So impressed. My 4 yo herding mix did 6 weeks of behavioral training and really came back a new dog. She has quite a bit of anxiety and prior to training she tugged on leash, was out of control in the car, used barking to control situations and people at home, physically resisted anything she didn't want to do, and basically had us all wrapped around her finger. She has been home for a week now and heels and obeys on leash, sits quietly in her crate in the car, only barks when encouraged to, will stay in place until released, and comfortably stays at home (usually in her crate she has really seemed to love) when I need to get out of the house. I was initially nervous about what would need to go into making such drastic changes to an adult dog, but when we came back for our week 1 training session she was so excited to see her trainer, Cassie, that it really confirmed what a great job these trainers do. I really cannot recommend them enough...well worth the money spent. read more

We contacted Specialty Dog Training, amongst several other training facilities, in regards to some behavioral issues we were experiencing with our nearly 1 year old pup, Oliver. After our initial call with Speciality Dog Training we knew this was the facility we wanted to go with and while it was a little pricier than some others we were looking at, their staff explained the training process in a way the other facilities didn't. This helped us feel more at ease with moving forward with the training as well as gave us the confidence that our desired results would be achieved. Prior to his training, getting Oliver to listen to commands in public settings was nearly impossible and taking him on walks was never easy as he would bark, growl & pull towards any other people/dogs we'd walk past. After 6 weeks of training with Cassie, we can now confidently take Oliver on walks without him reacting to other people/dogs. We are also so confident in his ability to listen to commands in public settings that we have even done some off leash play with him at some of our neighborhood parks. It has definitely been life changing for us and a big weight has been lifted off our shoulders! Cassie provided us with weekly updates on Oliver's progress throughout his training, which definitely helped keep us at ease. And while Oliver learned a lot in his training, we as owners learned a lot in our sessions as well. Cassie demonstrated everything he learned and gave us all of the right tools to continue with his training at home. Definitely recommend Specialty Dog Training! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Photo Cassie sent us of Oliver in one of his weekly progress updates! - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Cassie is the best! Not only did she teach my little pup how to be better on the leash, she treated him like her own and gave him so much love and care. He absolutely loves training time with her and there's no other place I'll be taking him as he continues to learn new things. Thank you so much! read more

I couldn't be happier to have come across Specialty Dog Training. I recently adopted Luna who is a year and a half and is the sweetest baby. She was dog reactive, didn't know how to walk on a leash, and very protective of me. She is 55 lbs of pure muscle and would drag me up and down the street, and if she saw a bunny, forget it. I sent them an email, the same day I got a phone call and was able to set up a phone consultation for the next day. Luna was trained by Julie who is an exceptional human being. She changed our lives. I never thought I would have a dog I could walk at a normal hour. She has learned manners and is just such a good dog to be around now. Julie would constantly send pictures and updates on Luna and answer every question we could think of. She took everything we said into consideration and worked with Luna through everything. She has unlimited knowledge and was so patient and loving with Luna. I couldn't rave about this place and Julie enough. read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

We recently sent our dog Max to specialty dog training to help with his general obedience issues, resource guarding and leash walking. Our dogs trainer was Cassie and she was phenomenal, communicated with us throughout Max's stay, was very friendly and helpful and Max came back so well behaved. Excellent experience, I highly recommend. read more

Getting my first dog I definitely needed some help training him, Cassie did a great job instilling obedience and discipline into my 2 year gsd Zeus(: read more

Cassie was fantastic. Our dog Rozie is much more well behaved. She is still working on some commands, but it is a night and day difference.

Wow! We have a Belgian Malinois. We loved our dog before sending her to boot camp, but the transformation of Piper, our Malinois, and the guidance our trainer, Braelyn, provided was/is priceless. At home our dog was manageable, but her manners needed improvement and we lacked the confidence to take her in public places because of her wild behavior. Today I spent 5 hours at a park with over 100 people and over 10 dogs. My dog was the life of the party, the best behaved, and all around a pleasure to be with. Thank you, Braelyn and Specialty Dog Training, for giving me the dog of my dreams. read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Our rescue dog needed some serious training, and we knew with our work schedules (and lack of knowledge) we were not going to be able to do it on our own. He did a 6 week camp with his trainer, Julie and the rest of the team at Specialty Dog Training. I really can't say enough good things about it. Julie is an awesome trainer and really worked with us and him to make sure everything we wanted was accomplished, truly going above and beyond our expectations. The whole team has been AMAZING (and yes I needed to yell that.) Julie worked so hard with him, and Nicky was able to answer all of our many, many questions prior to sending him, and during his stay. Trust me, she put in a lot of time holding our hands before we even handed the leash to Julie. We are so happy we made the decision to send him to camp, and know that we'll be sending him for any "refresher" training he may need in the future (or, really, taking him for our refresher training. ;) ) read more

This is not the place for a timid, fearful dog. My dog spent 5 weeks there in 2020. I came across them today while trying to search for another trainer. I am only posting this to help someone who is searching for a trainer for their fearful dog. I wish I had read a review like mine prior to using them. The prong collar they used to train her did more harm then good. After 3 weeks they switched trainers as the original trainer was not making progress. At the 4 week mark (original timeframe) they called and asked me to leave her another week. I got the impression she had had no training. After 5 weeks, she should have known all basic commands. They taught her to use a treadmill and leave it. She already knew sit, down and walked well on a leash when she was dropped off. Heel was not completely learned. They may do a good job training a dog that is very confident. read more

Specialty Dog Training and Perry is handsdown the best thing that happened to us and our dog Yony. Yony is a two year old Jindo, which is known to be a very sweet and loyal but challenging breed to train. In addition Yony was very skittish and very difficult to walk on leash because of his skittishness and dominant behavior and need to mark every single pole we run into. After a month of Boot Camp, he returned a changed dog. He is much more confident, loves working with me and became much more comfortable generally. No problem waling him in the neighborhood although we still need a little more work around other dogs but that was expected. Nevertheless, Yony responds well to leave it commands and it is much more manageable when other dogs are around. Perry was also very kind and took extra time to explain to us what he did and what we should be doing going forward. Thank you thank you thank you!!! read more

After researching several board/train facilities, we decided on Specialty Dog Training...and we are so glad we did. Our two pups loved this place. Perry was their trainer and he's been extremely knowledgeable and great with our girls. They love him and all of the staff in the office. While they were at boot camp, we received multiple updates each week with photos and videos and explanations about the progress they were making. It didn't end up feeling like we were away from them for 3 weeks! Our girls were trained well and exceeded our expectations. They sit, lie down and stay on command. Of course getting home is a little rough since they need to realize they can't revert to old ways at home but Perry is teaching us and giving us the foundation on how to continue training them. Couldn't be happier! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Overjoyed at the results of the 4 week boot camp,for my lab puppy.Nothing but pure professionalism from start to finish.Rebekah was a perfect match for us.She kept me updated through videos and pics all throughout.I learned so much myself.Thank you,Thank you!! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Good girl,Molly! - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

We adopted a rescue puppy at 8 weeks old. She ended up being a very alpha female and used her sharp teeth on everything and everyone. Knowing how smart she is, we knew we needed some help to make her a family dog that didn't rule the house. We choose the three week boot camp with Alayna and was worth every penny. She came home proficient on all basic commands and understands the difference between right and wrong. It's great having the follow up classes to make sure we're consistent with enforcing everything they taught her. Best of all she is AMAZING on leash and walks next to us patiently. Would definitely recommend. read more

Specialty Dog Training - Happy Cora the day we picked her up from boot camp! - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Let's just say at first, I was very hesitant about sending my fur baby, Athena, away to training camp! I've trained all my dogs and have had a love for dog behavior since I was a child--though I am NO professional. I never owned a German Shepherd, and after realizing my pups potential, I knew I wanted the BEST for her! (That did not mean Petco training..haha!) She spent 4 weeks with head-trainer, Stephen and the team at Specialty Dog Training. When I dropped her off, I was a little uncertain because I didn't get the chance to meet Stephen (it was his day off), but I got updates from him twice a week with photos of her. He said it took her a little while to warm up to being there (the dogs, noises, and strange people made her nervous). She stopped eating, and Stephen made sure to bring her in his office so she felt safe and comfortable to eat. More than anything I wanted her to be loved and cared for, as I would care for her. There was NO shortage of that here. When I picked her up, she was bathed, and we got a quick demo of them together. We also got our one-on-one training with Stephen too. I could see the way Athena's confidence had changed. She knew what was expected of her and wanted to please us. Since I've enjoyed learning about dogs for many years, I was happy to see that Stephen truly understood Athena's behavior and what worked for her. Her confidence and self-control in our home and out in public is incredible! She needs subtle reminders, but understands the cues and with the right leadership and follow-through, she is going to do amazing things! Most importantly, my dog was loved, cared for, and came home confident, without fear, and with the same love and goofiness, just with more manners and control!! What else can you ask for? We look forward to our next training session with Stephen and continued training and support with Specialty Dog Training!! You guys ROCK! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

I had my consultation with Callie, the individual in charge of establishing the contract and training. During our conversation I asked Callie about how the training would go and she was very vague. I explained to her that I wanted to feel confident with their training plan and that my dog would be safe there, especially if I am going to spend around $4,000 for a four-week session. I expressed how my dog suffers from separation anxiety and that I want to make sure he is handled properly. When I asked Callie for this confidence or even continuity in their training she was still vague and started to get an attitude. Callie was not able to instill confidence of their plan and had a condescending tone when continued to be asked about it. Callie was extremely UNPROFESSIONAL, RUDE and NOT A GOOD individual to work with. I don't understand how you could feel safe sending your dog away for four weeks to people that can't even speak to you professionally and not emotionally. Towards the end of the conversation I asked Callie what could be done if my dog was not receptive to their training, her reply was that follow on training could be applied THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR on top of the money that you've already spent. At the end of the conversation I asked Callie to send me an email of their training plan and the other plans they offer, which she has completely blown me off. I DO NOT recommend working with these people. read more

We have had both of our fur babies attend and Cassie and Alayna were OUTSTANDING trainers. Both of our girls are so different and the trainers did a wonderful job of identifying how best to work with them and have helped them become wonderful doggo citizens!! The investment was worth every penny- we highly recommend SDT!!! read more

After a lot of research and phone calls to different facilities, I choose to work with Specialty dog training! I started with in home training with Stephen! And from the moment I met Stephen and watched the interaction between him and Drogo I knew I had made the best decision for Drogo's training! After a few months of in home training Drogo went to boot camp! After 3 weeks I picked up a completely different dog! Drogo has developed into a confident behaved dog under Stephens training! I can now take him to the dog store, to lunch at an outside plaza without drama! I highly recommend Stephen and specialty dog training! It has been an amazing experience for me and Drogo! As much as Stephen trained Drogo, he trained me how to be a better dog owner so I can continue to work with Drogo at home! Thank you Stephen and Specialty dog training! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

I highly recommend them! We adopted an eight-year-old deaf dog that really needed training and the ability to communicate with us...My husband and I were both skeptical about paying so much money to have our dog trained but it has proven to be incredibly valuable and helpful to us ..Perry was fantastic and very clear On what we needed to do after our dog had been in training for six weeks. I'd highly recommend it for anyone who has a dog that they cannot control and they want to have fit better into their family read more

I want to start this review by saying that I have had to sit down on multiple occasions to attempt to write out how grateful I am for Specialty Dog Training...but it's so hard to find the words. Heads up - it's going to be a long one. After adopting our Australian Shepherd, Jessie, we soon learned that she was an extremely anxious, high-strung, super smart dog who knew exactly what she was doing wrong and would push us to our wit's end. My family spent an entire year meeting with trainer after trainer trying to find solutions for the barking, jumping, pulling on the leash, leash reactivity, counter-surfing, mouthing, bolting out of the house, outbursts of behavior, etc. Eventually, we decided that what Jessie (and we) needed was a board and train program. When we didn't know where else to turn, our vet sent us to Specialty Dog Training. When it came to sending Jessie away for 6 weeks, I was definitely a wreck. I knew that it was the only option we had left in order for us to keep her, but it was still so hard to send my baby away for that long. However, the amount of reassurance and compassion that we all got from the staff at Specialty Dog Training was incredible. Throughout Jessie's stay, we got text updates twice a week with pictures and videos. If we had any questions, we would send a quick text off to our trainer (Daniel) and hear back within a couple of days. Daniel did a great job of showing us her progress and new skills, as well as teaching her things that we never could have taught her ourselves. Jessie had such a strong bond with him. When Jessie's eating habits changed a bit (she was adjusting to the new environment), they kept us posted every day until she got back to her normal eating pattern. We could tell that Jessie was given lots of love and attention (in addition to her training) while at the SDT. After bringing Jessie home, it became clear that sending her to the 6 week board and train was the best decision for all of us. Jessie went from being an anxious, skittish, disobedient dog to a dog that is very confident, strives to please, loves her walks (and is amazing on the leash), and listens very well. Jessie no longer jumps up on people or furniture, she walks in a perfect heel, she responds well to her "come" command, she no longer lunges and barks when there is a dog across the street, she stays in the "place" command, she loves her crate and goes right in when told. I am no longer nervous to take her in public because I am confident that she will behave well. She even learned how to use the treadmill! The best part about the "new" Jessie is that she still has her playful and spunky personality that we all loved, but now she knows when she has to be calm and take a break from all of the running around and playing. Jessie's behaviors have improved exponentially. None of this would have been possible without SDT. This review is already pushing essay length but I can't write a review for Specialty Dog Training without mentioning their amazing leader, Graham. Graham not only spoke with us and addressed all of our concerns on multiple phone calls before the program, but he also checked in throughout Jessie's time with SDT. He answered every text, every call, and every question. He has continued this stellar customer service, for lack of a better term. Since bringing Jessie home, Graham has been consistently available for any concerns we have had in the new adjustment. It's obvious that he loves dogs and knows them very well. He has made us (and Jessie) feel like family and I couldn't be more grateful for his efforts and his care. I would recommend SDT to any dog owner that I know. read more

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We took our 5 month old Siberian Husky, Maxx, to Specialty Dog Training's 3 week Board & Training Boot Camp in Oceanside, and Perry Chapman was his trainer. We know that Husky's are stubborn and can be difficult to train but Perry was patient, firm and worked miracles. Maxx is now a much calmer, more mannerable member of the family. When Perry came for the home follow-up visit, it was clear he and Maxx developed a bond of trust and affection during the boot camp. Perry was then able to train each of us to give the commands Maxx will respond to. I recommend Specialty Dog Training and Perry Chapman to all our friends w/canine family members. read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

I had a really terrible experience with one of the girls who does the "free consultations." She was incredibly condescending and rude. I was initially told the consultation would take between 15 - 45 minutes and when I got on the phone she said it would be an hour. She had an attitude the whole time and I was told I had to commit to crate training my dog while I wasn't home as part of their program and that wasn't something I wanted to do (they should be up front with this - would say a lot of time on both ends!). I would encourage Specialty Dog Training to be a bit more understanding and thoughtful in their approach to selling their program instead of condescending and rude. read more

Danielle is AMAZING!!!!! She loved and treated our sweet puppy like her own!!! When I was recovering from knee surgery and couldn't walk, she took care of and trained our sweet, rambunctious, and growing love bug. She also trained ME so that when we brought him home, and I still couldn't walk well, it was easy and wonderful, and I could manage our large puppy happily and easily. When I had questions, she would pick up the phone and guide me through it. She was encouraging and kind and smart and wonderful. What an incredible difference she has made in our lives!!! I give her my highest recommendation!!! We love Danielle and we love Graham Specialty Training!!!! Thank you!!! read more

Didn't even get a chance to see how good their training is because customer service was so bad. After an inquiry someone called me to set up a phone consultation with trainer. It was set for 2pm on a Wednesday, hard to schedule for me with my busy schedule. Then, after I waited 55 minutes after 2pm that day I get a call that the trainer can't make it and needs to reschedule! No apology, not even after I suggested it might have been nice to get that information before my appointment. No thanks. read more

I sent my 7 month old Doberman for a 6-week board and train with Shan. This is my 3rd Doberman but his strong personality was much different than my other dogs and I realized quickly I needed serious help with his behavior. My dog has been completely transformed and I'm no longer hesitant to take him to public places. We are still practicing at home, and working to enforce the positive behaviors he learned, but the experience has been life-changing. The trainer Shan was exactly what my dog needed and his background with this type of breed is very impressive. I highly recommend Shan and this facility! read more

Specialty Dog Training - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Brought the newest of the family of 4 dogs here for a 4 week obedience camp. He is about 7 months old, and a Belgian Malinois. My partner and I decided it would be in not only our best interest, but also our dog's to enroll him in the obedience training program, considering his breed, figured it would be a great investment to set us up for success long term, as Belgians typically aren't an entry level pup. We picked him up this morning and have spent the day with him, the difference is night and day. While on site, our dog's trainer Dalton spent a lot of time with us going over our dog's experience and hands on time reinforcing all of the commands. Especially for an only 7 month old puppy who is generally always excited and puppy-like, it was extremely impressive to see him behave so well and with so much confidence as he was a rescue and used to be extremely anxious, I was so happy to see the relationship that Dalton had made with him, and I can tell that he has been well loved for the past 4 weeks. Since being home, our dog has been absolutely lovely, and we've had a lot of fun reinforcing all the new things he has learned. 10/10, a great investment Also, they send update videos weekly, which is a nice touch when you're missing your fur kid. read more

Specialty Dog Training has made an incredible difference for our family. our rescue dog Winston is a large Mastif. As a puppy he was extremely agtessive and these trainers too on the job of turning him into a loving family dog. Winston is a resource guarder and the training has really helped. they even came to our house to teach me how to set boundaries with furniture and "no go" zones. we take a refresher every year. Take your pup to Specialty! read more

Cassie and the entire Specialty Dog Training team were great throughout the entire board and train process. Our dog Beau did the 6 week training program and Cassie was great about sending weekly updates so we always felt informed. The training sessions with her were informative and we feel like it definitely made a big difference in our dogs behavior. Would absolutely recommend! read more

I would first like to state that I've been working with Graham for almost a decade now with training my dogs, but this review is for the newest addition to his crew, Shan Foster. So I recently got my first Doberman puppy, Panzer, and yeah... it was quite a surprise with just how BADLY this puppy needed training! I waited until he turned 16 weeks, and as soon as that happened and his rabies vaccine/puppy shot series was done, off Panzer went to boarding school. I currently have Panzer in a obedience/protection training package, and I just picked him up from his first phase of training. HOLY. CRAP. Honestly, I feel like Shan just played a switch-a-roo and gave me an entirely different dog! I'll explain - when I first brought Panzer to the Specialty Dog Training campus/grounds, he was so wild, he didn't even respond to his own name. It was embarrassing, frustrating, and really annoying to the point where I often wanted to scream. Well, Shan got a hold of him, and this dog... wow. Panzer is now 6 months old, and he is like a little gentleman. He doesn't pull on his leash, he doesn't do whatever he pleases, he knows his name, and best of all... omg. HE LISTENS!!! Again, I wasn't so confident that he was going to catch on because he was that bad, but I swear, Shan, he worked some magic there. Another thing I absolutely appreciated is how Shan broke down my new "job" as Panzer's handler. He explained, in explicit detail, what I will need to look out for/pay attention to, how to correct him appropriately, and what his exact commands were while training Panzer. He also gave me the lead after a brief demo, and let me test out his training! This all basically boils down to me, as a new handler of a well trained dog, having a super smooth transition into being able to handle Panzer accordingly. This gave me the reassurance and boost of confidence I needed in order to step off on the right foot. Very, VERY much appreciated. Again, I have Panzer in a obedience/protection training package, so he is going back to the SDT campus in about a month for his next phase; therefore, this is my initial review (for phase one). I'm very pleased, and it's been a blessing with how well behaved my puppy is now. Thank you so much Shan! I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and everything. I'm very happy! If I could give more stars, I most definitely would. read more

Julie is amazing with our puppy Lucky. We did the 3 week puppy boot camp and he came back a new dog with his basic manners in place. I plan to continue working with them develop him and highly recommend Specialty Dog Training. read more

In response to the comment on this review, I haven't received any calls, so either you're confusing me with someone else or you've mixed my number up with someone else's (I know you had the right one because your staff member was able to call me twice). Either way, that again raises a red flag to me about organization - if client phone numbers can get mixed up, I wonder whether the same is possible with dog feeding or medication instructions. In either case, I'm no longer interested in a consultation. ___________________________________________________ I emailed Specialty Dog Training to learn more, and I got a call from someone who asked some basic questions then scheduled a time for their trainer Nicky to call me a couple days later. Nicky never called. That's been the entirety of my experience with Specialty. It's not to say you shouldn't use them, but to me it's a red flag worth noting - dog training requires consistency and organization, and if they aren't even organized enough to follow through and call a customer, it makes me wonder if they're forgetting things when it comes to the dogs. read more

I had a dog that would yank my arm out. Now I can walk with him down the street without my arm hurting. Trainers are great with the dogs. The staff treats the dogs well and will give extra snuggles when needed. One of my dogs had a traumatic experience when he was a puppy so he was a bit nervous in a new environment. The staff went out of their way to make sure he had extra love throughout the day. He was also on a new prescription diet while attending training. The trainer, Cassie still managed to train him with very minuscule treats but lots of praise . read more

We adopted an adorable, sweet 10 week old puppy and when we got her home realized, while she had suffered zero trauma in her short life, she had some serious fear and confidence issues. We consulted a Positive trainer in San Diego and she confirmed the behavior was definitely not "normal" and recommended some serious one on one training. Seeking a place closer to home we found Specialty Dog Training. A phone consultation with Alayna and a month later we dropped off 4 month old Enid for a 4 week boot camp. The focus was on confidence building through obedience training. A (very long) month was made easier by the twice weekly emails with pics or videos and we were reunited with our girl. When we saw her and Alayna demonstrate her new skills, we knew we had brought her to the right place. Alayna was very sweet and I think the perfect fit for training puppies. Alayna taught Enid the basics and really increased her confidence. We spent an hour discussing and getting myself and my husband trained on how to communicate with Enid. She has been home 2 months now and life is so much better for everyone in the family. This is no magic bullet-you don't magically get a perfect behaving dog especially because no such thing exists. Instead, Specialty lays a great workable foundation of basics and what you do with it from there will determine how much you and your dog get out of it. They delivered exactly what they say they will. Advice: read the website thoroughly (they offer a lot of interesting information and use a mix of techniques and tools) and ask a lot of questions, they are happy to answer them (of course with COVID-19 almost everything is remote and everyone is still trying to figure it out). I realized any hesitations or doubts I had during the process was because I didn't ask enough questions. It may seem expensive but for us the results were more than worth it. read more

We placed our dog in the 4-week boot camp based on an over the phone consultation in October/November 2020. The course of the boot camp went ok over all. We received one update a week when we were expecting two. We did not receive a picture every week and we did not receive any videos. Trivial maybe but these matter with an investment and you trust your dog to someone else. The first two updates were about the same, stating the trainer was working on "bonding" and telling us things we already know about our dog. The last week we did not receive one. At pickup we were very pleased with the results! Our pup was well improved. Specialty took great care of her. She was happy healthy and well groomed. Unfortunately after about a week at home we were having some trouble slipping back. We messaged our trainer and her response was to give a harder correction, she's just testing you. I would like to point out that specialty uses a prong collar as a training tool. I wish I did more research on prong collars however in retrospect i didn't know how much I do not like using a prong until using it so I don't believe more research would have mattered much. We had our first follow up training scheduled at about 10 days if I remember correctly. Unfortunately our first follow up was cancelled and rescheduled 3 times due to the trainer being sick and COVID precautions. While I don't think this was avoidable and I can't fault the trainer, what I will say is I think we should have been offered to work with another trainer because the consequences of not having a follow up training for over a month later led to a bad experience, a lot of frustration, and ultimately not as good of outcome for our pups training. Once we finally had our follow ups we were so happy to find our dog fall right back into training mode and improve some. (Our main issue was leash manners and dog reactivity). However after a couple of days at home she would regress. I would ask the trainer what am I doing wrong and she would reply nothing just give a harder correction. We had our three follow up trainings, learned some new tools and were kind of starting to get back on track so we thought we would try to sign up for some additional one on one training. She agreed we came up with a plan for timing and number of sessions so I reached out to set it up. I literally emailed the day (or maybe two days after) and was told this trainer no long worked at Specialty. This does make me curious because as we were planning to do more training together I have to assume she wasn't planning to quit the next day. So if she was relieved I would hope that If it was based on quality of training the company would offer some compensation or rework for the dogs she trained but we were never reached out to or informed. I was told I could set up with another training and pay $500 for 3 sessions (I may be remembering this price point wrong) but it was a frustrating amount of money after already spending 3k and now we would have to "bond" with a new trainer (which I'm still not sure if that's necessary and/or takes two weeks) We decided to look elsewhere which is why I decided to write this review. I spent one session with a different trainer who uses an e-collar vs a prong and who took the time to correct some of my behaviors to help me communicate with my dog better vs telling me to "give a harder correction" which for me was very frustrating to do with a prong collar. This was just a consultation appointment. We had 3 additional sessions planned and they have been useless because she is doing so well with the changes. So overall yes specialty did a great job training my dog. They took excellent care of her. I can not speak on the facility as a whole because COVID precautions allowed us to enter a small area but that area was clean and well kept. The office staff is responsive and professional. Our trainer was pleasant. However in our experience the training follow through was not there. We were not set up for success and yes some of that is on us. However in doing more research retrospectively it could be argued that dog training is more about training the owner than it is the dog. I also would suggest to research and maybe trial a prong before you decide because while it may work for others it added frustration for us and I personally would not recommend it (my opinion only). And maybe we can chalk the negative parts of our experience up to the frustrating world of COVID? Not sure. Either way I hope this review prompts you to do more research (even more than you'd think you need to) and if Specialty is the right fit, perfect. They will definitely take good care of your pup! read more

This place saved our rescue pup's life. Kai had already been adopted and returned twice when we showed up. All he really needed was loving, patient masters and a place that would help him learn his boundaries. That's what he got and what we got by going with this group. Our trainer, Perry, was amazing and so attentive, even for several weeks after bootcamp. Can't praise this group enough. We are all so happy that our Kai has found his forever home thanks in large part to Specialty Dog Training. read more

This place is amazing not only do they do shelter to solder training which I applaud they did not shy at My request to train my recently adopted 9 year old 5lb chihuahua. Perry her trainer started working on her confidence and Daisy responded immediately, the people at this organization are top notch and I am beyond grateful . My Daisy now enjoying her lessons, going thru tunnels,over ramps,jumping up and on balls. She also does basic commands sit,stay,come. So thankful Perry and all the amazing people at Specialty Dog training thank you all so much for making this possible read more

Specialty Dog Training - Miss Daisy - Pet Training Near Me - Oceanside, California

Cassie was absolutely amazing. The updates kept my mind at ease and helped me sleep knowing they were in such great care. My two GSDs were on a 6 week board and train and with every update I was more impressed with their progress. Can't thank Cassie enough for all of her help. read more

I have a little Pomeranian with a big personality. As he is 11 months and growing into his personality his barking got out of hand. He literally viewed everyone and every dog as a threat. He would bark so aggressively that I would have to carry him away. I often would end up with scratches all over me and I couldn't take him anywhere in public. Feeling very frustrated and ready to give up I decided to get him trained at specialty dog training and it was the best decision I ever made! The front office was always helpful and answered any questions I had. Garick and one other trainer trained my dog and let me tell you the difference is night and day! I am amazed in the change instilled in my puppy and the discipline he displayed. My dog doesn't like new people so Garick took it slow and built a bond with him first. I can't say enough amazing things. I enrolled Louis in a 4 week board and training program. It includes 3 personal lessons upon completion to help you transition. I have only done one out of three but I will update my review once the process is over! read more

If you're struggling to train your dog properly Specialty Dog Training (and especially the trainor, Rex!) is the solution! I was not excited about leaving our sweet but rambunctious 9 mo Aussie in someone else's care for a very long month but I knew he needed professionals. Rex took such loving care while training him. We received a text update and video once a week (which helped us tremendously while being separated from him), and each week we could see a remarkable difference and improvement in his behavior. At pick up, Rex patiently taught us what we needed to ensure a successful transition to home. We will be going back as a follow up at the one week mark in case we need more training for ourselves, Luca ( our dog) is in great shape! We highly recommend Specialty Dog Training (the staff there is fabulous, too!) It was a happy experience from beginning to end. We are grateful we found them! read more

To all future clients of Specialty Dog Training, I was impressed with all at Specialty Dog Training: the founder, trainers and staff--all wonderful. But the trainer that shaped my aggressive Aussie Shepard 6 year old mix to a controllable obedient man was Shan Foster. The ability of Shan as a trainer for your loving four-legged family member is hands down one of the best! He's knowledge and skill exudes confidence with outcome to back it up. You as the owner will also have to do your part but as long as you allow them to help shape you to be a better trainer then your relationship with your dog will reach new levels. With the highest recommendations we recommend Shan for your future clients and their family dog members. We loved Shan so much we sent our 2 newest puppy family members to him also. :) Love can come in many forms and with a trainer like Shan training you and your pup even the most aggressive cases will have a happy ending. Blessings and gratefulness to all of you at Specialty Dog Training, but especially you--Shan Foster. Thank you from our hearts and soul! Blessings of light and love, Guillermina Galvan, Bodb Dearg, Suddhatman, Ch'omack and Bonkai read more