Joel with Sally's Way Dog Services has been outstanding to work with. We brought Bruin, our puppy, to Joel a few months ago, and the transformation has been massive -- from basic obedience all the way through e-collar training and long-line recall. Joel doesn't just teach commands; he teaches you how to think about training, so you actually understand the "why" behind every step and can keep building on it long after the sessions end. He's patient, communicative, and clearly cares about the dogs and families he works with -- always available for questions and genuinely invested in Bruin's (and our) success. If you're looking for a trainer who delivers real, lasting results, we could not recommend Joel more highly. read more

Joel is amazing. When we started, our mini Goldendoodle puppy was adorable--but completely untrained on the leash, hated the crate, and was nervous about almost everything new. Within a few week of working with Joel, we saw an incredible transformation. He didn't just train our dog--he trained us too. We learned how to read her body language, she learned our commands, and we now use games as a training tool!. Walks that used to be stressful are now enjoyable, and our puppy actually sleeps in her crate at night, with the door open! The improvement in her confidence and calmness has been amazing. Thank Joel, can't wait to see you for her next session. read more

I can't say enough good things about Joel! He is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and truly understands canine behavior. He tailored the training to my new puppy's needs and gave us clear, practical tips that actually work. If you're looking for a trainer who gets it and genuinely cares, this is the one. Highly recommend! read more

I am so thankful for Joel and his training. I learned so much from him and my dog has gained so much confidence. Thanks again! read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Dog - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Joel is amazing. We adopted a 9yr old dog who had come from an awful hoarding situation. When our pup came home, she was fearful, leash reactive, and aggressive when scared. We started working with Joel, and he was patient, knowledgeable and obviously passionate about what he does. He was able to teach us the tools and methods we needed to connect with and train our pup. She is a completely different dog today. She is confident, loving and great on a leash, it's wonderful. Thank you, Joel! read more

5 stars is not enough to rate Joel (Sally's Way) and the magical work he did with our foster Trevor (now happily adopted and named Baloo). He gets a whole starry starry night for helping Baloo with his leash reactivity and introduction to his new sister Nala. A success story - it's outcome only possible thanks to the knowledge, kindness and patience of this supero thats walks around without his cape! read more

Are you looking for a dog whisperer? You're in the right spot. Joel, owner of Sally's Way, is just that! Our three dachshunds love their afternoon walks and we're trained in the process. We enjoyed getting photo updates on their IG stories as well. Their behavior went from being difficult to Westminster material. Kid you not. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself, your dog(s) will thank you. read more

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Joel and Sally's Way Dog Services is the best dog training around the DC area! Joel's training methods were essential in raising a puppy. He invests in each relationship with the pup and their owner, which then tailored the best approach in training. Gus, our pup, also loves working with Joel and we're so happy we had his support. Thank you Joel! read more

Joel and Luisa are absolutely incredible! Not only do they love dogs as much as I do and treat my pup like their own, they are very experienced in walking and training of all dog personality type. They will quickly take away any ounce of hesitation you may have about leaving your pup for a weekend away and send copious updates and pictures of your doggo having probably a better time then you are. I have a 6 year old lab that was bit a few years ago in doggie day care, and struggles with leash aggression due to the incident. They work with him on socializing and walking and being part of their pack, which is something he lacks now with not being able to do overly crowded day cares or dog parks. After a few weekends with these two, Winston has improved immensely! They are such genuine caring people and I I cannot recommend them more if you're in the DMV area!! read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

There is no magic bullet or miracles when it comes to dog training. However, Sally's Way owner's Joel and Luisa are about as close as you can come. My recent rescue had a terrible issue with traffic and living in the DMV there was really no escaping it every time we went outside. This had gotten so bad I was really beginning to worry I wasn't going to be Sherman's furever home. So much so I reached out to the shelter for help to see what I could do. In steps Sally's Way Dog Services. Just a few hours after calling, Joel and Luisa were at my house and evaluating Sherman's issue with traffic. During that first session, Joel was able to pinpoint the problem and we were able to even see some progress (however small) during that first walk. Now that we've been through a few sessions, both Sherman and I look forward to our daily walks instead of being filled with dread. At the end of the day, if you're looking for a local company, a trainer with a deep understanding of the dog's brain, and a true partner in training when it comes to your pet, you absolutely won't find anyone better than these two! read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Sherman working on "place" - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I've had odd and uncomfortable experiences with dog trainers in the past so meeting with Joel and Luisa was a big breath of fresh air for this nervous dog mom. Their response time was quick and they were able to fit us in for evaluation within the next few days. I wanted to learn what we as dog parents needed to do to help our nervous dog Yuna and they spent 1.5 hours with us. We did not feel rushed or unheard. We walked around our neighborhood and also did house work and the answered all questions. We look forward to participating in some of their amazing pack walks and also having another session at my in laws house so the whole family can learn from the Diaz's. By the end of the evaluation session Yuna was so comfortable she was sleeping while we asked questions. read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Sally's Way Dog Services is a game changer! My advice to you is, hire Joel! Joel helps my daughter and me with puppy training for our 5-month-old pitbull, Niko. It has been 3 months now and each session Joel blows my mind with some gem that amazes me with its effectiveness and simplicity. After each session, he follows up and reminds us not to hesitate to reach out if anything comes up in between sessions. Joel has such positive energy while training, that you cannot help but embrace his energy. His knowledge and experience of dog behaviors and problem solving is extensive and I am convinced that he can fix any behavior issues that an owner is experiencing. Joel is caring, professional and skilled at seeing what is needed to help dogs and owners succeed in their relationship. Thank you so much Joel! We appreciate you, and the commitment you have towards Niko's progress! read more

We have been a part of Sally's Pack for 3+ years now and I truly feel like Joel and Luisa are a part of our family. We called Joel when we adopted our dog, George in 2018 from a shelter that told us he was "dog selective". The shelter made us really scared about his behavior and he's 100+lbs so we were afraid of what could happen if we didn't do what we could to help him adjust to his new life. From the moment we interviewed Joel I knew immediately that this was the company we were going to use to help George. Fast forward 3 years, George is the snuggliest, calmest, friendliest dog ever!!! I'm so grateful that Joel and Luisa taught us best practices when we are on walks on the weekend and come across dogs we don't know. They have truly become a part of our family, sharing our highs and our lows and birth of our son. They were always a text away when I had questions on how to handle their interactions. Now they are nearly inseparable and we owe it all to Sally's Way! read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - George with his best friends Joel and Luisa! - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I could not recommend Sally's Way Dog Services enough. Joel is 100% committed to training, walking, and creating a connection with your loved one. I have watched this business grow from when it first started until now. I had the honor of meeting his first client (who was a crazed puppy) and have seen her grow into a well behaved dog; you wouldn't believe it. It takes a certain type of person to hold this job. Joel is patient, welcoming, and fair. If you're feeling at your wits end, or just don't have the time to give your loved one the attention s/he needs, then please do not hesitate to give Joel a call. Joel will not disappoint! read more

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I cannot praise Sally's Way Dog Training Services highly enough. You only allow a rating of up to five stars. If I could, I would give Sally's Way Dog Training Services one hundred stars on your scale of one to five stars, and I sincerely mean that. Joel Diaz and his wife, Luisa, own Sally's Way Dog Training Services. Joel, Luisa and Sally's Way Dog Training Services have done an outstanding, a truly superb job, of training our dog. Moreover, dog training is only one of many services that Sally's Way Dog Training Services provide, and my wife and I have availed ourselves of all of these services. Joel Diaz and Sally's Way provided our dog with basic training in a host of areas, as well as training her on an E-Collar. In fact, Joel advised me on the most effective E-Collar to purchase, and I am glad that I followed his advice, because we have been extremely happy with the E-Collar that we purchased. When I first observed our dog after completing its E-Collar service, I was beyond amazed. She had learned to seat, heal, and obey all manner of commands. Joel had worked with her one-on-one to obey a wide variety of obedience commands and accomplish all manner of tasks. Subsequently, he worked extensively with both me and our dog, showing me how to use the E-Collar to teach our dog to sit, heal, answer recall commands, cease unwanted behaviors and perform all manner of other tasks. Following Joel's guidance, using this E-Collar, I have been able to take our dog off leash when and where permitted,to run play, romp and have all kinds of fun. This training and the E-Collar have enabled the dog and me to bond even more closely, as well as enjoying each other's company even more. Joel, Luisa and Sally's Way Dog Training Services does not merely provide dog obedience training. On the contrary, Joel, Luisa and their company also board dogs and hold "pack walks" three or more times a week, provide us advice on what to do when our dog has health- or digestive related issues, how to interpret her behavior, how to bond ever more closely with her, and how to make her feel like an integral part of our family. Joel advised us on what dog food to buy for her, how often to feed her and how often. He advised us on what crate to buy her and how to best use the crate in insuring her happiness and contentment, give her a "safe space," and a good night's rest every night. Early on, after obtaining our dog, I busted up my leg pretty badly and was unable to care for our dog for some weeks. Joel and Luisa boarded her, fed her, and she lived side-by-side with them, their two wonderful dogs and their small child. She had so much fun living with them, I was almost afraid that she would not want to return to living with us. However, this experience helped socialize her and make her feel more comfortable when she is in the company of adults, babies and small children, and dogs. Generally speaking, she loves people, dogs and children, absolutely doting on babies and tots. Thankfully, when she returned to us upon my recuperation, she was thrilled to be back home, although she looks forward to seeing Joel, Luisa, their dogs and small child. That is an understatement, to say the least. She loves her pack walks and loves spending time with Joel's family. To really understand how much I value Joel and Sally's Way Dog Training Service, I need to recount our trials and tribulations when our new dog, a rescue dog, arrived on our door step. She was a scared, nervous dog. She had been removed from s rescue center in Moline, Kansas, and transported by van with numerous other dogs to Alexandria, Va. This was a traumatic experience for her. The first night we had her, she seemed also like a combat veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She was panting, nervous, pacing around, jumping up on us and sending us all manner of signals that we did not understand or know how to interpret. She defecated twice and urinated once within the first couple of hours that we had her. However, this was not her fault. We simply did not understand what she was communicating to us. In other words, that she desperately need to "go out" and "do her business." I had discovered the existence of Joel's company, Sally's Way Dog Training Service, and I knew that Joel lived in our apartment complex. I had informed Joel earlier in the month that we were acquiring a new dog and might need help with her, as soon as she arrived. Joel told us that we could call him anytime, day or night. He was true to his word. We frantically called Joel the first night that our new dog spent with us, and Joel came to our apartment even though it was late at night. Joel coached us on how to interact with our new dog, how to interpret the signals she was communicating to us, when and how often to take her out. Joel also explained to us how many times we would need to feed her and how much. Joel was the perfect dog trainer! read more

My girlfriend works a crazy schedule and is not usually home until about 8pm. We wanted to have our dog trained with both of us there, which is nearly impossible with most dog training services. We emailed Joel to see if it was possible he could come so late in the day. Not only did Joel come at 8 PM, but, as advertised, the first session was free. Joel is very knowledgeable about dogs, and does not try to make you look like you're an idiot for all the mistakes you've been making. He is accommodating and understanding of you and your dogs needs. We highly recommend Sally's Way and look forward to continuing to work with Joel! read more

Joel and his wife took excellent care of my older pup while I was away on a trip- I needed someone last minute and they were very accommodating. Frosty loved his time there! It's a little pricey, but well worth the expense! Thanks guys! read more

At first I was hesitant to see how the training sessions would go (our previous trainer was focused on avoidance and unfortunately did not help improve my dog's behavior). I was pleased that Joel had a completely different approach, and was more hands-on throughout the process. We have only completed two training sessions, but I can already see big improvements! I am so happy and grateful we could find a trainer that is really passionate and diligent! Joel also took the time to demonstrate and thoroughly show us how to best handle different situations, which I greatly appreciate. The one hour drive I make to Alexandria is totally worth it! read more

Truly a dog whisperer! Definitely recommend his services to anyone and everyone!! He is very knowledgeable and professional. He definitely wants to help and will tell you his honest opinions and give you his best resources! He was and will continue to be a great asset to Bruno's training and for is too! read more

Joel and Luisa have given me a new dog! I had a close bond with my mom's dog, so after she passed away it was important to me that I give him a good home. He was always anxious around new people and on car rides, but I didn't realize the severity until I took over his care. He snarled and barked at anyone at the door and continued while they were in the home, worked himself into a panic on car rides, barked and whined at any noise in the house, frequently grew scared on walks and would frantically pull back to the house. After a few weeks of working with him on my own, he was more comfortable with new people but would still bark and growl if they made any fast movements and was unpredictable with my stepmom. A friend referred us to Sally's Way, and Joel and Luisa were able to fit Bandit into their schedule for a consultation and two week board and train right away. I was nervous to leave Bandit for so long, but Joel and Luisa sent daily texts and pictures and FaceTimed with me twice during Bandit's stay to keep me updated. They did an amazing job socializing him and starting him with basic training, when I had no idea where to start. After his return home, they spent two hours with us and were able to return a few weeks later for another couple of hours as a refresher. Bandit is not 100% comfortable with new people/dogs or situations yet but I wasn't expecting that and he was only gone for two weeks- instead, he is significantly more flexible/adjusted and has had a great training foundation set. More importantly, I feel like I know how to move forward with his training and confidence building, and I know that Joel and Luisa are only a text away when I need advice. They were very forthcoming that it would take time and effort to build Bandit's confidence, but even though it's only been a month or so since he came home we've already been able to do tons of things with him I didn't know would ever be possible: car rides are no problem, trips to the different walking paths are fun (he used to tremble when we visited new locations), friends can come over and move freely around him with no barking or growling, he has basic commands down when he knew none before, and he is generally so much more comfortable and calm throughout the day. We're continuing to work on his discomfort around my stepmom and fear on walks, but Joel and Luisa addressed both during our follow up session and I feel so much better about the path forward. Not to say both didn't improve during his time there, though- I used to not be able to walk him more than five minutes down the street, and now he is only frightened when we walk past dogs that bark at him. There are many more positive things I could say about our experience, but to avoid making this too long of a review I'll close out by saying we will definitely continue working with Sally's Way as Bandit continues his journey towards becoming a well adjusted and confident dog. Writing this review has me reflecting on his progress, and I really can't believe how far he has come with Sally's Way- highly recommend! read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Photographic evidence of bandit resting calmly in the backseat - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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We recently adopted a chihuahua from a rescue. We were told upfront that he didn't do well with other dogs or with children and that it would be best to avoid bringing him around them. I was upset after hearing this because I wanted to be able to bring Nugget around my nephew and take him to the dog parks. While going on walks he would growl and try to nip at other dogs. He also almost bit my nephew when he tried to pet him. I've known Joel for a couple of years and had followed his company on instagram. I didn't hesitate to contact him and let him know my situation. Within 2 days, we met up and he took Nugget with him for his in-home training for a week. It was the best decision we could have made for Nugget. Throughout the process, Joel and Luisa kept us updated with videos, texts, and pictures. We always looked forward to seeing him in their instagram stories. Within a couple of days we saw how calm he was walking around other dogs. It was amazing to see how quickly he made progress! Joel and Luisa went over everything we needed to know to keep the routine and structure he had with them. They answered all the questions we had and sent us a detailed email with everything we needed to know. We have seen such a big change with Nugget since he trained with Sallys Way. We would recommend it to anyone! Their service is unmatched and the passion they have is seen in the work they do. read more

Sally's Way Dog Services - Pet Training Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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