Canine Academy has been a dog training staple on the central coast for 30 years that I can…read moreremember. I worked with Eileen with my two German Shepherd dogs way back in the early 90's. We fast forward to 2023 and I reach out to her for help with my beloved German Shepherd Puppy. Eileen instantly found a place for us and when I traveled out to her buisiness in Atascadero I was blown away by the fenced in yards that center on different canine tasks. Not only are there obstacle courses, tracking equipment, dog obedience practice areas, but they also have a pool for the dogs! I started my 11 month old GSD in a beginner puppy class because I wanted to make sure I was teaching him the same language used at Canine Academy. I was somewhat worried that he wouldn't fit in, but I was welcomed and shown the time attention right along as if we were learning for the first time. What I love about the two trainers is their easy going nature and ability to see that there are several different ways to train a dog. They give each dog owner the confidence in knowing that we work at our pace and at a pace we're comfortable. There are no strong opinions on how you choose to train your dog, they let you decide what equipment your dog should wear. If you're completely new to dog training, they have this wonderful email system where they send out homework for the week's lessons. You get detailed instructions on what you can practice at home with your dog. Having a group of strange dogs is stressful for any animal, the easy going atmosphere puts everyone's nerves at ease. The instructors give detailed information and let the owners break away with their dog to reinforce the behaviors being taught. The instructors come and check on you and your dog to help answer questions or help you reach your full potential. I often think dog training is for the humans more than the canines. It's great seeing like minded people trying to improve in the dog's basic obedience. I would totally recommend Canine Academy to anyone looking to train a new addition or brushing up on techniques while spending quality time with your dog. The beginning class is 6 weeks and costs $175 which is great price. My only snark and it's minor, are the flies! I know we're out in the country and it's nature, but a couple fly traps would be awesome! Overall Impression A+

The staff, here, are very knowledgeable, kind and respectful. We have learned so much in the last 5…read moreweeks! Completing the basic obedience class, tonight, and are already signed up for the intermediate!

This is gonna be long but if you're like me and are trying to find the best dog trainer for your…read morepup and not be scammed you'll want to read this. Let me start off by saying, it's TRUE when they say "Sasha is literally a dog whisperer". He absolutely knows what he's doing. Prior to meeting Sasha, my puppy (Karter) was biting everyone that came to my house and peeing all over the place and I was ready to give him away. I google searched "local dog trainers" and came across the Bark website. Of the handful of listed trainers Sasha was the only one to get back to me and when I researched him I noticed he had a TON of positive reviews. So many that I actually joked with him and mentioned that I thought they were all of his friends. LOL Now I understand why. When I spoke with Sasha I expressed my concerns with Karter and he immediately began to give me tips on how to correct some of the behaviors that Karter needed help with and although I didn't actually use any of the tips I appreciated that he did that free of charge. My idea of "dog training" was someone coming to my house a few times a week and training my dog to do everything I needed him to do, so, when Sasha said "most times he only has to come once and the rest can be done over the phone" I was like there's NO WAY this dude knows what he's doing. In my eyes Karter needed 24 hour assistance. When Sasha arrived he immediately got to work. He stayed for a couple hours and it went by pretty fast. He taught me how to implement walking Karter "off leash", teaching Karter discipline during feeding time and basic tips on potty training as well as creating boundaries which would affect how he interacts with guests when they come over. He also brought in his own pets which was nice because it showed me how Karter would respond to other animals. His training style is so simple yet extremely effective when you do what he recommends and that is to be consistent. I had a couple serious life events that took place after he came and I wasn't able to keep up with the training and I could see the difference. I have since gotten back on schedule with Karter and he has learned to use the dog door to go potty and hasn't had any accidents in the house for a few weeks. I can walk with him off leash and he has learned boundaries and space when company is over! All of the things Sasha told me to do worked. When he says get a 15 foot leash get the 15 foot leash. Don't take the easier route just do exactly what he recommends because he knows what he's talking about. This is my first dog and I'm a much happier dog mom because of the service I received from Sasha. I waited to post the review because I wanted to give Karter time to show improvement and make sure I was giving an honest review and honestly... he is the BEST! Worth every penny. I could go on but I'll let you see for yourself! Thanks Sasha and also your lovely wife. You guys are an awesome team!

Finally getting around to this review but oh my goodness! For years my dog has struggled with food…read moreaggression, nipping, and territorial behavior but after one visit and two weeks of training, she had completely changed for the better. We learned so much! Sasha is clearly passionate about his work and it shows. We're so grateful to have found him! Thank you!!

We got a reactive dog (Nacho) from a shelter a few years ago and had consistently struggled with…read moretaking him out because of how he would consistently focus on reacting to other dogs. We'd consulted with many trainers in the Bay Area with stellar reviews and were essentially told that Nacho was a lost cause and he'd never get along with other dogs and couldn't be trusted to be off-leash. It led to us being constantly stressed out whenever we'd take him out on walks and also limit where we could travel with him due to his reactivity. Finally we'd consulted with Brent and he'd mentioned that he didn't think Nacho would be "untrainable". We were skeptical due to the past experiences after consulting with other trainers but we trusted Brent and after 3 weeks, Nacho is like a brand new dog that's incredibly well behaved and much easier to manage. We are absolutely blown away by how Brent was quickly able to train him and even were told that Nacho wasn't particularly difficult. Nacho's quality of life will forever be incredibly improved because he can now experience so much more of the outside with us and we will know exactly how to maintain his training and feel confident in our abilities to control him. If you need your dog trained, reach out to Brent.

We adopted our dog Tala after she was fostered and trained by Brent at Ace Dog Training, and we…read moretruly cannot express how grateful we are for the incredible transformation he made possible. When Brent found Tala, she was in a heartbreaking situation--essentially feral and abandoned by the side of a highway, just days away from being euthanized. Thanks to Brent's dedication and expertise, she not only got a second chance at life, but she became the most well-behaved and gentle dog we've ever met. Tala is a Husky-Samoyed mix, and from the moment we brought her home, it was clear she had been given an amazing foundation. She walks like a dream--both on and off leash--has zero reactivity, and greets every person and animal she encounters with calm friendliness. She's completely potty and crate trained, follows commands effortlessly, and doesn't jump or vocalize unnecessarily. She's also wonderfully affectionate and incredibly food motivated, which makes bonding with her a joy. What amazes us most is how Brent managed to shape her behavior so thoughtfully without dulling her spirit. Tala still has all the bright, clever, loving traits that make her such a unique and special companion. She's seamlessly become part of our family, and we truly can't imagine life without her. Brent is nothing short of a miracle worker, and we wholeheartedly recommend Ace Dog Training to anyone looking to adopt or train a dog with kindness, skill, and heart. Thank you, Brent, for giving Tala--and us--such a beautiful new beginning.

So #2 son finds a stray mutt in DTLA (Fig & 34th, hence the name Felix) and in spite of all my…read moreprotests, brings him home... and it's love. I've had a few dogs and never used a trainer but life is full, and if I'm keeping this dog it's gotta be easy. I had met Mark through a dear friend, an animal rights advocate, who if she trusts him with her dogs then I trust him with mine. I'm so glad I did. Mark relates to our canine companions (maybe better than people) and the hounds know it and appreciate his deep understanding. Animal lovers: do not be afraid of the e-collar! You'll hold it in your hand and wonder what all the fuss is about. It's a small but crucial part of his technique and like all tools there is good use and abuse. His I found totally appropriate. Mark innately knows each dog's personality and tunes in to their strengths, speaking to them clearly and gently. I could not believe the transformation that was happening before my eyes over the several videos he sent each day of Felix responding to commands and walking attentively next to Mark, actually heeling! Not a robo-dog, but in his face I could see he was being the dog he was always wanting to be. You love your dog, I promise you will love him EVEN MORE after his week with Mark. A dog who sits on command? Goes to his bed when told to? Hikes placidly off leash??? Worth every single penny. My only heads up: the rest is up to you. Ask lots of questions. Listen to Mark. Follow through and you'll have the dog of your dreams.

We sent our five year old American Eskimo for a week of Mark's training…read more Before Dognnpooch our dog barked out of control at every sound outside our door. He barked for a full minute whenever we'd have visitors. He would go ballistic on our neighbor and even nipped her once. While on leash he would unpredictably lunge aggressively at other dogs. Sometimes he would listen when we called him inside, but only when it felt convenient to him. After just one week with Mark he barely barks when even the UPS guy delivers packages. He quiets immediately when we tell him to. All I have to say is "leave it" and whatever he was paying attention to he now ignores. He doesn't react to other dogs while on leash. When off leash he stays right with me (even when he REALLY wants to chase a cat). Now I can take him everywhere that I had hesitated to before. Crowded beaches, busy tight streets, places where dogs are off leash: no problem! Our dog is now a source of joy rather than a source of stress and anxiety. We are two months post training and our dog only seems to improve. So grateful for Mark! He gave us the dog we always wanted. Just wish we hired him four years earlier!

Words cant express my gratitude towards Susan. New to area I was taken back by the high cost for…read moreDog care. Good gawd man most places are charging $45 minimum a day. Ummm, for $225 a week that better include training! Obviously folks in the area are willing to pay high prices for their baby!?!?!? Susan doesn't take advantage of those who require her services. Before even bringing Bella she sort of interviewed me over the phone. Wanted to know our dogs needs, current shot status and temperament. Also, ask to see proof of shots. Located close to the heart of Paso Robles its very convenient for our needs. Bella truly loves Susan and her home. I swear Bella is depressed when she doesn't go to Susan's house! Hahah Give Susan a call if you need dog daycare. She is willing to work with her customers needs. We are beyond thankful!

This review is very difficult for me to write. We boarded our 1 year old yellow lab with Susan once…read morebefore and that stay had gone well. He came home filthy, but that is to be expected. We decided to board him again for the weekend we were moving from Paso to SLO to avoid having him underfoot with the movers. When I picked him up on Sunday he was standing at the gate with a sad look in his eyes. He jumped into the back of the car as fast as he could and immediately began crying. He was caked in mud so we took him directly to Lemo's pet store for a bath. He cried the whole way there. I was shocked because I have never heard him cry like that before. Susan mentioned that 2 of the bigger dogs had been obsessed with our dog and they "played" a lot so I thought he must just be really tired. During his bath he cried the entire time. As the mud washed away I was sickened to see mud crusted/bloody sores all over him, along with a bite mark on his neck. Then I noticed the bottom of his paws were blistered, swollen and raw. My poor baby. When we got home, my fiancé called Susan to find out what had happened. She played dumb and said the two dogs were chasing him around and trying to bite his collar. She separated them for a bit and then let them at it again. My poor dog was bullied for 3 days and she did nothing to keep him safe. As for his paws... it was 108 in Paso that weekend and the vet said his paws were burned from running around on the hot concrete. Her response was that she has shade for the dogs. Well apparently, her little shade tarp is not sufficient. I imagine my poor dog doing anything he can to get away from the other dogs and sacrificing his poor paws in the act of trying to get away. Our poor dog has been so traumatized that for the first 3 days he was home he would startle and start barking aggressively at any small noise. I know Susan means well and would never intentionally let a dog be hurt, but it has been heartbreaking to see our dog suffer from staying at her kennel. It seems like maybe she should charge more and have fewer dogs so that she is able to manager them better. All I know is that my dog will never be left there, or at any kennel again.

We were staying in Cambria and wanted to visit Hearst Castle. Our dogs go everywhere with us but…read morethe tour does not allow pups. We were so blessed to find Renee. The drop-off and pick-up times were convenient. Her place is perfect with outdoor and indoor access. My dogs are everything to us and Renee made the process feel safe and extremely effortless. 10/10 recommend!

Sometimes I think my dog loves Renee more than me :) We are so blessed to have Renee to board our…read moresweet pup when we go out of town. We can leave and know that our dog is well taken care of and having fun. Renee is super knowledgeable about dogs and supremely kind and engaging. I can't say enough about her! She's the best!

We are taking our new puppy to the Puppy Social Hour and it has been fantastic. Michelle is a…read morelovely trainer - super knowledgable, thoughtful and takes the time to answer questions and explain things in further detail. The Puppy Social Hour is a great time for your puppy to socialize with other puppies around the same age (10 weeks to 5 months) while also learning basic commands with positive reinforcement, desensitization to loud noises/objects, etc. I highly highly recommend this training at Woods Humane!

What an awesome experience and addition to Woods! This was the first obedience class we've taken in…read morethe 12 years that we've had dogs (I suppose it shows!), so I didn't know what to expect. Michelle was very knowledgeable, encouraging, and supportive of each of our individual problem areas or goals. Energy is key, and hers was perfect for all of our training needs with Wild Man Woody! We are definitely signing up for the intermediate class!

So this is my second time round using this kennel for my new dogs and I definitely would come back…read morethe price is good and I don't mind the times for pickup it actually works out in my favor so just make sure you schedule your time accurately to match the hours when they're available and open..

This facility has been taking care of my dogs for years and I cannot recommend it enough. I travel…read morea lot, both for work and pleasure, and don't have family in the area so it's very important to me that I have a reliable, responsible, and trustworthy facility to take care of my dogs. Mary Kay has always been wonderful. She takes a personal and vested interest in the wellbeing of my babies and communicates frequently. This last 4th of July I was going to be out of town and leaving my dogs for the first time. They are terrified of fireworks and I too was terrified to leave them. I mentioned to Mary Kay that I was nervous and she immediately responded with a long, detailed and empathetic email addressing all of the ways they handled the dogs on the fourth to make sure they were comfortable, including having loud fans and putting on talk radio for the dogs. I greatly appreciated her long and thoughtful response and the actions they took to make the dogs comfortable. All of the other staff at this location have always been friendly, attentive and responsible. I have left my dogs here for weeks at a time and they are always happy and healthy when I pick them up. My dogs are also jumpers and diggers and the staff pays special attention to these concerns and put them in the jump proof play yard. The facility is wonderful, the staff is great, their prices are fair and I wouldn't board anywhere else. I've tried other boarding facilities in the past throughout the county and none come close to Rocky Canyon