We were looking for a reputable trainer in the area for one-on-one sessions to help us with our energetic (and reactive) adult dog. Ron was great! Caring, attentive and direct in his approach. While we still have a lot of ongoing work to do ourselves, I do feel we learned some great techniques to get us there. Ron's approach was reasonable and realistic for the type of dog owners we are. We're not looking for the perfect dog, just more a dog that can enjoy a nice (calm) stroll. I really took to heart his advice about allowing your dog to be a dog on walks and not forcing a strict heel mentality. This easing up on expectations actually helped a lot. Overall, Ron is a great trainer to have in your corner. read more

Ron is such an amazing trainer/guide! Genuinely cares about dogs + their owners. He provides clear instructions on how to improve behavior, with great communication & always open to questions! Have a pom-chi with reactivity/anxiety & just a few lessons have already helped so much! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - client - Pet Training Near Me

I just completed Ron's obedience class offered through the City of Anaheim. I really enjoyed this class because It was very beginner-friendly and it focused on building a strong foundation in the basics before moving on to anything more advanced. Ron was patient, easygoing, and took the time to make sure everyone understood each concept. The pace was comfortable, and I never felt rushed or overwhelmed. If you're new and looking for a class that sets you up for success with solid fundamentals, I would definitely recommend it. Thank you Ron!!! read more

Our beloved pitbull Amber passed away yesterday. Reflecting on her 15 years, we were reminded how thankful we are to Ron Bevacqua for training her through those years. Amber was a Canine Good Citizen, a Certified Therapy Dog, and an Agility contest winner. She loved kids, cats, and dogs. She was the best dog ever. But Amber came to us as a terrified dog. She had severe separation anxiety, no potty training, no leash training, and she pancaked everywhere out of fear. After taking Ron's Basic Obedience, Advanced Obedience, Special Breeds, Recall, Noseworks, and other classes, Amber became the confident dog we always knew she could be. Ron's training was pivotal to Amber's success. We highly recommend Dogwood K9 Training Experience for any dog training needs. read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Amber! - Pet Training Near Me

Ron with Dogwood K-9 is amazing. I highly recommend him. He's super patient, understanding, and genuinely kind, which made the whole experience feel really comfortable. His training style is very thoughtful and focused on what's best for the dog, not just quick fixes. I also really liked that he puts a big emphasis on teaching you as the owner what to do. He answered all my questions and always made sure I understood everything before moving on, which I really appreciated. Overall, I would 100% recommend Ron if you're looking for someone who truly cares and wants to set both you and your dog up for success. He also works in Anaheim Hills too. read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Dog chilling at lunch - Pet Training Near Me

I worked with Ron to address some challenges with my reactive dog Fry, and I'm grateful for the experience. The training sessions took place at a local park, which came with both pros and cons -- it offered real-world distractions that helped us work on focus, but sometimes it was a lot for my dog depending on the day. Still, the setting was useful for seeing how my dog responded in different environments. One thing I especially appreciated was Ron's repeat-back style of learning -- it really helped things click for me. The training felt tailored to my dog's needs, and Ron always made it clear that I could reach out with any questions, even outside of our sessions, which made me feel really supported. There's definitely been improvement, though we still have a lot of work ahead of us. My current goal is to eventually join his group classes, and I'm continuing to practice regularly. I also recently started my dog on anxiety medication (it's only been a few days), and it seems like it was the right call. I'm hopeful that as the meds settle in, they'll help make the training even more effective. In hindsight, I do think I underestimated how much time and consistency I'd need between sessions to really apply what we learned. If I could do it again, I would probably space things out more -- maybe one session per month -- but add in a structured check-in for accountability and support on the homework. That way, I'd have more space to integrate the training while still feeling guided. Overall, I feel like the program was accurately described, and Ron brings a positive and knowledgeable approach to what can be a very emotional process. I recommend him to anyone looking for thoughtful, customized support with a reactive dog. read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Pet Training Near Me

Ron did a great job teaching me how to work with my puppy and altered each session based on the puppy 's current challenges

My husband and I have experience hiring a dog trainer before but our experience with Ron and Dogwood K9 Training Experience is so much better and so much more valuable compared to our previous experience. He has allowed to experience it in a way where we really get to know and understand our dog on a different level. He has helped us shape our perspective and mindset about dog training which in turn has helped us become a better leader for our dog. Thank you, Ron! read more

Ron is a great trainer. He provides you with the tools to work with your dog. He is affordable and truly cares about your dog's success.

I really appreciated getting to work with Ron. We did three private sessions with my 4 month old Doberman puppy. Week 1 Ron taught us some foundational commands that began to transform our overall training at home. The last two sessions Ron was willing to focus in on the areas of greatest importance to my wife and I (which were leash training and obedient walking). I can say after just a couple of weeks our puppy has improved leaps and bounds. There is still room for growth but we feel we have the tools necessary to get him where we want him to be! Thank you Ron! read more

Ron helped us tremendously with our dog Nova. He explained each activity clearly and made the training process smooth and simple. He also gave us a lot of tips and supplemental materials that will help us going forward. I would highly recommend Ron for your dog training! read more

Ron is great! I really learned so much from him and how to help with issues I was having with my dog. He made me feel confident in my ability to train her. I like the way he goes about explaining things and making sure you Truley get it. I would recommend him to everyone! He loves doing this and you can tell when you're with him. Thank you again Ron and giving me the tools I need to succeed in training my dog. read more

The training was exactly what we needed to keep our puppy on track and well-behaved. I would highly recommend.

Ron was very helpful in getting passed the reaction and behavioral issues that our adopted dog was having that we could not figure out on our own. Our dog greatly improved over the course of 4 weeks under Ron's training and guidance. read more

Had a wonderful experience with dog training. Ron worked with both my husband and I to better assist our dog. I love that he is strength based while clarifying what normal dog behavior is. Would highly recommend! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Our dog Wendy - Pet Training Near Me

Ron is the best, i highly recommend dogwood k-9, very professional, very insightful, and the training was very fun as well

Ron is a great trainer and a wonderful instructor! We chose to do private lessons for our golden and we couldn't be more pleased. From our very first session Ron provided tools, reading resources, product recommendations and homework to continue our lessons from home. Utilizing all the education Ron provided during training we saw improvements in our dog behavior before our 2nd lesson. We loved that Ron taught at a pace that is best for both your dog and you. There is flexibility between training sessions to ensure you have time to practice all the recommended homework. Ron is also an excellent communicator and is very diligent ensuring that you are understanding all the training techniques. We couldn't recommend Ron's training enough. read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Pet Training Near Me

Our dog Max just graduated from his 3rd training session with Ron and we are so happy with his progress! We adopted Max a month ago and I haven't had a dog since I was kid, so I was looking for a trainer that could teach me the basics. Max is smart, but very nervous & fearful with new situations and people. He didn't know any commands when he was found on the streets. With Ron's help, I learned many doggy games and exercises that are helping Max gain confidence and become less fearful. Ron focuses the sessions on your custom needs. Be prepared to take notes and continue training at home between sessions. Ron is a great resource and a patient teacher, always willing to answer any questions I had. Thanks, Ron! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Graduation day at Dogwood K-9 Training Academy! - Pet Training Near Me

Ron is a great trainer who tailored our 3 training sessions to best fit our dog Mumu. Our dog is reactive towards other dogs and not as confident- Ron has given us great resources, tips, & advice that we're already seeing progress for our dog Mumu. Be prepared for a lot of homework to do at home and patience for the journey! read more

I had a superb experience with Ron from the very start. i called him a few months ago and he let me know he was offering classes through the city of anaheim. he talked to me on the phone for a while to gauge what my needs were. i ended up being on the waitlist for the season and had to wait since class sizes were limited due to covid, which i appreciated and didn't mind waiting for. When i did get in, my work schedule changed and i was so disappointed to see that i would miss 5 out of the 7 offered classes. When i called ron to withdraw my enrollment, he informed me that he was offering a weekend class with the city of yorba linda which would work better for my schedule, but that the enrollment window was closed. he instructed me to try to enroll anyway and he would talk to the city coordinator to let me into the class. i received confirmation the very next day. i was really impressed with Ron in class. he obviously cares about your animal. by the third week, he had learned every single dog's name. he gave great examples with animated visuals and was so nice to talk with. he answered everyone's questions and was very kind when it was clear some people were not following directions. you know, a lot of dog training is people training, haha. he is also very fast to answer emails and is willing to help you with behavioral issues beyond the scope of the class. this class offered very basic obedience; the fundamentals. some of the things we learned were: 1. heel 2. loose-leash walking 3. how to solve pulling 4. sit / down 5. stay in a sit or down position 6. recall 7. name recognition and other cue recognition 8. how to calm your dog down / reduce barking i'm a very anxious dog owner (which my dog picks up on) and i'm forever glad i was able to take this class. the things i learned here have strengthened my bond with my dog way more than i anticipated. and the very best thing about class is that we played a lot of games, we became a pack, and my dog would come home and sleep for HOURS so she obviously got a lot of stimulation out of it. here is a photo of her relaxing after graduation. Thank you Ron! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - My dog Sibyll relaxing after class on graduation day - Pet Training Near Me

We have had the best experience with Dogwood K9 Training. Our dog had issues with running out of the house, over-excitement with other dogs, and an overall lack of obedience. After working with our trainer, Ron, for only 3 sessions, our dog has exceeded our exit and has responded amazingly to the activities and the exercises we are doing with him. He no longer runs out of the house without our prompt, and when we walk him he no longer pulls. He is also a lot more receptive our trigger words and continuously improving as we continue our drills with him at home. We can't thank Ron enough for teaching us these tools and helping our dog Berry be a happier, and more obedient boy. read more

Dogwood K9 has been a great training experience. I learned as much as my dog Zoey!! Ron gave us (and I mean "us" as Zoey and me) both lessons at our session, and then homework to follow up on. He was always clear when describing what to do with Zoey. He continually followed up confirming that I was clear on the instructions. Each session opened with my questions, or identification of behavioral issues Zoey may have had in the prior week. Ron answered all the questions, and provided suggestions to help Zoey overcome her bad behaviors. It's amazing how responsive she is with the proper techniques that Ron taught me! Thanks again Ron! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Zoey - such a good girl after Dogwood K-9 lessons! - Pet Training Near Me

In 3 sessions Ron has helped me refresh and learn new commands and games with my 9 year old dog. After the first meeting there was significant progress in his behavior. Ron's instructions are clear and extremely helpful. Our dog was very well trained as a puppy but we had gotten a lot more relaxed and forgot how important and what a difference with a few minutes of daily simple training can make. If you're starting out with a puppy or an adult dog Ron is a great positive trainer! read more

My partner and I were looking for a dog trainer in the OC area and Ron at Dogwood was everything we were looking for. He was very kind, patient, and attentive to our needs for our doggo and made sure we understood every part he was teaching us. After the first session, we implemented what he taught us and we saw results almost immediately. We're so grateful to have found Ron and the support he has given us to help make our lives easier by training our girl. If you're looking for an affordable dog trainer who has a passion for what they do and who genuinely cares about the progress your doggies make, we highly recommend Dogwood K9 Training. Thank you, Ron! read more

Ron is amazing and has many fun learning games to help you with your dog. Ron is personable, calm and professional. We are so happy to have been refered to Ron by our friend who is also a veterinarian. read more

Not only is Ron so easy to work with, and is super knowledgeable- his classes are worth every penny spent. He is patient, and helps to tailor all skill building to the type of dog. His time has increased the quality of relationship with me and Boba. I feel confident because of Ron and will always recommend him! He is amazing. read more

Ron was an awesome trainer. Super experienced in his field and made leading the short term and long term steps for improving my doggo's behavior very easy to understand. Couldn't be happier with the outcome! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - My doggo, Yuko. - Pet Training Near Me

Ron is the best! I recently adopted my sweet shelter dog, Bonnie, and was looking for help with her reactivity as well as some general obedience training and Ron was so helpful. At our first session in the park, Ron quickly and accurately assessed that Bonnie was too stressed by the environment of a park to focus so he kindly offered to do our next two sessions on Zoom so Bonnie could be in her home environment which was so great for her. In our second and third session she was far more attentive and did wonderfully. I know this is just the beginning of Bonnie's training journey as we need to practice what she learned daily for the rest of her life, but I couldn't be more grateful to have started this journey with Ron's guidance! Bonnie is already showing great improvement and continues to show us just how smart she is. We very much hope to work with Ron again in the future and attend a group class once Bonnie is a bit less reactive around other dogs. read more

Today I had the pleasure meeting Ron for my Scottish Terrier named Ooyoo. I highly recommend Ron to anyone looking for a skilled, patient, and compassionate dog trainer. Prior to our meeting, Ron communicated clearly and provided me homework with detailed instructions and tips on how to train my dog. However, I learn better when someone teaches me alongside rather than just reading and studying on my own. As I communicated this to Ron, he was very honest with me and told me I would be better off with a personal trainer who comes to my house. He even recommended a place where I can find certified dog trainer. I was very impressed and pleased with his honesty. He has genuine love for dogs , and I can tell that his mission is to train the pet parents to teach their dogs to behave well and communicate effectively with the owner. Before I left Ron even assessed by dog and provided a lot of pointers on how to train my dog. He said to call him anytime I needed his help. What a great human being!!!!! We need more Rons in this world.Thank you Ron=) read more

Ron gave me tools to help with my dog's leash aggression. I can now take my dog out for walks without panicking when we pass other dogs on our morning walk. All training is positive reinforcement, a preferred approach to dog training I really liked. Even my dog enjoyed the training sessions. read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Baxter sitting with his best friend, Mr. Beeps - Pet Training Near Me

We did 3 private lessons with Ron for our 10 month old dog, who was having issues with dog reactivity and leash pulling. Ron's pricing is very fair compared to other dog trainers. He was honest with his training tactics and feedback throughout our time. He is not going to fix your dog's issues, but rather will provide you with tools, tricks/games, and resources for you to practice with your dog at home during these sessions. He uses positive reinforcement, no e collars or shock collars. If you're not willing to put the time, effort, and consistency in using his training methods, he is not the type of trainer you're looking for. I would recommend spacing the trainings out 2-3 weeks apart so you have time to practice what you learn in each lesson. Ron was very flexible and accommodating with our schedule. We have to reschedule several times due to poor weather or dog not feeling good and he made it really easy. No hassle with cancellation fees or any penalties. Our dog is not 100% well behaved but we have definitely seen improvements since prior to his training lessons. Thanks Ron! read more

Just another update to my last review. We just wrapped up a second training class with Ron at Dogwood. The first class we did was a private class and this one a group class through the city of Yorba Linda. This was a large class and we wanted the group experience for more socialization for our Aussie Sydney. She loved the class and we learned several new techniques that we didn't through the private sessions. We highly recommend Dogwood if you have a new dog and need some training, both for your dog and for you. read more

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Ron was great to work with. He customized our training sessions to specific issues we are having with our puppy. He made sure we understood each step of the process before moving on to the next more complex step. We took Ron's group class with our first dog & that was also a good experience. We decided on private sessions with our new puppy (he's easily distracted) and we're glad we had 1 on 1 time & customized training. read more

Ron is a great instructor and provided easy to follow, interactive lessons for us and our dog Snickers. During our 3 lessons together, I quickly saw an improvement in our dog's behavior which just proved he was lacking structure from our end. Ron was friendly and attentive, and always make sure we had time to grasp the concepts before moving forward. Thank you again for taking the time to help us, we had a great time! read more

We just had our graduation with our dog Bruno 8 month. We spent 3 personal lessons with Ron and we had great experience with him on the things we need to work on with our high energy Doberman pincher. We highly recommend Ron for his training courses, He explains everything with great detail and patience. His price are reasonable compare to other trainers and we can't wait to return to his group training courses. We already started recommend him to our friends and family. Thanks again Ron and GOD bless ! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - @the park. - Pet Training Near Me

Ron helped us so much with our new dog from the pound, Bagels. Bagels is a very anxious and fearful dog and we were having a lot of behavior problems at home. Ron, thank you for helping us survive his first weeks with us! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Bagels - Pet Training Near Me

We met with Ron and he makes us excited to train our dog with him! Our dog Ozzy responded well to him and his techniques. He is encouraging and positive about some of the issues he has and that we can help train him to be a good boy! We have our next session planned and look forward to it. Two thumbs up! read more

Ron is a great instructor. He customized the training for my dogs needs. Let's be honest, dog training is more about training the owner. I learned so much and it has really helped. I highly recommend. read more

Ron was very helpful and we got a lot on information to train our dog Mocha! She is a fearful dog and needed training sessions to improve her behavior. Now we know how to handle her and she seems doing better! read more

Dogwood K9 Training Experience - Pet Training Near Me

Ron was very thorough and helpful with my dog's leash aggression! I now have tools that I can use for the rest of my dog's life to help ease his stress and anxiety, as well as mine! read more