We recently did private lessons with Cassie for our newly adopted dog and honestly couldn't be…read morehappier. She was so understanding and never made us feel rushed. She came to our home, walked with us, met us at nearby parks... really went the extra mile to work in environments that actually matter for our dog's day-to-day life. She also gave us supplementary material to reference on our own which was so helpful. We've also done group classes at the Clickstart facility with our other dog and every single staff member and trainer there has been incredibly kind and patient. It's just a genuinely good vibe across the board. 100% recommend Cassie and the whole Clickstart team. Whether you're working with a new rescue or puppy or just want some solid training support.

The trainers here are excellent! They are all so kind and patient. I love that the classes are…read moresmall so each pup can get individual attention even in a group setting. They work at your dog's pace and that is huge for us. Thank you, Michael, Cassie & Liv! We're so glad we found Clickstart Dog Training Academy!

Watching Instagram and YouTube videos won't give you a well-behaved dog. Working with Vladae will!…read more We've been working with Vladae for about four months with our now six-and-a-half-month-old Golden Retriever, Coach, and it has been one of the best investments we've made. What sets Vladae apart is that he doesn't just train dogs, he teaches owners how to build a lifelong relationship with them. Every lesson leaves us with practical tools, clear direction, and the confidence to continue the training every single day. Because of that, the progress doesn't stop when the session ends. Vladae has an incredible ability to understand dogs. Watching him read a dog's behavior, body language, and mindset is genuinely fascinating. He knows exactly how to communicate with each dog in a way they understand, and it's clear this comes from years of experience and a deep understanding of canine psychology. He's also one of the most invested professionals we've ever worked with. Throughout the week, he encourages us to send videos, provides thoughtful feedback almost immediately, and is always available to answer questions or jump on a call if we need guidance. You never feel like you're figuring things out on your own. He truly cares about both the dogs and the people raising them, and he always follows through. Every recommendation Vladae has made, whether it's training tools, techniques, or daily routines, has become an essential part of Coach's development. We trusted the process from day one, and the results truly speak for themselves. (See the videos! Coach is only 6.5 months old in them.) Our puppy is happy, confident, well-mannered, and genuinely loves learning. We receive compliments on his behavior everywhere we go, and we owe so much of that to the foundation Vladae helped us build. We also had the opportunity to work with Erica, who trains alongside Vladae, and she was absolutely wonderful. One session with Erica is included in the program, and it was incredibly helpful. It's clear she shares the same passion, knowledge, and dedication that make this training program so special. Vladae brings unmatched energy, professionalism, and passion to every session. He genuinely wants every dog and every owner to succeed, and that level of commitment is incredibly rare to find. If you're looking for a trainer who truly understands dogs and is committed to setting both you and your dog up for long-term success, I can't recommend Vladae highly enough. Coach has become an incredible puppy, and we're excited to continue into adult school because of the foundation he's helped us build. We're so grateful we found him!

I wanted to address your recent claims regarding my review of your services. I assure you that I…read morewas a legitimate customer who genuinely shared my honest experience, which I believe is critical for other potential clients. While it's understandable to feel upset when receiving negative feedback, it's important to reflect on the reasons behind my review. I noticed that during our initial interaction, you made a comment about my background that many found to be a stereotypical and racist remark. In fact, I saw that you previously posted video footage of our encounter on your Instagram, but you removed it after receiving backlash for those comments. This indicates that others found your remarks concerning as well. I want to emphasize that my intention was never to harm your business; rather, it was to share my experience. Thankfully, I have since found another trainer who practices positive reinforcement, which aligns much better with my values and my dog's needs.

We can't recommend Joshua at Bark Busters highly enough. Our English Bulldog struggled with…read moreanxiety, excessive barking, and unpredictable aggression toward people. After working with two other trainers and seeing little lasting progress, we were feeling hopeless. With a new baby in the house, we were genuinely worried we might have to rehome our dog. Joshua changed everything. Instead of just working with our dog, he taught us the skills and techniques to communicate effectively and create lasting change. In a surprisingly short amount of time, our dog made a complete 180. He's calmer, more confident, and his behavior has improved beyond what we thought was possible. Joshua gave us the tools to keep our family together, and we couldn't be more grateful. If you're struggling with your dog's behavior, we wholeheartedly recommend Bark Busters and Joshua.

Josh has been great. He's got a great attitude and our dog really responds well to his techniques.read more

Tommy helped us with our Miniature Australian Shepherd puppy when no one else would! He came to…read moreour house when she was 11 weeks old (other trainers wanted to wait until she had all her puppy shots) and immediately got us off on the right foot for behavior training. He trained my husband and me as well as our puppy! So grateful. Tommy has a gift for knowing how dogs think and he shares that knowledge as part of the session. We never felt rushed to finish a lesson when he came to the house, he just dealt with our issues and reminded us to keep practicing with our dog until next time. We even decided to enroll in his weekly puppy class so that our puppy would learn to behave around other dogs. His private dog park is a god-send as we live in a condo and don't have a yard for our puppy to play in. She loved going there and we'll be back! We highly recommend Tommy. He showed us how to anticipate what our puppy was going to do before she did it and correct her misdeeds before they take place. Five stars!

Tommy came for our first private session and it went better than I imagined. My husband and I…read morelearned a lot from Tommy. He is very relatable and has a unique way of teaching that is very enjoyable and actually entertaining, all at the same time! Now that is talent! Tommy was made for this job and well worth his price. You get what you pay for. He definitely does not watch the clock and gives you more than 1 hr and does not leave until he has answered all your questions. My dog is already doing better on our walks. Tommy teaches but you have to do what he says or you have wasted your money. I signed up for 5 lessons and looking forward to the rest. I will update when we are finished.

Jesse went above and beyond to help us with our situation. The staff and management recognized that…read moreour experience was less than the quality they strive for and they communicated that effectively and kindly. We didn't have the best first experience. I truly believe the measure of a business is how they behave when things don't go according to plan. Jesse and their staff executed the follow up PERFECTLY. We are happy to give them a second chance; and frankly we would have anyways based on how well they received and loved our pets. Animals are unpredictable and the way humans treat them matters so so much. PAWS has a great staff and we are happy to have met them.

We had Brendan at the Lake Forest location do training (five sessions) for the two-year-old male…read moreAussie Shepherd we adopted several months prior from the Mission Viejo animal shelter. We had a dog, whom we also adopted but from Irvine, that we had euthanized at home in early April so the Aussie wasn't our first dog. Our Aussie is typical of the breed - high-energy, intelligent and focused. Although he's a sweetie at home, he was the opposite on walks. The worst problem was his barking and lunging at other dogs. Brendan not only trained our dog, he also trained us. Our fur baby is MUCH better now while on walks. I told Brendan that he, Brendan, is like Yoda. We are very pleased and grateful.

I had a great experience at this PetSmart thanks to Adam! He gave me outstanding customer service…read moreand took the time to offer a lot of helpful advice. He was super friendly and even suggested a few things that might work better for my cat's needs. Interactions like this are what keep people coming back. Really appreciate the level of care and knowledge--thanks, Adam!

This is a delayed review. We took my two golden retrievers to get groomed the day before my WEDDING…read moreDAY at this PetSmart. Once we picked them up, my oldest dog Presley came back limping really badly. When I called to find out what happened and to express how upset I was, they immediately said nothing happened to her and that my other dog, youngest one's nail had been cut too short. Obviously something happened to her, if my dog comes back limping. What's sad is, she was the one walking me down the aisle. So not only did my dog limp down the aisle with me, her leg has never been the same. Now we just recently found out that her leg might actually be broken or have a fracture from this day. I'm hoping someone at PetSmart Corporate reads this review and looks into video footage of this day. If you claim to love animals so much, do better with your hiring and recruitment on groomers who are taking pets into their hands. This is not okay to hurt an animal, but also lie to your customers about what happened.

Dave came to train our pup, Hanky who had serious issues with anxiety, aggression, and resource…read moreguarding. Dave was compassionate, informative, and incredibly helpful. He took time to get to know our family and tailor Hank's training to his personality and needs. He is incredibly knowledgeable and we have seen a huge improvement in our dog's behavior. Hanky is happier and now we know how to support him in order to avoid aggression. We also started taking both of our dogs to EveryDog Daycamp and it has been amazing to have a safe place where our dogs can play with other pups without me worrying something might happen to them. I can't recommend Dave and EveryDog enough!

I was visiting from Southern California and stopped in the store just to use the bathroom. Such a…read morecute store! The worker was so warm and friendly. So many unique items. They had a good selection of MLB neckerchiefs that easily attached thru his collar that I ended up buying a Dodger one for my dog.

We really enjoyed the experience of working with the Sit Means Sit team! They were all very…read moreprofessional and stood out to us as really loving the animals and what they do. Our pup loved every minute of it and we are extremely grateful for the care they gave him. We did the 20 day program and immediately reaped the benefits of their training and guidance. Our pup is back showing us all his new skills and we are extremely proud of the graduate. Thanks for your wonderful work!!

We sent our dog, Duke, to the 10-day board and train program--and while 10 days felt like a long…read moretime to be apart from him, the experience was well worth it. He was paired with Andy, and we couldn't have asked for a better trainer. Andy clearly got Duke, and Duke really responded to him. The weekly updates and training videos were a huge comfort while he was away. It was amazing to see Duke's progress in real time--it definitely helped ease our nerves. When we got him back, we were amazed. Duke was still the same lovable, goofy guy, but now with real structure and command responsiveness. He listens, follows direction, and is clearly more confident. Andy laid an incredible foundation, and the follow-up training has made us feel fully supported in continuing Duke's journey. We genuinely can't recommend Sit Means Sit--and especially Andy--enough. It's been a true blessing for our family and for Duke. If you're considering it, do it!