I amount of appreciation and respect I have for Justine is on another level. Not only did she have…read morepatience for my 1 year old (now 2yr old) female German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix (Harley), but she also had patience for me. She was constantly reassuring me that I was doing great. If I did not understand what she was telling me, she would gladly explain it another way. With her, you automatically feel like she is rooting for you to succeed. I spent a lot of time and energy practicing what Justine taught me and it 100% paid off. Harley was a psycho one year old dog that I adopted from the shelter in May 2025; I started Bark Busters in Aug/Sept 2025. Fast forward to July 2026 and Harley is a completely different dog. We trained on leash walking (the most important for me), recall, and various other things. Justine is extremely supportive of the fact that I want Harley to learn more things. If it wasn't for Justine, I have no idea where Harley would be at today. Everyone praises Harley for being a good girl, but I always tell them who helped me with her. Thank you Justine!

We've had a fantastic experience working with Justine from Bark Busters m. She works with both our…read morepuppy and our 4-year-old dog together while still paying close attention to their individual needs and personalities. Her calm, knowledgeable approach makes the training easy to understand and practical to apply in our daily routine. We've already seen great progress with both dogs, and Justine does a great job explaining the "why" behind the training so we can stay consistent between sessions. She's reliable, encouraging, and clearly cares about helping both the dogs and their owners succeed. I highly recommend Justine and the Bark Busters program to anyone looking for thoughtful, effective in-home training.

My husband and I were first-time dog owners when we rescued Ziggy, a…read morehigh-energy Australian Cattle Dog with a lot of love and personality. We feel incredibly lucky that we found Brian. We were well-intentioned, but we didn't fully understand how to best meet Ziggy's needs or channel his energy. Brian's guidance was invaluable in teaching us how to raise a confident, well-adjusted dog and how to better understand what Ziggy was communicating to us. He helped us learn how to socialize Ziggy thoughtfully with other dogs, people, bikes, vehicles, animals, and all the stimulation that comes with everyday life. He also taught us how to recognize what was driving certain behaviors and how to respond in a way that helped Ziggy learn, build confidence, and develop good habits. Ziggy is now nine months old, and people constantly comment on how calm, social, and well-behaved he is--especially for such a young, high-energy dog. We credit so much of that to what Brian taught us. What makes Brian's program so unique is that he doesn't just train your dog--he teaches you how to understand and raise your dog. I genuinely believe our experience as first-time dog owners would have been very different without his guidance. We now have an incredibly happy, confident dog who plays well with others and fits beautifully into our lives. I could not recommend Brian more highly. Thank you, Brian, for everything.

TL;DR: The Way of the Dog is, quite literally, the best dog training experience in Los Angeles…read more Brian Lee is a pillar of the South Bay dog community. Across Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, and beyond, a surprising number of dog owners I've met have trained with him at some point -- and without exception, they speak highly of the experience. That reputation alone says a lot. What you get is not a typical obedience class. The program consists of five focused, no-nonsense behaviorist sessions grounded in a deep understanding of dog psychology, plus ongoing, supervised pack-socialization events (think structured dog parties, not chaotic dog parks). The emphasis is on how dogs think, not on rote commands. The training style is dense, unconventional, and unapologetically dogmatic -- in a good way. Brian does not start with commands. Instead, he teaches you to understand your dog as a born hunter with physical, mental, and social needs. Once you understand that framework, behaviors fall into place naturally. Watching him settle a dog mid-zoomie without a single command honestly looks like magic. If your goal is to teach tricks or formal commands, I'd recommend pairing this additionally with a balanced-method obedience school. I would not recommend "positive-reinforcement-only" programs like Zoom Room. In my experience -- and based on what I've seen firsthand -- that approach often fails in real-world situations. Many of the worst-behaved dogs I've encountered came out of those programs, including ours. So why listen to Brian? He has over 40 years of experience and has worked with more than 40,000 dogs. And in a time when "positive reinforcement only" has become the fashionable -- and often misleading -- default, The Way of the Dog is one of the few remaining programs that actually produces calm, stable, well-behaved dogs. We ended up here because Zoom Room training failed us badly. Our puppy was biting us so severely that I seriously considered rehoming her. This program changed everything. We learned how to be kind and strong leaders, how to meet our dog's core needs, and how to train both her and ourselves consistently -- especially through the very real chaos of the "teenage dog" phase. This business deserves five-star reviews across the board. If you look at the rare one-star reviews, they simply don't add up -- and Brian has already addressed them directly. Complaints about "teaching commands" are fake; and complaints about "fear-based training" miss the entire point of the program. Brian is direct, honest, and doesn't sugarcoat reality -- which is exactly what many people need, even if they don't want to hear it. In short, based on both my own experience and consistent feedback from other dog owners, our dog now behaves 10x better than most dogs we encounter -- calmer, more disciplined, and far less reactive. And yes, I'm officially a dog snob now. I have zero tolerance for poorly trained dogs at parks -- especially humping, biting humans, or owners who excuse bad behavior. Once you've seen what good training actually looks like, there's no going back.

Review #1017 2026-087…read more This is my go-to PetSmart when I adopted a Tabby kitten (Pepper) in 2006. After her passing, we brought home a Lynx Point Siamese kitten (that my cousin-in-law was spaying ferals in his neighborhood) last year & adopted a Birman cat from the Carson shelter. This store anchors the plaza with Walmart & Hobby Lobby, west of Del Amo Fashion Center. I started visiting PetSmart after I adopted our 1st fur baby, a 2-month old tabby, that was headed for euthanasia. She contracted tapeworms & had fleas, so I took her to a different pet store that was able to have her dewormed & give her a flea bath to clean her up as most places only work on dogs; I also purchased the initial necessary sleeping, food, & toy supplies there too. Since then, I've been coming to this PetSmart for about 2 decades. Prices are moderate - high, depending on the brand, & food & litter package size for kitten & cats. I can't comment on the other animal offerings. My cousin & his veterinarian wife were capturing the mother cats & their babies to spay/neuter them before the feral colony really got out of hand, & asked me if I was interested in adopting any. After a 1/2 year absence due to the passing of Pepper, we're back because we adopted a 5-week old feral Lynx Point Siamese in 2025 that we named Snow. This l'il stinker is soooooo adorable & intelligent. By the time she turned 3 months, she can sit, shake, & high 5 on command with treats that we got from PetSmart (= smart cat?). ;-) We've been lookin' for a friend for Snow earlier in this year, thinking she's bored at home & adopted this spring a beautiful Birman cat that's estimated to be 1 YO that we named Butter because he's melts your heart like buttah. He's not as quick as Snow to sit & shake, no high 5 for him, but I can sorta walk him on a leash. Also Pet"Smart?" Hehehe... Sometimes when I'm shopping with my son, he likes to wander around the live pets area, looking at the fishes (guppies, tetras, angelfishes), furry creatures (hamsters, guinea pigs), reptiles (bearded dragons, geckos, lizards), birds (parakeets, canaries). Last time he pulled me over to show their Glofish Assorted Sharks, Moonrise Pink Tetras, & Oranda Goldfishes. The staff here are friendly & helpful when you need something, though I don't usually see anyone on the floor because I'm visiting during low traffic hours like right after they open. The store is clean & well-stocked most of the time, though I have found their canned kitten/cat foods insufficiently stocked at times due to promotional discounts. I liked that PetSmart keeps its core loyalty program free with pretty competitive pricing on food & gear. And they offer high-value "x-multiplier" bonus points, particularly during holidays or targeted digital promotions, usually a 10x point deal that translates to 20% in savings! Rewards Tiers (annual spending requirement & earning rate/core perks): Member: free/$0 - $499; earns 10 pts/$1, member pricing, pet birthday treat. Bestie: $500 - $999; earns 12 pts/$1 (+2 bonus), early sale access, tier events. VIPP (Very Important Pet Parent): $1,000+; earns 14 pts/$1 (+4 bonus), holiday gift, top perks. I alternate between Petco & PetSmart, though I have to admit that I visit their competition a bit more due to their discounts & slightly better pricing on cat food & treats (e.g. Petco: Greenies $12.99, Science Diet Cat Food $35.99 vs. PetSmart: Greenies $13.89, Science Diet Dry Cat Food $36.99), & that they match their online discounts. However, they do have better prices on Science Diet wet food cans (e.g. $2.79 & $2.89 vs. Petco: $2.98). Though this time I was lured into PetSmart for their 30% discount on Science Diet & 20% on all cat food, treats, & meal toppers -- thanks! My fur babies love PureBites Minnow Freeze Dried Cat Treats & they're expensive as heck for only a couple of oz.! Greenies Adult Cat Dental Treats is another fav, better value than the minnows but pricier than regular treats. There's 2 wet cat food brands that they don't carry: Acana & Soulistic that I hope to see in the future. While finishing this review, I learned via Google AI Overview that PetSmart offers a highly lenient in-store price matching policy (comprehensive online price match), allowing you to bypass inflated shelf pricing by showing PetSmart's website or online competitors like Chewy.com & Petco.com. The cashiers will drop the price, & you can combine this matched price with active loyalty points for discounts. Has anyone tried this? If this is true, that would be awesome & more likely to shop here! Does PetSmart has "anything for pets?" I think they do... at least what my fur babies need at the moment: Science Diet cat food & their favorite PureBites minnows!!

I love the PetsHotel staff my dog comes often they're great!!…read more But DO NOT TRUST CATHY from the grooming department, I heard her talking crap and being aggressive to a dog she was grooming I reported it to the supervisor, poor doggie! She Definitely should not be near any animals with that type of aggression and attitude, wrong career evil, wicked and cruel!!!!

Tim, or as my doggies and I like to call him, "Mister Tim," is a lifesaver! His training works,…read moreand he's changed our lives for the better. If your dog's behavior is causing you stress or worry, call Tim today. He's the perfect person to help you. My doggie was found on the street when she was little and had scratches and scars as a puppy from being beaten up by other dogs. She understandably had a lot of fear aggression toward other doggos. When I got her when she was 6 months old, she would bark, lunge, and generally act like the apocalypse was coming every time we saw another doggo on leash. It got to the point where I dreaded walks with her. We found Mister Tim on Yelp, and he started helping us. He was quick to respond, always on time, and easy to schedule appointments with. As a single woman, he always made me feel safe, and was always professional. He came up with techniques to help us that were specific to my dog, not generic stuff that you find on YouTube. He was also so understanding and gentle with my pup. He quickly became one of her favorite humans. We took lessons with Mister Tim on and off for about 5 months. 2 years later, my pup is able to walk, sit, heel, and interact with other dogs on-leash in a calm and safe way. We get compliments from strangers multiple times a day on how well-behaved she is. What she has learned has even transferred to her interactions with other animals, like the cats at her pet sitter's house. What I find most important is that the things Tim taught us continue to be helpful, and my doggie continues to improve over time. At this point, her behavior is way better than anything I ever thought I could expect of her. Thank you, Mister Tim, for helping us!

I cannot recommend Tim enough for your fur baby!…read more Tim worked with our Great Dane/German Shepard mix for puppy training when he was just 4 months old, and again for "boot camp" when our dog was just under 18 months old. Tim taught our puppy the basics of potty training, to more advanced commands. He helped us get rid of our dog's "resource guarding" food habits, and made it so I could take him on walks without being pulled around! Tim's passion and love for dogs shines through in his interactions. He is kind, a clear communicator, and an expert in his field. Let Tim give your doggy the help they need!

It's not the same store it used to be. When I asked for a trash can to throw away my cup, they said…read moreno. I also asked to use the restroom and was told no. They no longer carry the Instinct brand of dog food I've bought here for years. The staff doesn't seem very knowledgeable either. It's hard to understand why the prices are so high when the service is this poor.

Love this place. Great customer service and friendly staff…read more Good variety of cat/dog food. Good toys and treats. Easy store to navigate with clear signage. Recommend it.

Highly recommend Zoom Room Torrance for training your puppy/dog! We've been taking classes there…read moresince Nov 2025, when our pup, Astro, turned 4mo. Astro (as well as my husband and I) have enjoyed and benefitted from all the classes we've taken (Puppy Training, Puppy Agility, Obedience). The training content and methods are logical and effective (especially if you put in extra time outside of the classes). One of the most beneficial aspects is taking the class with other dogs, people, and distractions nearby. The staff is incredibly kind and knowledgable. We also love the flexibility of booking classes around our busy schedule.

Everything! The nicest most efficient methods of training for owners and everyone has a great time!!read more

Our 5 month old labradoodle, Maverick just completed his puppy kindergarten course with Mr. Chang…read moreand we have had such a wonderful experience that we decided to continue sending him to daycare here twice a week. Our pup loves his teacher and his pup mates and comes home so happy and tired! He has learned several new commands and bites/lunges way less in just a few short weeks of training! I highly recommend Torrance Dog Training to anyone with a pup who needs a new or refresher course on obedience.

This is a long overdue review but want to thank Torrance Dog Training and their wonderful staff for…read moretaking my new puppy Oliver starting 5 + years ago and turning him into a well-socialized, well-behaved, trained dog who continues to be an absolute delight. Their very well-structured program with appropriate owner follow up really made a difference. I can take him anywhere and he's always well-behaved. I have since found a day care place a little closer to home he still misses going to play with his puppy friends.

The Puppy Academy in Hermosa Beach has been crucial in my family's journey in raising a puppy. We…read morehave a Doberman Pinscher puppy who started at the Puppy Academy around almost 3 months old. They built a structured routine for our puppy which set the perfect foundation for good habits and positive behavior. Our puppy learned many things from commands such as sit, stay, proper walking, come here, lay down, place, house. I think the most important thing built though was the potty training and the socialization provided. Puppies NEED early socialization to develop into confident and friendly dogs. We have happy to see our puppy grow (and still growing) into a friendly, brave "teenager" puppy. Friendly play style! A Doberman is a high energy and demanding dog breed. Normally I would train our puppy fully on my own as I did with prior Dobermans I had in the past, but due to demanding work hours and obligations, I am so grateful for the opportunity The Puppy Academy provided during these critical socialization and learning periods. They train and interact with the puppy all day until I pick him up after work. Then I can continue with following their training methods throughout our time at home and on the weekends. It made it so easy! I wish I had the Puppy Academy all along for my prior dogs too. I'm impressed with the friendly staff and how well they did with our puppy! Even though our puppy has completed the program and graduated, we have still seen ease with the teenager/adolescent phase and training on our own again because of all the Puppy Academy set up for us. Thank you!!

We absolutely love Puppy Academy! We quickly realized we needed as much training as Moose did!…read moreThey've taught us so much about dog behavior and how to help him succeed at home. We've seen such a difference in his manners and confidence. Worth every penny--I highly recommend them!

They have a new groomer here! I love that I can leave my dog here for the day and that she is well…read morecared for. In addition to that, they have a new groomer, Erick, that has bathed her a couple times and also does fur cuts. We have been having issues with burrs in our backyard getting stuck in her curly fur (she is a goldendoodle) and he took care of that for me. Now we are set for the summer, and I don't have to worry about digging out burrs on a daily basis. This service makes it so convenient for our family. Plus: Convenient, knows what he is doing, reasonable cost Cons: can't think of any.

Best place ever!! Great activities for the puppy dogs to enjoy. Friendly staff also. Rocky LOVES it…read morethere!

We truly cannot say enough amazing things about Kelli! Our Australian Shepherd, Briggs, has been…read moretraining with her for the past month, spending five days a week with her and coming home to us on the weekends, and the difference we've seen in him has been incredible. His behavior, manners, and overall demeanor at home have improved so much, and we feel like we have learned a ton along the way too. Beyond being an amazing trainer, what has meant the most to us is how much Kelli genuinely cares about Briggs. She treats him like he's her own, and any time he has had even the smallest health issue, she is always the first to check in, follow up, and make sure he's doing okay. It gives us so much peace of mind knowing he is with someone we completely trust and who truly loves and cares for him. Kelli has been so lovely to work with, and we feel incredibly lucky to have found her. We would recommend her to anyone looking for someone who is not only an incredible dog trainer, but someone who genuinely cares about the dogs she works with. It also helps that Briggs absolutely loves her!

I went back and forth on posting this since it happened a couple years ago, but figured it's still…read moreworth putting out there for anyone looking into Karma Dog Training. We enrolled Poppy, our 4 month old puppy at the time, in their 10-day reverse board-and-train program. I wasn't expecting her to come out perfectly trained in 10 days, but I did expect the level of intensive training they advertised on their site. The trainer we got was sweet and had a calm energy, which I liked since Poppy was skittish around new people. But the actual training didn't come close to matching what was promised. We have security cameras at home, so I could see exactly what was happening while we were gone. Most days were only 5-10 minutes of actual training. The rest of the time the trainer was watching TV or on her phone. If we'd wanted someone to watch TV with our puppy, we could've asked a neighbor for free. By the end of it, Poppy knew "sit" and "down" and not much else. The separation anxiety and potty training work we'd specifically talked about before signing up hadn't really progressed. I want to be clear, my problem wasn't that she wasn't fully trained in 10 days. It's that we paid for a specific service and didn't get it. I emailed the owner, Jeff, sent him the video clips, and asked for a partial refund. He wouldn't address any of it directly, just offered services that were already included in our package and turned down the refund. Then he was rude to my husband on the phone, which threw me because my husband is about as easygoing as they come and almost never gets worked up over anything. I also found it concerning that the exit document I was given included a clause saying clients agreed not to post negative reviews. I never signed it, but seeing that made me question how much honest customer feedback actually makes it online. Super shady. We ended up going with a different trainer afterward, and Poppy turned out exactly how we'd expected her to after actual, consistent training. Maybe we just got unlucky with the trainer. I can only go off our own experience, but between the training we actually received and how they handled it afterward, I wouldn't recommend them.