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.

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!

We fell in love with and adopted sweet Keba from A Girl's Best Friend Rescue. While she is…read moreincredibly loving with people, as she bonded with us it became clear she was dog selective. She once pinned a dog, bit another dog's ear, and aggressively stared at other dogs inciting lots of barking. Working with Kathy has been incredible. She truly is a dog whisperer. Keba LOVES Kathy and is over joyed every time she gets to see her. Kathy was actually training us more than Keba (who was keen to be trained). Working with Kathy was a game changer. In sessions she would demonstrate what she was teaching us, then have each my husband and I try and correct us while we practiced. She provided us so many tools (e.g. squirt gun, e-collar, pinch collar, muzzle) to help train Keba and showed us how to use them in a minimal and humane way. Kathy gave us confidence to keep Keba's aggression in check and reduce it. I'm excited to share that Keba is starting pack walks next week where she can socialize with other dogs. None of this would have been possible without Kathy. Plus, Kathy is a wonderful and fun person to spend time with. Thank you Kathy!

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.

We have a 2 1/2 year old Mini Goldendoodle - Louie and overall he's a good dog and we just needed…read morehelp with certain commands. I watched numerous training videos online and did a group training (I don't recommend that either) - nothing helps since you need hands on private training and that's how I found Patti on here. We did 6 sessions and she helped us train Louie and focused on his reactivity, basic walking commands, door bell reactions and recall. Patti came over to our house for a few sessions and the rest of the sessions we met at a park or a public place so that she can teach us the real world situations when we're out with Louie. She explains everything very well and why dogs behave the way they do. She'll take photos and videos and send follow up notes as well to help us remember everything we learned each session. It's a lot to learn and you have to continue to practice everything and you'll see a difference in your dog's behavior. We've seen a difference in Louie and very happy with the results. I definitely recommend Patti if you need help training your dog. Thank you so much Patti!

Amazing dog training sessions with Patti. She gave me incredible one on one training with my 8…read moremonth old French bulldog Rocky. She explained the importance of consistent positive dog training. Patti did a great job of not only showing me how to train my dog, but building my confidence through the fantastic results I was receiving from her training methods. I would highly recommend Patti for any dog owner who wants one on one in home dog training at a affordable price.

Their 'training' is entirely anchored on fear-inducing techniques. We were given a contraption that…read moregenerates a harsh noise, and my dog was visibly terrified every time the trainer used it on her. All this while they constantly reassured us all their techniques are based on positive reinforcement - what kind of positive reinforcement is centered around fear?! It gnaws at us that we ever decided to go with this service. My dog - and every dog - deserves better.

We are so incredibly grateful for Gusty and the help she gave our family. We have two miniature…read moreAustralian Shepherds, one of whom is just over a year old and had recently developed reactive aggression. Over the last few weeks, things escalated to the point where she began attacking our other dog whenever someone came to the door or a package was delivered. During one of these incidents, my husband was accidentally bitten while trying to break up a fight. That's when we realized we needed professional help -- fast. It had gotten so serious that we had even begun discussing the heartbreaking possibility of rehoming her, simply for the safety of everyone involved. That fear, and the emotional pain that came with it, weighed heavily on our hearts. But after just one session with Gusty, that painful thought is now firmly in the past. Enter Gusty. In just one session, our lives changed. The nuisance barking stopped entirely. Our dog no longer jumps up on us when we walk through the door, even when she's excited. Her nipping and playfully aggressive behavior has been replaced by belly-up submissiveness and endless kisses. She's calmer, more docile, and truly feels like a different dog. What impressed me most was that all of this happened while my four-year-old son was in the background, constantly needing my attention. Gusty was incredibly patient, understanding, and focused throughout. She clearly cares deeply about what she does and wants nothing more than to help dogs and their human family. During our next sessions, we'll work on leash training and eventually help our dog learn that she doesn't need to be so protective of our son. Based on what we've already seen, I have no doubt that training will go just as smoothly. I can't recommend Gusty enough. She's a life-changer -- compassionate, professional, and absolutely amazing at what she does.

I cannot say enough about Dan and his skills as a dog (and dog parent) trainer! I adopted my dog,…read moreDoug, from a golden retriever rescue in March 2026, believing he was a golden retriever mix. From the very beginning, Dan gently pointed out that Doug might have more cattle dog in him, based on his markings and behavior. When the DNA test confirmed Dan was right, it gave me a whole new understanding of my sweet boy. Doug turned out to be a beautiful mix of cattle dog and other herding breeds, and that insight has made such a difference in helping me understand him better. Dan has been incredibly patient--not only with Doug, but with me too--as I've learned to recognize Doug's triggers, better understand his behavior, and figure out how to help him thrive. Dan's experience with stray and rescue dogs is extremely valuable. Doug is such a sweet dog, about 2 years old, with plenty of puppy energy still in him. He's affectionate, eager for attention, and wonderfully responsive to training. Dan has helped me learn how to channel Doug's energy in positive ways and appreciate just how smart and spirited he really is. Doug keeps me on my toes, and Dan has reminded me that patience and consistency are some of the greatest gifts I can give him. After just three in-home sessions with Dan, I've already seen such encouraging progress. Doug is doing beautifully--he's a star at the dog park, walks nicely on leash, and has learned to respect the boundaries I've set around attention and behavior. Things like digging up the backyard and jumping into my face have stopped, which has been such a relief. Dan's guidance has made a meaningful difference, and staying consistent with the lessons has been key to Doug's success. Dan's availability by phone or text is a game-changer as I don't have to wait until our next scheduled visit to get guidance if new, unexpected and undesirable behavior arises between visits. Next week marks Doug's and my three-month anniversary together, which feels both exciting and emotional. We still have more to learn, but I'm so proud of how far we've come already. I'm grateful for Dan's support and look forward to continuing this journey--helping Doug grow into the very best boy I know he can be.

What an amazing team. So helpful. I was struggling with my German Shepard rescue. They helped me…read moreget him under control and happy.

We had adopted our Kody boy 8 months ago from a shelter. It was a very hard five months trying to…read moreget him settled with a routine. We all had different ways of how to train him and it was causing a rift in the family. I was turned down by some trainers until I came across Jonathan Wong's page. He was local, he was fast to get back to me and he was willing to give us a chance after everything I told him. Kody still has a long way to go and I will continue with Jonathan as his trainer, but it is night and day after three months of training with Jonathan. He was dog and people aggressive, to the point we had to avoid them entirely. We can now go for walks, albeit we move opposite of any dog and can keep walking without any barking or pulling. He was always actively pulling on the leash and bad at recall. He is loose leashed now and responds with recall with our daughter. In the end I had to get use to the idea that Kody was a crate or muzzle dog when it came to large crowds or people in our home. I felt awful but Jonathan was so supportive and positive as I came to terms with it. I hope as we continue to train with Jonathan and Kody builds his confidence that soon things might change for him. Jonathan has such a kind soul and so encouraging when it comes to both us and Kody. I cannot thank Jonathan enough for what he has done for us. He left solid foundations for us to grow on. Kody is such a sweet and smart boy, and we always want the best for him. Jonathan truly is the best.

Yep, Jonathan knows his stuff. Highly recommend. Truth be told, my puppy (7 month Labrador) isn't…read moretoo difficult, but Jonathan got through to her quickly and made me feel like the pup wasn't such a menace.

Jennifer is a masterful dog trainer. Two months ago, we picked up a 7-week old Golden-doodle, Max…read more We'd had dogs before. But it was a long time since we had a puppy. We knew that Jennifer was working with friends of ours and their dog, and they were very happy with her style and results. Knowing how busy Jennifer is, we asked them to find out if she'd make time for our new puppy. We are so glad she said yes! She is great! She trains the dog and the owner at the same time, with humor and discipline. There are two things you need to appreciate about Jennifer. First, she is a no-nonsense trainer. She loves dogs and takes the training seriously. You should be ready to do the same. The second is that she is a real expert in the science of training dogs. It's something special to watch how she treats the dogs with such a reach knowledge and understanding of what they need and when. Finally, Jennifer makes the training fun for the whole family. Our son has special needs, and it is wonderful to watch how Jennifer works with him and helps him learn how to train our dog. It is so fun to watch them together. She makes us all laugh. There isn't a better trainer around!

Jennifer has been a significant part of our dog's training for more than a year, ever since he was…read morea puppy. She understands dogs and getting the behaviors we want. She showed us how to motivate and train Leo and turn around any problem behaviors. On our first big trip out of town, she called us to see how things were going and helped us through some challenges. Recently, I wanted to do even more with Leo. Jennifer has been working with me to train Leo for AKC Rally, where he recently titled at the novice level and we're moving on! She has helped to make the person/dog relationship a pleasure. What more can you ask. Jennifer is GREAT. Knowledgeable, fun, passionate about dogs and their owners. She's also responsive, reliable and caring. She wants the best for our dog and us.

Such a great company- always giving back to the community and the shelter animals…read more They have a great energy and compassion towards the dogs they work with. I first met them at an adoption event where they partnered with the Martinez animal shelter. They gave complimentary baths to all the shelter pups at the event. Even my foster pup- Susannah. They even put an adorable adopt me scarf on her and promoted her on their page I have been sharing their contact info with friends and neighbors

I had a bad experience with my small senior (17.5yrs old) dog at Diablo Dog in Martinez this past…read moreFriday. I'm not here to bash a small business. I'm here to share what happened to me and possibly help someone else out there, not have it happen to them. After looking at their website and social media posts, I was impressed with what seemed to be a top notch establishment. I only groom my senior chihuahua mix occasionally and I wanted to make sure they would treat him with gentleness and care. It was easy to see when I got him back from his appointment, that didn't seem to happen. He went in for a trim. I chose a #7 blade, which I now know was far too short. It woukd have been appreciated if the groomer would have made a blade suggestion or mentioned that choice was very short, because I wasn't familiar with all that, but that's on me and not my complaint. My complaint is that the groomer hurt my dog. I didn't notice it at first when I picked him up because honestly it was so chaotic in that small space with two big dogs coming in for service, a bunch of big dogs in the back barking and guys yelling at the dogs to shut up, I just needed to get my very nervous and stressed little guy outta there. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed the cut around and under his neck. I was literally stunned. I've never seen anything like that before and my dog was still shaking. I scooped him up and headed to the emergency vet. He is now on antibiotics and doing better, but it was a rough weekend. Between me crying and feeling like a bad dog mom for handing him over to them and him throwing up all day Saturday, I was not in a good place. I needed to wait a few days before I could even do this review. I love small businesses and want to support them more than anything, but I have to say I would not recommend this business for grooming small or senior dogs. I have no experience with them in any other area and larger dogs might do well here, I don't know. But this is what happened to me and if it happened to me....you know the rest. It was a really hard day that day. Pictures speak louder than words. The last photo is Jazz a couple of weeks ago how he looked when I took him in, all the others are from Friday at home and in the lobby of the emergency vet after his groom. Please think twice before you go here with your small or senior dog.

I can't say enough about this office and its staff!! They have been taking tremendous care of our…read moredogs for well over a decade, and continue to keep them happy and healthy! Highly recommend the puppy socialization classes!!

When I called to schedule an appointment for my sick dog they told me they had no appointments that…read moreweek but if I needed to be seen sooner I could pay to be on a priority list, which I had to do. When the vet examined my dog she said she would need to run a few tests. They decided to do a senior profile test on her and when I got my bill I was shocked that the senior test cost $366.58! I never asked for it, I was never told the cost and after a quick appointment my bill was $700.71 The staff was friendly and professional but there was nothing they could do at this point. So frustrated with Blatant Money Grab!