Everything. Julie is a very experienced trainer of dogs. She has trained my 2 standard poodles. They were 11 years apart, as I have used Julie on both. What I especially liked is Julie trains the owner not just the pup. It is not that Julie trains the dogs, but to me the most important part, is she step by step has the owner and pup work together. This enables the owner to work daily with their pup at home with the proper foundation for learning. I highly recommend Julie! Julie can teach you, the owner, but you actually train your own Pup with her assistance and what you learn in class. read more

Having now worked with Julie for over 10 years, training 4 dogs with her, I can't say enough good things about her. She's so patient, not just with dogs but also with humans. Ha! Our current dogs are, let's say, special. And so needed a lot of extra training. One is extra anxious and was terrified of the other because of a cone of shame situation that required separating them for 2 months. Julie gave us the tools to bring them back together safely and confidently! read more

Buckle in Folks, This is gonna be a long one! To those who want the quick and easy answer: Julie is beyond amazing! Perfect if you arent into/need to get away from the shock collars/prong collars/choke collars. Pure love and patience in this house. I am a huge fan of comprehensive reviews, especially when it comes to my pups and their well being. I hope this review really sheds some light on Julie and her amazing dog whispering abilities and gives a some relief to those pet parents who are tirelessly trying to find a trainer that fits their needs. Lets start with the Mutts. One is an anxious beagle mix named Duncan who wanted to play with other dogs but was afraid of his own shadow... let alone people, unknown dogs.... and moving boxes. The unfortunate side effect of military life is his favorite person (my husband) is always gone and we are in a constant state of moving. This time, it was from Virginia to California. The other is Loki dog and his the the most loveable, crazy outgoing Shephard mix cuddle monster that has ever existed. He's that dog that looks like he can rip right through you, but honestly just wants to sit in your lap and force you to pet him for hours. Hugs are his favorite. But sometimes... well sometimes he just cant contain his excitement and his need to for love turns to the screams of Banshees. Thus, he scares the object of his desire 99% of the time. Not even prong collar had an effect anymore. Going out with these 2 in public was a complete NIGHTMARE. And I was on a mission to fix that. Both of my dogs had previous training, but unfortunately it was with prong collars. These devices were effective for a while, but it was absolutely something I wanted to get away from. Not prong collars. No zappy things. Positivity was goal. And folks, let me tell you, positivity aint cheap. But it sure is worth it. I contacted Julie Nov 1, DESPERATE for a board and train that can take both of "the boys" while we packed the house and unloaded into storage. It was short notice. Our plans had kept changing and things were falling apart. After an hour of discussing the dogs, the things I wanted worked on, their individual habits, their habits together, their habits with me vs. my husband. Where we planned on living when we got here. What my ultimate goals are with the boys. The most immanent things that needed attention now. What level of training they each had. WHAT LEVEL OF TRAINING I HAD WITH THEM. It was concluded. She wouldn't take them both together. But her reasoning made sense. They are complete polar opposites that each had their own things that needed to be worked on and would i be willing to board them separately? Duncan needed to most imminent attention and to get off that prong collar NOW. And, IF all things allowed, maybe Loki can tag in some training sessions. Maybe he will get his own. Lets start and see where the wind takes us When I went to get Duncan 2 weeks later, he was a whole new dog. His tail was always wagging. He wasn't tense all the time. He played. With is brother. without barking. Which was HUGE! He ate his food! Something he struggles with constantly. He would be mid-beagle-howl and a simple (PLAYFUL) call of his name was enough to bring his focus to me and wouldnt it be more fun to have a game of tug than bark at the mail man who is only trying to deliver your treats? Thanks. You can look quietly, but barking isn't something we do. We are not barking people. And best of all. NO PRONG COLLARS IN SIGHT! Loki went in for a week of training soon after and came back listening. Not barking. Not Banshee screaming for attention. He was no longer pulling me along for the ride and was patiently waiting to jump out of the car instead of storming the gates. He was able to look at his triggers without losing his mind. He grew up into a civil, loveable boy! Lastly, we took the boys for a walk and Julie coached me and my husband on how to handle these problems situations when the arose. More to my amazement, my sweet doggos were able to walk without tangling me in the middle. Julie watched and listened to my dogs individual needs and translated them to us in a way that we could understand. Duncan needs sniffs. Sniffs are his rewards. Loki's is food and love. While this goes to show that Julie is all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips when it comes to training dogs, it should also attest to how absolutely WONDERFUL she is as at coaching people. I never once felt belittled, or shamed for my previous choices in training and discipline. Julie simply explained to me her focuses and methods and her reasoning behind. She explained what gear (head harness and chest harness) would be best. She pointed out the things I needed to work on (tone of voice) and how to best communicate with my anxious little and love hungry fatty. We will be using her as training progresses and our goals expand! The sky is the limit with Julie! read more

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I can't tell you how much Julie has changed my life with my two 100lbs young chocolate Labrador pups. I feel I'm in control when we go for a walk. It's fun to see them walk shoulder to shoulder and their tails wagging, and I know it's only going to get better. Julie understands their needs and knows how to connect the owner with their pet (s.) Julie is gold! read more

Julie is amazing! She made me feel comfortable as soon as we met and I am very happy with the progress we made in just three sessions. I have (had) a barker and leash puller. On our first training session we got rid of the prong collar that Joey required for six yrs. He now walks calmly with a harness! Still working on the barking but she gave me tools that are fun and effective. My other dog, Maybe, had issues at dog park. We can now go without feeling so nervous. Thanks Julie, you're the best!!! read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

We have no hesitation giving Julie a 5 star review! She's been a life-saver for our family. She worked with golden retriever, Bailey, as a puppy, helping us with all our many practical questions...how to set boundaries in the house, digging, relating with our older dog, dinner table troubles. Fast forward two years and we just had her work with Bailey again when our older dog passed on. Bailey was getting more and more reactive to other dogs when on leash, to the point where we didn't want to walk him anymore. Julie worked with Bailey for a few sessions, then worked with us to make sure we better understood how to read Bailey's body language and what he was trying to tell us. He is so much better!! It takes diligence now on our part, but we're finding that has worked to improve our relationship with Bailey overall, and he's more obedient in other areas now too. We highly recommend Julie and her gentle, reward-based methods. read more

Julie is an expert with dogs. I've learned so much and it definitely helped my puppy. I recommend her for all your dog's needs.

Very positive first encounter, and second and third..... Referred to us via Camp BowWow, our first trainer that was a real Human Being (not a book or TV) proved to be just the ticket!. We are long time Basset Hound owners, (all rescues), who would have known you could get a Basset to listen?. Oscar & Mya are both year olds from different family's. Julie's instant mind set with the the two put us on a course of calm confidence. The result is two Mules that act like Quarter Horses. We are going to continue having Out N' About involved in more advanced training (for us as well as the Hounds) over the next few years. Thank you, Edwin and Karen Nutting read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

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I am so happy I found Julie as she has taught me SO much about my dog Alice and how to best handle her in many different situations. Owning a dog walking company myself, I thought I had a very good understanding of dog behavior. But, wow! Has Julie opened up my eyes to so much. One of my biggest concerns is that I didn't feel comfortable having people over (especially kids) as Alice was becoming very unpredictable and we were scared she would eventually bite someone. Julie helped me understand why Alice was fearful and reactive and worked on ways to help ease these feelings of insecurity in her. I had tried a lot of different online training with Alice and while she picks up commands very quickly, we were still having issues with her behavior. I knew no amount of online training could help her as I didn't understand how to best work with her in all these different life situations. A lot of trainers can teach a dog to sit and stay in place for hours, but what kind of life is that for a dog? I wanted Alice to build the confidence she needed in these life situations and didn't want her sitting in one place as she watched the world go by. We now have the confidence to work with Alice in each situation and while it will still be a work in progress for a while, having the tools and understanding of how to help her makes me feel more in control and less scared of what may happen. We actually had our 4-year-old niece over this past weekend for the first time in years and Alice was always jumping on her and licking her uncontrollably. Alice walked past her several times and just wagged her tail and didn't have that intensity around her that she used to. It made me so happy to see her so confident. While I know we still have a lot of work to do to continue this path of retraining her brain in each situation, we have learned so much in just 6 sessions with Julie. Also, we can still contact her if we hit any road blocks and send her videos of things we're working on with her to make sure we're handling each situation correctly. I no longer feel stuck and have a better understanding on how to help Alice feel confident again. I cannot recommend Julie enough so stop your search right now as this is the only trainer you need for your pup. read more

Out N' About Dog Training - This is how tired our pup was after her first session. She hadn't used her brain that much in years - Pet Training Near Me

Julie has been awesome to work with. We rescued a Great Dane (Kobe) that's about 140 lbs and overwhelmingly full of energy and UNCONTROLLABLE while walking on the leash. We did a handful of sessions with Julie trying to find out what worked best for Kobe. She took the time to explain what Kobe's behavior meant and how best to correct it and redirect it. We are excited to continue to grow with all we have learned. We can not say enough great things and would recommend her to anyone. read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

Old(er) Dogs Can Also Learn New Tricks!! Julie's guidance and training quickly transformed our experiences with our dog, Maya! Maya was a 5-year-old dog with dog anxiety/aggression when she joined our family. My wife and I tried our best to dog-socialize Maya, but our inexperience was making life more stressful for Maya and us. After a few early failures and Maya's constant reaction / lunging / growling at any dog, we didn't know if or how we could help Maya or trust her / ourselves. Luckily we found Julie at Out N' About Dog Training!! She visited us for professional, one-on-one training. After the first session, Julie had already provided us with a new toolbox of strategies to help us work with Maya and establish a positivity-based training foundation. We were able to quickly see Maya's behavior change on daily walks as Maya's stress level continued to decrease around other dogs. After 4 sessions, Maya was calmly meeting and greeting 10+ new dogs on a single walk. Julie helped us understand who our dog really was (an excitable greeter!) and how we could help Maya interact around other dogs. Julie's experience provided us confidence to dog-socialize Maya in a calm and effective manner for Maya and the other dogs. We are so thankful we found Julie as she opened new possibilities for us to enjoy life with Maya by our side. read more

Extremely disappointing...I showed up and paid this last Sunday $20 for an hour for julies puppy play date. It was very unorganized and chaotic. Way too many puppies. Must have been 10-15 dogs w they're owners. After 20 minutes she asked me and my daughter to leave and go home w our puppies. I was actually thinking of using her as a trainer but changed my mind. I asked for a refund and nothing...live and learn...not all dog trainers are equal...beware! read more

We have owned and fostered several dogs over the years, never having any problems with basic training, but our most recent chi-pug rescue began developing leash aggression which we were unable to control, much less cure. In only three lessons, Julie showed us how to apply some techniques which we had not been not aware of, including insight into our dog's behavior, such that what may be intuitive to a human could be quite different from the dog's perspective. Julie's lessons were enjoyable and insightful. read more

We adopted Marley, a Belgian Malinois mix, at 9 months old at the end of August 2021 from the San Diego Humane Society. Our other dog had passed away in March at a golden age of 15. We were also empty nesters since June 2021. We were told that Marley was a extremely anxious dog and that he had suffered from lack of socialization during his critical puppy development and that he had a more reticent demeanor in new situations. Boy were they right!!! We worked really hard with Marley, taking him on numerous walks desensitizing him to the world around him, taking him to the dog park, playing games with him, etc. He has major separation anxieties, especially with me. Whenever, I would come home from work, he would jump on me over and over again, which in turn would really hurt my back. He would also be very destructive when we would leave the house. Anyway, all of this was extremely overwhelming and unfortunately we started regretting our choice to adopt him. We were referred to Julie from Out N' About Dog Training by our friends who foster dogs. The first couple of sessions we were very doubtful of Julie's positive approach but we had booked 8 sessions so we decided to stick with it. She helped us with all of our struggles from the over jumping when walking into the house, the loose leash walking, preparing Marley's environment when we have to leave the house and overall teaching us how to challenge Marley mentally and physically. Marley has now been with us for 4 months and everything has changed for the better. We truly enjoy having him and because of the knowledge that Julie has provided we know how to deal with everything from the most difficult situations to simply enjoying our new best friend. Thank you so much Julie! read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

We found Julie via Posh Poodle dog grooming after bringing our new baby home and realizing that our dog was in no way prepared for the baby and we were in no way prepared to help our dog adjust. Sleep-deprived and overwhelmed we contacted Julie. She was able to give us some helpful tips during our phone consultation and then met with is for 4 sessions to work on our dogs behavior. Julie is very friendly, knowledgable, and really understood the underlying causes to my dogs behavior (over excitement, anxiety, and fear) and worked on these issues. She used positive training methods such as treats and a Gentle Leader. We did sessions at our house, neighborhood, and a park to learn how to manage our dog in a variety of situations. Julie showed me that with the right guidance my dog can be walked and can be calm and relaxed. After these training sessions I am very comfortable with my dog around my baby and walking my dog in situations where he may encounter another dog which was previously a big source of stress for him and I. I have already recommended Julie to a friend and will definitely be using her for any follow up training needs! read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

I highly recommend Julie Schmitt of Out N' About Dog Training! We adopted out lab/border collie mix , Stella, one year ago when she was about 1 1/2 years old from the Barking Lot. Stella was sweet at home, but lunging and barking at other leashed dogs on our neighborhood walks. Also the same behavior with bicyclists and joggers. It was miserable! I called a trainer recommended by the Barking Lot. They no longer work in my part of San Diego, but highly recommended Julie. Julie patiently taught us how to recognize Stella's cues for when she was about to react to something, crouching and slowing down etc. We learned how to stop her and help reinforce her calmness as she watches another dog or fast-moving thing go by. We had four great sessions with Julie. She even brought each of her dogs to help see if Stella was able to enjoy playing with other dogs. Stella really doesn't want to play with other dogs and now we accept that. Before the training we constantly worried about our dog. Now we have the skills to enjoy calmly walking her and can enjoy being dog owners out in public! read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

I recently finished 4 sessions with Julie for my dog that has some behavioral issues. He is just not a people person and has snapped at several people. While in some cases it's difficult to change this unfortunate behavior, Julie will give you ways to keep your dog distracted and focused on your commands. As with any trainer, what you can accomplish in an hour is awesome, but it depends a great deal on the effort you put in as well on a daily basis. I really enjoyed our sessions. While my dog still has a lot of work to do, Julie gave me all the tools necessary to manage his issues and to continue working with him. I did quite a bit of research trying to decide on a dog trainer that I could afford and am satisfied with what I got with Out n' About. Thanks Julie! read more

Julie was great and amazing with our new puppy. She was patient and flexible to our schedules on top of being a great trainer. She really understands puppies and loves her work. Her in house consultations helped us change the behavior of our 11 month old puppy immediately. Thanks for everything Julie! read more

We needed help with our 1.5yr old shy, scared but aggressive MX street rescue that we adopted at 5months old named Bella. We have no idea of her history on the streets but she clearly has residual issues with people and huge issues with other dogs. We had already done one round of dog training with another company which involved more negative reinforcement - that did not work very well in the long run with our scared little dog. We were getting frustrated with our progress with her and decided we needed to do another round of private training with a whole different skill set, approach and experience. We found Julie and Out N' About dog training and it sounded the right next step for us. Julie is all about positive reinforcement style training and this went very well with our shy Bella. We did the initial consultation via zoom, then decided to do another session in person with Julie. Julie was able get Bella to respond to her techniques very quickly, so we signed up for multiple training package. Our biggest challenge with Bella is approaching other dogs while out for a walk and getting past them in as controlled a way as possible. Julie taught us some positive ways to do this which really help. Bella has some odd social behaviors when trying to actually meet other calm dogs, and though we are still working on this, we now know what is happening and how to work through things in a positive way for both Bella and the other dog. Julie really is a very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. read more

Julie was great!!! We rescued a lab one year ago that did allright behaving for me but not the rest of the family. She came over to the house and observed everyone and how we interacted with Daisy. Then she set up a program for us that really helped everbody understand Daisy's behaviors and work with them. Everything she did was done with positive rewards. Daisy is now doing great with the whole family. Thank You so much!!! I Have already recomended Julie to alot of friends and Family. read more

Enriching positive learning experience. We found Julie through our daycare and boarding facility, CAMP BOW WOW. She lived up to and exceeded recommendations and our expectations. After 4 sessions we have a much more responsive, mellow and relaxed NSAR canine companion. Julie not only designed a personal training plan for him but for the entire family. We learned how to understand behavior clues, to correctly request and communicate the desired behavior in a positive and nurturing manner. We plan follow-up sessions to expand our knowledge and communication skills. If you love your dog, give them and yourself the positive experience of Julie's training and knowledge. read more

Julie is an amazing dog trainer. She not only works with the dog on basic obedience, she works with the humans when it comes to positive training techniques. She is very hands on with the 1 on 1 training and slowly introduces the dog to new environments. She also tells you proper etiquette for going to dog parks and out in public. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a great dog trainer. Our family and Dusty are very thankful for her services! read more

Out N' About Dog Training - Our puppy Dusty after his last appointment with Julie! All smiles :) - Pet Training Near Me

Julie gets results. Our dog Waldo went nuts when he saw other dogs, joggers, baby carriages and bicyclists. He'd bark and growl and strain at the leash. He also barked his head off when anyone came near the front door. Julie trained US to make doing what we wanted Waldo to do fun for him. She explained the principles about what she was doing and then had us do it. We had summaries and videos to review as we continued the training. Waldo is so much better and he loves Julie. read more

Julie is not only an excellent dog trainer, but she is personable, friendly, direct, and knowledgeable. I have a lot of experience with dogs since I have rescued them for the past 10 years, but Julie took it to a whole new level. For those of you who are familiar with the awesome show "It's Me or the Dog," she's a Victoria Stilwell Positively trainer! That means that she uses positive reinforcement to train dogs - no spike or shock collars, no yelling or pulling, no violent behavior towards your dog. From the site: "Modern behavioral science has proven that forceful handling such as physical punishment, leash yanking, or making a dog submit by rolling it on its back is psychologically damaging for the dog and has potentially dangerous consequences for owners. Instead, the most successful modern training theories suggest that reinforcing good behavior with rewards while using constructive discipline is much more successful. Positive reinforcement (i.e., giving the dog a reward in the form of praise, play, food, toys, etc. when it responds and offers an action or a behavior that you like) has been shown to be the most effective way to train a dog because rewarding good behavior will increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. Similarly, the use of constructive discipline (marking bad behavior by using vocal sounds to interrupt the behavior and refocus the dog onto something more positive, 'time-outs' or simply ignoring the dog) ensures that the dog learns which behavior is linked to the negative consequences of the discipline and is therefore less likely to repeat the behavior. You can even find Julie on Victoria's website here: http://positively.com/dog-training/overview/ My family's dog, Cookie, was never socialized as a puppy. As a result, she tries to snap/bite at people and other dogs. Taking her to the dog park or even the mall was impossible because she was a liability. Julie came to the rescue and came to our home for private training. She taught my family clicker training, positive reinforcement techniques, and took us out into public with Cookie to show us how to do everything correctly. She even brought her own little dog, Eddy, to help us out with socialization training! She is $100 for the first lesson. In that lesson, you get some training and also get to learn her style. If you don't like it, then that's the end of the training. However, if you do like it, then that first lesson drops to $90 and you get 2 more lessons for $90. It's pricey, but the lessons are extremely helpful for those of you with an anti-social dog who may not benefit from a group class. read more

Julie Schmidt means business and knows her stuff. She has classes for puppies up to 4 months of age. Her preference is to get them trained as early as possible. For older dogs she offers private, individual sessions. She has helped us twice now with issues such as our puppy jumping on people, general obedience and pulling on the leash. Her methods are gentle yet effective. Give her a try. You won't be disappointed read more

Julie is the real deal! I moved to San Diego from Florida with my almost-one-year-old goldendoodle Stanley. He was well behaved and trained in obedience and very well socialized throughout his life but for some reason he could never get past his initial overexcited reaction when seeing other leashed dogs (fine in dog parks) and neighbors (fine in public places). Depending on who would walk by a daily neighborhood walk could be delightful or leave me in tears. Never in between. And when we made the move, understandably, it got even worse. I read multiple books, watched videos daily, tried everything I could. Everything else about him was perfect but we couldn't seem to make improvement on this neighborhood and leashed dog thing. I was at my wits end and when we moved to San Diego I knew we needed to figure this out. I found Julie through one of the trainers' videos I had been binging, Victoria Stillwell, and immediately called her after reading so many stellar "it was like a different dog!" reviews. We booked an initial session near a park with other leashed dogs so she could see it for herself, and then another in our neighborhood. I saw immediate improvements in those first two sessions and began practicing with Stanley right away. I especially loved how much she answered all my questions in those initial sessions and gave me SO many GREAT ideas that helped with a few other things we were having issues with, like putting a white noise machine near his crate to keep him from erupting in a bark when he'd hear a neighbors door shut late at night, and sometimes in the middle of the night after hearing something that scared him (he has a very alert personality, she said). I got a white noise app on my phone and now leave it by his crate every night and it STOPPED THE LATE NIGHT BARKING IMMEDIATELY. I was so appreciative with how generous she is when she's with you - she doesn't just work on the one thing you need help with, she will give you ideas from her INCREDIBLE knowledge bank she's built up over years, and brainstorm with you. And, what I loved best, she makes you feel like she's in this WITH you, instead of chastising you for the problem. YES a lot of dog problems are owner created or result from a first time dog owner who despite reading all the books is just simply struggling due to lack of experience ever actually raising a dog. And of course every dog and situation and person is different. It really bothers me when trainers make the person who is paying them feel like a child with a dunce cap on their head, and I really appreciated how Julie made me feel like an adult, an equal, a partner who wants the best for her dog, not an idiot who has failed completely at dog-rearing. After the initial two sessions where Julie was able to really observe my dog and his alertness/overexcitedness/reactivity, she recommended a jump-start board and train session for 5 days (I was also very impressed with her desire to start slow to make sure she could do what I needed...she could have easily said "I think he needs 2 months with me in Australia to fix this" and I would've said "Ok see you in two months mate!" because I was so desperate.) After seeing her in action I was eager to do a jump-start board and train right away and we dropped him off at her beautiful home (where Stanley promptly fell in LOVE with her young poodle and they became best of friends). I knew driving away that he would have a great time and be in good hands. When I went to pick Stanley up 5 days later I stood in her driveway and asked her when we could schedule another week soon - I knew of course 5 days wouldn't be enough but that it would be a great start and that we'd probably need another few weeks very soon. I was blown away by what happened next. I was able to walk Stanley around other leashed dogs on sidewalks without an intense reaction. Then I was able to take him on a walk around other leashed dogs at a dog beach, something I'd never been able to do in an entire year because the first time I'd tried his reaction was so severe. I didn't need to book another session. After 5 days, 5 DAYS, Julie had helped me with a problem that had been stressing me and my dog out for almost a YEAR. A. YEAR. It is one of the best things I've ever done and I'm so thankful for Julie. And I'm posting this tonight because I just walked Stanley for the first time at night around neighbors coming around corners and leashed dogs (two of his biggest eruption triggers) without ANY KIND OF REACTION!!!!!!!! It is the FIRST truly pleasant evening walk we have EVER had where other neighbors and leashed dogs were present. I walked my dog at night around our neighborhood with other neighbors and dogs around and both my dog and I had a great time. I have never been able to say or write that sentence before. It feels very good, and we have Julie to thank. read more

We have a 9 year old male basset hound who used to be difficult to walk. It was stressful walking him and he was a barking nightmare around certain dogs. I decided to take 2 training sessions with Julie and the results were fantastic. She suggested using a gentle leader instead of a choke collar and a clicker when he behaves well. What a difference it makes. After the first session I was so impressed with the results from our training. My dog no longer pulls and actually sits down when I click. This is so helpful because when he sees another dog on our walks I click and he actually sits down and waits for a treat. My husband was also very impressed with how well behaved our dog is now on our walks. I'm so happy I found Julie to help with this training. What a difference it has made. read more

Julie is one of a kind. I am not a client, but recently I bought a puppy and realized i was in over my head very soon after. I called a couple of trainers I found on the web, all tried to sell me their services immediately, except for Julie. She spent hours with me on the phone despite never meeting me. In the end I realized a puppy was not for me and Julie stayed connected to me until I could make arrangements. She would even call to check on me and give me tips on how to handle short-term training for the puppy, all of which worked. I haven't met a more honest, caring person like Julie in a long time. It was a refreshing surprise. I offered to pay and she declined. I would recommend Julie to anyone thinking of training their dog/puppy. read more

I was so impressed with Julie. She was willing to do an on-the-spot phone consult with me after hearing I was trying to solve an issue with a dog rescued from Tijuana. It was immediately apparent that she is extremely knowledgeable and experienced. She also has a great way of explaining issues and what is behind how dogs behave. I wish I lived closer to her. If I did I would love to take advantage of her classes and other services. Her generosity, dedication and knowledge were exceptional so give her a call. Thanks Julie! read more

We adopted a loving rescue dog who had zero training. She barked at other dogs, yanked on the leash so we couldn't enjoy walks, and constantly potty'd on the carpet. I was always a cat owner and never owned a dog before and needed some help. I called Julie Schmidt based on the great reviews I read online and am so glad I did. Julie was personable, professional, and a great listener who responded to our needs. She personalized the training to fit within our family and our lifestyle. We have a 4 yo child, and Julie (who's also a mom), was awesome with her and very attentive to her. She showed our daughter how to work (and play) with our dog as well. We can now enjoy our dog even more, especially the almost daily walks I can now take her on. I highly recommend Julie for your dog training needs. read more

We have a 5.5 year-old male terrier who thinks he's one tough dog. My husband took him to two rounds of group dog training, and after the first session, George was fitted with a prong collar because he lunged at one of the other dogs. We've used that collar on walks for the past four years until we worked with Julie. I was afraid he would slip out of his regular collar and go after dogs while on walks, so he was always on the prong collar. He would bolt out the door if we weren't on guard, and twice went after neighbor dogs before we could stop him. He did have some positive meet and greets, where after the initial snapping he ignored the other dog/s, so he wasn't without hope. We needed aggression resolution. Julie sent us a lengthy questionnaire about George, our family, hopes and desires for training, and then came to our house to meet us and George. She made sure that the entire family was present to help train George...we all needed to be on the same page. First thing she did was fit him with a gentle leader. I can't say he loves it, but after realizing he couldn't pull it off, we all relaxed more and were able to work on the concepts that she teaches. We are a work in progress, and George may never wholeheartedly embrace all dogs that he encounters, but Julie has given us the tools to help George be a calmer dog. We now go on walks armed with treats and a clicker, and reward his good behaviors. The training has been very helpful, and we can recommend Julie to help your family find your dog's happy place! read more

From the very first phone call with Julie I could tell that not only was she knowledgeable but personable as well. She is an excellent listener which led her to discern the myriad of factors that were contributing to the behavior issues of our two new rescue dogs. She is a natural teacher who involved our whole family in the training. She is a patient and very experienced trainer who is worth more than her very reasonable rates. read more

I took Lulu to Julie's pre-pup training and couldn't be happier. I now have a dog that listens to me; she stays; and everything else I ask her to do. She is a very good pup and Julie's class was the building block for it. Thanks. read more

We engaged Julie to train our Border Terrier puppy who is now 10 months and can be a handful. She has been training him and also us for the last couple of weeks, and she has done a phenomenal job. We started in the house and moved outside, and now Murphy can keep himself contained around other dogs and people, and I continue working with him on our walks. Julie is great at analyzing dog behavior and explaining it to non-professionals. read more

I am very thankful and fortunate to have taken puppy classes from Julie with Out N' About Training! Our new dog is a very large breed, so excellent training was imperative to his development. The training techniques used were very effective and easy to implement both at home and in class. The ratio of dogs to instructors was great, with a lot of personal attention given to each dog's individual needs. When we first started the class, my puppy was VERY timid, unsocial, and afraid of other dogs and new places. By the end of the series of classes he had improved tremendously, even wanting to play with the other dogs. We have seen such an improvement in our puppy.... I know that this class will continue to benefit our family for many years to come. read more

Julie Schmitt with Out N About Dog Training is awesome! She worked w/my shepherd mix and pit bull to not pull when I walked them. Now I can enjoy my walks w/them! She also analyzed my dog's behavior around other dogs to help me see that my dog just isn't very social and at her age I'd be better off not taking her to dog beach or dog parks because it causes her too much anxiety. It took a lot of guilt away!!! Also I consulted w/Julie when I moved into a condo. She helped prepare me for what I'd need to do to get my dogs to use the 'Loo'. We're working on it, and I really appreciate Julie's expertise and support!! Thanks, Julie! read more

Julie helped us with our two vizslas, Piper and Diesel. Piper is a rescue and is very skiddish and Diesel is very protective. Since working with Julie they have both come a long way in a short time. Piper is now approaching strangers and Diesel walks better on a leash and doesn't pull. He's also learning that strangers are ok and he doesn't growl anymore. They still have some work to do but Julie put us on the right track and recognized our mistakes and showed us tips that have been working without the use of choke chains and other harsh methods. Her way of teaching using positive reinforcement has been helpful to us and the dogs. We would recommend Julie to anyone. read more

Julie's 'Puppy Preschool' was an excellent way to socialize our new pup in the healthiest way possible. We learned very basic behavior techniques (sit, down, stay, etc.) while also taking on weekly challenges which pushed the ability of our puppy and helped her learn our expectations in public. At about 4 weeks into the puppy preschool course, we hosted some visitors at our home and a front courtyard gate was accidentally left open. Our pup found that open gate and I located her about 40-feet out of my reach, sniffing at a bush. Because of Julie's training, I knew to keep it cool instead of frantically running after her. I used verbal commands to get our puppy's attention, then used a hand signal and "come" to attempt to get her back into a safe area. At only 3 months old, instead of bolting into the street, she trotted right up to my hand as we had practiced over and over both in class and at home. It was incredible to see our hard work in action to keep her from a potential problem! Julie is very organized and as part of the course fee, she provided us with some necessary equipment to help us succeed which we were able to keep. She also gave us a spiral-bound booklet with excellent information to use not only during the course, but as a reference through the first year of growth and beyond. Weekly e-mails from Julie with attachments detailing the things that were worked on that week in the class provided more detail. Since keeping track of a puppy can be distracting, it was great to have written instructions on the steps needed for particular commands. We would certainly recommend Out N About Dog Training without hesitation. read more

Julie is amazing. Before her, I had been to a few people looking for help for my puppy. The older he got, the more we lost hope. We thought it would never get better. Euro had a fear of people from the time we adopted him. We couldn't take him any where, not out the house, to the park or on walks. He was too afraid. So when we reached out to her, he was already one and we had had him for 8 months. He was also eating and chewing everything and barking at the front door all day. After only three sessions we see a HUGE difference. We can now go to the park and the beach without any problems. He's still reluctant and won't let strangers touch him, but at least he's not barking and going crazy when someone looks at him. She really knew what she was talking about and gave us great tips that we still use. He gets better all the time. We definitely recommend Julie! read more

Julie is AWESOME!!! My puppy was out of control & never listened to a word I said. I wanted to make sure my pup was trained properly not only for her healthy life and my sanity but also for my two toddlers. Julie had an in home visit where she pointed out many things and taught me many things I never thought of before. I then took my puppy to her 6 week puppy class and now she is a completely different dog. She was definately the crazy dog in class but by the end she was keeping up with the rest of the class. It's amazing how much Julie has taught me and I will recommend her to anyone I come in contact with. read more