We have two dogs: a 6.5 year old, 80 pound Black Lab mix, and an almost-1 year old Corgi mix. The…read morelab mix has always been pretty good inside, but we got her right before COVID started, and whenever the door opens she freaks out and barks at and jumps all over whoever is coming in. Outside, she cannot be trusted off a leash, because she will just literally run away and come back when she feels like it. The Corgi mix is a sweet guy but we got our first notice from our HOA that we have a nuisance dog. He has been incessantly barking at the hallway when we're out of the house. Walking them together is a nightmare because they both zip off in different directions and you become an acrobat trying to manage the leashes. We attended initial 8-week training sessions at PetSmart with both of them, and they can sit and lay down, but anything more than that is wishful thinking, and a sit/stay does not really translate into actual obedience. Scott helped us fix almost all of that in about 90 minutes. Scott's approach is to talk to dogs like you're a dog. To get their attention, you basically growl at them, and imitate(!) snapping at them if necessary (I want to emphasize that there is no physical punishment for the dogs), and you assert leadership, and then when they are doing the right thing, you talk to them sweetly. My wife and I love this because it's so simple and consistent. We don't have to remember when to use "stay" vs "wait." Which hand signal do we use for this command vs that command? It's "bah!" and "gooood!" The first session was all indoor behavior, and since then we've had two sets of friends over and gotten the lab calmed in about 2 min vs 10 before. The corgi is much less growly/barky about hallway noises. Since we did leash training in the second session, both dogs follow respectfully on walks. Like, it was a near instant improvement. It's not perfect, but with the lab it's gonna take some time because she's had 6 years of thinking she's the boss! But the technique is so simple that it's easy to apply to new situations. The lab likes to jump up to steal food from the counter at my dad's house. A few "bah!"s with follow-up "gooood"s and that stopped cold after 5 years of it being a habit, and we didn't need to leash her the entire time we were there! It's expensive, but the speed at which we've seen improvement has made it very worth it, and knowing we can call Scott for any stuff that comes up in the future makes the price easier to handle. For example, we're hoping just the general increased respect/deference from the lab mix will allow us to eventually let her off leash, but if it doesn't, we know we can call to address that directly.

I have never left a review on Yelp - ever - but this business is such a scam that I feel compelled…read moreto say something. My dog is no better than before - we learned precisely one tactic that helps *some* of the time. Most of the time it's meaningless, and otherwise we've seen no improvement whatsoever. My biggest frustration is the combination of having paid an exorbitant fee to see no change, combined with the fact that the trainer spends almost no time with you and the pet, so you can't even pretend to feel like it was worthwhile. He comes for like an hour (or even less? I don't remember exactly -- I gave the process some time to take effect before leaving this review, so it's been a little while) and then leaves. This company says they train the pet owner to care for the dog, rather than train the dog his/herself, saying that the pet owner is who the dog will need to behave with long term. I should have just paid an effective dog trainer to take the dog or come over and train her -- I would've paid much less to have much, much better outcomes. In this case, the trainer stops by, tells you to do some things that aren't going to work, leaves you with a measly spray bottle and bag of pennies to throw down near the dog (not joking) and you're left broke, with a poorly-behaved dog at your side. Buyer beware.

We've been working with Jose for a few months. He's been awesome to work with. He's been great…read moreabout teaching us how to train our dogs. His group classes are great as well. We've really benefited from one-on-one training, and within just a few sessions, we are seeing a difference. Be ready to do the work with your dog! If you take the tools and techniques Jose teaches and implement them, it'll work, and you'll be happy and have a well-behaved dog! Additionally, his prices are some of the fairest I found after interviewing several dog trainers. He takes the approach of letting me lead in what I think my dog needs, but also offers his opinions. Thanks, Jose!

Jose at Word of Mouth Training completely changed our lives!! Our dog Otis was extremely reactive…read moreand fearful. We could barely leave the house with him. Car rides were awful, we had to cover our windows so he would not react to people or dogs walking by, and he even reacted to cartoon dogs on TV. He also started showing aggression toward our other dog. We had tried multiple training classes before and things were only getting worse. After Jose's 16 day program Otis came home like a completely different dog. Even after the first few days we could see his confidence growing and every group class showed more progress. Other dog owners even commented on how much he had changed. I truly never thought I would see Otis running around playing with other dogs but now he is a normal, happy dog. Jose fixed him and completely changed his life and ours. This is the best money we have ever spent and I will always be grateful. I cannot recommend him enough!

Came with my brother to drop off his dogs Thursday and Jalen was the best! Young guy was nice and…read moregot it done quick!

Visited this place as an option to board my dogs while on vacation. I was sickened to learn that…read morethese dogs here are put in short dog runs all day long with 10-20 minute max playtime outside to run around in more open space. You can pay extra for 20 more minutes....what the heck.... I'm unsure how this place still exists.

Scott is amazing, and we can't recommend Chill Out Dog Training enough!…read more We adopted a 9 month old, 80 lb (now 110 lb) golden retriever from a local rescue in mid-2023. A complete contrast to our older collie/aussie mix, he was full of energy and naughtiness (a puppy), and a nightmare to control. Prior to being surrendered by his (previous) family, he went through two weeks of out of home boarding/training, costing upwards of $7,000. We thought this would have helped with obedience, but boy were we wrong. Fast forward two and a half years, sessions with a certified behaviorist, and failed attempts to use an e-collar, we were at a loss. He constantly displayed leash reactivity, would lunge at cars and dogs, and made it so we would rarely walk anywhere. He almost broke my finger during a break free lunge at a dog completely across a residential street! At home, dog forbid another animal appeared on the tv; he would jump and bark at everything. Then we found Chill Out... After the very first session with Scott, our big boy golden was a different dog. Scott set is up with the right tools to refocus our dogs behavior and break him of his leash reactivity. That very first walk was pleasant and uneventful. We almost felt foolish for claiming bad behavior. What we needed was the right trainer and methods to help our dog change behavior. Like I said at the beginning, I can't recommend Chill Out Training enough.

We had a great experience with Cameron, he came out to give us some tips for integrating our dog…read moreand cat. They've been getting along great and Cameron's tips were very helpful in knowing what we should watch for and teaching my dog place to get him on control.

I have 3 rescue dogs. I absolutely love them to death. They are the sweetest, most loving animals…read morehere at home. Two of them are my problem children: a Rottweiler mix foster fail who is reactive to bikes and other dogs and occasionally nervous around people like visiting contractors or UPS men, and the other is a 100+ lb Brazilian mastiff rescue from Aruba who is not fond of other dogs. The two of them began showing increasingly worse dog aggression toward other dogs on the trail and while camping, and had attacked several dogs by the time I found Loyal Hound/Juliet. I was at my wit's end, because I had already spent thousands of dollars and tried everything including other trainers at that point with little to no progress. I felt stuck with 2 big problems for the next 6-8 years. I hike at least 3 miles every single day off leash on the trails by my house, and I love to camp with my dogs in the summer, but they became such a liability that walks became stressful and camping became impossible. I finally found Juliet with Loyal Hound, and for our very first session we met at a crowded park and were going to be doing off leash training right away. I was so nervous -- all the triggers were present: other people with dogs on leashes, dogs off leashes, people on bikes, squirrels -- so I was absolutely AMAZED when we were walking my Rottweiler off leash through a gaggle of geese, past people on bikes, and past other dogs within a few minutes with no problems. It was nothing short of a miracle. Within a few sessions, I had both of my dog aggressive dogs walking on and off leash next to me, passing other dogs (sometimes dogs that were even barking at them) on trails safely with no reactivity. I cannot explain in words how much of a difference this has made in my life -- I feel like I got my life back. If you have a dog aggressive dog, this is the place to go. It's WELL worth the investment, and you will be amazed at the difference you will see in your dog. Thank you Loyal Hound & Juliet!!

I have so many amazing things to say about this training with Juliet. I just had a follow up…read moresession, 4 months after our off leash training, because I had gotten a little lax with one of my dogs since I have a 1 year old and things are hectic. Within 5 minutes we were able to re-establish the training methods that work and get Hope back on track with easy leash walking. I am so impressed with her concise easy to follow instructions. I am looking forward to taking my two Samoyeds on walks again while walking my toddler in a stroller without having to worry that Hope will pull us. Trained dogs are safe dogs and I'd pay for the training with Juliet 10x over. Worth every penny! It makes my life easier as a single mom managing all the things to have two dogs that get to enjoy being outside with us because I trust them and they trust me. Don't hesitate if you need help with your dog!

Providing a follow-up review after our off leash training with Randy at Diamond Dog Academy. We did…read morethe on-leash training with our dog Cheddar about a year ago and we couldn't believe the results. Cheddar would pull on the leash constantly and bolt any chance he could. A year later and we're almost done with off-leash training. Cheddar now comes back every single time without fail. This is a dog that would be halfway down the block if he slipped or broke his collar. We've also seen how much more confident and happy Cheddar is after his training. We can let him off knowing he will come back every time, and we're now even considering obedience competitions. We can't thank Randy enough for everything he's done for us.

Randall is a sincere businessman, displaying flexibility in his approach to training different…read moredogs. His expertise convinced me that my own dog would greatly benefit from obedience training.

We had such a great session with this trainer. In just one hour she gave us so many useful,…read moreeasy-to-follow tools and even sent notes after so we wouldn't forget anything. Our dog is reactive, and we were honestly shocked at how quickly her techniques started working. She explained things in a way that actually made sense, focused on helping our dog feel safe, and even stayed longer to help us practice around other dogs. We left feeling way more confident and hopeful. Highly recommend her if you have a sensitive or reactive pup. Also, Heidi is incredibly funny, so it was a great time!

Heidi did an excellent job with our pup, and was able to come over and do a private lesson quickly…read more We feel much more confident after just an hour session. She knew just how to teach not only the puppy, but the humans as well. We are excited to join her puppy manners class next month too!

We love Pavlov Dog Training and Quinn!! Quinn truly understands the importance of structured,…read morethoughtful training, especially for a young Golden Retriever like Ruby, and what stands out most is how much she listens to my goals and shapes the training around what matters most to us. She treats Ruby like her own while also making sure I feel confident and fully equipped with the tools and understanding I need to continue her success at home. The board and train sessions are exactly what we need and are always grounded in real-life situations, so the training translates seamlessly into everyday life. I trust Ruby and her training completely and genuinely love the relationship and foundation Quinn has helped build for both of us--we are so grateful for everything she has done for Ruby and me in helping shape a happy, well-trained Golden. Thank you Quinn!! You are the best!

We had an excellent experience with Quinn and her board-and-train program for our dogs, Nash and…read moreParker. They completed a two‑week boarding school followed by five follow‑up sessions, and the results have been fantastic. Quinn was professional, knowledgeable, and truly invested in our dogs' success. She did a great job not only training Nash and Parker, but also teaching us how to maintain and build on what they learned once they came home. The follow‑up sessions were incredibly helpful and showed how much she cares about long‑term results, not just quick fixes. We saw noticeable improvements in behavior, responsiveness, and overall confidence in both dogs. It's clear Quinn is passionate about what she does, and we felt comfortable knowing our dogs were in great hands. I would highly recommend Quinn to anyone looking for a skilled and dedicated dog trainer

Amazing! The trainers are just amazing, the care they gave my pup was amazing and we are so happy…read morewith the progress!! I was apprehensive in sending our family dog away to get trained, but we had an issue with his behavior and it needed more than we could offer in trying to train inbetween work/school/sports. AOTD made us feel instantly at ease, giving us a full tour and meeting their wonderful staff. I was worried that we wouldn't know how to keep things up once he came home but their short and easy to follow videos made all of the difference. We have them to reference as needed and they are great reminders. I loved all the daily feedback, the patience they had with ME and my dog, and especially the daily videos of him practicing what he's learned. 5+ Stars - I can finally enjoy a walk with my dog!!!

Acted like he wanted to resolve issue, then after I removed negative feedback and messaged him…read moreagain, he never responded back. Won't be removing this one, don't bother. Non responsive to our questions the first time, then he does it again.

I had a really disappointing experience with PetSmart this week. I originally made an appointment…read moreearlier in the week, and they called to reschedule. That was fine. When I brought my dog in, I dropped him off at 3:45 for a 4:00 p.m. appointment, and they told me he'd be done around 7:00. At 6:45, I got a call--not to say he was ready, but to tell me that nothing had been done yet because the groomer had been bitten by another dog. I obviously hope the groomer is okay, but it's unacceptable that it took three hours for anyone to notify me. Even if they were dealing with an emergency, my dog should not have been sitting in a back room for hours with no update. Because of this experience, I won't be returning.

Prices are high and selection is mediocre. I give them a few stars for customer service and just…read morefor being available when a last-minute item(s) is needed. They offer all kinds of support for pet owners (dog classes, grooming) and a rewards program. But it's frustrating to stop here and not be able to find what I need.. resorting to the online marketplace :(