing short of a miracle! We are extremely happy! Compared to our pre-Jimi-trained anxious dog who incessantly barked, jumped on guests, ran all over the house, pulled on the leash and so forth (creating lots of misery for us), our post-training Ollie is a happy, loving, self-controlled, obedient dog! Amazingly, all the anxiety and nuisance behaviors are gone! He follows all commands happily, is under control and not distracted, walks off-leash next to our left leg, and plays and lounges with us in the front yard without need for a leash. He follows multiple commands without any problems including properly entering and exiting doors to and from the outside, heel, come, go to kennel, go to cot, place, sit, down, get up on the mailbox or wall, and get in and out of the pool. Ollie is now very happy, loves to play with us, runs on the treadmill unaided for 20 minutes twice a day for additional exercise (which he loves to do and looks forward to) and he does all this readily and without hesitation or needing to repeat commands. The word NO is never required or used now. All he wants is love and praise, and no treats are ever needed. We couldn't be happier. Jimi's training has facilitated an obedient, happy, healthy, and loving partnership for Ollie and us, literally transforming our lives. We feel sorry for all the poorly trained anxious dogs and owners out there. Jimi is a very strong advocate for dogs, and he will not allow punishment, leash neck-yanking, or choke chains to be used. Jimi gets our highest and most enthusiastic recommendation! read more

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Jimi is fantastic, my dog had some leash/dog aggression when i rescued him and he's also deaf so i was afraid to take him on walks thinking i couldn't control him when he started to pull and bark. Jimi taught me so much just in the evaluation that by the next training session my dog wasn't pulling anymore and barely reacting when he saw other dogs. He still has more to learn and jimi is very clear on expectations - you can't expect quick fixes because learning takes time, but regardless i feel like we've already come such a long way. I even taught him how to use a treadmill for those really hot arizona days when walks are just for bathroom use. read more

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I was lucky enough to win an Initial Evaluation, which was donated by Your Dog Guru, at a charity auction. From the start, I have been impressed with the quality of service I received. Jimi was prompt and clear in his communication, as well as accommodating to my schedule. He was calm and respectful while working with my dogs (a Boxer and Miniature Dachshund) and, without much information from me, accurately assessed their issues--exactly as I experience them. He asked appropriate questions and gave me plenty of time to ask mine. He provided practical guidance and since I have implemented some of his suggestions, my experience with my dogs has improved. Observing him work with the dog that accompanied him was inspiring! Jimi is fun to work with and above all, conducts himself and his business with integrity. read more

Jimi and his team are amazing trainers & I would recommend them to anyone who wants their pet to be a part of your family! We have a Golden-Doodle which has a ton of energy & she also had a mind of her own. Jimi took her in and worked with her & we have an amazing dog which we take everywhere! And,....without a leash! We only allow Jimi to board her now when we travel & our Doodle loves going back to visit. Great trainer, considerate Company & we are so thankful to have the opportunity to have Jimi work with our "Indy!" Tom & Delisa LaFave and family read more

We were so blessed to have jimi train our dog Bailey. I can't say enough about him. We have the best friend we could ever have! If not for jimi training our dog, I don't know what we would've done! He is literally amazing and has become a great friend of ours and our dog! The best dog trainer ever!! All of our friends are amazed of our puppy! She is the best because of your dog guru! read more

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I decided to get a new puppy but knew my life was hectic and busy. I needed a friend beyond the human needs. I went ahead and did in kennel training due to my lack of time and my busy school and work schedule. Jackson was a handful. Countless accidents ,barking I couldn't walk him on leash without him crying and being afraid of cars and people. I called Jimi,After a couple months I received a phone call, I was allowed to see him . I was concerned he would not remember me. But Jackson knew who I was ,acting as if he never left. Today Jackson is more then I could ever imagine. He is now my service dog and only wants to please me. Our bond is forever greater and I'm excited for our future together. Thank you! read more

Dog Guru - Bonding - Pet Training Near Me

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I am an experienced dog owner and have owned multiple dogs and fostered many, and I was very interested in Your Dog Guru's unique approach to training. However, I cannot recommend this program and would encourage others to think twice. I found responses to my questions to be judgemental, and demonstrated an inability to be flexible or accommodating to dogs living in environments different from YDG's training facilities. This was a waste of my money and I have been unable to implement this training program, despite requests for advice on accommodating my dog/lifestyle's differences. read more

Jimi is an amazing trainer. My husband and I were looking for a good trainer in the midst of so many scammers, and found Jimi to be the best. It's very worth it! read more

I rescued Maggie from a very neglectful situation and when I got her home I didn't realize the amount of trauma she had. She was anxious and afraid of everything and everyone. I didn't think she would ever be "normal". Jimi not only helped me with her commands but he also fixed her fear issues. Thank you for everything!!! read more

Dog Guru - Maggie - Trained by Your Dog Guru - Pet Training Near Me

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Jimi is great, answers the phone right away every time and is always there when I need him! Highly recommend!

Terrible customer service. It starts off with a seedy google voice account as the phone number. From my experience most ppl who use google voice do not have a credible business or are trying to hide something by screening calls first. I still give them a shot. I call and of course no answer. I leave a message and 2 minutes later I get a call back. Yep I was right, screening calls. Must be dodging bill collectors. Who knows... I then proceed to ask questions in regards to training. His only answer was. "Have you been to my site". I'm sorry, I called to feel out, your personality and ask specific questions. Not be referred to a site you did not even create and that has cut and paste info. I highly recommend to stay away from this trainer. There are many more in the Phoenix area that will assure your dog is in good hands. This shady company isn't one of them. -poor customer service -shady business practices -rude read more

I purchased the online interactive training program a few weeks after I got my Belgian malinois/Australian Shepherd puppy. He is now 22 weeks old and progressing his destructive behaviors that he had prior to purchasing the training has diminished. Every time I have had any questions or concerns even prior to purchasing program YDG has responded promptly within at least 24 hrs which is incredible considering they not only do hands on training at their main facility but also the online interactive training as well. I am very pleased with this online interactive training and I have learned many things about how I, as the dog owner, needed to change my approach to certain things as well. This program is not only for the dogs to learn but in order to be fully effective us owners need to be all in and open for change also. Since I purchased the program I have changed some things and it has resulted in nothing but positive things. My puppy is now better disciplined and trained than most dogs around here where I live which is impressive since he is only 22 weeks old. I absolutely recommend the dog guru and have shared my experience with my coworkers and friends but the most eye opening thing is that they all can see the difference in my puppy week by week! Thank you dog guru for all your help you have already provided me and my puppy we are excited to be a part of your program and are excited to continue progressing! read more

Mike & his staff are amazing people. True dog lovers that are compassionate and generous people. Cannot thank them enough for their help with our rescue dog. THE BEST!!! read more

I highly recommend The Dog Guru. Not only did we see immediate results in our dog with simple "make sense" tutorials for us, he also happened to have a dog he was training for someone else with him that we were able to watch after our session. It had me and my whole family in awe, and telling people about it this whole week! Amazing! We have been working with our dog the last few days since the session and I am happy to report amazing results. I noticed a bad review that mentioned his website and timeliness?...and I would only say that a website doesn't train your dog and the information was helpful. I am not sure what Miracle others might be looking for, but he was100% in tune with our dog and our family while he was with us and loved what he does. I look forward to seeing him again when our dog has mastered our new skills. Thanks Jimi!! read more

My wife and I recently rescued a 4 year old husky/lab mix (Leo) and we needed an experienced dog trainer to work with right away. Two colleagues of mine recommended Jimi Livshitz as the best dog trainer in Phoenix, hands down. After speaking with Jimi on the phone and then viewing his website (which has a lot of great info and videos) we were so excited to have found him! Jimi was extremely knowledgeable and provided us with more information in our first session with Leo than all the tips we had read or received from friends combined. From the beginning we could tell Jimi knew what he was doing and that he's been doing this for a very long time. Most importantly, he made training a fun experience! Within the first 15 minutes he had Leo following several basic commands and walking around on leash without pulling. He helped us understand the mistakes we were subconsciously making and how Leo would interpret them. Much of the session involved having my wife and I take control of the leash and going through the proper motions and reactions which really helped build our confidence to keep up with training at home. Jimi's philosophy is about building a strong bond between dogs and their owners and this really showed through his training techniques. Leo has come so far in just a few short weeks thanks to Jimi and we really look forward to continuing to work with him. Thanks Jimi! read more

Last year my wife and I had to put down both our dogs who we had for 14 years within 6 months of each other. We decided that we would go a while without another dog, after about 4 months I found myself searching adoption websites and found a dog that seemed to jump off the screen at me. A few days later we brought home a beautiful Anatolian Sheppard named Sergeant. He was a rescued dog being foster by a family who was also taking care of his sister. Sarge was never socialized with other animals or people and was left in a backyard for the first year of his life. The people we got him from provided some background on his behavior and stated that he was a "goofball" and was good with their daughter. I realized they we over exaggerating his good-hearted behavior the first time I attempted to walk him around the block. He would have an anxiety attack anytime anything around him moved. He would show aggression towards anything that came within fifty feet of him. I could not walk him around the neighborhood because he would lose his mind if he saw another animal. I soon realized that I had a dog that could not be trusted, not even around my family or anyone who might come into my house. My wife and I started discussing dog-training options. My daughter watched a video on you tube about a man who trained the un-trainable Belgian Malinois. I watched the video and saw the same aggression in that dog that I saw in Sarge. I signed up on the Your Dog Guru site for an evaluation of my dog, within 20 minutes Jimi called me on the phone. A few days later, he showed up at the house, Sarge greeted him as he walked in and if it were anyone else other than Jimi, Sarge would have attacked them. Jimi wears a hat for a reason, he slapped Sarge on the snout with the hat and Sarge backed down. After an initial evaluation, Jimi informed me that I have a severe problem on my hands and I need to take aggressive steps before Sarge attacks someone. I knew that dog training was necessary, but I did not have much exposure to the cost of training. Most people would have taken their dog to one of the big named pet stores for a few weeks of training at a cost of a few hundred dollars. Unfortunately, most people end up with dogs that soon revert to their previous behaviors and the little money they spent was wasted. Jimi's dog training comes with some sticker shock, but as you progress through the process, you will soon recognize what you are paying for. I started to see the transformation in my dog and I realized that I was actually the one being trained. Sarge and I have been training with Jimi for about six months now, meeting once a week. Sarge is completely off leash and is the favorite attraction at my son's bus stop. Just today, on our morning walk he was about fifteen feet away from a fuzzy little bunny rabbit...he never left the heel position! Jimi has saved Sarge and possibly a friend or family member of mine. The training he provides is not cheap, but if you compare it to the cost of paying someone upwards of $80,000 for your dog biting them, it's worth ever penny! read more

Dog Guru - Enjoying the day at Lowe's - Pet Training Near Me

Jimi is truly a dog guru. He's amazing to watch in action. We adopted an 8 month old pit who was very sick at the time. As he began to feel better, it was apparent he was aggressive towards other dogs. I enrolled him in basic training through a vets office. After 3 months we were no further ahead and out several hundred dollars. My daughter and her small dog would be visiting within a few weeks. I was worried how the visit would go and unable to find someone willing to board an aggressive dog. I called Jimi one evening at 8:30 pm, expecting to leave a message and have the call returned in the morning. While I was leaving the message, my other line rang. It was Jimi. He spent the next 2.5 hrs on the phone with me asking questions and giving me guidance. That weekend he came to our house to evaluate Buck. I wish I had recorded his interaction with our dog. It was unbelievable! Within 30 minutes and without saying a word to our dog, Jimi had Buck walking not only next to him but also beside one of the two dogs he had brought with him. We've purchased the online interactive video and have began the at home training process. I've called and text Jimi several time with questions regarding things I'm unsure of. He has been wonderful in his response. He boarded Buck for us while my daughter & her dog came to visit. He even picked Buck up & brought him back home. We had begun kennel training before boarding but hadn't been able to close the door without Buck freaking out. After just 6 days with Jimi, Buck is fully kennel trained and responds to our commands better than before. We still have a lot of work to do but Jimi showed us there is light at the end of the tunnel....and it's not a train. No matter what kind of issues you may have with your dog, I highly recommend Your Dog Guru. Save yourself time, energy, aggravation and money, give Jimi a call right away. read more

We had just gotten our first puppy ever and realized about 8 months in we would need some help with training. We had no experience and no idea where to begin. We would dread walking him because he would pull on the leash, dart after other dogs, chase rabbits around the complex, and just in general a real hassle. We found his business card at a nearby pet store where the cashier gave a high recommendation for Jimi in particular, and decided we'd give him a try. My main goal in getting a trainer was just to get my pup (Boba) to a place where I could enjoy walking with him everyday, that was the end of my expectations. Jimi over delivered and ended up giving us so much more! He started from the very basics and now not only can we walk Boba in public WITHOUT A LEASH, but he listens to so many other commands. He now goes to his crate, does potty time on command when we're out in public, sits, lies down, jumps over and jumps onto, and stays in a designated place while we leave his sight temporarily and waits for us to call him, can you IMAGINE? Because I never thought in my wildest dreams this would be possible. Last weekend we took him out for his first bunch. You always see that couple out running errands with their dog and wonder how or why that dog is so well behaved, and Your Dog Guru is the answer! Jimi has a flexible schedule and will either meet you at your house or public settings once he thinks the pup is ready to try more complicated tasks with more distractions. It was a pleasure to have Jimi work with us and our dog Boba. I couldn't have asked for better results! read more

Jimi is the best dog trainer I have ever known. He trained my dog Cimba to be obedient and well-behaved. She was an absolutely terrible rescue puppy/dog before I found Jimi. She had seen other trainers who were not able to turn her into a "decent" dog. Once she reached eight months, it was either take her to the best trainer or be left living with an uncivilized beast. I had reached wits end when through word of mouth someone I barely knew told me they had a friend who knew of Jimi's training services. I turned Cimba over to Jimi for an undetermined amount of time until Jimi converted Cimba into a disciplined and well-mannered service dog. She came home perfectly well-behaved and very obedient. There is no way I could have lived with the old Cimba. Now, when I travel with her on the plane, I always get compliments from the passengers along with the flight attendants on how she is the best behaved service dog that they have seen. I am happy to travel with Cimba and to receive so many compliments about how well-behaved she is. She is on her best behavior when we go to restaurants, visit stores and other public places. I feel so lucky that I was able to have the best trainer for my dog Cimba. I am proud of my dog and how Jimi turned Cimba from a terror to the best-behaved dog around!! I love you Jimi!! read more