We have been taking several training classes here and it has been a great experience!read more

My 15-month-old has been attending the programs here for more than 10 months. They have done a…read morespectacular job socializing and training her, first at the puppy socials and then graduating into Mini-Day School as a teenager. She now weighs 115lbs+ and is an active and intense mix of breeds. Because of David (positively the most patient person on the planet) and the supporting staff here, she is well behaved at home and in public. I constantly get compliments about her general manners and also behavior around other dogs. People are often surprised about the command I have over such a large and strong dog. I think things would have been a nightmare for us without this program. Tailored has not only worked with her directly, but they have educated me about ways to work with her on my own. I can't imagine getting another puppy without sending them through this program. These classes are always a priority in my schedule. Well worth the drive and very reasonable cost, and she loves it!

We cannot recommend Dan highly enough! We were struggling with a wide range of issues with our two…read morevery different dogs--a Red Heeler and a Chihuahua. From constant barking at the front door and leash pulling with our Heeler to 'micro-aggressions' between the two of them, our home felt chaotic. The fact that Dan offers in-home training was a huge selling point for us, and over the course of eight weeks, he systematically addressed every single concern we had. Dan's expertise and patience are unmatched. He even helped us navigate our somewhat complicated family dynamics to ensure we were all on the same page. Our dogs are now better versions of themselves--we honestly don't even recognize their old behaviors anymore! If you are looking for a trainer who truly understands dog behavior and delivers results, hire Dan.

There are not enough great words to describe Dan and his success. Our Boston Terrier, Wally, was…read morethe ultimate wild child when we got him from rescue. He was impossible to take a walk, we could not answer our front door, he terrorized the cats. The best thing about Dan is his method and approach. No prong collars, no harsh methods, no bark collars. He teaches you to "speak dog". He explained how dogs communicate with each other. He helped us understand Wally has anxiety from basically not having boundaries. His tools of choice are your "bark", a squirt bottle and baggie full of water. All gentle but so effective. We have had 3 sessions. The first was some basic commands and behavior corrections. They worked! I could answer my front door without him running out or just going crazy. The 2nd session we got potty training help. Wally had been doing well until our older dog got sick and had accidents. After that he only went in our house. We started using Dan's suggestions. The 3rd session was like magic and the skies opened giving us a new dog. We took Wally on a walk with Dan and he was a different dog. No lunging, no climbing up the leash or going berserk when he sees other dogs. Now he is a pleasure to walk-he heals, he minds us. Potty training is amazing. He has not gone in the house since the last session. Today I was in the yard with our cats. They have a fenced area. Normally Wally would be uncontrollable and trying to get to the cats. Today he just stood there when I corrected him. I cannot recommend Dan and Bark Busters enough. Gentle corrections, simple methods and immediate results. If you do what he says you get an amazing dog.

Jayne is amazing! I actually called Jayne bc I was worried abt my young pom bc he jumped on another…read moredog on one of our walks. I was so worried and embarrassed! I called my vet as soon as i got home! My vet suggested I call this particular behavioral trainer she knew and so I did. (It wasn't Jayne). This behavioral trainer told me I should return my dog to breeder. I should never fall asleep with this breed on my bed (Pomeranians) as they could bite my face off. She continued to tell me all these horrible stories abt poms. I was so confused and upset when I hung up. My husband insisted I get another opinion. I found Jayne's info online the next day and called her. She came over same day because she knew how upset I was and she wanted to meet my fur baby. Needless to say, she is amazing! I am so happy I made that call! My pom is now 5 yo and he is fabulous! Sweet, entertaining, and so well-behaved because of Jayne's training!

We found Jayne through Yelp, and from the moment she arrived for our consultation, She was…read moregenuinely excited to meet us and our dog, making the experience comfortable and enjoyable. Jayne was highly professional, easy to talk to, and went above and beyond by offering additional helpful information for our dog, which we truly appreciated. We highly recommend her program to anyone looking for quality care and expertise. Thank you, Jayne, for your amazing customer service!

My best friend lost her mom to cancer a few weeks ago. My friend lives out of state- so I have been…read moreassisting her locally. Her mom adopted the sweetest chihuahua from Arf back in 2021, the fur baby went blind about a year ago. So we were really concerned about how she would settle in a new environment, and we're trying to rehome the dog I went to Joybound a few weeks ago to ask if there was any chance they take back their animals in these circumstances. The woman at the welcome desk was so helpful explaining yes they do. She walked me thru the process to fill out the forms online They got back to my friend promptly to setup an appointment for a behavior assessment and vet evaluation. We had our appointment yesterday at 2. We arrived a half hour early so we wouldn't be rushed , and to help Lily stay as calm as possible. Everyone we encountered was delightful and so kind. No judgements- Lily came alive with tail wags and enthusiasm to be back at such a supportive rescue group. She was just basking in the attention and love. She passed her behavior test with flying colors. We were told she most likely will be going to a foster home first for a few weeks before she's available for adoption. We were told we can follow her online with her name, and see when she becomes available and she won't be on the website anymore once she finds her next loving home. Thank you Joybound for standing behind your animals and supporting families We also did not have to pay a surrender fee. We were encouraged to take our time and enjoy complementary coffee or tea, also offered a box of tissues We were already pulling out of the parking lot before our scheduled appointment time Can't think you enough for your kindness all around this hard experience

I had multiple excellent experiences with Joybound in several different atmospheres. I first…read morediscovered them when they held a pet vaccination clinic in Antioch. I had two new kittens that I took in as a foster, but of course my family and I fell in love with them and kept them. At this event I got both of their first kitten shots, rabies shot, microchips, flea medicines and some cat food all for free!! Everyone was so nice and although there was a lot of people there taking advantage of the free services, they communicated effectively and everything was organized and not chaotic. I joined their mailing list and found out about their next event in Richmond. The kittens and I went down there to get their second kitten shots and cat food, for free! I got on the waiting list for low cost spay and neuter clinic. Friendly staff, nicely organized. I was suprised when I got the call from them for the neutering appts quicker than expected! Brought both kittens down, everything went well, again for free!! Today my husband, our daughter and I went down to their free pets stocking decorating event. Met with smiles, super cute room filled with stockings and puff paint pens on the tables. They had cookies and hot apple cider. All for free. We decorated stockings for the kittens and our other cat, it was a lot of fun and they had a good turnout! While our stockings dried, we walked around a bit and found they had a boutique! We made Christmas donations for both cat and dog items that they matched! And we got our large dog some Christmas Jammie's on clearance for $5. Boutique was well priced, my husband got a Joybound hat! So onto the animas they had there! First we passed the cats. All of them cuddling in super nice beds, they had nice toys, scratch pads, colorful wallpaper in their individual rooms, information sheets on each door for each pet. The dogs had the same, nice fuzzy beds, toys, little slots to give them treats down this tube. So cute!! I typically can't look at shelter pets because I feel so bad for them. These animas all looked happy and very well taken care of! There was staff walking around regularly checking in on people since they had adoption available. I asked a few questions they were able to answer no problem! They seemed very caring and committed to the animals and putting their best foot forward in helping the get homes. Building super clean, staff super nice, animas all cozy. Overall, we have a great opinion of Joybound with all these diverse experiences we've had with them. The people are so nice and welcoming. We're so grateful for them and the help they provided my kittens, saved us a ton of money!!! And for all they do, thank you!!!!!!

I reached out to Gary for help with my dog Peaches and her leash reactivity, and he was extremely…read moreprompt in responding. The initial consultation went very well, and I learned so much about dog communication and how to better support Peaches. I also learned that she is a highly anxious dog, which explained many of the challenges I had been concerned about. We enrolled in Gary's six-week program and finished with the tools and knowledge needed to keep Peaches on the right track toward recovery. Just like humans, dogs rehabilitate at their own pace, and over those six weeks Peaches made significant progress. We're looking forward to enrolling in advanced training once she's ready so she can enjoy more freedom off-leash. Gary is not like other trainers we've worked with. He doesn't rely on obedience-based shortcuts or gimmicks. Instead, he teaches you how to work through real situations and explains the theory behind his approach so you truly understand what's happening and how to handle stressful moments. Most importantly, Gary teaches you how to become the focal point for your dog, which has made a lasting difference for us.

We worked with Gary Maria for six weeks to help our 3-year-old rescue, Giorgi, who struggles with…read morefear and anxiety. Honestly, Gary was incredible. From day one, it was clear he knows his stuff and loves what he does. A lot of the time, Giorgi was too overwhelmed to participate. On day 1, Giorgi hid under a table the whole session. But that's ok because Gary was really training us. By the last session, Giorgi was walking around, watching other dogs and people walk by, and still listening to commands. Gary taught us how to help Giorgi feel safe, calm him down when he's stressed, and build trust. We've already seen such a difference at home. Gary is knowledgeable, patient, direct (in the best way), funny, and available when you have questions. He celebrated every little win with us! You can tell he truly cares about the dogs he works with. We still have more work to do, but thanks to Gary, we know how to keep moving forward. If you have a dog with anxiety or fear, seriously, go to Gary. He's the real deal.

I am writing about their Pets Hotel. I have a cat named Brenda who is the "aw diva of cat coziness"…read moreand if she doesn't feel comfortable she will let you know. I have never heard any one of the hotel staff ever complain about her when I pick her up. I've dropped her there several times, even around some busy Holidays they did their best to accommodate Brenda. I really appreciate the effort they've taken in scheduling, it's been quick and efficient. The prices are also fair here. It won't cost you an arm and leg to board your cat. They also take time and engage with you cat so they don't get to lonely or homesick. I don't have any dogs, but love seeing their Doggy Daycare which is closely attached to the Pets hotel where I go. The dogs seem to be having a party!

Groomer: Ruby Location: Petsmart Concord Ca…read more If I could give zero stars, I would. I brought my dog Benny in for a simple maintenance cut and bath. His hair was long, and we specifically like to keep him fluffy. I showed the groomer a photo of the exact style we wanted -- a fluffy "teddy bear" cut -- and clearly stated that if they could not achieve that look, to please keep his hair long. I dropped Benny off at 9:30 a.m. and was told to return in one hour, which is typical for his usual groomer. When I called an hour later (after realizing I had missed my other dog Teddy's appointment and apologizing to the groomer scheduled for both dogs), they weren't even finished with Benny. I assumed the delay meant extra care was being taken. Benny was not ready until 1:45 p.m. -- over four hours later. When my husband picked him up, he looked like a completely different dog. His hair was completely cut off. It looked nothing like the photo I provided and was nowhere near the fluffy teddy bear cut I requested. It was extremely disappointing. What concerns me even more is Benny's behavior afterward. He is almost one year old and has been groomed regularly since he was a puppy. He is normally energetic, confident, and affectionate. When my husband picked him up, he was shaking and visibly nervous. Even two days later, he seems timid and withdrawn -- which is very unlike him. It makes me question how he was treated during those four hours. I understand that grooming salons get busy. However, communication and following clear instructions are basic expectations. I left my dog there trusting he would be cared for properly. This cut cost $110 -- more than the $85 I typically pay at a private boutique groomer who consistently does an excellent job. The quality did not reflect the price. I will not be returning. I only booked here because our regular groomer did not have availability that day. That was a mistake I will not repeat. Very disappointed.

Such a great company- always giving back to the community and the shelter animals…read more They have a great energy and compassion towards the dogs they work with. I first met them at an adoption event where they partnered with the Martinez animal shelter. They gave complimentary baths to all the shelter pups at the event. Even my foster pup- Susannah. They even put an adorable adopt me scarf on her and promoted her on their page I have been sharing their contact info with friends and neighbors

I love them. Anthony, Jake & Matt are so amazing and helpful! They are so good with Dakota - she…read moreloves seeing them!

The long version: We…read moreadopted a very timid, quiet pup at the beginning of October who, once he'd settled in, turned into a smart, energetic, stubborn and barking pup. That wasn't an option as we live in an apartment with WFH neighbors and going potty means walks around town with lots of other dogs. Overwhelmed, I started googling and found so many 5* reviews for Meryl from Bay Area Balanced Dog training. After a very thorough phone consultation where she took the time to talk about her process/our options and answer our many questions/concerns (we were nervous/uninformed about ecollars), we opted to do a 4 week board and train with a few private lessons beforehand. It was more than I had budgeted, but I was upfront about that, and she worked with us on a payment plan leading up to his stay. The private lessons were so helpful, and I highly recommend doing that before your dog's stay. So much about his good behavior relied on me being a good handler. This practice was also like a bandaid before his training, seriously reducing my stress on our daily outings, and made the transition after his stay easy as I already knew the basics of how to ask him for what I expected in a way he understood/had learned with the trainer. The board and train itself was easy, though be aware there's some additional cost to supply all the tools pup will need during his training. That was rough for me at Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, she was happy to keep and train him during the holidays when we would be traveling anyway. Very convenient and saved me additional boarding bills. She provided lots of daily video and picture updates on Instagram which was nice/really lessened my guilt about leaving him with someone for four weeks. He came home the same happy, sweet dog we'd sent away, except now he can walk nicely on a leash without barking his head off at every animal he sees. She also worked on recall training which is such a relief for a high energy dog I just know would chase a bear on a hike as off leash skills are really important to me in a dog. We work daily on everything he's learned and he loves it so much. It's a lot of money for what was an average dog with average bad behaviors, but we really believe that starting your dog off on the right path with the best guidance is the way to ensure a healthy, happy, safe dog. We went on our first hike just a few days ago, and after all that practice, he got to experiment with being fully off leash. He listened to every command, every time, even when there were tempting birds. I want to have a dog that is as fully involved in my family's life as possible, and now that we both have these skills, I know with consistency and practice, that's what I'll get. Tldr: The board and train is expensive, but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend. It truly saved my sanity.

I cannot recommend Bay Area Balanced Dog Training and Meryl enough!…read more In November of 2023 my husband and I adopted our adorable 3-year-old Pitbull-mix, Midnight, from our local shelter. Unfortunately, pretty much everything the shelter told us in regards to his behaviors/needs was incorrect. For example: he was over-aroused all day every day, had lots of destructive behaviors with our furniture/household items, did not respond to verbal commands/corrections, jumped on us and on top of tables/counters frequently, had zoomies where he would body slam us and progressively get more aggressive, tried to run full force after any dog/cat/squirrel/bird we saw on walks, tried to redirect bite me on walks and landed one of them (which broke my skin), frequently ate inedible things (like leaves and cat poop - yuck!) no matter how hard we tried to prevent him from doing so, and landed a bite that broke the skin on my husband's hand too when he was resource guarding a treat-stuffed toy. My husband and I have owned and trained pet dogs in the past, but Midnight's behaviors/needs were at a level that was way over our heads. After six weeks of trying to work with Midnight on our own, we were beside ourselves from trying to figure out how to safely meet his needs and began to fear that we may have to try to rehome him or bring him back to the shelter, which we desperately didn't want to do. So, I did some research and found Bay Area Balanced Dog Training's website. I reached out to Meryl and from our first phone conversation she put me at ease and began educating my husband and I about Midnight's behavior and needs. Midnight did a 4-week board and train program with Meryl, during which time she continued to educate my husband and I on how we could be the best owners possible for our energetic, willful pup. When Midnight came back home with us, he and we were finally speaking the same language and understood each other so much better, all because of Meryl's training. My household is peaceful again, Midnight is so much happier/content, and we have been able to bond with him in a much deeper way than we were able to before. Walks are a dream (he even ignores cats now!), my husband and I are doing a much better job of properly taking care of Midnight's activity/energy needs, and we feel certain since Meryl's training that we are a good fit for him and he is a good fit for us. Our little family is going to be just fine, due to the gift of Meryl's expertise and skill. Although things are going so well with Midnight, I still worried about who would take care of him if we have to go out of town and can't take him with us, due to his unique behavioral needs. Meryl boarded him for a week for us recently and Midnight had the best time! The little videos Meryl sent us of how he was doing erased any worries I still had in the back of my mind about him, and I felt so much relief knowing that Midnight was being cared for so well with so much love. Another time we needed to board Midnight was last-minute, and unfortunately Meryl was all booked up and didn't have space at that time. Meryl went above and beyond in suggesting another skilled trainer that she knows well that had space during the time we would be away - that boarding experience was great too, and Meryl was spot-on in regards to the other trainer being a great boarding fit for Midnight. Meryl has been an absolute blessing for Midnight, my husband and me. We look forward to taking more lessons from her in the future and feel lucky to have her support and expertise in our corner. Please, if you find yourselves in a situation even somewhat like ours, don't hesitate to reach out to Bay Area Balanced Dog Training - it'll be the best call you can make for you and your dog.

I sent my dog, Milot 4.5 months, to Powerhouse K9 for a three-week board-and-train program. As a…read morenew dog owner, I'll admit the process felt a bit unconventional, and I decided to wait a few days after she returned home to write this review so I could evaluate the results objectively. Now that we are home, I am incredibly pleased with the outcome. Milot's behavior has shifted significantly for the better. Anthony spent two hours with me during pickup to ensure I understood the commands and techniques he used, and by implementing those daily, I've seen a massive difference in our routine. While the 'behind-the-scenes' of intensive training can feel a bit like a black box for a first-time owner, the results speak for themselves. If you are looking for a program that delivers a noticeable transformation, it is well worth the investment. I'm very happy with Milot's progress! Other things to note - Anthony was very responsive. Sent videos of progress and video chats as well - clean/brushed/bathe at least once before pickup - flexible with drop off and pickup Happy with the result. Highly recommend.

Amazing service and very reliable customer care and support I would recommend it to pet ownersread more

Happy Go Lucky Pet Care deserves more than five stars! I could go on fur-ever about how exceptional…read morethey are. My dog has been with Happy Go Lucky for four years, and in that time Paula has shown nothing but genuine love and care for every dog in her pack and you can tell they adore her right back. Since joining Paula's walks, my dog has gained confidence on the trail, improved training skills, and become a happier, healthier pup overall. She gets great exercise, socialization, and plenty of positive stimulation. Seeing Paula and her pack of furry friends is truly one of the highlights of my dog's day. Not only is Paula wonderful with the dogs, she's also incredibly professional, organized, and communicative. A clear, hard-working person you can always depend on. She truly does it all and does it so well. I wholeheartedly recommend Happy Go Lucky Pet Care for your pet care needs. There's no one else I trust more with my pup!

Lisa walks my cavalier twice a week. She's cheerful and wonderful with the dogs. At the end of each…read moreday of walking, we get a lovely photograph of the group of dogs that she walked that day. They are wonderful and I recommend them highly.