This review is long overdue. We adopted a 2yo pit bull in February 2020 from a shelter. Then, as…read moreyou know, Covid hit the very next month. Our boy had been found wondering the streets of SJ. With my wife and I, he was the Biggest love bug. So cute, and funny, and cuddly. But we can only imagine the terrible experiences he had endured. He had a scar atop his head and was very nervous around new people, which led to behavior like growling and snapping at times. His fear was only made worse by social distancing and not being around new people. Once Covid settled a bit we sought out a trainer for him. I'll never forget the first day Dawna came to the house. Our pup growled and was very displeased that this stranger was in his space, and worse, trying to interact with him. Dawna was not a bit deterred, which I was impressed by but I remained skeptical. Fast forward something like 2 weeks: Dawna interacted with him with ease on training days and he loved receiving love and pets from her. We couldn't believe it. Dawna taught us how to train him and he was able to meet all kinds of new people and doggy friends on our outings. We are forever grateful. We only had 2 years with him. Cancer. I knew I would get emotional writing this review, which is why it has taken so long. Dawna and Megan (from Dawna's other business, Canine Corral Dog Daycare) changed our lives. We will be forever thankful for them. I couldn't recommend Happy Tails To You enough.

Dawna is MAGIC!! We have worked with her for 20+ years with many different dogs. She is a…read morefantastic trainer with a true gift backed up with extensive knowledge. She is an expert at training us humans so that we can have beautifully behaved canine companions. I love the positive reinforcement (R+) training methods she employs. So grateful for her expertise to help us.

We had 5 sessions with Amelia over the past year and working with her has been great. We never had…read moreformal training for my dog, Dash, prior to working with Amelia, and the only reason we wanted training for him was because he was struggling with separation anxiety. Amelia gave us really powerful tools to improve Dash's behavior, and overall and tips and tricks for how to get him more comfortable at home. Dash is a lot more attentive to my cues on walks and is a lot less reactive to dogs on walks. He was a well mannered dog to begin with, but is even better now. I really appreciated that Amelia was able to come to my home in San Jose to do the training. Even though Dash primarily lives with my parents in San Bruno, he still spends a fair amount of time in my home in San Jose and getting him trained in a familiar environment has seemed to be beneficial for him. We also went to the Campbell Farmer's Market and Santana Row to expose Dash to a lot of children/other dogs and all were really great outings for Dash. Thanks Amelia for your patience and guidance!

We found Amelia through yelp and we're so grateful we used her training services for our rescue…read moredog! We tackled issues such as reactivity, separation anxiety, and walking on a leash. What I appreciate about Amelia is that she's attentive, concise, and never once made us feel stupid. She's very patient and understanding. She gave great advice. We never thought we'd be able to go a whole work day without worrying sick about our anxious baby at home, but slowly but surely, we got there. It takes a lot of honest, hard work but if you put in the work and stick to Amelia's advice, you will see results. I can't recommend her enough. Thank you Amelia for being so patient and encouraging with our little family!!!

K9 Keep Fit is the BEST place to board your dog. There's no other place we would trust to take care…read moreof our husky. They go above and beyond to give our husky the best home possible while we're away. We love Renee and her crew! Highly recommend this place!

The only place I would ever feel comfortable leaving my dog Goose! The staff is always incredible,…read moreso accommodating, and so good with our dog. Goose leaps and jumps out of the car when he sees we have arrived at K9, and that to me says it all. The updates and photos are comforting while we are away, and I am certain my dog is well taken care of every time he is there. I would never take my dog anywhere else.

Steve at One Day Dog Training is truly one of the most special and remarkable people I have ever…read morehad the privilege of learning from, and an absolute delight to spend a day with. I have decades of experience fostering dogs and personally adopting many of my own, and over the years I've worked with a wide range of trainers. Without question, Steve is in a league entirely of his own. His talent, intuition, and depth of understanding when it comes to dogs is extraordinary. He doesn't just train dogs; he teaches humans how to truly understand them. What made the experience even more unforgettable was the joy he brought into the day. We laughed constantly. At one point my cheeks genuinely hurt from hours of smiling and laughter. And yet, amid all of that warmth and humor, we walked away with an incredibly clear, grounded, and practical understanding of his methods and a deep sense of confidence in our ability to apply them. Steve's approach is refreshingly doable: just five minutes of training per day, paired with his ongoing availability as a resource. That combination alone feels invaluable. We literally just completed our training day today, so I plan to update this review in a few months with more detail about long-term ease of execution and results with our dog, Griffin. But one thing I feel compelled to share now is this: throughout the entire day, even while Griffin was dramatically protesting (vocally, and with flair), Steve remained calm, steady, and completely unfazed. Griffin didn't love everything he was being asked to do, but he clearly adored Steve. He never cowered, never shut down, never showed fear. That level of trust speaks volumes. At one point, I asked Steve about scheduling an additional training day for one of our other dogs. His response was thoughtful, sensible, and deeply ethical: he told me it wouldn't be necessary. He explained that the principles I was learning with Griffin would absolutely apply to our other dogs as well, and that he'd be more than happy to answer questions along the way. That moment really matters to me because it so clearly reflects that Steve is driven by genuine passion and care for people and dogs, not by squeezing every possible dollar out of his clients. I also want to wholeheartedly acknowledge Tasha, who was incredibly kind, responsive, and compassionate throughout the scheduling process. We had to cancel our original training day due to a traumatic injury our other dog, Enzo, sustained: a spinal stroke. Tasha immediately offered to refund our deposit without hesitation. When I shared that I still very much wanted to work with Steve, she later went out of her way to find us an earlier date than originally offered after I asked to be notified of any cancellations. That level of care and humanity meant so much during a really difficult time. I am profoundly grateful for Steve and his entire team. This was one of the most positive, affirming, and empowering experiences I've ever had as a dog guardian. If you're looking for the best, congratulations. You have found it with One Day Dog Training!

Amazing Dog Training session with Steve Miles of One Day Dog Training today!…read more My husband and I were "beside ourselves" with the incessant barking, lack of focus, dog walking struggles behavior that Finn (1 1/2 yr old) Maltipoo had started displaying over the past 6 months. We had tried various tactics, treats to rid Finn of his "bad habits" We were referred to One Day Dog Training through some close friends who had worked with Steve to train their 2 dogs. From the start.. Finn really took to Steve. Steve is personable, knowledgeable, and patient. His love for dogs is felt. He put our minds at ease from the start. Through the training, Steve took time to teach us how to better understand dog behavior and how we can better communicate what we want our dog to do...It was very enlightening. It was an education for us and Finn! At the end of our 3 hour session, we were really amazed to see a transformed young dog. We are soooo proud of Finn. The 3 of us have learned so much! Thank You, Steve!

From "Cujo Junior" to "Polite Gentleman" -- Thanks to Mike! If you've ever adopted a 4-month-old…read moreSchnauzer who treats every living being like a personal insult, you know our pain. Our pup, Diego, didn't just bark; he acted like he was auditioning for a lead role in a horror movie. Walks? Impossible. Visitors? Forget about it. Even our long-time pet sitter--a woman who has survived literal wolves--couldn't go near him without fear. . Our first trainer took one look at him and basically told us we'd adopted a tiny, bearded landmine. She called him "one of the most reactive dogs she'd ever met" and gave us the kind of "good luck" that usually precedes a disaster movie. Enter Mike Hatjes from Bay Area Dog Training. We found Mike on Yelp, and honestly, we were just looking for a miracle. Mike is a unique breed himself: he's incredibly direct (no sugar-coating the fact that your dog thinks he's the CEO of Chaos) but also hilarious. He balances that "tell-it-like-it-is" energy with a sense of humor that kept us from losing our minds. The Transformation Timeline: * The Private Lesson Phase (8 Sessions): We went from "we can't leave the house" to "wait, is he actually sitting on command?" By the end of our eight private lessons, we were taking regular walks. My blood pressure dropped, and Diego actually started building confidence instead of seeing every mailbox as a mortal enemy. * The Group Lesson Phase (The Real Magic): If you told me six months ago my dog would be in a group with 10 other dogs, I would have assumed there'd be a SWAT team involved. But Mike's group lessons are shockingly amazing. Seeing my dog hold a "down" in a row of 10 dogs while each one weaves through the line? It's practically a glitch in the Matrix. The Verdict: Mike didn't just train our dog; he gave us our lives back. We can do family trips, have friends over, and walk down the street without looking like we're wrestling a caffeinated alligator. If you have a dog that makes other trainers cry, call Mike. He'll tell you the truth, make you laugh, and turn your "unbelievable" nightmare into a well-behaved companion.

When we first got our dog, a 4-year-old Jindo from Korea, he had a stubborn prey drive and would…read morepull on the leash hard enough to drag me to the ground. He was also very reactive to other people and dogs. Mike taught me to watch my dog for cues and to communicate with him. After 7 private lessons and two months of weekly group classes, my dog is now a well-behaved walking buddy (most of the time). Thanks, Mike!

I found A Canine Affinity from a recommendation in a Facebook group. I had recently adopted a dog…read morefrom the shelter and I suspected she had separation anxiety, so I was looking for someone that was specialized in it. The advice online is confusing and conflicting -- from keeping your dog in a crate or letting them free roam, giving them a kong toy before you leave to not giving them anything, etc. So I scheduled a consultation with A Canine Affinity to learn more about the trainings and determine if it was in fact separation anxiety, or just normal decompression from the shelter. Melissa was wonderful right from the beginning and was very thorough and explained everything very clearly. You can tell she has a passion for this area. I decided that it wasn't too early and it couldn't hurt to do the initial assessment and get some good foundation to try to nip the separation anxiety that she in fact was showing. Melissa built us a solid plan and gave great advice on things like how and where to get my dog situated before I leave, stress body language, desensitization trainings, etc. I'm excited to share that my dog, Birdie, can now be left alone for about 1 hour and she lays down on her bed that's right near the door I leave from while I'm away (although she is still very alert/has her eyes on the door). I even saw her on the camera lay her head down for about 30 seconds, which is such a small thing, but such a BIG WIN! It means Birdie is starting to get a little more comfortable alone. I find myself so proud of my dog and celebrating her small wins, which has been the most rewarding part of this training. Birdie does regress every once in a while, which I'm told is normal, so I am trying to take it one day and one week at a time. Birdie has made HUGE strides and is building confidence and comfort being alone. Just 5 months ago, she couldn't even be left alone for 30 seconds without pacing, howling, scratching at doors, and having accidents in the house. So thankful for Melissa and the wonderful foundation she set me up with. We'll continue with our trainings and hope Birdie continues to progress over the next few months, but if she doesn't, I won't hesitate to reach out to Melissa for some more trainings and guidance. Thank you Melissa, you are a lifesaver!

I am a veterinarian and worked with Melissa on my own dog, I would recommend her to anyone. She is…read morevery knowledgeable and very good at what she does. I love that she is truly an advocate and voice for pets. She has a lot of patience for both me and my dog - and that is definitely what we needed. My dog was very fearful and was scared of everything in the world. My dog would panic and freak out on her walks, afraid of strangers. Through private trainings and her "while you're away" day training - I saw my dog becoming more confident, and is enjoying her walks more and is not freaking out at every little thing. Melissa helped me understand dog behavior more, what my dog needs with a lot of positive reinforcement. She helped me set realistic expectation and taught me tools that is helpful in the long term.

I was really skeptical about hiring a dog behavioral therapist at first. Part of me just wanted to…read morebuy a training program or send my dog away for professional training so she'd come back "fixed" My French Bulldog, Mango who was 2 at the time, was super stubborn and reactive, and she suffered from pretty severe separation anxiety. She couldn't leave my side, cried the moment I walked away. It was overall super stressful. Josh helped me understand where that anxiety was truly coming from. Turns out, IT WAS ME! He encouraged me to create healthy boundaries with Mango and offered practical solutions, along with dietary supplements, to support her emotionally and physically. I had no idea that excess energy could actually contribute to anxiety in dogs! Josh suggested adjusting her meal plan, and that alone made a huge difference. He also gave me plenty of tips and tricks to help Mango naturally regulate her anxiety. And since his program includes lifetime training, he's continued to guide me whenever I have questions or notice old behaviors resurfacing. Josh reassured me that if I stayed consistent with the regimen he provided, Mango would be okay, and he was absolutely right. She's like a whole new dog now! At 4 years old She can stay home calmly without destroying furniture or becoming overly needy. I'm beyond grateful to Josh for his guidance and to his partner, Nicole, who helped me prepare for our first session. If you get a chance to talk to Nicole, let her know she's an absolute gem! so kind and caring, even behind the scenes!

Josh is absolutely phenomenal with dogs. I loved how he uses non-food reinforcement and how ethical…read morehe is with animals. He is a former education professional and he brings the most humanistic approach with animals while giving a plethora of resources and plan along the way. He showed us tangible rewards within our first session and the most notable moments being my dog behaving as I passed through to grab my cup of coffee and also her manners as we were walking around and with creating ranging proximity to enable her to understand walking versus exploring. Definitely would recommend supporting this small business owner here locally!

We have an adorable and STRONG 4 year old Rottweiler with reactivity issues that needed to be…read moreaddressed. After our initial intake phone call with Cali K9 we decided on the 8 week semi-private and 8 week group session training package (with additional remote assistance). From the first session Hamza was professional, patient and firm with our dog (and us!). He gives detailed guidance in a structured environment, always remaining calm. It has been a journey, but halfway through our program we are seeing significant results - both in and out of class. We see our Rottie understanding and following commands much better, and our confidence in him and ourselves has grown tremendously. Hamza is not intimidated by large breed dogs and keeps the atmosphere super positive. While I see that this program is beneficial to all breeds, I would especially recommend Cali K9 for strong, reactive dog breeds.

We are incredibly satisfied with the results of this dog training program! Hamza made the training…read moreprocess with our Cane Corso--who was 4 months old at the time--incredibly smooth and efficient. We are almost done with the introductory training and are really looking forward to the rest of the program. Highly recommend!