Dorna is wonderful! She uses only positive reinforcement training, which is evidence-based and perfect for reactive dogs such as mine. Rather than wasting our time teaching us things we already know, she assessed our experience and issues over the phone so that our first consultation session was packed full of demonstrations of foundation building exercises to address our problem behaviors. Dorna was very patient and gentle with our dog, while still withholding rewards/praise for undesired behaviors. The set-up requires that owners practice the exercises on their own before Dorna returns for the next lesson, which is really important because part of the training means training the humans as well, not just the dogs. I also appreciate that Dorna wasn't trying to encourage us to purchase a bunch of sessions or any of her other services; she genuinely wanted what was best for us and our dog. She also sent out amazingly helpful handouts that summarized the exercises she showed us in her session (free of charge!). I am looking forward to future sessions with her. I think Dorna would be amazing with any dog, but if you have a reactive dog, she would be especially phenomenal. read more

I'm a first-time doggy mommy and some have even called me an Asian tiger mom. I started looking into classes for Benjamin before he even met me. I want him to learn agility, herding, scent detection and swimming but I figured the first step is puppy obedience and socialization. I looked into dozens of puppy classes before deciding on Dorna's due to all of the glowing reviews. Dorna's classes are more expensive than if you were to go to Petco or an obedience club but they're limited to 4 puppies. I figured if kids learn better in small classes, so would puppies. Benjamin came from a reputable breeder and already had an excellent temperament. We also socialized him well starting from the day we picked him up so he was mainly at class for the obedience aspect of it. Overall, I liked the intimacy of the class and I liked Dorna's relaxed, calm demeanor and it was nice that she emailed us handouts to recap everything we learned that week. I would recommend the class to others but there are a couple of things I want to point out. 1) Benjamin learned down, leave it, drop it, stay, wait, and a few other commands but Dorna never taught "sit" and "come." I suppose the puppies were supposed to already know those? When she asked us to give the hand signals for "sit," my bf had no idea what she was talking about. I only knew because I borrowed a few training DVDs from the library in advance. 2) Dorna has a few puppy classes going simultaneously and wasn't always sure where our class left off. Sometimes I felt like there were gaps on our lessons. 3) Out of the 6 "1 hour" sessions, we were probably there for 55+ minutes 3 of those sessions. On other days we got out up to 15 minutes early. It's probably because puppies have short attention spans anyway but I kept feeling like I should've gotten more education for my money. Those are a few of my human observations but I do want to say that Benjamin always seemed to have a great time in class. During the last session, Dorna even gave us diplomas for graduation! read more

Dorna has great understanding in dog behaviors and her clam demeanor works really well with all dogs. I really enjoy her positive and calm methodology in training and communicating with dogs. Both my dogs were trained by Dorna - the older is on his way to get certified to be a therapy dog and my younger who has/had leash aggression issues made huge progress in just couple of private class and few weeks of practice. See below for more details if you're interested. My older Frenchie, Pepe, graduated from beginners class before he turned one. He has a great personality but stubborn and always looking to have some fun with anyone/anything. He is almost 3 and I'm hoping to get him certified as a therapy dog to volunteer at hospitals etc. Pepe just completed Dorna's intermediate class. Dorna is very patient and her positive reward training method is very effective in both learning new behaviors and correcting old bad behaviors. Pepe has made great progress in the 5 week session and he even passed the canine good citizen exam in the last class which I didn't expect. This class was extremely helpful in getting him ready for the therapy dog certification. My younger Frenchie, Louis, is the sweetest and most loving dog 95 percent of the time. However he has leash aggression issue and wants to/tries to kill any other dog he sees during walks. When he sees a stranger dog he is almost "possessed" and ready to attack. It is stressful walking him and was impossible to socialize him as he's rough with other dogs at the beginning. He also gets his brother Pepe who is normally easy going all excited and nervous. After one private session with Dorna, I learned how to train Louis and within 2 weeks of practice I was able to keep him calm and focus on me within 5 to 6 feet of other dogs. We took another 1/2 hr session with Dorna to learn how to get closer and pass other dogs calmly. Louis has made great progress and ready to join the group intermediate class and hopefully some fun at the dog park! read more

We recently adopted an 8 month old puppy from the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter and I knew training was extremely important. I rushed and took my pup to Petco and I was disappointed with the techniques and the lack of engagement (even in a private training). My fiancé and I searched for other options until we stumbled upon Dorna in Yelp. We saw all the positive reviews and loved the blog/website she had and decided to contact her. She's very quick to respond to emails and other communication ... I knew we were already on the right path. Dorna is extremely calm, nice and most importantly great with dogs. We attended the 5 week basic class and learned so much! We have a better understanding of what we need to do with our pup to keep her safe and well mannered. The group was small - 4 dogs total and a mix of couples and single owners (just enough distraction to be effective which was great) ... We would practice the commands and behaviors after Dorna showed us an example of what to do with one of the 4 dogs. After we practiced she would go around and see how each of us were doing. At the end of the class she would take a moment to answer any questions we had. The most important thing is to take what you've learned in class and practice at home. I loved the fact that she would send out an email with everything (and more) of what she covered during the class ... This also included links to her website and videos. The cutest thing of all is our pup had a mini diploma and we took a picture with our little graduate ... It was icing on the cake. All of her training is positive reinforcement and we are very lucky to have found her. We can't wait until we do the intermediate class and a private session for crate training. If I could give 10 stars I would :D read more

Just an update for anyone wondering how the reactive dog training has come along. Kobi is definitely better about runners, bicyclists, motorcyclists, heavy trucks, male pedestrians, and large dogs! We're still working on skateboarders. I'm quite happy with the results and continue to work with Kobi on that. It just takes time and patience with the right tools! UPDATE 4/13 - We now can take Kobi and Cici to the Santa Monica park, have a picnic there, and walk up and down the park without problems from them! We would have NEVER dreamed that our reactive dog (Kobi) and skiddish dog (Cici) would be able to go out anywhere where there are crowds, other dogs, and things on wheels! I give my thanks to Dorna who gave me the tools to train Kobi. read more

We took our baby German Shepherd there for a 5 week training course. Dorna was very patient, very kind and definitely effective. She was very calm and was able to read the dogs very well. My little girl learned a lot from Dorna! She sits, stays, goes to her bed, waits and will leave food alone even if you put the treat ON her paws! Would definitely recommend Dorna, she sends our newsletters and reviews after every lesson, and will always answer any questions you may have. Amazing trainer! read more

A few months after bringing our rescue pup Ernie home, we realized that we needed an intervention. Our cute little mop of fur barked at everything that moved, didn't pay attention, and submissively rolled over and peed when given commands. We began the search for trainers and decided on Pawsitive feedback - Dorna even let me sit in on a class to make sure that it was the kind of class we were looking for. Some of the trainers I called seemed high strung and frankly a little crazy, but Dorna is super laid back and nice. The group class setup is great for puppies who are generally friendly but need a little socialization. Our class met every Saturday morning for 6 weeks, and each week we added some new activities and practiced old ones. Although Ernie already knew some of the basics (sit, lay down, etc.) I found that Dorna's techniques really helped him focus on me and listen to my commands. She also taught us some new activities that have really helped with day-to-day obedience, and is very open to answering dog-specific questions at each class. As with any dog training, the class is only a small portion of the package and you really need to keep up with the homework to stay on track and actually get the dog to learn. Dorna is very tech savvy and sends out weekly homework PDFs to remind us how to do the exercises. She also maintains a website and blog that is super helpful for product reviews and dog tips. If you can't decide whether dog class is for you, really consider Pawsitive Feedback. Although a lot of dog training exercises seem straightforward and simple when you read about them, practicing in class is immensely helpful. It is also super helpful to have an expert like Dorna there to answer questions and make sure you are giving your dog the right signals and responding to bad behavior correctly. This class has really re-inforced to me that positive training really can work, it just takes time (and a lot of treats)! read more

Dorna's style of training is very patient, calm, and stress free! I really like how patient Dorna is and I learned so much from just watching her example. We took her 6-week intermediate class and we noticed a "pawsitive" difference in our puppy's behavior towards other dogs and people we meet in the neighborhood. (Less jumping and more polite sitting). Our puppy is now doing an automatic sit for all kinds of things (treats, affection, cats, anything i have in my hand that she wants!). I really appreciate how Dorna keeps the size of the classes small as it ensures each dog gets much needed attention! Dorna always allows for questions/issues we might be having with our dogs after class which has helped us with all the questions we have as our puppy is starting to reach her 1 year mark. (feeding, behavioral questions, giving freedom at our home, etc) read more

We took two group classes with our English Cocker Archie and couple of private classes. Hands down she is amazing! What sold me is her calm demeanor and knowledge. She really knows how to communicate with dogs and most importantly dogs respond to her very well. I do believe that every dog owner should take a training class not only for their pets but for themselves. Our puppy did very well in both of her classes and we learn a lot about how to train and be good, and responsible dog owners. She's not cheap like Petco, but you get skills and truly an expert. Many times it's true that you get what you paid for and I never felt that Dorna is overpriced. She really knows her stuff! If you want to have a great dog, sign up for training with Dorna. read more

Dorna is great. Our dog Sunny is a recent rescue and very very very shy, so probably not at the best point in time for a lot of training, but the tips we got were very helpful, and I'm sure once Sunny comes out of her shell more, we'll be back for more. :} read more

Our vet recommended Dorna to us when we adopted a 16 month old German Shepherd. We completed her basic class and are starting the intermediate class tomorrow. Dorna is very calm, gentle and believes in giving dogs positive feedback and patience. She is wonderful with dogs and they seem to speak her language. Our dog picked up the training quickly and has been doing well. We look forward to continuing to train with Dorna. She is wonderful! read more

My husband and I rescued two dogs within a month of each other and quickly realized we were in need of a great, patient dog trainer. We found that in Dorna. She has worked closely with us over the past few months through somewhat trying times and her expertise is paying off. We love the positive training methods that she practices and our dogs have been very responsive to them. It's be amazing to see her work with our dogs, but she really focuses on teaching us, the humans, how to train our own dogs. She's very knowledgeable about dog behaviors and understands what makes them tick. We've had Dorna over for several one on one sessions and also participated in the group puppy class with our cattle dog puppy. The group class was great because she keeps it small enough that the dogs can stay focused and not be overwhelmed. The one on one sessions have been a really effective way to address behaviors that are specific to your home. She's incredibly professional and provides very thorough, articulate, step by step follow up documents after each session. We highly recommend Dorna and Pawsitive Feedback. read more

Dorna is fantastic and I highly recommend her! She is an extremely knowledgable, skilled expert in positive reinforcement dog training (some trainers say they train in this style but still use negative techniques. She is the real deal.). Positive reinforcement training makes complete sense--teach dogs positive behaviors rather than using negative disciplinary techniques (which still are common place such as yelling, pinch collars and pulling up on leashes). Dorna is gentle, patient and thorough in the training sessions. She also provides lots of useful additional materials on her website for viewing and reading. read more

Dorna is a total dog whisper. She was kind enough to allow my 3-year-old rescue join her puppy class, normally reserved for, you guessed it, puppies, as my dog has some aggression issues that, we learned from Dorna, is more anxiety-based. She was very patient and understanding of all the dogs in the class (only 4 pups, which allowed for ample 1-on-1 attention) and made sure the owners understood how to reinforce the behaviors learned in class by sending out weekly emails with tips on how to continue training outside the class. For anyone looking for an knowledgable and understanding dog trainer, I would highly recommend Dorna! read more

Dorna is a dog wizard. Her infinite patience and soothingly assertive disposition commands the respect of dogs regardless of age, size, or breed. We took our puppy in for obedience training, but finished the class with a better understand of our dog, and in turn, a stronger relationship with him. The word Alpha is usually associated with power, aggression, or physical dominance, but Dorna encompasses the word in a completely different way. She's not big by any means, but her body language is firm and confident. Her knowledge and experience are limitless; not only does she have an answer for every question, she'll expand on it and help you realize the depth of the behavior. Aside from the standard commands, Dorna personalized the lesson plan and catered to the needs of the class. Over the weeks we saw each puppy improve and mature significantly, and more importantly saw the owners making great strides in their personal relationships with their pets. Would definitely recommend Dorna's Pawsitive Feedback Training for any dog, any age, any level. She is a fantastic mentor and guide for every dog and owner. read more

My boyfriend and I rescued a German Shepherd/Rottie mix. We did Dorna's puppy training/socialization class with him starting around 10 weeks. We are both new dogs owners, so the class was just as (or even more?) useful to us as it was to our puppy. We had so many questions and were unsure about so many things, and Dorna was so helpful--often staying a bit after class to answer our questions and give us recommendations for good books to read, etc. I would highly recommend this course to anyone with a new puppy and especially to new dog owners. We're definitely planning to do her intermediate course once our puppy is a little older. read more

This woman has it all. Great looks, personality and amazing chemistry with animals. Which is probably why she left being a litigation attorney to follow her heart's passion. My dog, Dar Tagnon, an unruly 100 pound Alaskan Malamute, is putty in her hands. She is firm, not strict; keeps the dogs focused on the task at hand and I would HIGHLY recommend this amazingly talented woman to work with any dog she accepts. She has a rigorous interview; which allows her to analyze success ration and you know what..........my GINORMOUS MONSTER CHILD has really become a tame individual under her guidance....... I'm sure the crush he has on her dog helps...but.....she's amazing!! read more

This is our second time training a puppy with Dorna. And, yes, she is a dog whisperer. She is very knowledgable about dog behavior and this understanding informs everything she teaches in class. We love her insights into the world from a dog's perspective. That does not mean she teaches you to let your dog walk all over you. On the contrary. It helps you work with your dog more effectively because you have an understanding of your dog's perspective and what motivates your dog. We also love the her calm, "pawsitive" energy. It is wonderful for humans and dogs alike! Highly recommend her classes! read more

Dorna is amazing! We took our little Cauchy to see her in the puppy class. We have learned so much from her and other people notice how well-behaved our little girl is at the park. We also hired her to help Cauchy with the separation anxiety that she was having and she gave us great training tips and training procedures to follow. She is very thorough and also sends a follow-up email outlining everything that she went over the training. We definitely recommend her :) read more

We completed Dorna's 6 week Puppy Class and it was excellent. We found her on Yelp, and didn't realize how small and personal the classes would be. ONLY 4 puppies! We got a lot of one-on-one training and feedback. Dorna was patient with questions and demonstrating how to best handle your pup. She follows up each class with an email and handouts so you can work on the commands through out the week. I thoroughly enjoyed this class, and it's much better than say classes at the Zoom Room or the Pooch place in Beverly Hills (we tried both). We are looking forward to taking Dorna's Intermediate Class when our puppy reaches 9 months. read more

Dorna is absolutely wonderful with both dogs and people! I've witnessed her firsthand work her magic on a variety of dog issues. If traditional solutions were ineffective, she used her rich dog-training background to create her own effective solutions. Obviously, she is very knowledgeable about dog behavior and training, but even more impressive is her keen ability to read dogs and understand their psychology. She is patient, kind and her methods are very effective. I particularly appreciate the class policy that requires clean fecal tests so that dogs aren't passing parasites to each other in class. Small class size, a gifted instructor and wonderful results make Pawsitive Feedback Training a no-brainer. My pup absolutely LOVED going to class and the skills she learned have made her a happier and well-mannered little gal. Our taking the class together helped to even deepen our pup-owner bond. Thank you, Dorna! read more