Holy Macaroni, Laughing Dogs changed my sweet girl's life! We went to the little dog class and I was AMAZED at how quickly my pup transformed into a better socialized, better behaved girl! I had adopted her from a rescue organization that didn't tell me the whole story about her past which caused her to be leash aggressive and nervous around other dogs. With just 6 weeks of this course, she had come so far, amd Cayce had set us up with a whole host of tips and tricks to work on with her so she could continue to progress after class was over. I only took off one star because one week Cayce wasn't the instructor and it was unfortunately our last class so I wasn't able to chat with her about what our next steps would be. The other trainer was good too, I just wish that I had known she wouldn't be there so that I could have had a last conversation with her! read more

I got a German Shepherd about a year ago from a rescue society. She's a really sweet dog, but began to be aggressive to other dogs on our walks. I sought help from the rescue society and they were able to give me some tips, but nothing really to help the main problem. They recommended that I find a trainer that could help with the aggression, which is how I found out about Cayce. I explained the problem to Cayce and we agreed to start off with a private lesson. The private lesson was enlightening. She gave me some information on the breed that I had not heard and that gave me some insight on some subtle behaviors. Cayce also emphasized how I should interact with the dog and that definitely made a huge impact in how we have bonded. We worked on some leash behavior and of course, my dog in a new situation and without any other dogs around, was the perfect angel. We agreed to just kind of boot camp her and get her into the next group class so we could work on her behavior around other dogs. A few days later, we walked up to the group class where there was a good 12-15 other people with their dogs. My dog again was totally chill and I was feeling kind of optimistic. We walked past other dogs and she didn't react at all. So far so good. We started out with basic commands which my dog has limited proficiency. She does sit when she is sufficiently bribed, but not much beyond that. The class was working on stay and I'm just kind of going along with it and thinking when is she going to lose it and lunge after another dog, so I'm saying, "stay, staaaay, stay" and watching her like a hawk. I'm sure I was pretty funny to watch. Cayce's assistant then comes up to me and says, "Okay, let's try that again, but not so creepy, kay?" Everybody in my little group is looking at me like, "what did you do?" Hey, this is my first class too. I don't know what I'm doing, so give me a break okay. He then tells me I need only say stay once and if she doesn't, then correct. I'm like okay, that's all you needed to say. So, we move on and about 45 minutes into the class, my girl has just about had it. Out of the blue, she decides she doesn't like the lab mix sitting a few yards away. She lets out a huge bark and does a little lunge at the pup. Super. I figure this isn't good, but it kind of is because Cayce can see her bad behavior first hand. Cayce doesn't really say anything and continues on and I figure this is something we can discuss later. So about fifteen minutes later, we happen to be next to Cayce as she is explaining dog behavior and her dog is performing trick after trick to everyone's amazement. Well, not quite everyone. At some point, my dog just had enough and jumped straight up and let out this menacing bark and lunged at Cayce's dog. I pulled her back and tried to contain her while also shrinking in utter embarrassment. Cayce didn't acknowledgement the outburst and continued her talk. At the end, she asked if there were any questions and after waiting my turn, I said, "Um yeah, how do I get her to stop doing that?" Cayce looks at me and says, "tell her don't do that." She then turns back to the class and says farewell and walks away. Don't do that? Wow, why didn't I think of that? (I did...quite a bit. Maybe I was doing it creepily or something). Never went back. Look, she educated me on my dog and there were some definite benefits to that. Cayce's dog is obviously very well trained and does some amazing tricks. That would be pretty cool if my dog could do that someday, but for right now I want to take my dog with me and not ever worry that she is going to attack some other dog. I've found another trainer and will start in again. There were some benefits from our time with Cayce and I'm sure other people in different situations will find benefit as well. read more

Cayce and her assistants are amazing - even-tempered, cool and collected, entertaining, and highly qualified. Seriously, they are as good as it gets! One thing that may throw people off at first is that Cayce likes to have all the dogs and their attached owners stand around in a circle while she talks and shows off tricks she has taught her dog. I think this is great - it teaches the dogs that sometimes they just need to chill out and lay down (or sit, whatev) while things are happening around them, and the owners are getting entertained as well as getting a thorough education at the same time. My dog and I only took classes with her for a short while, but the lessons she has instilled in him have lasting effects and I have recommended her classes to everyone I know who has just acquired a new dog! read more

Cayce is my kind of dog person. Before attending the class I spoke to her on the phone to get more info. As soon as she knew what breed my puppy was she automatically told me what my problems may be with my puppy, she nailed every single one of them and then some.. She has lots of knowledge and patience. She's works very well with owners and dogs. High energy, big hearted, and a dog loving person. You can easily learn a lot from her in one class. The things she has recommended has worked so far and she's had my pup do things on her first day of class I didn't think my puppy could do. I look forward to continuing my services with her and I believe you should too! First class is free, which is a definite plus because a lot of ppl tend to waste their money on trainers who they end not liking at the end. Classes are held at a park. A nice open park with lots of room for all of us dog owners to train our young ones. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, plenty of water, treats w/a treat pouch -- we tend to get a bit of a workout as well! read more

Cayce is amazing! Laughing Dog has worked with our last four dogs (and our family) over the past 20 years. The experience has been a great learning opportunity for the kids and dogs as well as the family as a whole. Cayce and her staff are fun and caring people who really expend the effort to give you the tools to communicate with your dog. Your dog really wants to please you but has trouble reading your mind. Cayce can fix that and open the lines of communication through positive reinforcement techniques. Imagine the improvement in quality of life for both you and your dog when your dog learns to behave politely and can go everywhere with you in public without issues! Five Stars, two thumbs up and GREAT job to Cayce and Alex! read more

We've worked with Laughing Dogs with two of our dogs, one of which has become an All-star, and a puppy which continues to progress everyday. Our struggles with the puppy were very real and with the LD team we've managed to get her to a much much better place. Cayce worked with us at an individual level to find suitable ways to get our border collie under control. Besides offering us advice on how best to work with her, she's been an emotional support to us through the process. She's a wonderful person and knows what she's doing. We've used this business for dog sitting and classes. Alex and Shaylyn are great and have dog sat for us winning the trust of even our toughest critic, our mini Aussie. We've done puppy class and master's class with Cayce (who I'm convinced is a legitimate dog whisperer). We've also participated in the frisbee dogs classes with Steve Teer which have had an amazing impact on correcting some of our border collie's bad habits. read more

We are so grateful we found Alex and Laughing Dogs Davis to help us with our rescue pup, Olive! When we first joined the group classes, Olive growled at any dog that even looked at her so we tried to hang out way in the back of class away from everyone. Alex noticed, and helped teach us and Olive how to be more comfortable just hanging out near other dogs and people. Now, Olive can (80% of the time) do her own thing and sit right next to another dog, even if that other dog is overexcited! Alex has given us the skills to continue working with Olive to bump that number up even higher. Additionally, Alex has created a great Laughing Dog Davis community that helps reinforce the training skills outside of class. Thanks to Alex and the Laughing Dog Davis community, Olive now has many more dog-friends and is a happy and playful pup. Highly recommend! read more

Alex was so understanding of my dog issues and had some really wonderful advice. I can't wait to get started. I know my dog, Emily, and I are on the road to a much more stress free life. Thank you Alex!!! read more

I don't know what I would have done without Laughing Dogs! I had adopted a dog from the SPCA who was just a wild beast. I could hardly walk him down the street, he was so reactive and aggressive. I wasted money on terrible DVDs and expensive private lessons with another trainer that got me nowhere. My dog was unmanageable and I didn't know what to do. I found Laughing Dogs online and contacted Cayce, who was infinitely patient and understanding towards my little terror. In just a few classes, my dog and I were working as a team. We both had such a good time in the classes and I was so impressed by his progress! My dog graduated to the Master's Class and people comment all the time now about how well-behaved he is. I take him everywhere now. We keep going to the Master's Class because it's so fun and I also want to keep his skills on point. I really don't know what I would have done without Laughing Dogs. Anyone looking for a dog trainer in the Davis area should check out Laughing Dogs right away! read more

Shealyn knows how dogs think, and works on the dog-owner relationship in a way that is fun, painless, and understandable for both dog & owner. Love her emphasis on safety & good manners for our fur babies. read more

We took my friend's 4 year-old Akita Theo to Alex Wallace for a consultation as to whether Theo had good temperament mainly because several people have asked to use Theo as a stub for their female Akitas. Alex said he could tell in the first 2 minutes of working with Theo that he is a calm, good natured, healthy dog. Alex was amazed at how well-trained Theo was even though Theo had never been through formal training classes. Alex spent the full hour evaluating Theo in different situations, giving input the whole time so we could both better understand dog behavior. At the end of the session Theo's owner asked Alex for advice regarding certain behaviors and Alex suggested creative, easy ways to modify these behaviors. Theo's owner is now looking forward to signing up for formal dog training courses here in Pacifica. If Alex practiced in Pacifica we would definitely sign up for Alex's dog training classes as per Alex's recommendations. We highly recommend Alex Wallace for service dog/regular dog training, giving input about breeding your dog, dog behavior modification and private consultation about next best steps to take with your individual dog. read more

Our whole family has benefited from the services of Laughing Dogs! My young children and I first met for a consultation with Cayce when we adopted our puppy last fall. The moment she started interacting with my kids I was reassured that her personal and professional passions would be effective for us. She seems to totally understand that to have a happy family that includes a dog, it is as important to "train" the people as the canine member. Cayce keeps the education so positive! She constantly practices what she preaches in offering positive reinforcement and gentle correction for dog-caretakers. Everyone.... everyone.... is happier in this situation, where we know the acceptable, positive behavior. An extension of the dog training services that we've also very much appreciated are the dog-sitting and dog-walking services that Alex offers. A true, gentle pro, Alex not only reliably cares for our pets' basic needs when we can not, but also reinforces all the desirable behaviors using the same training techniques. The Wallace family makes a valuable contribution to our community! Thanks.... read more

I love attending Laughing Dogs group training sessions with my energetic and stubborn Welsh Springer Spaniel, Raffi. Cayce is the real deal, an amazing dog whisperer who quickly gains the attention and respect of the dogs while being patient and kind with the owners! With Cayce it's all about building a positive relationship with your dog, and not a treat dependent relationship. And the best part is getting great results without those ridiculous clickers! No clickers at Laughing Dogs! Yeah! read more

Cayce is an amazing person! Her knowledge and caring for animals is incredible. She is trustworthy, patient, creative and encouraging in difficult situations. read more

Laughing Dogs training sessions with Cayce Wallace and her husband are really worth the one hour a week group sessions.Over 8 years ago I trained our previous rescue dog Manja with her in only 6 lessons. He became so obedient and listened to our commands. It was such a pleasure because my husband and I could take Manja with us and would both feel in command of his behavior, thanks to Cayce and her assistants. In November we rescued another dog whom we named Gemma. I immediately signed her up for lessons but could only attend a few so far. Gemma is still learning for she is a very active puppy. She now sits, lies down, follows my finger commands and stays. Cayce is a real "dog whisperer"! She trains the owners as well as the dogs. These lessons are so important to us for we are an elderly couple and love to walk an obedient dog. Thanks to Cayce and the Laughing Dogs lessons we will soon have another dog we can handle and take anywhere. read more

OMG! Seriously, what an incredible experience. Cayce is funny as get out, SO compassionate and kind, AND so incredibly knowledgeable AND...wait for it...A fabulous educator of adults and children. I mean, the way she worked with my 7 year old to work with our new rescue dog was so beautiful. I was completely in awe of all that we learned in just 1 hour and we have 5 more classes! What a total gift and education, as well as fun. Not to mention the fabulous dog walkers. I wish there was a Laughing Kids ...they'd be wildly successful. THANK YOU!!!! read more

Wow! I'm so grateful and so very impressed with our first session with Cayce! She is one very skilled and gifted trainer. Maya did not receive enough social interaction with other puppies when she was one. Consequently, she is reactive with other dogs. With only one session with Cayce she's made tremendous progress, moreover Maya is loving the work out! Our practice at home is equally rewarding for all of us. We can't wait for our next session with Cayce. read more

I really enjoy the classes at Laughing Dogs. Cayce has a way of teaching us and the dogs that is humorous and helpful. I've trained a few dogs over the years, and she is my favorite dog trainer by far. She and her family are a tremendous community resource. read more

My dog and I love being part of the Laughing Dogs family. Cayce and her team have provided us with the tools we need to effectively communicate with each other and they make training fun every step of the way. Best of all, they've helped us develop a great partnership. Go join a class, make some new friends (human and canine) and have fun with your dog! read more

Laughing Dogs Academy is the best! Over the years we have taken five of our dogs to Cayce's classes and she really knows what she is doing! One of our dogs was not socialized well as a puppy and became reactive. By working with Cayce in class and practicing at home he has made great strides and he has a lot more freedom and fun now. We recently got a puppy and with Laughing Dog's help she is on her way to being a well socialized, happy pup. I love being part of the Laughing Dogs family and I appreciate all it's done for my family and our dogs. read more

Laughing Dogs is very likely the best investment I've made for my two puppies. We started in Puppy Classes and have worked our way up to the Masters Classes. There's been a very definite improvement for both dogs in compliance, behavior, and good play. Our boys love and respect Cayce and her family of trainers so much that sometimes I feel like they love them more than they love us! They teach owners to create caring, trusting relationships with their puppy companions in order to keep them happy, healthy, and safe because, as Cayce says, "Lucky dogs get to grow old" (I think I've been tricked into human training classes really, but it's completely worth while). It's all great fun and very informative - they answer all questions we have and give extremely useful advice. If you are looking for all encompassing, interactive, fun classes for you and your pet, Laughing Dogs is definitely for you. read more

The talented staff of Laughing Dogs Academy deserve a whole galaxy of gold stars. Last fall I arrived as a clueless first time dog owner with a busy grad-student schedule and an energetic, easily distracted, Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy - a breed notoriously difficult to train. Within a few short weeks they taught me how to use my voice, limited treats, and lots of play to build a great relationship with my dog. Even though we long ago mastered the basic sits and downs, I keep going back every week to enjoy the wonderful community of dogs, dog owners, and trainers. read more

This will be a long post but I feel like it might help someone who had been through a scary experience as a result of their trauma and disabilities. Would have given no stars if I could. A couple weeks ago I called to inquire about service dog training after a scary episode that lended me in the ER. Since I had not a clue on qualifications for a service dog I honestly stated that the cause was psychological in nature. I did mention that I also had asthma and that I was worried about hyperventilation inducing an asthma attack in the future. Without any inquiry into my medical history, (which I learnt was against the ADA guidelines) i was told that my asthma is not that serious, I'm probably "just taking albuterol", (after I said I'm taking a steroid twice a day every day) and was further advised that they are "sorry that it's not what I want to hear, no matter how life-saving a dog can be" and that "there is only 1 student at UC Davis who truly qualifies for such a service, and their letter is signed by an MD". I informed them that I also am a graduate student and also have a letter signed by an MD but she further stated that it has to be signed by a physical care provider." I then went to UC Davis disability center and had been welcomed there, and after that I went to my "asthma and allergies" MD whose practice I visit weekly, and he put it in writing that an episode like I had had may very well trigger an asthma attack and that it would be "appropriate if I had a reliable means of contacting EMT in such an emergency." Yes, I have two small children I want to see grown, so I did my research. I had no problem discussing my medical concerns with the owner of this business (as in to let them know that yes, I have been previously on asthma disability for years and even missed a whole year of school because of it), however, this professional made no effort to inquire further (which is, again, not allowed by ADA). They quickly made me feel like I'm trying to get a service I'm not entitled to and that I would be one of the dozens of students who have their service dogs on campus for, apparently, a "fake reason". I understand that the owner was frustrated with "fake" service dogs, - a legitimate concern, but in practice trying to make a dog a legitimate service animal proved to be impossible with this business, at least for me. It looks like they are a great training place otherwise, so this information is only to aid with an informed choice but not to advice on what's good for everyone, so please do what's best for you. I will take my money elsewhere. read more