Ive been working with Cali K9 for about 2 months now. Hamza is the man and a great trainer. Its…read morebeen nice seeing the improvements in my dog and im excited to see what the future brings with more classes! Highly recommend

Enrolling my three-year-old German Shepherd at CaliK9 was easily one of the best decisions I've…read moremade. Given his age, I was initially nervous about whether the program could effectively address his dog reactivity and provide the right support. However, my trainer, Hamza, gave me the exact tools and confidence I needed to succeed. After just three months, I've seen a tremendous increase in my dog's overall confidence, focus, and responsiveness, alongside a dramatic decrease in his reactivity. His progress has been incredible, and I look forward to seeing how much more he continues to grow. I highly recommend CaliK9 to anyone looking for real results!

I hardly ever leave reviews, but I want to give hope to anyone who is struggling with their dog and…read morefeeling frustrated and helpless. The first year with my golden retriever, Luka, was extremely hard. He was a mouthy dog who had zero boundaries at home or outside. He would get excited or frustrated and grab/bite onto my shoes or clothes daily. Walking him became an impossible task because he was extremely dog-reactive, and he dragged me a couple of times while trying to chase another dog. Walking him also became a two-person job, with someone always on the lookout for other dogs so we could turn the other way. He also began to resource guard and snapped at my dad twice.. I had already spent thousands on another trainer and didn't have much success. I began to feel like this was just what life with Luka would be like forever. It got to the point where I felt scared of him, and the life I was giving him out of that fear wasn't fair to him. So I decided to try and get help one last time. I found Lori's page and after reading the reviews I became hopeful again. I took Luka in for an evaluation, and Lori recommended their board-and-train program. I can't thank Chelsea and Lori enough for everything they've done. I've learned so much about Luka, how to manage different situations, and how to better understand his behavior. We had training lessons throughout his board-and-train stay and afterward, because we are the ones who need most of the training! Chelsea did an amazing job with Luka. At home, Luka is unrecognizable in the best way. We can actually go on adventures outside without being terrified that we won't be able to handle him. Those who knew Luka before his stay and see him now always comment on how well he is doing. I cannot recommend Lori Hamilton's Dog training enough to anyone who feels like they've tried everything and is feeling discouraged. I am so thankful because it finally feels like Luka and I can start living life and enjoying everything around us.

Lori helped transform our 1.5-year-old golden retriever Ruben from an 87# spirited, jumping, land…read moreshark to a calm, obedient family member. He was an anxious, leash pulling, cat chasing, chewing, biting and jumping-- hiding inside an adorable shell. We started in Lori's group class, then did private one on one training with her and ultimately 4 weeks of board and train at her facility. She trained us and trained him and ultimately transformed life at home. Our 3 cats are now able to be in the same room as him. Our visitors no longer have him standing up on their chest in exuberant greeting. We can relax and have dinner without Ruben trying to eat our feet or running zoomies around the room. We can walk him without having our arms ripped out of our sockets. He is calm around other dogs. He is crate trained and easily goes to sleep at night. He has his own treadmill and works out twice a day, in addition to our daily walks. We been to Pack walks with Lori and 15 other dogs, all walking obediently through the Pruneyard shopping center. The dogs get to work on socialization and good manners on these field trips. Lori came to our house and we staged a meal with a visitor. It really helped us learn how to keep him on his best behavior during meal time with a guest!!! Our first year with Ruben was really tough, he was not the mellow golden retriever we anticipated. Lori's teaching changed everything. She provided the methods and the tools to help us have the best outcome and a relaxed home life with our beautiful dog; more than we ever expected!!!

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.

We (husband, myself & our large boxer Monty) love Allie's…read more We hadn't been traveling much. Hubby gets deep in his feelings around the pets. Add to that a bad experience boarding our last dog. Times that by the fact that Monty has had behavioral issues, and we were grounded. We didn't have anywhere we could trust to take care of him, especially with Monty's outgoing personality. I started taking Monty to Allie's for daycare when I started working nearby (even though we live in SF). I'd pick him up at the end of the day and he'd be comatose, something we deeply appreciate as boxer parents. I appreciate Allie's tell-it-like-it-is, roll-up-your-sleeves approach: what you see it what you get, and the lady is dedicated to her dogs -- and those in her care. As we grew to love Allie and appreciate Monty's experience at daycare, we dared to have him boarded there. It was such a sane experience. He had a behavioral issue, which Allie handled like a champ (which is amazing), and he didn't get excluded or punished; she just dealt with it. We were able to see him in vids and pics on IG during the day, putting the worrisome hubby's mind at ease (no easy task). We have now boarded him 4 times, and can tell Monty has the best time. How? This needy only child acts like he barely recognizes us and sleeps long hours once we get home. His cup is full in every way. Nothing happier for a dog owner than coming home to a safe and happy pup. :)

Allie's Doggie Day Camp is literally the best! I have a 4 year old rescued corso-mix that has been…read moregoing a year and a half and she absolutely loves it. Nala has a lot of social anxiety with people and other dogs but she has gotten so much better after joining the pack at Allie's Day Camp. Allie LOVES each and every dog that she cares for. The dogs trust her. She not only provides them fun and structure but a safe place to fully enjoy the outdoors with other dogs. She communicates honestly and clearly with me as a pet parent and I am made aware if/when my dog shows any behavior issues and requires correction. I am truly grateful for Allie's Day Camp and Boarding Services. The price is well worth the freedom my sweet Nala enjoys instead of being locked in a kennel 8 hours/day. I highly recommend joining Allie's Day Camp or boarding your dog with her when needed. It will be one of the best decisions you ever make for you and your dog(s)!!

Haley is AMAZING & incredibly knowledgeable! She has been helping us train (via private lessons)…read moreour 6mos old rescue & our pup has made incredible progress. She uses common sense dog training & I love how she gives us the leash. She instructs us so we learn how & what to do with our pup! Haley is communicative, supportive, & intuitive.

Highly recommend!!…read more I contacted Haley when I adopted my pup Sophie from the shelter and quickly learned she had intense separation anxiety and dog + cat reactivity. After my initial conversation with Haley, I was able to successfully work through the separation anxiety and cat reactivity on my own, then had a series of training sessions to address the dog reactivity. Before training, walks with Sophie caused me so much anxiety - we had to stay far away from any dogs to avoid the embarrassing meltdowns. Going on any trails near dogs was out of the question. With training, swapping her collar and lots of practice on our own, we now regularly walk busy trails and beaches and have fun! Sophie can now pass 10-20 dogs on Los Gatos Trail without issues. She prances along with so much more confidence now! I'm very grateful for Haley's help and for being so accommodating with us. Look forward to more training in the near future!

Josh at Bark Busters West has been absolutely outstanding. He has worked with my dog and me for the…read morepast two years, and the difference he has made has been remarkable. When I first brought my dog home, he was a recent rescue, very undisciplined, and difficult to handle. Josh immediately understood that the training needed to involve both of us -- not just my dog, but me as well. He taught me how to communicate clearly, set boundaries, and handle my dog with confidence and consistency. Over the past two years, we have met with Josh in person more than a dozen times, and he has always been available by text or phone whenever I needed guidance. That kind of support is rare and incredibly valuable. The transformation in my dog has been amazing. He is now well behaved, much calmer, and far easier to manage. It is obvious that Josh truly loves dogs and has a real passion for helping them. When you watch him work, you can see how much he cares. I honestly think Josh has become my dog's favorite friend. I highly recommend Josh and Bark Busters West to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, patient, and committed dog trainer.

I was really skeptical about hiring a dog behavioral therapist at first. Part of me just wanted to…read morebuy a training program or send my dog away for professional training so she'd come back "fixed" My French Bulldog, Mango who was 2 at the time, was super stubborn and reactive, and she suffered from pretty severe separation anxiety. She couldn't leave my side, cried the moment I walked away. It was overall super stressful. Josh helped me understand where that anxiety was truly coming from. Turns out, IT WAS ME! He encouraged me to create healthy boundaries with Mango and offered practical solutions, along with dietary supplements, to support her emotionally and physically. I had no idea that excess energy could actually contribute to anxiety in dogs! Josh suggested adjusting her meal plan, and that alone made a huge difference. He also gave me plenty of tips and tricks to help Mango naturally regulate her anxiety. And since his program includes lifetime training, he's continued to guide me whenever I have questions or notice old behaviors resurfacing. Josh reassured me that if I stayed consistent with the regimen he provided, Mango would be okay, and he was absolutely right. She's like a whole new dog now! At 4 years old She can stay home calmly without destroying furniture or becoming overly needy. I'm beyond grateful to Josh for his guidance and to his partner, Nicole, who helped me prepare for our first session. If you get a chance to talk to Nicole, let her know she's an absolute gem! so kind and caring, even behind the scenes!

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!

If your pet is running from you should be running to Bay Area K9 Association!!!!!!…read moreAre you looking for an amazing quality caring and experienced professional who will make your two naughty dogs a little bit less crazy? Look no further! Steve is an amazing professional who understands your pets needs and your own needs. Whether your pet is old (or young) Steve's your guy.

Bay Area K9 has been a lovely experience with me and my dog Cane for the past few months, from the…read moretraining and using the Sniffspot as well. This review is long overdue for sure! Training aspect: Steve, has helped my men reactive and dog reactive 2yo German shepherd adjust to our home and make our bond SO strong. I myself, have learned so much from him and have finally been able to teach my dog phenomenal manners and after a few sessions, his behavior at home is so much better now. We have more to learn, but Steve has taught us everything and been patient and kind, and it works out so well for our learning style. His photography is also phenomenal and has taken amazing progress photos of Cane, and I can guarantee I'm probably going to get one framed in the future. 10/10 trainer, couldn't recommend him enough. Sniffspot: This area behind the facility is SO nice if you don't have a backyard, which is very common in the Bay Area. Having a high energy dog, exercise is so important to keep him in shape, and keep him happy. The turf is always nice and clean, and the area is always quiet and we are never disturbed. Plenty of toys to play with and so much room to run! It's always worth the drive over for sure. Overall, no complaints whatsoever, if you are looking for a trainer that is kind, knows his stuff, and makes training FUN and makes your bond stronger with your dog, go here! I couldn't be any happier with our time with Bay Area K9. :)

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.

We sent our 1.5-year-old golden retriever for three weeks. We were stunned by the results. If you…read moredon't know anything about goldens, just know that they're very welcoming and friendly, but are also overwhelmingly energetic for the first three to five years. Think zoomies x 10. They're easy to train, but that was the issue. He would ignore our commands because he wouldn't feel like doing it. We asked Ryan to focus on three areas: recall, drop it, and going off-leash. We would spend 15-20 minutes chasing after him after he'd bolt out the front door. He thought it was a game. As you know, running out to the street can be dangerous. 'Drop it' rarely worked. He would have everything in his mouth - sticks, trash, balls - you name it. Sometimes, he'd have things that aren't edible in his mouth. And frankly, we never trusted him off-leash, that was asking for it. Everything was resolved when we brought our pup home. We were so proud of him! His recall was better, he never bolts out of the front door, and with that, we trusted him off leash (only in confined areas, of course). We're super grateful for Ryan and the SMS team. Now it's on us to continue with the training! One more thing to add: our pup had perpetuating issues with digestion/stool and paw and ear infections. It was the worst! We tried everything and spent so much money. Ryan suggested that we transition to a raw diet and we haven't had an episode since. I'm so thankful for that too!

My husband and I have 5 dogs. At the time we put 4 through…read morethe program because we did not have the 5th one. My oldest dog is 12 years old with no training. I soon got 2 more dachshunds and then a German Shepherd. Being that the 3 dachshunds had no training, we knew it was irresponsible on our part to have a bigger dog that was untrained. When I dropped off my first two (German Shepherd 6 mo. & dachshund 1 yr) I told Ryan, good luck! LOL They are very energetic since they are puppies and the GS was already taking in bad habits from the little ones. Always barking, was getting on top of our counters, very reactive. Typical dog stuff. After a couple days we received videos of them walking by other dogs and no barking! I was witnessing a miracle! After 2 weeks we got them back and we saw a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. Dogs are dogs, so of course they are still a little reactive and bark, but it's much much much MUCH EASIER to stop it! No more haggling. I say quiet and they're quiet! Especially with as many dogs as we have, we had no idea how to train them all at once. Then they took in the other two dachshunds. The 12 year old and the 5 year old who are the most spoiled. To my surprise they were very disciplined the first couple of days! The little ones always pulled on the leash and was starting to hurt my shoulder. Not anymore!! They all walk beside me with no tugging. So now my husband walks the GS while I walk the 3 dachshunds. And yes they are actually pretty good at walking all together. IT IS POSSIBLE! Now that we have another puppy, a GSD Shar Pei mix, we have him into training too. Since the other dogs are into their routine, he falls into place. We also got him a place mat, and an ecollar. Not only does this program know how to train your dog, they are also very passionate and loving about it. You can tell they love your dog like it was their own. They are also very knowledgeable about the raw food diet. I highly suggest talking to them about it. I want to say a huge thank you to Jaden and Sam too who helped make this possible! Also, being that this is basically a franchise for dog training, it was a HUGE PLUS for being in a military family. Training is every week for the lifetime of the dog, so your dog can interact with other dogs that have been through the same program. My husband and I are moving across the country due to military orders, and we don't have to worry about the dogs not socializing with other trained dogs. They have someone out there too! I hope they are just as great as Ryan, Sam, and Jaden! We are truly going to miss this little family!