We would like to start our review by saying that Eric should have done his board and trained program on us and trained Jake our dog for a few hours . When Jake bit our adult daughter on her face our world changed for the worst immediately on so many different levels. After this horrible experience , by the way, it was a superficial nip . No stitches necessary , our thoughts ​ to Jake wondering what we do . We did not understand what could have made Jake do that on top of all this Jake was extremely reactive to other dogs and people . We knew we needed more than a trainer we also needed someone who could explain why Jake was the way he was , we needed a behaviorist . Coming to our rescue was Eric dorfman. When we called he actually answered the phone very quickly . After telling him our story the first thing he asked us was if the bite had occurred on a couch . The answer to that was a big yes ! After we drop Jake off with Eric he was excellent at providing reports and sending us pictures . He was also able to tell us why Jake was the way he was and how he and us were going to take it. After 13 days Jake came back to us a confident and non-reactive dog . It is our job to continually keep up with Jake's training which has helped us with our other dog as well . If you follow Eric's instructions and are consistent with the training he teaches you , like us you will have a beautiful well-behaved dog . Thank you Eric for all your help and being there when we really needed you . Tom and Colette Nordstrom , Gilbert Arizona read more

I usually try to not write negative reviews but knowing that we are about to spend another several thousand dollars on dog training (by someone else) I'm pretty upset that the two weeks that our rescue dog spent with Dorfman Canine was honestly a waste of time and money. We didn't get any benefit from the nearly $2k fee and even with all of the post training, training time spent with our dog it was apparent that none of her behavioral issues had changed. I'd love to be refunded so I'm not out double that amount now. Hopefully Eric's training program works for others but unfortunately it was not a win for us. read more

Eric is incredibly knowledgeable and was so patient with my dog and I. We had several phone conversations prior to us meeting where he took the time to answer every question I had. He takes so much of his personal time to make sure that you're comfortable and understand every part of the process which I appreciate so much. Thank you so much for everything Eric!! read more

Eric Dorfman saved my dog's life and gave me the tools and confidence to handle him with discipline and love. If you're reading this, you may feel as desperate, helpless and lost as I did. Breathe. You've found the right guy to help you and your dog. My pup was seven months old when I reached the end of my rope. I had adopted him with my boyfriend, from a coworker who plucked him off the streets of East Oakland, five months earlier, starving and weak. I thought love, puppy school, timeouts, and studying Cesar Milan were all I needed to give my first dog what he needed to grow into a balanced happy dog, but he was more than I could handle and the training information we were receiving wasn't enough. His rambunctious behaviors were nearly uncontrollable. The nipping, zoomies and impolite play with other dogs that was forgivable in a small pup became problems as Sahara grew strong and healthy. Timeouts in the bathroom were a game to him, if he wanted to be on the sofa, he was going to win by outlasting me, in energy. Stubbornness grew into lunging, snarling and biting. And then he bit me several times on a hike. It took me a while to calm/control him. I was terrified I had a red zone dog. My heart was heavy knowing I was failing with him, at the same time, I didn't trust him anymore. I didn't know if there was hope and not knowing made my world go black. He had gotten kicked out of a play group because he didn't know how to play nicely with the other dogs and the walkers couldn't deal with him. I found another group who said they would train him, but when I told the owner about the biting, she said they couldn't take him. She terrified me with her opinions of his future. When I cancelled our third puppy class, although we had attended two and knew two of the trainers, they weren't able to offer much other than a trainer referral who did one-on-one sessions. I didn't get my money back either. I felt let down and shamed, and still frightened. I wanted Sahara evaluated for aggression, retrained by a specialist and given the opportunity to succeed, either with me or someone else, I wasn't sure which. My boyfriend and I needed to be trained to be effective respected leaders. So I kept searching. We both made calls, wrote emails and waited for responses. We learned the shelters wouldn't take pitbulls and pit mixes. The lack of options are scary in this situation. I finally stumbled on Eric's website and called him. These amazing events followed: he answered his phone - (this blew me away); he listened to my story, and told me not to worry; gave me an incredible dog history lesson; described his set-up and business, and invited us to check it out. Calm, assertive, confident energy - the guy radiates it, even over the phone. I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in a week. That weekend my boyfriend, Sahara and I visited Eric's Rehab Resort in the Oakland hills. It's a lovely place, green and quiet. The instant Sahara saw Eric walking towards us, he responded as if Eric had raised him from a pup. From 50 yards away, Sahara felt his energy and wanted to go to him. Eric slipped his own collar and leash on him and walked him around a little. Sahara trotted happily beside him, not pulling, looking up at him for further direction. We were incredulous. More stress drained from our bodies when Eric said Sahara was pretty good for a street dog. A few days later, Sahara went to bootcamp with Eric Dorfman. I visited a few times to walk Sahara, he was completely under Eric's command. He listened. I could see how hard he was working. Eric told me he was a good dog, with zero impulse control and was horrible with other dogs. And he told me not to worry. He told me that every time we spoke. I asked him if he thought he was a dangerous aggressive dog and he said no, don't worry. I didn't know if he was blowing smoke up my ass or not. All I could do was be patient. Two weeks went by and it was time for us to get trained and for Sahara to come home. Eric brought him back; and it was as if he brought us a different dog. A peaceful dog. He kept him on a leash at his side, Sahara calmly stayed with him, sitting, laying, putting his head on Eric's leg and accepting the affection Eric showed him, to which Sahara responded to by relaxing and behaving. The three hour training was brilliant, irreverent and hilarious. Eric entertains and trains. We couldn't yet see how it would play out but it made sense. It's been two months since Sahara came home. He listens and obeys me. He doesn't behave like a brat, instead he is calm and loving. His manners improve every day. I talk to Eric frequently to ask his advice and for support which he always gives. He is there when you need him. I follow his training program religiously because it works. Trust Eric's methods. Your dog will be balanced and happy, and your life will change for the better. Eric saved my dog's life. And gave me my best friend. Thank you Eric. read more

Eric Dorfman - Then - Pet Training Near Me - Gold Canyon, Arizona

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Eric is an awesome and gentle dog trainer. I adopted a rescue dog who was shy of people and places and agitated. Eric guided my dog to become calm and respond to simple commands. Eric then spent time to "train" me on simplistic commands to my dog. I've spent a couple of weeks now following his guidance and Kylo and I enjoy fun walks, playtime and companionship and we are both calm! Thanks Eric for training me as well. Don't miss the opportunity to engage Eric to provide you with a wonderful relationship with you special dog. Elizabeth Novak and Kylo read more

BEWARE - DO NOT USE THIS TRAINER My 4 year old rescued spaniel mix Tucker has fear-based aggression toward strangers. He has about 10 people that he loves dearly and is sweet with (including me) but cannot be touched by new people because he snaps and growls. I was encouraged by the glowing reviews and decided to give Eric a call. He was crude and unprofessional on the phone, and sounded ridiculously arrogant, but I figured I could look past this if he was a great trainer. I left Tucker with him for his two week board-and-train program, which cost me $1835 cash. Eric originally wanted to charge $1935, but since I was paying cash gave me a discount. Eric took lots of notes when I dropped Tucker off about what triggers him, what he's afraid of, and about his stellar obedience skills. (Tucker knows sit, stay, come, off, down, shake hands, etc. very very well. He is also a gentleman on the leash.) Part of the board and train is a 3 hour in home training session. I was so excited to see Tucker after being gone for 2 weeks. Eric wouldn't let me say hello to him! He had Tucker on a prong collar (which is so unnecessary for an 18 pound, leash trained dog) and yanked the leash when Tucker tried to come to me, causing Tucker to yelp. This was just the start of a terrible afternoon. The 3 hour session was in fact a 4 hour racist, condescending, offensive, profanity filled rant that contained maybe 10 minutes of dog-related information. It would have been worth listening to the garbage he spewed if he had at least made a difference in Tucker's behavior. He did NOT. After the 4 hours of ranting, I finally asked "So what exactly am I going to do with Tucker and strangers?" and Eric says "I'm not going to tell you yet." WHAT? He told me that for the next 10 days, I needed to do an obedience regimen with Tucker and once those 10 days were up, he would tell me next steps over the phone. Sound suspicious to you? But I decided to give it a shot. I put 110% into following the obedience steps (keeping Tucker tethered to me, doing some bonding exercises before feeding him, lots of walks) and on day 10 I texted Eric (he needs you to text him first and says not to call him, he'll call you) to find out what the steps were for Tucker meeting strangers. Here is what Eric says (condensed to cut out the profanity and stories about his supposedly hot wife): "You're going to want to meet outside in a neutral place, walk into your house together with Tucker and the stranger, and then have the stranger ignore him." Which is what everyone who met Tucker was doing anyway because no one could touch him. I'm so incredibly angry and disappointed. Don't let this guy steal your money. The internet could probably help me more than Eric Dorfman did. read more

Eric is truly One of a Kind Would enjoy seeing him again, it's been so long! Bravo Eric brovo read more

Eric has helped us understand, bond and correct issues with our German Shepherd (Tucker) in ways that other trainers have never been able to get through to him. We moved to the Bay Area about a year ago for work, when we started noticing our 2 year old German Shepherd started having more issues with aggression towards friends, strangers and other dogs -- barking, lunging, and even nipping at people. Our previous trainers suggestions did not appear to be working for Tucker, and were mainly focused on containing the issues, not solving the problem. We found Eric's website and within a few days scheduled a phone call and determined that the course of action for Tucker was to do the two week board and train program. **It was worth every penny!** At the end of two weeks, Eric brought Tucker back into our home and spent three hours with us explaining the work and progress they had made. Additionally, he gave us an action plan catered towards addressing Tucker's anxiety and building up his confidence in himself and us as leaders. In the months since the board and train program, Tucker has made great strides in his behavior towards friends, strangers, and other dogs as well as responsiveness towards our comm. We also, have worked on our own training techniques, per Eric's suggestions, that have helped us be unified and on the same page as Tucker. Tucker still has issues that we are working on fixing. We faced with some regression issues with Tucker recently with regards towards barking and having friends come into our apartment. We were able to call up Eric, discuss Tucker's issues, and schedule a time for Eric to come over and help us with a revised action plan. I cannot stress this enough, Eric has been the most thoughtful and involved trainer we have ever had. His approach is catered towards breaking down the issues Tucker has in a way that bonds us as his owners to Tucker and builds Tucker's confidence in places that he has anxiety. Eric gave us the tools to address the bad behaviors that have garnered huge improvements in Tucker and ourselves as pack leaders. I would easily recommend Eric to any other owners dealing with anxious or aggressive dogs. Not only do we understand what causes Tucker's anxiety now, we have tools to work him through his issues instead of just skirting away from situations that will stimulate anxiety. Eric, thank you so much for helping us bring out the best in our Tucker and helping us understand our pooch! read more

Eric Dorfman is a God send! I am a paraplegic with 4 chows, sounds crazy right? Well, it got crazy in a situation bigger than me really fast one day and Eric was there for the rescue! I love the fact that Eric actually answers his phone knowing the caller is usually in a distressed situation needing help NOW. My husband and I sent the 2 youngest of our 4 chow's to Eric's two week boot camp/rehab training the day after the incident; there they learned what it is to be in a calm state, how to behave in a pack, respond on command, behave on leash, sit-stay on command and so much more... as you can see in the attached picture, our two walking with Eric and his well-behaved beauties. Not only does Eric reset your animals behaviors, he personally delivers them with a follow up "on site re-introduction" to their home environment along with resetting an owners way of interacting with them as well.... It's a tough pill to swallow at times, but admitting we are usually the culprits in most cases that allow bad behavior to begin because we lead with our hearts and not our heads; it becomes a whole house victory for all that's in it to be a calmer and safer place to live and have visitors! Eric continues reassurance for you in the transition of new founded ways by being a phone call away whenever needed and with his periodic check in calls too! Eric is truly passionate about what he does and lives it daily, he's amazing and result driven. Thank you Eric for all you have brought to our family and your continued relationship! Also knowing his services are far more than training; there is a safe and experienced place to board our babies when we finally get time to go... priceless! read more

Eric Dorfman - Eric Training Day - Pet Training Near Me - Gold Canyon, Arizona

I hope that I'm able to sway someone's mind before they make a mistake and decide to hire this man. We payed $740 upfront for multiple sessions with our three dogs but we barely made it past one. Not only was he so uneducated about dogs (newsflash, dogs do not, in fact, see in black and white, nor are they as dumb as he seems to think they are!) he was wildly inappropriate, misogynistic, condescending, and racist, to name only a few of the many many words I could use to describe him. The first warning sign was when he called me at 5 in the morning..... thinking he missed our appointment for the day before, when it was in fact later the same day. He apologized continuously until I eventually hung up because, as everyone may know, 5 is way too early to call anyone, much less a client with three children. As soon as he entered our house it was astounding how condescending and disrespectful he was. Now, I don't mind swearing, but I feel that walking into a clients home and littering every other sentence with cursing is a little too much. I also strongly feel that you should not walk into a strangers home and talk about BDSM. We were extremely hopeful when we contacted him - our dogs really need training, but from a 4 hour session, we were sorely let down. I'll attempt to briefly summarize our first 'lesson' as to give you a glimpse of what yours will be like should choose to hire him: 'Hello, I'm Eric. Please, lets sit here for the first two hours while I explain my many many talents. Yes, I am such a great person and so knowledgeable about dogs, clearly your dog is resentful toward you because you do not know as much as me, nevermind that you paid me to teach you things. Now, dogs are very stupid. They don't understand anything but praise and the word no. If you try to talk to them they won't understand you one bit. What? You say your dog will go to bed or get a certain person when you ask them to? That's a coincidence, as I clearly stated dogs are stupid and I'm never wrong. So, for the remaining two hours, I am going to focus on one of your dogs and not give you any advice for the others as, despite me not living here or knowing your dogs on a personal level, I don't deem them an issue. Now I am going to put your puppy on a prong collar because this is how I control dogs. I don't use food as a reward so that means I'm a legit trainer! No, the prong collar doesn't hurt your puppy, the yelping whenever he falls or twists himself up is because he's startled, not because he has very thin skin. So while I have this puppy on the prong collar, I'm going to make him sit at my feet for two hours and get mad when he pees on my shoe while I tell you some stories about hot dumb girls I know, speckled with a couple of racist jokes for garnish. Now that you're knowledgeable on dogs I'm going to leave you with a prong collar for the puppy because again, that's the only way to control your dog and I'll see you in person in a month, but don't worry! I will constantly be texting and calling everyday to check in! Now, that will be $775. What's that? I quoted you $735 over the phone? No, I didn't, but that's okay you can pay me back later.' That may seem to be an exaggeration, but I can promise you it is not. In reality, this was much worse and I was tempted many times to throw him out of my house. We never invited him back, or even spoke to him again because the whole encounter was so frustrating. We never got our money back, as the $775 was to be for all the training, not just one session, and he was so rude in person, it was intimidating to even text to ask for our money back. He's so self centered and rude it's unbelievable anyone like him actually exists. He talked down to us like we were two year olds, and made jokes about how stupid children were and having them in harms way knowing full well I had three children, all young. He compared children to dogs multiple times, and when my young puppy peed on his shoe (he doesn't have a very big bladder yet....because he's a puppy, not because he's being defiant) he rinsed his peed on shoe in a sink with my baby's bottles in it right after we said not to. I have so much more that I can say but honestly, I'm fed up with thinking about this guy. In summary, please do not hire him. His training tactics are abusive and cruel and he spends four hours belittling you, ultimately leaving you no more knowledgeable on how to help your dog. We've even read other negative reviews that Eric himself has replied to with threats about suing for daring to say anything negative, acting as if it's slander (heads up Eric, it's not!). There are so many people who have had very similar reviews and I don't think it's a coincidence. I'd highly recommend another trainer, and if you do choose to go with Eric, good luck. read more

I have an American bulldog that is 14 months old. He is scared of everything so trying to walk a 110 pound dog that wants to run away from everything has been impossible. He pulls me down and hurts me when he tries to take off. When he sees another dog he starts jumping, barking and pulling. Being a travel nurse and living in an rv makes it where he is constantly encountering strangers, dogs and strange noises. I found Erick Dorfman on the internet. I emailed him and received a response in 15 minutes. We talked for an hour on the phone. We met and I decided to do his 13 day board and train. At the end of 13 days he brought my dog home and spent 4 hours explaining to us how dogs see the world. I was expecting this difficult process that I was going to have a hard time learning but it was the complete opposite. It was simple and I couldn't wait to try and walk my dog. The moment Erick left I walked my dog. It was easy. I was shocked how we encountered everything that he would normally run from but he followed my commands. I literally only had to use 2 fingers on the leash. He is staying off my furniture and he is happy to do so. Erick didn't end communication with me at drop off. I have a complete support system with Erick anytime I need it. Now this proud mom can walk her furbaby without becoming injured. I couldnt be happier. Erick thank you from the bottom of my heart and I am so glad we found you. read more

I am belated writing my review as it's been 2 years since we sent our American Eskimo to Eric's "doggy boot camp". At the time, we were living in a 700 sf studio in the heart of SF and everyone ELSE's dog was friendly, gentle and well-behaved. We had rescued our Eskie and he had aggression issues--barking at people and other dogs, snapping, etc. Every boarding place in SF refused to board our poor doggy and we were at our wit's end. We sent our Eskie to Eric Dorfman for 2 weeks. He then came to our home for 2-3 hours afterwards to return our dog and teach us why our dog is acting the way he was and what we needed to do to stop it. He then offered to board our dog for future travel if we desired. It was the best $$ we ever spent. As I mentioned, it's been 2 years and the change in our doggie is unbelievable. He walks well on a leash, almost never barks and shows absolutely no aggression--even when another person or dog is walking right beside us. The only time he barked is when I myself felt threatened during a night walk once. Before Eric we had tried BarkBusters, doggy training at PetSmart, and had had at least 3 private trainers come to our home. Eric is the only trainer who's had any effect and the fact that it's lasted for TWO YEARS speaks volumes. Highly, highly recommended. read more

We moved from VA to CA and could not have our dog with us for a month. We were moving to a new city, were going to be looking for a place to live and had to make decisions about our dog, Bobo. As you can imagine, that was a stressful moment. We found out about Eric Dorfman Canine online, read all reviews and talked to him on the phone. Since the first conversation we had with him we knew we were talking to the right person. We explained our needs and our dog's needs. Eric explained his method, and we agreed to enroll Bobo in his 2-week Boot Camp Program. We knew that Bobo would benefit from a program that addressed his behavior challenges while being boarded with Eric. What we did not know was that a huge transformation was about to get started. A transformation that impacted our lives forever. We noticed remarkable changes in Bobo's behavior. He follows our guidance much better and responds properly to external stimuli even in stressful environments (please contact us for specific examples and more information). After the 2-week training, Eric met us in our house for the home integration consultation. This is a key part of the training that Eric offers. He explained his method in detail, gave examples, shared all his knowledge and took us for a walk with Bobo and his dog for practical examples. Finally, his special collar and leash are the best. Don't leave without them :) Eric, we are so grateful for everything you have done for us and Bobo. It feels awesome to trust you and count on you for guidance on how to live with our dog. We will be getting back for boarding in the near future. read more

This will be a short and sweet review for Eric, but from my conscience, could not let this go unmentioned... Eric.gets.dogs. He knows their psychology & mannerism and can quickly address potential problems and resolve issue/s before it turns into something bigger. Eric's dedication and passion, not only to the pet, but their owner/s is second to none. He truly loves his job and it is crystal, in both walking the walk and talking the talk. He has helped our little ridgeback gain confidence in short order and provided us with the needed tools to continue to better the lives and relationship for all our family members, four legged and 2. read more

Unlike most other Phoenix, Chandler, or Mesa dog trainers, when you choose Eric Dorfman as your dog trainer in Phoenix, you're getting a lot more than a garden variety Phoenix dog trainer. Eric is a certified canine behaviorist, which gives him far better experience and training to understand the root(s) of the issues you're having with your puppy or older pooch. Our dog, Michael, suffered from severe anxiety, which was causing him to be aggressive toward people and cats in our new house. Michael's condition was so severe that we were out of options: if training didn't work, he was going to be surrendered to animal control--it was *that* bad. Eric worked tirelessly with Michael, and not only did he resolve Michael's issues, but he also equipped me and even my children with the tools and knowledge we needed to maintain the results Eric had created. Eric's skill and innate ability with dogs not only made it so that I got to keep my dog, but it has also made our home happier, calmer, and a genuinely nice place for people to come to. I no longer have to worry that my dog is going to lunge, bark ceaselessly, or otherwise freak out. As if all of this were not enough, Eric offers consulting for the life of the dog. And believe me, I have made use of this offer! I call Eric with questions regarding anything you can think of for my dog and his obedience, and if he doesn't answer right away (which he typically does), he calls me back before the day is out. I highly recommend Eric Dorfman for those in search of a caring, qualified, and deeply experienced dog trainer in Phoenix. He is the best the Valley has to offer--and believe me, I researched more Phoenix dog trainers than I care to admit before finding Eric. Don't despair and don't give up on your dog(s), Eric will transform them into good listeners and well-behaved pups in no time! read more

Interesting the love it or hate it reviews .... We adopted our Newfoundland Lab mix in 2005 - he was a rescue from Pet Finders - we knew nothing about him other than that the pound in Elko Nevada was about to kill him, the vet said he was around 2 years old - and he was not neutered. So we brought Charlie dog home and took care of the neuter thing - but over the next several weeks he became out of control! He started attacking anyone that came near me and when he decided it was his job to run my husband out of town, we'd had enough!!! I was honestly looking into putting him down because I thought he was just crazed. Husband wanted to try something less drastic, so we interviewed several trainers, no one had experience with an aggressive animal until we found Eric. Eric was amazing, he doesn't just train the dog he trained ME! It took a couple of sessions, but Eric was patient and thorough and worked with us at our house until we "got it" and were comfortable with the new dog rules! I have sung Eric's praises ever since - Charlie is about nine years old now - an amazing and wonderful dog! He is gentle and loving - even the cat next door puts up with Charlie staying for a few days when we are out of town! I don't remember the exact amount we paid but it was under $400 - It was totally worth it to have this dog in our family! Thank you Eric! read more

I can't speak to the other 2 reviews, but I will say my experience working with Eric has been great and very professional. I met him through the K9 Social Club in San Mateo (I wrote about him on their Yelp review if you'd like to see my other comments.) I took a great class taught by Eric with 5 other dogs over the summer where we worked on dog park skills - sometimes it was more about making a nervous owner comfortable than about the dog going inside! Currently, I'm taking a class with my dog with Eric to prepare for the American Kennel Club Good Citizen certification. Again, the class size is small so we get very personal attention as each dog/owner has different needs. There's no way I would have tried to take this test on my own but when this course was announced, I thought maybe my dog could pass. Even if he doesn't, he'll be a better trained dog for going,. With both courses, Eric always gives more time than you pay for. He's concerned with finishing in a good place for the session not the clock. He points out if times up to say if you need to go, I understand. If the session doesn't go over, he stays to answer individual questions and issues. He also comes in to class early to help you out. And I've called Eric and I haven't had any issues reaching him. read more

We sent our two bulldog puppies to Eric for two weeks as an early-training preventative measure. They were not showing overt signs of anti-social behavior, but we wanted them to learn early how to behave, especially living and working in downtown environments. We've had them since they were 8 weeks old, and at 10 months, they could no longer be "adorable" jumping up and yanking their leashes to greet people. Not only did they come home from Eric as well-behaved as we've ever seen in a bulldog (not always easy with the comic breed whose stubbornness is the stuff of legends), but the pleasure of walking them amidst their ever-growing fan base is incredible. Eric is awesome. A pleasure. A true professional. THANKS, Eric! read more

Dan and his assistant are awesome! I contacted him on a Wednesday and he made himself available to meet with me and my dog the next morning. While working with my dog he allowed me to record the session. He offered a lot of helpful tips. I will definaelty comtact Dan in the future for my training and boarding needs. read more

I found Eric online and within an hour of my initial email he had emailed me back and we set up a time to talk about what I needed from him and how he could help us and our puppy. We spoke for almost an hour the first time and I was hopefully optimistic that he could help me with my new puppy who was very aggressive with our two older dogs and also with the humans in the family. I was able to get the puppy into his board and train program within one week. He only takes two dogs at a time so I was assured some supervised socialization with another dog but also assured that my dog would get the attention he needed. I dropped the puppy off on a Sunday and spend at least an hour at Erics, with him showing me some of his techniques and giving him a full history of the dynamics and problems we were facing. I felt completely comfortable and assured leaving my puppy in Eric's care. He texted me updates and pictures almost every other day while the puppy was in his care and he even researched and sent me articles to show me why this breed acted the way it did. When Eric brought my dog back to me, he spent 3 hours basically training me. It has been just over two weeks and I can honestly say I feel like we have a new and improved dog. It's still alot of work with a puppy on our part, but my sanity has been restored and I have Eric in part to thank for that. Worth every penny!!! read more

My dog Tigg was very aggressive with high anxiety so I looked for help to train him. After another trainer came over to meet Tigg, the session became dramatic immediately with end results being traumatic for my dog. I reached out to Eric and he agreed to evaluate my dog at his home. Upon arrival, Eric knew how to deal with Tigg right away and kept the aggression to a minimum. Within 10 minutes Eric had Tigg's leash in a calm manner, walking him a little to check his behavior. Eric is obviously a skilled professional, understands dog behavior and knows how to handle them. I was impressed to see Tigg in a non aggressive state with someone he just met. I highly recommend Eric, as he is the best trainer around. read more

The first of three of Eric's private responses to my review: eric d. "How about that $150 I asked you to send me.... even a moron wouldn't believe that.... you are such a liar... I visited some of your 5 star referrals and there must be something up??? I hope you don't think there is such a thing as Yelp/customer-client privelige. Remember I have all your contact info so my attorney will have you served shortly. I know you must be wealthy and all since you have your "tidy" apartment cleaned bi weekly.... I know where your saving your money. I hope you have a lot of $$$ cause you're gonna need it. Nothing I hate more than making lawyers richer but oh well!" Please know... this is coming from someone who rarely posts on facebook, blogs, etc. However, I felt so strongly about my experience with this gentleman (I'm using this term loosely!), that I felt it was my responsibility as a consumer to share with others. Eric Dorfman promotes himself as a dog trainer. I cannot speak to his ability in this field, as he didn't keep his appointment with me today. He phoned me completely incensed because his GPS was unable to locate my address. In fact, he informed me that I was to mail him a check for $150 for the inconvenience! The utter lack of professionalism demonstrated by this man was unbelievable. If the training he missed out on at being a socialized human being is any indication of his ability to work with dogs, you'll definitely want to pass. read more

I've had a similar experience with this guy about 17 months ago and I never signed a contract: in addition he ran my credit card through his wife's business. Did anyone else that went through him sign a contract or any form of paperwork??? read more

Our daughter rescued a dog aggressive pit bull that she could not integrate with her existing dogs. She asked us to take her and we did. We had spent a week with her walking her every day. But, we had to be extra vigilant around other dogs. We decided we needed help from someone who could asses, and correct her aggressive behavior. We read Eric's Web site and felt he had a thorough program with follow on that could address our dogs needs. We contacted him late one evening through his Web site and he promptly called us the next morning. We set up a meeting with us and our dog Trixie at his home the next day. He took Trixie for a short walk, and then took her down the street by his dogs who were behind his fence to see how she would react. We were surprised by a much lower level of aggression than what we had experienced on our walks. He then explained his board and training program and follow up consultation service at our house. He described the collar and leash he used and showed us how to walk and control our dog with minimal effort. He was very generous with his time and it was clear to us that he loved and was passionate about his profession and cared about animals. We fee very good about signing up for his Board and Training Program. Our initial engagement with Eric was beyond our expectations. Victor and Arlene Elischer Greenbrae, California AElischer@aol.com read more

So Eric doesn't only train your dog he trains you. My GSD pup is still rebelling but it was such a relief to see him well behaved when Eric was working with him. Not to mention my cat also loved it when he was here (dog wasn't chasing him). He definitely controls the situation and environment and teaches you how to do the same. Made me realize it wasn't the dog it was me that needed help being "Alpha". ( Its hard to say no to big brown puppy eyes )The collar does work I notice the difference in his behavior immediately. So we still struggle a little bit but are getting better and its good to know my pups full potential. I'm looking forward to our next outdoor visit once Spartan has all his shots :) In conclusion Eric is amazing when it comes to our dog. He is very informative and the service he provides is excellent. He will be the only trainer to ever work with our dog because he brought out the best in Spartan in three hours what we couldn't do in four weeks. Yes he is expensive but well worth it. Especially when it comes to the safety of my family and friends. read more

Eric was awesome. He also gives lifetime phone support. His training is a little like a stand up comedy session but don't be put off or fooled by his approach or language. He knows dogs and he knows what he is doing. Our dog has immediately responded to his simple approach in a short time. The collar and tether we purchased have made a great difference. His emphasis is on knowing things from a dogs perspective. Five stars to Eric. read more

Eric Dorfman is a great man. I cant say enough about him. He was monumental in helping me save my dogs life. Albeit we have never met in person. He is good at what he does and has a great heart. Animal control had taken was dog and was scheduled to kill him. So i took them to court. It had been 3 weeks and i was not allowed to see my dog. I was planning and preparing to present my case. My vet may he rest in peace Dr. John J. Rutherford suggested i call Eric. I called Eric to get an evaluation of my dogs behavior, so i can present in court. He was more than happy to help and had a great warm hearted business approach to the situation. He did a truthful professional evaluation. He asked for nothing in return. Not a thing. I did not pay him a cent, he did this out of the goodness of his heart. My dog is alive today and he played a major roll in my stressful battle to save my dog. I have never personally met him or trained with him but from my experience i know he is a great man working to do what is right. Im not the kind to send flowers and 5 stars in the minimum i can do but i will forever speak highly of him. I can not thank him enough and am very grateful and indebted to him. read more

I met Eric Dorfman last week when he came to our home to conduct a class with my boyfriend and me and our three dogs. I was extremely impressed - this guy is good, period. He conveyed a great deal of information but did so in such a clear and understandable manner that I have had no problem remembering everything he taught us (and this was no small feat, by the way - I was suffering from an abscessed tooth at the time, and was in unbelievable pain). The man is a gifted speaker/teacher - he holds the listeners' attention by using humor and making the information applicable to their situation. He's repetitive enough to enable the listener to easily remember the core principles, but never gets monotonous or boring. He's receptive to questions, and always has a reasonable and learned response. Without belaboring the point, I was impressed by his ability to convey information simply, concisely and effectively - there are few people that can command focused attention for three hours straight, but this guy does. More important is the efficacy of his method - and honestly couldn't believe how well and how quickly his method worked. He applied his method to our brand new pup whom had arrived at our home a mere 12 hours earlier. I was concerned because our new pup was a rescue dog that had suffered both abandonment and abuse, and she was having to adapt to a brand new environment. Moreover we already had two dogs - one 14 and one around 4, both of whom exhibited problem behaviors, including jealousy; and none of the dogs had ever been trained before. I was genuinely AMAZED how quickly our new pup responded. She became quiet and calm within a manner of minutes, and remained focused on Eric, easily following his direction as though she's known him for months. I've read Eric's other Yelp reviews and find it telling that there are four reviews that give Eric 5 stars - the highest rating possible, and other two give him only one star, or the lowest possible score. Such a polarized response made me question the genuineness of the negative reviews and their veracity. My experience was that Eric was extremely professional - he showed up on time, called to confirm, is obviously hardworking very knowledgeable, and just plain good at what he does. Moreover, he did everything he promised to do when we first spoke to me on the phone two weeks before. I thus wonder whether the two negative reviews aren't manufactured or exaggerated by antagonists with an axe to grind. One review complains that after Eric had his dog for a week at his training camp but when the dog returned home he continued to exhibit the same aggression toward other dogs. The reviewer then comments that he refused to apply Eric's method of tethering his dog because he "didn't see the point.". I think it's pretty obvious that even after a week of intense training, any dog is going to revert to its "old" behavior the moment he returns home UNLESS the owner continues with the same training regimen that the trainer utilized. It sounds to me like this guy wanted his problem magically solved without expending any effort on his part. Tethering is central to Eric's method, (and from what I've read, THE best method for problem dogs) and if the reviewer was unwilling to apply the training while at home he hasn't a prayer of altering the behavior no matter what Eric was able to accomplish during that week. The other negative review lacks the facts necessary to fully explain what the underlying dispute was about, but (allegedly) includes portions of private communications between Eric and the reviewer that were heated. I don't like this type of public sharing of a private communication, particularly one that involves a heated dispute such as this. First of all, the reviewer has conveniently left out the underlying details as well as her part of the dialog, which is calculating at best, and in my opinion seems both underhanded and vindictive. The review has absolutely no bearing on the quality of this man's services, but seeks to bash him over a personality clash - I think that Yelp crossed the ethical line in allowing its publication in the first place. And for someone to write such a venomous review based on a meaningless dispute over funds in an attempt to damage a man's reputation and livelihood seems beyond mean-spirited. Needless to say, I found the review baseless, and would encourage other Yelp readers to ignore it as well. Should anyone question the genuineness of this review, or need more information on my experience, feel free to contact me. You can message me on Yelp, and I will happily share my email address or contact you by phone if you prefer. read more

Eric is a very kind and professional dog trainer who helped our family with his board and train program. Our dog went into boot camp very anxious and lacking confidence which lead to aggression toward animals and people. Our dog came home with much improved behavior and Eric taught us how to continue his growth and development. He went above and beyond to help us with transporting, boarding and teaching us and our dog. Can't say enough about how happy OUR family is. : ) read more

My dog first went to Eric four years ago this month. He loves Eric and always looks to be having a great time in the photos Eric sends me and posts online. This may sound like a normal interaction for dogs and their trainers but it wasn't for me before Eric started working with my little guy. When I first rescued my dog he was social but then he was attacked at least once in my presence and I believe another time at a doggy day care in SF. When I brought my guy to Eric he was guarded, aggressive and scared. Now he winters with Eric and the other dogs and is great. And finally he's able to socialize with dogs with me! This last year he's been playing with a dog in my building almost daily. This is huge as my dog wouldn't even be around the smell of another dog before Eric after being attacked. I would literally carry him by other dogs holding his mouth closed. Sure there's still dogs he doesn't like on leash, but Eric taught him to calm down faster and me to work with him. I'm eternally grateful as my dog smiles now and loves rolling and playing with his best dog buddy now and it brings tears to my eyes after keeping him away from dogs for 6 years... Thanks Eric. read more

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We rescued a German Shepherd named Sniffles and didn't know what to do. She was aggressive with people and with dogs, even though she was a sweet girl. We tried taking her to SPCA training and other sorts of training but nothing seemed to be working. Reward-based training was failing her and she was becoming increasingly dangerous. That's when we decided to try Dorfman Canine with Eric. We sent Sniffles to Eric for about 12 days through his rehab program. Although it was expensive, Eric didn't make us any promises but said he would try to help. He assessed our dog and identified her as just fearful of everything so his priority would be to work on giving her more confidence. We also full well knew that the training would be far from over after she got back. That this was just the beginning. But it was the first thing that finally worked. Sniffles came back more confident with better skills. We were also trained by Eric for 3 hours and empowered with tools that we could use in continued training with Sniffles. She will still get hyper and aggressive around dogs, but we now know how to handle it. She no longer pulls on her leash and is actually friendly when we take her to work around people. We are no longer afraid of Sniffles around people because she is confident and we know how to control her behavior. Although she can't be offleash without a muzzle and Eric recommended that she not be offleash at all around other dogs, we are happy with the progress that is being made. We know now what her issues are and how to handle them thanks to Eric's tools (training us), making our dog more confident (by challenging her through many different situations), and helping us continue dessensitize her to other dogs. Sniffles truly has made a remarkable change. Although it would be ideal that she can be an offleash dog, we are at least grateful that she is now friendly with people. People can come up to her and pet her and she no longer barks or growls. This has been magnificent and also a relief to us. We are also grateful that after the rehab camp, Eric has committed to offering us advice and continuing consultations over the phone or email to process our improvement. I'll definitely be using this service. I highly recommend Eric for aggressive and challenging dogs. He is a great step towards rehabilitation and he's willing to work with hard cases. It is expensive, but its worth it and definitely has worked in improving our dog, whom we love very much. Thank you Eric read more

I have been playing phone and voicemail tag with him for 2 days and when he finally answered, he basically said I was hard to get a hold of (3-day weekend) and I am not a good match for him. Is he serious? He is the service provider. He never answered his phone or responded to text messages in a timely manner and he didn't call me at the time we had scheduled. Just because I don't have my phone on me 100% of the time, what does that have to do with having a conversation about boarded training for my puppy? I found him to be flippant, arrogant, rude and very unprofessional. I would never trust my animal under his care anyway. Stay away from this trainer, he is obviously disrespectful of pet owners and is full of himself. read more

My husband and I have made it a policy to rescue the dogs we bring into our home. That has been the rule for 4 dogs and then a pair of strays entered the drama. A coworker found a pair of mixed breed puppies wandering along the road in the hills above Berkeley, California. It didn't take much examination to determine that they were a pit mix of some sort and that they were probably dumped by their owner. I volunteered to help get them adopted and during one of my weeks as babysitter, took them for their shots and to be sterilized. That is when I found out that they were most likely just 4 freaking months old. They were both taken to an obedience school for socializing and obedience training. The female graduated with flying colors, the male was asked to leave as too disrupting. We worked with him, but his dog aggression became worse, but oddly never toward our other two dogs. Finally, he stole my heart and I was determined that if he could not get adopted, I would keep him and do whatever it took to bring him around. A week with Eric helped a lot, but Roscoe, as he was named, was a tough cookie. By micromanaging him, peace existed in our house when he turned on our English setter, the very same one that he would panic over whenever he couldn't find him in the house. After the second incident, I was put on notice that one more and I would have to get rid of him. I was heartbroken, even though he was taller than me when he stood and weighed nearly 130# at the time, he was my boy. During preparations to relocate to Washington State and Roscoe attacked again, this time he did a fair amount of puncture damage and the edict came down. Either get rid of him or have him destroyed. As the other two dogs and hubby moved up north first, I was left behind to button up the sale of the house. In an effort to stall the inevitable and gain more time, I boarded Roscoe with Eric for a month. It was not to be another boot camp, but never the less, he would be spending time with Eric and Eric would be calling the shots. My evil mind decided that I would not give him up, so when moving day rolled around, I went back to collect him. I was afraid that he would forget me, but not a chance. I could see Eric laughing from down the road when he shouted, he did not forget you. From that day on, Roscoe has been a model dog, yes he did have a relapse, at which he was caught before he could inflict any damage and was punished by the one he thought would never do such a thing..... me, but since then and with the help of a pheromone collar, he has been stellar, the perfect gentleman. That fact was reiterated by our local vet up here after she boarded the three during our recent Thanksgiving trip. When we returned she tole me that we have wonderful dogs, but she really loves Roscoe. She told me that he was the most polite of any dog she has met and that he got along just fine while he was there. While Eric cannot do everything, no one can, his combination of behavior modification and owner training, plus his genuine caring mannerism let us save this dog from what would have been a terrible fate and in doing to gave me a very best friend in Roscoe. read more