The worst dog training experience ever. This woman literally took my money and refused to train my pup.

Les is fantastic. She had a great rapport with our dog who generally does NOT like strangers. At a time when he was very upset about new people coming into the house, he actually allowed Les to rub his belly. Les gave us great strategies for leash training and leash reactivity, and we've used them ever since. Highly recommend! read more

Les is the best dog trainer (and people trainer) i have ever worked with. She is very skilled and offers a variety of approaches to work with your pup. No canned training instructions with Les. She is kind and easy to work with. She was immensely helpful in giving us insight's as to what may be going on with our pup as he had a tough1.5 years before we got him. We understand him better and can be more helpful to him when he gets agitated or barky. We ask him what can we do together to help him. It works. Call Les and dog squad. 5 stars. read more

Les is a phenomenal dog trainer and human being. My wife and I adopted our first dog together and, though he came to us with a great temperament, it was overwhelming to wade through all the contradictory dog training advice online. Les is SO good at what she does. She listens to the goals you have for your dog and personalizes her training and advice to you. Bear (our dog) loves her and behaves SO much better because of our sessions with her. Our main goals were to make Bear a good walker and get to a point where we could have him off-leash on a beach. She got us there! Because of her training (and us staying consistent at home with Bear), Bear has gone on multiple off-leash walks locally and on vacations. We cannot recommend Les enough! read more

Dog Squad Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

(SLC, UT) After scheduling two different appointments with dog squad- both times being inconvenienced while having to reach out and further accommodate scheduling errors on Dog Squads end, I still wanted to move forward with their service. Both appointments at scheduled time I did not hear from them. One occasion waiting with my newly adopted dog in the cold outside their locked office- they apologized- but otherwise in no way made this right. It gets worse. When I questioned paying the full amount for the 4 week boarding option upfront (after 2 less than positive experiences impacting overall comfort level paying such a large amount without a little more going right!) Emily stopped communications and I feel I became collateral to their mistakes. I suppose I should have followed the initial red flags but it felt horrible she took me wanting a little more trust built by asking for an invoice that specified what the full amount ($2300 or so) provided. She just went dark. No response but she kept my $100 that I wouldn't have spent if I knew asking questions about payment would make her cut me off. I would highly recommend going elsewhere before spending a dime. read more

We've worked with Les for our sweet-but-reactive pup, and she's been incredible! From day one she met us exactly where we were--two very overwhelmed people with a dog who had big feelings--and never once made us feel judged for not knowing what to do. We started with a stretch of intensive sessions when we first got our puppy and have come back for periodic brush-ups since. Through it all, Les has been consistently patient, friendly, and kind--to us and to our dog--especially in the moments when we were frustrated or freaked out. She's great at reading what's actually happening, explaining the "why," and giving us clear, doable steps that fit real life. If you're dealing with reactivity or aggression and want someone who's both compassionate and steady, work with Les. We're so grateful for her help and can't recommend her enough. read more

Les is more than just a dog trainer, she assisted my girlfriend and I through a difficult time with our new dog and helped train US to train our dog! Our pup Oso was just about 6 months old when we started with Les. The difference in his behavior is night and day! Les brought in real knowledge and showed us tactical training for Oso that changed both his and our perception on how dogs interact and react with us. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LES AND THE DOG SQUAD, NO JOKE! read more

Les was awesome, for Bode, Maya and I. Bode is a year old know and knows all the commands we learned form Les. But also being a year old, Bodie acts like a teenager sometimes, by reinforcing what we learned from Les, Bodie usually snaps back to reality, tempering his short attention span. Call Les, your dog life will be easier down the road. read more

I'm a first time puppy owner and I was very anxious about how to train my pup. Tried on my own but I really needed that in person 1 on 1 guidance. Les was truly remarkable in guiding me in how to be patient in the training process and being that voice of reason when I would become frustrated. She's so personable not only with me but also to my fur baby. Lessons were full of laughter, learning and encouragement from Les. You can tell that she's truly passionate about helping you achieve whatever goals you have with your fur baby. I'm so appreciative to her and recommend Dog Squad Training to anyone who wants that extra assistance with their dog. I get a lot of compliments about how well mannered my puppy is and I always say it's because of her. Thanks Les! Me and Malcolm love you!!! read more

Dog Squad Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

I would highly recommend Les and The Dog Squad to support with your furry companions development needs. If you're looking for a trainer that blends outstanding theoretical knowledge with a clear passion for dogs and exceptional message delivery skills, then you need to work with Les. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Les and will continue to use her services moving forward as she has had an extremely positive impact on the development of our young puppy and 2 year old dog. Thanks for your support, Les! We appreciate it. Josh and Elle. read more

This review is long overdue--we are so grateful that we found Les. Our rescue Margot is extremely stubborn, very high anxiety, and has resource guarding/reactivity. We've tried a million different things & worked with other trainers, but their focus was treats as a reward. That created a situation in which Margot refused to listen unless there was food involved. We were feeling defeated, but then we found Les. She was so thoughtful and thorough not only in walking us through her plan and approach, but also helping us set our own expectations appropriately. Over the 5 sessions, with training in between, we saw a big difference. She was more patient, more chill, listened to us more. She's now so much more obedient, she listens when we give direction, and even though she's still stubborn, she'll get there. We were a bit apprehensive about the collar and not using treats at first, but Les was extremely thorough in talking us through how and why this approach worked. She was right -- Margot's a new pup. She still resource guards, still has anxiety of course, and Les told us those aren't things you can fully train away. But with Les's help we were able to build much more trust with her, and she's more able to handle uncomfortable situations. When we started, she was extremely reactive to other dogs on walks. Now, she walks right by other dogs calmly (for the most part). We were at our wits end, and I'm so so grateful we found Les. I could not recommend more highly! read more

We started working with Les when our puppy was about 4 months old and he is now 8 months. I often joke that these training sessions were more to train us humans than our dog, in truth it is for all of us. We loved working w Les and so did Bode. She was patient, intuitive, kind and assertive. She gave us clear goals to do for our homework. Also, we we're grateful to learn about training without treats/food. Only good things to say! read more

Les is excellent - knowledgable, teaching us how to better interact with our challenging rescue. Her patience with us is boundless. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Les is awesome. We met with another dog trainer and called a few before we met with Les. Once we did, we knew we had found the 'dog whisperer' of the bunch. Les gives no nonsense instructions and insights that helped us immensely with our silly, loving, smart and HIGH energy Portuguese water dog, Francis. And in no uncertain terms, Francis had trained us to do what he wanted when he wanted it. (Ok, me, he trained me..) and it was a fun and interesting road undoing a few bad habits and learning how to redirect him when he would get into a stubborn place. We cannot thank Les enough for all of the help. Also, having Les available for overnights, with enough notice, to puppy sit has been great, we were in such a state of peace knowing Francis had Les looking after him. It was like doggy boot camp for him! Anyway, if you are looking for a wonderful dog trainer..Les and Dog Squad are the BEST! read more

We started working with Les in April and had our last training earlier this month (August). Our dog, Phoebe, has shown so much improvement with the basics and even in situations where she'd easily get distracted. Les essentially trained us to work with Phoebe. We realized we were sending mixed messages to her. Repetition and consistency is key! Les will provide you with the right tools and tips throughout training as long as you bring the right attitude and finish your homework before the next session. We are so happy with how our now 11-month-old Golden girl can ignore some of the stimuli in public and has gotten much better with her leash manners. I definitely don't think we could've gotten this far on our own. Thank you Les and Dog Squad Training! I highly recommend this business for all your dog training needs. read more

I highly recommend Les for your dog training needs! Les had an abundance of patience and knowledge when it came to training our energetic pup Henry. Walks are much more pleasant as he is getting better and better with healing. Henry was very anxious/protective when people came to the house and with continued, consistent work, I'm confident he'll only continue to do better with the tools Les has provided us. I particularly liked how Les broke down how to communicate to Henry and how I may be sending mixed signals in my vocal commands and body language. I felt like I got a better understanding of how Henry thinks and in turn, how I can be a better leader for him. I'm really happy with the results and would definitely recommend Les. read more

Dog Squad Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

Despite involving other trainers right from puppyhood, 3 years later we had a divided household regarding our husky mix. He had been kicked out of daycare and then boarding and was making life more difficult. Les explained her methods -which were in the middle between the two more extremes that we had already tried. She worked with the whole family and was effective and nonjudgmental and our dog adored her. She was able to move us from feeling a bit desperate about our canine to making us all a more cohesive unit again. Thank you Les! read more

This review has been a long time in the making! Les has been working with our puppy Brie since we brought her home at 12 weeks. She is now 8 months old. Les helped her with training and helped us learn how to handle a puppy. Brie can do all the basic commands and walks on a leash like a pro. Les is also a wealth of knowledge and resources! Brie is the puppy we have always wanted thanks to Les. Also, Brie loves her as much as we do! Can I give more than 5 stars ********** read more

Dog Squad Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me

Les made such a difference for us in helping us to train our 10-yr-old Chihuahua. Les really talked with us to understand our dog without judgement, which hadn't been our experience when we had tried an obedience class. She helped us understand how we can reduce our dog's reactivity and anxiety through consistency and repetition. Now we can feel relaxed and confident on walks and at the dog park because we know how to reduce his negative interactions with other dogs or people. We feel much more prepared to handle situations that come up. It has been amazing to see how much he can change, even as an older dog. I'm grateful to her for helping us learn how we can support our dog to help him be less fearful and aggressive. read more

Les really helped us pull our adult street rescue mix breed out of her shell by showing us how to use patience, persistence and kindness to give our pup a whole new perspective on having a family. Joey is on a happy road to trusting humans and she now has a strut walking down the street rather than head down cautious 100% of the time. We owe a lot of it to Les and her understanding of not only what a former street dog may need, but also what tools us dog parents can use to give that dog her best life. Thank you Les! read more

We were pretty much overwhelmed with trying to deal with our energetic Bernadoodle puppy and were second-guessing our decision to adopt her. We had an-home orientation session with another dog trainer who must have fed the puppy 50 treats during the hour she was here, and pretty much made us feel like we shouldn't have adopted the puppy when we didn't understand how to train her. After seeing the reviews, we connected with Les. Within 5 minutes of her coming in the house and sitting down on the floor with the puppy and speaking to all of us, it became clear that she not only understood the puppy (and clearly the puppy understood her) but understood where we were and what we needed. She explained what she would do, how she would do it (no treats involved), and most importantly what we needed to do to practice and reinforce what she was teaching in order to first solve our most pressing issues - crate training and simple obedience commends, and then address our other goals. Over the months we worked with her, she helped us with everything from the right crate, to leash training, bathing the dog, command teaching, and socialization to finally navigating the dog park, and we're well on the way to having a well-behaved and well adjusted dog! On top of being highly knowledgeable and professional, she was also a pleasure to work with. We highly recommend Les for whatever your dog training needs are. read more

We hired Dog Squad and worked with Les with our new puppy since he was about 3 months old. She is kind (to both dogs and humans). Her approach worked great for our family, each member of which has a different natural approach to dealing with a giant, unruly puppy. She never made me feel bad for being a less than perfect dog owner, which I found to be a problem with the trainer we used with our first dog, years ago. Her natural enthusiasm and love for dogs makes it fun to spend time with her, and her explanations were always clear, actionable, and helpful. Our pup is now a teenager, and it feels like he is well on the path to becoming a polite member of the family and the world. I have no doubt that as questions arise over time, Les will make herself available and help us through the stages of dog development. read more

We recently adopted our 6 year old Shih Tzu mix, Turtle. He's a great dog, but was obviously anxious and showed some aggression and anxiety. While my partner had dogs a child, I had spent very little time around dogs growing up. We both needed guidance on how to properly transition Turtle into his new life with us. Les was amazing in helping us do this. She worked with us over the course of 5 months and Turtle is now an incredibly happy pup. She was understanding of our busy schedules and always set realistic goals for us. We learned so much from her and will continue to build on Turtle's training. I can't recommend Les enough. Her knowledge, experience, and genuine love for dogs and what she does make her an exceptional resource and teacher. read more

We hear about Steve from a dog trainer we wanted to work with in Marin. Since she only services Marin, she referred to Steve as one of the best off leash trainers in the East Bay. We adopted our sweet and beautiful, yet excitable Catahoula Cur Dog, Cyrus, when he was one year old and he was getting way out of control. Cyrus had incredible prey drive and was highly leash reactive. He also lacked socialization skills. We were very cautious about having him off leash, even though he needed to run and tire out. Needless to say, we were chasing him endlessly since he was too stubborn to listen to us. We were so afraid to walk past any dog because he would lunge, spin and bark - at 65 lbs, he looked like dancing bear. Steve's website informed us he uses e-collar training, and we were at first reluctant to using it. However, after a group hike with some seasoned dog owners through Briones, they highly recommended that I use e-collar training to control Cyrus since he was nipping at the smallest dog the whole time and I had to keep him on leash. Keep in mind, Steve doesn't use E-collar for all dogs, but after a thorough intake at your house, he "prescribes" the best training method. I had no idea what to expect since we had so many issues with Cyrus, but Steve broke it down into three main goals which eventually provided a foundation for many issues we were dealing with. Basically, the e-collar has done wonders for training Cyrus. Steve's trained us on how to provide the proper amount of stimulation, depending on obedience training or correction. But the most amazing thing about the training is that the e-collar, as a tool, has helped control Cyrus' impulses by breaking his focus - on a gopher hole, on dogs, anything that moves. It's been a couple of months after our 5 training sessions and Cyrus is so responsive to us! We can manage his leash reactivity and prey drive with the e-collar. I don't even have to use it as much as when we were training, but it's a good back up tool in case there a million distractions that he's fixated on and I have to "bring him back " - lol. I can now walk him OFF LEASH in the dog parks and beach past other dogs without stressing out about this impulsive behavior. His leash manners are improving and we've gotten to the point where he passes a dog without any issues and waits for us to praise. That's just what we wanted!!! We can't wait to take advantage of the group classes Steve offers for his clients on the weekends. I have to say, though, if you do proceed with e-collar training, shop around for the model he recommends - you may find a better deal. Overall, if you have a problem dog, definitely consider Steve! read more

Dog Squad Dog Training - Getting Cyrus to sit wherever is like a dream come true! - Pet Training Near Me

We are not the smartest people. We got two rescue dogs within 2 months of each other. Our first dog was sooo quiet and calm at the shelter. The minute we got him home, we saw a new side - high energy, dominance issues, etc. With our hands not quite full enough, we adopted a second dog...to be friends with the first one, of course. While she didn't have the same dominance issues, she had a ridiculous amount of energy. The dogs both needed a major amount of exercise in addition to proper dog ownership. Enter Dog Squad. We initially worked with Steve. His calm nature was crucial when juxtaposed with my high strung nature. We also did some work with Patrick. Both trainers are amazing. They help you understand what it is you are doing to perpetuate your dogs' problems. I know some people may raise an eyebrow when it comes to the e-collar. For us, the e-collar has led to freedom for our dogs. Without the collars, they would never have gotten off leash. We were able to lean on the collars while we trained them off leash. Now, they are trained so they respond to voice commands. read more

Now, I don't have a dog, but I do know good dog training (long story) and these are the people I'll call first when/if I get one. Saul dragged me outside to see a dog training session taking place right outside our door. The trainer had his dog along and MAN that dog is well-trained (and doesn't look like its spirit has been impaired in any way). The dog he was training was a huge happy boxer and the owners were along for the ride. After having such a nice chat with the guy, I checked out their website and they really emphasize training owners as well as dogs, which is absolutely the way to do it. (I've seen a ton of dogs who are saints around their trainers and won't listen to a word from their owners.) read more

This is a long overdue review. Back in March, we welcomed a pit mix puppy into our home, but he exhibited signs of adult aggression at just 8 weeks old. We decided that a professional trainer was needed, so we called Steve for in-home lessons. Over the course of 6 months, Steve was able to train us to address his aggression. At 9 months and 115 pounds, our baby boy still needs a lot of training. Steve taught us to be patient and provided consistent training. However, he does not work magic, and progress comes from hard work and daily training. read more

Les has been amazing to work with! We knew our dog needed more training, but as a 6-year-old rescue set in her ways, we didn't know how much she could improve. Les was such a pleasure to work with and reassured us every step of the way, even when we texted her at night in complete frustration. We cannot believe the strides our dog has made and are complete converts to Les and her style of training! read more

I started looking for trainers when I added a new puppy a Bernese Mountain Dog to my household. Since this breed can get big I wanted to make sure he got good training. Well Reggie is 19 months old now and a little over 130 pounds and is very well behaved. Reggie has attended alot of the park classes that Steve and Patrick offer on the weekends. Reggie's favorite classes are the Walnut Creek class on Sat where we walk the dogs in Downtown Walnut Creek and work on training with distractions. The Sunday Class in Dublin is a little more advance and usually works on Off leash heels, long downs and stays, recall. When you sign up with Dog Squad they first do some in-home visits with you and your dog to work on whatever problems you may have. My other dog Archie 7 years old was a monster before I started with Dog Squad I couldn't even go on a walk down the street without him going bonkers when seeing another dog. This was fixed with 2 lessons with Patrick and Nibbles(Patrick's very well trained helper). Dog Training can be very rewarding for you and your dogs. read more

Our 13-year-old dog had passed about 9 months before and we felt like we were ready to open our home again. We talked about the kinds of training we wanted to do and what kind of hikes we wanted to go on and the puppy play dates we would have. Then we adopted a 1.5 year old greyhound mix. We quickly realized we were in over our heads as she was very fearful of everything ( birds flying over head, neighbors opening their doors, the car), had little impulse control, and was very reactive to other dogs - she would lunge and bark and growl whenever she saw another dog, even several blocks away. This was so bad that we had a very difficult time walking her and getting her enough exercise so she was awful in our home as well. We spent months working with another trainer using all positive reinforcement and months afterward on our own trying to teach her to walk on a leash, visit with neighbors, and most importantly not to react as much to other dogs. After all of that we realized we had reached a plateau in her training and needed another resource. We were concerned about using an e-collar but wanted to give it a try and give our dog the best chance at learning to overcome her fear and reactivity. We felt like we would know immediately whether this tool would work with Riley or only compound her problems. Training with Steve and the e-collar is without a doubt the best thing we've done for our dog. We've been working with Steve for about 4 months and the changes we've seen in her have been amazing. She's better able to control her impulses - we recently started taking her off-leash and her recall is great. She's much more comfortable around the neighbors and able to sit and receive pets instead of jumping all over them. She's able to walk on leash without pulling. She's able to stay on her bed throughout dinner without whining or begging. We recently took her to visit family for 2 weeks and several family members commented on how well behaved and sweet she is. She's still not able to meet strange dogs yet but she's getting there. After working with Steve's dog for a few weeks she's able to walk within 20' of him without reacting - this is amazing as she used to react to dogs over 2 blocks away! Our next step is to start taking her to the group classes that Steve conducts and hopefully she'll soon be playing happily with other dogs. Throughout the training process Steve has been phenomenal. He's taught us so much about being dealing with and enjoying our dog. He's reassured us during those inevitable weeks when it seems like the training will never take. He's really been a joy to work with. A year ago I was crying at the thought that this poor dog would never be less fearful. 6 months ago I thought that she was maybe as good as she was going to get and we'd just suffer through her fear and reactivity issues. And now we're so happy with her and looking forward to many years of playing and hiking and hanging out with her. We couldn't have done it without Steve and The Dog Squad. read more

I am a colleague of Steve's and have been referring clients to him for the past 10 years. Steve is an extremely talented dog AND people trainer. He is very conscientious and reliable. If he tells you he can help your dog, you can absolutely believe it. Whenever I refer clients to him, I always receive great feedback. I'm glad to have him as a resource. read more

This review may be premature but I can always go back and revise if need be. We had our initial consultation with Steve last week, and signed up for the puppy classes for our puppy, Nero. At the time we contacted Dog Squad I was pretty much beside myself worrying that we had made the wrong decision about getting a dog. Nero barked all night long, keeping the entire house awake, as well as had numerous accidents all over the house. I was spending my days cleaning up dog pee and my nights listening to a dog barking maniacally (as well as taking care of 3 kids- one of them a toddler), so I was becoming resentful and exhausted when my vet referred us to Steve. So far it has only been the first week implementing Steve's methods and I am already feeling immense relief. He urged me to keep a journal so I can keep track of what is realistically happening, so I can look and see where progress has been made when I am feeling down and frustrated. I am not sure if it is the schedule Steve urged us to put him on but Nero has slept through the night every night since Steve came last week. I am feeling so much more optimistic about the future with just that one thing down. I am looking forward to working with him more with our dog, and grateful for his help in this new venture we've taken on. read more

The Dog Squad offers many very good training solutions. I will admit, I was a bit apprehensive at first because they advocate the use of an electronic collar and I swore I would never use one. However, I quickly learned through the demonstration given in my home by Steve that my thinking was very antiquated. Electronic collars these days are extremely sophisticated. Pat, the other trainer, even encouraged that I try it out on my own skin. On the setting I would be using for my 85 lb. dog, the impulse was less than what one would feel if they went to physical therapy and got electrical stimulation. I was immediately impressed. My dog quickly responded to the collar. In one day he was healing nicely at my side and quickly reduced his "marking" on walks. The best thing probably for me was that the e-collar acted like an invisible leash. I had rescued a 5 yr. old dog and had done basic obedience training with the Berkeley Humane Society which was fine, however, they are "treat-based' training oriented. How could I "guarantee" that my "dominant" dog would come from a distance if I didn't have a treat in my hand? My dog is very reliable now and I have much better peace of mind. The other GREAT thing about the Dog Squad is that on top of the three in-home private lessons that they provide you with, you get lifetime group lessons which are held in various Bay Area parks. Each class offers a bit of a different experience. I have been to 4 of the 5 class locations. Lake Temescal and Washington Manor are similar in that they are held in a park setting and you mainly interact with the other dogs in exercises that the instructor gives. These classes are good for when you are just starting out, but also good for brushing up on skills. Pat teaches one class and Steve teaches the other. The Civic Park (Walnut Creek) class in a little more advanced. The class meanders through downtown Walnut Creek and there are many locations where you drop the leash and leave your dog (while you stay within close proximity). It is excellent for the dog and owner to get different stimilations and to be able to trust your dog a bit more. Beginners are allowed in the class, however, most times they stay right next to their dog, or don't drop the leash. It is always amazing to me how quickly the new dogs catch on and learn from the "more advanced" dogs. I went to the Dublin class for the first time this week. My dog and I loved it. I would say that this class is the most challenging. You work with your dog in the open field. We did a lot of distance work where you have your dog sit or stay and then you walk about 30 yards or more away and get your dog to come, or change positions (if in a sit, you get them to lie, if lying, you get them to sit). We also did some off leash work with your dog healing at your side as you change directions. I have been going to these classes for a bit more than a year now and I am still learning things. (And remember, it's FREE classes for life!!!) Well worth the price!!! I would highly recommend this training if you are highly committed to having a very well-trained dog (and owner). read more

We met Steve about 18 months ago when we were in urgent need of a consultation. Back then, we had just adopted a pit mix from the local shelter and were confronted with the dog's sudden aggression and fear problems. Steve was professional and knowledgeable. During the consultation it became clear that she was not going to be safe around our two young children. Steve simply stated what he observed and in the end it was our choice to return the dog. Fast forward a couple of months and we bought our first chocolate labrador puppy. Steve worked with our family and showed us how to properly care for, raise and train our puppy from 8 weeks and up. He helped us to understand the importance of consistent, repetitive and calm training. He guided us through the dog's puppy and adolescent stage and was always calm and encouraging even when I thought that the adolescent defiance of our dog would never improve. It did get better, of course. Today, over a year later, we have an amazing, loving dog. She is fun to be around, walks and listens well on and off leash and is simply an awesome companion. I learned so much during the training lessons and would do it all over again. We bought a second chocolate lab puppy not too long ago. He is now 18 weeks old and training him has been a lot of fun. I felt well prepared to raise and train a second puppy with the foundation work Steve gave us. I would recommend Steve to anyone who needs advice and help training their dog. He is knowledgeable, calm and incredibly patient. read more

We got a rescue dog with lots of behavioral issues. Jayne's approach to training was the best for us. By allowing us to set the pace based on our dog's progress, we could make sure that the training stuck and that we (the owners) were trained, too. Jayne has a specific course of training and approach, but is flexible when the situation calls for it. We also like her Sunday group walks. She gets to observe our dog, and we get really good training tips. We would use Jayne again when we get another dog and strongly recommend her to others. read more

Probably the most amazing thing about Steve is he gave us a LONG consult on the phone way before we were ever a client. He is super professional and a good teacher. Prior to contacting Steve, our 1 year old had gotten into some bad habits which ultimately led to him biting my wife. The vet actually suggested putting the dog down. Steve gave us an immediate course of action and said once we had the dog on a strict regimen of leash and kennel (boot camp), he would come out and evaluate. Which he did and got us started on one of his programs. The e-collar is far less painful than a pincher collar (IMHO) and allows great freedom for both my dog and myself. The "shock level" that I use is so low that I often have concerned individuals try it on their hand and it's readily apparent that we aren't hurting the dog. It's just a gentle reminder that a command is being given - way better than jerking on a collar and I can do it from a football field away. In addition to his private classes, he offers weekly groups around the East Bay for both practice and socialization (which my dog still has some issues with). These alone may have been worth the fee but it's just one of the benefits of having Steve as a trainer. read more

My boyfriend and I reached out to Jayne at Dog Squad when we realized we needed more than a puppy training class to address our Australian Cattle Dog's fearful behavior towards strangers and other dogs. Having a personal trainer allowed us to focus on our pup's specific issues and come up with a plan to increase her confidence being around others. We really appreciate Jayne for showing us we can be successful dog owners. The relief we felt after our consultation gave us hope and motivation to be the best dog parents we could be. She gave us the tools we needed and challenged us to put in the hard work to meet our goals. Jayne has been tremendously helpful in so many ways. She really cares about her clients and their fur babies. She has been reliable, flexible and a lot fun to work with! We highly recommend her service to those looking for an excellent trainer. :) read more

Jayne has been an amazing dog trainer. If you're looking for a patient, understanding and kind trainer who also will provide honest feedback for how you can become a better dog owner then she is for you. Couldn't ask for a better trainer who we also consider a friend too. Thanks Jayne! read more

Excellent approach to dog training. His technique effectively trains the dog and makes it a pleasure to be around. There is none of this forcing that everyone I knew told me to do. He breaks training down into skills so that you teach things in a logical manner. The dog watches and learns. I chose him after watching a neighbor walk her dog. It was the best trained dog I ever saw. Now my dog is great too. He worked on sitting, downs, stays, walking. Most of all he helped us to stop our large dog from jumping onto the counter or table and stealing food and household items. He is very approachable and kind. read more

My parents decided to hire a Dog Squad trainer during the short period in which they were caring for my dog in their home. I did not object because they were unaccustomed to having a dog and believed that it would be helpful for them to receive in-home training. The main issue that they wanted to tackle was his leash-pulling (he is a STRONG, 65 lb shepherd dog). After 4 one-hour long sessions with Dog Squad, my parents did not see much improvement in my dog. In fact, he had developed new undesirable behaviors--such as nipping, jumping up on furniture/people, and feeling threatened by the strangers he encountered on his walks. I do not believe that these behaviors resulted from the training, but my parents ultimately did not receive much help in these areas either. As for the training, my parents were persuaded into buying a choke/slip collar because the trainer highly endorsed it. The trainer performed convincing demonstrations and was able to control my dog using this method, however, my parents were unsuccessful. The trainer's advice was to keep at it, which in turn, taught my dog to simply apply continuous force and choke himself until he would gasp for air. The fur around my dog's neck also wore thin from the constant struggle against the collar. When I arrived in town, I attended the fifth training session and was completely uncomfortable with using the choke collar. I am not physically strong enough to provide the force as shown by my instructor and I stated my unease. Instead of discussing alternative methods or equipment, the trainer continued to urge me to choke my dog harder, adding that if I could not do it correctly, my dog could become annoyed and snap back at me. This was also my first session with Dog Squad so the trainer brought me up to speed with what my parents had learned. This took 30 minutes, making me wonder, what did the trainer do with the FOUR previous HOUR-LONG sessions? At this point, the trainer also decided to call it a day and end the session early. Overall, I would not recommend this company to dog owners that feel uncomfortable with the Dog Squad's methodology. P.S. I ended up purchasing an Easy Walk Harness (where the leash attaches to the front of the harness to redirect the dog's pulling momentum), and it has done wonders! When my dog occasionally pulls, I no longer struggle to hold him back and my dog is not gagging for the duration of his walks! read more