Cara is excellent training your dog. She is very knowledgeable and very patient. Has great methods…read morethat does not include a shock dog collar. I would highly recommend her!

I can't recommend Cara enough! From the very first session, it was clear that she truly understand…read moredogs and their behavior. Cara took the time to assess my puppy's individual needs and developed a training plan with the goal of forming a strong relationship with my dalmatian, Ruth. Cara was incredibly patient, calm, and encouraging. Check out her YouTube videos to get Cara's vibe for traning and see if her apporach works for you. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, we were not able to complete our eight-week training plan, but Cara was completely understanding and refunded me for the remaining sessions. I was beyond grateful that she was so understanding of situation. Cara has a genuine love for animals, and it shows in every interaction. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, kind, and results-driven dog trainer, look no further. I'm so grateful for the transformation in my dog's behavior (even in the short time we spent training together) and I would recommend Cara for anyone struggling to train their dog basic obedience, or develop a relationship with their new puppy, and much more!

I've been taking my sweet Stella here for daycare regularly over the past few months and she…read moreabsolutely loves it! Elisha and the entire team are incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive. You can genuinely tell how much they care about the dogs and make sure they have a great experience. Every time we arrive, Stella runs straight to the back with her tail wagging because she is so stoked to play. Seriously gives me such peace of mind knowing she's happy and well cared for here. Highly recommend!!

To start the check-in process with Michaela (sp) was flawless. We had an in-depth discussion of…read morewhat the full bath treatment/haircut was going to be, and the final quote was given to me after I had a consult with the groomer. RiO was in Amanda's professional care today, and provided an exceptional experience and grooming service for my best friend's 4th birthday treat! Complimented with a HaPpY B-DaY bandana! The management made it right by providing a previous credit given for my satisfaction, and it was applied to my bill. Paw Commons is #1!!! Sent with thanks for taking care of Rio and providing a great 'spa treatment'! Amanda, BTW, he smells amazing!

Highly recommend the instructors, Patti & Sarah. Training is very organized & always a positive…read moreenvironment for the dog & owner. I have taken my 3 dogs through Puppy Preschool, Kindergarten & obedience. Every class has been excellent & educational. A very positive aspect of the classes is the recap of training covered, question & answer period at the end of classes. This is the facility to train at if you want exceptional training for your puppy.

Patti was such a great help when it came to training our puppy Winnie! She tailored every session…read moreto our dog's needs and how we can better support/train her. She also took the time to send us a recap after every session with resources so we always had something to refer back to. We enjoyed every session and have nothing but Pawsitive things to say :)

Hi, I was a kamp client for over five years. I withstood the business closing without notice when…read morethey lost their lease, many waves of management changes and a nasty virus impacting two of my dogs. Recently, a manager raised concerns about one of my dogs who has always been "high octane" and when I engaged in a constructive conversation with the owner that included my own observations about unsafe drop off procedures, two of my dogs were disinvited from participating in camp anymore (including one kamp had never raised any concerns over). Really disappointing that Kamp would treat a loyal customer this way and after the owner, Gian, represented to me the business day before that he was committed to working towards solution. They've turned into one of those places that is interested in easy dogs and easy money, not longevity of a client base. Goodbye from a good client that paid $600 per month.

We've been bringing our two golden retrievers to Kamp Kanine since they were puppies, and they…read moreabsolutely love it. Tyler and Hali are next level when it comes to care and communication. They send photos, pay close attention to each dog's needs, and always have them washed and ready right on time when we ask. I also really appreciate how thoughtfully they group the dogs to keep everyone happy and safe. I've tried other daycare centers, and none compare to Kamp Kanine. The drop-off and pick-up process is so easy, and I have complete peace of mind every time. M Rivera

Rosa was awesome! She was so patient with us and our dog. His aggression was so bad and she really…read morebrought it down. She showed us how to react and not to react when seeing another dog and now we can introduce our dog to others safely. Thank you Rosa!!!!

My dog Beckham is a mix breed and he is 5 1/2 years old and he was trained by Jonathan. With the…read moreamount of time we had with him (we signed up for 9 sessions), he did so much with him/us. We trained both at home/outdoors and at a local park. He was so patient with Beckham, as well as with us. His directions were clear and direct. He was always available even on the phone when we would video tape Beckham on his training, always there to give us great feedback. I also enjoyed the fact that he got all the family members involved (my two kids that are 13 and 21). Jonathan was very flexible and worked with our schedule. We would highly recommend him to anybody that needs help with training.

**Life-Changing. Truly.**…read more I don't write reviews lightly and I especially don't write emotional ones--but Bark Busters of San Diego quite literally gave me my life back. For years, I lived in silence and stress. I couldn't leave my home without my dogs barking, howling, scratching at their crates, and spiraling into panic. The mouth watering alone was enough to break me. So instead, I stayed home. I adjusted my life around their anxiety. I suffered quietly because I loved them and didn't know what else to do. Until one day I broke down completely. I realized this wasn't living not for me, and not for them. We deserved calm. We deserved peace. We deserved to live our "best" lives and this wasn't it. Some people complain in reviews that dog training "doesn't work." Let me be very clear: anxiety whether in humans or dogs is not something you fix by checking a box. A true behavioral therapist understands one thing above all else, "awareness". Anxiety comes from surroundings and perceived safety. The work is learning how to respond and create calm and that takes consistency. I spent three straight weeks training four hours a day, every single day. I cried. I doubted myself. I wanted to quit. But I followed the Bark Busters program exactly as taught--daily simulations, real-world scenarios, repetition, and patience. And then something incredible happened. My dogs slept. They relaxed. They trusted. Today, I can leave my home and my dogs are calm, quiet, and peacefully sleeping, knowing I'm coming back. Visitors come and go with ease. My 9- and 6-year-old Maltipoos are relaxed, confident, and happy. And so am I. Here's the truth people don't want to hear, there is no magic pill. There is no shortcut. The training never "ends" because leadership and love are lifelong commitments. And honestly? That's the gift. Once it becomes part of your daily life, it feels natural. I walk more. The cuddles are calmer. I'm no longer being climbed on out of anxiety I'm being loved in peace. And about the cost? Think about it. You've already spent more on multiple trainers, treats, wasted time, emotional exhaustion, and a very unhappy household. Bark Busters' training is guaranteed for life. If you move. If life changes. If new challenges come you're supported. That matters more than people realize. Justin and his team are beyond words. Compassionate. Honest. Direct. They don't just train dogs, they train families. Value your pet's life. Value the short, precious time we get with them. Happiness--for everyone in the home is worth the work.

I'm updating my original 6-month review now that it has been a full year since we hired Bark…read moreBusters to help with our rescue dog Mimi. As first-time dog owners, the early support really did help us. Having someone we could call during those overwhelming first months was a relief. Over time, though, I realized I was hoping the training would shift toward more positive reinforcement. The constant, harsher corrections worked at first but eventually didn't seem effective anymore and started affecting my relationship with Mimi. I noticed this during a family trip where Mimi, who is usually fearful of strangers, bonded more easily with my husband and his family. She gravitated toward them when scared, and I realized it might be because they weren't following the correction-heavy approach, while I was. I also asked for help with Mimi's fear and reactivity toward other dogs, but was told they didn't have dogs available for training and that I would need to bring a calm, socialized dog myself. As a non-trainer, that was very hard, but we tried by traveling many hours to introduce her to my husband's family dog. The experience ended up being chaotic since the family didn't fully understand what the process required, and new people and dogs kept appearing even though Mimi wasn't ready. Her reactivity came back in that environment, which made me feel like the training had only put a bandaid on deeper fear issues. Maybe I should have clarified expectations better from the start, but with a high-need dog and being new to all of this, I didn't know what to expect. Since then, we've switched to a positive reinforcement trainer who organizes structured group activities. Mimi is still scared of bigger dogs and can still be reactive, but she's improving slowly and has been able to meet a few smaller dogs. She's also still fearful of people, but she nips a lot less now, so progress is happening. Overall, Bark Busters helped us in the beginning, but long-term we found that a different, more positive approach has been a better fit for Mimi.

I met Cathy November 2011 while volunteering as a Canine Coach for adoptable dogs at the Rancho…read moreCoastal Humane Society down the street. Cathy sponsors an adoptable every class free of charge to improve their chances in finding a forever home and as a Canine Coach I would transport and train said animal. As if that weren't enough to fall in love with Take the Lead. I coached three dog through her 6 week course and she asked me to stay on as an intern trainer. I've been volunteering there ever since. Her methods are painless and positive. She teaches people to read their dogs body language so that we don't ask something of our dog that hurts, makes them uncomfortable or would create undue stress. Her motto is "It takes two to pull" so be prepared to be trained as well. Classes are an hour. They are fun and functional, you learn how to handle real-life situations, how to train your pet to be a good patient at the Vet, the Groomer and Dog-sitter. There are special guest speakers, games and play. Your dog is begging for you to call Cathy at Take the Lead!

Looking for a positive fun way to train your puppy? Cathy Meyer is the answer! We call her Aunt…read moreCathy and put our Havanese in her capable hands. She trained us how to have a happy, trained, well adjusted puppy. From puppy kindergarten to Good Citizen classes we always had fun and learned something new. We can take Max anywhere due to all his training. We loved every minute and 3 years later still visit Aunt Cathy at her puppy daycare. Highly recommend it

Jan is the best! I can leave town and feel 100% comfortable that my two cats are well cared for…read more She spends time sitting with them, which as older cats is what they like the most. BONUS- I have asked Jan for last minute care on a few occasions and she has always helped me out. Best cat sitter!

Jan is fantastic! She stayed with our two dogs over a 5 day period and we couldn't have been…read morehappier with our experience with her. She gave us daily updates on our dogs accompanied with pictures to let us know how everything was going. She was very responsible and respectful of our home, leaving everything clean and exactly how we left it. But most importantly to us, the dogs were happy and in great shape when we returned. I would not hesitate to recommend Jan and hope that she is able to stay with our dogs whenever we are out of town in the future. Wonderful experience!