Shannon and Sierra's home board and train model offers security and a sense of relaxation where…read moreyour furry friend can be taught. They try to tailor their teaching to the individual pet, will take notes ahead of time on what you hope to accomplish, and do their best to ensure that progress is made for you and your furry family! My puppy came back crate trained and less timid around other dogs which is a blessing.

Wow! Wanted to give a much needed update !…read more Shortly after I wrote my previous review my spouse and I decided to just push forward with training and board as our pup was completely out of control and tried snapping at a family member's hand. Our dog came back calm, orderly, and OBEDIENT! After a month long stay and many many wonderful updates multiple times per week we are confident he has made at least a 90% improvement on his bad behaviors and is able to calmly behave not only around us but his reactivity to other dogs has made a tremendous improvement. Shannon and Sierra are STELLAR! I'd also like to mention they did a home drop off for us (since I'm still heavily pregnant) and spent over an HOUR with my husband and I going over all of the new things he has learned + even took a walk with us in the neighborhood to address another issue we had with reactivity. We were left with a sheet of all his new & enforced behaviors to keep track of along with super chewer toys and treats. Excellent, excellent, excellent experience with this team and I highly recommend anyone who needs this service to pull the trigger and go for it! You will not regret your decision!

Cara is excellent training your dog. She is very knowledgeable and very patient. Has great methods…read morethat does not include a shock dog collar. I would highly recommend her!

I can't recommend Cara enough! From the very first session, it was clear that she truly understand…read moredogs and their behavior. Cara took the time to assess my puppy's individual needs and developed a training plan with the goal of forming a strong relationship with my dalmatian, Ruth. Cara was incredibly patient, calm, and encouraging. Check out her YouTube videos to get Cara's vibe for traning and see if her apporach works for you. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, we were not able to complete our eight-week training plan, but Cara was completely understanding and refunded me for the remaining sessions. I was beyond grateful that she was so understanding of situation. Cara has a genuine love for animals, and it shows in every interaction. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, kind, and results-driven dog trainer, look no further. I'm so grateful for the transformation in my dog's behavior (even in the short time we spent training together) and I would recommend Cara for anyone struggling to train their dog basic obedience, or develop a relationship with their new puppy, and much more!

**Life-Changing. Truly.**…read more I don't write reviews lightly and I especially don't write emotional ones--but Bark Busters of San Diego quite literally gave me my life back. For years, I lived in silence and stress. I couldn't leave my home without my dogs barking, howling, scratching at their crates, and spiraling into panic. The mouth watering alone was enough to break me. So instead, I stayed home. I adjusted my life around their anxiety. I suffered quietly because I loved them and didn't know what else to do. Until one day I broke down completely. I realized this wasn't living not for me, and not for them. We deserved calm. We deserved peace. We deserved to live our "best" lives and this wasn't it. Some people complain in reviews that dog training "doesn't work." Let me be very clear: anxiety whether in humans or dogs is not something you fix by checking a box. A true behavioral therapist understands one thing above all else, "awareness". Anxiety comes from surroundings and perceived safety. The work is learning how to respond and create calm and that takes consistency. I spent three straight weeks training four hours a day, every single day. I cried. I doubted myself. I wanted to quit. But I followed the Bark Busters program exactly as taught--daily simulations, real-world scenarios, repetition, and patience. And then something incredible happened. My dogs slept. They relaxed. They trusted. Today, I can leave my home and my dogs are calm, quiet, and peacefully sleeping, knowing I'm coming back. Visitors come and go with ease. My 9- and 6-year-old Maltipoos are relaxed, confident, and happy. And so am I. Here's the truth people don't want to hear, there is no magic pill. There is no shortcut. The training never "ends" because leadership and love are lifelong commitments. And honestly? That's the gift. Once it becomes part of your daily life, it feels natural. I walk more. The cuddles are calmer. I'm no longer being climbed on out of anxiety I'm being loved in peace. And about the cost? Think about it. You've already spent more on multiple trainers, treats, wasted time, emotional exhaustion, and a very unhappy household. Bark Busters' training is guaranteed for life. If you move. If life changes. If new challenges come you're supported. That matters more than people realize. Justin and his team are beyond words. Compassionate. Honest. Direct. They don't just train dogs, they train families. Value your pet's life. Value the short, precious time we get with them. Happiness--for everyone in the home is worth the work.

I'm updating my original 6-month review now that it has been a full year since we hired Bark…read moreBusters to help with our rescue dog Mimi. As first-time dog owners, the early support really did help us. Having someone we could call during those overwhelming first months was a relief. Over time, though, I realized I was hoping the training would shift toward more positive reinforcement. The constant, harsher corrections worked at first but eventually didn't seem effective anymore and started affecting my relationship with Mimi. I noticed this during a family trip where Mimi, who is usually fearful of strangers, bonded more easily with my husband and his family. She gravitated toward them when scared, and I realized it might be because they weren't following the correction-heavy approach, while I was. I also asked for help with Mimi's fear and reactivity toward other dogs, but was told they didn't have dogs available for training and that I would need to bring a calm, socialized dog myself. As a non-trainer, that was very hard, but we tried by traveling many hours to introduce her to my husband's family dog. The experience ended up being chaotic since the family didn't fully understand what the process required, and new people and dogs kept appearing even though Mimi wasn't ready. Her reactivity came back in that environment, which made me feel like the training had only put a bandaid on deeper fear issues. Maybe I should have clarified expectations better from the start, but with a high-need dog and being new to all of this, I didn't know what to expect. Since then, we've switched to a positive reinforcement trainer who organizes structured group activities. Mimi is still scared of bigger dogs and can still be reactive, but she's improving slowly and has been able to meet a few smaller dogs. She's also still fearful of people, but she nips a lot less now, so progress is happening. Overall, Bark Busters helped us in the beginning, but long-term we found that a different, more positive approach has been a better fit for Mimi.

I cannot sing the praises of Michelle enough! When Monty returned from two weeks of Board and…read moreTrain with Michelle, he was a changed dog. He's not just a calmer dog, he's a CALM dog. We've had no out-of-control barking incidents; he can be tethered and remain quiet. He's very good on walks, moving from "heel" to "break" and back to "heel" again. He's very responsive to the "off" command, which we use primarily to keep him off the furniture and out of the kitchen. Last week we had friends over for dinner and after his initial excitement he was a good boy, lying nearby content and chewing on a bone. We even attended the Humane Society Walk for Animals at Kit Carson Park, and with hundreds of dogs and people and non-stop activities, he was again a very well-behaved boy. We are so appreciative of the work that Michelle did with Monty. He is now the dog we always hoped he would be - happy, well-behaved, and living his best life!

One year after Chewie's training with Cosmo K-9 Obedience, it's clear that Chewie has great respect…read morefor his trainer! The moment Chewie saw Chris, he recognized him and greeted him with such joy! Minding his manners of course. He's too smart to behave like a brat in front of his trainer. I recently reached out to Chris for advice on redirecting Chewie when greeting people since he sometimes forgets his manners and has no sense of personal space. Chris took the time to demonstrate effective techniques and offered practical solutions I'll be implementing right away. Chewie and I are incredibly grateful for Chris's continued support and the excellent training from Cosmo K-9 Obedience. Chewie has come a long way. I can't image life without the professional guidance and support from Costco K-9 Obedience.

Camp Run a Mutt is a gem!! Letting the dogs play together all day, plenty of workers to keep an…read moreeye on everything, and then sleepovers without cages - yes, please!! Best place ever. Our 5 month old boxer had a blast there on his first stay away from home. Love how there are cameras to see what your pup is up to while you're away. Really caring staff and well run business. And super reasonable prices. Really big fan. Will be back soon!!

Miranda (groomer) has been grooming our bichons for almost a year. She has absolutely met and…read moreexceeded all of our expectations. We couldn't ask for a better job to be done. The staff was extremely polite, cheerful and helpful. Most importantly our dogs are happy to see Miranda. Thank you!

Shout out to K9's Doggy Day Care and Boarding! Luke and…read moreMaggie May are always so excited to go play with their canine buddies--it's truly their favorite place! The entire K9 team is absolutely amazing and clearly love our dogs as much as we do. Play time is the best time, and I always know they've had a blast because they come home completely "dog" tired (the best kind of tired!). Thank you so much for loving and caring for our fur babies like family. We're so grateful! Highly recommend!!!

I took my buddy Hoss for training. He is a Bullmastiff and was what I called aggressively…read morefriendly.... He could not control his love for people.... He jumped on people scratched and was a crazy big guy.... After two weeks I was shocked at how he changed... night and day. He is now a controllable very friendly guy. They turned him from a crazy ball of energy... to a wonderful family member. He even obeys our granddaughter who is 7 when she tells him to go to his place

Nikki is amazing. She took me and my 3YO dachshund - neither of whom had ever stepped foot on…read moreagility course - and turned us into competitors in the agility space. We are so happy that we started our training with Nikki, who is kind and patient, while also pushing us to be a competitive team while running. That means that we're not only taking home ribbons, but also bonding and having a blast on the course. Dash LOVED attending Nikki's classes; he was always so excited to run, and the courses Nikki put together were always fun and exciting while also being accessible to dogs of all skill levels. We loved training with Nikki, and if she was still in our area, we would 100% still be training with her. Because of her guidance and support, I'm a better handler and Dash is a happier dog, and we're both having a ton of fun together. Don't hesitate, try out these classes. Guarantee it will be a memorable experience.

I cannot recommend Nikki enough when it comes to dog training. Before I started training with…read moreNikki, I was seriously considering rehoming (giving back to the original rescue) my dog as I felt ill-equipped and completely lost with his behaviors. I genuinely believe that if it wasn't for Nikki, my dog would likely not be alive right now as he probably would have been marked for behavioral euthanasia. Nikki saved my mental health and saved my dog Waldo. I hold immense gratitude for all of the help she has provided us. Nikki exemplifies what it means to be an expert in the field: her methods are evidence-based & she is always staying up-to-date with the most relevant information available. I found Nikki when researching private agility lessons for my reactive dog. While I never had any intentions of performing, I knew that my high-energy dog, Waldo, would benefit greatly from learning new experiences and confidence building. The first time Waldo and I met Nikki, I knew I wanted to work with her. She wasn't phased by his loud barking or lunging. Nikki immediately started guiding me on ways I can change my posture & breathing as well as informing me what Waldo's body language was telling her. After just one session, we discovered his reactive behaviors were actually fear-based (not solely aggression-based as other trainers had led me to believe). Then came the hard part: the (unintentional) reinforcement of these behaviors that I had caused due to my own ignorance. Nikki was realistic about progress and the time it would take. She won't lie or cut corners to tell you what you want to hear. It was her honesty and humility that had me sold. I only saw Nikki once a week with Waldo, but after working with her for almost 2 years we saw SO much progress. Waldo is much more confident in high-stress situations. I have a full tool kit of tricks I can use inside as well as outside the house. The training never stops when you leave the session! Nikki taught me so much about reactivity & threshold. That training has to happen when they are below threshold!! She doesn't assign morality to dogs. I remember saying "Waldo is a bad dog and I don't know what to do with him" and she gently corrected me by saying "Waldo is not a bad dog, he is A DOG and he is scared. What we have to do is show him that he doesn't have to be scared and that takes time & trust." We were able to slowly work our way up to having Nikki approach Waldo without a fearful response. And eventually even had Waldo take treats from her hand and respond to her giving him commands. AND THEN, we were able to have Waldo in the same space as Nikki's dog Charm. Charm was so unbothered by Waldo's barking it was honestly a comedic relief. Charm lives up to her name. She is a beautiful, smart and oh-so sweet dog. Just having neutral // positive interactions around another dog was vital to Waldo's success and confidence building. Also, knowing that Nikki trusted me and Waldo to be able to interact with Charm after we spent so much time in 1:1 training helped MY confidence as well. I learned sooo much from Nikki, I could probably write a book just singing her praises. While I was devastated when I found out she was moving, knowing that she is going to continue educating dog owners and offering these valuable training lessons helped lessen the tears. Everyone in my life that knows Waldo has seen long-lasting, impactful changes in his behavior. And all of the praise goes to Nikki and her techniques! Come to Nikki with an open-mind and a willingness to learn. She very well could change your life for the better, the way that she did mine (and Waldo's!).

We hired Dogs on the Run to have our dog be part of our wedding day in June 2025, and I truly…read morecannot recommend them enough!! Especially our handler, Misty! From the very beginning, Misty was incredible. She carved out time weeks before the wedding for us to meet each other and talk about our dog's (Louie) temperament, our expectations, and the full game plan for the big day. It gave us so much peace of mind knowing she was prepared and genuinely cared about making everything go smoothly. On the wedding day, she was amazing. She arrived early to the Airbnb and was able to get used to walking and handling Louie. She walked Louie down the aisle, handled him and helped him greet guests during the ceremony and cocktail hour, and kept everything completely stress-free for us. She kept us updated via text throughout the day, and when it was time to drop him back off at our Airbnb in the evening, she sent photos and updates so we knew he was settled and happy. She even left us the sweetest wedding gift, which was such a thoughtful touch. Misty was kind, professional, organized, and clearly loves what she does. We are SO grateful for her and would absolutely book Dogs on the Run again. Highly, highly recommend!

We contacted DOTR for dogsitting at our home. We were called back within an hour. All communication…read morewith DOTR & Phoenix, the sitter, have been timely and affable. Phoenix connected with our dog immediately when she came to interview. That hasn't always been the case with our dog. We had to cancel our reservation due to unforeseen circumstances. We will definitely keep DOTR & Phoenix on our list for future dates.