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.

I visited this place with my wife and I a number of times. We had been looking for the right dog…read morefor so long, and I'm glad the team of volunteers were able to help me so kindly. This is the cleanest shelter I've been to by far, you can tell the volunteers here really care about the animals there. They always have new kittens and pups!! Perfect amount of space in their back area to get to know the baby you want. They even have a section of free clothes, toys, and everything you need for your dog and cat donated kindly from people in the neighborhood. I really love this shelter. A reminder to adopt not shop!!

I came to the Berkeley Humane Society after being told they were providing a free health clinic on…read moreSaturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. This included free spay and neuter services with advanced sign-up. The staff and volunteers were absolutely amazing--so kind, organized, and genuinely helpful throughout the entire experience. One of the sponsors was Tony LaRussa and LaRussa Rescue, along with other rescue organizations. Tony and his wife were there during our visit, taking time to chat with people and personally thanking everyone for coming, which was incredibly touching. I've been wanting to visit this shelter for a long time, and I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity. The dedication and compassion of everyone here truly shows. An amazing place filled with amazing people.

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.

Gusty us AMAZING!!!!! We saw great results after just 1 session and learn tons with each followup…read more If you keep up with her lessons you should see great behavioral improvement and management. Our dog was already amazing, but Gusty helped with the transition of our older rehomed puppy to our family. Something to note about the Bark Busters philosophy- it uses positive reinforcement with solid results...and also acknowledges that your dog is still going to be your dog. Their personality is their personality... so they teach you how to work with the dog that you have instead of the dog that you think you should have.

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 will give 10 stars if I can. Our Great Dane puppy Phoenix attended multiple group training…read moreclasses with them and still attend their puppy/teen social every week. They are amazing and my dog is well socialized and behaved because of their excellent training using no force. I cannot thank Lesley (amazing human who works with Phoenix one on one), Sandi and Katy for all they have done in helping us raise an amazing dog.

I would give 500 stars instead of 5 stars if I could. My young, rambunctious Great Dane Otis and I…read moreLOVED the BravoPup class run by Anna Carlson. We took her Dog 1 and Dog 2 classes in Rockridge. Anna's methods are totally fun, totally force free - and they totally work! We had been having trouble with Otis's recall and after only our first 2 classes Otis had a super solid recall - seriously, wild horses couldn't keep him away when he hears his recall word. Anna later helped me with private sessions acclimating my older dog to a new rescue dog. It was miraculous how quickly and effectively Anna was able to diffuse the situation and get my older dog to be calm and relaxed in the presence of the new dog. Anna really knows what she's doing and it's obvious she has a special talent for reading dogs and figuring out stress free ways to guide them into the behavior we want. Updates to follow - I'm so impressed with Anna, we'll do more private sessions to help me continue to improve the behavior and happiness of my 3 Danes. PS: Check out this photo showing how happy Otis is with his off leash time now that he can be trusted to come back.

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.

Pat is fantastic! I…read moreenrolled Harley, my very reactive doxie puppy, in one-on-one sessions followed by a 2-week board and train program and it was the best decision I've ever made. Pat uses these awesome analogies to help you understand the way dogs think and react. You can tell he is extremely knowledgeable and breaks down the training process in a way where it's straightforward for both you and your pup. I can see how it may be awkward to meet a total stranger who is then teaching you how to train your "child", but it never felt that way with Pat. He is super down to earth, hilarious and extremeley personable. I continue to use his dog sitting services until this day and I can tell my Harley girl adores him!

Great improvement with Patrick's help!!…read more I have a 3 year old very reactive Maltese dog named Charlie & we did 3 sessions with Patrick and he is very knowledgeable in the dog world. Seen a great improvement after the 1st session as Patrick gives us homework's to help practice with our dog. Patrick makes training enjoyable & comfortable for both the pet and the owners. Would highly recommend training your pups with Patrick! Thank you!

I departed a while ago from another vet due to their repeatedly jostling my dog's MAST cancer sites…read more(this uniquecancer is triggered by histamines) and insisting on tests to confirm an obvious condition. My my, what a difference experience the BAnimalHospital staff and doctors. They listen. Carefully. They are courteous, efficient and kind. No having to pay for tests to confirm what is already known -- unnecessarily. I think they are stellar. They are also proactive. There's usually parking out front (metered). The wait times are reasonable. Recommended!

Best experience for veterinary services in Berkeley. Calm,…read morecompetent and organized from the moment you enter. You can feel confident with the care, your pet will receive.

We cannot recommend Mutt and Tumble Dog Training enough. Bryan helped transform our two doodles…read morefrom reactive, poorly behaved dogs into calm, obedient companions who are now a pleasure to walk and have around others. Before training, we struggled with leash pulling, barking, lunging at other dogs, and nonstop chaos whenever someone came through the door. We were honestly at our wits' end. Everything changed after I saw Bryan in Jackson Square walking a calm, perfectly behaved pack of dogs. We started weekly family lessons in January 2026 with our dogs and our two 12-year-old daughters, and progress began almost immediately. Bryan quickly helped us realize the humans needed training too. With consistent coaching, support, and a board-and-train program, the transformation has been incredible. Our dogs are now well-behaved both at home and in public. We can comfortably walk them, take them to parks and outdoor restaurants, and genuinely enjoy being with them. Friends and family who knew our dogs before cannot believe the difference in their behavior. Thank you, Bryan. You really can teach old dogs new tricks.

Our dog, Maggie (2yrs - Cockapoo), is coming home tomorrow after a 2 week board and train and I…read morecouldn't wait until then to write a review for Bryan. Bit of background: Maggie has done 12 weekly group training sessions with another trainer and is generally well-behaved. However, she doesn't read the social signals from other dogs well (ex: when they want to be left alone), tends to jump on everyone at all times, doesn't respond to commands unless there's a treat involved, and lacks confidence. What I enjoyed about the program is that it includes several in person training sessions during the B&T. We got to see Maggie's progress as time went on and most importantly, we were trained on their behavior psychology and how to become the leaders of our pack. I will say I was nervous about implenting the ecollar but Bryan has demonstrated that it is a safe and effective training tool-- I got to see it used as a tool for correction that Maggie actually responded well to. Maggie is coming home tomorrow and hand-off includes an in-home training sessions to ensure her progress doesn't regress which I appreciate. From what I've seen, Maggie has become more confident, responds to recalls in distracting places (no treats involved), learned to self-soothe, and plays/greets other dogs/people with manners. Truly the best investment I've made in my dog and I'd highly recommend Mutt and Tumble to all dog parents!

I have brought my dog to Happy Hound for over twelve years, after we tried another doggie day care…read more The staff at Happy Hound knows and cares about all the dogs, they have a thoughtful system for placing every dog in the appropriate group based on the dogs' energy level and temperament (mine is cranky with other dogs and wary of people), and the staff (all great) really understand how to accommodate different dogs -- no matter the size, breed or personality. For years my dog was there five days a week as I commuted into the City, and I always knew she was safe and happy there. Really the best facility for boarding dogs. M.A.B.

Short version, they stole $2500 from us, and we heard they are oldschool and use punitive measures…read moreon the dogs. They claim to be positive reinforcement only, but I heard this from one of the two licensed dog behavioralists in the area. This tracks with talking to the boss and hearing her talk about the "alpha" which is antiquated terminology. long version - we were researching a place to board our dog, and went for the 1 month board and train. We then heard that they use punitive measures when training the dogs so in less than 24 hours we canceled. They take half the money as a deposit, which in this case was nearly $2500. We asked for a refund and they said no. They said it's in the contract, which it is, but they do not make it obvious, and certainly nobody told us that verbally. You really have to read that thing. They said we could use the money toward future services but as they use punitive measures we will not be working with them. So, they stole $2500 from us. Be careful of what you're getting into.