Christine has been both our trainer and support system during this overwhelming and chaotic new…read morepuppy phase. As someone who had fostered puppies, I assumed I would only need a few sessions when we adopted our GSD/Pyrenees puppy, Betty. However, now I wish I had bought Christine's infinity package, so we could train with her forever and ever. Primarily, Christine is a highly knowledgeable and passionate dog trainer. She has provided an in-depth understanding of dog behavior and the psychology of dog training. This foundation has been invaluable in helping us develop a successful ongoing training relationship, and in helping Betty become a loving member of our family. Secondly, she has also served as an unofficial puppy doula and mentor. She has always been happy to get on the phone and talk us through problems in between sessions, and even guide us in choosing a vet and groomer. I don't know how we would have managed without her during those sleepless nights and feelings of sadness and regret. Lastly, she is a gentle and calming presence--the type of person that was born to work with animals. She has taught us how to be effective dog parents using only positive reinforcement and kindness. Working with Christine has been a gift that will continue to provide value for many years to come!

Two words: Call Christine…read more No words can truly capture how much Christine helped us in our journey with our dog, Poppy. We got Poppy when she was about 3 months old, and she was a very anxious puppy. As brand-new dog parents, we really wanted to do everything right. Unfortunately, early on we enrolled her in a daycare/train-style program that was very discipline-focused, and it ended up making things worse. Poppy regressed a lot and became even more anxious. That's when we found Christine. From the start, Christine was patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive. She helped us undo a lot of the stress and fear that had developed and guided us step by step toward building Poppy's confidence again. What stood out most was that Christine didn't just train our dog -- she helped us grow as dog parents too. Her passion for animals is so obvious in the way she works. She regularly checked in, sent helpful podcasts and articles, and made sure we had the tools we needed between sessions. I also really appreciated that she spaced out the training sessions so we had time to practice and actually see progress. The transformation has been amazing. Poppy went from being too anxious to even get out of the car at a park to confidently walking around Carlsbad Village. Even more importantly, the bond between Poppy and me has grown so much through this process. I truly couldn't have done this without Christine, and I'm so grateful we found her. If you're struggling with your dog or just want to set them up for success, she is the person to call.

Sarah is an awesome teacher, very knowledgeable, articulate, and patient. She is passionate about…read moredog training. She keeps her classes small for lots of individual attention. We highly recommend her class! Steve and Brenda

Patti was such a great help when it came to training our puppy Winnie! She tailored every session…read moreto our dog's needs and how we can better support/train her. She also took the time to send us a recap after every session with resources so we always had something to refer back to. We enjoyed every session and have nothing but Pawsitive things to say :)

Thought I would give a review since I've had Megan as my dog walker for roughly around 9 years now…read more Just goes to show how much we love her so much; we want to keep her as our own little secret! I found Megan when we had Flexo at the time. I looked everywhere for a specific type of walker. Our boy was a rescue with a rough background. He was reactive to dogs while on leash and took time to trust strangers. I definitely wanted a dog savvy walker! One who has a background in training and tough pups like ours. Since day one, I remember coming back from work and noticing our boy feeling a little more relaxed. Not as pent up or stressed. I quickly realized how much he needed this! Whatever his situation was before, I wanted to give him a better one, an upgrade. Megan helped me with that. She was very professional, confident, and worked with our boy during her walks. He eventually loosened up to her and her little girls and it was so great to hear how much he improved over time. Flexo has since passed, but we adopted another rescue, Brody. We had him at 7 months old and, although was the complete opposite of Flexo, his puppy stage proved to be quite the whirlwind, to say the least! While we did our part in training, Megan did her part with socializing and walking. He was a little ball of energy, but now at 3 yrs old, has since calmed down and is the best boy. He loves Megan and her pack (both humans and dogs)! She also does boarding and daycare. Another plus, she is very flexible! There are often times I've had to cancel last minute because I worked from home during the pandemic, and it was no issue. She also updates by leaving a message in a little notepad she provided. There are so many positives, I can't say enough how much we love having Megan as our walker. I only hope, if there comes a time when we have to move away, we can find someone just like her. She's definitely set the standard for who I want in a professional walker!

Megan and Marla are incredible! They are basically family at this point…read more After making a very late decision to visit family over the holidays, I desperately needed to find someone I could trust to take care of my dog, Wilson. I didn't want to leave him somewhere he would end up in a cage all night and most of the day. Fortunately, I found the Balanced Pack. Wilson stayed with Marla and her family during the 6 days I was gone. As any dog owner knows, a lot of stress accompanies leaving a dog with someone else for an extended period of time - even with friends. That was not the case with the Balanced Pack. I received regular updates and daily photos of a very happy Wilson. Further, it was so nice knowing that Wilson was with people who cared about him and had plenty of playtime with his canine buddies. The only concern was that I'd have to drag him back home ;-) Since then, I have used the Balanced Pack for day boarding on a regular basis. Megan picks him up every morning on time and then drops him off around 5:30pm and feeds him dinner. He is so excited when I tell him in the morning that Megan & Marla are coming. And it is amazing to come home from work and find your dog both exercised and fed. And I do mean it - Wilson has tons of energy and on days when Megan has him, he is worn out when I get home! That says something. The bottom line is that Megan and Marla are awesome. They will treat your dogs with love and care. And you will notice an extra gleam in your pet's eyes after a fun day with the Balanced Pack.

Excellent place to take your dog for obedience and/or behavioral issues. Laura is very experienced…read moreand knowledgeable. She has helped me with my Great Dane, Daisy. She even helped her not be scared around big dogs ! Thank you so much ! I will continue to use Laura to have a very well behaved Dane. I recommend her !!!!

I'm really disappointed in how this business handles communication and customer service. I enrolled…read morein a 4-week group training class for my 9 month old puppy. I reached out nine days before the first session to ask about moving to the following 4 week session since I would be missing two out of four classes. I wasn't asking for a refund--just to switch sessions. My email went unanswered, and I had to call the facility to leave a message before the owner finally texted me back. I was told there are no changes or cancellations allowed, and to simply watch videos for the weeks I'd miss. One of the main reasons I chose this trainer was for the in-person group training and socialization, which can't be replaced by videos. I can find plenty of training videos online. This 4 week training was expensive, but I was very much so excited to grow with a training facility nearby. As a Carlsbad local, I love supporting small businesses, but this experience has been very disappointing. A little flexibility and better communication would have gone a long way.

I can't say enough about Sam. My Lab, Maui, goes on Pack Walks and gets to interact with other…read moredogs, which I believe is crucial for her socialization. While Maui and I take long walks together, I feel it's important for her to be part of a pack. When Maui goes off with Sam, I know she's with an experienced dog handler who creates a well-balanced pack. My other dog, Ester, isn't ready for Pack Walks yet, but I've needed boarding for both her and Maui. Sam's knowledge of training and understanding of dogs has helped integrate Ester into the pack. Every time Ester comes home with Maui, she's more balanced and better off. Sam's expertise and dedication have made a significant difference for both of my dogs. Highly recommended!

We absolutely love Sam! Our very active Husky/Shepard mix, River, first fell in love with Sam…read morealmost two years ago. We knew we had to keep her engaged and entertained during the day to supplement her regular morning workouts. What we got when we entrusted her to Sam was so much more than we could have dreamed at the time. Sam not only kept River active and entertained, but she taught River, and us, the importance of boundaries. The owner/pet relationship is so crucial and built upon trust and respect. Sam helped us with instruction and tips on how we could foster these within our own relationship and tailored it our girl because she had the direct experience handling River. Each time that River goes out on adventures with Sam she comes home exhausted. We know she's had a good time and it's clear how much she trusts and loves Sam. We are regularly provided access to their adventures via photos posted to Instagram. Sam puts personal touches on all the posts, it really means a lot. We could not ask for a better person to trust the care of our very special family member to. We've referred Sam to friends and strangers alike. You will not be disappointed and will receive far more than you pay for. River gives her 5 stars and two paws up!

Our almost 6 month old Pitbull Terrier/Shepherd Mix/mutt puppy, Grayson, came to stay with Sierra…read moreand Shannon for a 2 week board and train while we were on vacation and it was a game changer. We toured their house prior to Grayson's stay and it's well kept, clean, with great big yards both front and back. Grayson came home more obedient, learned how to dress before going outside and "get naked" after going outside, load in and out of the car, ring a bell to let us know when to go potty, "touch," sit, down, and the biggest thing for us is he's more comfortable in the car and listening to music (he used to bark at music like crazy). He doesn't pull on his leash as much and walks are more comfortable and less stressful. Grayson even got socialized with other dogs and cats! He does not bark as much anymore, which has been great for my nervous system Grayson got a bath before he came home and came home with a wonderful goodie bag. They used primarily positive reinforcement training with Grayson with some other tools. It was very effective. Working with Shannon and Sierra, you can tell they really care about their furry clients and take a lot of pride in their work. We will definitely be using them for future boarding for our furbaby. Highly recommend!!

Shannon and Sierra's home board and train model offers security and a sense of relaxation where…read moreyour furry friend can be taught. They try to tailor their teaching to the individual pet, will take notes ahead of time on what you hope to accomplish, and do their best to ensure that progress is made for you and your furry family! My puppy came back crate trained and less timid around other dogs which is a blessing.

I am compelled to share a review for my dog trainer, Nicole Andrews,…read more760-716-8188. Nicole is much more than a dog whisperer, she is nothing less than a miraculous canine professional. My young purebred Basenji, Reina, was given to me by a friend, her breeder, in late February, at 15 months old. Reina is a wonderful, loving, sweet tempered dog. Problem: Not socialized No trust Reactive if touched Anxious No prior training I couldn't leave her with anyone, have anyone pet sit, or board her. I wasn't sure how I would go away, and thought I might have to give this precious dog back to my friend; I was so sad. I contacted Nicole, shared the problem, my concerns, and that I might not be able to keep Reina. I needed help! Nicole came for the first session to assess Reina, and sat for over an hour demonstrating positive training techniques, and establishing trust. Nicole assured me that Reina was a sweet dog, and she just needed training; Reina would be fine to board when I go away after some training. By training session 3, we were walking with Nicole and her dog together at the lagoon, and I couldn't believe it. Nicole's many years of K9 training experience, using only positive methods were evident. Nicole encouraged me to go on my planned trip, relax and have fun. I was a little concerned, however trusted Nicole. I went away for a week, and was secure knowing Reina was fine with Nicole; she did great, played, and allowed others to hold and Pet her; what a difference! I still can't believe Reina is the same dog I brought home in February. I've had such peace of mind knowing I can go on vacation with family and leave my dog. Training Reina has helped her become more happy, confident and relaxed. I'm so grateful for Nicole's support and excited to keep working with her to help Reina live her best life. In addition, Nicole helped me with a harness recommendation, as well as Vet and Pet insurance suggestions. I can't say enough positive things about Nicole as a dog trainer extraordinaire- I highly recommend Nicole - you won't be disappointed!

If you are looking for an amazing trainer who understands your dog as well as you and the stresses…read morethat come with adding a new pup to the home, Nicole Andrews is your trainer! We rescued a Maltipoo from K9 Connection and it was recommended that we see Nicole to help Mochi learn the basics. So, we did! And we could not be happier. She really helped us understand our new pup and what she needed to be a good dog. She has helped us separately as well at home with walking. I cannot say enough positive things about Nicole and what she does. You will not be disappointed!

We adopted a 7-month-old, 45-pound Husky mix, and after my wife was pulled to the ground while…read morewalking her, we knew it was time to get some professional training. After reviewing all of the referrals provided by SPOT Rescue, we chose Kindred Spirits, and we're so glad we did. The experience was absolutely worth it. They didn't just train our teenage pup--they taught us how to work with her, communicate with her, and reinforce the right behaviors at home. Each week, we were given homework that helped us practice what we learned and prepare for the next class. In just six weeks, we've seen a huge difference in her behavior and in our confidence handling her. The best part is that they gave us the tools and knowledge to continue working with her long after the classes ended. We would highly recommend Kindred Spirits to anyone looking for dog training that really involves and educates the owners, too. Look at that eye contact.

We had a wonderful experience at Kindred Spirits Canine Education Center. Tanner made so much…read moreprogress over the six weeks of training, and we are so grateful for the support and guidance we received. Kate was an invaluable asset throughout the program. She gave clear examples, helped us understand the challenges that came up, and always approached training with such positivity and patience. She made it easy to ease into the process by providing supplemental reading and exercises that gave us the fundamental tools we needed to keep building Tanner's training at home. Every class was truly a joy. I loved watching the other dogs and owners succeed, and it was so encouraging to see major progress from each dog and their family. Tanner will absolutely be continuing his training with Kate. Karin was also such a pleasure to have in class, and we loved the adorable photos she took of all the pups. Everyone we met at Kindred Spirits was kind, understanding, and patient. Their ability to problem-solve, adjust, and customize each dog's training based on where they were at was incredible. We cannot recommend Kindred Spirits enough!