My goal is for my dog to be obedient off leash. We'd done some training but she still won't listen…read morewhen she's off leash and sees something of interest. I decided to get serious, and scour Yelp for options. And there are a lot of options. Group classes, private training, dog walkers. Pete's business interested me because he was willing to do a single consult and advise session. His reviews are so great and so sincere, that I thought that would be a good jumping off point. Though Hayward is out of Pete's usual range for private consultations, he agreed to come out and meet Mei Mei. He came out, spent some time getting to know her and me, walked around the neighborhood, giving me advice and tips the whole time. As a big advocate of dog exercise, he explained to me that it would be harder for me to get her to focus on our training sessions while she has so much pent up energy. Sure, I walk her daily, but not enough. Together we came up with ideas for moving forward. I hired a dog walker to take Mei on much longer walks than I'm able do during the busy weekdays. And, following one of Pete's many great tidbits, I put a backpack on her weighted down a bit, so that she uses more energy on her walks. Her walking behavior improved tremendously just with that little modification. Then I started working with her on her recall after she's wound down a little. She's still not perfect, but she's much better and getting better every day. I'm confident that we will both get where we need to be in her training. I've already had some impressive triumphs with her recall at the dog park, the most distracting place ever. But here's the deal with Pete, which is what you really need to know. Pete cares about your dog. He is in this business because he wants every dog to lead a happy and healthy life. Following our single session, Pete has followed up with emails checking in, and offering further advice after having thought more about Mei Mei. You really can't get more bang for your buck than meeting Pete.

I'm afraid I can't provide a positive review for Pete's Dog Behavior Training. Pete is unable to…read moreprovide direct responses to specific questions. Responses were either curt in nature, or I received pre-written responses that didn't address the question. Even so, I tried to move forward and look past this. After several email exchanges, we finally settled on a day/time. That was to occur 30 minutes ago. And now, no show, no call, no email...nothing! I've noticed several other complaints of this nature on Yelp as well about Pete. Only Pete knows what's going on. My experience was one of disorganization and an inability to be responsive to questions. While Pete may be great with dog training, "people skills" and organizational skills are woefully inadequate! I hope Pete is just so busy that he can't keep up with and organize the volume of requests he has. Unfortunately, I'm no longer willing to continue to attempt to engage him. And I cannot recommend that others waste their time trying to engage his services as well.

We have a 12 year old rescue dog (poodle-lhasa apso mix) who is so loveable ... except when we walk…read moreher. She barks at bicyclists, skateboarders, mail people ... and especially at other dogs. All she really wants to do is approach other dogs and "say hello", but her bark sounds so menacing, we basically turn around and walk the other way. To train her, we've tried treats, other dog trainers, methods we see on Instagram - none have worked. Enter Glenn. A friend of mine recommended him, and we have seen a huge improvement in Lulu's temperament. Each lesson is basically an hour walk in my neighborhood, ending with teaching Lulu commands in front of my home. We've also gone to a local dog park. We've had about 6 lessons, and I enjoy walking Lulu a lot more now. She no longer barks at people on skateboards, or the mailman, or dogs across the street. She is still learning to behave when dogs approach her, but I know it takes time. We're moving in the right direction. Glenn is very patient and friendly - he is willing to answer all questions, during and after lessons. Sometimes he'll record parts of our lessons and text them to me so I can review and remember what happened during the lesson. And remember! He is not only training your dog - he's training you! I highly recommend Glenn as a dog trainer.

I found Glenn when looking for a trainer for my very stubborn two year old English bulldog…read more Not only had her behavior improved with just one lesson, but I learned so much about how to improve our trust/bond. Glenn definitely knows his stuff! Thanks to him, I have a well behaved best friend for life!

I cannot recommend Barak highly enough! He has completely transformed our relationship with our…read moredog, and we are so incredibly grateful. We have a very high-energy golden retriever, and when we found out we were expecting our first baby, we knew we needed to get serious about training to make sure we were setting our entire family up for success. Before working with Barak, our dog had virtually no recall, struggled to listen to commands, jumped on every guest who came through our door, and had a really hard time settling down. Even taking him for a walk was stressful, with pulling, stopping, etc. A friend recommended Barak, and we decided to send our dog to Baynine for a board and train. It was one of the best decisions we've ever made. This was actually our second board and train, and unfortunately, our first experience with another trainer had not been a positive one. Barak was incredibly understanding of our concerns and went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable throughout the process. He has such a deep understanding of dog behavior and genuinely cares about the dogs and families he works with. He is an amazing communicator, treats the dogs with so much care and respect, and takes the time to explain not just what he's doing, but why. He also made sure we were involved throughout the process, meeting up frequently, so that we would have the tools and confidence to continue the training at home. It's now been a few months since our dog came home, and the transformation has been incredible. We can finally enjoy taking him on walks, he no longer jumps on our guests, he listens to our commands, and most importantly, he knows how to settle. Our family and friends are constantly commenting on what an incredible transformation! The biggest difference has been what this has meant for our growing family. We now have boundaries in place that allow us to feel safe and confident with our dog and baby together. He can hold his place while I'm feeding the baby or need to focus on something else, and I can even take the baby and dog on a walk together by myself, something that would have been unimaginable before training. These changes have made such a huge difference in our everyday lives. What I also really appreciate about Barak is that his support doesn't end when the board and train is over. He's continued to be an incredible resource, providing weekly free classes, patiently answering all of our questions, and making sure we're continuing to build on everything our dog learned. And our dog is absolutely OBSESSED with him, which speaks volumes about the relationship they built. The best part is that our dog is still the same goofy, sweet, loving boy we've always adored. We just finally have the tools to help him be successful, and we can enjoy our time with him so much more. I truly can't say enough good things about Barak. He has made such a meaningful difference in our lives, and I would recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a trainer who genuinely cares about both dogs and their families.

We cannot recommend Barak's board and train program enough to any dog owner in the Bay Area. When…read morewe got our puppy Zorro, we enrolled him in puppy classes and one-on-one training programs that used positive-only training. These approaches did not help with his intense energy and constant barking when he was left alone. We met with Barak for an initial consultation and the tips he gave us immediately helped with Zorro's barking in the crate and food pickiness. After the 35-day boarding program a few months later, Zorro was a different dog --- calm, responsive to direction, and comfortable being left alone when he was crated. We couldn't have been more impressed or grateful to Barak for finally helping us reach the training goals we had set for Zorro. As a teacher, I also really appreciated Barak's clear and supportive approach to training US. Through weekly sessions, Barak taught us how to use a slip lead, an e-collar, and as he put it, "speak Zorro's language." We're honing our skills through the weekly obedience class that all participants in Barak's program can attend. Barak is also incredibly responsive; when Zorro first came home, we texted many questions over the first several days and got thorough, helpful answers. In short, you can't go wrong with Barak and Baynine Training. Our dog and our family are so much happier after going through it!

Circus is for everyone! I can't recommend enough how much…read moreI've enjoyed working with Francis at canine circus school. My dog and I recently completed the third level of circus and its amazing how much we learned and how much fun we've had along the way. On the surface circus training has been great for learning tricks and for becoming one of the coolest dogs at the dog park, but there is so much to gain from the class. Your dog will get to practice engaging with you in a classroom setting(distractions from other dogs/people/etc) which is important socialization that is difficult to replicate otherwise. Francis emphasizes the foundations for breaking down complicated tricks/routines into small sequences which can give insight into behaviors outside the scope of class. He is also quick to adjust training to the individual dog so you can meet your dog where they are and build success together. Not only have I enjoyed my time in class, outside of it my bond and engagement with my dog has drastically improved. My off leash and voice control has gotten way better and I have more tools in the toolbox to redirect or engage in the presence of distractions/reacting to things. Working with Francis has shown me a whole world of possibilities to what my dog can do and who she can be. I believe that for a dog to reach their full potential they need some kind of job, and how amazing for them and you if their job can be circus. Whatever type of dog you may have(big/small/young/old/excited/shy), I'm certain Francis can help you find success together.

Our dog Spirit loved her circus class from Francis. He's an…read moreamazing teacher and he creates a fun positive atmosphere for all of the dogs and humans in his class. I would highly recommend it and we're ready to go back for another level.

Karan has been an incredible trainer for my female Italian Greyhound. He first started working with…read moreher when she was about four months old and she was doing great! We moved away when she was 6 months old, and the transition was really hard on my pup. We returned to the area and she is now 16 months old, I called Karan right away. My pup had become very reactive toward other dogs and people, barking and freaking out, seeing red and lunging at other dogs. He was able to quickly help me see how some of the things I was doing -- with the best intentions -- were actually making things worse for my dog. That insight alone was incredibly helpful and reassuring. Karan is assertive, extremely knowledgeable, and knows exactly how to guide both dog and owner toward success. One of the biggest things he helped me realize is how important my own confidence is in shaping my dog's behavior. That shift alone made a huge difference. He is professional, reliable, and consistently follows through. He even drives out to us, which makes training so much easier. Beyond that, he is always communicative, responsive via text, and available when we need support. Karan has truly become our go-to trainer, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking for effective, high-quality training. Thank you Karan!

Karan is a super intuitive and grounded trainer. He has a calm, steady presence that my dog…read moreresponded to immediately. We've been seeing him two to three times a month for the past few months, and he consistently knows what he's doing. He gives clear suggestions, shows you exactly how to implement them in training sessions, and you get to see firsthand how well they work. Unlike other trainers I've spoken to in the Bay Area, he keeps things simple and effective, and he's great about answering questions between sessions when something comes up. He's flexible, easy to communicate with, and genuinely invested in your dog's progress. I suggest bringing a pen and paper because the small tips he drops are the ones you'll want to remember. Thanks to him, my King Charles Cavalier is now holding his pee for almost six hours, and I've learned how to attune without slipping into the "my dog must be sad" spiral. He's not sad -- he's a happy little guy who just needs structure, attention, and, well... training. Highly recommend!!!

So many amazing things I can say about Pack Runner, where do I start!? I am a proud dog mom of 3…read morerescues (Japanese Akita, Pitbull, Terrier Mix). Each of my pups came with their own unique issues from their previously lives. The Akita had absolutely no leash training or socialization prior to adopting him. Walking him on a leash was a nightmare. He would pull (he's 85 lbs I'm only 110) and lunge at any cat or dog he would see on the street, extreme leash reactivity. I was deathly afraid of taking him around other dogs. The Pitbull came to as a senior and is probably one of the most insecure dogs I have ever met. Sweet as pie, but scared of everyone and everything. Taking her out, I would muzzle her- not for fear of her biting anyone but there were a few times she lunged at people walking by. I was also very afraid to take the pit bull out, they already have a bad reputation so her trust issues did not give me confidence in having her in any type of social setting. In the past few years, I have been through 3 dogs trainers and one dog behavioralist. I thought that my dogs could never be fixed until I met Troy 9 months ago. It's been quite the journey with Troy and his team. I can't begin to tell you the gratitude I have for him. My dogs are completely changed. We started with a few in home and outdoor training sessions, then moved into boarding and training the Akita and Pitbull, and now finally we are at pack walks with Troy and his team. Pack Runners has provided me with so much knowledge and the proper tools to be a true pack leader. My dogs are still a work in progress but everyday they are learning and growing thanks to Pack Runners. I am no longer afraid to take my dogs out on walks, they no longer pull or lunge on the leash and socializing them with other dogs is something I now look forward to! Troy is one of the kindest, patient, knowledgeable, and professional people that I know. I'm so happy that I found Pack Runners. My pups are so happy that I found them too! We are looking forward to their continued growth with Troy and his team..

Troy help us with our German shepherd 5 month old. He gave us good tips on how to handle him, it's…read morebeen two weeks and our dog Melo has made good progress. He's assistant Fa was very helpful too, both of their energy is easy going that Melo behaved so well with Troy. Now waiting on bigger things from PACK RUNNER!

Les is fantastic. She had a great rapport with our dog who generally does NOT like strangers. At a…read moretime when he was very upset about new people coming into the house, he actually allowed Les to rub his belly. Les gave us great strategies for leash training and leash reactivity, and we've used them ever since. Highly recommend!

The worst dog training experience ever. This woman literally took my money and refused to train my…read morepup.

Sofia is amazing!! We first sent our two dogs to her last year for a board and train and we came…read moreout of that experience with a better understanding of how to communicate with our dogs effectively. And the place command has been a huge life saver! Since the board and train, we've done regular training sessions with Sofia to keep up the skills our dogs learned while with her. She is quick to hop on a phone call if we need advice or have questions and she never makes us feel bad about mistakes or wrong decisions we may have made (since we are still learning!). We also board our dogs with her while we are on vacation - it is so valuable knowing they have a safe, reliable place to go to while we are away. We will continue working with Sofia for as long as she'll have us!

We recently engaged Sofia to train our 1-year old Sharpei/French Bulldog rescue puppy. He was…read morestarting to show signs of aggression and we lacked the time and knowledge to formally train him. Sofia clearly demonstrated her knowledge and experience in our initial phone call. She earned our confidence and trust immediately. Sofia compared him to a teenager who just needed some formal training and discipline. We agreed. After visiting our house and meeting him in person in his surroundings, she was able to assess the situation and needs. She set expectations for a 3-5 week process. At first we weren't sure that much time was required. It seemed like a lot. But she explained her process and the need for many reps. We were convinced. So we sent him with her for a 4-week "boot-camp". It was hard dropping him off, but we knew it was the right thing. She provided a list of items we would need to ensure success. Our dog responded to her immediately. He loves food and treats are used to incentivize. Sofia gave us many updates, both via text and videos! We could see the progress of our little dude as well as her technique in action. Sofia took him to places like the Lafayette Reservoir and Heather Farms which are both full of activity. Good for his training. It was clear that she has command of her craft with the utmost care for her critters. After 4 weeks, Sofia brought him back to our house and provided a detail handoff to our family members for smooth transition. Our dude came back with discipline while maintaining his natural goofiness and curiosity. We walk him every day in our neighborhood using the techniques Sofia taught. What a difference it has been! Mission accomplished. We highly recommend Sofia for anyone looking for professional help in training your dog with care.