I was having trouble. In certain situations, my sweet, incredibly loving, adopted, 1.5 year-old Dalmatian puppy, Freckles, would turn into a complete monster. I could not control her when I took her for a walk. I was embarrassed and terrified. She is very strong and could, and did, trip me, and pull me to the ground. She started to attack our small pug in our house. It was horrible. She had loved walks and meeting other dogs. Soon things changed: she would lunge ferociously at other dogs on our walks, snapping and snarling. She would even "see red" and start attacking our other dogs that we were walking her with, like our tiny Maltese, whom she had never had a problem with. Even on the days I felt strong enough to control her, my shoulders hurt, my hands hurt, heck--my ankles hurt standing my ground with her. My heart hurt, with the anxiety of possibly seeing another dog on our walk. I would try to time our walks so other dogs weren't around. The less I took her out, the more destructive she was at home, digging holes, and eating rocks! In the house, she started to randomly attack our pug. I couldn't figure it out. She would cuddle up with her and then later in the day it would look like she was trying to kill her. My family told me I needed to "get rid of her." Heartbroken, I knew if I didn't do something, she was going to kill one of our other dogs or get into a fight with a dog while we were out. I was also convinced that if I did give her to a shelter, that she would never be adoptable, and that she would get worse or even euthanized. I didn't want to give up on her; I needed to save her. I tried all the tricks for training that other trainers had taught me. I had spent thousands of dollars listening to the experts; she did tricks, but her aggression got worse. I was at my very last hope. Then I found Doggy Boot Camp. I heard about Joe. I read the reviews. I cried. I couldn't believe it. Review after review the stories I read were EXACTLY what I was going through. Dogs owners could not control, but after meeting Joe, their dogs are FIXED! On leash! Off leash! Dogs that just "hang out" at coffee shops.... What?? How is this possible?? I immediately reached out to Joe. He explained that my situation was NOT permanent. However, I needed to listen to EXACTLY what he said to do, or it would NOT work. Oh man, he was tough! Even intimidating! I was not sure I could do it. But I knew it was my dog's last hope. I was desperate and determined. I promised to trust him completely. If I did not, it could mean one of my dogs or a couple of them would end up dead. I could not live with that. I trusted in Joe's method. Joe saved my dogs. I worked with Joe and his daily training for about 14 days. He checked in with me daily. He was incredibly attentive to every situation I encountered with my dogs and explained the dog psychologically behind the behaviors I saw. Even the smallest things I thought were not a big deal, he would tell me how they were affecting my dog/dogs and their mental state. I saw a HUGE improvement after only a couple of days, before even meeting with Joe in person! Crazy! After meeting with Joe for one FULL day, I had a different dog. I was stunned. He was very tough and no-nonsense with her. And me! But I had promised to completely trust the process and, oh my gosh, I am so thankful I did!! Now I feel like a good dog owner. A happy one. A responsible one. Freckles is also happy. She is good in the house. Good outside. She LOVES being with other dogs. She walks on a leash. She travels all over with me, camping and hiking. I don't think about being fearful on walks anymore. I have with her at restaurants and coffee shops. It is fun to take her out now. My family loves her. My kids love her. Joe saved her. I can't thank you enough, Joe. Freckles thanks you, too. Joe KNOWS dogs. Just TRUST him. If you want a GOOD relationship with your dog. A happy, healthy relationship, TRUST Joe. Your relationship with your dog is one that is worth the effort. I promise you. read more

Doggy Boot Camp - Freckles the Dalmatian, Angela the Pug and Pixel the Maltese. All unique personalities, all happy camping, hiking and exploring together. - Pet Training Near Me

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You can have 110% confidence in Joe and Doggy Boot Camp SB. Joe knows his stuff and will listen to your needs and get to the core of your problem. He makes himself available nearly 24/7 and supports you, your family and your dog as you all learn new behaviors and find the path to happy dogs and proud happy owners. Not only that his results are incredibly fast. He is humane, kind, and gives appropriate interventions that don't hurt your dog. Please don't waist your time and money with other trainers, Joe has been one of our best investments. His teachings and methodologies will stay in our family for years and future dogs to come. Thanks again Joe!! read more

We Didn't Think It Could Be Done! Before I get into some of the details, here's the one sentence headline: Our training with Joe has been an unqualified success and he has done for us exactly what he said he would do. If we knew then what we know now, we would have done this ages ago. Ok, so that was two sentences, sorry. How did we get here? Our dog Enzo, five and a half at the time he started with Joe, had been under-socialized. The result was that he was reactive with other dogs - nervous about life and the world (can relate!) and had figured out that he could cause other dogs and people to leave him alone if he barked and lunged and generally acted scary. We had a neighborhood reputation of having the sort of dog where you cross the street when you see 'em. Not. Great. Enzo was amazing with us at home but since he unpredictable with others, it bred a pattern of insularity where we didn't invite people over, didn't take him to meet other dogs and the like. Enzo was alone on our little island - he was getting out to walk but not really experiencing the world the way a dog should be able to. Enzo was overly sheltered because we were nervous. If this sounds like your situation, keep reading because it doesn't have to be this way! We had done training before with, at best, so-so results. Even though it was not our first time, I don't think we realized it could be done so differently. I will say, when we first talked to Joe, our initial impression was: 'whoa, this guy is sort of hardcore'. There were rules that he told us we needed to impose if we wanted to be successful that we hadn't even thought of as problems. Nothing unreasonable but definitely changes in our regular routine and a more disciplined approach. That was new - previous trainers didn't have much to say about the big picture or changing the home life, though in retrospect, this part was critical. We met for our first day - a multi-hour session to get everything started. We didn't know what to expect but we were willing to give it a go and let him direct us. Our expectation was that it would take at least weeks to see results. We were wayyyyyy wrong. Even after that first session, we made major progress. Joe's philosophy is to help dogs be dogs and it turns out that when you swim with the tide instead of against it, things go a lot more smoothly. Enzo is a changed dog. Our lives are better and most importantly his life is much better. He's out running and playing with other dogs daily, something that we thought was impossible just weeks ago. Joe delivers and we give him a hearty recommendation. read more

We have a 2.5 year old dog that was highly reactive on the leash, would often bark at dogs or strangers that would approach him, and had become highly protective of our child. He had gone through different training programs with some slight improvements that would fade away a few weeks later, and after my wife got to a point where she no longer felt she was capable of walking our dog and controlling his aggressive nature on a leash, we decided to explore potential options and stumbled upon Joe. After an hour call with Joe it was clear he is incredibly committed to achieving your desired outcomes, and has an approach that he firmly believes in. I was not as confident as he was that we would see the outcomes, and on the timeline he was sharing without meeting our dog yet. Turns out he was 100% correct, and in a matter of a few days he had our 100 lbs dog walking on a leash flawlessly, engaging all dogs around him in a pleasant manner, and playing with other dogs when off leash. A few weeks post training our dog is a whole new individual for the better, and our trust and confidence in his ability to engage all dogs and humans is at an all-time high. The change in quality of life that Joe has brought not only to our dog, but to our whole family is tremendous.  His program is not for the faint of heart or passive dog owner. He will demand changes in the way you interact with your dog, and he will demand a level of commitment from you that requires 20+ hrs of your time in a week long period, but the results are unmatched and well worth it! Could not say enough great things about the impact Joe's program has had for us. read more

I was oscillating between regret and resentment. I got Hazelnut from a shelter. A gentle girl with beautiful markings and a silly side... up until we went on a walk. If she even thought she saw a dog across the street she transformed into a monster, an uncontrollable, bark-yelling monster. When we saw one out on a walk she would bark, jump up and down, and twist herself around me. There was no way to get her attention in this moment, nothing I could do but apologize and drag this writhing beast further down the block until the other dog was out of sight. She weighs 55 pounds by the way. Then there was the off leash problem... I learned quickly that this dog was going to get herself killed if she was let off leash. She would sprint in the opposite direction and it was just a matter of time until she would sprint right into traffic. I am an active person, I love hiking, backpacking and going to the beach and I wanted a trail-dog adventure buddy. But I would leave her at home when I knew my hiking partner was bringing her dog, or when we would go to the beach because Hazelnut would have to be on leash, and this meant that she would be pulling to get to the water, to get to that seagull, or going into monster mode if she saw another dog. I had tried other trainers, one that suggested a prong collar which was only a momentary superficial fix, and one that was against all forms of prong and e-collars and suggested that I give her treats to get her to come to me and to redirect her when she was reactive. I'll tell you, no amount of hot dogs, turkey meat, or even a fresh rotisserie chicken would get that dog back to me if she was let off leash... trust me I tried. I began to think about what I would say to the shelter when I brought her back, imagining myself sheepishly avoiding eye-contact, and saying something to the effect of, "no, she's great, but I just not in a good place right now", or maybe invoking my 100 year old grandmother, "Yeah I thought I could handle a dog but my grandma, well, she's 100 years old, and she seems to be taking a turn, and well, I just can't have the added stress of a dog right now" the shelter attendant would take the leash, rolling their eyes thinking about how stupid a person must be not to foresee complications for a 100 year old lady... it's not as if this sort of thing happens overnight. The worst part of this is that my grandma is 100 years old, and happens to be doing just fine, but I was ready to give her some terminal prognosis just so I could return this dog without getting too much flack from the shelter attendees. And then I got my first call from Joe. I had sent a message on his website listing a couple traits I needed help with, and he called me 30 minutes later. He has a voice that you might think belongs in a movie trailer, and for the first week he was the faceless omniscient narrator of our lives, checking in and offering suggestions and foretelling the future, "once you start ignoring her, watch as she resists you, acts like you are not there, and goes shopping for attention elsewhere." His accuracy was uncanny. And then came the evaluation. I kid you not, he had this dog off leash and coming to him IN THE FIRST HOUR. And she was running around with his two dogs, and walking on leash with one of them within a foot of her. NOT A PEEP, not even a hint of the monster she was before. And as Joe had told me over the phone, "she is going to prove to you that it was all a rouse, that she doesn't need Joe!" He was right. So now I sit here at my desk, contemplating if my day will consist of a long hike with my off leash hiking buddy, or a walk on the beach where I can watch her run in and out of the waves and be around other dogs without the fear of a severe rotator cuff injury. Not to mention how we will calmly walk from the house to the car, her by my side, with not a leash in sight. And did I mention, this transformation took one week of preparation before meeting Joe in person, and then ONLY FOUR DAYS OF IN PERSON WORK. Every dog and every owner is different, and Joe can tell what you need and what the dog needs in that first phone conversation. As I told my mom after the evaluation, "I have been converted, don't even try to have a debate with me about different training methods or trainers, I have the only trainer I will ever need for the rest of my life. Period." And for the slim percentage of you reading this that are still contemplating getting a dog, CALL JOE FIRST, he will expertly match you with your furever friend. And for everyone else who is at wits end, or trying to be proactive, CALL JOE before it gets worse... because, trust me, it will. read more

Doggy Boot Camp - Pet Training Near Me

I rescued Shadow a 2-year old Malamute/Husky mix this past summer and I only had two weeks to work with Joe before I was leaving Santa Barbara. Shadow had zero social skills and would greet dogs by barking in their face and being aggressive. Joe and I did a crash course (4 hours a day) and in two weeks Shadow learned to behave with other dogs and good recall when called. I have worked with other dog trainers over the past 40 years and Joe is by far the best dog trainer I've come across. He is very stern and diligent with the dog and the client but you quickly learn his methods and techniques are spot on!! Do yourself a favor, call Joe. He will change your life and your dog's! read more

Doggy Boot Camp - Pet Training Near Me

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Joe is worth every single penny. I don't have a ton of money to spend, and I am about as skeptical as they get with approaching someone that I have researched online. I am also hard to teach at times because I am emotional about my pets. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy education, and enjoy learning and taking direction from others. However, I am most comfortable with taking the role of training others. I am an educator. My professional duties somehow do not translate into being a successful dog owner. Training a dog requires a specialist. I am now a firm believer that no one should own a dog unless they are willing to work with a dog specialist. Although I did my due diligence with friends and family who are "experienced" with training dogs, I knew how important it was for me to seek help with my rescue dog KiKi that was having aggression issues on and off leash. KiKi was an angel when I first adopted her. She was timid and shy, yet played well with all of the other dogs at the rescue. She even played well with my housemates' puppy, and other dogs at the beach! I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw her lunge at my neighbor's dog, and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable walking around my gated community. She pulled my arm so hard that my shoulder issues came back, and I felt like she was always walking me. So? My natural response was to buy a leash that wrapped around my waist so that it was easer on my body. Wrong decision. I wish I had met Joe so much earlier on. Luckily, I was able to find him after 1.5 months of adopting KiKi.  KiKi began to learn from Joe's advice even before our first training. His advice is heartfelt, a bit harsh at times, but to the point. You might be worried about working with trainers that use a chain or a shock collar. I was too! Yet, when Joe first put the collar on me and showed me how a level 1 shock actually felt, I didn't even notice he was shocking me! It reminded me of when my doctor gave me a chicken pox update when I was 13, and I jumped off the table in fear--not realizing that he had already given me the shot! The shock is a last resort, and he uses it with caution. Kiki only needed it once, and within less that one minute she was recalling straight to Joe.  Not impressed yet? Kiki is what I used to call--a man hater. Please don't ever say those words about your dog again, and get ready because Joe is all about changing your mindset and the way you speak about your dog. I have to say it here in my review for you to truly understand how negative my mindset was with her, and how fearful I was of what she would do or how she would act. She would nip men, lunge at them, and do anything she could to get them away from her. Yet, I witnessed her go right back to Joe in less than a minute and within 5 minutes off her leash with him for the first time--EVER. I could not believe my eyes.  As I sit here this evening writing this review, I am in awe at the new inner peace that I have as Kiki's owner. I am hold respect for Joe and am grateful that a trainer like him is out there! He has the biggest heart, and will respect you and dog! Go with Joe! And most importantly, believe in your dog! read more

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REVIEW for DOG #3: SKYE We adopted Skye when she was 3 months old. She was timid and seemed a bit fearful, but still very puppy like. Thinking that we were doing the right thing, I started bringing her to the local dog park as soon as she had all her shots. Skye hated it. She barked and barked and barked, she hid behind me and sometimes tried to crawl up my legs. Dogs terrified her. People terrified her. Fellow dog park go-ers suggested a bark collar since she barked so much. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I enlisted the help of a trainer to try to improve Skye's confidence- the dog trainer did not recommend taking her to the dog park, and to work with her at home. So I did. We did obedience training and she learned all the basic commands. However, anytime someone came over to visit, or came up our driveway, Skye would bark out of fear. Anytime we took her on a walk, Skye would growl or bark at anyone we talked to or even those passing by. She wasn't angry, she was just afraid! Skye started developing bad habits at home, and without realizing, we enabled the behavior. She began growling at our young daughter and there was nothing that we did that could stop the growling. Our trainer was even at a loss as to why she was growling at a young child for what seemed like no reason. A couple years after adopting Skye, we found DoggyBootcampSB while looking for a trainer for another dog we had just adopted. Joe had us work with Skye at home for several weeks before he was willing to meet her in person. She was very much a Velcro dog and sulked immensely when we tried to implement DoggyBootcamp's rules. She didn't like it the new rules and didn't want anything to do with it. Our other dogs went first and trained with Joe, while Skye took the backseat and watched their show. They went to training after training, coming back a bit more confident each time. We practiced leash work at home and slowly Skye started showing interest in being part of that too. She would walk alongside the other dogs as we leash trained them at home, pretending she was also on leash. Soon enough, after she stopped sulking as much, it was Skye's turn to meet Joe. She was in full blown panic mode! She writhed on her leash, she panted out of stress, she barked and growled at any human that she saw anywhere near us during training. Joe kept at it. Four hours later, we were walking with her through a dog park off leash amongst other dogs and people. Skye was still in panic mode- but she was slowly realizing that no one was out to get her, that they were all just doing their own thing. A few days later, she saw Joe again and this time things seemed to have settled down in her mind. She no longer growled at people, and growled only at dogs who got a bit too close to her. Slowly and surely, she started leaving my side for longer distances and longer periods of time. 5 hours of training later, and keeping it up at home- Joe suggested I take her to our local dog park along with our other two dogs, who were dog park professionals at this point. So I took her to the dog park I used to take her to as a puppy, the place she feared with everything she had. Skye barked and growled a bit, but after spending some time digesting everything around her, she started venturing away from me and exploring with the other dogs. She would come back and check in, then run off to go greet some newcomers to the park. Slowly, the time she was away from me started increasing! We are becoming dog park regulars now, and Skye is getting better each time we go. She is gaining confidence and slowly understanding that the world isn't such a scary place- there are friends to be made and space to run and play! It will take time before Skye completely loses her fear of the world- but the gains she has made with Joe's help are incredible. With her fearful personality, she was a completely different kind of dog to train than our other two dogs- but Joe knew exactly how to train her, in the way she needed to be trained, where it was on her terms, nor ours. Skye is far less neurotic and no longer growls at our daughter- we are starting to see her true personality emerge and it is an amazing thing to watch. Before DoggyBootcampSB we couldn't and didn't want to take our dogs anywhere, afraid of how they would behave... Joe has given us the freedom and confidence to take our dogs on any kind of adventure now! Thank you! read more

Joe is wonderful! This is an amazing life learning experience not only for my dogs, but me and my wife also. His experience and expertise should be required if you decide to have dogs in your life. Thank you Matt&Kelly read more

Joe at Doggy Boot Camp changed my life for so much the better! I used to walk with my 22 pound Australian Terrier held tightly on a leash, in terror that he would lunge after another dog and attack. I could not walk him off leash as I did when he was younger. The bigger and scarier looking the better for him, as I learned from Joe that what I was doing at home had made him my protector and the little guy would put his life on the line for me! After a week of "homework," during which I changed some of the ways I was engaging my dog, and giving him jobs to do at home, and then a few days with Joe I had a completely changed dog; one whose job was no longer my protector. He was walking off leash, running up to big dogs he would previously attack, and wagging his tail! When you work with Joe he is available night and day to answer questions, plan for the next day's strategy, and help your dog become the best dog he can be. Joe has a wealth of knowledge and he is full of great tips, to help owners. His knowledge and compassion for dogs, and dog behavior is unmatched. He is a gift to the owners and dogs of this community, and like others have said, worth every penny! Do not hesitate- go with Joe, I wish I had three years ago, but I am so glad I did now- seeing my little guy running around socializing and having fun is such a joy! Thank you Joe!! read more

Also, a client should be able to leave an honest review- reflecting their experience (isn't that the whole point of Yelp?) WITHOUT getting repeated harassing and threatening phone calls, which is what Joe decided to do. I ended up having to block him so that the harassment would stop. This was the first time that has ever happened, and I was shocked that a supposedly professional person would react in such anger at my honesty, that he'd stoop to that level. It's not my obligation to prove anything to this man. I know I used his services, and I wish I hadn't due to the horrible experience my dogs and I had. read more

I highly recommend Joe at Doggy Boot Camp. He is absolutely the only dog trainer you will need. We tried 3 other trainers before we discovered him. My daughter and I both adopted dogs this last year. They are both very different, with different issues. My daughter's dog, Hazelnut, was incredibly reactive with zero recall and a few bad habits. My dog, Coconut was a shy, nervous puppy with barking tendencies. First, Joe worked miracles with our family and Hazelnut, helping her to be much calmer, non-reactive, social and happy. She has 100% recall (since meeting Joe the first morning!) and is great on the trail or in the mall. Coconut came a bit later. We worked with Joe to help her become more confident and less fearful. She no longer cries when approached by a big dog nor does she disappear when she sees a hang glider. She is a fun, playful, happy dog with 100 percent recall, easy off-leash and no-tug leash-walking. I no longer worry that she will bolt out of fear. Joe helped teach us how to help our dogs be dogs. He is a master at understanding dogs and what drives their behaviors. He also teaches you the importance of truly understanding how to have a healthy relationship with your pet. During your time with him, he will focus on what you and your dog need and he will create those experiences as he assesses and reassesses. He is a wealth of information. When you are working with him, he is easily available by phone to talk you through the process. Joe does use a correction collar, which is often misunderstood. It really is a safe and humane way to communicate with your dog without yelling or tugging a leash. Once you get used to the idea and how to use the equipment, it is a relief that you "have your dog's ear" at all times. Do your family and your dog a favor and get on board with Joe and his program. It is a commitment that is well worth the time. Your dog will thank you. read more

Doggy Boot Camp - Good kids off leash everyday :) - Pet Training Near Me

I'd give Joe a 10 star rating if it was available! Amazing 180 degree turn around with our rescue dog in just a couple weeks--best investment we've ever made and fun ta' boot. read more

I am not a dog person, at least not anymore. People bring them everywhere, they stink, they put their noses everywhere, yuck. But while waiting for my daughter one day, I saw these two dogs, off lead, who were completely calm and happy. I actually wanted to meet them. They were wonderful: PandaPotamos and a sleek, elegant brown one. I met their owner, Joe, and learned he trains dogs; he clearly has a special communicative energy with them. I was sufficiently impressed that I resolved that I would definitely hire him if/when I ever get a dog. The two dogs that I met showed me that having a well-trained pooch can be a pleasure--not just for the owners, but for the rest of us in the community, too. read more

My sweet pit lab mix never had any problems and went to the dog park every day for about 4 months. Then one day he knocked down another dog and bit him. As we tried to pull him off he bit down really hard and began to shake his head in a way meant to destroy the other dog. Fortunately the other dog was fine, though he had a puncture in the back of his neck. I was so scared that he would do it again that I wasn't bringing him outside, I was worried he'd be a loner for the rest of his life. that's what I knew I had to get a trainer. Joe came highly recommended and he is very much worth it. He commands instant respect from the dog, and has a variety of great tricks to help keep him in line. He's an expert with both the electric stimulus and spray collar which has been very helpful to give me the confidence I need to bring him out in public again. Ever since working with Joe my pup has been perfect. I bring him to the dog park every day and he's totally well-behaved and interacts great with other dogs. I am super grateful to have found Joe as I know he has given Albert a stress free life going forward. Thanks Joe! read more

Joe Martinez at Doggy Bootcamp is a miracle worker! My 3 year old dog used to be super protective of me and (what she considered) Her possessions. She was reactive and would nip at people and dogs who came near me- even my friends walking over to give me a hug and say "Hey!". It brought me so much anxiety daily to have a dog I couldn't trust to be around other dogs and people. I never wanted to invite friends over because I was scared my dog would attack them if they walked near her food bowl or by "Her" room. I was fearful to bring my dog to the beach (where I play volleyball almost daily) and other dog parks because she was so unpredictable and I didn't feel comfortable to do so. What use to be Ironic is my dog's name is Joy. Before Joe, she was ANYTHING BUT a Joy to those around her (that wasn't me or my Boyfriend at the time); however, now, she has really earned her name and is nothing BUT a Joy to be around! Joe has a real gift for turning reactive dogs into sweet, loving, obedient, playful dogs. He is always going over and beyond for his clients and even after the training time is up, he continues to help . He always feels just one phone call away and is always responsive if something comes up in your post-training. He genuinely cares about healing the relationship between you and your dog. It seems like a lot of work at first to understand how to communicate affectively with your dog, but Joe makes it very simple and really teaches you along the way. It is never the dog that is the problem but how you as the owner communicates with your dog- Joes methods WORK if you work the methods. I really don't know where Joy and I would be if we hadn't made the commitment to work with Joe. I always use to worry about a law suit coming my way if Joy bit the wrong person! But now I don't live in that anxiety anymore! That peace of mind to me is well worth any cost of training. Thank you Joe! From Jenny and Joy read more

I took my golden retriever mix to meet Joe last weekend. We had recently added a third dog to our pack, another girl, and my retriever was fighting viciously with her. This was a new problem for me in my 25 years of dog ownership and my husband and I were mystified. We'd worked with two other trainers who weren't wrong but not comprehensive regarding our household environment. As owners, we'd clearly done everything wrong, allowing our dogs on furniture and GOD--our bed, establishing a doggy hierarchy where queen Lena thought to rule. We thought our sweet girl had become a dog-aggressive bitch. After an entire day in 5 different doggy venues with Joe, our Lena had had a phenomenal, well- mannered day, playing/interacting off leash appropriately with numerous dogs. We're going back tomorrow with THE OTHER GIRL, to get squared away. So hopeful!!! read more

SUCCESS!!! I am now a confident & trusting owner of a dog that is living her best life. I use to think that sufficient exercise & love would yield a good dog. That may be true for some but not all. I, like many, adopted a dog that has a history that I am unaware of so I sought the guidance of a trainer. Joe hit hard & fast with clear cut rules. He spoke truthfully & took into consideration the whole picture including my home life, work hours, habits, personality, every interaction I have had with my dog, etc... His methods may seem drastic to some but I feel like stripping away the histrionics & stopping the excuses & story telling got me back to basics; my dog & her needs & a streamline way of communicating with her. For 2 months I didn't trust my dog & I lacked confidence when walking her on leash (I wouldn't dream of taking her off leash). I tried another trainer in town & found that I wasn't gaining trust or confidence. I felt confused every time I left the sessions. With Joe we had my dog off leash & responding to me on day 1!!!!!! My dog is now playing appropriately at the dog park, easy to walk on leash, & loving her new freedom. I am so happy with everything that Joe has done for us. read more

Joe saved my dogs life. I was afraid to walk him and have him off leash as he was showing aggressive tendencies towards other dogs and people. Within the first day, Joe had my dog off leash and worked passionately to help me give my dog a better life. Thank you Doggy Boot Camp! read more

Joe is one of the most intuitive people I know! He uses his intuition and communicates calm to the dogs, and then -- he hands that calm off to the owner. I have seen it all happen in a matter of minutes. It is truly remarkable to watch the transformation and actually fun to do the continued training utilizing walks and socialization for both the dog and the owners. Karen Rabin, DVM read more

Joe's training method is incredibly fast and simple! We adopted a sweet 1 year old Min Pin Rescue Zoey a few months ago from living on the streets of Bakersfield with her pack. She came to us with extreme prey drive, no leash/walking skills, and was always trying to eat anything she could find on the ground including dead animals. Walking was constant pulling, sniffing and correction and off leash it was chasing her down the beach to pull her off her finds. After a few weeks, we started noticing her becoming protective of me, and would often bark and lunge at people on our walks. Even though we never saw her bite, we were worried about her escalating or just scaring people. She also was exhibiting separation anxiety unless in her crate and would cry the entire time we were gone. The training we were doing (avoidance/positive reinforcement) was teaching her some tricks and working somewhat in the moment, but not actually addressing the underlying issues. Well, Joe put us (mostly me) in our place, and has changed our dynamic to where Zoey is no longer my protector, but she is our dog like she is meant to be!! He uses tools for correction and taught me how to use them, so instead of yelling her name, chasing her, constant treats and commands, I can use the tools for minor corrections and she looks to me and follows me! She is an entirely new dog after a week and a half, to the point where we walk trails with lizards, bunnies, droppings, dead birds, dogs, people OFF LEASH with rare corrections, she has learned new tricks and games, and acts much more calm and happy. I can't thank Joe enough for showing me how my actions were causing negative behavior and how simply I could change that to make our lives better. If you talk to Joe, you will hear him say "no bed, no couch" and control collar and that might scare you off, but if you want to save thousands of dollars, and months or years of time trust the process! I highly recommend Joe! read more

Highly recommend Joe to anyone looking to build an awesome bond with your dog. His system encourages independence that builds your dogs confidence, enabling them to be happy and playful. Our dog did not have a history of aggression or mis-behavior that some would associate with "bootcamp", but we reached out to Joe because our dog was transitioning from the puppy phase into a teenager and becoming less responsive to commands and needed to be supervised around the house. After working with Joe, we have a well-behaved, house-trained dog that walks well on and off leash, listens to commands, recalls first time, and more all while being happy and independent. We read his reviews before reaching out so wanted to return the favor to others out there looking to grow with your dog and build an awesome connection. read more

Joe was diligent in his ability to ask for a Venmo payment before doing anything. We never met him or talked about our puppy and he was asking for money. This to me smells like a scam. read more

Joe worked with my Labradoodle rescue Ozzy, for only a few hours before there was an amazing change in his behavior. Ozzy was very aggressive towards other dogs and now after working with Joe for just a few weeks, I have a happier and better dog. Joe does not just train dogs. Probably what is just as important is that he also trains the dog's owner. Ozzy and I are now in sync. I would highly recommend Joe and Doggy Boot Camp to any dog owner who has a dog with behavioral problems. read more

Our dog was well-behaved 80% of the time, but there were specific situations, such as beaches and parks with wide-open spaces, that would trigger him and he would become reactive and protective. I compensated by putting him on leash and would let him off only when it was "clear". We were walking on the beach with our dog on leash and he bit another dog that was off leash running towards him. Thank goodness the other dog is now fine but it was devastating and a clear sign that something needed to be done. A friend recommended Joe from Doggy Boot Camp. From the consultation phone call to the one-on-one training sessions, Joe was supportive, positive and clear about how to help our dog become a more balanced and happy dog. Joe got to know our dog and our situation and gave us very clear directions and changes that we could make to support our dog and his behavior in all situations. We adopted Joe's system of using a training collar specifically and humanely. Our work with Joe was worth every penny and every minute we spent. Today our dog's old trigger areas are no longer problematic and he is a better behaved dog in all areas. We are able to walk at the beach or park or anywhere off-leash with ease, calm and enjoyment. We now have a happy, and balanced dog with no need for us to micromanage him. He is well-behaved and much happier--and so are we. He interacts with other dogs in a safe and positive manner. Joe also trained our 5-month-old puppy and individualized the training for what each dog/puppy needed. I highly recommend Joe as a trainer. He is 100% committed to helping you help your dog. He made a huge impact in our life and our dog's life. Don't give up on your dog or micromanage your dog like I did. Joe is an excellent trainer and will assist you in training and correcting your problematic behaviors and therefore your dog's problematic behavior, so your dog will be happy and balanced in all areas of his life. Joe is all about happy and balanced dogs, which is good for the dogs, good for us and great for the community! Thank you, Joe! read more

Can't say enough good things about Joe and Doggy Boot Camp! I had no idea what I was in for but the methods and teachings really work and work quickly. We adopted a 1.5 year old lab/shepherd mix and needed some basic training to correct jumping, eating rocks, not walking well on the least etc and also wanted to feel comfortable walking her off leash for the beach and hikes. I learned a ton from Joe and he was extremely flexible in working with my busy schedule as a working mom. Worth every penny! read more

Great work with our chihuahua. Much less aggressive now. Good techniques For correcting small dogs

I reached out to Joe and Doggy Boot Camp about a month ago for help with my two golden doodles. My dogs were horrible off leash, they would coral small dogs, chase birds, run and bark aggressively at people and not respond to me at all. After an extensive two week boot camp with Joe my dogs are completely different dogs. I can now bring them to dog parks and let them off leash without worrying About what they will do. This is something I never thought would be possible before I worked with Joe. If you want someone who really cares and knows what he is doing Joe is your man! I feel confident with my dogs and feel as though I have to completely new dogs! I can't say enough about how wonderful Joe is! read more

Our dog is a 6 year old German Shepherd / Husky mix named Walle. Walle is a great dog and over the last 4 years had developed fear and food aggression issues, has snapped at and bitten people/other dogs, and in general had become very difficult to manage and live with. What started as seemingly small issues (noticing him not being open to playing with other dogs or not wanting to walk in a certain direction during a walk with us) eventually snowballed into a situation in which the only location he seemed at ease in and where we didn't feel an anxiety that he might snap at someone was inside of our home. In this past week and a half of working with Joe, we have taken Walle out of the home and on walks multiple times a day. He is walking off-leash in dog parks, returning to us when we recall him, listening to our commands at home, hanging out with other dogs off-leash, and is a completely different dog already! Joe Martinez does an excellent job of teaching the owner the appropriate relationship between owner and dog and he does it with no-nonsense, straight forward coaching. We had reached out to other dog trainers and now are relieved that we did not waste time and money going with anyone else. We are not yet complete in our training, but I can feel Joe's personal devotion and dedication to my dog's development and it is why I feel compelled to write this review BEFORE we are even finished with his training! We are very grateful for Joe's work and are so excited to see where we and Walle will go! read more

I've got a 1.5 year old American staffordshire terrier who increasingly had issues over time. She ran after skateboards and bikes, was extremely protective, and played too rough at the park. Things weren't looking good. I should have gone to joe immediately when I adopted her!! My dog's behavior changed almost instantaneously. She has no reaction with bikes and skateboards anymore and is the best player at the park!!! It only took 3 sessions! Joe is also very fun to be around! It changed my life. I can bring my dog anywhere now. THANK YOU JOE!!! read more

This is my second review of SB Doggy Bootcamp because I've now had the pleasure of working with Joe twice now, he's helped me with a total of 3 dogs. First he helped me with my two French bulldogs, one of which was reactive/aggressive towards the other, with his guidance and methods of training I was able to get my home back to a peaceful place. I was constantly stressed and watching over my shoulder worrying that my little dogs were about to fight. I even considered rehoming one of them. If you follow Joe's protocols, you will literally have a transformed home and dog! Even after one session with him you will notice a change in your pup. It's pretty magical. Anyway now he has been helping me with my 7 month old rottweiler, Cash. Cash has always been a very sweet dog and I didn't need Joes help with any serious behavior issues however Joe has helped Cash and I, with so many things! Since Cash loves meeting people and saying hello to everyone, whenever I would take him off leash he would go up to every person and sometimes even sit in their laps. It's a cute thing when a puppy does something like that however Cash is going to be a big dog one day. Also it was and is important for Cash to learn not to approach dogs on leash. If a dog is on leash and he's off, I do not want Cash to approach them. Joe's methods will teach you and your dog how to do that. Also when Cash is engaged in play it was very hard for me to get him to come when called. He had zero recall whatsoever. He and I were lacking a major connection! He didn't even notice if I was there or not, gone to the wind he was. Joe's methods will entirely strengthen the bond and relationship/connection you and your dog have. He has helped me tremendously with Cash. Also, Cash does great on leash, we get compliments on how well he walks on leash for his age. Working with Joe has helped us make strides and we are constantly progressing with Cash's training. However your dog will only succeed if your are committed to the program! I look forward to taking my dog to the park, he loves playing with other dogs. Which is another thing Joe has helped with, Cash didn't know any boundaries when playing. But Joe will teach you what is appropriate and not, we see it all the time - so many dogs being inappropriate and Cash has been guilty of it himself. We are still learning. It's not always easy process, at least for me I've definitely had some frustrating days but with consistency and decent effort you can have a wonderful dog. The kind of dog you can take anywhere! It's a joy to feel confident enough for me to bring my rottweiler with me wherever I go. I am forever grateful for SB Doggy Bootcamp and Joe Martinez and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a dog trainer in the Santa Barbara area. read more

I started working with Joe a few weeks ago and it has changed my life. I have a 5 month old labradoodle and was having trouble getting him to come when called and walking him on a leash. Joe has helped tremendously with both and I now feel confident taking him off leash to any park and have even taken my puppy to the pet store on leash and survived! Joe teaches you how to work with your dog so you can handle him even when Joe is not around. My dog used to run away from the leash when I brought it out, now he runs to it? Working with Joe has changed everything for the better and look forward to meeting him and his dog Panda at the parks around town for playdates and updates. read more