Scott and Meagan were incredible! They were so thoughtful in their training approach and our pup…read morecame back incredibly well behaved. They take extra time so that the dogs are actually trained with good habits and not just scared into submission.

We got Baloo back from the training boot camp in January, and I think Scott and Megan are really…read moreknowledgeable. Our pup seems to have picked up great foundations, especially for off-leash walks and settling down in public places--kudos to their training. However, the reason for my single-star review is that they shaved my pup's hair without consulting us first. Since he is a Samoyed, if his undercoat is exposed, he's prone to injuries or bruises easily. It's been 3 months since we got him back, and we've been regularly visiting the vet for issues like bruises from his collar or injuries from playing with other dogs

My review might be more unconventional, but given the service I received, I felt it was important…read moreto share my experience. Every now and again Brad's facility will take in rescue dogs who will undergo the full board and train program. I was lucky enough to be able to adopt Tarkin, a a cattle dog mix. I believe he had been under the care of Brad and his team for almost (maybe more?) a year but did not have much like in finding a potential adopter until I saw a post on Instagram and reached out. Right off the bat, Tarkin was very well behaved, knew the basic commands (sit, down-stay, leave it, wait, place, etc). Brad even provided a collar to continue with his training, was responsive via text MONTHS after adoption, and would always offer to come by for a follow-up training session. Fortunately, we have not needed an in-person session, but to be able to continue having him as resource by phone has been amazing and I am so grateful. Brad and Camille (Tarkin's other main trainer) have created such a wonderful foundation of training that I've been able to build off of, even as a new dog owner. Given my experience with Tarkin, I would highly recommend reaching out to Brad and his team about potential rescues available for adoption, or to see what training packages they have to offer. I couldn't have asked for a better first dog!

I was visiting a business in the Shadelands complex today, Thursday, September 24 and at 12 noon…read moreit's already 87° outside. This car had its windows down granted but they also had a kennel dog in the back of theirSUV. Anyone who thinks that Catalina dog when it's 87° outside cannot be trusted to have a good sense to train someone else's dog.

We recently moved to Clayton CA and were looking for someone to walk and dog sit our two German…read moreShepherds. We found Mark on Yelp and we were impressed with his Yelp reviews so we asked him to come out for a meet and greet. He has an incredibly calm and dog-loving nature which immediately won the trust of our dogs, so he has been an incredible fit for our needs. Our dogs do weekly walks with him and his sweet pup River. He is reliable and an excellent communicator with scheduling and details. He has been excellent with dog sitting as well, staying overnight in our home. He sends pictures and texts throughout his stay, so we stay constantly updated on how things are going. It is not easy finding someone that you trust to take care of your dogs AND your home, so we feel so fortunate to have found Mark and River.

Mark has become a staple in my animals lives. He is part of the family practically and loves my two…read morepups so much. I trust him immensely with my dogs and have even asked him to feed them when I'm running late at work. They get so excited to see him and he helps me out on my long days working.

The only board and train I'd trust. Meryl has the skills and talent to really make a difference…read moreand help people and their dogs live better lives together. I've been blown away by her knowledge and ability to train dogs for years and I cannot recommend her enough. She knows her stuff!!

The long version: We…read moreadopted a very timid, quiet pup at the beginning of October who, once he'd settled in, turned into a smart, energetic, stubborn and barking pup. That wasn't an option as we live in an apartment with WFH neighbors and going potty means walks around town with lots of other dogs. Overwhelmed, I started googling and found so many 5* reviews for Meryl from Bay Area Balanced Dog training. After a very thorough phone consultation where she took the time to talk about her process/our options and answer our many questions/concerns (we were nervous/uninformed about ecollars), we opted to do a 4 week board and train with a few private lessons beforehand. It was more than I had budgeted, but I was upfront about that, and she worked with us on a payment plan leading up to his stay. The private lessons were so helpful, and I highly recommend doing that before your dog's stay. So much about his good behavior relied on me being a good handler. This practice was also like a bandaid before his training, seriously reducing my stress on our daily outings, and made the transition after his stay easy as I already knew the basics of how to ask him for what I expected in a way he understood/had learned with the trainer. The board and train itself was easy, though be aware there's some additional cost to supply all the tools pup will need during his training. That was rough for me at Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, she was happy to keep and train him during the holidays when we would be traveling anyway. Very convenient and saved me additional boarding bills. She provided lots of daily video and picture updates on Instagram which was nice/really lessened my guilt about leaving him with someone for four weeks. He came home the same happy, sweet dog we'd sent away, except now he can walk nicely on a leash without barking his head off at every animal he sees. She also worked on recall training which is such a relief for a high energy dog I just know would chase a bear on a hike as off leash skills are really important to me in a dog. We work daily on everything he's learned and he loves it so much. It's a lot of money for what was an average dog with average bad behaviors, but we really believe that starting your dog off on the right path with the best guidance is the way to ensure a healthy, happy, safe dog. We went on our first hike just a few days ago, and after all that practice, he got to experiment with being fully off leash. He listened to every command, every time, even when there were tempting birds. I want to have a dog that is as fully involved in my family's life as possible, and now that we both have these skills, I know with consistency and practice, that's what I'll get. Tldr: The board and train is expensive, but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend. It truly saved my sanity.

Meryl saved our rescue dog Kona. That's not an exaggeration. After we adopted Kona, we realized she…read morehad major fear and aggression to other people (other than our family). The vet told us she was an untrustworthy Dog, and we should reconsider. Thank GOD we didn't listen to the vet. Instead we hired Meryl, who really worked hard to earn Kona's trust. Since Kona likes other dogs, she went home and brought back Marco - and voila it was magic - Kona instantly bonded with Meryl. 4 More sessions, and Kona learned to meet new people, stop her aggressive attacks, and most importantly "wait". We were back at the vet recently, and the tech remarked "wow, Kona is a new Dog". It's true, we now know how to manage Kona and she s a happy confident dog

Amazing!!! If you need help, please go with Meryl. This gal is truly gifted and highly recommended…read moreby myself and our rescue organization. Having worked in the Animal fields for many many years with many trainers, I have to stress that Meryl is far more experienced and superior than your average dog trainer! She has helped us with many dogs with moderate to incredibly severe behavioral issues, as well as an array of dogs who required extra help to learn to pay attention to their people/listen and Meryl is also great at helping people understand how to manage many situations. Meryl is one the very few trainers around who truly understands canine behavior in and out.. she is not a basic cookie cutter trainer who will just teach the basics of how to get your dog to sit, down, etc, although she is great at that as well. I always appreciate how honest and upfront she is about everything and what the options are for each dog. I would highly recommend her to anyone needing basic training, a behavior assessment, or serious guidance and behavior modification help with their dogs. If you follow what she tells you to do, and put in the work, you will be amazed at the results and the improvement in your relationship with your canine.

My two rescue pups and I have done a few group classes at MDDTC (Family Dog 1, Intermediate…read moreObedience, and the Tricks & More). These classes were a great way to meet my goals of brushing up on the basics, and to keep my home training interesting by learning other ways to strengthen the bond I have with my dogs. For me, the classes are even worth repeating to simply be able to spend some quality time with my pup, and while around other people and their dogs. The instructors have been very supportive and informative, as well as the facility is a conducive environment for dog training. Worth checking out to see if they meet your training or competition needs!

Just finished Family Dog 1 class. It's a basic class that is helpful for new dog owners, people…read morewho.ha ent taken a training class before or has a new dog. They teach some very helpful things and add in some fun things along the way. They have other classes forvyhose who want to continue with more advanced training.

I felt very fortunate to have found Sammy one month after adopting my pup Rio from the county…read moreshelter (when he was just 11 weeks old). Thru her Puppy Start program, Sammy helped me regain a semblance of normalcy back in my life, all the while successfully managing various struggles associated with puppyhood. Sammy is very eloquent in her science based explanations for both canine behavior modification as well as nutritional science. Her balanced training methods were humane and extremely effective, one can clearly sense her passion and love for all dogs. The no-non sense approach resonated with those of my own personal upbringing. In addition, after Rio completed "board and train" with Sammy during the first 3 weeks of June, 2022, I have one of the healthiest (thanks to her recommendation and assistance switching over to raw feeding), as well as well behaved dogs amongst my family and circle of friends. Rio just turned 17 months old and to this day he gets complimented by strangers in public for being so well-behaved and trained. We could not have done this without Sammy's help.

We reached out to Rockem because we were struggling with our one-year-old Belgian Sheepdog, Leia. A…read morescary incident occurred during a walk when a man we didn't know approached, and Leia lunged for his throat. It was traumatizing, and we immediately realized we needed serious help. Chelsea walked us through our options, and we decided that a five-week board-and-train program, along with a diet change, was the best course of action. The transformation Leia underwent in those five weeks with Chelsea and Sammy is nothing short of incredible. The dog we brought home is now food-motivated, comfortable around people, and able to join us in public without the fear of another scary incident. I am deeply grateful to Chelsea and Sammy for their guidance and expertise. I've learned so much from them, and the quality of life we have today is something we once thought impossible with Leia. I'm so proud of her progress. We now enjoy hikes, camping trips, and even dinners out downtown -- all activities we never thought we'd be able to do together.

Very cute place! The facilities were clean, organized and you could tell every dog was having a…read moreball. Highly recommend

Long overdue review! I've been taking my puppy to Camp Four Paws since last June for both daycare…read moreand overnight stays. My dog, Rue, is very shy and nervous, but the staff have truly gone above and beyond to help build her confidence and trust. I'm so grateful for all the care and patience they've shown her. I'd also like to give a huge shoutout to Flora, Rue and I's favorite staff member. I appreciate the updates the staff provide when I message. It always puts my mind at ease.