Edited to Add: Shortly after the business owner's response to my review, I received an email…read morestating that Yelp had received a complaint about it, in an attempt to have it removed. *** PLEASE READ *** We met with Jake in Nov 2024 for an assessment for a pup we had just rescued in Oct 2024 that has severe anxiety from egregious physical trauma. When Jake modeled how to put our pup in the crate, he had her hanging w/her 2 front feet off the ground (choking), & he then proceeded to knee her into the crate. Yes, he knee'd her. When we brought out our existing dog, he actually hit him in the face! My family & I were totally stunned. I very sternly told him that we do not hit our animals in this house under any circumstances. He was extremely dismissive. This was my first experience with a private trainer & did not know what to expect, nor did I know much about the world of dog training. As the weeks went by I did reach out to Jake again because we felt desperate & the idea of what he was selling sounded like it would be good for our dogs' needs. However, I could not get past the first encounter, nor the pit in my stomach. I, personally, did not trust Jake to treat our animals with kindness & respect that they deserved. The other off-putting thing that Jake shared while he was at our home for the evaluation was that he once put his dog in down-stay & then forgot about her. He fell asleep & awoke the next morning to find her still in down-stay, but had soiled herself. He was very proud of the obedience she had shown. I just couldn't help but feel awful for her, and continually thought that this was not a story I, personally, would be bragging about. I saw how he treated my dogs on our very first meet, I absolutely could not move forward whatsoever. I feel ashamed that I did not stop him in the middle of the evaluation. I should have. I should have asked him to leave & I did not. That haunts me. Our rescue pup is doing AMAZINGLY well with an AMAZING facility called RFRD!!! She is SO happy, calm, & every day learning how to be a calm pup despite her traumatic beginning. Their custom, well-rounded program, with honest experts, has changed the life of our pup, as well as our own. Harnessing Potential was not for our family, nor for our pups. Jake did not treat our animals with kindness or respect in our presence.

Jake is great! He is professional and really knows what he is doing. I trust himand do not…read morehesitate to ask his advice even though our training is over. He may be young but he knows dogs!

From "Cujo Junior" to "Polite Gentleman" -- Thanks to Mike! If you've ever adopted a 4-month-old…read moreSchnauzer who treats every living being like a personal insult, you know our pain. Our pup, Diego, didn't just bark; he acted like he was auditioning for a lead role in a horror movie. Walks? Impossible. Visitors? Forget about it. Even our long-time pet sitter--a woman who has survived literal wolves--couldn't go near him without fear. . Our first trainer took one look at him and basically told us we'd adopted a tiny, bearded landmine. She called him "one of the most reactive dogs she'd ever met" and gave us the kind of "good luck" that usually precedes a disaster movie. Enter Mike Hatjes from Bay Area Dog Training. We found Mike on Yelp, and honestly, we were just looking for a miracle. Mike is a unique breed himself: he's incredibly direct (no sugar-coating the fact that your dog thinks he's the CEO of Chaos) but also hilarious. He balances that "tell-it-like-it-is" energy with a sense of humor that kept us from losing our minds. The Transformation Timeline: * The Private Lesson Phase (8 Sessions): We went from "we can't leave the house" to "wait, is he actually sitting on command?" By the end of our eight private lessons, we were taking regular walks. My blood pressure dropped, and Diego actually started building confidence instead of seeing every mailbox as a mortal enemy. * The Group Lesson Phase (The Real Magic): If you told me six months ago my dog would be in a group with 10 other dogs, I would have assumed there'd be a SWAT team involved. But Mike's group lessons are shockingly amazing. Seeing my dog hold a "down" in a row of 10 dogs while each one weaves through the line? It's practically a glitch in the Matrix. The Verdict: Mike didn't just train our dog; he gave us our lives back. We can do family trips, have friends over, and walk down the street without looking like we're wrestling a caffeinated alligator. If you have a dog that makes other trainers cry, call Mike. He'll tell you the truth, make you laugh, and turn your "unbelievable" nightmare into a well-behaved companion.

When we first got our dog, a 4-year-old Jindo from Korea, he had a stubborn prey drive and would…read morepull on the leash hard enough to drag me to the ground. He was also very reactive to other people and dogs. Mike taught me to watch my dog for cues and to communicate with him. After 7 private lessons and two months of weekly group classes, my dog is now a well-behaved walking buddy (most of the time). Thanks, Mike!

Participated in their 6 week obedience class session with my lab. LOVED the experience! The class…read morepackage price is reasonable and similar to what I've paid for other pup trainings. Also grateful to support an organization that provides service dog training to Vets and people with disabilities. The classroom setting was great, giving us appropriate challenges and experiences with other dogs/people. I appreciated that they gave 1-2 commands to learn a week (3-4 if your dog is a quick learner). The staff were warm, hospitable, flexible & knowledgeable. Also gave great dog knowledge and education.

From my personal perspective Operations freedom paws truly…read morechanged my life around when I was so very lost after returning back from deployment with some visual and some non visual unseen injuries that a lot of people will never ever understand because not all injuries can been seen. Operation Freedom Paws is nothing short of life‑changing. Their team pours genuine compassion, expertise, and dedication into every client and every dog. They don't just train service dogs -- they rebuild confidence, restore independence, and help people rediscover joy in their daily lives. The level of care, respect, and individualized support they provide is extraordinary. If you're looking for an organization that truly transforms lives, Operation Freedom Paws stands in a league of its own. I want to truly say a special thanks to Mary, Janet, Ramon Steve, Kathy, and the rest of the amazing OFP staff

I had my beloved dog, Leesi, there for training a 4 years ago. Things were going well until she…read morestopped eating. I removed her 2 weeks before the paid tuition. She died of pancreatic cancer.Fast forward to a year ago, after this program said I could use my last 2 paid weeks in the future. I rescued another dog who needed training for pulling and aggression towards other dogs. I opted to use my prior 2 weeks and pay an additional 1k to train my new dog. Everything was set for early January of 2025, but my mom died on the 16th and I couldn't keep the schedule. When I began attempting to contact Daniel in March, he was MIA. I felt bad for him and thought there must have been a tragedy in his family. Not so, he is just dodging me. I dont care about the lost 2 weeks. I just want my 1k back. Shame on you. I would not refer you to anyone.

I had high hopes when I first started working with this trainer, but unfortunately my experience…read moreturned out to be incredibly frustrating and disappointing. Back in March, I was told that my dog Shadow could be scheduled for a refresher in June due to one of the trainers resigning. I understood the situation and was more than willing to wait. I even responded promptly, confirming that June would work and asking to be placed on the calendar. As June approached, I reached out again -- multiple times -- to follow up and get a specific date set. My messages were never responded to. It's now the end of June. At this point, I just want my money back so I can take my dog elsewhere to someone who's reliable and professional the least you can do is communicate and issue a refund.

My husband and I wanted peace of mind of our dog's care while we were away on our honeymoon and…read morewanted to ensure we found the right fit - we read raving reviews through our local dog community and knew we had to reach out! Our 3 y/o dog Juna is highly anxious and had reactivity issues to other dogs (it's a wildcard when she's out in public). She had undergone another training program prior that likely contributed to some of these issues. Upon meeting Devon and the team for the first time, we were impressed on how thorough the consultation process was. Devon took the time to learn more about our goal with training, any past behaviors we wanted to correct, provided answers to our laundry list of questions, and let us tour the facility. Devon also guided us through a mini lesson, to which Juna took to so well in a matter of minutes. As someone who really appreciates insights into methodologies, I liked that she explained the WHY behind the training. We left feeling confident in our decision to choose Next Gen ACS for 2 weeks board and train. We were updated with Juna's progress throughout our trip and saw that she had so much fun being with the team. After her training, we were amazed at how calm and focused she had become. We have taken her on hikes off leash and are so proud of her for being more confident and neutral around other dogs. Her impulse control has also improved tremendously. I highly recommend considering Next Gen ACS for training! Thank you for not only making a huge impact on our dog's life but also to the community that you serve!

A year ago I brought my sweet mini Aussie for board and train. I should have trusted my gut to not…read morefollow through when they didn't allow a tour of the barn stating it was to not disturb the dogs, found out that they use prong collars halfway through training, that they didn't give me regular update, and that in all of the social media pictures my dog looked frightened/sad. Instead, I allowed an extension of the training (and more money) and tried to continue with the methods for nearly a year. I feel like the worst dog parent despite loving my dog to pieces. Update November 2023: I am upset to report that the methods taught by Next Gen have made my dog worse over the past year. She is more reactive than ever towards dogs (on leash) and fearful of people (she used to love saying hello politely). The balanced training method has changed my dog for the worse and I will have to live with that guilt. Prong and e collars have created more fear based responses than before. Not only that, but the Next Gen program was incredibly expensive and a huge investment of time over the past year only to no longer use these methods. It's incredibly disappointing. We recently enrolled in a positive and fully science based training program called Underdog Academy and have noticed some improvement. It's going to take time to undo the negative associations my sweet dog has and she'll never be the same, but at least I am no longer using "quick fixes" to instill fear. I encourage anyone exploring this training program to do research/try science based positive reinforcement training first and to put in the time. I've seen other more aggressive reactive dogs make significant progress in the program. I trusted these trainers with my best friend and am heartbroken that my dog's trust was destroyed.

Dawna is MAGIC!! We have worked with her for 20+ years with many different dogs. She is a…read morefantastic trainer with a true gift backed up with extensive knowledge. She is an expert at training us humans so that we can have beautifully behaved canine companions. I love the positive reinforcement (R+) training methods she employs. So grateful for her expertise to help us.

This review is long overdue. We adopted a 2yo pit bull in February 2020 from a shelter. Then, as…read moreyou know, Covid hit the very next month. Our boy had been found wondering the streets of SJ. With my wife and I, he was the Biggest love bug. So cute, and funny, and cuddly. But we can only imagine the terrible experiences he had endured. He had a scar atop his head and was very nervous around new people, which led to behavior like growling and snapping at times. His fear was only made worse by social distancing and not being around new people. Once Covid settled a bit we sought out a trainer for him. I'll never forget the first day Dawna came to the house. Our pup growled and was very displeased that this stranger was in his space, and worse, trying to interact with him. Dawna was not a bit deterred, which I was impressed by but I remained skeptical. Fast forward something like 2 weeks: Dawna interacted with him with ease on training days and he loved receiving love and pets from her. We couldn't believe it. Dawna taught us how to train him and he was able to meet all kinds of new people and doggy friends on our outings. We are forever grateful. We only had 2 years with him. Cancer. I knew I would get emotional writing this review, which is why it has taken so long. Dawna and Megan (from Dawna's other business, Canine Corral Dog Daycare) changed our lives. We will be forever thankful for them. I couldn't recommend Happy Tails To You enough.

Amazing Dog Training session with Steve Miles of One Day Dog Training today!…read more My husband and I were "beside ourselves" with the incessant barking, lack of focus, dog walking struggles behavior that Finn (1 1/2 yr old) Maltipoo had started displaying over the past 6 months. We had tried various tactics, treats to rid Finn of his "bad habits" We were referred to One Day Dog Training through some close friends who had worked with Steve to train their 2 dogs. From the start.. Finn really took to Steve. Steve is personable, knowledgeable, and patient. His love for dogs is felt. He put our minds at ease from the start. Through the training, Steve took time to teach us how to better understand dog behavior and how we can better communicate what we want our dog to do...It was very enlightening. It was an education for us and Finn! At the end of our 3 hour session, we were really amazed to see a transformed young dog. We are soooo proud of Finn. The 3 of us have learned so much! Thank You, Steve!

I contacted Steve and One Day Dog Training upon the suggestion by a close friend who had worked…read morewith him several times over the years. Lana, my 3 1/2 year-old lab mix, a foster fail that I took in as a 2 yr old, was getting bigger and stronger, jumps on anybody that comes in the door etc. She's a sweetheart, but I needed to be able to mange her energy and size My other two dogs are small and this is the biggest dog I've had. I knew going into this training that it was me that needed most of the training! Steve explained that I needed to learn how to communicate with my dogs, that they communicate differently. What an eye-opener! Everything he explained made sense and in just the few hours we spent together, Lana was already following the cues that Steve taught me. Consistency and repetition is key. We are just 2 weeks in and the process is going great! Steve was absolutely terrific to work with. Somehow, he makes the whole process easy and effortless. His follow up calls to check in are much appreciated and he's available for questions that might come up. I'm so glad I made the call and was able to work with Steve.

When I adopted Bailey from rescue organization, I found out that even though she's an adult dog she…read moredidn't respond to basic commands such as come, sit. We went though a frustrating period of time where she was constantly doing something I didn't want her to do but I couldn't communicate with her effectively. Unsure how to communicate to this new member of the family who's already timid and scared even after several books, I attended Diana's adult training class to "give it a try" and I was completely blown away by what we got out of it. First, Diana was incredibly patient in understanding the unique personality and background of Bailey. and was flexible in tailoring the training as it fits. On top of that, I'm also blown away by Diana's depth of knowledge, she is incredibly encouraging and has made me a better fur baby parent too by teaching me how to read their body language, how they process distracting new information and answers all the questions I had as a new anxious fur baby parent. I highly recommend Diana for animal training as she really takes it up to the next level, and showed me how to leverage the training as the bridge of communication and form a bond as Bailey increases her confidence level. I'm happy to report that's exactly what happened and I couldn't be happier.

I've boarded my Aussie, Lucy, at Desjardins for both short and extended stays over the years, and I…read morecouldn't recommend them more. Kevin and Sara are wonderful, and their beautiful, spacious property is perfect for an energetic dog like Lucy. Before her first stay, they gave us a tour of the property and had Lucy complete a daycare trial, which gave me so much confidence. One of my favorite moments has been running into some of the staff on our walks. Lucy gets so excited and runs right up to them, which says everything about how well she's cared for there. I've also referred family friends, and they've all had great experiences. Desjardins is a place I trust completely, and I know Lucy is always happy and well cared for.

Best puppy camp ever!!! So glad we found them!! Beautiful site. Amazing owners. Our dog is one…read morelucky guy to stay with them!!!

Ashley has been helping us train our 10 month old conformation Irish Setter gal, for the past five…read moremonths. He has been great, patient, and full of ideas. She is full of energy and he has helped channel it, in a positive way. His facility is clean and has many play and exercise areas. Our Scarlett goes to see him every week, and she looks forward to her sessions. We have also happily trusted Ashley to board our fur-baby when we went on vacation.

Our little one Ponyo did whatever he wanted until he met the trainer. Now he listens well, and…read moreknows specific commands that we ask from him and he does it gladly. I would also like to add that my dog is only 15months so I would recommend any breed big or small at any age to go through this style of training. My husband and I looked into two other dog trainers before we decided but the decision was easy after we met Ashley. Don't wait if you want your dog to listen make the call!