Had my first training session with Francesca and it has already changed my dog's life so much. She was thorough with her initial phone assessment, gave us a clear list of recommended equipment and made it easy to meet up with her. She gave clear directions and explanations to fix our handling of our dog and it's already made walking a 150lb reactive dog a pleasant instead of stressful experience. We're planning on more sessions to learn how to deal with all our dog's quirks. Thank you! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Happy dog - Dog Walkers Near Me

Honey and I have had an AMAZING experience in both Francesca's group and private classes. Francesca clearly identified Honey's environmental triggers and helped me understand Honey's body language, and how to help us both in redirecting Honey's attention, while making the experience a positive outcome. In a few short visits in Francesca's group classes, we've all experienced Honey's growth with confidence and trust. Honey has been leery of larger dogs, but she's much more comfortable around them, as am I. Francesca has offered excellent advice on how to properly introduce Honey to other dogs, while drastically reducing her fear-based aggression, which started once Honey was bit by a coyote a few months ago. Francesca's training has strengthened my relationship with my pup, has helped me better communicate with her, and has introduced me to other wonderful pet parents. Don't hesitate - you've found your new dog trainer in Francesca! read more

Francesca is THE dog trainer to learn from. I highly recommend her as she is a phenomenal teacher who truly understands how to work with both you and your precious pup. My dog Kimchi is very reactive with dogs, runners, bicycles, motorcycles, etc. It became so bad that I would purposefully make sure that I wasn't walking him through certain streets and times of the day. Feeling extremely frustrated after walks became the norm. And the anxiety knowing that I couldn't control my dog on walks was crippling. All in all, I was at my wits' end when I reached out to Francesca. Francesca stands out from other dog trainers because she is truly a phenomenal teacher. From the get-go, she exudes a very calm energy that puts you at ease during the training session. Throughout the class, she shares her wealth of knowledge with you in a thoughtful, patient, and intentional manner. She's a master at breaking things down to a tee and addressing any confusion you may have. And she's super sweet too. About the training: She builds up her students (both human and canine) in a way where you as the owner get to make autonomous, good choices because you are fully informed. She doesn't just tell you What to do - she explains Why your dog is acting the way they are, How to address it, and Why it's important to address it that specific way. There are no punitive actions taken on the dog when correcting behavior, it's about building up your dog and praising him when he engages with you. It's all super helpful. The training sessions have built up my confidence as a dog owner because I'm making better choices. My walks with Kimchi have become so much better - I don't need to time or map out my routes anymore. I don't have to worry, because I know what to do. Honestly, I feel like she's trained me more than my actual dog, lol. I have a much better connection with Kimchi now. Thank You, Francesca, for all that you do for dog owners out here in Los Angeles!! I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone looking for a dog trainer! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Kimchi and Francesca - Dog Walkers Near Me

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Francesca's dog training programs were excellent. She is very knowledgeable and even offers pack walks for her clients. Very satisfied with her and her team! read more

I just had my first one on one training session with Francesca. I was amazed how my dogs immediately sensed her authority. Just one class and I have tools to practice with to improve my dogs behavior when walking on leash. Be prepared to "unlearn" what you know about obedience training. Francesca has a fresh vocabulary of commands and actions that were new (at least to me). read more

I brought my two dogs, Koda and Daisy, to Francesca's Dog Training and the experience was fantastic. Daisy and Koda have very different temperaments, but Francesca was able to adapt her approach to meet each of their individual needs perfectly. If your dog is leash pulling and taking control of your walks, Francesca can give you the tools to lead your dogs in a more balanced walk. What I appreciated most was her focus on clear communication. She didn't just work with the dogs; she taught me how to lead them effectively so the training actually stuck at home. It is a continued work in progress, but now I have the tools to be consistent and train my dogs and future dogs. Whether it was working on leash manners or basic boundaries, the progress is incredible! If you're looking for a trainer who truly understands dog behavior and treats your pups like her own, I can't recommend Francesca enough. She is an avid dog lover and wants all dogs to acheive a better quality of life. Daisy and Koda are much more balanced now, and our walks are actually enjoyable! read more

I first found Francesca's dog coaching business on Yelp, and after a few discovery calls with different trainers, Francesca stood out right away. Her understanding of dog psychology goes beyond basic obedience--she really tunes in to what's going on beneath the surface. My rescue pup, Pickle, was pretty reactive when we started--buses, skateboards, anything loud would send him over the edge. He was also very tense and unsure around other dogs, which made walks and everyday outings really stressful. Thanks to a few private lessons, pack hikes, and group workshops with Francesca, we've seen such amazing progress. Pickle is learning how to feel safer and more confident in the world, and we're learning just as much as he is! The tips Francesca shares during both private and group sessions are incredibly helpful. She gives you the tools--but it's up to us humans to stick with the routine and put in the practice at home. That consistency has made all the difference. Francesca and her family have been so kind and loving toward Pickle, and I trust them completely. If you're looking for someone who truly connects with dogs and helps you build a stronger bond with your pup, Francesca is it. Highly recommend! read more

We're fostering a large, young dog who was a stray and wasn't even able to walk on a leash. We immediately found Francesca & her team on yelp and luckily were able to join a beginner obedience class. The class met 3 Sundays for 3 hours each. Amazing class- and more challenging than I anticipated. Our big dog (55lbs- 2years old) with so much energy is walking on leash calmly & at my pace without pulling. I can't stress how incredible the entire team was. At times, we had to step away due to excitement or re-direction and the assistants made sure to help me one on one to help make progress and provide context of animal behavior. Francesca is knowledgeable, compassionate, clear, honest & direct and teaches us how to reflect that with our pups. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Obedience class for young dogs! - Dog Walkers Near Me

Francesca has been great! Our dogs were incredibly reactive and anxious. Francesca has definitely helped me and my family learn how we're supposed to train them, set boundaries, and improve our relationship with our dogs. Went from never taking my dogs around other dogs because they'd bark and lunge to going on a group dog hike with one of my dogs and everyone complimenting her behavior. read more

Francesca is helping training our new puppy and she has been really amazing ! She is patient and kind and my puppy really loved her and listened to her. She has given us great tips and methods to practice with our puppy, and has checked in since our training sessions to see how things are going. She is caring and considerate and that's what we need with our puppy. We plan to continue sessions with her until we get our pup all settled into the new world! read more

Francesca gets right to the core of what needs to get addressed. We had originally booked our first session for Francesca to help us identity how to get our puppy, Tumbleweed, and our senior dog, Nuxx, to get along. Turns out, our senior pup and myself needed to work out some things first! That initial session was a hard pill to swallow, because Francesca pointed out the ways I needed to adjust my behavior and mindset to best support my senior dog. In doing so, this would set a foundation for both of our dogs to acclimate to each other in ways that elicited calmness and confidence. That one session truly changed my mindset and helped me develop my own confidence with my dog! We saw so much value in that initial session with Francesca, that we signed up for private sessions, which then led us to signing up for group sessions. All in all, we deeply value all that we have learned from Francesca and the pack mentality she cultivates during group sessions. Her training classes are unlike what I have done before, which is like Zoom Room classes. I really felt like her classes really prioritized how you relate to your dog; your own mindset as a pack leader with your dog; and cultivating a real unspoken bond with your dog. These things were so nuanced but so pivotal in how we decided to approach training with our pup and senior dog. We also switched from using harnesses to using only leads, which was a big change for us. Since our first session, we continue to work on and implement what we learned, and I am proud to say that our pups are developing a stronger bond each day. Our senior dog went from really hating the puppy to wanting to sit next to him during breaks on our walks; playing with him and chasing him whenever he has the energy; and they walk hip to hip sometimes on our walks too. It is the cutest! Do the private sessions if you have specific challenges you want to overcome. Do the group sessions to practice socialization with a trained professional and with other committed pet parents! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Tumbleweed & Nuxx - Dog Walkers Near Me

This is our second time and puppy to attend Francesca's Beginner Obedience group class and cannot recommend it enough. Her approach is simple and straightforward, but highly effective. We especially appreciate her goals of creating well-balanced, confident dogs that we can take anywhere. She easily assesses what each dog needs and provides guidance on how to improve their behavior. Francesca also allows for questions and frequent contact between classes so you get the support you need. We've also referred friends to Francesca with very different dogs than ours and they also had very positive experiences. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

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There is a reason Francesca's Dog Training has earned 5 stars! Francesca is SO great with the dogs AND the people that come with them. Let's be honest, half of dog training (or more?) is training the *people* lol. She "gets" people, our misconceptions of how to raise a "good dog", and gets everyone on the same page. We have done both private training and group training classes with Francesca. The sooner you can invest in your dog's socialization and training, the happier you BOTH will be. I am delighted with the results in our doggie. Thank you Francesca! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

Francesca knows her stuff. When we initially began to search for a trainer, we knew she would be in the running since she trained our neighbor's dog and he is now an amazing and well-trained dog. It didn't take long for us to realize she is the best and would help us make our crazy pup into the dog of our dreams. After a few private sessions, we were so impressed with his progress that we signed up for a few group classes, and they have worked wonders to help socialize Charlie. Francesca believes in building a strong foundation for your dog, and I'm confident we made the right choice. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

I've done private training, class training and my dog goes on weekly pack walks. I've got a Maltese who's not friendly to other dogs and has separation anxiety but it's all because of my energy and actions. I've learned how to have a healthy and happy dog by working on myself and most importantly being consistent, giving her boundaries and lots of exercise! I highly recommend working with Francesca for training Yourself to be a good dog owner. read more

I can only join the chorus of happy pet owners in singing Francesca's praises. They are all well deserved. She has really helped me work on turning Harry from a good dog into a great dog, without putting a damper on his insouciant air, in three private lessons. She is superb at checking in with you regarding whether or not what she is saying makes sense and is sinking in. After all, she is the one training you so that you can bring the best out of your dog. Her presence is calm, confident, supportive. Am so happy that Harry and I found her. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

I came to Francesca in dire need of a trainer! I have a 2 year old Sheepadoodle who suffers from anxiety. Just after the first session I saw major improvement. Within the week she was sleeping in her crate, walking properly, & learning how to greet our guest. Francesca is amazing! She's patient, knowledgeable & will tell you how it is! Highly recommend her! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

COVID19 Puppy - Nori the Shiba Inu My wife and I decided to get a dog during COVID19 and we got our puppy in April 2020. This review is being written in March 2021 after working with Francesca & Sons for about a full year. Quick Summary: If you don't read past this point in the review, just know that Francesca trains both the puppy & owner on Dog Psychology which we believe is the superior method in understanding your dog's actions / feelings; and what the proper way to care for your dog. She is not a basic obedience trainer that will just show you how to get your dog to sit, down, etc. Frankly, any other generic dog trainer or teenager running a PetSmart class could show you. With Francesca, I tell everyone you're getting the "full package" of understanding why your dog does the things they do. I can 100% recommend her for any of her services... because we've basically have used Francesca for almost all possible services. This review will cover many of Francesca's services including: Email, Texts, Video Calls, Group Classes, Community Pack Walks, Regular Dog Walks, Private Lessons, and Board & Train. Background: My wife and I have no prior knowledge/experience in dog ownership. We are millennials that love cute dogs and we see them all the time on Instagram. We have watched hundreds of dog training videos, read tips/advices on various blogs/internet sites, and consulted with various social media owners of the same breed. Even after all this self-research, we still searched through Yelp looking for a dog trainer because we wanted to make sure our puppy grew up to be a well-adjusted dog. I'm sure some individuals can train their dogs with just self-research but we knew that we could not fully raise our puppy without a bit of professional guidance. Training: We've had the opportunity to do private lessons, group classes, and even board & train our dog with Francesca. Out of these options and if budget is a concern, I would recommend doing at least one private class OR at least a private consultation with her first. She can really help address what your main issues are and then work with you on what future training opportunities makes sense for your situation. $$$ Private lessons were typically around ~1 hour long and she'll make sure you get all your questions answered. We've always had a good training session with her. We've worked in a variety of environments including privately at home and publicly in a park. You tell her what you want, and she'll focus on it BUT she'll also give you a ton of other pointers/advice on what else you can do if she notices a behavioral deficiency with your dog. Obviously, if you practice on the 'homework' with your dog, you'll get your money's worth/better training. Don't expect that your dog will be perfect without you doing the homework consistently. Expensive, but WORTH IT if you put in the work. $$ Group classes are about ~1-1.5 hours and the class we took is the AKC Canine Good Citizen / Puppy Intro Class. Classes are once a week (on a weekend) and they were amazing! The main differentiator that these classes teach compared to other places is that you get dog psychology lessons combined with the basic training such as recall, meeting another dog/person, and loose leash walking. Once you understand the dog psychology, it was a "DUH!" moment and helps you understand your dog. The classes are SO useful that I would recommend the group classes for any age dog - doesn't have to be puppies. Best bang for buck! $ Community Walks are when she hosts a group pack walk. Pack walks are a great way to get your dog socialized instead of dog park. Your pup gets to unleash their energy into a structured walk. A structured walk means your dog releases energy in a controlled, consistent, and calm way. If a dog park is your main outlet to release your dog's energy, it's like taking your dog to Chuck-E-Cheese's all the time. You don't take your kid to Chuck's all the time, so why do it with your dog? You'll see alot of like-minded owners with well-behaved dogs on these walks. She'll give all owners general advice during the walk, and its great way for your dog to learn from OTHER dogs as well as from the owner. Least-expensive. $ Dog walking services - Francesca also offers Dog walking services where she will pick up your dog and walk them with her pack about ~2x a week. This is without the owners, and it's a great way for your dog to socialize. She picks up in the morning and drops off 2-3 hours later. This could be pricey depending how often you want your dog to be walked. $$$$ Board & Train is when your dog sleeps overnight at Francesca's. Pricing depends on your dog's behavior, training/time needs. Even though this is the most pricey service, we felt this was the most worth it service because you're getting professional training 24/7. It also includes additional follow-up private lessons to ensure what they learned in B&T sticks. Highly recommend this service! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Francesca helps owners understand dog psychology and is the main method of getting the owner to understand dog's needs and behavior. - Dog Walkers Near Me

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I can't say enough good things about Francesca! We have worked with her for privates, board & train, group classes and pack walks for our confident and strong Labrador puppy. Francesca has taught our pup and our family so much in such a short amount of time. She even taught our 7 year old to walk our pup on a well controlled leash. We look forward to continuing to work with Francesca for years to come. If you're considering training, do it! It's the best investment you can make for your pup and your family. read more

Francesca's Dogs - 7 year old walking 4 month puppy - Dog Walkers Near Me

Very comprehensive and personalized instruction. I thought I understood my dog's personality pretty well but after my first class it was apparent that my dog was very shy and scared of big men/dogs. My dog does not poop inside anymore and is doing better with her separation anxiety. So far I am very happy with how training is going so far. read more

I can't say enough!! Francesca and Edith have completely transformed my timid rescue cocker spaniel! She has come out of her shell and gained tons of confidence on her pack walks. She walks now on a loose leash and we are able to pass dogs and squirrels without a flinch from her. I wish I could give 10 stars. Amazing business! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Ella - Dog Walkers Near Me

We attended the group beginners obedience class and it was a game changer. Francesca showed us simple but efficient techniques that made the difference. We have a 7 month Golden Retriever puppy which now can actually walk with us in loose leash, without fighting each other. We will attend the Advanced class to further brushing up my Golden behavior. And looking forward to able to join the paHighly recommend. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

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I'm so thrilled with Francesxa's expertise as an animal behaviorist. My dog Cookie stopped jumping in my truck. I'm a professional pet sitter & she goes along with me on my visitations. I didn't know where to turn then got a recommendation & here we are Cookie is now excited to jump in & enjoy herself once again. We needed only 1 selssion to create this miracle to happen! I highly recommend Francesca.. Rena Richards aka Pet Mama read more

There is so much to say, I can literally write an essay (see below lol). We brought our puppy Woozle to her at 5 months when it felt like his pulling and puppy craziness around other dogs were starting to get a "little" out of hand (who am I kidding... we were manically tired and exhausted from tending to a fast growing puppy who is going to reach 65+ lbs in before the year ends). The only thing I regret is not calling her earlier and getting the proper guidance and training started on the right foot. Francesca is first and foremost a *dog behaviorist*. She isn't the kind of trainer who will be talking to your dog at 2 octaves higher coaxing with a giant pocket worth of treats, nor is she the trainer who is going to teach your pup to shake or roll over. Her training is 100% everyday, real-world functional so that you can go about your day with your dog by your side not having to worry about whether Fido is still going to heel if you ran out of treats or how many treats you'll have to bribe Fido with in order to ignore the other dog that's walking in your direction. There's no sugar coating in any of her classes, and keep in mind you will need to practice at home & everyday. Pack walk: This was our first group experience with Francesca. The pack walk was a group of ~10 dogs and like a low key training session itself. During the walk, Francesca wove in & out of the group giving tips and pointers on how to give the proper direction and guidance to your pup. About halfway through, we got a water break and a chance to ask questions (super helpful and valuable)! We've attended 2 or 3 pack walks and they were all different experiences. All experiences were incredibly useful for us since we were getting feedback in real time. Private lessons: Highly, highly recommend! Our very first lesson with Woozle saw H U G E improvements; it was like magic. Francesca is able to watch how you interact with your dog and is able to weave in and teach you how to make adjustments to correct the miscommunication/ lack of communication you have with your dog. Having one-on-one time with Francesca really lets you dig deep into some of the training that you and the pup need extra help on. Yes, it is one of her more pricey offerings, but hands down *WORTH* her years of insight and actual hands-on experience that you literally can't get anywhere else. (I know, there's YT and a number of IG dog trainers but the amount of conflicting schools of thought/ do's and don'ts is overwhelming.) Depending on what our focus was on that week, our lessons with her have been dynamic and has happened on the street with scooters & skateboards, in the park with other dogs, at the playground with kids, and in a shopping area. Group Lessons: We've been to 6+ group classes, in each we were able to work on something new or different. Class size is 10-15 dogs maybe? Depending on the "course", the things taught varied widely between each class and each class also evolved differently based on the questions the group asks. There is a general planned lesson but if someone (or you) asks a question, the entire class gets to practice that so speak up!! We've worked on anything from how to intro your dogs, leave it, recall, to loose leash, and even off leash. Board & Train: The Woozle I dropped off was not the Woozle I picked up. After several private and group classes, we were still having issues with some key things that we just really struggled with. We had to leave town for a week and so we opted for a board and train session. During the week, I received updates via text and also saw ig stories on what they were working on. When I dropped him off, I said bye to a super excitable, bounce-off-walls dog (what I thought was his normal and chalked off to 'youngster energy') and what I picked up was a calm and attentive dog who was still my happy-go-lucky excited boy, but with a very different energy around him. Of course we still ended up with a list of things we needed to practice and new habits we needed to adjust and form. What we gained from a board and train with Francesca that's different from her private lessons were all the things that were happening at home or things that don't show itself during the privates... it's really hard to explain but think of it like the saying where you find out a lot more about a person once you live with them. A lot of behaviors that were happening inside our home that I again thought was normal, youngster energy now made an appearance at Francesca's. She was able to address and teach Woozle (and us) what appropriate energy levels are and how to properly maintain the behaviors we want to encourage. We were able to enjoy a normal dinner, quiet wind-down living room time, and a full nights of sleep all together in the same evening since we got Woozle 8 months ago. Something that I had truly thought wouldn't be possible with 2 cats and a puppy, *cue happy tears*. read more

We came to Francesca as new adopters of a 3yo German Shepherd mix, who was rescued from the streets with an unknown history. She is a high-intelligence, high-energy dog, and as she came out of her shell and grew more confident, we realized we were in over our heads with her, especially around other dogs and unknown people, with whom she was often a confusing mix of reactive and afraid. We booked a package of private sessions with Francesca, who took one look at Cedar and determined we were dealing with a traumatized, unsocialized dog with a sense of entitlement. We got working right away on leash control, and advanced so quickly that we are now already doing off-leash e-collar training with Cedar! To me, the speed of success is nothing more than a result of finally being able to communicate properly with each other, which Francesca taught us. It was a huge relief to have the calm guidance and expertise of Francesca telling us what to do-- having a clear training plan to follow took such a load off. It was also invaluable to have our lessons custom-tailored to our specific needs, as Francesca could help us cut through all the conflicting info online and tell us what would work for our unique case and animal. She can read a room and determine what a dog and their owners are ready for, and helped us push Cedar in some areas while going slower in others. Even though she has a lot of PTSD to overcome, Cedar has come a very long way in a very short amount of time. We're looking forward to group sessions next-- something Cedar wasn't ready for a mere month ago. We're very grateful to Francesca for stepping in at a very stressful time and showing all of us that we could work together and trust each other! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

RESCUE w/ SEPARATION ANXIETY Our experience with Francesca was great! We rescued a 3-year-old dog recently who's been suffering from separation anxiety and her techniques have helped him (and us!) to be more confident and as a result, less anxious. She had a great energy about her and was very understanding to our problems and good at pointing out our errors and ways to improve in a natural, clear way. With just a short phone call discussing our dog, Francesca was able to decipher what was going on. Essentially, we had a sweet submissive underdog trying to fill out a leader/alpha role, causing him anxiety. Like a guy who just got promoted to CEO but was happy working in the mail room! During our first 2-hour session, we went over proper walking techniques, crate training, and proper feeding techniques specific to our dog and our situation. It's been a few weeks since that session and we're already seeing so much progress. It's not an overnight fix, but we're all so much more confident and happy. Thanks Francesca!! read more

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NEW PUPPY HELP! Having Francesca come over to help us was like our own personal Episode of "The Dog Whisperer!"-- it was amazing. We were having a big problem. We introduced our new Puppy named Charlie to our Kids, the puppy really FREAKED OUT--he had an accident in the house, he hid in the corner, and he was growling and barking anytime someone came near, especially the kids --yikes! We thought this dog just might not be good with kids, and we feared we might have to RETURN this puppy. I went on Yelp and I saw that local Dog Coach/Trainer Francesca Tardue was highly rated and had a decade of experience working with dogs and owners, and training at the "Dog Psychology Center" with Ceasar Milan's school. The Kids were literally crying because they thought the dog did not like them. We called Francesca, and we got very lucky that we were able to set up a same day appointment. Our initial consult with Francesca was nothing short of a MIRACLE. It was a 180 degree turn around. Francesca went over to the dog, confident and calm, and brought the dog over to the kids for the dog to get used to the kids. She helped train the kids on how to interact with the Dog (she was excellent at this). Francesca's assessment was that this was not aggressive dog, but a scared dog, getting used to a completely new place and family. Francesca spent 2.5 hours with us. She allowed us to better understand what is going on in the Puppy's mind and how we can best allow the puppy to learn the required behaviors of a Good Dog. We took the dog on a walk, we did some potty training, we discussed how and when to feed the dog, how to crate train, how to set boundaries for the dog, etc -- very comprehensive. Not an exaggeration: after Francesca came, the kids were so happy--Charlie was very responsive to them. Later that day we took our new puppy for a walk, the dog went potty on the walk, the dog went back this his crate, the dog drank water and ate food--it was quite amazing and we feel significantly more confident about how to raise this dog. We will be planning more sessions with Francesca and maybe getting Charlie out for some "Pack Walks" in the near Future. Thanks Francesca! read more

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Francesca is to the point, knowledgeable, and really knows her stuff. I trusted her right off the bat. She really helped our dog Hannah with leash training and opened my eyes to things I didn't realize I was doing wrong. She gets the job done and that's what counts- she's the best! read more

Although our dog is very loving and great with the kids , she decided to try and become their Alpha when I'm not home. Francesca has given us the tools and skills in order to reclaim our loving dog and let her know who's in charge. Now all are happy and now she is more affectionate when allowed to be. read more

Highly recommend Francesca! She really cares and knows dogs. We took our puppy to Francesca after we struggled after 3 months. She's sensitive, bites a lot, and can't play with dogs. We think it's important to teach her how to play with dogs and we reached out to Francesca. The decision saved our life and also my puppy's too. Before reaching out to Francesca, we talked to lots of trainers in the area. Most of them refused to recognize my puppy's problems and said that we were not patient enough and should give her treats. Our puppy bited a lot and had socialization problems. The trainer we had before told us to take her to a group socialization class, which basically just put all the young puppies into a crowded space. It didn't help my puppy at all. Instead, she became more scared of dogs. We were desperate when we found Francesca, but at the very first session, she showed us hope. She recognized that our puppy isn't confident, couldn't walk on different sessions, and also couldn't walk stairs. She also quickly identified other problems about our puppy's health, and told us what to do. Our puppy became more confident after the first session. In the following sessions, we continued with our puppy's socialization, and Francesca found our puppy has been traumatized because of the negative puppy socialization experience. She's also over submissive so other dogs want to attack her. She helped us train our puppy on-leash walking and helped our puppy to build positive social experience gradually. We can see the huge progress for her to walk on-leash, become more confident and calm. She helped us to understand puppy psychology and helped us correct our behavior which could worsen her behavior issues. During our sessions, Francesca also found our puppy walking weirdly and told us to take her to vet and get X-rays. She said our puppy looked anxious and it was not normal. We took our puppy to the vet and, yes, she was diagnosed for hip dysplasia. She was experiencing lots of pain and her hips were excessively loose. Our puppy could experience more pain if Francesca didn't find our puppy's problem. She really cares about dog and wants them to live a happy, high quality life. We don't live in the area now, so we can't continue our sessions with Francesca. But I highly recommend her for any paw-rents experiencing behavior problems with their dogs. We also want to send our puppy to board and train some time in the future as we trust Francesca will treat and train her well. read more

We sent our 5 month old cocker spaniel to board with Francesca, and can already tell a big big improvement after the first week. We met with Francesca for a consultation and everything we said she has a solution. Our biggest problem is overly excited, being out of control, and potty train. Kobe is always panting and we thought he was just hot or thirsty, and Francesca explains to us that is a combination of excitement an anxiety, and it's not healthy for the dog. Just in a week, Kobe reduced 70% time panting and only has 1 pee accident over the weekend. Also Francesca really took her time to make sure we do everything right with the dog during pick up and drop off, my boyfriend a I are super excited to see the result after the second week. read more

Francesca's Dogs - He was never able to be on his own during the car ride. After one week with Francesca, he was in the backseat without any crying - Dog Walkers Near Me

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We have had four lessons with Francesca and can already see a big difference with our dog, who was (is?) reactive. While we still have a ways to go, he is much calmer around other dogs and in public in general. read more

Can one hour change a dog's behavior? Shockingly, yes. I saw it with my own eyes, and I'm excited to leave this review b/c frankly, I'm still a bit stunned by it. My dog is an Olde English Bulldog, so I confess that her bulldog-y-ness allowed me to give up on her listening to me at all anymore. It was causing me stress that she's become so rambunctious- I knew something had to change, but I didn't know what. I solicited some recommendations for a behaviorist on a neighborhood app, and repeatedly heard good things about Francesca. Her Yelp reviews sealed it for me. We did one private session with Francesca so far, but she exceeded our expectations. She came prepared to address our concerns, zeroed in on the source of our problems and literally changed my dog's attitude in an hour. I kid you not. We will continue with a couple more of the sessions to help solidify/reinforce her methods and gauge our progress, but already after only one session, I can say that this is well worth the investment in my dog's future. Samantha is only a year old, but I absolutely love her and I mean for her to live as long as possible by my side. It's not cheap, but it's SO worth it to have a happy, settled and, yes, obedient dog. I'm no longer afraid of my dog's budding aggression as a potential threat to my elderly parents and strangers. Samantha is SUCH a good girl, and our future together is worth getting it right, right now. Francesca's behavior-based instruction doesn't focus on treats, rewards, clickers or verbal commands. We had done an obedience course elsewhere that focused on treats and clicks. It worked well at first, but as she grew, went through puberty and developed her own personality, I found that my dog was ignoring me unless there was some instant gratification involved. I'd resorted to blackmail with treats to get my stuff back from my dog (she steals) and basically begging her to stop when she persists with bad acts. Obviously, my own behavior and indulgences had turned my dog into a bit of a brat. Turns out, understanding what Samantha needs and understands is a HUGE help to changing our dynamic. Obviously, it is incumbent upon me to adhere to Francesca's teachings in order to see lasting change, but she resolved issues that I had assumed were beyond hope. Specifically, pulling on the leash, jumping up, bossiness and aggressive excitability. Francesca's private sessions are exactly what we need to stop some potentially dangerous tendencies. By focusing me on what Samantha understands (as opposed to what I'm trying to say), I feel like I'm better able to communicate with her. My head is spinning from all I learned from Francesca, but I took notes (which she reviewed with me), so I'm reasonably confident I can do this. I highly recommend Francesca's Dog's tutorial. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me

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I took Francesca's basic dog training class in May and definitely enjoyed it, as well as learning lots of good info. I've been a long-time dog owner and have experience with literally hundreds of dogs through my husband's dog business. Regardless, I've never really had a good leash dog and was determined my lab pup Zen would be the one. I haven't been really religious about walking him since then, however. But today we went for a walk and Zen wasn't paying attention. I used 2 of the things I learned in class, and he snapped into the best behavior. Thanks, Francesca! read more

Francesca helped me and my Dachshund puppy Duffy so much! He was a very nervous hyperactive dog with some annoying habits and I was unable to potty train him. He is now doing much better with few accidents. He is walking more calmly and not pulling on the leash. He dislikes riding in a car and is doing much better with a seat restraint and being calmer. I had all of these problems when we came to Francesca and she solved them in several visits over 3 months. As he approaches his first birthday, thanks to Francesca, he is becoming a much better behaved dog. Her services are worth every penny and she has made me a better human and Duffy a better dog. read more

Francesca took care of our dog while we were out of town and did an amazing job. We came home to a completely different dog. Usually taking her for a walk is challenging, but after spending a few days with Francesca walking her has been a breeze, even our 8 year old son is now walking her. We are absolutely blown away with the positive impact Francesca had with her in the short period of time she stayed with her. We highly recommend Francesca's Dogs for your training/walking/boarding needs! read more

Francesca's Dogs - Francesca walking Gurley. Thanks again for taking such good care of her while we were out of town! - Dog Walkers Near Me

Francesca was wonderful at helping our family when our 14-year old dog started becoming overprotective (with signs of aggression) of our eight-week-old baby. Despite having a long waitlist, Francesca immediately called us back given the safety issue with a newborn and provided some wonderful and practical tips that we have since successfully implemented. We will definitely be using Francesca for any future concerns with our dog! We highly recommend Francesca's Dogs for your dog training needs! read more

We just finished Francesca's AKC Canine Good Citizen class and couldn't be happier!! Our dog is 2 years old and knew some basic commands (sit, stay for a quick second, etc) - but he pulled on the leash when we went for walks, wasn't very well behaved, etc. The 10 weeks of class taught my dog & myself to work better together. The classes are in different areas of south pasadena, which helped to put both of us in different situations - walking down a busy street to a coffee shop, different parks, hikes, skate/dog park, etc. On of the best parts of the class is learning how to use a new leash - that was one of the best things too! Was using a new leash that gave me more control, but actually learning how to use it! At the end of the class, my dog and I could pass other dogs without him getting crazy, we walked normally together (he wasn't pulling me down the block), and overall I felt so much more in control and calm than before! This class helped so so much, I HIGHLY recommend! read more

Francesca's Dogs - AKC Canine Good Citizen! - Dog Walkers Near Me

Had a private class which was great. She showed us what we were doing wrong. Her techniques are working great. Signed up to take group classes. read more

I grew up having a dalmatian as a companion. He was a great dog, but we only had couple of lessons. So it was hard for us to understand each other. My second dog, was in my 20s. I had to have a trained dog this time around. So I decide to do a board and train. In the early 2000, we didn't have Francesca so I took them to a place above a pet shop. It was simple, I just dropped them off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. The results were horrible. They were caged the whole time. Training was not apparent. When we finally complained, there were 3 days left to the program. The gentlemen trainer assured me that my dogs will be trained. And that he will put them through an extensive training course himself. My dogs came back different, it's like they lost their soul. Sure, they listen to some simple commands such as sit and lay. But I can tell they were different. It broke my heart. It took years of nurturing to fix it. Fortunately this place doesn't exist anymore. Finally a decade and a half later, I had a chance to get another puppy. I found a beautiful Vizsla. This dog would be the perfect fit! It's also called the Velcro dog, it's medium size. It's great around kids. It loves to run. My mind started to dream the endless experiences that we can share together. Movie night with her on my lap. Morning runs through the canyons. New best friends for my kids. We got Tessa when she was 7 weeks. She was adorable and perfect. But by the 10th week, I knew I was not equipped to train her. The Velcro didn't mean lap time during movies. It meant endless howling when I stepped away. Her love to run meant endless energy, shoe nipping and jumping. it got to the point where I can't train her because she was everywhere. Her mind was constantly racing. Her love for kids meant, jumping on them and love bites. Yes, she was teething, and the internet called it the "shark attack". I didn't understand why until it happened to me. Just reminiscing about it hurts. Every minute with her was draining and exhausting. I needed help. What was I to do? Simple classes was not going to be enough for our case. Due to my past experience, Board and train will not even be consider. I wanted a dog, not a zombie. My sister finally recommended Francesca. Upon meeting her, I felt at ease. I can tell she was great with dogs. She was devoted to her craft and had a passion. So I decided to do the board and train with her. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was so scared that my Tessa would come back like my previous dogs. But Francesca is all about letting dogs be dogs. She is an expert at training dogs to behave in social environment. So i relay on my faith and said good bye to Tessa. Even though Francesca texted me daily updates with pictures or video. I still missed my new puppy. Finally The 2 weeks were over and I get to see Tessa. Would she be a zombie, will she be different? Will she remember me? Did I get my money worth? All these thoughts. All these uncertainties. Tessa will be the next 15 years of my life! OMG! She remembers me! She still loves me! She still acts like a puppy. She isn't a zombie. Francesca gave us some homework to follow up on. But Tessa was great, she was still a puppy and still had her energy. But we had a foundation to built on. She was so much calmer than before. I was able to walk her. She understood leave it and ask me. When we went out, people were surprised that she was 12 weeks old. She was so well behaved. It was remarkable, almost like magic. I was so proud! I am still proud, and happy. We had some follow up session with Francesca and each time, we left Tessa with her. She will came back a little bit more grown up (mentally). A little bit more well mannered. It's amazing. We can now enjoy each other and not worry about shark attacks, or shoes demolition. I am able to be with her without being exhausted. Thank you Francesca for being you! You have helped our family so much. If you are looking for training, Francesca is the most experienced in the area. I have tried other trainers, and they are nothing like Francesca. One thing I notice is that she has many skills up her sleeve. Depending on the situation or dog, she will teach you a different method. It was amazing to see. read more

Francesca's Dogs - Dog Walkers Near Me