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    Elite Pup Training

    5.0 (72 reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Services - Elite Pup Training

    Dog boarding and training

    Pet boarding

    Private dog training

    1 More Service

    Puppy socialization classes

    Elite Pup Training Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Elite Pup Training

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    Reviews With Photos

    Our happy pup.
    H S.

    EPT is absolutely the best dog daycare, training, and boarding provider we have ever used. We have a reactive dog and need to be careful that his interactions are supervised. They are qualified trainers and share videos/texts with updates & training tips while we are away. We have complete peace of mind! In fact, we drive from LA to bring our dog here because it's such a special place. Thank you EPT!

    Paula T.

    Ricky and Vanessa are the most dedicated, amazing dog training team I've ever encountered. I've trained my brother's pitbull when he was just a puppy, but training an aggressive rescued dog was a whole other story. I knew I couldn't choose any trainer. I wanted someone who specialized in aggressive behavior and who understood dog psychology, basically someone on Cesar Millan's level. I was deciding between Elite Pup or K9 training. I chose Elite Pup training because it was personalized, Ricky came to do a 30 minute consultation and he was extremely patient with my dog. Ever since I worked with Ricky, my dog has turned a full 180°. I couldn't have this calm, balanced dog without his help. Fred loves you guys and appreciates all of your help too!

    Kona and her friend Chloe
    Cyndi L.

    At Elite Pup training they take their time to get to know you and your pet. Also the training is customized to fit your family's needs. Ricky has molded our puppy Kona from 4 months old. She was up at the ranch and was off leash without bothering the other animals or straying away. At no point were we worried about her breaking training. It is incredible to watch the progression and have the confidence in a well behaved dog. Thank you Ricky, Vanessa and Elite Pup Training for working with us and Kona!

    Holding his down.

    Ricky has been phenomenal. My pups recall is now so reliable. I can take him hiking and I know that I can call him immediately back. We have been working on his down. My pup can now hold a down for over an hour and he doesn't get up. This is so great. Today, I had someone over and he held his down the entire time. It's amazing! I took him shopping with me and he stayed in down the entire time that I looked at fabrics. It makes life so much easier and I feel like I have a new lease on life w my super well trained pup. Plus, Vanessa is his wife who is total sweetheart. She schedules the appointments. This is a local, mom and pop operation and I am writing this to support them. Thank you guys for changing our lives for the better!

    Our dog living her best life on vacation to cambria with us! She did wonderful in the crowds and with  other dogs passing by!
    Fathiah S.

    Ricky, Vanessa and their entire team have been amazing! We requested training for our pup more than a year ago, and then enrolled her in the hybrid training model recently. She can now walk near other dogs and not feel triggered, or anxious. She's playful and relaxed. And we are more confident as dog parents too through our trainings with Ricky. Elite Pup Training has come tonite rescue again! Highly recommend them and will be using them for boarding!

    Elite Pup Training takes a big picture approach to helping dogs be their best. Ricky was recommended to us as a great trainer with the caution that his services were not cheap. After Ricky designed a hybrid training program with our puppy's specific behavioral needs in mind, I think he did a great job giving us and our lab Gracie the best possible behavioral guidance. Ricky taught us as much as the puppy and opened up an understanding of nuanced dog behavior that has paid dividends during and after our training. You are not just purchasing dog training services from this business, you are investing in the well-being of your companion for their lifetime. The investment was well worth it. Ricky doesn't just train dogs, he is constantly expanding his skills and knowledge so that he can help dogs be their best, even in the most challenging situations. After all is said and done, we will return for a few extra sessions to fine tune things over time. Beside that, he and his team really love what they do and it shows.

    We're able to take her out now!
    Jack F.

    Ricky was fantastic! We had a very nervous and anxious older dog we adopted and he took the time (with both her and us) to work out her fears. He really helped us understand what made her tick and we've been using the e-collar training to help her not be afraid and overreact. These tools have helped to give us more peace of mind and a happier pup!

    We started our journey with Ricky, Vanessa and the elite staff back in 2020 when we took our oldest dog Barstow into training. He is a rescue and was a very reactive dog. Following the training , walking him and having him in different environments has been drastically changed for the better. Ofcourse when we decided to get another pup we knew we would want them to be trained here. So now Canela has been in their hybrid program. They have gone above in beyond with her training letting us know her improvements and even decided to get a elliptical machine in order to Channel some of her needs. All the staff is well trained and faces different needs in doggos. The ranch is welcoming and professional. We are happy to add another Elite Pup alumni to the list of well behaved doggos.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Elite Pup Training

    Review Highlights - Elite Pup Training

    When my new puppy was proving to be too much for me I started working with Ricky and Vanessa and their team.

    Mentioned in 64 reviews

    Read more highlights

    The Ruff Ranch - The Ruff Ranch Shop

    The Ruff Ranch

    (68 reviews)

    We have an older Boston Terrier "Bruce" that we always felt was skittish around other dogs; thus we…read morealways found it challenging boarding him solo. After a Rover appointment canceled our Thanksgiving arrangements, we contacted Ruff Ranch in desperation. Ruff Ranch is located off the 154 just before Los Olivos. It's in a beautiful, ranch setting. While we needed to have a free trial stay first, we took half the day off on a Friday, dropped Bruce off and had a nice lunch in Solvang. The facilities are spacious and perfectly clean with zero odor. All the personnel were happy and friendly, as were the dogs. We were skeptical at first when they said they would put Bruce in a group with older, mellower dogs. When we returned, they said he did great and even made some friends. My wife and I were both shocked and pleased. Ruff Ranch was on our way to a Northern California Thanksgiving stay. He boarded for 3 nights and we included the pre-pickup bath. At pickup, he was happy, squeaky clean, nails trimmed with zero issues reported. We are thankful and relieved to have a place to board Bruce in the future with people that really know and love dogs - and it showed in our dog's demeanor at pickup. They also offer obedience training, which I believe is how they can so quickly tailor an optimal setting and experience for your dog, and get them adjusted and safe. Ruff Ranch even offers a shuttle pickup service from SB. We are very relieved that we have a reliable and comfortable boarding solution for our dog in the future; I can't recommend The Ruff Ranch enough.

    We used this place while we were on vacation in Solvang. We were camping in our motorhome at…read moreFlying Flags and wanted a dog free day to roam the town! The Ruff Ranch made a day of doggie daycare for out-of-towners so easy. We did have to fill out the forms online and book our day, but it was easy. When our pup arrived, they seemed so excited to have him and he was good and tired when we picked him up. We felt they took great care of our dog and we will be booking them again when we visit this area!

    Dandy Dogs

    Dandy Dogs

    (52 reviews)

    After trying several groomers in Santa Barbara, we realized we were going to be on the hunt for a…read morewhile. Luckily, I turned to Yelp and Dandy Dogs was highly rated and for good reason. Jeremy has experience with Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers while many groomers do not, and often defer to giving our precious Lola a golden doodle trim. Jeremy's traditional Wheaten cut was exactly what we were looking for: the preciseness, care, and thoughtfulness is exactly what we were looking for in our go-to groomer. We found the right place! Please support this small business that performs high quality grooming services. And Jeremy could not be more professional, nicer and more accommodating. Overall, a 10/10 experience. PS - our Lola is typically afraid to be dropped off at the groomers but this was the very first time she ran inside and was hopping around, no barking. It was a good sign and for good reason. See photos of her Wheaten Terrier haircut that looked a lot better in person! It's hard for her to stand still for the camera...

    Love Dandy Dogs. I take my dogs here to get their nails trimmed. Both of my dogs are a pain in the…read moreneck, squirmy and cry, when it comes to getting their nails trimmed. Pet Smart didn't even want to trim one of their nails because they were so difficult. My dogs do really well here. They are in and out and done in no time. Jamie does a wonderful job and takes walks in! We will never go anywhere else. He makes something that has always been a huge ordeal before, not a big deal and easy. Thank you, Jamie and family!

    Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club - Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club

    Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club

    (64 reviews)

    Pretty disappointed in my short times spent at Dioji. My dog (Jack) and I relocated to the area…read morelast fall. I looked for a place similar to his daycare where we are from and decided to give Dioji a try. Check-in and wellness check was great; he seemed to enjoy the staff and I did too. At pick-up on his trial day, it was explained to me there was an "accident" and another dog was let into the daycare area with canine HPV (dog warts) and were not examined properly so my dog "might have been exposed." Turns out he definitely was exposed and then got the very contagious wart on his mouth which ruined Christmas and New Years plans because when you have it, you shouldn't be around other dogs. Of course Dioji couldn't possibly be expected to help with the situation. He has a couple more visits in late winter after the wart fell off and he was no longer contagious himself. The visits were fine, though he didn't get photo report cards like they promise. Fast forward to two weeks ago, another "accident." I dropped him off in the afternoon for a half day. He was there for less than an hour and I got a phone call that he threw up but they did not know why. They believed that he may have just been too hot so they separated him. I told them to call me back if he did not bounce back and I would come pick him up. They did not call back so I assumed he was fine. When I picked him up at the end of the day, the person at the desk went back to get him and gave no indication that there was a problem. Then another different staff person came to greet me and tell me that my dog was "maybe" stung by a bee, and "had a little allergic reaction" but they looked for the stinger and couldn't find it. How do you find a bee stinger in a brown dogs fur?! My dog comes around the corner and looked like Thing from Fantastic Four, clearly shaken up. They also gave him Benadryl but didn't know how much. One person said the reaction had just happened, one said maybe it happened a while ago when he threw up. He was clearly having an anaphylaxis reaction, and I was not called or told until I came to pick him up. I called the vet immediately to get their advice, and they told me to call the daycare back to find out how much Benadryl he was given so I could monitor his care. Magically the staff now knew how much and then I got another (third) story about what or how it happened. Let me be clear: I do not blame them for a bee getting into the park. This review is purely based on the care or lack there of in a serious situation and that the stories kept changing. On top of that, I was charged for a full day that day instead of a half day (timestamp in 1:18 pm and timestamp out 5:17 = 3:59) based on my account receipt. Four hours or less is a half day. There are never "adults" there to talk to about what happens if there is an issue; it is all college age kids working part time jobs. In both of my situations, no one would take ownership over what happened and they have no idea what to say when confronted in person or on the phone. I'm not going back to Dioji, I'll try other options. FWIW, the 2 stars are because there has been staff person who has been great to talk to (Jake maybe?) and because of their flexible hours, multiple locations and toy/food options available.

    We put our pup in for the day while we were out exploring Santa Barbara. The staff was great with…read moreour dog and let her hang out with them a lot since she's more of a people dog than a dog dog, ha. They also gave us a heads up that she seems to bark when she is bored. It was a useful bit of info to know! She seemed happy when we picked her up.

    Elite Pup Training - pet_training - Updated May 2026

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