Such a great company- always giving back to the community and the shelter animals…read more They have a great energy and compassion towards the dogs they work with. I first met them at an adoption event where they partnered with the Martinez animal shelter. They gave complimentary baths to all the shelter pups at the event. Even my foster pup- Susannah. They even put an adorable adopt me scarf on her and promoted her on their page I have been sharing their contact info with friends and neighbors

I had a bad experience with my small senior (17.5yrs old) dog at Diablo Dog in Martinez this past…read moreFriday. I'm not here to bash a small business. I'm here to share what happened to me and possibly help someone else out there, not have it happen to them. After looking at their website and social media posts, I was impressed with what seemed to be a top notch establishment. I only groom my senior chihuahua mix occasionally and I wanted to make sure they would treat him with gentleness and care. It was easy to see when I got him back from his appointment, that didn't seem to happen. He went in for a trim. I chose a #7 blade, which I now know was far too short. It woukd have been appreciated if the groomer would have made a blade suggestion or mentioned that choice was very short, because I wasn't familiar with all that, but that's on me and not my complaint. My complaint is that the groomer hurt my dog. I didn't notice it at first when I picked him up because honestly it was so chaotic in that small space with two big dogs coming in for service, a bunch of big dogs in the back barking and guys yelling at the dogs to shut up, I just needed to get my very nervous and stressed little guy outta there. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed the cut around and under his neck. I was literally stunned. I've never seen anything like that before and my dog was still shaking. I scooped him up and headed to the emergency vet. He is now on antibiotics and doing better, but it was a rough weekend. Between me crying and feeling like a bad dog mom for handing him over to them and him throwing up all day Saturday, I was not in a good place. I needed to wait a few days before I could even do this review. I love small businesses and want to support them more than anything, but I have to say I would not recommend this business for grooming small or senior dogs. I have no experience with them in any other area and larger dogs might do well here, I don't know. But this is what happened to me and if it happened to me....you know the rest. It was a really hard day that day. Pictures speak louder than words. The last photo is Jazz a couple of weeks ago how he looked when I took him in, all the others are from Friday at home and in the lobby of the emergency vet after his groom. Please think twice before you go here with your small or senior dog.

Karin is outstanding! I got my pup, Goose, back in August 2022 and couldn't wait for him to be…read morevaccinated to join her program. As soon as he was able we dropped him off for his free training consult, that's right, I said FREE. Who does that? Well, Karin does. I cannot express how much Goose has learned while attending day training with Karin, not to mention the fact that she has been amazing at helping me and my partner navigate through some rough patches in his normal behavioral development from puppy to adolescent. I love that I get updates throughout the day with pictures and the activities/training that are being done and to see Goose enjoying his time with dog friends too! Every time we go to drop off Goose is beside himself with excitement to see Karin, which is a clear indicator to me that he too approves and enjoys his time spent there. The long and short of it is, I would recommend Karin, and do, to anyone who is looking for an amazing dog trainer who has compassion, patience, and an amazing understanding of dog behavior!!

This place is amazing! Karin is so knowledgeable and will help with answering all your question…read more Her whole team is amazing with my Louie. He loves going to daycare there and it is the ONLY place I trust him with. You want your doggie loved on and learning check out Karin at Good to the Bone!!!

Wish I could give a 10 star! Absolutely a night and day difference from before and after with our…read morepup. Alex is wonderful! Knowledgeable, patient and always positive. Couldn't be more happy and more thrilled with all of Alex's hard work!

Working with Alex at Canine Insight Institute has helped me understand my dog's behavior and needs…read morein an accessible way. His approach is positive and supportive, and he is great at encouraging and keeping us on track when we encounter hiccups or new challenges. Beyond obedience and day-to-day behavior coaching, he's training us in scent work, which has been an excellent activity to funnel Sydney's boundless energy and drive. He's done such a good job that we passed all three scents in our very first ORT! All this combined has allowed Sydney and I to bond and have more fun together.

My rescue dog has had issues with dog reactivity from his time at the Shelter. The issue got worst…read morewith him becoming reactive to anything moving after his PTLO surgery and his diagnosis with early onset arthritis on his two front elbows. We went through 5 trainers and it was to the point where I was so desperate I was considering hard core old school training with choke collars etc. We lucked out when we found Kelly and Shane. Shane has worked tirelessly with us every week for a year now and none of my friends recognize my dog because of how calm and composed he is when they visit. Some even asked me if I adopted another dog with he same coloring. He has progressed so much on his reactivity to moving targets that I can now even consider when we will be able to walk in public with dogs around without him barking or lunging, something I had given up for years now.

From the owner: Mighty Mutts Dog Training provides in home services. We specialize in fearful dogs, dogs with…read morereactivity issues (leash reactive to other dogs or people), human directed aggression, anxiety and general manners. We have years of experience working with all breeds and use humane, science based positive reinforcement methods. We cover central Contra Costa, east Contra Costa and the Tri Valley areas. Visit our website for more information.

I have been taking my dogs for agility classes at Diablo Peak Dog Sports for a few years now. This…read moreis a professional and safe place to learn and practice the sport of agility. The owner/instructor has been in the field for many years and really knows what she's doing and teaches the sport in a positive way that makes sense and where you see results. It's super fun too!

Wonderful place to train your dog for agility. I have been going here for over a year and my little…read moreCavalier King Charles has made great progress along with me. A very positive dog trainer with a great deal of knowledge on how to train for agility. She has the credentials to train and after going two other places this by far is the best place and I would not change. If you want to participate in competition here is the best trainer to be with. If you want to just have a good experience with your dog also the place to go.

John is fantastic. I really like his style and his methods have changed our world. This guy knows…read moredogs. This is not your average dog/puppy training joint. I am sure he can handle any issue with ease but his ability to deal with behavioral issues is truly astounding. He used to be a policeman and trains police dogs. Anyways you get the feeling when you talk to him that you are dealing with a master. I have been riding and training horses for over 20 years so I have experienced many different animal handling techniques and training personalities. I trained my own dog and I have been getting compliments on her behavior for over a decade (john even complimented me :). That being said, to me, John is more than impressive. My BF's dog, Hoku, is a 4 year old mostly Pit who used to think that she was supreme ruler universe and it was declared a state of party all the time. Now don't get me wrong, it is wonderful to have bouncing wiggly dynamic ball of joy but when she doesn't listen for beans that sucks. I mean why should the supreme ruler of the universe have to come when she is called? Or not jump on guests any ol' time she feels like it? Therein lies the issues. John took a great approach; we all sat down and talked for a while about the dogs in general, the household, habits and points of contention. He identified many things that we were doing that allowed Ms. Thang to get away with massive social faux pas. She had habits with my BF and I kept trying to train her like my Aussie mix. Note to self: herding dogs and bully breeds are totally different with separate instincts that drive their actions. As Walter would say "I did not know that." (big lebowski) After discussing the issues and such, we went out to his training area with the dogs. He put Hoku on a gentle leader. It is basically a halter for dogs; gives you control of their head and where the head goes the body follows. We both did a lot of practice work under his supervision. He critiqued our handling abilities and gave us lots of good tips. My favorite was the first time I started to walk Hoku, she laid down on her back like a lump. He told me to go ahead and keep walking. A few seconds of being drug across the ground was all she needed; she popped up and started walking with me like a normal dog. Victory is mine! Over 8 months later, we have continued to use John's techniques and everyone has remarked on how well behaved Hoku is nowadays. Anytime she starts to slip back into her old habits we go right back to the basics and exercises John taught us. I have spent more money than I care to disclose on trainers in my life and experience tells me John is worth every penny.

When our ancient cattledog passed away, we went in our grief down to Oakland Animal Services and…read morepicked out the mushiest, strongest, most stubborn Bullmastiff you have ever seen to be the new "girlfriend" for our older male Boxer. Our big lug Molly is a honeybear, but in no time, she turned out to be aggressive towards dogs and anything on wheels--not easy when you are trying to walk a 110 pound dog in an urban area. We really felt out of our element, and found John on the advice of a family friend who has work in a well-respected vet clinic and trained dogs for years. John was and continues to be fantastic for Molly the Mastiff and for us. He helped us identify the behaviors that can be modified, versus behaviors that would be "deal-breakers" (which we were concerned about, although we'd never take a dog back to the shelter--we were fearful for our other dog). John gave is some very practical advice for managing our beast in our home--feeding routines etc to keep our other dog safe, and taught us how to walk her so she would heel, and be manageable even when excited. We continue our training with John and will be taking Molly back next week so we can work on "come," trying to get her to come off leash, with the aid of the radio collar. John really understands dog psychology--he asks good questions and can determine why a dog acts a certain way--really helpful in correcting the behavior. I was also impressed with his knowledge and ability to train really big dogs and dogs that show aggression. He knew a lot about Mastiffs and I can tell he doesn't shy away from the biggest, toughest cases. I'm really sad because I am seeing a lot of Bullmastiffs in the Oakland Shelter these days and I am worried they are going to become the next "Pitbull" fad--people breeding dogs they can't care for or manage because they look tough. I'm sooo relieved we found John so we can work through our issues with Molly and give her a loving forever home.

Chris, the owner and trainer for What's Up Dog, has incredible knowledge and understandings of dog…read morebehavior. He demonstrates best practices and then gives us and our dog valuable feedback as we learn the techniques. Our 1 year old lab learned key commands such as "off" and "wait" our first lesson with Chris. This was absolutely key for us. Now she's walking without pulling. We do use an electronic buzzer, sparingly, to guide her first attempts. Chris includes it in his price. We love that Chris comes to our house, and once a month we meet up at Hidden Valley Park with his other clients so our dogs can improve their social skills. We like that Chris charged us one flat fee and his work is guaranteed, for however long it takes. He's been generous with sharing social skills training with our dog's twin sister at the park. Make life with your dog an exceptionally pleasant experience by hiring Chris.

Chris is awesome! We got a new puppy back in June and soon after we got her we got in touch with…read moreChris for basic training. She responded so well with his ways, and as owners so did we! After about 4 months or so after we "graduated" we started having some behavioral issues with our puppy. I texted Chris to help us with these issues and he responded right away and booked a session with us that same week! He really knows what he is doing and is great to work with! I HIGHLY recommend him!

Thank you PFE for your kindness today with our 3 adoptable pups from CCAS. Your team is always so…read morewelcoming when we bring in dogs for socialization and a much needed break from the shelter Today we had Joshua, Reese, and Suga Mama soaking up the love and attention First they got to go shopping for yummy snacks and chews, and toys, then they each got a puppachino. Your store is always well stocked and clean. The bath station is so wonderful- our shelter pups were in great need- and walked out looking amazing- freshly squeaky clean and anxiously awaiting their future homes

I can't say enough great things about Community Concern For Cats (CC4C)! Their dedication to…read morehelping cats and kittens in our community is truly inspiring. Every volunteer I've met has been kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the well-being of every cat they care for. I especially want to give a huge shout-out to Lea. She runs the Saturday afternoon adoption events at Pet Food Express in Martinez (except on the third Saturday of the month), and she truly goes above and beyond. It's obvious how deeply she cares about every cat's health, safety, and future. Her compassion, patience, and unwavering dedication make a real difference--not only for the cats but also for the people who come looking to adopt. Volunteers like Lea are the heart and soul of this organization. With the overwhelming cat population increasing every year, these volunteers give so much--not just their time, but also their homes, their energy, and even money out of their own pockets--to help these animals. Their selflessness and commitment are nothing short of amazing, and they deserve so much appreciation for all they do. If you're looking to adopt, I highly recommend visiting one of CC4C's adoption events like the one at Pet Food Express in Martinez. The volunteers are always welcoming, happy to answer questions, and committed to matching each cat with the right family. Thank you, CC4C, and thank you, Lea, for everything you do to give these cats a second chance. You're making a lasting impact in the lives of both the animals and the families who adopt them. I wholeheartedly recommend supporting this incredible organization.

We sent a wild and crazy 5 month GSD to training with Emily at Dog Dynamics; what returned was a…read morenew dog. Honestly the 3-week training that we did with Dog Dynamics was worth it. Our GSD is intense, with the corrections that Emily made over the 3-week board and train is impressive. Our dog can now: heel on walks, wait at doors, goes to her bed, sits until is released and recalls on command. But most importantly our GSD has stopped biting. She had severe puppy biting issues (past any other GSD we've worked with). Emily fixed the major issues and showed us how to keep the training going. We have follow up training lessons to ensure we are keeping our dog training on track; which was an another huge reason we liked this company. We will most definitely do follow up enforcement/advanced training with Emily. Huge thanks to Bonnie and Emily. You ladies took a lot of stress away from our family. Sincerely, thank you.

We had a private one on one lesson with Kristin and our handling improved vastly with our 2-year…read moreold Akita last year. In his 3rd year, our Akita grew too large to handle (120 lbs) when he continually jumped at other dogs in his quest to play with them. We took the 6 week Reactivity Dogs lessons and came away with basic skills that is helping to rein in our exuberant dog. You think you know "sit" "stay" "heel" and "come," but we got lazy with these commands and our 120 lb. Akita decided to have his own way when he could. I can confidently say that if you think you know all this, take a course or private lesson with Dog Dynamics to learn, unlearn, and improve the handling of your dog. Our dog now gets away with very little. We have also become more consistent dog owners knowing that WE are the ones responsible for our dogs to be happy, obedient family members. Thanks to Bonnie, Jess, and Diana for their expertise and patience with us!

We highly recommend Jayne, she is a very experienced dog trainer. Very flexible with scheduling…read more Also very responsive over text.

Disappointing experience -- not what I paid $2,000 for…read more I hired this trainer specifically to work on my dog's reactivity toward other dogs and her difficulty socializing. This was the main reason I was looking for a professional trainer, and I discussed this during our initial consultation. I paid $2,000 for an unlimited-session package. At the time, I was a nursing student working part-time, so I was grateful that she offered a payment plan because $2,000 was a significant amount of money for me. The first couple of sessions were in my home, which I understood because I assumed she wanted to meet my dog and get a better understanding of her behavior. However, the sessions were only around 30 minutes. Around the 4th or 5th session, she had me drive to a park in Oakland to meet her, which was already a considerable drive for me. She brought her own dog so we could finally work on my dog's reactivity around another dog. After she brought her dog to meet mine, the experience and sessions changed significantly. The interaction was very short--around 10-15 minutes--and the session ended shortly afterward. From my perspective, it seemed like she was not comfortable or confident handling my dog's reactivity once she actually experienced it firsthand. I reached out afterward because I wanted clarification about whether she was actually equipped to work with my dog's reactivity. She told me that she only taught manners in the home. That was extremely frustrating because dog reactivity was the primary reason I hired her in the first place. I explained what I needed during our consultation, and I would not have paid $2,000 for an unlimited package if I had understood that working on dog reactivity was outside the scope of what she provided. I ultimately requested a refund because I felt that the service I received did not match what I understood I was paying for. She told me that reactivity training (behavior modification) was not included in the contract. my concern is that this was specifically discussed during our consultation before I committed to the package. I was a student working part-time when I hired her, and $2,000 was a significant investment for me. I trusted that I was paying for help with the exact behavioral issue I had explained from the beginning. I'm sharing my experience so other dog owners--especially those with reactive dogs--can make sure they get very clear, written confirmation that dog reactivity training is specifically included in the services before committing to an expensive training package.