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    The Dog Wizard

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Services - The Dog Wizard

    Private dog training

    Puppy socialization classes

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    2 years ago

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    Urban Dog House

    Urban Dog House

    (110 reviews)

    I have been a loyal client of Urban Dog House for almost 10 years. I initially brought my German…read moreShepherd here for training back when it was Cooperhaus, and today, I trust them completely with overnight boarding for both my German Shepherd and my Golden Retriever. They always do a phenomenal job. During a recent 5-night stay, I loved receiving regular digital report cards filled with photos and detailed updates on how they were doing. It brings so much peace of mind. My German Shepherd can be reactive toward other dogs, but the staff handles him with incredible care and expertise. They ensure both of my pups are happy, safe, and well-cared for. I highly recommend Urban Dog House for training, daycare, and overnight boarding. They truly do an amazing job!

    Individual Dog Training Review:…read more Our dog is 4 years old, he's a labradoodle and has always been very high energy when outside or around other dogs. While we should have gotten him properly trained years ago, we didn't. After some research, I landed on Urban Dog House. It was nearby and after reading not only about their methodology but also reviews here and on Google, we signed up for an individual training session with Steve. Over the course of an hour, Steve gave me the proper tools to help our guy meet the goals we had always envisioned. I was really happy with how things went in the classroom but fully expected things to revert when we got back home. Sticking with Steve's methods, I am absolutely shocked how responsive our dog has become. He is no longer the dog that yelps, barks and screeches when another dog is within 1/2 mile of his vision. He still gets excited but we now have the tools to align him with our expectations. I'm really looking forward to having him enroll in the group class next. While I was there, I was able to tour the entire facility and we'll be boarding with Urban Dog House this upcoming weekend. Also got to walk through a group training session and what I saw seemed like a dream - 20 or so dogs and their owners, in a room, dogs laying down, owners not holding leashes. It was amazing. I feel pretty confident our guy will get there eventually! Will also note that the staff there seems genuinely very happy. Extremely friendly and I got the impression they all care deeply about animals. Very fortunate to find this place and would recommend it without reservation to others.

    Sit Means Sit Dog Training South Bay - The Sit Means Sit South Bay team hanging!

    Sit Means Sit Dog Training South Bay

    (114 reviews)

    Berryessa

    We sent our 1.5-year-old golden retriever for three weeks. We were stunned by the results. If you…read moredon't know anything about goldens, just know that they're very welcoming and friendly, but are also overwhelmingly energetic for the first three to five years. Think zoomies x 10. They're easy to train, but that was the issue. He would ignore our commands because he wouldn't feel like doing it. We asked Ryan to focus on three areas: recall, drop it, and going off-leash. We would spend 15-20 minutes chasing after him after he'd bolt out the front door. He thought it was a game. As you know, running out to the street can be dangerous. 'Drop it' rarely worked. He would have everything in his mouth - sticks, trash, balls - you name it. Sometimes, he'd have things that aren't edible in his mouth. And frankly, we never trusted him off-leash, that was asking for it. Everything was resolved when we brought our pup home. We were so proud of him! His recall was better, he never bolts out of the front door, and with that, we trusted him off leash (only in confined areas, of course). We're super grateful for Ryan and the SMS team. Now it's on us to continue with the training! One more thing to add: our pup had perpetuating issues with digestion/stool and paw and ear infections. It was the worst! We tried everything and spent so much money. Ryan suggested that we transition to a raw diet and we haven't had an episode since. I'm so thankful for that too!

    My husband and I have 5 dogs. At the time we put 4 through…read morethe program because we did not have the 5th one. My oldest dog is 12 years old with no training. I soon got 2 more dachshunds and then a German Shepherd. Being that the 3 dachshunds had no training, we knew it was irresponsible on our part to have a bigger dog that was untrained. When I dropped off my first two (German Shepherd 6 mo. & dachshund 1 yr) I told Ryan, good luck! LOL They are very energetic since they are puppies and the GS was already taking in bad habits from the little ones. Always barking, was getting on top of our counters, very reactive. Typical dog stuff. After a couple days we received videos of them walking by other dogs and no barking! I was witnessing a miracle! After 2 weeks we got them back and we saw a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. Dogs are dogs, so of course they are still a little reactive and bark, but it's much much much MUCH EASIER to stop it! No more haggling. I say quiet and they're quiet! Especially with as many dogs as we have, we had no idea how to train them all at once. Then they took in the other two dachshunds. The 12 year old and the 5 year old who are the most spoiled. To my surprise they were very disciplined the first couple of days! The little ones always pulled on the leash and was starting to hurt my shoulder. Not anymore!! They all walk beside me with no tugging. So now my husband walks the GS while I walk the 3 dachshunds. And yes they are actually pretty good at walking all together. IT IS POSSIBLE! Now that we have another puppy, a GSD Shar Pei mix, we have him into training too. Since the other dogs are into their routine, he falls into place. We also got him a place mat, and an ecollar. Not only does this program know how to train your dog, they are also very passionate and loving about it. You can tell they love your dog like it was their own. They are also very knowledgeable about the raw food diet. I highly suggest talking to them about it. I want to say a huge thank you to Jaden and Sam too who helped make this possible! Also, being that this is basically a franchise for dog training, it was a HUGE PLUS for being in a military family. Training is every week for the lifetime of the dog, so your dog can interact with other dogs that have been through the same program. My husband and I are moving across the country due to military orders, and we don't have to worry about the dogs not socializing with other trained dogs. They have someone out there too! I hope they are just as great as Ryan, Sam, and Jaden! We are truly going to miss this little family!

    One Day Dog Training - Steve trains dogs of all ages and sizes.

    One Day Dog Training

    (225 reviews)

    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!

    Lori Hamilton Dog Training

    Lori Hamilton Dog Training

    (164 reviews)

    I'm coming out of the dead to leave this review because I hope it helps someone who is thinking…read moreabout seeking professional training for their dog(s). We are not new dog owners and with our previous dog, we lived the best life - traveling across US and Canada, flying on planes, staying in hotels, dining at Michelin star restaurants, going to work at the office, walking off leash, etc - with zero professional training. He actually was a puppy school drop out! We learned that all dogs are different and with our new pups, we needed help on dealing with behavioral issues like reactivity. Through positive reinforcement, Amy coached us on how to loose leash walk our dogs in heel position. She also showed us how to do "place" work, use spatial pressure and how to get our dogs to focus on us around distractions. We also learned how to turn up our praising game verbally and with treats! Trainings were mainly at Butcher Park which is a very high pressure environment given the amount of dogs at any given time. It really put us to the test and honestly, we were challenged! It's hard work. We had homework after each lesson, but we committed to practicing in between lessons. We weren't perfect but we always showed up ready to learn, and to give and receive feedback each time with the goal of growing and improving. We ended up doing "board and train" for both of our dogs (one at a time) and we couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome. We needed a jumpstart and Amy gave us the knowledge and tools to set us up for how we want to live our lives with our French bulldogs. She truly loves dogs and wants the best for them and their owners. We highly recommend Amy!

    I hardly ever leave reviews, but I want to give hope to anyone who is struggling with their dog and…read morefeeling frustrated and helpless. The first year with my golden retriever, Luka, was extremely hard. He was a mouthy dog who had zero boundaries at home or outside. He would get excited or frustrated and grab/bite onto my shoes or clothes daily. Walking him became an impossible task because he was extremely dog-reactive, and he dragged me a couple of times while trying to chase another dog. Walking him also became a two-person job, with someone always on the lookout for other dogs so we could turn the other way. He also began to resource guard and snapped at my dad twice.. I had already spent thousands on another trainer and didn't have much success. I began to feel like this was just what life with Luka would be like forever. It got to the point where I felt scared of him, and the life I was giving him out of that fear wasn't fair to him. So I decided to try and get help one last time. I found Lori's page and after reading the reviews I became hopeful again. I took Luka in for an evaluation, and Lori recommended their board-and-train program. I can't thank Chelsea and Lori enough for everything they've done. I've learned so much about Luka, how to manage different situations, and how to better understand his behavior. We had training lessons throughout his board-and-train stay and afterward, because we are the ones who need most of the training! Chelsea did an amazing job with Luka. At home, Luka is unrecognizable in the best way. We can actually go on adventures outside without being terrified that we won't be able to handle him. Those who knew Luka before his stay and see him now always comment on how well he is doing. I cannot recommend Lori Hamilton's Dog training enough to anyone who feels like they've tried everything and is feeling discouraged. I am so thankful because it finally feels like Luka and I can start living life and enjoying everything around us.

    PetSmart

    PetSmart

    (307 reviews)

    The store doesn't carry the most unique products but they have plenty of standard goods to serve…read morebasic needs for all kinds of animals, which I appreciate. They also have reliable hours, open at night, later than most independent pet shops. The store was clean, organized, and well stocked during my recent visit. I had no problem picking up a couple of items for my bunnies, with service at the front register quick and easy. In addition, parking was plentiful right out front on a Monday evening. In terms of small animal products, I don't really trust a lot of the ingredients in the treats that they sell at big chain stores like this (ie. fruit flavored drops). But I got the vitakraft veggie pies, which I can at least sift through to remove anything I don't feel comfortable with giving my bunnies. They're due for a spoiling, and the chew toy selection in the store sucked, so this would have to do.

    We recently applied to adopt a cat through the adoption center at PetSmart, and the experience was…read morevery disappointing. It has been over a week since we submitted our application, and I have yet to receive any response. I've left several messages expressing our interest in adopting, but no one has returned my calls. From my understanding, the purpose of these adoption programs is to help pets find loving homes. Unfortunately, that did not seem to be the priority here. It's frustrating to hear the message on hold about doing "anything for pets," yet potential adopters cannot even get a simple call back. Because we never heard from anyone, we ended up visiting Petco, where we were able to adopt a kitten the very same day. He is now in a loving home, which is exactly what these animals deserve. PetSmart has the resources and platform to do great things for pets, but the adoption process at this location needs serious improvement. These animals are depending on you to help them find homes. Please do better.

    The Dog Wizard - pet_training - Updated June 2026

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