Sabrina is truly so amazing! I came to her wanting to train a Psychiatric Service Dog for myself and she was the most sweet and caring person. I could not have asked for a better experience with this whole process. Sabrina has always been so responsive and kind about my situation since I am a student financing the cost of a Service Dog on my own and she has been nothing but extremely flexible and understanding the entire way through. I got my baby Sugar Plum from her and she was raised with Sabrina. Since I started working with her, she has been such an angel and I am so lucky to have such a great dog who is always so attentive and well behaved. I have had virtually no issues with training my puppy with her help. But if I do, Sabrina is always right there to help me out! I canʻt count how many times that Iʻve asked Sabrina questions about raising my puppy or how to train or even what cage size I should get for her. Itʻs not just the training you get with her, sheʻs really there for any support which I have been so extremely grateful for. She knows her way with the dogs and I trust her with my puppy more than anyone else. I cannot recommend Sabrina and Balanced Obedience enough, and everyone I talk to knows it! If you are looking for trustworthy adoption, training, and/or boarding, this is it! read more

Balanced Obedience has truly been a dream come true! Sabrina is absolutely amazing. Before training, I couldn't even walk our dog because she pulled so hard. It wasn't just me--even our dog sitters struggled to walk her. She also greeted everyone by barking, whether they were coming into our home or we were visiting theirs. She sounded like a fierce guard dog... which is pretty funny considering she's a full-blooded Golden Retriever! The transformation has been incredible. Not only is she so much better behaved, but we've also learned how to communicate with her in a way we never knew before. The training didn't just change our dog--it changed our relationship with her. We can't recommend Balanced Obedience enough. If you're on the fence about investing in training, take the leap. It is worth every penny, and you'll be so glad you did! read more

We brought our very hyper, resource-guarding puppy to Balanced Obedience for a two-week boot camp. From the beginning, Sabrina was genuinely interested in understanding our goals and expectations for the training. She walked us through her game plan and asked if there were any specific behaviors we wanted her to focus on. Throughout the boot camp, Sabrina kept us updated with photos whenever we asked -- which we really appreciated. Our puppy came back a completely different dog! She's much calmer now, and with the continued practice of the techniques Sabrina taught us, we're seeing lasting improvements. read more

Mishka my 4 month old puppy, just "graduated" from Sabrina's 2 week boot camp and the results are amazing! I'm looking forward to the classes, online training she offers and the CGC evaluation! She offers great value for her packages! I highly recommended her for anyone serious about training and having a healthy relationship with their dog! read more

Balanced Obedience - Mishka with fellow graduates! Congrats!! - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Honestly, I haven't felt alone in a while because of my pup Harley. She's not only my best friend, but she's also become a source of comfort in my life. It was important that she be near just in case I started to feel anxious in a social or day-to-day setting. Getting her trained and certified as a service dog was the logical next step. Sabrina's program has made that a possibility for Harley and I. Our bond has grown, and I feel that our mutual trust has as well. Thank You Sabrina for your clear and concise directions with Harley's training to be Service Dog certified. My best friend and service dog will always be my side. read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We adopted our dog from Sabrina, and we couldn't be more grateful. From the very beginning, it was clear how much love and care she puts into each of her dogs. We spent a long time looking at options for getting a dog but we just kept going back to her website as it felt like it the dogs were really loved and not just a dog breeding facility. Our boy was incredibly sweet, gentle, and well-behaved from day one, which is a true testament to the way Sabrina cared for her dogs. We flew in from Maui to visit her dogs. We were given the chance to interact with him in both indoor and outdoor settings, which really helped us feel confident about the match. We ended up choosing a 2.5 year old beautiful and sweet golden retriever and flew him back to Maui the same day. Our dog is so affectionate and calm, and we truly couldn't ask for a better companion. Sabrina also went above and beyond by supporting us after the adoption, checking in and answering questions as we navigated the transition. You can tell she truly loves these animals and is committed to finding them the best homes. Highly, highly recommend adopting through Sabrina or working with her to train your dog. We're so lucky to have found her and our perfect pup. read more

Balanced Obedience - Henry learned from day 1 to leave the cats alone! - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Our two dogs went to Balanced Obedience. A great experience and the trainer is amazing. Wonderful and a positive person with a great outcome. Our Dogs Lili and Puanani are really happy with their home environment now and behave well. We're still working on things. They really are behaving so much better. Mahalo!! read more

Balanced Obedience - This is our dog Puanani and a photo sent to us during her time at training! - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for Sabrina and her team! Our 4 yr old mini aussie, Kelso completed his 2 week board and train in Waimanalo with Sabrina and her team. I thought he would never be able to hang out at a restaurant or go in an elevator with me, be with other dogs and humans because he was reactive! Everyone in my condo has said that Kelso is a different dog! While training continues especially with me Kelso now can go out on adventures with us! What I love is Balanced Obedience does not use e-collar or treats and they are so supportive!!!! read more

Our 6month old puppy Milo had his 2week board and train with Sabrina this June, and my husband and I were amazed at how Milo has improved a lot! All his old bad habits like jumping, pulling on leash, mouthing, reactivity (and the list goes on and on) is gone! Now he listens to every command we give. I am totally in awe at how Milo can be transformed to a calm and obedient dog. I highly recommend Balanced Obedience! read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We stumbled upon Sabrina 18 years ago. We had two rescue dogs who just wanted to play 24/7. We had called several other dog trainers on island who were either extremely strict (no affection for dogs) or extremely lenient (give the dogs treats all the time). Whereas Sabrina's method was flexible. She said not all dogs are the same. The training would depend on the dog. We were shocked when we got back our dogs after 2 weeks. They were well behaved. But still just as energetic, fun, outgoing, and super affectionate. And when they saw Sabrina again after a few weeks to a few months, they were always so excited to see her. Lots of kisses and tails wagging. So we knew Sabrina treated our dogs like her own. After our fur babies passed away a few years ago, we didn't think we would get another dog. But we had heard through the grapevine that Sabrina had a few dogs for adoption. And we reached out to her. That's how we found our current fur baby, Lulu. She was a 2 1/2 year old rescue Sabrina found. We knew any dog under Sabrina's care would be well trained. And Lulu is. Unfortunately, Lulu has one hiccup which is not her fault. She has a fear of fireworks. She pants heavy and shakes. We hated the idea of sedating her. Instead, when we know there will be fireworks, we board Lulu with Sabrina. Just as we did this past 4th of July weekend. Lulu was excited to be back at Sabrina's as she knows there will be lots of play and room to run. A special thank you to Marisa. She was super warm, professional, and welcoming. We knew she would be in good hands. And I appreciate Marisa being understanding about our concerns for Lulu's fear of fireworks. So she kept us up to date as to how Lulu did. Along with adorable pics. On a side note, my cousin took her 7 year old, very energetic dog to Sabrina for boarding and training. And it's like a completely different dog. He's so well behaved. And super happy. Very social. Our family is in complete shock of how much a few weeks of training has completely transformed my cousin's dog. He's no longer jumping on people, his barking has decreased significantly, he's not as nervous or anxious. He's just happy and super loving. And I guess that's all any of us want for our dogs. To be happy. A huge thank you to Sabrina and her staff. read more

I have two Jack Russells who used to be little wild beasts before attending Sabrina's Doggy Bootcamp. The moment they saw another dog, they would bark and cause chaos in the streets. Even the smallest noise would set them off. We could not take them anywhere because it was embarrassing, stressful, and honestly irresponsible on our part as owners. When we were planning to move from a house to an apartment, we knew we needed professional help. After researching different trainers on the island, we found that some relied on e-collars, while others told us Jack Russells were too stubborn to train. We almost gave up, but fortunately we found Sabrina. From the start, she stood out. She patiently answered all our questions, addressed our concerns, and reassured us that she could help both our dogs and us as owners. Her method does not rely on treats but instead builds a respectful bond between handler and dog. She teaches you how to be the calm and confident leader your dog needs. Another huge perk is that the four-week Board and Train program comes with lifetime access to her weekly group classes. These sessions help reinforce everything learned during bootcamp, allow the dogs to socialize, and give Sabrina the chance to personally guide each owner. For example, she suggested that our male dog be neutered to help calm his energy, and it made a world of difference. He is now gentle and relaxed instead of hyper and reactive. Our one-year-old female did another ten-day Board and Train for potty training. Sabrina showed us exactly what to do to help her learn to hold her bladder and only go outside. Now she can sleep next to me without accidents, and I can finally rest easy. Thanks to Sabrina, our dogs can now join us anywhere, from the mall to the beach, without stress or chaos. People constantly compliment their obedience, and we proudly share who trained them. Sabrina's program even uses service dog-level training methods, which we are now continuing for PTSD and anxiety support. Sabrina is more than a trainer. She has become a friend and an inspiration. She is intelligent, methodical, and kind, and she truly runs her business with heart and purpose. Her work has completely changed our lives and our dogs' lives for the better. This is the only trainer you should trust for your dog, your patience, and your peace of mind. read more

My boyfriend and I adopted our puppy, Deebo, with the intention of having him trained. We found Balanced Obedience online and had our consultation with Sabrina over the phone. This conversation was our first indicator that Sabrina was the right choice for us. She was so welcoming and answered all of our questions with confidence. It was evident that she has an abundance of experience with dogs and their behavior. When we picked Deebo up from puppy camp, he showed great progress for his age! He was only 3 months when we boarded him which Sabrina recommended is a good time to start training. He learned all of the necessary commands such as sit, heel, stay, wait, and come. Our baby is so smart and was so attentive in Sabrina's presence. We like that she doesn't use treats in her training and uses petting for a reward instead. I think it makes the pup appreciate our affection more instead of making them greedy with treats. She is also always giving us tips and answering our questions even after boarding. It's been really helpful as I myself haven't owned a dog before. We're so grateful we found Sabrina and can't wait to keep learning with her! read more

Balanced Obedience - Deebo :) - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

When my daughter told me that her two Jack Russells were coming to live with me in our apartment, I was worried. They were loud, reactive, and full of energy, and I was scared that we would get noise complaints and possibly be kicked out. I love animals, but I was not sure I could handle two dogs who barked at every sound and lunged at other dogs. Sabrina truly changed everything. From the moment we met her, she was patient, calm, and confident. She explained that training was not just about the dogs but about teaching us, the humans, how to lead and handle them correctly. She never made me feel embarrassed or discouraged, even though I am a slow learner when it comes to handling dogs. She worked with me one step at a time until I felt comfortable. Now both dogs are on their way to becoming service dogs. One is being trained to help me with PTSD, and the other is for my daughter's anxiety. They are focused, well-behaved, and loving. I can finally relax in my home without worrying about barking or accidents. My daughter and I can take them anywhere, and they listen beautifully. We also love attending the weekly group classes in Waimanalo. The drive there is so peaceful and scenic, with views of the ocean that make the experience even more special. Sabrina continues to guide us at each class and helps us keep improving. Sabrina is an amazing trainer who truly cares about both people and dogs. She has changed our lives and given us confidence, peace, and joy. I am so grateful for her patience, kindness, and dedication. This is the best dog trainer you can find in Hawaii. read more

Our family first sought out Balanced Obedience because of a friend's recommendation. Our chocolate lab puppy was typically energetic but also getting into everything - eating rocks (and his poop), yanking us on walks, crying at night. Our family was stressed so we sent him to Puppy Boot Camp with Sabrina and she was a savior. Not only did she train our dog, Mo. She trained us. She gave us the tools we all needed to manage him. He can still be a rascal which is typical of his breed, but he's great in our 4 generation household. Gentle with the 84 year grandpa and 8 month old grandbaby. Socializes well with other dogs. All thanks to Sabrina and her team. We appreciate that the dogs that board at her Waimanalo space are all trained by her so they all know what the expectations and commands are. I've recommended many other families to her because of our experience. My cousin also had her service animal trained at Balance Obedience as well. I recently had to board Mo at another place when Sabrina was out of town, and although they were ok, it was nothing like Balanced Obedience. I could see it in his behavior. He wasn't happy at the other place. When Mo just hears Sabrina's voice on a video, he perks up and starts wagging his tail. When she picks him up, she jumps in the van with no hesitation. Mahalo to Sabrina and team for taking great care of our boy and all the other dog friends! Corey, Kawehi and Anela Apo read more

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Sabrina worked wonders training our dog Hunny, we no longer struggle with pulling on walks, she loves working on her tricks and training. It was so helpful to not only have Hunny go through boot camp, but for Sabrina to train us to be better handlers. Bringing your dog to training will not only have your dog behaving better, but will also help with becoming a better leader so your dog can be happier and more comfortable in their daily life. Would highly recommend!! read more

Balanced Obedience - Pictures of Hunny Sabrina sent during boot camp - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Our dog Luna attended Sabrina's two week boarding training program. Sabrina is awesome. She helped with Luna's basic training skills. Sabrina definitely is the dog whisperer. Shortly after Luna returned from Sabrina's training program, she was bit by two dogs while on a walk in my neighborhood and Sabrina suggested rejoining the group lessons she does. Luna is doing a lot better thanks to Sabrina and her trainers guidance. I highly recommend Sabrina's board and train program as well as the group lessons. Luna loves staying at Sabrina's farm whenever we travel. read more

We are so grateful to Sabrina and the staff at Balanced Obedience for the care and hard work they put into our dog Bingo. Our goal is for Bingo to become a Psychiatric Service Dog to our son with ASD. We can't thank Sabrina enough for helping our family with our goals. Before coming to Balanced Obedience, we were having trouble with training Bingo to become a service dog. Despite previous training efforts, Bingo still lacked the level of focus expected of a service dog. He was easily distracted, sniffed around too much when he wasn't supposed to, and would bark at other dogs and people. We enrolled Bingo in the Service Dog program as well as the three-week board and train. There was a noticeable difference after his training with Sabrina! Bingo is now more calm, attentive, focused, and has a much better Heel. He also obeys eagerly without treats! Today we reintroduced Bingo to our children and followed Sabrina's instructions in doing so. Instead of jumping up on them overexcitedly, Bingo was able to stay calm and display proper greeting matters. Sabrina's training goes far beyond just teaching a dog how to do commands. Sabrina does not use treats and e-collars but reinforces using the bond and love and it really shows in Bingo's enthusiasm to listen and please. Bingo has real manners. For example, we used to put him in a Sit-Stay command before walking through a doorway or feeding him his meals. Sabrina's trainings taught him to wait for us to walk through doorways first or to wait for meals without us telling Bingo to hold a sit command. Sabrina emphasizes the importance of dog psychology and teaches you how to effectively communicate with your dog. She is very thorough in not only dog training but more importantly, people training. From correct posture to the way you make eye contact, to facial expressions, she really takes the time to educate you in becoming an effective handler and owner. The difference in our relationship with Bingo was astounding. It's hard to describe but the connection between us and Bingo feels stronger now that Sabrina has taught us how to communicate and understand him. This is a commonly overlooked part of dog ownership but is crucial and we are really blessed to have someone like Sabrina here on Oahu. If you are looking to improve the quality of life for you and your pup and deepen your relationship/bond, then Sabrina and Balanced Obedience is perfect for you. Sabrina's passion for helping others and their pups is priceless, we are fortunate to have her continued support throughout this journey together. Sabrina's training has improved the quality of life for Bingo and our entire family. Bingo is behaved and obedient in different environments. It really means so much to our family to have a service dog and a friend for our son. We can watch our son initiate interactions with Bingo and even improve on his social skills. We are forever grateful to Sabrina for helping make all this possible. read more

I did a lot of research across all sorts of training methods and options and trainers. Ultimately I selected Sabrina at Balanced Obedience and am so glad I did. Mele is our 6 month old yellow lab; we've had her with us since she was 3 months old. She had the normal puppy issues - jumping, nipping, pulling. We have three young grandchildren and I wanted to get off to the right start with Mele esp with the kids always in the house. Lots of activity, noise and she was beginning to get very excitable (jumping more, nipping etc) and I was getting anxious. Not a good combo. We also have two older dogs, 14 and 12 and she was nipping at them. This stopped and when it does happen we know how to prevent it I selected the two week boarding with Sabrina and wow it was incredible. She came back a calmer, obedient pup and the best thing is - we were also trained on what to do, not do. Mele just wants to please us and we now have the tools to have a great relationship. read more

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I sent my puppy, Coco, to Sabrina for obedience bootcamp, and was amazed by how much she learned during her time there! Coco came back crate-trained, potty-trained, and able to follow and understand a number of commands. I really appreciate the time and dedication Balanced Obedience put into caring for and training Coco. We will be back for boarding and more classes! read more

Sabrina is caring and very knowledgeable. She is a trainer, yes, but more importantly a behaviorist. She doesn't do punishment quickly fix but gets to the root of the problem. I highly recommend her. She is top notch! read more

Sabrina is a passionate instructor who puts her all into each class. She tries her hardest to share all of her vast knowledge and experience of/with dogs - with both the people and the dogs in her classes. She puts an incredible amount of energy into the entire class from beginning to end. It is almost tiring to just watch her! She is determined to do whatever it takes to get the best possible outcome for each team - handler and dog. It is mentally challenging because she is constantly 'sharing' and you are constantly trying to absorb everything and remember it! But, if you don't remember the first time around, no worries - she will patiently (and gently) remind you (again and again if needed) until you do 'get it'. She gives you respectful honest/constructive feedback that helps you help your dog. In my adventures with dogs, I have worked with eight trainers. I find Sabrina to be the best for me/my dog. Her training methods are no nonsense/consistent/successful and she is determined to work with you and your dog until you have achieved your goals. In the first few days of our classes she showed me how to do something with my dog that I had not been able to figure out on my own. That one success inspired me to keep trying to do the best for my dog. Joyce C read more

My puppy went to puppy booth camp and she came back 180 degrees different dog! Was jumping, biting, etc.... Now she is clam and heels, no pulling, no jumping, no biting.... If you and your dog has issue, highly recommended!! Sabrina also follow up and help you. I can take her cafe and she can just laying. I can take store and she just heels or sit while we wait in line. read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sabrina is a godsend! For a moment it looked like we might have to re-home our sweet little Max (beagle/terrier mix). For the most part, a goofy, energetic little guy that likes to love up on you, but we aren't sure how he was raised since we got him at 4 years old from the Humane Society. He showed some aggression a couple times so it was either obedience school or a new home. Sabrina taught us and Max a language to work together to keep everyone happy! He is soooo obedient now (although he still likes to test boundaries) but now we have the tools and support from Sabrina to help ensure that Max continues to stay a part of the family! No more trying to drag us along on walks, is learning more and more to display the behaviors that we want him to without prompting...it's really exciting! We're definitely keeping in touch for summer parties and boarding needs. read more

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My newest dog is a challenge so I knew I would need a professional trainer after getting kicked out of a group training class at a pet store. After trying a few others, we finally found Sabrina. She listened to all the ways that make our dog especially challenging for us and was quick to fill us with confidence that she knew how to help. She was able to accommodate us with very short notice. We left our wild and anxious dog and came back to one that we were able to communicate with. The online lessons helped us build on the foundation Sabrina had made. When unexpected roadblocks came up, I reached out for help and she was great at addressing our needs. We just boarded our dog for a few days recently and are satisfied by the responsiveness and friendly warmth she gave our dog. read more

We can't thank Sabrina at Balanced obidience enough, for the tremendous transformation we've seen in our puppy. We put our (16 week old) puppy through the 2 week doggie boot camp, and she came home a different dog. Calmer, more obedient and with a whole bunch of new tricks! We almost couldn't believe that she was the same dog. One of the biggest challenges we faced was her pulling during walks. She now walks calmly at our feet. So calmly, even our children can walk her without effort. (See pic) thank you so much Sabrina and Balanced Obedience for turning our rambunctious pup into a loving family dog. read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I first started using Balanced Obedience through their online training program. I purchased the program and began working through it with my dog, Buddy. While working through the program, I noticed that Buddy and I needed some extra support and counseling, so I reached out to Sabrina for guidance. She IMMEDIATELY responded, listened to my concerns, and set up a time for Buddy and I to train in person to solidify our leadership skills together. My dog was very fearful and could be reactive to strangers. After completing the training, and having support from Sabrina, we formulated a strategy to help Buddy overcome his fearfulness. This was detrimental to his success with being placed with a foster family through Dogs on Deployment for my upcoming deployment. Buddy was able to meet a "stranger" family and trust both them, and me, enough to settle in. I can't say enough positive things about Sabrina, or Balanced Obedience! read more

Balanced Obedience - Buddy on his 2nd Birthday felt confident enough to let a stranger put a hat on him and take his birthday picture! - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I met Sabrina of Balanced Obedience when my Bailey girl was a tween-ager rascal, who tested my patience on a daily basis. It was getting out of hand fighting Bailey to drop towels, napkins or whatever she could grip her mouth on. She would drag me on walks, tugging and pulling every which way. It was quite the circus. I tried to train her myself and felt it was time to call in a more seasoned trainer. Sabrina corrected all of Bailey's bad habits with assertiveness and loving care. I was pleasantly surprised when I got Bailey back from training. Bailey was a brand new goodest girl EVER. Now when we go for walks, Bailey heals by my side and sits when we are at stand still. Just wowah!!! When I ask Bailey to drop things, she actually lets go and gives me the items in my hand. Like who is this amazing well behaved dog? I could go on for days of the many improvements Sabrina has done with Bailey. I'm just all smiles all the time with Bailey now. Sabrina did an amazing job with Bailey in correcting her bad habits. I'm very thankful for Sabrina and I highly recommend her puppy training services. It is well worth it. read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I took my 6 month old German Shepherd Josie to Puppy Boot Camp and was amazed at the difference: Before, she was jumping up, distracted and very mouthy with her affection but after, she was a brand-new dog! I think having her professionally trained early in her life was the best thing I ever did. Ever since the Boot Camp, she has been so obedient, focused on me and willing to learn that it makes our relationship only joyful. It has been three years since then, and never any behavioral issues or struggle. I'm still so glad with the results. Whenever i need someone to watch her, I continue to call Sabrina. I would highly recommend Balanced Obedience, especially for puppies like mine! read more

Balanced Obedience, what a compassionate woman Sabrina is! We can't thank her enough for all her help and assistance through the service dog training and certification process! Amazing and compassionate work and highly recommend! read more

Sabrina is amazing. She trained my beautiful blue nose pit in the past to be the biggest baby ever. When I got two new puppy male Bichon brothers with behavior issues I knew I had to take them to her. She worked a miracle with their aggressive fighting toward each other, the barking, and leash walking. I was ready to give up and adopt either one or both to another family but now they are sweethearts after they both attended the puppy boot camp. Now me and my girls have our forever dogs that we fell in love with all over again. Don't hesitate...take your babies to Sabrina ASAP. read more

Balanced Obedience - 1 year Bichon brother's - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sabrina really takes an individual professional quality and then adds respect and love. I do not easily trust my device dog is getting old so ai have a Bernadoodle puppy in training and could not get back to the mainland due to Pandemic. So glad I found a AKC certified trainer for the next level of service dog training so he can avheive his Gold Star rating and his BC Guide and Service Dog dedignation( when we finally return to Canada after the pandemic) More importantly my current Service dog has arthritis and needs to retire ASAP. Sabrina Clark is a very capable trainer who really observes and learns the personality of a dog and works efficiently to train a well behaved dog. Plus really good follow-up after the block of training. Thank you Sabrina Clark read more

Balanced Obedience - SandersB AKA Wookie the day he left for Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sabrina takes the best care of our French bulldog. He has been through puppy bootcamp, service dog training and goes for recurring training when he boards. We only trust him to Sabrina as he comes back happy, healthy and better trained every time! read more

If you're considering training- I highly recommend it. I considered bringing our dog to Sabrina a few times over the last three years. He's stubborn, nervous and has a tough time with strangers (dogs and humans). I was hesitating because I wasn't sure if it would be worth the investment. But in June 2021, we decided it was time. We live in the city and it is important to us that he knows how to behave in busy environments. Fenway will never be a trusting, chill dog, but Sabrina gave us all the tools we need to ensure that he can remain a member of our family. Since his 3 week training with Sabrina, we have been told several times how well behaved he is. He needed structure but he also still loves to snuggle. Words cannot express my gratitude to Sabrina for her patience and balanced approach to training our unique dog. She told us immediately that she could tell how much we loved him and she also set very clear and kind expectations that he was likely going to continue to challenge us. He does. But we love him and now we know the tools we need to make the best decision for each situation. I write this review so that if anyone, who like me, is debating the value of training for their dog, knows how much it has helped us. It's worth the investment. read more

The moment we adopted our Shiba Inu puppy, Ichiro, I knew we would need to send him to a good trainer to teach him better than what was within our capabilities. After my research, I contacted Sabrina for the 3 week on leash training program. I really like that the puppies interacted with each other, this has made it more comfortable for us to let him meet other dogs within reason as well as the fact that he now knows what the difference between play biting and biting too hard. The style of collar training may be a little controversial for some as it involves metal prong collars, but it has proved to be the only effective collar to get Ichiro to not pull and also walk comfortably next to us. In time, we hope he will be able to move to another type. His temperament from before training and after, including his biting habits/hyper ness/listening to commands, had changed 360 for us and we noticed the difference on his first day back home. While we miss the little puppy days, we didn't miss him biting us all the time! :D We were really appreciative of Sabrina's want to further train Ichiro a little longer after noticing he doesn't do the down command easily (shibas...). She mentioned the extra week definitely helped in this area. He is still stubborn on this but we have been following her advice in training long periods each day to work on this specifically. What was personally beneficial was her end of training visit at our house. It was so helpful when she walked us through her style of dog walking, as well as how to give the commands to Ichiro. But what I noticed during that time, was her conscious reminders that we make sure to give him lots of love and praise when he was training the first time back with us. Sabrina was very patient (with me) and helpful during the whole process. And we are so glad we made the investment for Ichiro to train with her! We are already planning for him to board there in the next few months - another great benefit of training with her! Thank you, Sabrina! read more

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I am so, so incredibly grateful for Sabrina and the whole team at Balanced Obedience. I made a yelp account solely to sing my praises. My chocolate lab, Ozzy, went to the doggy boot camp for his last stage of training to be a service dog. When Ozzy came back to me, he was still just as happy, just as loving, but incredibly obedient. When searching for training for Ozzy, I was admittedly concerned about boarding him. I've heard one too many horror stories about animal abuse and neglect. Reading Sabrina's reviews definitely made me feel better, in addition to the comprehensive information provided immediately during the consultation. When discussing terms and the training plan, Sabrina was reassuring and confident. The facility itself was beautiful. There was plenty of room for the dogs to roam and play. Ozzy was very comfortable in the space and with Sabrina and her staff immediately. They took the time to break everything down and explain it to a very worried me (having my service animal without me for two weeks was scary!) even venturing to explain her educational background (both psychology AND zoology) which ascertained her skill and knowledge. You can tell she loves the dogs, and she loves her job. Throughout the two week period, I texted nearly every day to check in. I turned into a full-on helicopter mom, but Sabrina let me know how he was doing and sent lots of pictures and updates. When I went to pick him up, Ozzy was absolutely perfect; happy, healthy, and super obedient. At home now, he's much calmer and always listens. I missed him, but it was SO worth it. I cannot recommend Sabrina and Balanced Obedience enough. :) read more

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Sabrina is an excellent dog trainer. I am so grateful that she has taken the time to train our dog. We signed up for the two week bootcamp and it has absolutely made a difference in our dogs behavior. I believe the relationship we have with our dog will forever be better because of the two weeks he spent with Sabrina. I have an 11 month old dog that I was determined to raise with only positive reinforcement. I watched so many youtube videos and followed that way of training as well as I could. Right when he hit adolescence he became incredibly challenging. It got to the point where I was afraid to have other people greet him because he would jump, cry, pull, and not stop until he got to them. People began to become afraid of him and I became embarrassed. His greeting other dogs was even worse. It started off with him being an overly excited greeter and recently led to him being more aggressive. It felt like his greetings were getting worse every time he met a new dog and we were on a path to him eventually biting another dog (or person.) I was bribing him with treats, pulling him away, begging him to listen and he just wasn't listening anymore. I felt helpless and defeated. I put so much effort into socializing and training him, but the way I was doing it clearly wasn't working for my dog. Sabrina was informative from the moment I dropped my dog off. My dog was on his worst behavior and she was instantly teaching me how to correct him and how to behave myself to get the best behavior out of him. At pickup it was immediately noticeable that he was better behaved and he also seemed so content and willing to listen to Sabrina! Sabrina instructed my husband an I on the proper way to have him greet us and others. She took a lot of time to teach us how to properly walk him, how to have him practice commands, and how we should deliver those commands and position ourselves to have him respect us. He now listens so well when we do commands the way she instructed us to. Also she brought out a dog he hadn't met before and instructed us on how to do a calm greeting between the two of them and it seemed like a miracle because my dog was calm! Having your dog trained by Sabrina is absolutely worth the investment. I learned so much from her and I can't wait to continue to train my dog in her style and leave the bribing and begging behind. She offers support for a lifetime so I feel like I have the resources to be able to help my dog become the best version of himself he can be. I feel so relieved and empowered and a lot less worried for my dogs future. We found Sabrina at the perfect time! read more

Balanced Obedience - I was so happy to see him so content around all these other dogs! - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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After getting our second dog, we decided to get him boarded and trained by Sabrina and her staff. I was very pleased with the outcome and overall kindness we got. She was very informative and made sure that we got all our questions answered before we took him home. Much like our first dog that we boarded, we saw a big difference in his leash walking and obedience. I'm very happy to be a part of the balanced obedience ohana. If you are on the fence about sending your pup, here is the sign telling you that you should go for it! read more

I reached out to Sabrina to help my 4 yro blue heeler a few months after relocating to the island. Due to COVID and circumstances beyond our control, we lived at a hotel for over 2 months before finding and moving into our new home. Once our life seemed to calm down and return to a more typical routine, we noticed that some of the undesirable behaviors and quirks that had surfaced during our PCS move still remained evident- most notably separation anxiety. Our Josey Wales just didn't seem himself. I emailed Sabrina to inquire about her services and Josey was enrolled in her Bootcamp the next week. I picked Josey up 3 weeks later, and I was greeted by a completely transformed dog! He seemed less stressed, exhibited less spastic and rowdy behaviors and overall was much more obedient and much more calm. Josey has been home 2 weeks and I am so grateful for Sabrina for helping our family pup become more balanced and obedient. Time and money well spent! read more

Balanced Obedience - Pet Training Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Our highly obstinate and strong-willed European Doberman, (Cutter) has been training with Balanced Obedience since he was four months old. He began his training with Sabrina in a two-week puppy boot camp. He displayed his stubborn nature right from the start; when Sabrina asked to keep him for a third week to fine-tune his training-at no additional cost we were confident she could teach him the right way! He came home fully potty-trained, understood commands, and learned how to fit in our family of four, (two elementary school aged daughters). The techniques that Sabrina has taught our dog, and more importantly us, have grown with him. Allowing our small tween daughter to create a special bond as a handler to this 100+lb Doberman, whom she can skillfully control. We meet with Sabrina every few months to work out kinks as he continues to grow, test boundaries, and challenge the pack leaders. We get updated tools & techniques as Cutter passes through the challenging puppy years into teenage adolescence and adulthood. In addition, Sabrina has provided us with guidance on nutrition, the best time to neuter; to get the benefits of testosterone and growth, collars, leashes, and flea/tick prevention. Make sure to discuss flea prevention; Sabrina is passionate about how to best protect your pet. Our fast-growing dog (from 15 to 90lbs in six months) outgrew collars almost overnight, and she would swap them out for us regularly to keep Cutter in size-appropriate training gear. Having small kids and a Doberman, we wanted to provide the best training to ensure our kids felt confident in their ability to handle such a big dog. The Balanced Obedience technique of positive reinforcement has formed a stubborn boy into a wonderful smart dog who just wants to make us proud. You will not regret reaching out to Sabrina; she will be your dog's trainer for life! read more

I cannot say enough about Sabrina, of Balanced Obedience. My Louie, a miniature golden doodle went to Doggie Boot Camp with her for two weeks. He came back much better behaved than he was when he left. He still had a little bit of a problem with "listening". Sabrina graciously came back to our home, and Louie spent a few more days with Sabrina at her place in Waimanalo. The result is that we have a puppy that listens to us and minds us. Sabrina's knowledge of dog behavior is beyond incredible, and she is more than happy to share what she knows. We have learned so much. Thank you so much, Sabrina, for all that you have done. Kathy W. read more