We've had a fantastic experience working with Justine from Bark Busters m. She works with both our…read morepuppy and our 4-year-old dog together while still paying close attention to their individual needs and personalities. Her calm, knowledgeable approach makes the training easy to understand and practical to apply in our daily routine. We've already seen great progress with both dogs, and Justine does a great job explaining the "why" behind the training so we can stay consistent between sessions. She's reliable, encouraging, and clearly cares about helping both the dogs and their owners succeed. I highly recommend Justine and the Bark Busters program to anyone looking for thoughtful, effective in-home training.

Justine from Bark Busters came to my home for an initial lesson, and I paid $300. My dog Happy is a…read more4-year-old Maltipoo and a small dog. During that visit, Justine explained the Gold Lifetime program ($1,895) and said she would come to my home about every 2-3 weeks for continued training. Based on that explanation, I decided to purchase the program. However, the first session under the program lasted only about 30 minutes. When I asked about the next visit, Justine said future sessions would be done through FaceTime instead of in-home training. During the initial lesson, I clearly explained that Happy does not pull on the leash. Despite this, Justine brought a metal collar designed to prevent pulling and tried to put it on Happy, which was confusing and disappointing. I also explained that because Happy is a small dog, I wanted to learn proper heel training so he could walk safely beside me. Instead, Justine said it was fine for him to walk behind me. I do not feel this is safe for a small dog, as he could easily pick something up from the ground or encounter larger dogs from behind. As a result, I paid $1,895 but received only one 30-minute in-person session. My request for a partial refund or reassignment to another trainer was denied. I am sharing this experience so that other customers can fully understand the training approach and contract terms before committing. Clarification: The three-hour visit mentioned by the trainer, Justine, refers to the separate $300 initial lesson, which I paid for in advance and which actually lasted about 2.5 hours. The first session under the $1,895 Gold Lifetime program lasted about 30 minutes. Update: The owner responded claiming I "refused to book lessons." Attached are text screenshots proving the opposite. When I requested in-person visits every 2 weeks, the trainer replied: "I don't work that way" and offered only FaceTime instead. I did not refuse -- the trainer refused to provide the service I paid for.

My husband and I were first-time dog owners when we rescued Ziggy, a…read morehigh-energy Australian Cattle Dog with a lot of love and personality. We feel incredibly lucky that we found Brian. We were well-intentioned, but we didn't fully understand how to best meet Ziggy's needs or channel his energy. Brian's guidance was invaluable in teaching us how to raise a confident, well-adjusted dog and how to better understand what Ziggy was communicating to us. He helped us learn how to socialize Ziggy thoughtfully with other dogs, people, bikes, vehicles, animals, and all the stimulation that comes with everyday life. He also taught us how to recognize what was driving certain behaviors and how to respond in a way that helped Ziggy learn, build confidence, and develop good habits. Ziggy is now nine months old, and people constantly comment on how calm, social, and well-behaved he is--especially for such a young, high-energy dog. We credit so much of that to what Brian taught us. What makes Brian's program so unique is that he doesn't just train your dog--he teaches you how to understand and raise your dog. I genuinely believe our experience as first-time dog owners would have been very different without his guidance. We now have an incredibly happy, confident dog who plays well with others and fits beautifully into our lives. I could not recommend Brian more highly. Thank you, Brian, for everything.

TL;DR: The Way of the Dog is, quite literally, the best dog training experience in Los Angeles…read more Brian Lee is a pillar of the South Bay dog community. Across Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, and beyond, a surprising number of dog owners I've met have trained with him at some point -- and without exception, they speak highly of the experience. That reputation alone says a lot. What you get is not a typical obedience class. The program consists of five focused, no-nonsense behaviorist sessions grounded in a deep understanding of dog psychology, plus ongoing, supervised pack-socialization events (think structured dog parties, not chaotic dog parks). The emphasis is on how dogs think, not on rote commands. The training style is dense, unconventional, and unapologetically dogmatic -- in a good way. Brian does not start with commands. Instead, he teaches you to understand your dog as a born hunter with physical, mental, and social needs. Once you understand that framework, behaviors fall into place naturally. Watching him settle a dog mid-zoomie without a single command honestly looks like magic. If your goal is to teach tricks or formal commands, I'd recommend pairing this additionally with a balanced-method obedience school. I would not recommend "positive-reinforcement-only" programs like Zoom Room. In my experience -- and based on what I've seen firsthand -- that approach often fails in real-world situations. Many of the worst-behaved dogs I've encountered came out of those programs, including ours. So why listen to Brian? He has over 40 years of experience and has worked with more than 40,000 dogs. And in a time when "positive reinforcement only" has become the fashionable -- and often misleading -- default, The Way of the Dog is one of the few remaining programs that actually produces calm, stable, well-behaved dogs. We ended up here because Zoom Room training failed us badly. Our puppy was biting us so severely that I seriously considered rehoming her. This program changed everything. We learned how to be kind and strong leaders, how to meet our dog's core needs, and how to train both her and ourselves consistently -- especially through the very real chaos of the "teenage dog" phase. This business deserves five-star reviews across the board. If you look at the rare one-star reviews, they simply don't add up -- and Brian has already addressed them directly. Complaints about "teaching commands" are fake; and complaints about "fear-based training" miss the entire point of the program. Brian is direct, honest, and doesn't sugarcoat reality -- which is exactly what many people need, even if they don't want to hear it. In short, based on both my own experience and consistent feedback from other dog owners, our dog now behaves 10x better than most dogs we encounter -- calmer, more disciplined, and far less reactive. And yes, I'm officially a dog snob now. I have zero tolerance for poorly trained dogs at parks -- especially humping, biting humans, or owners who excuse bad behavior. Once you've seen what good training actually looks like, there's no going back.

Review #1017 2026-087…read more This is my go-to PetSmart when I adopted a Tabby kitten (Pepper) in 2006. After her passing, we brought home a Lynx Point Siamese kitten (that my cousin-in-law was spaying ferals in his neighborhood) last year & adopted a Birman cat from the Carson shelter. This store anchors the plaza with Walmart & Hobby Lobby, west of Del Amo Fashion Center. I started visiting PetSmart after I adopted our 1st fur baby, a 2-month old tabby, that was headed for euthanasia. She contracted tapeworms & had fleas, so I took her to a different pet store that was able to have her dewormed & give her a flea bath to clean her up as most places only work on dogs; I also purchased the initial necessary sleeping, food, & toy supplies there too. Since then, I've been coming to this PetSmart for about 2 decades. Prices are moderate - high, depending on the brand, & food & litter package size for kitten & cats. I can't comment on the other animal offerings. My cousin & his veterinarian wife were capturing the mother cats & their babies to spay/neuter them before the feral colony really got out of hand, & asked me if I was interested in adopting any. After a 1/2 year absence due to the passing of Pepper, we're back because we adopted a 5-week old feral Lynx Point Siamese in 2025 that we named Snow. This l'il stinker is soooooo adorable & intelligent. By the time she turned 3 months, she can sit, shake, & high 5 on command with treats that we got from PetSmart (= smart cat?). ;-) We've been lookin' for a friend for Snow earlier in this year, thinking she's bored at home & adopted this spring a beautiful Birman cat that's estimated to be 1 YO that we named Butter because he's melts your heart like buttah. He's not as quick as Snow to sit & shake, no high 5 for him, but I can sorta walk him on a leash. Also Pet"Smart?" Hehehe... Sometimes when I'm shopping with my son, he likes to wander around the live pets area, looking at the fishes (guppies, tetras, angelfishes), furry creatures (hamsters, guinea pigs), reptiles (bearded dragons, geckos, lizards), birds (parakeets, canaries). Last time he pulled me over to show their Glofish Assorted Sharks, Moonrise Pink Tetras, & Oranda Goldfishes. The staff here are friendly & helpful when you need something, though I don't usually see anyone on the floor because I'm visiting during low traffic hours like right after they open. The store is clean & well-stocked most of the time, though I have found their canned kitten/cat foods insufficiently stocked at times due to promotional discounts. I liked that PetSmart keeps its core loyalty program free with pretty competitive pricing on food & gear. And they offer high-value "x-multiplier" bonus points, particularly during holidays or targeted digital promotions, usually a 10x point deal that translates to 20% in savings! Rewards Tiers (annual spending requirement & earning rate/core perks): Member: free/$0 - $499; earns 10 pts/$1, member pricing, pet birthday treat. Bestie: $500 - $999; earns 12 pts/$1 (+2 bonus), early sale access, tier events. VIPP (Very Important Pet Parent): $1,000+; earns 14 pts/$1 (+4 bonus), holiday gift, top perks. I alternate between Petco & PetSmart, though I have to admit that I visit their competition a bit more due to their discounts & slightly better pricing on cat food & treats (e.g. Petco: Greenies $12.99, Science Diet Cat Food $35.99 vs. PetSmart: Greenies $13.89, Science Diet Dry Cat Food $36.99), & that they match their online discounts. However, they do have better prices on Science Diet wet food cans (e.g. $2.79 & $2.89 vs. Petco: $2.98). Though this time I was lured into PetSmart for their 30% discount on Science Diet & 20% on all cat food, treats, & meal toppers -- thanks! My fur babies love PureBites Minnow Freeze Dried Cat Treats & they're expensive as heck for only a couple of oz.! Greenies Adult Cat Dental Treats is another fav, better value than the minnows but pricier than regular treats. There's 2 wet cat food brands that they don't carry: Acana & Soulistic that I hope to see in the future. While finishing this review, I learned via Google AI Overview that PetSmart offers a highly lenient in-store price matching policy (comprehensive online price match), allowing you to bypass inflated shelf pricing by showing PetSmart's website or online competitors like Chewy.com & Petco.com. The cashiers will drop the price, & you can combine this matched price with active loyalty points for discounts. Has anyone tried this? If this is true, that would be awesome & more likely to shop here! Does PetSmart has "anything for pets?" I think they do... at least what my fur babies need at the moment: Science Diet cat food & their favorite PureBites minnows!!

I love the PetsHotel staff my dog comes often they're great!!…read more But DO NOT TRUST CATHY from the grooming department, I heard her talking crap and being aggressive to a dog she was grooming I reported it to the supervisor, poor doggie! She Definitely should not be near any animals with that type of aggression and attitude, wrong career evil, wicked and cruel!!!!

Tim, or as my doggies and I like to call him, "Mister Tim," is a lifesaver! His training works,…read moreand he's changed our lives for the better. If your dog's behavior is causing you stress or worry, call Tim today. He's the perfect person to help you. My doggie was found on the street when she was little and had scratches and scars as a puppy from being beaten up by other dogs. She understandably had a lot of fear aggression toward other doggos. When I got her when she was 6 months old, she would bark, lunge, and generally act like the apocalypse was coming every time we saw another doggo on leash. It got to the point where I dreaded walks with her. We found Mister Tim on Yelp, and he started helping us. He was quick to respond, always on time, and easy to schedule appointments with. As a single woman, he always made me feel safe, and was always professional. He came up with techniques to help us that were specific to my dog, not generic stuff that you find on YouTube. He was also so understanding and gentle with my pup. He quickly became one of her favorite humans. We took lessons with Mister Tim on and off for about 5 months. 2 years later, my pup is able to walk, sit, heel, and interact with other dogs on-leash in a calm and safe way. We get compliments from strangers multiple times a day on how well-behaved she is. What she has learned has even transferred to her interactions with other animals, like the cats at her pet sitter's house. What I find most important is that the things Tim taught us continue to be helpful, and my doggie continues to improve over time. At this point, her behavior is way better than anything I ever thought I could expect of her. Thank you, Mister Tim, for helping us!

We had such a wonderful experience with Tim during Coco's 10-day Advanced Obedience training! From…read morethe very beginning, Tim was kind, experienced, patient, and genuinely caring with Coco. Because of his calm and positive approach, Coco was always excited whenever it was time for his lessons. Since the training was done privately in our home, we were also able to see how attentive and happy Coco was whenever Tim came through the door. He also helped Coco learn how to behave appropriately and interact with other dogs at the park. Before his training, Coco was often scared and hesitant whenever we took him to the park. Now he is more confident around other dogs. Seeing that change has been amazing for us! We are very grateful to Tim for his patience, expertise, and dedication to Coco. You can truly tell that he loves what he does and understands dogs very well. We highly recommend Tim to anyone looking for an experienced, professional, patient, and compassionate dog trainer. We couldn't be happier with Coco's progress! Thank you, Tim, for helping our little Coco become a more confident and well-behaved dog!

It's not the same store it used to be. When I asked for a trash can to throw away my cup, they said…read moreno. I also asked to use the restroom and was told no. They no longer carry the Instinct brand of dog food I've bought here for years. The staff doesn't seem very knowledgeable either. It's hard to understand why the prices are so high when the service is this poor.

Love this place. Great customer service and friendly staff…read more Good variety of cat/dog food. Good toys and treats. Easy store to navigate with clear signage. Recommend it.

Highly recommend Zoom Room Torrance for training your puppy/dog! We've been taking classes there…read moresince Nov 2025, when our pup, Astro, turned 4mo. Astro (as well as my husband and I) have enjoyed and benefitted from all the classes we've taken (Puppy Training, Puppy Agility, Obedience). The training content and methods are logical and effective (especially if you put in extra time outside of the classes). One of the most beneficial aspects is taking the class with other dogs, people, and distractions nearby. The staff is incredibly kind and knowledgable. We also love the flexibility of booking classes around our busy schedule.

Everything! The nicest most efficient methods of training for owners and everyone has a great time!!read more

Our 5 month old labradoodle, Maverick just completed his puppy kindergarten course with Mr. Chang…read moreand we have had such a wonderful experience that we decided to continue sending him to daycare here twice a week. Our pup loves his teacher and his pup mates and comes home so happy and tired! He has learned several new commands and bites/lunges way less in just a few short weeks of training! I highly recommend Torrance Dog Training to anyone with a pup who needs a new or refresher course on obedience.

This is a long overdue review but want to thank Torrance Dog Training and their wonderful staff for…read moretaking my new puppy Oliver starting 5 + years ago and turning him into a well-socialized, well-behaved, trained dog who continues to be an absolute delight. Their very well-structured program with appropriate owner follow up really made a difference. I can take him anywhere and he's always well-behaved. I have since found a day care place a little closer to home he still misses going to play with his puppy friends.

The Puppy Academy in Hermosa Beach has been crucial in my family's journey in raising a puppy. We…read morehave a Doberman Pinscher puppy who started at the Puppy Academy around almost 3 months old. They built a structured routine for our puppy which set the perfect foundation for good habits and positive behavior. Our puppy learned many things from commands such as sit, stay, proper walking, come here, lay down, place, house. I think the most important thing built though was the potty training and the socialization provided. Puppies NEED early socialization to develop into confident and friendly dogs. We have happy to see our puppy grow (and still growing) into a friendly, brave "teenager" puppy. Friendly play style! A Doberman is a high energy and demanding dog breed. Normally I would train our puppy fully on my own as I did with prior Dobermans I had in the past, but due to demanding work hours and obligations, I am so grateful for the opportunity The Puppy Academy provided during these critical socialization and learning periods. They train and interact with the puppy all day until I pick him up after work. Then I can continue with following their training methods throughout our time at home and on the weekends. It made it so easy! I wish I had the Puppy Academy all along for my prior dogs too. I'm impressed with the friendly staff and how well they did with our puppy! Even though our puppy has completed the program and graduated, we have still seen ease with the teenager/adolescent phase and training on our own again because of all the Puppy Academy set up for us. Thank you!!

We absolutely love Puppy Academy! We quickly realized we needed as much training as Moose did!…read moreThey've taught us so much about dog behavior and how to help him succeed at home. We've seen such a difference in his manners and confidence. Worth every penny--I highly recommend them!

They have a new groomer here! I love that I can leave my dog here for the day and that she is well…read morecared for. In addition to that, they have a new groomer, Erick, that has bathed her a couple times and also does fur cuts. We have been having issues with burrs in our backyard getting stuck in her curly fur (she is a goldendoodle) and he took care of that for me. Now we are set for the summer, and I don't have to worry about digging out burrs on a daily basis. This service makes it so convenient for our family. Plus: Convenient, knows what he is doing, reasonable cost Cons: can't think of any.

5 STARS FOR OUR AMAZING TRAINER JOSH…read more 1 STAR FOR CORPORATE LEAVING US WITH ABRUPT ANNOUNCEMENT OF CANCELLED TRAINING SESSIONS. We had an absolutely amazing experience with Josh as Daisy's trainer, and we truly cannot say enough wonderful things about him. Josh was not just a dog trainer to us--he became someone we trusted, someone who understood our family, and someone who genuinely cared about Daisy and her success. From our very first session, Josh took the time to truly understand Daisy. He learned her personality, her behaviors, her challenges, and our family's concerns. He never judged us or made us feel like Daisy was a "bad dog." Instead, he was patient, compassionate, knowledgeable, and encouraging. He made us feel like we were finally on the right path. Having Josh come to our home made such a huge difference. He was able to work with Daisy in the environment where she actually lives and help us learn how to handle situations as a family. He didn't just train Daisy he trained and educated us as her family too. He always listened to our concerns, answered our questions, and made sure we understood what we could do at home to continue helping her. After only FOUR sessions with Josh, we saw an incredible difference in Daisy. She learned so much in such a short amount of time. Most importantly, she was finally able to coexist with our 3-year-old child and 7-year-old child in a way that we had struggled to achieve before. Now our children love Daisy, they play with her, and we are able to see them building a bond with her. Watching that transformation has meant so much to our family. Josh cared about Daisy like she was more than just another dog he was assigned to train. He genuinely celebrated her progress, understood when she was struggling, and always treated her with patience and kindness. You could tell that he truly cared about both Daisy and our family. We felt comfortable with him, we trusted him, and Daisy trusted him--and that trust is incredibly important when working with a rescue dog. Unfortunately, after our fourth session, we were informed that the company had decided to cut their Dog training program and that Josh would no longer be able to continue training Daisy. We were honestly extremely upset and disappointed. I feel that the company should have allowed us to complete the remaining six sessions of Daisy's training with Josh. We had finally found someone who was willing to understand Daisy, work with her, and help our family. It took a lot for us to get to this point, and stopping her training halfway through felt incredibly discouraging, leaving us out of the dark and what we were going to do next. By that point, we had built a relationship with Josh, and Daisy had built a relationship with him as well. Starting over with someone new after finally finding someone we trusted was very difficult for us. We wish the company had taken that relationship and Daisy's specific circumstances into consideration before making the decision to stop her training with Josh. The most frustrating part is that we were finally seeing the results we had been hoping and working so hard for. Daisy was learning. Our children were becoming comfortable with her. Our family was learning how to better communicate with and understand her. And Josh had become an important part of that progress. Although Daisy's training with Josh has unfortunately stopped, we are incredibly grateful for everything he accomplished with her in just four sessions. He gave Daisy a chance to succeed, and he gave our family confidence that we could help her become the happy, well-adjusted dog we knew she could be. Josh is truly an amazing trainer and an incredible person. His patience, compassion, knowledge, and genuine care for the animals and families he works with are very special. We just wish Doggieland had allowed us to complete the remaining six sessions with Josh. After everything our family and Daisy had been through, we finally found someone who understood her and helped her thrive. Four sessions made such a tremendous difference in our family's life, and we can only imagine how much more progress Daisy could have made if she had been able to finish the full program with Josh. Thank you, Josh, for everything you have done for Daisy and for our family. We will always be grateful that you were the person who helped us see just how much potential our Daisy had.

Mikel is an awesome trainer within the Karma Dog system. He was always on time, went above and…read morebeyond, and really took a nuanced approach to your dog ensuring that your dog was receiving the personal training it needs. He provided us with strategies to help her walking etiquette, jumping/over excitement when people entered the home, and how to have them be okay at restaurants or busier public areas. If you are in the LA area, I would highly recommend asking/hiring him.

We truly cannot say enough amazing things about Kelli! Our Australian Shepherd, Briggs, has been…read moretraining with her for the past month, spending five days a week with her and coming home to us on the weekends, and the difference we've seen in him has been incredible. His behavior, manners, and overall demeanor at home have improved so much, and we feel like we have learned a ton along the way too. Beyond being an amazing trainer, what has meant the most to us is how much Kelli genuinely cares about Briggs. She treats him like he's her own, and any time he has had even the smallest health issue, she is always the first to check in, follow up, and make sure he's doing okay. It gives us so much peace of mind knowing he is with someone we completely trust and who truly loves and cares for him. Kelli has been so lovely to work with, and we feel incredibly lucky to have found her. We would recommend her to anyone looking for someone who is not only an incredible dog trainer, but someone who genuinely cares about the dogs she works with. It also helps that Briggs absolutely loves her!