The long version: We…read moreadopted a very timid, quiet pup at the beginning of October who, once he'd settled in, turned into a smart, energetic, stubborn and barking pup. That wasn't an option as we live in an apartment with WFH neighbors and going potty means walks around town with lots of other dogs. Overwhelmed, I started googling and found so many 5* reviews for Meryl from Bay Area Balanced Dog training. After a very thorough phone consultation where she took the time to talk about her process/our options and answer our many questions/concerns (we were nervous/uninformed about ecollars), we opted to do a 4 week board and train with a few private lessons beforehand. It was more than I had budgeted, but I was upfront about that, and she worked with us on a payment plan leading up to his stay. The private lessons were so helpful, and I highly recommend doing that before your dog's stay. So much about his good behavior relied on me being a good handler. This practice was also like a bandaid before his training, seriously reducing my stress on our daily outings, and made the transition after his stay easy as I already knew the basics of how to ask him for what I expected in a way he understood/had learned with the trainer. The board and train itself was easy, though be aware there's some additional cost to supply all the tools pup will need during his training. That was rough for me at Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, she was happy to keep and train him during the holidays when we would be traveling anyway. Very convenient and saved me additional boarding bills. She provided lots of daily video and picture updates on Instagram which was nice/really lessened my guilt about leaving him with someone for four weeks. He came home the same happy, sweet dog we'd sent away, except now he can walk nicely on a leash without barking his head off at every animal he sees. She also worked on recall training which is such a relief for a high energy dog I just know would chase a bear on a hike as off leash skills are really important to me in a dog. We work daily on everything he's learned and he loves it so much. It's a lot of money for what was an average dog with average bad behaviors, but we really believe that starting your dog off on the right path with the best guidance is the way to ensure a healthy, happy, safe dog. We went on our first hike just a few days ago, and after all that practice, he got to experiment with being fully off leash. He listened to every command, every time, even when there were tempting birds. I want to have a dog that is as fully involved in my family's life as possible, and now that we both have these skills, I know with consistency and practice, that's what I'll get. Tldr: The board and train is expensive, but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend. It truly saved my sanity.

I cannot recommend Bay Area Balanced Dog Training and Meryl enough!…read more In November of 2023 my husband and I adopted our adorable 3-year-old Pitbull-mix, Midnight, from our local shelter. Unfortunately, pretty much everything the shelter told us in regards to his behaviors/needs was incorrect. For example: he was over-aroused all day every day, had lots of destructive behaviors with our furniture/household items, did not respond to verbal commands/corrections, jumped on us and on top of tables/counters frequently, had zoomies where he would body slam us and progressively get more aggressive, tried to run full force after any dog/cat/squirrel/bird we saw on walks, tried to redirect bite me on walks and landed one of them (which broke my skin), frequently ate inedible things (like leaves and cat poop - yuck!) no matter how hard we tried to prevent him from doing so, and landed a bite that broke the skin on my husband's hand too when he was resource guarding a treat-stuffed toy. My husband and I have owned and trained pet dogs in the past, but Midnight's behaviors/needs were at a level that was way over our heads. After six weeks of trying to work with Midnight on our own, we were beside ourselves from trying to figure out how to safely meet his needs and began to fear that we may have to try to rehome him or bring him back to the shelter, which we desperately didn't want to do. So, I did some research and found Bay Area Balanced Dog Training's website. I reached out to Meryl and from our first phone conversation she put me at ease and began educating my husband and I about Midnight's behavior and needs. Midnight did a 4-week board and train program with Meryl, during which time she continued to educate my husband and I on how we could be the best owners possible for our energetic, willful pup. When Midnight came back home with us, he and we were finally speaking the same language and understood each other so much better, all because of Meryl's training. My household is peaceful again, Midnight is so much happier/content, and we have been able to bond with him in a much deeper way than we were able to before. Walks are a dream (he even ignores cats now!), my husband and I are doing a much better job of properly taking care of Midnight's activity/energy needs, and we feel certain since Meryl's training that we are a good fit for him and he is a good fit for us. Our little family is going to be just fine, due to the gift of Meryl's expertise and skill. Although things are going so well with Midnight, I still worried about who would take care of him if we have to go out of town and can't take him with us, due to his unique behavioral needs. Meryl boarded him for a week for us recently and Midnight had the best time! The little videos Meryl sent us of how he was doing erased any worries I still had in the back of my mind about him, and I felt so much relief knowing that Midnight was being cared for so well with so much love. Another time we needed to board Midnight was last-minute, and unfortunately Meryl was all booked up and didn't have space at that time. Meryl went above and beyond in suggesting another skilled trainer that she knows well that had space during the time we would be away - that boarding experience was great too, and Meryl was spot-on in regards to the other trainer being a great boarding fit for Midnight. Meryl has been an absolute blessing for Midnight, my husband and me. We look forward to taking more lessons from her in the future and feel lucky to have her support and expertise in our corner. Please, if you find yourselves in a situation even somewhat like ours, don't hesitate to reach out to Bay Area Balanced Dog Training - it'll be the best call you can make for you and your dog.

We took in a 5+ month old puppy from a challenging situation and needed help as the pup was…read morereactive, not socialized, and terrified of everything. Gary was just the right amount of direct but supportive. He taught us lessons that built upon themselves and after the full course, we now have the tools to help our pup live his best life. Totally worth it. Very flexible with schedule and good communication. Already our new family member has made huge strides. Thanks, Gary!!

I reached out to Gary for help with my dog Peaches and her leash reactivity, and he was extremely…read moreprompt in responding. The initial consultation went very well, and I learned so much about dog communication and how to better support Peaches. I also learned that she is a highly anxious dog, which explained many of the challenges I had been concerned about. We enrolled in Gary's six-week program and finished with the tools and knowledge needed to keep Peaches on the right track toward recovery. Just like humans, dogs rehabilitate at their own pace, and over those six weeks Peaches made significant progress. We're looking forward to enrolling in advanced training once she's ready so she can enjoy more freedom off-leash. Gary is not like other trainers we've worked with. He doesn't rely on obedience-based shortcuts or gimmicks. Instead, he teaches you how to work through real situations and explains the theory behind his approach so you truly understand what's happening and how to handle stressful moments. Most importantly, Gary teaches you how to become the focal point for your dog, which has made a lasting difference for us.

We highly recommend Jayne, she is a very experienced dog trainer. Very flexible with scheduling…read more Also very responsive over text.

Jayne is amazing! I actually called Jayne bc I was worried abt my young pom bc he jumped on another…read moredog on one of our walks. I was so worried and embarrassed! I called my vet as soon as i got home! My vet suggested I call this particular behavioral trainer she knew and so I did. (It wasn't Jayne). This behavioral trainer told me I should return my dog to breeder. I should never fall asleep with this breed on my bed (Pomeranians) as they could bite my face off. She continued to tell me all these horrible stories abt poms. I was so confused and upset when I hung up. My husband insisted I get another opinion. I found Jayne's info online the next day and called her. She came over same day because she knew how upset I was and she wanted to meet my fur baby. Needless to say, she is amazing! I am so happy I made that call! My pom is now 5 yo and he is fabulous! Sweet, entertaining, and so well-behaved because of Jayne's training!

I adopted my sweet girl and in the beginning, she was going through some separation anxiety -…read morescratching the paint off the front door, chewing the corner and the leg of the couch, etc. I called Bark Busters and Dan was able to fit me in that week for an evaluation! He taught me how to train and speak their language (she's a Husky, so very stubborn!) and I was able to see improvement in her and myself so quickly! I still reach out to Dan for advice and help! Recently, she went through a phase of not wanting to eat 4 different types of food and only wanted to eat my food. Dan responded right away with advice and reassurance, and my girl was back to eating within a week after that. Thank you Bark Busters, and thank you Dan!

Dan has been great to work with and our dog has become so much easier and more fun to be around…read more The barking at the dinner table has stopped. The leash pulling has stopped. We are enjoying him so much more. Dan has been clear, patient, helpful and easy to work with. A real game changer.

Janice is an incredible trainer. Her wealth of knowledge is so impressive! She is thoughtful,…read moreresponsive and makes training really fun and informative. She helped my dog with leash reactivity and really meets pups where they are at. Highly recommend.

Excellent puppy class! I agreed with all of her philosophy, and my puppy's progress has been…read moreamazing to watch

I HIGHLY recommend the 15-Day training program through The Dog Wizard in Walnut Creek! Such a…read morewonderful team in Harry & Zara! Thank you both from the bottom of our hearts for giving Duckie Louise a strong foundation rooted in love and appropriate, attainable expectations. from Darcy, Ben, 13-year-old Precious, and 8-month-old Duckie Louise!

We had a great experience with The Dog Wizard! Harry was our…read moretrainer and he was exceptional. We did a board and train with our dog and truly noticed a big difference after the training. Harry set a great foundation for our dog and we can confidently say there is a significant positive impact. We shared our concerns and goals with The Dog Wizard and they executed in jump starting it for us. We feel confident and comfortable to continue training with our dog because we've been provided with great tools and resources to help us succeed. We have done different trainings in the past and this was definitely the best one for us. I would highly recommend!

I trust Amanda and Kseniya more with my dogs than I do anyone else around. They are professional…read moreyet funny and kind.

If I could give 10 stars, then I would give 11…read more Ksenyia and Amanda are professional and trusted dog-trainers. For the past five years, these ladies have walked, trained and cared for our family dog, Hummus, who is a pit-bull mix. We adopted him from the San Francisco SPCA. Like many pit-bull mixed pups, his opportunities for finding a loving home were slim. He was anxious, nervous and afraid of others. Aggression is the first word that came to mind, but for us, he was just misunderstood. Kas and Amanda are patient, reliable and kind. Since we brought Hummus home they gave continuously worked with his anxiety and affliction to other dogs. We would be lying if we said he was perfect, but like humans, dogs are not perfect. Nonetheless, he has a come a long way from lunging, barking and growling at other animals. Kas and Amabda have made vast improvements in his temperament. We now have two human pups of our own. He is respectful and has nothing but love and compassion for them. Hummus boards with Kas and Amanda for periods of a time while we travel. They have always been reliable and responsive to our needs, not to mention flexible when situations arise. These ladies started out as our dog walkers, but as we continued to grow in family size our relationship grew as well. We are honored and proud to call them our dog trainers, but most importantly, trusted family friends. Their youth, passion and dedication are truly inspirational.

Camp Bow Wow has been my go to location for boarding my dog or for just having a fun play day!…read more Camp Bow Wow has cameras where you can monitor your pup playing all day which is really helpful for an overprotective dog mom like me. Sending my dog here helps with getting him socialized with other dogs. Not to mention it really tuckers him out after a fun filled day. After the first initial meeting with Camp Bow Wow, scheduling days for your dog to stay is easy through their app. They also have special offerings. They offer baths and nail trims. They also offer special enrichment packages like cuddle time or a sniffing game. If you choose the enrichment packages they will send you a photo and a synopsis of how well your dog did during the enrichment time! Love this place!

Wish I could give 20 stars! Camp bow-wow was our lifesaver in June when we went overseas for 3…read moreweeks and needed a place to keep our very anxious Chihuahua-terrier mix (Happy) safe and healthy. Happy came from a shelter and was terribly afraid of new people and new dogs, and I was quite worried she might starve herself once she was separated from us and left in a new place. We signed up for two daily enrichment sessions and took her to Bow-wow several times before dropping her off for the full 3-week stay. The camp counselors told us that she did mostly starve for the first 3 days, but by day 4 she started cleaning her plate at every meal (we asked them to feed her breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to make sure she didn't go too long without food). And by day 5 we could see her on the webcam jumping onto the play structure, wagging her tail and barking happily at the other dogs in the teacup room (the room for small dogs). She was queen of the pack! (Well, that's what she seemed to think) And it's all because Amy, Daniel, Nazareth, and the whole team at Bowwow gave her such exceptionally good care every day. We loved being able to check on her via webcam every morning from overseas, and the daily email reports we got on her enrichment sessions (which always had pics and videos of her) gave us huge comfort during our vacation. We can't say enough good things about Camp Bowwow and the exceptionally skilled and compassionate team of counselors there. Thank you, Camp Bow-wow!

Kathy is a phenomenal at training people and their dogs. She's helped us with in-home training,…read moreoff-leash practice, and everything that's come up in between. She also hosts monthly classes that are free for clients who work with her regularly and has put in lots of additional time inviting dogs (and their people) to tag along on pack walks. It's clear that she does this work because it's her passion and she cares about dogs being happy and well cared for. "Balanced" dog training includes tons of treats, lots of play, and the safety needed to make sure no one gets hurt. We weren't sure what to expect from training with Kathy, but it's been a wonderful balance of true fun, silliness, joy, and clear and firm boundaries. We're so grateful to have her in our lives.

I cannot recommend Kathy at Cause and Effect Dog Training enough! When we first reached out, our…read moreSpringer Spaniel, Checkers, was fearful, anxious, and often growled at my spouse and sometimes even at our kids. We had already tried multiple trainers, different techniques, and even followed our vet's suggestion to try antidepressants--but nothing was helping (in fact, the medication only made things worse). The moment I spoke to Kathy on the phone, I felt confident she truly understood the problem and could guide us in the right direction. And she absolutely has. Over the past year, Checkers has made tremendous progress thanks to Kathy's knowledge, patience, and the clear guidance she gave us. We followed her suggestions carefully--even switching vets based on her recommendation--and the results have been life-changing. Earlier this year, we had to travel out of the country and trusted Kathy to board Checkers. During that time, he developed a beautiful bond with her partner Dan. This was nothing short of amazing, as Checkers has always been fearful of men. Watching their relationship grow has been such a gift. With Kathy's help (and the influence of her own two balanced dogs), Checkers has learned how to be a dog--something I once thought might never happen. He now participates in pack walks and can even run off-leash in the fields, something I couldn't have imagined a year ago. If you're struggling with your dog's behavior and feel like nothing is working, do yourself and your dog a favor and call Kathy. She and Dan have changed our lives, and I am endlessly grateful for the care and dedication they've shown to Checkers and to us.

Although I had a nice chat on the phone with very nice lady, I decided to drop by before my fist…read morereservation to check the place out for my 3 mo old tiny puppy that needs playtime and socializing, while I got called away for meetings at my usual wfh job. When I pulled up a younger male (long hair) was a bit standoffish and looked at me like I was insane asking if I could come check the facility out. I honestly felt like I was being shamed for so much as asking to come see where she would be after I dropped her off or meet any staff. I guess we are supposed to hand off our dogs through the car window on a rather busy street, to a virtual stranger? No lobby or anything? He said I could look at pictures online, but I have never had a boarding or daycare place gate keep their space like that.

I have never left a review on Yelp before, but feel I need to now. I have had 2 different dogs who…read morewe have taken here over the past 6+ years. I was always surprised when I would pick them up and they would be very wet, sometimes soaking wet. I was under the impression this was because it can be very warm in Lafayette and that is how they cooled the dogs off. imagine my surprise when I was told they use water from hoses to "correct" behaviors. I have checked around and found this is not a usual way to correct dogs. so, my dogs won't be going there. I am also going to clarify to anyone I have recommended Tail Haven to that I no longer recommend their doggie day care.