Sam responded quickly to our initial request for information. He was clear about his pricing and fully transparent about his process. We opted for in-home training and his first visit provided us with a lot of information and some initial work to do with our pups. The next visit included Sam doing some training with them and leaving us with clear instructions on how to move forward between his visits. He clearly understands dogs and he takes the time to explain the behaviors we are seeing. It's been a great process so far. read more

I have been using Sam for quite awhile now. He is very professional and works on the behaviors of the dogs and his clients. I have had rescue dogs my whole life and with that usually comes more training having Sam to help has been amazing. If you are looking for someone that works on solving each dogs problem and not treating them like they are all the same Sam would be who I recommend. read more

Where do I start??? My dog Turk is a pit bull mastiff mix (95 lb cutie patoot!) Sam Basso taught me how to train my dog! Life is sooooooo easy with my amazing dog being trained! Trust me... My dog is a major work dog and super alpha. So it took a lot of work, but no one would know how naturally rough he was since he is so obedient and communicative. Kennel training, potty training, basic commands and advanced commands, puppy and dog manners, and he doesn't ever bark needlessly and listens when I tell him to quit it. I love hearing people who ~hate~ dogs (I don't ever trust people who don't like dogs... Dogs are awesome!!! But I never knew... ) who say they adore and love Turk as their first dog who endeared them. Usually they want to steal him or tell other people to train their dogs like mine (oops!!). Best thing was after training, my fur child and I have such a strong foundation that we can keep building together. Sam also will be straight forward and not just try to sell you on a miracle cure. He's dedicated and honest. His methods work!!!!! Not only are you seeing years of experience, there's also someone who really loves dogs and understands people too. I have recommended Sam Basso to everyone!!! I'm so lucky and fortunate to find the right dog trainer and behaviorist! read more

I've known Sam for 6 years. At the time we met we had an 8 year male miniature schnauzer, Pepper. We had decided to bring a new puppy into the home, Max. Pepper was good with people and other dogs but was not at all happy to have another dog as part of the family. I knew we needed help making this introduction so we researched dog trainers who were experienced with behavior issues and thankfully we found Sam. Over the next few weeks we were able to bring the 2 dogs together and all live in harmony. I know we could not have done this without Sam's help. 18 months after Max joined us, Pepper passed away. Max changed immediately and it was apparent he was having trouble dealing with the loss. We didn't waste much time bringing in another new puppy, Lexie. These 2 hit it off immediately and Sam helped us again make this introduction and guide us on how to best deal with Max's grieving. Sam is extremely passionate and I have no hesitation referring him to anyone in need of basic obedience training to more complex behavioral issues like we had with Pepper and Max. read more

I first called Sam the Dog Trainer in 2014, when my German Shepherd puppy was 12 weeks old. I knew my little puppy was going to get very big, very fast and having a well behaved/trained dog that we could take in public on hikes, parks, stores and restaurants was of the utmost importance. Our dog is a member of our family and he goes where we go! We initially looked at other trainers and even considered a "board and train" facility. What I liked about Sam is that the training is one-on-one, so our sessions were solely focused on my dog, myself and issues that we were currently going through. I was also involved in every training session where Sam trained me on how to train my dog. Sam was very patient with our dog (and me) and was quick to identify and correct behaviors in my dog that could have later become serious issues, particularly with a large breed. Furthermore, even after our official number of paid sessions ended, he continued to meet with us for continued training and has never asked for more money. He loves dogs and has made sure that we were satisfied and that our pup is a good canine citizen! Choose Sam the Dog Trainer to help you train your dog! read more

Sam knows dogs! My sessions with my new rottie pup were thorough and he wanted to make sure "I" was trained properly so I could enjoy my new dog. He is very knowledgeable on each of the breeds and because of his training, my dog has been a fantastic addition to our family. Neighbors love her, kids love her. Heck, I've emailed him often asking him questions, way after training was over and he continues to care. I might mention he is actively involved in animal welfare advocacy as well. read more

In 2006 my husband brought home a beautiful yellow lab puppy-Beau! We knew we wanted him to be a well behaved and trained puppy/adult dog, but also wanted him to have fun! After thorough research and contact with some of the many dog trainers in the Valley, we decided to go with Sam. Sam has a combination of many things, among them, his experience and knowledge regarding dog behavior, his kind and ethical way of training, convenience (he came to us), ongoing support, his honest and objective advice, made us do our homework and the fact he really loves what he does. Beau was an amazing dog, but more so after we trained him with Sam (puppy, obedience, group, obstacles and retrieves). Beau developed severe hip dysplasia by the time he was 2 years old so we stopped the formal training, but Beau continued to have so much fun with two toy fetch, retrieves, going out for objects with hand signals, fronts and so much more! Beau would have been awesome without Sam-but he was exceedingly more awesome because of Sam! So what did we do when Beau crossed and we got a new English Crème Golden Retriever puppy in 2014 -of course we called Sam! Finn was a wild child puppy and Sam guided us through those days and was always a phone call away. Sam promised, get through this and watch what a great dog he will be. Finn is absolutely the sweetest, goofy, obedient (when he is not being donkey stubborn) love! Highly recommend Sam. read more

Sam came highly recommended to us. We rescued a pit/boxer mix and she was a puppy who needed a lot of help and attention. Sam came to our home and was extremely knowledgeable and supportive. He teaches ways to train your dog without having to use physical means. He uses positive reinforcement and repetition to lay the foundation to proper training. If you have a pet that is in need of training reaching out the best resources possible is the only way to go, and Sam is absolutely that person. Our dog is now 20 months old and can be taken off leash in busy environments and her attention stays on me 100%. We have also added a new child to our family, and our pit has been very attentive, soft and sweet with our daughter. We have no idea where we would be today with this dog without Sam's help. Thank you Sam!!! read more

Patience, expertise, and consistency is what Sam brings you. I thought I knew how to train dogs and challenged myself with a high-spirited pit-bull puppy. After contacting Sam and setting up training we took my puppy from an un-focused nuisance to a well disciplined pleasure that was ready to become a part of the family. Sam uses techniques he has personally developed that are simple yet highly affective. He brings dedication and consistency, as he works with you practically daily until the goal has been achieved. Not only would I highly recommend Sam as a dog trainer, I plan on continuing to utilize his expertise myself. read more

I have been working with Sam for many years and would not even consider working with anyone else. Sam has trained and worked with three of our dogs, including a miniature dachshund who was very ill and nearly on death's doorstep. Because of her illness and many surgeries she was terrified of being hurt and very wary of anyone touching her. Sam was extremely patient and kind and our little girl grew to not only trust him but to love him, as well. Sam takes a very gentle approach and will leave you with 'homework' which, if you follow through with will yield great results. Sam will leave you with suggestions and tips to try in the rare case that something isn't working and he will continue working with you and your dog until you 'get it right'. One of the things that I learned from Sam is that the training is as much about training the owner as it is the dog. I like the one on one approach and the fact that Sam will come to your home to work with your dog in the dog's own comfortable surroundings. When Sam schedules an appointment with you, you may be assured that he is dependable and punctual. On one occasion, one of my dogs got out of the yard; we live on a busy street which could have been disastrous for the dog. Several people stopped and tried to coax the dog to come to them to no avail. Because of what I had learned from Sam, I was able to give one command and my dog came running directly to me, thereby averting what could have been a tragedy for our dog and our family. In short, I truly believe in Sam and his training techniques and would recommend him very highly. read more

This is my first Yelp review and I am writing it because I feel the need to help other dog parents find a good dog behaviorists they can trust. Sam Basso aka Sam the Dog Trainer is a really knowledgeable and professional trainer and behaviorist. I have a 4 month old Boston Terrier named Stitch and a 9 month old Pug named Evee. The issues my pups have weren't anything I knew how to deal with and the methods I did try weren't working. I knew I needed help from someone who really knows their trade. I spent lots of time on the internet trying to find an actual behaviorists. Many trainers say they can handle whatever situation, but I knew I needed more than just a regular trainer to solve our issues. I found Sam's website and I loved that it mentioned if you contact him, then he will get back to you within 24 hours. I called Monday evening after I got off of work and was delighted to actually talk to Sam. I figured I would get a voice mail and not an actual person. I briefly explained my situation and we set up an in home appointment that following Sunday afternoon. I am sure he would have tried to fit me in sooner, but weekdays are tough for me, so I am happy he worked with my schedule. He was on time, in fact, he came early. He did call ahead to make sure that was okay, which was super cool and I appreciated that. During our session, Sam addressed each one of the issues, which I emailed to him before the appointment just to make sure all bases were covered. He gave me and my whole family great information even some great tips beyond the issues we needed help with. I am glad I had a notebook and pen handy to write down all the vital details. Everything he said made sense. He explained everything in such a simple way. We now know why our dogs do the things they do, and thanks to Sam, we are armed with the tools to change the behavior for the better. It's just been a few days since our session with Sam, but I have actually seen an improvement in both my dogs. Sam wants a 30 day update on my situation and I hope I remember to update my review as well. I also hope my dogs will be way different by that time; and I am excited to work on their behavior slowly but surely. I love my dogs so I am willing to do whatever I can, even if it is little baby steps here and there. Here is some extra info, just in case anyone wanted the specifics of our issues. I know I looked for reviews that mentioned behaviors similar to what I had going on. Evee is scared of the world around her. She barks or makes a whimper noise at so many things (tv noises, phones, the wind, etc). I had no idea how to turn my scaredy cat little Pug into a confident young lady. For Stitch, he had a list of issues to deal with. He digs up the yard, he plays too rough with Evee, he plays way too rough with me, and he sometimes chews on shoes or the furniture. The biggest reason I needed help with Stitch was because of 3 separate "aggression" incidents. On 3 different occasions, he growled and tried to bite a friend visiting my house, a vet tech, and the actual vet. The most recent incident with his vet was the number one reason for calling Sam. The vet pretty much labeled my pup as "aggressive" and was not happy. I left the office thinking I would need to somehow muzzle him or spend an arm and a leg paying months' worth of sessions with a behaviorist. I worried that if I didn't get help right away, the problem could escalate and who knows what could happen down the road. After just the one session with Sam, my worries were put to ease. Yes there were issues with both pups, but they can be worked on and changed. There were a lot of easy little things to do and it will just require me and my whole family to work and help mold my puppies into confident and well-mannered dogs. read more

Sam does an excellent job with training. His approach is to come to your home and work with you to train your dog. He charges a fixed fee for initial training, which may seem a bit expensive. However, he keeps coming until you and your dog have achieved the agreed upon goals. If this takes any time at all, he is not expensive. Be aware, this is an extensive commitment on your part. Sam works with you and teaches you how to train your dog. He is kind to the dogs and has many useful training tips. Sam takes the individual personality of both the owner and the dog into account. His choice is to work with you five days a week and so he is able to observe what is working and to think about various solutions when things aren't going the way you would like. Sam helped me with the initial training of a therapy dog who was a rescue and had to be trained with very gentle positive techniques. I was impressed with Sam's work and would use him again, especially with something that requires extensive focused training - like moving from on-leash to off-leash work. read more

Sam did such a wonderful job of training us! Our smart, high spirited Golden Retriever provided Sam with every challenge, but his gentle guidance and clear commands helped shape her into a wonderfully well behaved canine citizen. Kaci loved her lessons with Sam and knew when he was here it was time to work. We have had two Goldens since her, and while Sam is no longer in Washington we still rely on his training expertise and the notes we took to help train our dogs. In fact, we recently took our pup Harley to a local training facility and had issues with some of the methods...we found ourselves saying "that's not how Sam would do it" more than once! Whether you want a well behaved pet, or require help with a dog with issues that need correction, I highly recommend Sam the Dog Trainer. read more

As an animal Rescuer and Behavior Analyst Technician for children, it is difficult to find a professional that I view as trust worthy to assist with animals I may have taken in...let alone agree with the methods or approach a trainer may use. Sam Basso is the only behaviorist in Phoenix that I trust and will go to for advice. I refuse to use a trainer that would suggest using harmful tools such as e-collars, prong collars or any form of punishment method that would be harmful to an animal or remotely come close to identifying the reason for a behavior. With many of the dogs I take in, a positively reinforced or conditioning methods are often the easiest way to turn around behaviors which is what Sam is all about. I have had the privilege of knowing Sam for a few years now and have received helpful advice on many occasions when I have over looked a simple "why" for a behavior or a simple correction in the way I have gone about rehabilitating a dog. Sam truly cares about each an everyone of his clients(human & canine) and puts forth all of his efforts to making sure clients understand their homework and how to help their pet in the best way possible. I have happily recommended him on several occasions and each person absolutely pleased with his work. He won't pretend to be someone he is not, won't recommend anything that will harm your pet, and will take the time to make sure you understand. There is a reason that he has successfully been in business for so long, besides he is the absolute best. Highly recommend Sam Basso for all of your training and behavior needs! Sam is the best in the west! read more

Sam came to our family when we had a Newfoundland that was completely out of control. He would drag even my husband at 6'2" 220lbs down the street as we tried to take him for walks. As soon as the front door open he bolted and it took everyone in cars and on foot to get him back. This was only after he tired himself out. The very first lesson we were walking him with the pulling and jerking of the leach. Sam continued with our sweet Newfoundland named Sam - yes Sam - until we actually enjoyed him ALL the time and not just some of the time. We then got a Newfoundland puppy - Lucy - and again Sam was a great help to us. Sam - the trainer and not the Newfoundland - is not only a great trainer but a person you just want to know. He is honest, loyal, kind, giving to anyone in need - just basically a good person all the way around. He totally understands dogs in a way few people do. I would recommend him to anyone who has a dog no matter if it is housebreaking them to leach walking them to the generally socialization of them in your home and the community. read more