We honestly can't say enough good things about Spencer! I rescued my anxious, reactive pup a few…read moreyears ago and have been struggling through all different kinds of training, trying to get something to stick. It started to feel hopeless. I knew she was aware of what she SHOULD do, but getting her to do it was a different story. My partner and I saw a world of difference even after just the first session, and continued to see leaps and bounds ever since. The lifestyle adjustments he suggested, along with his detailed training plan and his coaching around our communication with her, have been truly life-changing for all of us. You can tell she's so much happier now that she doesn't feel like she has to stay "on guard" 24/7. Even our friends have been commenting on how much calmer she seems. I have done endless hours of research, online training guides, other trainers, etc, and nothing compares to the results we've seen with Spencer. In a world of infinite youtube "experts" and tiktok trainers, Spencer's calm, clear, and consistent approach really works. Now, whenever we see another reactive dog out in the wild, we just look at each other and say, "Man, they really need a session with Spencer."

We're able to enjoy time out of our home with our dog because of Spencer! Couldn't ask for more…read morethan that!!

K9K is not the first trainer we've worked with, but after moving back to Berkeley, this time with a…read morevery dog-reactive dog, we knew we needed to do more work with our dog. Our work with Buster isn't finished, but here's what's made Rachel and the K9Kommitment trainer we're working so fantastic. During the entire process, they've been incredibly positive and encouraging. Really getting us excited about working with our dog. You would think that should be a give, but it's not. A lot of trainers give the impression that their job is to teach you what is wrong with your dog, and how they can fix both dog and owner. It's a subtle distinction, but an important one. The philosophy with K9K is closer encouraging you to WORK better with your dog and establish better communication. Less about fixing, and more about guiding. At least that's my experience. More than that, Rachel offers tons of options for weekly group classes and drop-in events, so Buster gets a ton of experience around other (also reactive!) dogs. Again, Buster isn't there yet, he has a long way to go, but I've learned so much, and he's gotten so much better at managing all the stuff that stresses him out. He's a delight at home, and he's getting there outside the house. Rachel and the trainers that work with her are amazing. Consistently calm and encouraging, knowledgable, and super dog-positive (again, why isn't this a given w/ dog trainers?). I would highly highly recommend.

As a first-time dog owner, I felt overwhelmed when I obtained a rescue dog. I had no idea how to…read moretrain Miso nor deal with her strong reaction to other dogs. Rachel came highly recommended by Miso's foster mom. I immediately hired her and was thankful that I did! Rachel provided me with insight on what was going on and several tips and tricks on how to socialize Miso. Miso is improving every day. She will often use her own dogs to help train Miso and is flexible in schedules and location. She will even provide support for the simplest tasks like dog washing if needed. I highly recommend her!

----------- TL;DR: Barak's 35-day Board and Train program is…read morea major investment, but it completely transformed my sweet but highly reactive dog. It fixed his severe leash reactivity, his 4 AM barking, and his total lack of recall when distracted. The cost includes 35 days of boarding and unlimited weekly group classes. One month later, the results were surprising: we went from a stressed caretaker dynamic to true companions. I can now take him on errands without fear, and finally having the power to tell him "No" has been game-changing. Highly recommended. ----------- DREAM DOG Totoro is what you might call the dream dog. He is incredibly kind, loyal, and mostly well-behaved. However, he had a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality. Indoors, he was docile and lazy. Outside, he was possessed by his excitement. He is so gentle he couldn't even get food out of a Kong! But we had three major stress-inducing issues: ZERO RECALL WHEN DISTRACTED: I spent a lot of time training him with high-value treats like bacon and ribeye. When it's just the two of us, he would shoot out of a cannon when I called him. But the moment he played with another dog, those ingrained habits were completely forgotten. He went totally deaf, which was a major safety concern. LEASH REACTIVITY: When he's leashed, he gets frustrated at times when he sees other dogs, and he might lunge and growl at passing dogs, making walks a bit of a chore. SUDDEN BARKING: He developed a habit recently of waking up at 4:00 AM and rush out the room barking like the house was on fire. Before Barak, I only used positive-reinforcement training. Totoro knew the commands, but positive reinforcement simply could not compete with his intense excitement around other dogs. Barak is a balanced trainer, using proper corrections alongside rewards to teach boundaries that hold up under extreme distraction. I was hesitant about negative reinforcement, but Barak showed me his high-quality e-collar. I used it on myself and could barely feel the low-level stimulation, which put my mind at ease. Enrolling in the 35-day Board and Train program was a significant investment. However, I factored in that I was getting 35 days of boarding included (which I planned a trip around). More importantly, the cost includes unlimited group training classes afterward. You don't just drop your dog off and forget it. The weekly classes give you structure so your money doesn't go to waste. Barak was also incredibly responsive via text whenever I have questions (and I had many). The results are night and day. It is like the show Severance :) there is no more "Outie" Totoro, just the well-behaved "Innie" Totoro! He isn't brainwashed; he is still his happy self, just infinitely better behaved. Barak figured out his leash reactivity was just him frantically checking if other dogs were "safe." Now, we walk past other dogs peacefully. Update: One Month Later MAN'S BEST FRIEND Barak's training has unexpectedly transformed our relationship. Before, I would never consider taking Totoro on errands. Even with only a 1-in-20 chance of him being reactive, I didn't need the stress. On walks, I was constantly on guard, which can turn dog ownership into a one-sided, anxiety-filled chore. Today, we have genuinely become companions. Instead of leaving him behind, I actively look for dog-friendly breakfast spots. The fear of taking him out has completely dissipated. I enjoy his company, and I can feel our bond grow, even in year 5. He is much happier now that he doesn't feel my stress radiating through the leash. THE POWER OF NO Previous trainers taught specific commands like "leave it," but never the general command "No." For example, Totoro has a habit of licking his ankles raw, leading to expensive vet visits, Cytopoint shots, and the dreaded cone of shame. Now, I can simply say, "No." He stops, looks up, and tries to figure out what he is doing wrong. Imagine being a parent without the ability to tell your kid "No." Having Totoro understand that single word is game-changing.

We looked into several different board-and-train programs before deciding to go with Barak, and…read morewhat really stood out to us was the level of knowledge, support, and resources he provides. From the beginning, we felt like he genuinely cared about understanding Luna as an individual and helping us understand her as well. Knowing that we'll continue to have ongoing support, guidance, regular check-ins, and access to free group classes for life--even after Luna completes her 35-day program--gave us so much confidence in our decision. It's reassuring to know that we won't simply finish the program and be left on our own. Having that continued support and knowing we can reach out when we have questions or need guidance gives us so much peace of mind. We were initially hesitant about using an e-collar and prong collar, but Barak took the time to really break everything down for us. He explained how these tools can be used properly and responsibly, why they can be beneficial, and how they can help create clearer communication between us and Luna. What we appreciate most is that he doesn't just train the dog--he teaches the owners, too. We've gained a much better understanding of Luna and feel more confident in our ability to communicate with her and guide her in a positive direction. We also wanted to find out whether Luna would be suited for protection work. Barak was honest and upfront with us and explained that, based on her personality and temperament, she isn't the right fit for that type of training. He explained that protection work would go against what we're currently teaching her--being neutral, confident, and non-reactive--and would ultimately conflict with the foundation we're trying to build with her. We really appreciated his honesty and the fact that he was focused on what was best for Luna rather than simply recommending something that wasn't right for her. We are incredibly grateful for the patience, dedication, and support Barak has shown both Luna and us. We've already seen such a positive difference in her obedience, focus, and ability to regulate herself, and we're excited to continue building on everything she has learned. We highly recommend Barak to anyone looking for a trainer who truly cares about the dog and takes the time to educate and support the owners along the way. We're so happy with our decision to work with Barak and can't wait to see Luna continue to grow!

My first review just for Chantale! Here's the scene. My friend and I signed up for our sessions…read moretogether since our dogs play crazy rough with each other. I have a 6 month akita and my friend has a 1 year old husky. You know how in cartoon's when two character's fight you see nothing but a tornado cloud and random interjections flying around like $#$%. YUP! that was our dogs. Chantale corrected that immediately and by the end of the session both dogs were able to walk next to each other calmly. She also never made it seem like there was a time limit on her session. She answered ALL my questions, and I sure as heck had a lot. It wasn't just training that she provided I noticed the attitude change in my pup. She did a lot more head snapping (looking towards me for commands) and she's beginning to recall without treats! We love Chantale and will be back to her for a family training session =)

Chantale was great! Our dog is pretty well behaved, but has some issues with obedience when he's…read moredistracted. Chantale taught us that he understands what we want of him, but likes to test our authority. She had some great ideas about how we can better assert ourselves as alphas. The best part is that setting limitations for our dog like she suggested will actually make him happier and help exercise his brain. Chantale was punctual, polite, knowledgable, and my dog loved her. What else could you want?

Jennifer is a masterful dog trainer. Two months ago, we picked up a 7-week old Golden-doodle, Max…read more We'd had dogs before. But it was a long time since we had a puppy. We knew that Jennifer was working with friends of ours and their dog, and they were very happy with her style and results. Knowing how busy Jennifer is, we asked them to find out if she'd make time for our new puppy. We are so glad she said yes! She is great! She trains the dog and the owner at the same time, with humor and discipline. There are two things you need to appreciate about Jennifer. First, she is a no-nonsense trainer. She loves dogs and takes the training seriously. You should be ready to do the same. The second is that she is a real expert in the science of training dogs. It's something special to watch how she treats the dogs with such a reach knowledge and understanding of what they need and when. Finally, Jennifer makes the training fun for the whole family. Our son has special needs, and it is wonderful to watch how Jennifer works with him and helps him learn how to train our dog. It is so fun to watch them together. She makes us all laugh. There isn't a better trainer around!

Jennifer has been a significant part of our dog's training for more than a year, ever since he was…read morea puppy. She understands dogs and getting the behaviors we want. She showed us how to motivate and train Leo and turn around any problem behaviors. On our first big trip out of town, she called us to see how things were going and helped us through some challenges. Recently, I wanted to do even more with Leo. Jennifer has been working with me to train Leo for AKC Rally, where he recently titled at the novice level and we're moving on! She has helped to make the person/dog relationship a pleasure. What more can you ask. Jennifer is GREAT. Knowledgeable, fun, passionate about dogs and their owners. She's also responsive, reliable and caring. She wants the best for our dog and us.

This review has been a long time coming. We've wanted to work with Courtney since 2019. Our dog has…read moreanxiety & noise sensitivity issues and we wanted to help her build confidence. I emailed Courtney back in October for a consultation. They responded quickly with dates and times, I booked a consultation in 11/8/2019. When it came time to our appointment, we had to be rescheduled multiple times due to whatever issue Courtney had. We didn't think much at the time, but this should've been a HUGE red flag. We ended up seeing her on 11/16/2019. Following that, we paid $310 for 4 packs of 30 min lessons on 12/16/2019. We scheduled 4 lessons around the end of January to February. We had to reschedule our lessons due to their dog passing away and health reason (totally unfortunate situation). However, in February, they said they would refund our money once Courtney recovered. We waited until March before we contacted them due to her health reason. Courtney responded via text message once on 03/6/2020 and they responded once through email on 04/5/2020 about how refunds are being worked on. They never responded again. We've emailed & texted multiple times. I really didn't want to write this bad review about a small business, but it's really unfair to take our money, not provide sessions, tell us they'll refund us, and then disappear when it comes time for refunds. All we wanted was for our dog is build confidence and now we're left with nothing. We have been waiting since February 2020 for our refund and it is currently August 2020. I have slowly come to terms that they scammed us, but I want to prevent this situation from happening to someone else. I would give Courtney 0 stars if I could. Please take your business elsewhere, there are other trainers who are more reliable all over the bay area. Don't make the same mistake we did. I attached pictures following the timeline of this whole situation.

We first reached out to Courtney in 2017 for help getting our senior chihuahua more on track with…read morehousebreaking. Since then, Courtney has remained a consistent source of support in working with this highstrung but loving little guy, and most recently walked us through a pretty miraculous introduction between him and our newborn baby. Books the chihuahua is terrified of children and had barked and lunged at babies in the past, and I was so worried about bringing our daughter home to meet him and keeping them both safe and happy. Courtney coached us on how to prepare Books for having a baby in our pack, and gave us insight into how he might be feeling and thoughts he might have. When introduction day came, Courtney was there and walked us through the entire interaction. Books had some behaviors that worried me, but Courtney explained them and assured me they were normal. Before we knew it, he was licking baby's ears and feet! Thanks to that positive first encounter, he has accepted her as a pack member and wants to be near her all the time. He's still having anxiety about the change, and Courtney has been generous about texting with us and offering solutions that have worked (thundershirt and a lil' CBD tincture). I should also mention that Books was terrified of Courtney at first (as he is with most new people), and after training with her a few times, she became one of his favorite people and now he gets excited if he even sees her car in the neighborhood! Courtney was also very generous in advising a friend and I about a stray dog we rescued from a cemetery. The dog was terrified, and Courtney offered a lot of pro bono advice about separation anxiety and helping him relax, and eventually did a formal session with his foster mom. Courtney's help got him to relax enough to stay in a not-very-dog-friendly building until he was adopted. Thank you Courtney and Devoted Dog Training for helping our family be happy together!

I waited months & paid over $200 for a "consultation". The consultation was weird. She "arrived"…read morefor our online meeting late & never apologized. There was a mentee in the meeting but her camera was off and she never spoke. Sara didn't express much interest or enthusiasm in my dog or in me. It was all rote. The suggestions she gave were not innovative or tailored to my dog & me. They were what anyone could get off the internet for FREE. I was really looking forward to getting help but ended up feeling like I was just a bank account she'd get access to while she just gave basic advice. Maybe she's a good fit for some.

Sara is amazing! I had searched and searched for a good trainer in the East Bay who used a modern,…read morepositive approach to dog training, as opposed to outdated "alpha" models, aversives, etc. I was feeling stressed from not finding anyone I liked until I came across Sara. We rescued Robin, a pit bull mix, from a traumatic situation. Robin adjusted well, but continued to be fear reactive / bark at strangers. Sara talked us through the best way to handle this at Robin's own pace. Her advice was both practical and respectful toward Robin. She was able to explain what was happening with Robin's reactions, and how best to handle it in a way that was clear and easy to understand. We previously had been trying to tempt Robin towards strangers with treats. Sara used the metaphor of your boss giving you your paycheck while holding a gun on you, to show how that wasn't actually building a positive association. I feel way more prepared and able to guide Robin towards being less shy around strangers after our session with Sara.

Their 'training' is entirely anchored on fear-inducing techniques. We were given a contraption that…read moregenerates a harsh noise, and my dog was visibly terrified every time the trainer used it on her. All this while they constantly reassured us all their techniques are based on positive reinforcement - what kind of positive reinforcement is centered around fear?! It gnaws at us that we ever decided to go with this service. My dog - and every dog - deserves better.

Gusty us AMAZING!!!!! We saw great results after just 1 session and learn tons with each followup…read more If you keep up with her lessons you should see great behavioral improvement and management. Our dog was already amazing, but Gusty helped with the transition of our older rehomed puppy to our family. Something to note about the Bark Busters philosophy- it uses positive reinforcement with solid results...and also acknowledges that your dog is still going to be your dog. Their personality is their personality... so they teach you how to work with the dog that you have instead of the dog that you think you should have.