I highly recommend Zoe's Dog Training! From the moment I sent my inquiry regarding my 8 year old Chihuahuas behavioral issues, I knew I was in great hands. They stayed in constant communication throughout the process. Even letting me know that the trainer (Ashley) they felt was best suited for my situation was on vacation until the following week and would I mind waiting. They sent me Ashley's credentials and I knew she was the one. Ashley pegged my dogs (Reese) issue right away. As usual it was the humans not understanding the dog. Ashley has texted me every week since seeing Reese to check in and help me with any issues that come up. I can't sing the praise of Zoe's Dog Training and Ashley for getting my Reese and I back on track. Thank you read more

Thank you Jacquelyn for your kindness, patience, and for being a great listener. We appreciate you. Jacquelyn is knowledgable and gave us ways how to handle our dog's behavior. Highly recommend. read more

I CANNOT recommend Alex Pederson enough. We struggled for a long time with separation anxiety with our golden doodle & it got to a point where we were exhausted, stressed and very overwhelmed. Everything we saw online to try did not work, other trainers we worked with who claimed could fix separation anxiety did not work, even some board and train programs wouldn't take him because of his separation anxiety. I came across Pack Method Prep and gave them a call and ended up getting paired with Alex. During our first meeting with Alex after hearing her plan I thought there was no way we can do this but we buckled down and trusted the process and I can confirm she knows what she is talking about TRUST THE PROCESS! Alex was very kind, understanding, helpful, responsive, supportive, the list goes on. Not only did our dog have separation anxiety, he also had confinement anxiety and wouldn't even walk near his crate. Almost a year later, our dog now lays in his crate by himself without us instructing him (see photo), we can leave him for hours without stressing if he is okay or wondering if he is barking nonstop. I couldn't even walk outside for 1 minute to take the trash out without Cooper barking like crazy nonstop. We got our life back and I am so thankful we found Alex! Thank you Alex and Pack Method Prep for everything!!! read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

First time dog owner of a 5-month shiba pup here! If you're like me, you've probably spend many hours watching dog training videos on YouTube when welcoming a new dog into the home. They were helpful to an extent, but sometimes my puppy didn't respond to their specific methods and their demo dogs were well-behaved and did the commands perfectly on the first try?!?!? I was disheartened and thought I should seek help from professionals in order to set us up for success. After looking around Yelp, I decided to enroll our pup for 6 Saturdays of basic obedience classes with Pack Method Prep. It was super helpful for me as a first time dog owner to get some foundational basics down, as well as tips on how to better communicate with the dog in front of me. With PMP classes, our trainer Zoe was right there watching us as we go through the lesson of the day and made suggestions as we practiced. They also emailed us "homework," or written lessons, to easily reference when we practiced at home. My original goal at the very beginning was to establish better leash manners. Six weeks later, I feel like I have a different pup! While he's not by any means a perfect sidecar, he's already checking in with me during on-leash walks and leaving (most) items on the ground--a huge improvement from his pulling days. I'm so glad I had these classes as a way to stay accountable and look forward to enrolling in their intermediate/advanced series when they become available. read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

Our time spent at Pack Method Prep was so valuable- for us and for our puppy. In prep school, she learned basic obedience, fun tricks, confidence and positive socialization with other dogs. We learned valuable tools to continue training her outside of PMP and always had any of our questions answered thoughtfully. We are grateful for their knowledge and kindness. Our puppy had an amazing experience in their care and we are grateful to the entire staff... especially her main trainers, Elaine & Julia. We highly recommend Pack Method Prep! read more

See all

I only had one session but the session worked great for me. My dog is pretty well behaved but I needed some pointers on how to properly retrain him in my new apartment. Definitely want to continue with training but my new job has much longer hours and haven't had the time yet unfortunately. read more

Ashley has been an amazing trainer to work with. She is responsive, helpful, encouraging and creative. She has a personalized approach because every dog is different. I have had many trainers over the years and this is the first time I have felt truly supported. Dog training can be a frustrating and long process but Ashley's methods are so doable and she gives you realistic expectations. I love working with Ashley so much and would recommend her to anyone! read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We took our Doberman Pinscher here for the Pack N Play starting from when he was 10 weeks old because we wanted a well controlled environment where we could safely start socializing our pup before he was fully vaccinated. This class series was great especially for first time dog owners like us, because we got to learn how to train on basic commands, understand our pup's body language, and know which "scary things" to expose him to in order to make him more confident. Our puppy started off very scared and by the end was very excited to play with his doggy friends. read more

Well well well... you getting frustrated over your puppy/adult's unwanted behavior? Looking for a trainer? Boy do I have the place for you?! THIS! THIS IS IT! Having trouble with your rescue? They got you! Don't know where to start with your adorable puppy? Aha...they got you! Generally don't know what you are doing as a dog owner?! You already know what I'm going to say! THEY GOT YOU!!! Our favorite trainer: Ashley has helped us with our German Shepard puppy to now a big puppy. We then rescued a Husky with extreme guarding issues. She's been with us with that also. Ashley is friendly, personable, funny, and super knowledgeable! We love having her as our ongoing trainer. read more

Pack Method Prep - Star - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We adopted a 1.5 year old dog in early June and thought we had everything under control...until we didn't! She suffered from separation anxiety and ended up hurting herself when we were out one evening. We knew immediately that we needed professional help. I searched high and low for a dog trainer who specialized in behavioral issues. I contacted many places but Zoe's is the only place that I felt comfortable with. We had the anxiety issue and a smaller issue with potty training. They immediately told me that it would be more economical to work with two different trainers to make it more cost effective. Since the anxiety was more of a priority we focused on that first. We were connected with Ashley Valentine who is AMAZING! We had consult/training session with her via Zoom so she could see how our pup behaved when we left. She was able to diagnose the problem immediately and gave us home work to do between sessions. The best part is that we were able to communicate with Ashley through the web portal. We uploaded our homework videos and she gave us feedback that we were able to incorporate. And get this....we only had ONE session! After the one session and three weeks of intensive homework and communication, our pup was good to go! We can now leave her for 4 hours with no problems. Luckily, her potty issues resolved while we were focused on the other training so we didn't end up working with the other trainer. I would highly recommend Zoe's Dog Training for anything from basic training to complex behavioral issues. If you are willing to put in the time and do the home work Ashley and the Zoe's team will be your new best friends! read more

This is such a great group of trainers for dogs. Very knowledgable and helpful. They share so many helpful tips. Everything is very positive. read more

Pack Method Prep - Graduation day from Level 1 of obedience class. - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

I fell in love with our Ruby the first day we met her at a Second Chance Dog Rescue adoption event. She was a two year old pitbull, living with in a foster home with both dogs and cats! We could tell that she wanted to please and that she had so much love for her foster mom and with all that, we decided to adopt. It was on our ride home that i first realized she had some issues (which we assumed she would) but her aggression and behavior in the car was just the start of what developed into a list of insecurities and related issues. Into our first week her insecurities started showing. She was aggressive towards everything she was afraid of - which was just about everything besides us. At this point I was thinking I am too old to handle a dog like her. I was afraid she could hurt someone, or even myself - not necessarily due to aggression but partially due to her strength, energy and intensity. That is when my daughter suggested Pack Method Prep - a new school for dogs in Pacific Beach. I took Ruby in for an evaluation and she ended up starting school the following Monday, enrolled in 3 days a week. I absolutely don't have enough positive things to say or words to describe my gratitude for Zoe and her staff - to me, they are miracle workers. I've had dogs my entire life, all of which were adopted or left to my care and while my family and i have learned things over the years - nothing prepared me for Ruby until PMP. After 4 months of school, I am no longer worried about Ruby. Not only has Ruby grown in confidence and ability, but I have as well. At one point I wasn't sure Ruby would ever leave the house because of her fears and completely losing it in the car - and now we can go anywhere and we do with daily trips to the dog park, walks with and without other friends/dogs, to see the groomer or vet. What is even better is that I now know how to deal with things when they arise - like new sounds or situations that Ruby isn't familiar with, I have the tools to work through them with hr and if I am unsure, Zoe and her team is ALWAYS there to help. It wasn't long ago that I thought I might have to give Ruby up or that she might be a dog confined to our house - even thinking of how helpless I felt in the beginning makes me emotional but I am so very thankful to have found PMP when I did. Ruby is all that we had hoped for in a dog, we both just needed the right people to show us the way. read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We worked with both Jacquelyn and Lindsey over the past year. Both were extremely good with our dog, easily connecting with him from the start. Their positive reinforcement methods are very effective. Their knowledgeable and patient teaching of how to train our dog was greatly appreciated. They are always willing to answer questions, and explain why they are doing things a particular way. I highly recommend working with them for dog training! read more

We adopted our boy from the humane society and he began to show signs of leash reactivity a couple of months in. Although it has been a while since we've had a session with Ashley I am still using everything she taught us from our training sessions together. Ashley taught us our dog's body language, signs to look out for, and what actions to take. My boy is still reactive but we are slowly slowly working through it together. I am SO happy with not only his progress but my own as well!!! I'm learning to be a good first time dog mom :) thank you Ashley! read more

Pack Method Prep - my rescue and his first dog friend!!!! - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We have really enjoyed working with Ashley so far. She brings an incredible amount of education and experience to the table; yet, her approach is much more like talking to a very knowledgeable friend. She was very quick to understand Ralphie's (our dog) personality and quirks. Even though I have had dogs for most of my life, Ashley has pointed out things I never would have even thought of and given me more confidence going forward. We're excited to keep working with Ashley! Ralphie has gotten much better around new humans ... Now we work on getting comfy with new dogs. read more

We adopted our older puppy in November and she really needed a lot of training. She completed the basics class and the training we received and implemented actually could have saved her life. She left out the front door to the street. I followed what we learned in class and she listened immediately and came right back to the house and inside. Similar situation at a dog park when she left a fight and came running right over to us when I called her. She also learned how to stay in place and I've successfully taken her to outdoor sporting events and she can chill and watch. I highly recommend Pack Method Prep. read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

I would recommend the trainers from this organization. Our trainer, Ashley, was very good at explaining what it was that was going through our dogs head. She also did hands on training with us to provide us with techniques on how to manage his behavior and allow him to meet dogs more calmly. It worked. Really well, actually. Literally after the first session, with new tools and tricks on hand, we were able to help our dog manage his behavior. He's been able to meet new dogs and get past this "bully-mode" we've called it. It wasn't magic. It was applied techniques and knowledge that we were provided. And we're really grateful for it. read more

I can't say enough good things about PMP. I adopted a border collie, Gus, about a year ago and tried everything I could to train him. Until I found Zoe's Dog Training (The sister company of PMP), nothing worked. I went through several group classes offered by Malory and Ashley and finally began to see improvement. When I first got Gus, he was incredibly fearful of strangers to the point I couldn't have people over without him going ballistic. After he began to improve with the classes, I wanted to continue his training and spoke to Malory and Ashley about getting Gus into Pack Method Prep. It worked. Gus is 1000 times better than I ever thought he could be. I can take him with me anywhere I go without having to worry about how he reacts to people. Even having a big group of people over isn't a problem. None of this would have been possible without Pack Method Prep. They have such a diverse group of trainers and a well thought out curriculum. I began seeing improvements within a few weeks of taking him. He's now been going for 6 months and the change has been drastic. I even learned about the exciting sport of sheep herding from Malory and take him every weekend for some extra work at Action K9 where he gets to do what collies do best - herd. I shopped around and spoke with every dog trainer I could in San Diego prior to joining PMP. None of them came close to the results I saw with Zoe's Dog Training and PMP. Zoe, Malory, Ashley, Yanina... every trainer there is the best of the best. If you're looking for the perfect place to see drastic improvement in your dog, look no further. Thanks PMP. For everything. read more

Pack Method Prep - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

Last week left two voice mail messages and still, no one has called back. Ended up going elsewhere.

We first worked with Zoe in 2016 after having worked with other trainers that did not help us with teaching Maddie (Pitbull Boxer mix) how to walk without pulling extremely hard. After just two sessions Maddie learned how to walk without pulling at all and made our walks soooo much more enjoyable! Zoe was on point with all of her advice and her techniques were immediately effective. This time around we worked with Theo and were equally impressed with his knowledge, technique, and patience. In three sessions he put on the finishing touches: Maddie's recall, managing distractions, and learning how to "stay" in her "place". Theo is extremely passionate about what he does and has different approaches until you target the unwanted behavior. We cannot recommend Zoe's dog training highly enough. They've turned our already wonderful pup into an even more wonderful well behaved lady. If you want to see results, you need to work with Zoe's dog training. read more

We worked with Lindsey for private lessons. She was so amazing and friendly! We appreciated her taking the time to focus on important information like nail trimming and manners. We rescued our pup and he was so timid of going outside until Lindsey coached us on walking him. Now he prances around the neighborhood like he owns the place! I definitely recommend Lindsey and Zoe's Dog Training! read more

We have worked w Ashley since our Arlo was a puppy. She gave us one on one training and has changed our lives. My wife and I tried reading online guides and YouTube videos on training, but there is such a difference when you have someone who is experienced and can give you a customized guide. Arlo was potty trained within a week! My wife and I also just had a baby and a week before she was due, we found out that our dog, Arlo, was terrified of babies! We had our dog do a three night overnight training. When our baby was at home and we brought Arlo back to our house there was no more fear! Arlo was actually more curious now rather than fearful. Here's a picture of Arlo actually saying hi to our daughter! Thank you Ashley and Zoe's Dog Training service! read more

Pack Method Prep - Last week Arlo was terrified of babies, after training w Ashley he doesn't mind when she's crying or sleeping! - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a consult with Ashley Larson a few weeks after bringing home our 9 week old brittany spaniel puppy. Ashley was extremely helpful in recommending not only a training plan, but changes to our environment to help us manage a hugely energetic puppy! We ended up having Ashley look after Haze while we were away over thanksgiving- she made everything super easy and gave us daily updates. When we returned we were shocked at how much he had improved in terms of obedience and recall off leash! Ashley listened to what we most wanted to work on and did training with him daily while we were gone to improve these things. She even met up with us once we were back and spent over an hour on a walk with him and us explaining what she had done so we could continue it, which really was above and beyond. Our pup is also literally beside himself with excitement to see her now whenever he gets to. Overall, I couldn't be more greatful to Ashley for all her hard work. When you get your hour consult with Ashley, you are really getting a long term resource who knows your pup and will continue to be there for you as you incorporate her advice. If you need a trainer, advice, or peace of mind, look no further. read more

I cannot say enough about Ashley. She is a miracle worker. My 8 lb. dog was so scared of other dogs I could not even take him to a dog park. She took the precaution of auditioning him first to see if he was all bark or a biter. He turned out to be a barker and she met with him one on one for 2 more sessions and then deemed him ready for her "itty bitty" class. He was able to go in and play with other small dogs for 2 hours and now he is a different dog! Amazing! Just went to the dog park on Sunday and for the first time he was totally fine. All I could do was talk about how wonderful she is and 2 other people there knew her and agreed. You will love her! read more

Ashley @ Zoe's Dog Training was everything we wanted and more. She was very knowledgeable and helpful and I felt very comfortable working with her and my dog. She followed up with us multiple times to see how the training was going and she really helped change the way I train my dog and how I react to my dog. I would recommend her to everyone. Thanks Ashley!! read more

Ashley is our trainer and she is amazing! We reach out to her whenever we need support with our puppy and she is always there with a solution to help us. She is just a positive person in general and makes the training classes exciting for us. Sometimes things seem like they would be basic to resolve with puppies, but it's easy to make "mistakes" and Ashley is always there to guide and support us. Our pup Kenni loves her! She was great in our individual classes and we will be looking forward to her group classes. I highly recommend Ashley and this training service. They are trustworthy and we found them very helpful. We are able to travel, take Kenni to the beach, etc thanks to her tips!! read more

See all

We have two reactive Aussies with opposite personalities. Ashley was amazing with giving us tips and has the patience of a saint. We worked with other trainers in the past who were not so helpful but their techniques stuck with us so unlearning them was time consuming and stressful. Ashley was there every step of the way. She was super responsive to messages and even provided helpful videos to show us what to do when we couldn't meet in person. We look forward to continuing to work with her and learning from her. read more

I had one session so far with Ashley regarding my dog's separation anxiety. It was a virtual appointment and she had me leave my apartment so she can observe my dog's behavior while I was gone to see how severe his separation anxiety was. Once I came back she provided some tips to try out with my dog and within a couple weeks he's been doing so much better! This has been an issue he's struggled with for months so this breakthrough was amazing! Ashley was very friendly and was eager to help me find a solution to my problem. I highly recommend her and plan on going back to her for other training needs. read more

Hi Yelp'ers. We have The pleasure of working with & writing a glowing review of Zoe's Dog Training - especially under the expert tutelage of Ashley Valentine. We've a difficult little pooch named Fred & Ashley's help/guidance has been fantastic. He's improving everyday, and we love how caring & thoughtful Ashely is with her check-ins on his progress. Thanks, Zoe's & Ashley. Highly recommend. read more

I cannot even begin to thank Ashely and Zoe for the amount of work they have done for our little pack. Our adult ridgeback has had behavioral issues stemming from trauma-induced anxiety and a dog attack years before. For the last several years we have tried to deal with it ourselves, and honestly just thought that we could never have people over or go to dog parks/beaches again. Marcus was unhappy, and honestly was angry; he was kicked out of daycare, and was aggressive towards anyone (even people he knew) coming into our apartment. Since seeing Ashely, we can now have people over to our apartment without having to put Marcus away, we can go on walks--walking passed other dogs and kids without worry, we go to the local coffee shop and hang out, and we were actually able to take Marcus to the beach for his 5th birthday! Today, we even went to a new vet to treat an ankle sprain (from finally being able to play again) and he did great!! I have my dog back. My lovable, caring, and weird ass dog back. I could not be more thankful. If you're looking for a trainer--you're on the right page. read more

We worked with Ashley for months and she was amazing. We had many many goals for our pup and she was honest with us about what was realistic and what the timeframe would be. We met with her every two weeks and we would have "homework" in between sessions. She would always check in with us during the week and we would record progress videos to send to her for review. It was great to be able to have all that communication between sessions. It really felt like she was invested in our pup's progress too. I have nothing but amazing things to say about Zoe's Dog Training and would recommend to anyone looking for dog training. They are miracle workers! read more

I adopted my pup when he was 3 months old from a shelter and just like many adopted dogs he had quite a bit of anxiety and fears that I knew we'd have to work on. I started doing puppy play groups right away with Pack Method Prep followed by a basic introductory obedience class and now in his second round of Prep School where he goes 3 days a week and has a combination of socialization, obedience training, and desensitization. He is now 9 months old and the difference in his behavior is amazing. His anxiety is way better and it makes me much more at ease seeing how happy and confident he has become. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with making their dog into a calm, confident, and happy pup! read more

Our trainer helped us tremendously with our puppies pathological fear of slippery floors. We tried everything we could think of before we gave In and called a professional. I regret not doing it sooner! And I thought pricing was super reasonable. Other friends have used similar services and paid more, but I would recommend Zoe's trainers again and again!!! Will definitely use in the future with any other needs! read more

We took our bernedoodle to the 6-month prep school curriculum (3 days/week) from age 4-10 months. After graduating, he continued in the twice/week "social club" for 3-4 months. The prep school built a crucial foundation for learning basic instructions and taught him important social skills while having fun. Importantly, the trainers teach people how to communicate effectively with their pups. The PMP team has excellent attention to detail for dog behavior and health and we appreciated their thoroughness and prompt communication with any issues. Now, at age 18 months, we continue to build on the strong foundation of learning - everywhere we go, people frequently comment on what a well-mannered dog he is. Highly recommend, though pricy it is worth the money to invest in expert assistance in raising a well-adjusted canine citizen. read more

After getting disgusted with another "high ranking" over-priced dog training company, I came to Zoe's for help with my puppy's leash-aggression. Ashley was great. She used positive techniques to help my dog with his leash aggression. We had 4 lessons and I think it was well worth it. I loved that I didn't have to buy a "package" and really just bought the lessons I needed. Ashley was flexible in meeting me at my home or with her dogs so my puppy could get the feel of being with other dogs. My puppy's reaction to other dogs has improved tremendously - he still has some issues, but he's come a long way and now I have the tools to help him navigate out of his previous aggression. Thanks to Ashley and Zoe's! read more

Pack Method Prep and their staff are outstanding. I started taking my puppy at the age of five months. We enrolled in the 3 month program, attending three days a week. He absolutely loved it. The staff is very communicative giving me daily reports on his progress and happiness, and the staff is very knowledgeable, I dare say the best I've ever seen. They always follow up with how-to videos for me to use at home. They are invaluable. My pup has learned so much and gained so much confidence from the shy little guy he was on his first visit. He is now in social club two days a week and cannot wait to get in the car to go. He has so many friends at Pack Method Prep. I highly recommend Pack Method Prep. read more

Spectacular! Amazing and great are the words I would use for the services given by the trainers! I specifically work with Ashley. My dog had issues with dropping items that he picked up from the floor (this means any object he could possibly find) tissue paper or food or weird objects. It was worrisome because I didn't want him to choke or harm himself when eating them and we practice drop it with the trainer and he immediately dropped an item in exchange of a good treat. We worked on several things like leash pulling and jumping on the table and he has only been improving! I'm very surprised because he's a smart poodle and she handled him wit grace! I've never consulted a trainer before but she was just perfect! I trust her advice completely! And I would recommend for anyone who is thinking of consulting a trainer! If your pup is getting you to the point of frustration I would def recommend training and training with Ashley is great! So understating and patient i could go on and on! read more

Pack Method Prep - Spoiled doggo - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We have a 16 week old puppy who preferred chewing on human flesh more than anything else. We also needed help with crate training and some uneasiness being outside on our walks. Ashley Larsen from Zoe's dog training met with us for an hour and helped us understand what was going on. She made suggestions on how to move forward with the crate training that really worked. She also suggested shortening our walks after watching what was happening outside and after a week of doing this our puppy is much more comfortable and confident. We can take her for longer walks again. Chewing on human flesh? Ashley's suggestions were also helpful. Our puppy still prefers arms, toes and legs but we know how to redirect it and dial her down. Ashley taught us how to see it coming so we could shift the direction of it. "Good Girl Ashley!" "Whadda Good Giiirl" (just kidding), (not really), Ashley is a great trainer, very calm, patient and responsive to her human and puppy client needs. We only met with her once and she checked in with us about a week later to see how things were going. She is currently teaching the group class we just joined so feel very lucky to continue working with her. We will continue privates with her at Zoe's Dog Training. read more

Pack Method Prep - Poppy taking it all in - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California

We sent our Frenchie Charlie there for 3 months. Before this, he had issues displaying frustration behaviors and not listening when he gets excited. Since going to Pack Method Prep, we've seen noticeable leaps in his ability to try to control himself and listen, and even emotionally control himself when he gets too excited. He also LOVES coming to school - he'll literally start screaming in the car when we get close because he's so excited (until he was trained out of that too!). read more

Malory is amazing. She's not only been in the training industry for over 20 years she is the type of trainer I highly admire. The type that is always absorbing knowledge as the dog training world continues to advance through research, application and science. She's incredible with dog body language and breed knowledge which is, in my opinion, two of the most important foundations in knowing when, how and what method or technique would be the most beneficial towards your dog. My dogs personality has developed over time, as any living beings will and her adaptability has allowed my dog to perform at higher standards and with a greater love of what he and I do together because of her clarity in training and openness to every individual dogs needs. I highly recommend Malory and Zoe's Dog Training to others for any training needs, basic, specialty, and even competitive! Her personal dogs have a plethora of ribbons to show off their hard work in show and sports and LOVE their person dearly. I'm blessed to have her in my life, for both myself AND my dog. read more

Pack Method Prep - My boy is in a "down" in the back on the left (when facing the picture.) - Pet Training Near Me - San Diego, California