Do you want your pet dog to act like a trained service dog?…read moredo you need a trained service dog for yourself or family member? vision, hearing, autism, dementia, diabetes, and other needs... family owned and run group classes or private classes at home or board in training available for every need and every breed.. wonderful caring people

Many dog trainers are complete rip offs! Does that surprise you? Be careful out there before you…read moreget talked into handing over 4 figures upfront for "send away training" . Nikki and her team at OC Service Dogs brings credibility back to Dog Training. You can't appreciate how good this trainer is untill you experience bad ones. Hopefully I can save you from having to do that Its easy to make your dog look like its trained and appear like the trainer spent a ton of time with it. A little food in one hand as the dog looks so good heeling, as you have your wallet in the other as you are impressed with the smoke and mirrors. (she can show you how to make your dog look like this in 5 minutes as can I BTW) Nikki is the real deal. I have known her for about 15 years. She has trained protection, Schutzhund obedience with me for high level competitions. She has mentored my son when he was younger as a decoy. She has been a decoy and now she is helping me train a new dog. The takeaway is that she is very experienced at all the roles and levels so so understands what its like being a trainer, trainee, competitor, club member, etc. You want someone that has had all these viewpoints and experiences. She is an awesome parent and she often does things through dog training that helps kids. For example, getting girls accustomed to saying "no" to a dog so saying "no" in the future is easier. We can only hope our girls grow up to be like Nikki. I probably averaged 15K each in training my other dogs (Sch III, IPO III dog). Her group training is a STEAL. She has awesome staff members at the group training so you are not just left alone, lost, and confused. You almost always get private training in the group training and this is worth double the price she charges . It's hard to appreciate this until you spend thousands of dollars on training in the past and realize that her training is just as good if not better for a fraction of the cost. Go to other group trainings where you are lost and just in a herd of people with no attention given to you and you will see what I mean. Her group sessions incorporate discussions too. Last session she spoke of nutrition and the new grain free controversy. Not only is this something unique, it is very strategic as she knows that you can't train dogs for excessive lengths of time and this allows her to break up the group training to keep the dogs motivated while educating you and dog issues well beyond training. Aside from being a great parent, she does a lot for the community and church. You can trust this person to not take your dog in and do nothing. She will work your dogs constantly. But I encourage you to start with the group lessons first as its such a steal and you get private lessons that Nikki probably just feels are "part of the group experience" (she could easily charge more for it or try to talk you into more like other trainers do). From there discuss private training or other send off training once you experience her training in the group Her expertise is amazing. We were about on the same level 10 years ago and training competition dogs together. I recently attended her group class and she was showing me all of the new positive techniques and I felt like I have never trained a dog before. Training has never been this positive toward the dogs like she does it now. Her love for all dogs is so incredibly evident and her desire to make everyone better through dogs is something you probably will not see in other trainers. Her group classes are a great way for families to do something good together and to have a positive activity as your dog becomes more and more a great part of your family because of her.

Rowdy Pups is great! We have utilized their skill set ever since we brought our pup home…read more -puppy training and socialization -boarding + training during stay -single day pet sitting -group pack walks We have only been happy with the results from our training sessions, and find Brittanny very personable and easy communicate and work with. She is great at what she does and we are super grateful to have her as a resource.

Brittanny is nothing short of amazing!…read more She's been working with our Shiba Inu since he was 4 months old & I am FOREVER happy that we found her when he was that young & kept in touch. Through everything we've worked on together with Quinn & all of our weirdo asks of her, she's been patient, understanding, & so so so reliable. Thank you so much for all that you do, Brittanny. You are really the best & we are forever grateful you're in our lives!

I chose Mike/K9 Mentor because he had a Great Pyrenees (named Dakota) like my dog Maximus. So I…read morefigured he would do best or better than others knowing the breed. In short: Best investment ever for my dog. Mike arrived at 8am. We had a 50-55 minute learning session on DOGs from their culture, through the do's & don'ts, then we brought Maximus in and slowly applied the training methods. What Mike taught us, and what he did with Maximus, is absolutely fabulous. Maximus is more calm & less "high-strung", listens better, responds to me better, seems happier than before K9 Mentor training. PLUS, his aggressiveness has seemed to diminish greatly since the training session. Mike's training is simple, straight-forward, easy to learn (& eventually master) methods. I am completely satisfied with Mike/K9 Mentor Dog Training and would highly recommend him, especially with large dogs. Happy Dog Training & Fight On!

Thanks to Marti for being a great evaluator for both Canine Good Citizen and Trick dog. This…read morehandler was a bit nervous as there was a lot of distractions. Marti just asked us to start doing things instead of reading it off of the list and my nerves subsided. We passed! Yay! This young boy even exceeded my expectations! Much thanks to Marti for our sweet scarf and ribbon too! Love it! Highly recommend!

I cannot recommend Sara at Bark and Roll enough! I sent my 4.5-month-old golden retriever puppy,…read moreJetty, to her for a board and train program after being referred by a coworker who had a great experience. While Jetty was already a good puppy, he came back an even better one, and his progress on the leash has been a total game-changer for us. I'll admit I was pretty nervous at first because I'd heard horror stories about dogs coming back from board and trains acting "different" or losing their spark. Sara completely eased those fears. She managed to teach him discipline and commands while still letting him be his goofy, happy self. It's the perfect balance of structure and personality. Throughout the process, I felt totally connected to Jetty's progress thanks to the daily training videos and pictures Sara sent. You can truly tell he was in excellent care and that she treats the dogs like her own. Thank you so much, Sara, for all of your help and for making this such a positive experience for both me and Jetty!

This review is long overdue! We've been working with Sara since our dog, Luca, was an 8mo old puppy…read more(he is now 3) and still trust her for everything now from small questions to boarding whenever we need to be away. We've known her for 2 years now and have seen how much love she puts into caring and training him -- she's adapted how she works with Luca as he's grown and changed as well and we know he's in good hands when he's with her. Recently, we were having a hard time figuring out how to help him with his anxiety that felt like it escalated during his transition out of puppyhood so much that we started to avoid bringing him to many places--needless to say: we were getting anxious ourselves. After entrusting him with Sara again in the two week training program (in which she always shares daily updates), he came back to us with more confidence and a refreshed state for us to be able to continue all the things he learned with Sara back at home. Although the program did help him a lot, we know that ultimately it's our job to ensure his continued success, and Sara has been so patient and understanding when guiding us on how to work with him in the way that works best for him-- always creating space for us to share specific concerns so that she can give us tailored advice and instructions. I can probably go on and on endlessly, but I'll end it with the fact that we went from feeling stressed whenever we were out on walks to now constantly looking forward to the next walk with our boy and bringing him along whenever we can. Thank you Sara!!!!!

My husband and I adopted a Lab who had grown up on a cattle farm in Northern California. Once we…read morebrought him home, we quickly realized that the social, human loving, on your lap labs that we had in the past, was not the case with our new family member. We knew immediately that we would need support with socializing our pup. That's where Cynthia, the dog whisperer came in. Cynthia came to our home to assess our fearful and anxious dog to see how she could best help. Looking back, we had a dog who had never been on a leash, heard everyday sounds, cabinets closing, babies crying, trains passing by...he was raised in a crate, outside with little human interaction. It was challenging to determine how we could help him become comfortable, trusting and of course happy and settled. There were moments when we thought maybe we weren't the right fit for him. Maybe he needed wide open spaces to run free and feel comfortable? Cynthia immediately calmed our doubts, after explaining her approach and plan of action, we signed up for the 21 day immersive training. She was so great about working with our schedule and keeping it consistent. Within a week we saw that Rock was able to walk on a leash, follow basic commands and more importantly build a relationship of trust with a human. Cynthia communicates very well with her clients, we received multiple videos daily documenting Rock's growth. In these videos we began to see a more confident, trusting dog. She literally took him everywhere. Lowe's, the pet store, dressing rooms, coffee shops, the post office, home goods....you name it. Cynthia's commitment to her craft is like no other. She is confident, knowledgeable, and willing to do whatever it takes to support your furry family member. Fast forward a year...we now have a happy, healthy, confident, human trusting lab. Rock runs up to people with a wagging tail, he displays trust for those strangers that he encounters. He allows children to kiss his face. He loves his new life all because Cynthia showed him how to trust in his new environment. We are forever grateful for the work that Cynthia did with Rock. She truly changed his life. If you are in need of a dog trainer who truly cares, Cynthia is your gal.

I can't recommend Mac's enough! Growing up we always had a yappy dog around who was cute in…read morepictures but borderline satanic in real life and potty trained at best. When I decided to raise my own fur baby (a precious poodle/weimaraner rescue) I wanted to do better and I can't believe the night and day difference it makes to put in a little more work and invest in training. Major bonus points for clear communication, easy scheduling, and convenient payment options. On behalf of Sprinkles, myself, and my security deposit, I have to say thank you Cynthia!

After several awful experiences with other dog trainers--some so harsh that my dogs would literally…read morerun and hide at the sight of them--I was honestly hesitant to try again. But finding Emily of The Dog Listener has been one of the greatest blessings for me and my American Bully puppy. From the very first session, Emily brought a calm, confident energy that completely changed the way I relate to my dog. Through private lessons and her incredible monthly Pack Walks, she has helped my puppy grow into a balanced, well-behaved companion. Most importantly, she's helped me grow--into a more confident, peaceful, and capable handler. What truly sets Emily apart is her compassion. My dogs don't just tolerate her--they adore her. The excitement and joy they show when she arrives is real, and it speaks volumes about the kind of person and trainer she is. Her love for dogs is genuine, and they feel it. I get emotional thinking about where we started and how far we've come. Emily is a true godsend, and I can't recommend her enough to anyone looking for a kind, effective, and empowering trainer who truly understands dogs--and their people.

The fact emily is continually denying this and gaslighting the situation is very concerning. You…read morecan say what you want all day. You choked my dog in front of 15 people in a day class that had a choker on, with a leash you leveraged over your shoulder while he was behind you. He was verbally coughing. I should have reported it to the police but i was in shock to the situation. People should be aware this happened. Do you really think i just woke up one day and created this specific situation because I was bored? I stand by my statements. Take me to court if you like l, Ill testify there under oath. No one touches my dog like that.

i hired Vickie Marx for my four month old newfoundland puppy. I chose the in-home program where we…read moreworked at my house when the time was convenient for me. This costs more than a class you can take on Saturdays, but for our busy family it was best. We worked on stopping her from jumping on the counters, the coming when called command. Vickie is a professional. She always showed up on time, was good about contacting me the day before to confirm our appointment, and being flexible. The puppy loved her and I learned a lot. Highly recommend her.

I have used Vickie's pet training services since I purchased the very first dog of my own, way back…read morearound 1979. It was a Doberman Pinscher puppy named "Doody"! (As in "Howdy"!) With her "Praise and Reward" methods of training, my puppy and I took to her immediately and she taught both myself and my dog the proper and gentle methods to train what turned out to be the most obedient dog around! She made my relationship with my dog the most enjoyable 9 years I've ever had. Since then, Vickie has gone on to train many other dogs I've had since Doody passed away. All of them have been trained just as beautifully as she was, making them absolutely wonderful additions to my life and family. I can't recommend Vickie and her training highly enough and am looking forward to her training what I'm hoping will be my next new family addition, a Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pig!! I consider Vickie not only to be a SUPERB pet trainer, but a great friend as well! THANK YOU for making my life a "whole lot" easier than it could have been!! Stacey

This review is long overdue. Before the pandemic Dan helped us find our perfect dog. He took great…read moreefforts to find the perfect dog for my autistic son and then train all of us, and the dog, so that he would be able to be a service dog and companion animal for our boy. I'm crazy grateful to Dan. He did a great job and we have the perfect dog. Literally everyone who sees our dog realizes we have a special dog. He's not a guard dog, because he's a companion animal. I think that our dog is our family's most prized possession. It's the only thing we are worried about getting stolen. Dan was instrumental at helping us find and train the dog. We wanted to rescue a dog, and we even checked some of the rescue dogs out. But Dan said that for a companion animal, we should go to a breeder. He picked the best superstar breeder who had a bunch of kids around the dogs so that our dog would be used to kids. Dan was 100% right. I can't possibly recommend Dan highly enough. he took our dog and our family to a bunch of parks and taught us everything about dogs and dog training. What a guy.

My wife and I would like to thank Dan for his expertise and guidance in training our dog "Harper"…read more Harper is a seven year old, 50 lb., mixed boxer breed. She has had aggression issues with strangers and other dogs for many years. We have tried other trainers with no lasting improvement. It's evident that Dan's methods and training techniques are effective and have been developed over many years of experience and research. We had four in-person training sessions at his facility and read-up on his writings, which were additionally very helpful. We've seen good results is overcoming Harper's aggression issues and continue to use what we have learned to continue our training sessions. Dan is professional, reliable and really knows Dogs! Thanks again, Dan.