Our dog is 8 years old, so we were concerned she couldn't be trained at this point. She pulled, tugged and was a nightmare to walk. She can also be aggressive with other dogs while she's on a leash. Her hyper personality and will-power made us skeptical that any trainer could get her to listen. But, within 20 minutes, Denise was able to get our dog under control and walk calmly at our side. It was like having a new dog that didn't embarrass us! :) We were amazed at how efficient one training could be and that our dog actually was paying attention! It was such a great investment and we are excited to see what the future holds. Thank you so much Denise! read more

I Talk Dog - Denise is teaching our pup a new trick :) Bunny loved the treats! - Pet Training Near Me

Denise is amazing. I spent months research dog trainers around the area and all of them were overpriced and were in-personable. Right when I got on the phone with Denise I knew she would be the perfect one! In just THREE lessons she has taught Ollie (my 2 year old maltipoo) how to walk calmly on leash and also up/down stairs. Most importantly, she taught Ollie how not to bark at dogs while on his walks and now I am able to walk him myself down the street to the dog park!! It's been a dream come true and now he's so great that I even bring him to work with me! If you are looking for a dog trainer that has a lot of experience, patient, kind, and understanding Denise is someone you need to get in contact with! I am so glad I chose her and now Ollie's life has been so much better since he's less stressed! Thank you so much Denise! You are absolutely amazing!! read more

I Talk Dog - Ollie learning how to relax and be stress free! - Pet Training Near Me

I've been meaning to write this review for a couple months since we finished our last session with Denise. She is absolutely fantastic. We hired her based on a recommendation from a friend and it was totally worth it. We have 2 Malshi puppies less than a year and a half old who were becoming increasingly difficult to keep under control when we were out on walks. They were constantly pulling at the leash and would almost choke themselves because they would get so worked up and hyper. One would be out of breath for ages after a walk because he was working himself into a frenzy while we were out. After our 1st session with Denise its like having new dogs. They are happy to trot along beside us and it makes taking them out for walks so much more enjoyable for everyone. I couldn't recommend her highly enough, she was a pleasure to deal with and the results were incredible. read more

My boy, Jaxon is doing SO great since Denise worked with us! He used to have really bad ball possession issues, and aggression with other dogs at the dog park and while on walks. But since Denise came in to our lives, he's a completely different dog! He is amazing on walks, and sits politely by the door when I pick up his leash, and ignores other dogs completely. But the best thing was at the dog park the other day, another dog picked up his ball, and he just sat there. He still has a few issues with sharing his things, but I'm working with him everyday, and hes getting better and better. Im so proud of him, and I can tell he is much more relaxed and a much happier dog. Thank you again for all your help Denise, you changed his life! read more

I Talk Dog - Jaxon politely playing with his favorite ball! - Pet Training Near Me

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Denise is an outstanding dog trainer! I highly recommend her for your dog training needs. I have two dogs-- one adult male who we allowed to bark at our neighbors and visitors for far too long and one adult female who is a new part of our family. Within minutes of meeting our dogs, Denise was able to quickly understand them and us and come up with a training plan. Her methods are very effective and humane and she is a very nice person on top of it all. She gave us many techniques to use to get the dogs to behave in a desirable manner and all of them have worked well. Our dogs seem much happier and so are we! There was a night and day difference after one session and we continue to make progress. Her rates are very reasonable compared to other trainers in the area and she is great with communication. read more

BEST $ SPENT! We adopted a great dog a few years ago. We noticed some behaviors we didn't like starting to get worse, so we decided to get ourselves trained. Within 20 min we had a new dog, seriously I wouldn't have believed it had I not been there. Denise is EXCELLENT. She knows what she talking about, she on time,& most of all my dog has become a more well behaved dog, and we have become more confident leaders. It's never too late, our dog is approximately 5 yrs old and you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Denise really does TALK DOG, and our dog knew it. Now if Denise only spoke teenager........................ read more

We just finished our third training session with Denise, and I wanted to quickly come and sing her praises! We adopted our Havanese a little over a year ago, and had tremendous issues with him barking at anyone that came over and going crazy when people or dogs came near us on a walk. It became so bad that we felt we couldn't have friends over anymore. After trying a group dog training class with no luck, we decided that a one-on-one session may be our last hope for a peaceful home. After reading a lot of reviews and checking out many websites, we were most impressed with I Talk Dog's testimonials. We signed up for the three session package, thinking our pup needed all the help he could get. For the first session, Denise had my puppy quiet in moments. Then, he was walking on leash like a champion within half an hour. As crazy as it sounds, he really was a new dog after that first session. We have put him in situations that were disastrous previously, and he only has a few little barks (which we quickly address) versus barking his head off all night. The walks are so much more pleasant and happy for all of us. It really is a night and day difference! I highly recommend I Talk Dog. My household is so much happier! read more

We have two big older dogs (11 & 12 yrs shepherd mix and pitbull mix). They may be old, but they have tons of energy, are set in their ways and can be up to no good when you're not looking. Mostly, they are good dogs. We had them since puppies, but they seem to be getting the "upper hand" these days. So we called on Denise. One of our issues is that when people visit us, the dogs are overwhelming at the front door. Mickey will keep sniffing you and get in your personal space while Ellie will just bark continuously at you in a fearful manner. To say the least, that's not the welcome wagon that we want to provide to our guests. The moment she set foot in our house, our dogs were like angels. The dogs weren't up to their usual shenanigans! We couldn't believe it! They were totally well behaved....for HER! Anyway, she began to do her magic on US and the dogs. WE were TRAINED and we EASILY have kept the training going. Our friends, family and even neighbors are impressed with how well the dogs behave now! It's was PERFECT to get the one on one training in the privacy and comfort of our own home. Denise's personality is great! She's cool, confident and calm. Not only do the dogs could sense that Denise knows what she's doing, but WE could sense it too! LOL Denise is a professional. If we have any future issues, we would not hesitate to call on Denise again! Basically, if you LOVE your dog, they deserve the BEST and Denise IS the Best because she truly is able to "talk dog"! read more

Let me tell you how this went down for me. I called Denise and left her a voice message about a week ago, she called me back shortly after (very nice respond time!) and we scheduled a meeting for Sunday. Denise came to my house and just as she came in, she already had TON more control then I had over the dog, my little Pincher simply respected her and you could see it. Denise corrected me for A LOT of things i have been doing wrong and the difference? AMAZING. I have no words to even describe this. One session, Hour and a half, and my yuppie crazy super energy dog? completely different, she sits when i stop walking, she does not pull on the leash and she WAITS for me to climb the stairs and all of this after ONE SESSION. More? sure. She did not bark at ANYTHING , other then a few barks at other dogs which i quickly took control of using all the advices I got from Denise. I cant even tell you how good it feels to watch your dog do good, to watch him relax, and enjoy his day. Denise, you are the best, ill be definitely taking another session in the future to maintain my dog great ways and learn more. read more

I rescued a 10 year old Min Pin from Martinez SPCA in November 2015. He had been traumatized and suffered from separation anxiety. I tried everything to get him to stop barking. Nothing seemed to work. He was terrified and would not leave my house and would bark and cry if I left him alone. After just two sessions with Denise, it is like I have a new dog. He is excited about going for walks, loves his crate and is not trying to fight every dog he sees. Denise really knows her stuff. She helped me with everything from diet to shampoo for him. Both Spike and I are extremely happy with her service and I would strongly recommend her to anyone. Even my ex-wife's Terrier, Rocco whom has bitten me several times (lol). read more

My new dogs and I had our first session with Denise at I Talk Dog yesterday, and gosh -- what an immediate positive change it has made already. We did a 90-minute consult and covered a ton of ground in that time, without anything feeling rushed or beyond my comprehension. Denise was very complimentary toward my dogs, who were strays up until a couple weeks ago, and just as patient as could be with all of us. She coached me on my own behaviors too, showed me where and why I was sending mixed signals to the pets. There's still a lot to learn, but it's amazing how easily I've been able to put her advice into practice. Denise came prepared with all kinds of supplies, helped me understand why some collars and leashes made more sense than others for my dogs in particular, and gave me great pet food and treat advice too. Side benefit: she's got a connection with the Dog Whisperer -- instant friend cred ;) read more

Denise is amazing! Our dog Leroy shaped up within the first session of Denise coming to our home. Leroy was a nervous dog who barked a lot and was a jerk to people who came in our home. We learned how to take charge, be the leader, and make Leroy more comfortable and less anxious in his environment. Still a work in progress, but vast improvement from what we were dealing with before! Highly recommend. read more

I have been fortunate enough to work with Denise for the past 6 months with my now 8 month old golden retriever puppy, Toby. I inquired about her dog training services at I Talk Dog before even bringing Toby home knowing that this would be a family dog for my husband and I, and future kids, ensuring the best well-behaved companion we could have. Denise provided hand-outs on items needed before puppy, first days at home, training/feeding, etc. you name it! We were fully prepared with everything we needed thanks to her expertise. Although still very much a puppy today, the transformation has been incredible from Toby's walking, greeting other humans, fun tricks, and learning commands since the first days at home. Denise has a wealth of knowledge from attending seminars, classes, and her own research, staying updated on latest findings. She even helped us transition to a different kibble based on the appropriate ingredients and macro-nutrient profile breakdown, once we discovered Toby developed food allergies. We will continue to work with Denise at I Talk Dog for many months to come and are thankful we have her! read more

I Talk Dog - Helping us walk successfully in public areas. - Pet Training Near Me

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Denise has been helping me with my Goldendoodle with dog training for the past 2 months. Our little puppy is doing great with all the lessons that we are receiving. It is so convenient that she comes out to our home in Walnut Creek for the training. I work in Concord which is close to our so I am able to come home quickly during the day for the training sessions. Thanks a lot for the help. Denise is the best dog trainer around and I highly recommend her services. read more

I Talk Dog - Great dog training for our golden doodle puppy in walnut creek. Thanks. - Pet Training Near Me

I am so impressed with the depth of knowledge Denise brings to the table. After having our little Coton puppy for 5 days, Denise came in and helped to give us some guidance, confidence and a lot of encouragement. With a very calm demeanor and a lot of knowledge, she gave us a road map of what to do with our little princess and we feel great about it. Some of you come from the background of never having had a dog trainer. It's the old do it yourself mentality. I was that way. But Denise is a wonderful breath of fresh air and it is very wise to start your pet and your family off on the right foot. She has a great rate for 3 sessions which I highly recommend. You can accomplish things in one visit with her, but once she comes to your home, you will want her back again. read more

Denise is a wonderful trainer who is friendly, helpful and reasonably priced. She is an expert at what she does and my puppy responded to her right away. She was firm with our puppy and it was what we needed. She will teach things that seem difficult or impossible at first, but then you will be amazed at how her techniques work. Our puppy was biting and barking a lot at 4 months old. She gave advice about a puppy schedule which helped our dog to be calmer and happier because he was getting enough rest and downtime. She teaches lots of other things too. She has been a huge help to us and I'm so glad we found her on Yelp. I have recommended her to other people too. read more

Denise is excellent. Walking with them (by our side, not running after the birds and dragging us with them!) is a joy now. They mind commands - they're good dogs- and she's helped us to understand what to do to to continue to keep them that way. Thanks so much, Denise!!! read more

Our new dog had peed on our bed. Again. It was the last straw. He had already peed all over the carpet, on the couch, and now twice on our bed. I was ready to call it quits and return our new adorable dog back to the rescue organization we got him from. My fiance wanted to give him one last chance, so he called Denise. And she turned everything around! We met with Denise three times over the next couple months. She worked with our new dog, but even more, she worked with our family. Denise showed us how to respond to Jax's less than ideal behavior. We worked on crating, walking on a leash, jumping up, and staying off of furniture. We even worked on how to stop both our dogs from barking and jumping when someone comes to the front door. Denise is amazing! It's like having a new dog. No more peeing in the house! No more jumping up on us all the time. Staying off furniture unless invited up with us. He learned so quickly. We are truly amazed and so grateful!!! Our dog is a joy to be around now. Just what we had wanted. Thank you so much, Denise!! read more

Denise is simply incredible! She's an amazing dog trainer and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. To make a long story short, we first met her a few months after bringing our first dog home. I thought reading books and puppy class would make the cut when it came to dog training but I was wrong. After a few months of Laszlo's arrival, we didn't know what to do! He was pulling on the leash like crazy, jumping up on visitors, not listening to us, etc. Thankfully, I found Denise here on Yelp and since the first session we saw a huge difference on him. Denise not only trained Laszlo, but more importantly, gave us the tools to be the best leaders we could be for him. How I wish we had started seeing her the first day we brought him home! And like other reviews say, she's extremely personable, listens to all of your concerns carefully and you can tell right away she genuinely cares about her clients - humans and canines alike. She was always there for us (even on "emergency visits" on a Sunday afternoon!) when we got our second dog Elliott and our little Penny. Even now that she left the Bay Area, we still keep in touch and helps me troubleshoot with issues that have arised. Really, if you're bringing a new puppy into your life or are having issues with your current one, call Denise! It will be the best choice you'll ever make for yourself and your dog - I promise your lives will be so much better and fulfilling! We sure miss Denise a lot. read more

I Talk Dog - Our pack - Elliott, Penny and Laszlo :) - Pet Training Near Me

If you are looking for a dog trainer, LOOK NO FURTHER! We adopted a 6 year old rescue who had not been fostered so little was known about him. It was apparent the first day with us that he had issues with other dogs. I contacted Denise by email and kept her posted. We agreed to give him some time to settle down with us. As the first month went on, we learned more about him and I shared this information with Denise. Unfortunately as he became comfortable with us his true issues became clear, and he was too aggressive towards other dogs. Denise said she felt he should work with someone who specialized in these behavior issues, and referred me to the dog trainer association she belongs to. There were several people in this group who will work out well for us. Through all my long, involved emails, Denise was attentive, understanding and patient. She went out of her way to help me even though I was never a client, and her assistance has been invaluable. I wish we could have been clients because she exhibits all the qualities a good trainer should have. Thanks Denise. read more

We have had two appointments with Denise so far and she has already completely changed the dynamic in our house! I was really starting to feel like the dogs were the ones in charge at our house. Barking too much, jumping, even taking food off of the baby's high chair tray. Denise immediately have us practical steps we could take to turn things around. She really stood out from other trainers we have worked with because her tips did not require anything like clickers, constant treating or other things that we have just not found to be sustainable. After just one visit from Denise our mischievous cockapoo stayed calmly at the doorway to the kitchen while we fed the baby instead of running around under her feet. It was amazing! We still have a lot of work to do, but I feel like we are getting control of the situation and that is something we haven't achieved on our own or with other trainers. Oh, and one more thing that I really liked about Denise before even meeting her: I was sure that we would need her dog "boot camp" considering all of the issues we were having, so initially inquired about that. She suggested that we start with (much, much less) expensive training sessions first. Definitely someone I am happy to be giving my business to. read more

We had Denise come over for the one and half hour "intro" session to help us learn to control one of our leash aggressive dogs She came to our house and quickly showed us how to stop our two small dogs from barking at guests who come to visit. So we were immediately impressed! Denise is very pleasant and patient and has a calm practical manner with dogs and humans. We went for a walk on a nearby trail with our dog aggressive female and she showed us techniques that were easy to remember and use. We've been working with our dog for the last couple of weeks and she is improving significantly. (none of the other advice we received from other trainers helped at all). We even walked the Lafayette reservoir on a Saturday morning - tons of other dogs- and it was a pleasant walk. Only a few minor corrections were required on what used to be an exhausting and stressful slog. We would definitely recommend Denise to any one with a dog that has behavior issues. read more

There are plenty of trainers out there but how do you know that this person is right for your dog and family! Once I spoke to Denise I knew she was going to be great! She's the sweetest lady over the phone and super helpful. She was supportive throughout the process and positive. Another bonus is she's reasonable with her prices! Def recommend her for your dogs! read more

I have a 4 month old puppy that I needed help with potty training, barking in the create and walking on leash without pulling me everywhere. The tips Denise gave made all the difference. My puppy is now pottying outside and not having accidents. When I take her for a walk she no longer pulls on the leash. Denise was patient with me and my dog. She gave me extra time, which I really appreciate. I know I will need more help as she gets older. I will definitely be contacting Denise for future training! read more

Denise is so amazing!!!! She is so passionate about working with dogs.If you are looking for some one to help train you and your dog she is your woman.I love that she has trained with Ceaser.I love to hear all the classes she has taken.She does wonders!!!!!! read more

We have just completed the three session in home training package with Denise. She is terrific and has made an incredible difference in our behavior and that of our 15 week old male golden doodle - Sheldon. We learned successful crate training, how to reinforce basic nice behavior, the way to walk with him on leash, potty training. Without reservation, we were extraordinarily pleased with her. She is knowledgeable, has a great demeanor and we will surely call on her as he grows and we need help. read more

I just finished 3 training sessions with Denise. I can't say enough about what a difference she made with my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Oliver. He is now 18 months old and had a real problem with being left alone for even short periods and barking. Also, when walking in the park or down the street on leash would constantly pull or walk out in front of me. In just these three sessions Denise got all of these problems (and even some others) under control and has left me with understandable training tools to continue to use on my own. If you have a chance to have Denise help you with your dog becoming a good canine citizen, be sure and do it. read more

My family (me, my husband and our 2 1/2 year old Boston terrier) had a lesson with Denise yesterday. She was knowledgable and gave us some good advice. We both felt that the time and money was well worth it. read more

I can't say enough good things about Denise and all the help she provided to us. We had a wild woman puppy who was simply not responding to us. We were at wits' end with her (despite having had dogs in the past, this pup just needed something that we didn't know how to give her). I called Denise and left a message. Denise called me back promptly, listened to my sad story and set up the first of three appointments. After the first visit, in which Denise got know us and our pup, Denise was able to help us understand how this puppy "ticked", how to get through to her, what we were doing wrong (a lot!), what we needed to start doing or stop doing. We worked on those things for a week, until appointment two (in one week) and really saw improvement in many areas. Denise carries a magic bag of tricks and came prepared on appointment 2 to discuss what went well, what didn't, and pulled some wondrous things out of the bag to help fine-tune to suit the pup's personality and our lifestyle. We worked on more tasks between visits 2 and 3, with even more improvement. By then end of visit 3, it was like we had a different and wonderful new puppy. Less strain and stress, we are happier, the puppy is happier. Such a good investment! As we continue to work with our pup, I would imagine we will take advantage of the one-session classes that Denise offers, as well. Denise is incredible...very professional, great with dogs and people, and with a great sense of humor, as well. We learned so much from her, and she truly turned our relationship with our wild woman puppy around into something that is enjoyable for all of us. Denise talks dog, but she talks "people", too. She is simply the best! read more

We adopted a rescue dog a few months ago from ARF. He is a Chihuahua and fairly high energy. We had tried ordinary dog training in a group setting to no avail. We were embarrassed and others around us were annoyed. I then found Denise. Within the first hour of training she had our little guy much more relaxed and at ease. He was walking without pulling and had stopped his incessant barking before she left. We then had 2 more sessions and he has just continued to improve. Denise is so easy to work with and has really helped us to become happier dog parents. She did as much for us as for our dog. I cannot recommend her enough! She also mentioned that she works with families who are thinking about getting a dog to make sure the dog they get is a good match for the family. What a great idea! Thanks Denise!! read more

From the moment Denise walked into our home she had full control of our two small, jumping and yapping dogs. After just two sessions she had completely turned things around for us. I must admit I was skeptical at first thinking that it was too late to train our badly behaving pets but I was wrong. The amount of information she gave us during our first session and the small changes that we were able to make immediately added up to a world of difference and ultimately resolved all our issues with our dogs. She is truly the best! Thank you Denise! read more

Denise was absolutely amazing with our dog Kona and we can't thank her enough. We had tried another trainer previously and made very little progress, but after just the first teaching session with Denise we learned so much that has helped us immensely. Our dog Kona was a rescue and after working with Denise she walks perfectly off leash, listens to all commands, and is a perfect angel. She worked with us because we were the ones who needed to be trained :) and we can't thank her enough for her patience and kindness with our pup! read more

Denise came to our house and our dogs were barking madly and very excited, as they usually are when people come to the door. She stood there for some time and the dogs became quiet. We worked with her for a period of weeks and our house is a different place!!! Denise taught us what to do with excessive barking, walking properly on a leash, being quiet in the car, and being the "alpha" leader!!!! It was amazing what she taught us and how our dogs responded so positively. We will certainly use her again when we are ready to go "off leash." Denise understands each of our dogs and she works with their personalities and what motivates them. We would recommend Denise to anyone who is having dog challenges or if you want to work on your dog's "manners!!!" read more