My life, our lives as a family are completely changed. Leonard Ludovico is the reason for that change. Life altering. I could not imagine the change in which I am now living on the daily, but it's real. It's a life I always wanted with my dog, a life I previously thought impossible. I looked long and hard for a qualified trainer, it was all the same BS, none of it would have helped this dog. I have a dog that I love, she is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd Mix and she became too hard to handle. A high drive dog, needing more than I could give at the time, who became unruly often savage even. At the forefront: Extreme anxiety, separation anxiety and an unruly nature of alertness that did not comply with said anxiety. Overprotective, disobedient, barking and lunging and terrorizing little and big dogs alike-- she was lost in terrible moments, unable to hear or care for us while she was lost in that world of anxiety. Elevators, car rides and anything that involved society became a big problem. We had to take her to the bathroom at the crack of dawn or in the middle of the night only, our lives became a big bubble of stress. I thought I was going to live a sacrificial life for this dog and just endure the pain and torture that anxiety created and leaked onto us.. it sucked. I did not anticipate a near-attack-like situation to happen, but eventually it did. Thank God I reacted quick enough to prevent said accident and no contact was made, but it happened and it was my fault and the person it happened to lied and tried to have my dog and me punished. Thank God again for my my love of tech, because I had cameras and proof that this POS person was lying, alas, the fault was my own for not having a handle on this animal, I found Dominant Dogs, Leonard Ludovico changed everything. I knew from the moment I met him, we had a chance.. I spoke to a lot of people, met with trainer x, y, z and Q, none of them gave me confidence, Leonard was the outlier. I'm going to tell you some of how Leonard has helped us, much of it I didn't even ask for, this man is a Godsend. She doesn't lunge or bark or react to dogs anymore, not even reactive ones. We can be walking on the same side of the sidewalk and, well, she's often the star of the show. If there is an inkling of an issue. A quick "leave it" and a leash correction and she stops.. and the initial response to seeing them, she might look their way, but even as that same dog reacts, mine really, does not. Holy. She is often confused with a service animal now, people ask me how I did it, I have no clue, Leonard did it. I'm just honoring the training he gave us both. The barking has stopped at night and in the morning. People passing our front door/balconies/hallways.. she lets us know once, here and there, but ultimately a completely different dog. Little dogs are no longer a problem.. Humans aren't a problem, big dogs, I have moved seamlessly through crowds with her by my side.. World Cup games at Century City Mall, people on top of us practically, she is incredible now. She listens, her attention isn't perfect to us, she is young still at 2 years old, but its getting better and the difference pre-Leonard is so drastic I can't even properly explain it... She looks happy, not fearful, her eyes have changed, she is more confident, we are more confident, she goes to the bathroom without being overly alert. She eats her food slowly now.. She chews and chomps the kibble, it crunches in her mouth, then she pauses and continues, her bowl used to be swallowed and gone in seconds, she now takes minutes.. I didn't expect this, Leonard just did it. I walk out of doors and through gates side by side with the animal and we move at a comfortable pace. The dog is not a menace anymore. She does not charge headfirst out the door anymore. She used to nuzzle at doors and doorknobs attempting to get out first like the lead dog of a sled or something.. The dog is now leash trained, obedient and by our side, but with care and protection, not the stress or hassle of pulling/barking, etc. She doesn't attack my hands anymore, she doesn't jump onto our bed and tear at the blankets to wake us up, she is a respectful lady now. She goes to outdoor restaurants with us now, laying or sitting by our side while we eat and calmly gets up with us when we leave. There is more, I can't fit it all. Dominant Dogs might be the answer to your dog's problems, your problems. He might be a dog whisperer, I do believe it to be true. The man knows psychology, people, animals, environmental/behavioral.. all of it, maybe, the care along the way, you know this is his passion, Leonard gave us more than I hoped for, we even got great pictures and updates and tips while she was with him for those weeks at bootcamp. Our lives are forever changed, I am comfortable with this dog and I cherish the training, I myself am better, I needed help and didn't even know it, our whole family needed help and DOMINANT DOGS DELIVERED!! read more

See all

Leonard helped my girlfriend and I with our little jack russel Peter. For years now, he has had issues with aggressively resource guarding my girlfriend. In just one session, Leonard provided us with more than a few mindset-shifting gems that we are now using daily to train Peter into happier, less anxious pup. Turns out, many of "Peter's" seemingly complex issues had been caused by us (the humans) reinforcing the wrong behaviors! Our little family of three is now on a clear path to a much more peaceful and happy life. Thanks Leonard!!! P.S. Leonard is as skilled a human behavioralist as he is one for dogs! read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Peter and I - Pet Training Near Me

Where do I even begin with this review?! When we first reached out to Leonard, we were completely at our wit's end with our dog. She's a six year old Portuguese Water Dog with a ton of energy and was EXTREMELY leash reactive, constantly overstimulated by everything around her on walks. Despite wanting her to come everywhere with us, taking her out felt dreadful & exhausting. I always dreamed of having a dog I could take to a coffee shop, sit, relax, answer emails, and just enjoy being out together. But that felt completely out of reach for us. I knew something had to change, I just didn't know where to start. That's when I found Dominant Dogs and came across Leonard Ludovico. I was hesitant, but after our initial consultation, he gave us confidence that things could improve. He recommended his three week boot camp, and we decided to trust the process! By the two week mark, I was already blown away. By the time we picked her up at three weeks, it truly felt like we had a completely different dog. Walking her is now easy. Being outside with her feels fun, freeing, and effortless, something I never thought I'd say. What really stood out is that this training wasn't just about changing our dog, it changed me too. Leonard helped shift how I showed up, not only with my dog, but in how I approach interactions more broadly. I truly cannot recommend Leonard enough. This was hands down the best money we've ever spent, and we absolutely plan to work with him again in the future. Thank you, Leonard, for everything. Your work is one-of-a-kind, and we're so grateful!!! read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Pet Training Near Me

We cannot recommend Leonard enough. He worked incredibly well with our labradoodle, who struggled with both dog aggression and people aggression, and the transformation has been amazing. What really sets Leonard apart is how much he helps you understand your relationship with your dog. He teaches you how to lead with confidence and take ownership of the environment so your dog doesn't feel like they have to. That shift alone was huge for us. From day one, Leonard was thoughtful and intentional--he really wanted to make sure we were committed, which I respected so much given how much time and energy he pours into each dog. After our boot camp consult, he told us that if it went well, he'd take our dog that same day--and he did. The change started immediately, and now the difference in our dog's behavior (both at home and out in public) is truly night and day--in the best way. Leonard treats every dog like his own. The level of care, structure, and consistency he provides is exactly what we should have done from the start. We had worked with three other trainers before him, and unfortunately none were effective--some even made the aggression worse. Leonard's approach was the only one that truly worked. His boot camp is absolutely worth the investment. We are so grateful for everything he's done and hope to work with him again for future dogs. Our dog is happier, more relaxed, and more confident--and so are we. Thank you, Leonard. We genuinely miss seeing you on the weekends and learning from your perspective on both dogs and life. read more

See all

UPDATE 8 Months Later-- It has now been about eight months since working with Leonard Ludovico at Dominant Dogs, and somehow things continue to get even better every single day. Everything we wrote in our original review still stands, but what amazes us most is how lasting the transformation has been. Bella and Lexie are calmer, happier, healthier, and more balanced than ever before. People constantly ask us if they are the same dogs because they genuinely look different now. They even seem younger, more relaxed, and more confident. Before working with Leonard, our home was filled with stress, anxiety, barking, leash reactivity, and unpredictability. We had already tried multiple trainers using treats, clickers, and positive reinforcement methods, and nothing created real lasting change. Leonard's understanding of dog behavior and psychology is on another level. He doesn't just "train" dogs -- he rehabilitates them and teaches owners how to truly communicate with their dogs in a calm, structured way. The changes in Bella and Lexie have lasted and continue improving over time. Walks are enjoyable now, the dogs are peaceful in the home, and the anxiety and tension they once carried are gone. The relationship we have with them today is completely different. Looking back, enrolling them in Leonard's program was one of the best decisions we ever made. We are beyond grateful for everything he did for our dogs and for read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Bella. Our long-haired Chihuahua girl. - Pet Training Near Me

See all

Sending a huge thank you to Leonard for all he did to change our dog into one that is able to go anywhere calmly and confidently. Nicky has been home from her training for 6 months and has retained all the lessons Leonard so patiently taught her. I couldn't recommend Leonard more highly! read more

See all

My dog Banjo has always had a bunch of issues, especially around other dogs. He barks and lunges so much that no one in my family wants to walk him, so it was always up to me. After doing a lot of research, I decided to take him to Leonard. Honestly, after just two sessions, the change in my dog was unbelievable. It was like having a new dog. Leonard really gets dogs. He pointed out some of the things I was doing wrong and showed me some easy fixes that worked. Nothing was complicated, his advice was super clear and simple, and it made a huge difference. Now my dog listens so much better and going for walks isn't a nightmare anymore. Honestly, working with Leonard was the best money I've spent in a long time. Leonard's a straight-up honest guy, and what he does is a total game changer for anyone struggling with their dog. read more

This guy knows his stuff. My wife and I are beyond impressed with his work. He is knowledgeable and a great teacher as well. We've learned invaluable information after only our first session. Our dog is already showing improvement based on what we learned from Mr. Leonard. We're looking forward to learning more with him and having a new start with our beloved dog. read more

Upon my first conversation with Leonard (about my Dutch Shepherd with aggression issues) it was clear he is much more than just a dog trainer. Leonard's wisdom, gained from decades of experience helping dogs and humans, is palpable. He brings you to the awareness of the deeper reasons and causes behind a dog misbehaving and provides practical tools and concepts to apply daily, leading to longterm improvement. His method focuses on helping humans heal their relationship with their dogs, which can ultimately be a part of healing one's relationship with oneself. If you're feeling a bit helpless like I was, book a consultation with Leonard! It's never too late for things to get better. read more

My husband and I reached out 5 years ago, when we got our first rescue dog (a shepherd-pit mix), and again last week when we got our second (a Malinois) -- Mr. Ludovico's help was not only invaluable, but absolutely made us able to get the help we needed with an initially very difficult dog, that kept us able to keep her. Literally saved a life. Can't recommend highly enough. read more

Hiring dominant dogs was a blessing! Leonard was great in helping my husband and I and our dog, that we love so much. She was very aggressive, aggressive with her food and other dogs that were smaller than her. Dog park trips and walking her was not easy. We learned so much with Leonard and he did incredible work with her. We are so grateful for the training and time he has given to re-train our dog. Big big recommendations!! read more

I paid the full amount and made an appointment because my dog showed aggressive behavior at the park and I wanted to be a responsible dog owner. He started by saying that my dog was dangerous after observing for 10 mins as we walked around. He recommended me to get a prong collar and keep it on my dog at all times even when indoors in case he attacks me??? My dog has never shown aggressive behavior towards me. He then went on a 30 min rant on how great of a dominate dog owner he is and you have to show that you are the boss. Basically trying to convince me that my dog was dangerous and a threat to my life unless I gave the dog to him to train for a period of time for a big sum of money. Complete BS. I found another trainer who didn't talk down to you and try to sell you extra training on your dog that you don't need. read more

We came to Leonard as a last resort. After adopting Sundae, our 1-year old Catahoula-Lab mix, this past spring, we were really worried that we were going to have to give her back to the shelter due to her aggressive behavior towards people and dogs. She was extremely fearful of new places/people, she was possessive of us and toys, she had separation anxiety, and she would lunge/growl/nip at people or dogs. She got along well with our other dog, but she would sometimes pester him and get possessive when we showed affection toward him. Before finding Leonard, we went to two different dog trainers, who were unable to help us with the problem. Leonard showed us a completely different approach, and we learned that almost everything we were doing to try to fix the problem (e.g. positive reinforcement, treats) was making it worse. After the initial session with Leonard, we already saw changes in Sundae, and we decided to send her to his bootcamp. We liked that Leonard takes only takes two dogs at a time and that the dogs live with him while going through the bootcamp/rehabilitation. While Sundae was at bootcamp, we met with Leonard for trainings towards the end. This was really helpful because he taught us skills about how to handle her differently. These trainings also gave us more hope and confidence that we would be able to handle her when she came home. Not only did he train her, but he helped us work through our anxiety about handling her. We learned that we have to take control and show our dog that we are the leaders of the pack, and through that we would build trust. Sundae has been home with us for two weeks now, and she is a totally different dog! She is polite, obedient, less anxious/fearful, happier, and most importantly, not aggressive towards people or dogs. Without Leonard's help, her aggression would have likely continued to get worse, and we probably would have had to rid of her or put her down. We are so relieved and happy that she has improved and turned into a really good dog. Thank you, Leonard! read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Pet Training Near Me

The best way to sum up my experience with Dominant Dogs is to say that working with Leonard is like couples therapy for you and your dog. It was a complete re-education on building trust, proper communication, better understanding, learning about correct tools to use, and establishing suitable power dynamics and control. I sought out Leonard and his expertise to help with my anxious and aggressive dog after he bit a few people and was difficult to handle. I had already done behavioral training, meds, many cbc products and recommended chews/toys/etc , dog obedience classes, hours of online research, worked with other trainers, and talked to multiple people who refused to work with us. It was very stressful walking him since if anyone came close to or talked to me, he would lunge and bark at them. He was very protective of me as well as my car and apartment. I was always on guard and became very jumpy at corners and if anyone surprised us. He was also very aloof and disconnected from me. Everything I had learned in 38 years of life and working with more than 5 dog trainers was turned upside down once we started working with Leonard. In a good way. After 5 in person sessions and I feel like a new person with a new dog. He now walks respectfully next to me, is attentive to what I am doing, ignores other people and dogs when they pass, and comes right to my side when I call him. I am so much more relaxed walking him and am a much more confident dog owner who is proud of the dog I have and how far we have come. Thanks, Leonard for your expertise, advice, and help! read more

Found him on yelp. Did a call with Leonard and we booked the 1 hour training session. He sent me over his program and offered the bootcamp for my problem dog and I asked him a few questions prior to booking the bootcamp or the training program and he said everything would be upfront which I have no issues with. He then asked me about my parents being strict and hard on me and told me he "gets my culture" (because I'm asian?!) and then made a comment about how he gets it that "your people" and how we don't have etiquette. Asked him if we could incorporate my other dog as well for training since she's also causing anxiety for the first dog and I would obviously pay for her too (money is not the issue) and he responded and said he was the wrong fit and blocked my number. I wanted to hire him for my dogs despite his rude comments because I genuinely wanted my dogs to get better. I'm sure he is an amazing trainer, but this is just so unprofessional. Update to his response: I wanted to work with both dogs instead of just one and I told him I could pay double for the two dogs, but he misunderstood and thought I was only going to pay for one. Of course I would pay for both dogs if I trained with both... Leonard, I wanted to put my male dog in bootcamp and do the 4-week program at the same time with the female dog. I would be paying you what you asked for $5000 + $1800 and I was planning on getting the lifetime add on as well. Regarding the extra hour - you were showing me your dog and the other dogs and we were talking for the most part. It seems like money is more of an issue here vs. fixing the animals. read more

Leonard has an amazing understanding of, and way with dogs. You will see just from the first interaction he has with your dog that your dog trusts and respects him. What's more, he'll teach you how to achieve that relationship as well. We worked with Leonard to help address issues that our 1 year old Frenchie was developing: leash pulling, resource guarding, general disobedience and other bully-like tendencies. For example, walking on leash was an issue we really wanted to address because our dog would pay attention to anything but us: sticks on the ground, other people, other dogs -- walking him had become a real source of stress for us. We decided to do a 3 week training with the lifetime option and our dog has come back truly changed. On walks, he now walks right next to us on a loose, long leash and is way less distractible and reactionary. This is just one example of the amazing transformation that Leonard was able to help our dog with. Leonard was very easy to work with, too. He's very responsive to texts, phone and emails, and best of all is a straight shooter, he does what he says he will do, and so far all of his advice about how to be around our dog has been spot on. You can and should take him at his word. I highly recommend working with Leonard in any capacity to help you with issues with your dog. Thank you, Leonard! read more

We have 1yr old 70lb pound dog who was showing aggression to both people and other dogs. After 4 1.5hr sessions Leonard solved all our problems. She is no longer aggressive or dominant. We are so thankful for Leonard and his efforts to help train our dog. read more

Leonard contacted me after I posted my review and refunded my consultation fee. That was very generous of him. Have to give more stars for a guy who was willing to own up to the profanity and refund my money. That reflects good customer service/business practices. read more

Leonard has literally changed our lives. Our dog was a 1.5 year old anxious, fearful, stressed, aggressive and dominant dog when we handed him off to Leonard. My husband and I were now at a point where we would get stressed and anxious at the thought of taking him outside the house. Don't get me wrong, he was great at the dog park - the friendliest dog in fact! It was only when he was at home or on a leash outside that he would be "difficult". Upon our first visit after 2 weeks Tim Tam already showed so much progress! We walked down Santa Monica 3rd St Promenade and he walked through it with a breeze. We were never able to walk through large crowds before. At the third week mark, we picked up an angel. He was so well behaved. He would walk without tugging. He would stay close to our body when we would walk past anything that used to make him nervous. He was capable of staying on one place until given command to leave. He was a well behaved dog that listened and respected us as his parents to be the alphas of the pack. Throughout the three week period we visited Leonard two times and each time we saw so much growth and change in our pup. Leonard also spent quality time with my husband and I. From all his teaching and tools that he gave us, we ended up learning so much about how we could be better not only ourselves as parents to our pup but also as a couple. We now have so many "tools" which we are continuing to use every so often to help keep our in pup confident, relaxed, and safe. We're so thankful for Leonard - he really changed our lives. read more

Dominant Dogs Training - TimTam so comfortable and relaxed with Leonard. He trusted and respected him a lot. - Pet Training Near Me

See all

My dream dog had always been a Shiba Inu; Their build, their sass, their loyalty. That being said, I also knew that they were notorious for being extremely stubborn and even harder to train. So when fate presented us with the opportunity to adopt a Shiba Inu puppy from a shelter, I knew right away that we needed to find a damn good trainer. We got Yuki when he was 8 weeks old, and by 6 months, he was a hellion. The time had come to hand him off to a pro. Leonard's intuition with dogs and humans is uncanny. He defiantly knows when you're not being transparent with him. He is an expert at reading body language, and that is why he is an expert at working with dogs. Our biggest concern was that we didn't know how to communicate with Yuki. He would constantly look at us with a blank, disconnected face. He would also constantly whine. We took him to Leonard because we didn't just want a dog, we wanted a life companion. We were hoping that Leonard could teach us how to communicate with Yuki and teach Yuki his general manners. The results that Leonard produced were of supreme excellence. He doesn't focus teaching your dog commands such as sit, stay, and shake, but rather, he focuses on communicating with body language. His process is almost 100% non-verbal, teaching your dog to focused on you, your body movements, and you behavior. Allowing someone to take your dog for three weeks takes a lot of trust, and believe me it was difficult to do. Leonard was great with giving us updates on Yuki via email, phone, and text. We received lots of wonderful photos of Yuki and the achievements he had made. The first week without Yuki was really hard on us, but we knew we had made the right decision as Leonard gave us regular updates on Yuki's progress. By the end of the second week, we were so excited for our 2 hour training session with Leonard and Yuki. When we met for our 2 week check in, Yuki did not bark, whine, run, or jump when he saw us. Instead, he was calm and paying attention to Leonard (this part might break some owner's hearts, but it was still worth it). Leonard showed us all of Yuki's progress which was all non-verbal communication. Yuki was laser focused on Leonard and his body language. We were so impressed. Yuki was a completely different dog; He was happy, focused, and polite. After our 2 week check in, Yuki went back with Leonard for one more week. During this time, Leonard gave us a list of doggie gear that he suggested we get so that we could continue his training once Yuki came home. Here is an example of how in-tune Yuki was with us once he completed his training. This was from one of our email updates to Leonard after he came home. "He did do something that we think was great the other day. Alaina took him outside the house to go potty, and I was moving about and grabbed a drink of water, but I took too big of gulp, and it went down the wrong pipe. I started coughing loudly. Yuki heard me and started barking and lead Alaina inside to check on me. It made us both happy." Thank you Leonard for all your hard work. We know he was a pain in the butt, but you gave us the best dog companion a human could ask for. read more

Dominant Dogs Training - This is Yuki before Dominant Dog Training. Sad eyes, uncertain, and disconnected. - Pet Training Near Me

See all

Found Leonard through searching online and was initially impressed by what I saw so I gave him a shot for my amazing english bulldog who has a bad resource guarding problem. After our first experience with Leonard I am fully confident in his abilities to alleviate my dogs issues. He provided well rounded advice complimented with specific instruction. His approach is stern from a loving approach, he genuinely cared for my dog's well being and wasn't rushing to get a paycheck. In fact he denied providing his most expensive service to us & suggested something more tailored for our situation which was significantly less than my original price tag. Overall Leonard's approach was pleasant, feels authentic from a place of knowledge, understanding, and love for animals. read more

It is always difficult to acknowledge when you do mistakes, but I babied my Vizsla boy so much that I started to have some serious behavioral problems. I tried to deal with the issues myself and with a dog trainer but when my puppy turned 18 months old, I decided to get a SPECIALIST who knows exactly what to do. I looked up on Yelp, Google, Facebook dog groups, etc. and I found Leonard from Dominant Dogs. I called him and we made an appointment three days later. This is how the camp works: You meet Leonard with your dog for a 2-3 hours long session where he decides if he will work with you and your dog. The camp is 3 weeks long. Leonard is very straightforward person and he will tell you honest (not sugarcoated) opinions/facts. Remember, you want to do the best thing for your dog. I was very surprised that he mainly "interviewed" me. We spent together 3 hours and we spoke about my life, my lifestyle, my background, my experiences and expectations and YES about my dog. It made me think and realize that it is just as much about you, the "pet parent" as it is about your dog. Leonard is in constant contact with you. You are getting emails, pictures and videos every day and you can always call Leonard and he will tell you what is going on, how your baby is doing, what they do/did that day, how the dog responding to the training... For example, Leonard took my boy at Venice beach skate park (my dog has always had issues with bikes, skateboards, birds scooters). Another day Leonard took my dog to busy and crowded Santa Monica Third Street Promenade (I received an awesome video). I couldn't believe how much less fearful my dog already was after such a short time with Leonard. After two weeks of separation (yes, you cannot see or visit your dog) you have another training session with Leonard - another 2-3 hours. You basically going over the 2 weeks of training, Leonard will show you how to handle better your dog, what did you do wrong, what you should do better, how to react to your dog etc. The hard part of this whole process is to get ready for the arrival of your pup. After three weeks you have another 2-3 hours of training and then you are taking your pup home with you. The main thing is to trust Leonard and NOT to repeat bad habits. If you choose this camp and start process with Leonard, you must know, that his knowledge about dogs helped me understand what was behind my dog's behavior. Leonard is very connected with animals and has had much success because he does not work only with the dogs but with the pet parent as well to be stronger leader. Update: I have my dog home for a week now and he is doing just so well. I am so grateful for all the training and advices which Leonard shared, provided and taught me. We have another follow up training next week and I know my pup will be so happy to see him because they created such a special connection. read more

Dominant Dogs Training - My Vizsla boy Milo who was extremely fearful... - Pet Training Near Me

I have a 2-year-old rescue dog (a black lab mix) named Koda with aggressive behavioral issues towards people and other dogs. I've been to three different trainers in the year that I've had her, and none had made any impact on her aggression. I was feeling confused and frustrated because these trainers had all promised results through positive reinforcement training, but none of the techniques they taught me were helping at all. And none of the trainers could clearly explain why she was exhibiting aggressive behaviors in the first place. I live in San Diego, but when I found Leonard's website and watched some of his videos, I knew I had to set up a session with him. I was desperate to find a trainer that was able to show results and Leonard did not disappoint! He was immediately able to explain the why behind her behaviors and body language, and how my body language was encouraging and enabling her bad behaviors. He showed me the subtle ways I need to be communicating with her through my body language, and how to get her to respect me. I hadn't realized until meeting with Leonard how much I was accommodating her and allowing her to be the dominant one in our relationship. Leonard showed me how to adjust my behavior so that she will respect me and know that I am in control of our surroundings, so she doesn't need to be on high alert and protective of me. Within 20 minutes, Leonard was already able to have her walking down the sidewalk with another dog walking by, without her reacting. Previously, she would always go berserk when another dog approached on a leash, lunging and barking. And the fear of that happening was controlling my life and the places I felt like I could take her. Through one training session, Leonard has already changed my life in that I now don't fear taking her on walks anymore. I will be bringing Koda to Leonard for boot camp, because I know after one session with Leonard that I can trust him completely with her training. And I look forward to learning much more from him! read more

My husband and I adopted a puppy (Japanese/Korean mix with Pitbull) about a year ago who, in the time we have had her, has become extremely possessive/aggressive towards our two other dogs (via life-threatening altercations), erratic on leash, and highly untrusting of new humans, other dogs...etc. -- the list goes on and on. Upon meeting with Leonard, he confirmed two things that I knew deep down but didn't want to accept: 1.) Our girl Winnie has a major attitude problem that required immediate attention, and 2.) My seemingly "loving" and "nurturing" way of dealing with her has been extremely detrimental to her mindset and training abilities. It's hard to hear when YOU are the root of all the issues, but comforting in a sense if you are willing to put in the work. Within the first ten minutes of our two hour training session, I was BLOWN away by how quickly Leonard was able to place Winnie into a state of submission. I have never seen anything like it in my life. In this short time during our session, I learned how my lack of confidence (body language, etc.) has everything to do with how Winnie chooses to behave. Trust me when I tell you, this dog is TOUGH, and the instant change I saw in her during our first session (practicing methods via Leonard that I had never ever thought to implement on my own) was NIGHT and DAY. Today is the first day following our training, and while we still have a long road ahead of us, I am already seeing changes in Winnie. She is calm and respectful of the new boundaries that we have started to introduce in our home per Leonard's teachings. Exactly one week ago I felt hopeless, anxious, and defeated that I wouldn't ever be able to ever manage Winnie's bad behavior. Today, I feel on top of the world. I know there IS hope for her thanks to Leonard. To achieve success, you must take Leonard's teachings seriously. I know this is not going to be easy, so if you are not 100% committed to reestablishing dominance and boundaries in your home, you are wasting your time and above all, doing your dog a major disservice. I am SO grateful that I found Leonard and look forward to our family's new mindset so Winnie can thrive and become the best version of herself. Thank you Leonard! I have included a photo from our session. My dog would pull and drag me around on walks no matter what. During our training, she also got to a point where she began ignoring every single dog in her "zone" (a typical trigger for her). Truly incredible. read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Pet Training Near Me

The amazing part of the consultation/training session was how quickly Leonard was able to read my two dogs' body language and diagnose exactly what was going on. What was super cool was he then, was able to read my body language very intuitively. This cut through a lot of preliminary dog training information that other places had given us. Leonard seemed like he already knew what the issue was, what my part of it was, and how to fix it. I was very surprised how quickly he picked up on my anxiety. He was able to calm me down and calm my dogs down. I didn't realize how much my anxiety was affecting my dogs and their behavior. What he really took off my plate, was feeling responsible for my dogs' actions. He showed me how to be with my dog, in a calm, assertive manner and how to communicate with my dog without using words. That's because our dogs are animal, animals in the pack don't talk, and they use body language and energy to control the pack. One of the things I loved the most about the training session was how he taught me was how to communicate with both my dogs, without using words. One of my dogs is a French bulldog that gets very aggressive in the car and won't stay in the car. And my other dog is a Pit bull mix, but more passive than the bulldog. The interesting part in this whole training session is that I had sent Leonard pictures of both dogs. My original concern was about the French bulldog. I had no concerns about the Pittbull's behavior. Leonard was able to tell me about the Pitbull's fear and insecurity, and the problems we were experiencing with the two dogs just from the picture I sent. The dogs were getting in fights and I was worried the Pit bull would hurt the bulldog. But the truth is, the French bulldog is more aggressive and trying to hurt the Pit. At home, the dogs bark non-stop, and get aggressive with each other over food and treats. It had escalated to the point we couldn't stand it anymore. Now we have two dogs, after our training session that are calmer and aren't fighting. The French bulldog was even calm in the car! But we have decided to send both dogs to boot camp so that this calm behavior continues and my husband and me get properly trained. If this skilled dog behaviorist was able to accomplish so much in the 2-hour consultation, we just knew, it would definitely be worth it to send our dogs to bootcamp. After all, he was able to do it and show us how to do it. But he makes it look really easy, and it's not easy. He looked like he owned the dogs in five minutes, and had them completely under control. I would have to say, it was so subtle and hard to see how the dogs trusted him immediately and bonded up with him. Keep in mind, these dogs haven't seen Leonard before, or ever been around him. The training/consultation session was money well spent. Boot camp is going to be the best money we ever spent! We had started to give up hope of ever having a peaceful home life with these two dogs. Leonard gave us hope. We look forward to bootcamp and his extensive time and training that he will put into us too. What my husband and me experienced, is exactly what other owners said on Yelp that was so truthful and right. We concur with his wonderful reviews. This man is a master trainer and highly intuitive with both the owner and the dog. The great part is, he doesn't focus on controlling the dog with basic dog training like "sit" "down" "stay". Our dogs already had that and we still found out that we did not have good control over our dogs and they didn't respect us, or listen to us. I wish we had found Leonard at Dominant Dogs sooner before going to 3 different trainers and wasting time and money. Thank you Leonard. You are a good man, and an outstanding dog trainer. read more

Dominant Dogs Training - @pennyandphoebe - Pet Training Near Me

My dog Harley was literally one of the most difficult dogs of all time. Ever since he was a puppy, he was always going after house guests, nipping at them, growling, occasionally landing a BITE and just being a domestic terrorist. I had sent Harley to Puppy bootcamp before when he was 1 years old, they told me he was the most spoiled dog they had ever seen, and that didn't work. We had tried multiple trainers ranging from hippies who give constant treats to the VCA prozac program. Nothing worked. Harley didn't have one problem to fix, he had every issue you could think of. It was a disaster, and it was causing sever damage to my relationship and eventually my marriage. Harley was not open to his new mom. Harley was headed to the vet to go 6' under, I had dealt with him for 9 years, and my patience was running out. Luckily for me I found Leonard, Leonard integrated Harley into his life for 6 weeks, and returned a different dog to me. Leonard would often tell me, that it wouldn't be the same dog returned to me, and honestly, I didn't believe him. I thought that there was no way he could fix this beast. But over a week ago, Harley came home, he has shown no aggression towards my wife, or our prized jumbo Yorkie. I was walking Harley yesterday and had someone say "what a well trained dog you have", it was weird, the guy wasn't kidding... We even brought Harley to a dog daycare for a few hours and he was "welcomed back". My only regret is that I didn't find Leonard 9 years earlier. Keep in mind he reformed a 9 year old dog, so don't listen to people who say that you can can't teach an old dog, you sure as hell can. They just don't know what to do. Leonard really cares about the dogs he takes in. He's a good guy. My wife and I are even debating sending our Yorkie to him too, he's not aggressive and doesn't really have any problems, we just can't think of a reason not to. thanks Leonard! read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Pet Training Near Me

See all

After 5 trainers and 2 boarding camps, for Buddy , our 1 year old male French bulldog, we found Leonard and "Dominant Dogs". Before Leonard, Buddy would lunge at people, dogs, bicycles, skateboards, anything that moved during walks or just outside. Inside the house he was aggressive when someone new came and would lunge as well. In the car he would bark and try to lunge at anyone who went near the window. After the 3 weeks with Leonard his behavior was completely different on walks, in the car, in the house. He no longer lunges at people and responds to corrections immediately. We have to continue to be strict, consistent and follow the training her received. He still a puppy and likes to pay but there isn't this aggressive quality he had before. We highly recommend Leonard particularly for this type of behavior. Thank you, Leonard! read more

My boyfriend and I adopted a puppy a couple of years ago, and while he is very sweet and well-mannered in our house, he was extremely difficult to handle on walks in the neighborhood. He was very protective of me and tended to "see red" whenever almost any other dog or human walked by, and I physically could not hold him back when he was in this state. For that reason, my boyfriend was the default dog-walker. One recent weekend, however, my boyfriend was out of town, so the walking responsibilities fell on me. During our morning walk we encountered another neighbor walking his dog, and immediately it was as if a switch had been flipped - my dog took off and began attacking this other dog, while I was left frozen in fear and unable to safely intervene. Long story short, the other dog's injuries were relatively minor (thankfully) and the neighbor was very understanding; however, it honestly was one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life. I felt helpless and ashamed, and scared to even leave the house with my dog, and knew it was time to take drastic steps to correct this behavior. Fast forward a few days to our first appointment with Leonard. Right off the bat I could tell that his intuitions not only about our dog's behavior, but also about both me and my boyfriend, were spot on. From our body language alone, he was able to infer certain things about the way each of us interacted with and related to our dog. Importantly, he also pointed out that the level of obedience training we had instilled in our dog was actually detrimental to his behavior. We essentially had to unlearn everything we thought we knew about dog training and instead approach it from a wholly new and different angle. Leonard taught us that the way we were treating our dog at home and while on walks was only reinforcing the behavioral problems we were experiencing with him, and that the only way to overcome this would be to correct our own behavior. He showed us exactly what we were doing wrong and assigned us simple "homework" exercises to perform between sessions that I had never even heard of before. I truly appreciate the way Leonard pushed me out of my comfort zone, because our dog responded to these exercises exactly as he had predicted he would. Consistent practice of these exercises has dramatically improved the relationship I have with my dog, and in turn my dog's problem behavior. I cannot express my gratitude enough for everything Leonard has taught us. He truly is an expert with dogs and has a wealth of wisdom and experience. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for help with their furry loved ones!! read more

I met with Leonard because my 9.5 year old Treeing Walker Coonhound has developed a severe reactivity issue with scooters and skateboards. I really wasn't sure there was anyone who could possibly help because Mason is a pretty big dog with a very serious issue, which I felt to a large part might be inherent to his breed. Leonard was amazing. He is so intuitive and perceptive. Right away he was able to tell me things about my dog's behavior and attitude that never even occurred to me. He also gave me incredibly helpful and insightful guidance as to what I can be doing to improve as my dog's leader, in order to set him (and us both) up for success. Before meeting Leonard I felt hopeless and helpless and unsure as to where to go from here. But Leonard's guidance and training has already helped so drastically, and I can see the possibility of some light at the end of the tunnel which I never thought possible. I am sure Leonard could resolve Mason's issue all together if I were to enroll him in his boot camp, but unfortunately I can't afford to do that right now. But regardless Leonard has given me hope, and some actionable advice/info that I can use on my own to further improve the status quo. This has been an extremely challenging and quite frankly really sad experience that me and my dog have been enduring, and after searching all of Yelp and google for someone who might be help I am so grateful to have found Leonard. He is incredibly gifted in what he does and so genuinely cares about his work and the animals (and people) that he works with. Thank you Leonard for your guidance and the hope that you've instilled in me and Mason as we continue on this difficult journey. I am immensely grateful for the dedication and compassion that you have shown us both. read more

See all

We thank Leonard for all the care and help with our rescue pup and us, as owners. It's a version of dog "family therapy" that is very helpful and effective in addressing problem behavior in dogs and owners :) So happy that we found Leonard and his dog boot camp in order to have a dog that is less fearful, less aggressive, and more confident/happy overall. read more

We were at the end of our rope With our puppy. Pissing and Pooping everywhere. I was on Line looking for a home finder For her when I decided to Take one more chance on A trainer. I've already sank Close to 2 k on someone I found on Yelp ..... that was A rip off. With some recommendations From a few friends we found Leonard. In a one hour coaching visit we went From giving the dog away to feeling Confident that we can handle potty Training her with my 70 hour Work week and my wife handling To wild little kids. We learned so much about dogs In one hour .... it was amazing. As soon as she's potty trained .... We're sending her to Leonard to Have her completely trained. I feel so much better. read more

Leonard is great. He clearly had a lot of knowledge about dogs, their responses, reactions, wants, etc. I had a dog who was 95% perfect but was having some issues with men and was fearful. So, we went here and it couldn't have been a better choice. It took a lot to learn how to treat my dog and how i could work with her now but she's amazing and i would absolutely go back again. Expensive, but with the time and effort put into my dog, hopefully she lives 18 years and it's a lifetime investment. read more

My fiancé and I had our first consulation with Leonard for our rescue dog, Yuzu. We adopted Yuzu a few months ago and have been working on his training since then. While he was able to successfully learn basic obedience commands and potty training, we haven't been able to break his awful tendency to snap at strangers. Our consultation was supposed to be a 1 hour session but Leonard spent well over 2 hours with us. It was incredibly appreciated as we saw a marked improvement in Yuzu's behavior immediately after the lesson. Leonard is clearly very knowledgeable and experienced in understanding dogs, their behaviors and how best to train them. Within about 5 mins of being under Leonard's control, Yuzu was trying to get onto his lap and much less nasty than his typical reaction to someone new. Leonard was early to the consultation, spent more time than what we scheduled and paid for, and immediately sent us tons of helpful material through email. I highly recommend setting up an appointment with him if you have an aggressive dog. We are really hopeful and looking forward to the rest of our lessons with Leonard. read more

My wife and I spent a few hours with Leonard and our 8 month old Rottweiler for a consulate last Saturday afternoon. We both quickly realized that Leonard was on another level then any of the other trainers we previously visited.....his Yelp reviews were quickly validated. We were given the insight of building a bond/relationship with our puppy and how to achieve what we wanted out of our dog. With our three young boys we were taught two very important lesson within our few hours...don't take chances/put your dog in a situation that isn't ideal for him and that you are the pack leader and can never show any different to him. We will be having Leonard turn our puppy into a emotional distress dog for our family and along with that he will learn the commands we desire thru our building relationship with the family and dog. He is the real deal.....he is a gentle drill Sargent that will transform your dog into what you desire. Sean read more

Leonard did an amazing big job teaching Chloe and Theodore basic manors. More importantly he trained us in how to be good parents. Prior to his three week trading the dogs were on edge, fearful, would not listen or obey. Now they are much more relaxed and obedient. Thank you Leonard! Steve and Victoria read more

Shiba Inu owners..... please definitely read this is you're seeking training for your precious pup! I have a 1-year old Shiba who I socialized since day one. She loves dogs and kids, tolerant of noises and is well-trained with basic commands from many trainers.... Until she turned one. She was in daycamp for two days a week and began picking up habits - resource guarding, snapping at dogs entering the room - until an incident happened. After extensive research I connected with Leonard. This is not your ordinary trainer - and it's not ordinary bootcamp training which I find harsh and disconnected. His training is not for basic commands - it's for developing a relationship with your dog - and for teaching the owner how to be the alpha. He puts 3 intensive weeks with you dog - and endless hours into working with the dog owner to shift your pup into one who connects with you without spoken commands. It's difficult to describe his style - and how the relationship is shifting with my Shiba - it's connected, filled with respect and love. But note that you must put 100% into this as well to learn from Leonard how to interact with your pup. That part is challenging for me, but every day is getting better! Big bonus is that Leonard only works with a small number of dogs at a time - and they stay in his home (as opposed to bootcamps which only take a dog out of a crate a few times a day). He has a process that I've witnessed when the other aggressive dogs he's working with are brought to training sessions. I'm in awe seeing how they transform. And the positive changes in my Shiba are extraordinary. Even my dog's massive fear of storm drains - now it's no big deal - she jumps over them! That was resolved within a few days of training. I plan on loving my dog for many, many years - and this is the best money I could have ever spent to help me develop this unspoken connection with her and resolve her aggressive tendencies. I could go on raving. For Shiba Inus (especially the way they respond to training) and any aggressive dog - this is exactly the place to be. Make sure you're committed to learning too and the outcome will be incredible. Thank you Leonard! read more

Leonard was fantastic with our dog and I would absolutely recommend him! My boyfriend and I came to Leonard after having the hardest time with my 8 year old dog. He can be incredibly aggressive towards others and we knew that we needed professional help. What we started off with was an uncontrollable dog who pretty much got away with anything he wanted (growling at people, barking incessantly, etc...) Our little pup ended up staying with Leonard for a little over 6 weeks and the changes were incredible. I was a little hesitant at first since the process can be quite costly, but it was absolutely worth every penny. The first consultation is $250 and Leonard will credit that back to you if you do bootcamp with him. Whether it be fear-biting, or overall aggression, Leonard does a fantastic job of assessing the dog during the first consultation and going over what would happen at bootcamp. He has two wonderful dogs that are very well behaved that helped to rehabilitate our pup. He also only takes on two dogs at a time, so you can rest assured that your dog is constantly receiving attention. Throughout the entire process, Leonard sent photos, videos, and progress updates so that we were well informed. He will also ask you to come meet with him after about two weeks so that he may train you as well (there is more training at the end of bootcamp). It is very important to remember that it is not just about adjusting your pet's behavior, but is also about adjusting your behavior. Nonetheless, everything will be explained to you in detail and Leonard will continually work with you until you are comfortable with your dog. Our dog has been home for about two months now and Leonard still checks in on us. If we are ever having any issues, Leonard is always there on the phone to answer questions and hear out our concerns. Since the training is lifetime, he will continue to meet with you and work with your dog. If you are having any doubts, please don't. I would vouch for him any day! read more

Bear is making great progress in "Boot Camp".! Leonard has sent pictures and videos of Bear's progress and I am very impressed and know that Bear is in the best if hands and receiving awesome care! read more

Dominant Dogs Training - Bear Back to visit Dominant Dogs two weeks after finishing "Boot Camp" - Pet Training Near Me

The initial consultation is $250. It's steep, but he says that $250 goes towards your fees, if you decide to have him train your dog. He also says it's a one-on-one thing and he will be spending a lot of time with your dog, so it seems worth it, and could possibly even be worth it. Our consultation, for a 13yo Maltese with anxiety and aggression issues, got double-booked with a 9mo shepherd who pulled on the leash. Not ideal, but we thought hey, we're here. It's a long drive. No big deal, right? Except, he pretty clearly hadn't read our consult forms, and the whole consult was focused on walking on a leash, which was the other dog's problem... Still, he seemed like he could read dogs pretty well, got a pretty quick handle on what our problems were, and confidently announced that my dog was a circus dog, easy to train, and he'd need 2 weeks, maximum, to give me back basically a perfect dog. He said he didn't like two week sessions, but that was all our dog needed. At the end of the consult, he gave us a week to decide, but the couple with the shepherd got the hard sell. Now or never, your dog comes with me or nada. They seemed surprised by that, and I've got to admit it made me a little uneasy. We decided to go with him and followed up by email, less than a week later, sending a list of what we wanted to make sure was addressed while our dog was with him. This was all the same stuff we put on our initial consult forms, only in a bullet-style list, and included some nuance that we'd picked up at the consult. He wrote back and said a minimum 3-4 weeks training would needed for a dog like ours. We were like, what happened to the circus dog? You said our dog just needed a little guidance. What happened to two weeks? He writes back, no explanation about the change, and says two weeks is fine, that he can take our dog in a couple of weeks, and there's a $500 deposit due to hold the space. It was a little surprising, since we thought the $250 for the consult was supposed to count towards the fees, and coughing up a total of $750 before we'd seen any paperwork seemed a little bit irregular. We asked about a contract, and all he said was that he'd invoice us after we've paid. Which was weird, because at that point we hadn't agreed on a final fee, there was no agreement on what we were even actually paying for. I'm fine with a handshake to start, but eventually, you've got to put things on paper. Plus, he didn't even tell us *how* he wanted to be paid. Like, literally how did he want us to give him the money? Did he want PayPal, would he prefer unmarked bills delivered in a black duffel bag... We did ask, but he never got back to us, and I'm not going to chase someone down so I can pay him. I really wish I could recommend this guy. He seems like he might be pretty good with certain headstrong dogs that need a very firm hand. He's unfortunately not very good with the business part of running a small business, though. Keeping track of whose dog is which is really important, and remembering details about that dog when speaking with the owner seems pretty crucial, especially when you're asking someone to trust you with their dog for weeks on end. Also, he spent a while during the consult complaining about how his ex-wife had ruined his little mini-pin in under a week, andI've gotta admit that didn't really help my opinion of the guy, either personally or professionally, and it didn't leave me with a ton of confidence about his training leading to the lifelong results he promises. Your mileage may vary. read more

Leonard is very knowledgeable when it comes to understanding dog and human behaviors. My dog has shown dominant and aggressive tendencies and what he picked up on that I did not realize is that these stemmed from anxiety she was having that developed through my actions. She is not good with strangers and Leonard was able to get her to trust him and behave properly in only a matter of minutes! I am excited to apply what I've learned and have hope now that my dog can get better by changing some of the ways I interact with her. read more