Working with Dan Goldstein, aka "The Dog Whisperer" (which he truly IS), has been the most positive experience in which our 1 year-old goldendoodle has made so much progress that friends and family have commented that she is a different dog entirely. I found Dan through our vet here in the Vail Valley after reaching a point of total frustration with my dog's unwillingness to come when called, particularly when outside. I called Dan and explained the situation to him - she's a sweet dog, not a troublemaker, but she has a playful and rather mischievous side that was causing a lot of stress, etc. - and he assured me that it was totally fixable. Dan started coming to our house in Avon weekly, working with us and our dog both inside and outside on basic obedience commands (sit, stay, come, break), and he gave us great homework that was educational and fun for all of us, and helped prime our dog for the ultimate test of coming when off-leash outside. For training, Dan had us use a pinch collar, an E-collar, and a long lead - all tools we had no idea we desperately needed! While we definitely made progress in our weekly sessions with Dan, it was during our dog's stay with him that she had a breakthrough. My husband and I were leaving the country for 12 days and didn't want our dog's training to completely fall to the wayside while we were away, so we gave Dan's "board and train" service a try, in which our dog stayed with him at his home in Eagle and received training every day (he has a wonderful, cozy home on a great piece of land where the dogs play and train). WOW, were we impressed. Every day that our dog was with Dan he sent us the route and time of her daily walk (usually 45+ minutes!) and a YouTube video of her daily training. Not only were we able to see her progress while on vacation, but we could see that she was learning a lot and having a blast with the other dogs in Dan's program - a peace of mind that you really can't put a price on when out of the country for an extended period of time. Additionally, now that we're home we have been referencing the videos regularly to remind ourselves of certain commands and tricks that Dan used so that we can be consistent and maintain our dog's amazing progress. If you are looking for an affordable place to board and train your dog in the Vail Valley, I HIGHLY recommend Dan Goldstein. Having our dog board and train with him while we were on vacation was the best decision we have ever made. As I write this review with my sweet, obedient girl sitting at my feet, there is no doubt in my mind that Dan Goldstein will continue to be a fixture in our family as the go-to expert on all things relating to our dog, as well as our #1 choice when we need a dogsitter - because who doesn't want their dog to get an insanely effective training refresher every time they go out of town?! Finally and anecdotally, my in-laws (who are not dog people) hosted 32 people for Christmas Eve dinner this past weekend and our dog didn't jump up on a single person, came when called, and was so well-behaved all around that we received compliment after compliment on her gentle, calm demeanor as well as her apparent obedience and respect for us as her parents. My in-laws were thrilled. It was THE BEST. Thank you so much, Dan, we couldn't be happier with our dog's incredible training success! read more

We found Dan via Yelp! and we immediately thought "YES! He is just what we are looking for - boarding." We needed overnight care for our 14 month old Goldendoodle, Cosmo for 2 nights. Dan was more than willing to work with us on a bit of an unusual request and we were set. We then decided to add on 5 days of training and that was the best decision ever! Dan is so knowledgeable and his methods are great. He listened to our concerns, and took notes on things that we said so he could hone in on what Cosmo needed. He knew what needed to be done, what things were priorities for us and really laid out a good plan. He sent videos twice a day and that made me feel better; I was a nervous mom! He also texted to keep us informed on Cosmo's progress. When it was time to pick Cosmo up, we spent several hours going through our training -- that was fundamental. As much improvement as Cosmo showed, it wouldn't stick unless we knew what we had to do in working with him. Cosmo had a grand time at Dan's as he had 1 year old Ozzie, a Golden Retriever, to hang out with and he loves socializing with dogs. We hope that we have the chance to head up that way again and we will absolutely bring Cosmo to Dan for further work. We only wish we lived close -- both for Dan's services but also for the beauty of the area. read more

My wife an I went with Dan's services during the weekend of our wedding. He met us at our venue after the ceremony to pick up our fur baby, Dozer. We had warned him that he hasn't been the friendliest with other dogs of his size for years, ever since he had a traumatizing experience where another bigger dog had attacked him. He assured us to not worry, but of course we had our worries. That same evening we were dinged with a video text of him having a grand ole time with a pack of other dogs! We could not believe it. He did absolutely amazing. The following day we were sent additional videos of him hanging with all of his new best friends throughout the day. We had only purchased an evening/overnight/day watch with him, but shoot, Dozer looked like he was having such a blast we asked Dan if we could extend his stay an additional night and day - he was happy to do so. Dozer got the ultimate vacation on vacation. He even took the time to give him a shoutout on Facebook! All in all, we were more than happy with Dan's services. He did excellent with Dozer as well as the rest of the pack he was in charge of. 100% without a doubt would recommend his services to the fullest. Awesome guy, beautiful home with tons of space on his ranch for the dogs to explore. I hope we make it back out there with Dozer one day so he can get the vacation on vacation treatment again! read more

I am a first time dog owner and went big on the first one! Remington ("Remy") is a 100 pound Bouvier de Flanders, an extremely loving and very protective breed. Dan trained Remy, my husband and me when Remy was a 3 month old puppy. We learned how to speak the physical language that dogs understand and learned how to properly care for Remy's needs. Dogs need discipline and leadership. Dan has taught us to lead. Our relationship became so much stronger with Dan's advice. Then Remy became a teenager (age 17months). Though as mellow as can be around people, Remy became more protective of me when other dogs were around. Truthfully, it was a bit frightening. We boarded Remy with Dan for a week and OMG, what a difference . Dan desensitized Remy to other dogs. He helped Remy realize that dogs are just part of the environment and that as long as I, his master, am in control on a walk, he doesn't need to target other dogs and protect me. You are now hearing from a very grateful dog owner who adores her pet and will continue to get "tune ups" with Dan when ever necessary to assure a loving, and safe environment to share with an outstanding canine companion. If you love your dog, I believe the two of you working with Dan is the answer to having a truly rewarding and wonderful relationship. Remy's Mom, Pat read more

I highly recommend sending your dog to Dan for training and or boarding! My husband and I had Dan train our 15 month old Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler) while we were on vacation for 10 days. He came to our house in Breckenridge to see our dog in her environment, per our request. He listened to what we wanted to work on and when she returned she was a calmer, happier pup. Below is a list of items our dog needed: 1. We have two other dogs and wanted our ACD to listen to us and not our other dogs. 2. We live in town and skateboards, bikes, dogs, strollers, etc. are constantly going in front of our house. Our dog was unpredictable and sometimes would lunge/growl at them. 3. We wanted better on-leash training 4. We wanted off leash training where we could trust our dog in town off leash. Dan accomplished that and more! I couldn't be more pleased. We have only had our dog back for 4 days but the whole family already feels calmer. We have been able to sit on our porch without her on a leash and even with all the distractions she stays put! You really can't put a price on having family peace and harmony and Dan was worth every penny spent. Having said that, I thought his fees were fair for what he accomplished. My only regret is not sending our dog to Dan sooner! read more

Dan is awesome! I have an almost 3 year old Aussie, Ranger, who is not always friendly toward other dogs. When I finally decided we needed professional help, I called 3 trainers. Dan was quick to respond and the first one to get back to me. I also didn't have to wait weeks to set up our first session, as I would have with the other trainers. As others have mentioned, Dan not only trains your dog, but you as well so you have the tools to understand and keep working with them outside of training sessions. Dan also took the time to send articles and videos to assist with training. While we are still working on Ranger's reactions with other dogs, Dan has helped him become a totally different, much more behaved dog. He has given us the tools we need to manage Ranger's interactions with other dogs, and shown us how to introduce him to new dogs. We also took our new puppy to Dan for a couple sessions with Ranger. I highly recommend Dan if you have any dog training needs- from leash walking to more serious behavior problems. We have been driving from Summit County to meet Dan for training and it is worth it! read more

We have had Finley home now for 5 days after his board and train with Dan. The changes in this big and busy puppy are nothing short of miraculous! His is walking politely on a leash and is a pleasure to be around. He is reliable off leash after just this short time and knows what's expected of him. He knows to be gentle with his teeth and indoor play. He is keeping all four of his big messy paws on the floor where they belong. He is not running off after rabbits and birds and passing vehicles anymore. He observes them from our deck, yes, but isn't crazed by them. We appreciated the daily training videos and updates and saved them all for review as we continue training at home. Dan, we are so grateful for your time and attention to Finley and the extra time it took to start training us as well. (our neighbors also send their appreciation) If we can hold up our end of the training, Finley will surely be the best pup we have ever had! We highly recommend Dan and also note that the money spent was extraordinarily well spent! read more

We were staying at the Four Seasons Vail and I was under the impression they had in house dog sitters. So when the concierge suggested she could call Dan I was optimistic they would refer guests to his service. I don't leave my dogs with anyone without being 100t% confident they will be safe and well cared for. Dan had availability that night, which was great since we had a work event to go to. He arrived clean cut, well mannered, nicely dressed, very professional in his presentation overall. His forms and questions were just what I would want him to ask. He answered all my interview questions very patiently. And our dogs, 2 aussies, LOVED him immediately. He made me feel very safe about leaving them with him. He took them for walks, sent us pictures, videos, and a map. And I'm pretty sure had fun hanging in the room at the Four Seasons :) I would DEFINITELY reccommend Dan. He was just what you look for in a dog sitter. Thanks Dan! read more

We had a wonderful experience with Dan and highly recommend his services! We brought our 4-month old rescue puppy to Dan's home for a week long board and train. As new puppy parents, we were a bit nervous to leave our baby for the first time. Dan eased our nerves by sending daily updates on how everything was going. In addition to the daily updates, Dan would send videos of the training sessions done with our puppy. These videos went into great detail on why he was training him a particular way and how we could continue the training at home. It was great to see our puppy while we were away and to see how much progress was being made. We are very appreciative of the new training skills he helped our puppy with - walking on a leash, meal time work, the ecollar and many more. We will definitely use Dan in the future and are extremely grateful for the love, attention & training he gave our puppy while we were out of town. Thank you, Dan! read more

I left my dog Rocky a 1 year old golden doodle with Dan for board and train. I had tried many different training methods with my dog as a puppy. However felt I need more train since Rocky still need to work on things. Dan's manner and style as well as concern for my dog was more than I could of asked for. Dan sent me daily texts and videos of training sessions, as well as videos on play time. He kept me up to date on how Rocky was doing. When I came to pick Rocky up Dan took time to train me as well. He helped me realize how important the relationship between Rocky and I was. He helped me understand that I need to be in control and follow through with Rocky. After a few days of being home, Rocky is doing well. He is walking better on the leash. I have been more aware of Rocky's behavior and how to work on it. Also since I have been home Dan has continued to follow up with me and see how Rocky is doing. read more

Allen and I are the happy owners of a 10 month old Bouvier named Remington (Remy). Since Remy will be my size, we felt it important that he be trained to respond to our commands. What Dan made us realize is that we needed to learn to understand and respect Remy so that we could better communicate with him. We now speak dog language and Remy understands ours. Brilliant! Dan's advice and teachings have been invaluable! We believe that we are providing a balanced relationship of mutual trust, love and respect. Remy is very smart and gentle and is eager to please. He responds beautifully, except of course when he has that favorite toy that he really doe not want to give up! Do you and your dog a huge favor and have Dan teach you how to develop the skills necessary to make having a dog the most rewarding and precious relationship imaginable. read more

We needed help with our Labradoodle while we were at Avon last week and we could not have found anyone better than Dan. He had our dog Jazz with him from about 7:30am to about 7pm for 4 days. Jazz is only 4 months old and we were not sure if she will be comfortable with a sitter. Dan was wonderful with her and took her for 2 walks every day. She went with him every where he took her. He also taught her a few tricks. Dan sent her pictures and walk trail, videos and updates to us during the day which was very nice since this was the first time we ever had a sitter for her. We had a very tight schedule during the day while we were at Avon and Dan worked with us. He was very nice and very flexible. We highly recommend Dan to anyone looking for dog training or dog sitting at or near Avon, CO. Look no further, he is perfect! read more

Dan dog sat our 4 yr old weimaraner yesterday. She loved him, Dan sent a video update and GPS map of their walk by the Avon pond. Dan's very responsive, responsible and flexible when we had to modify our drop off and pick up times. But the capper was this. After we paid Dan Saturday evening, we got a phone call while we were in the Avon round abouts. Seems that I over paid Dan (accidentally) by double. He was calling to correct my stupidity. Dan could have never called, kept the extra $ and I would be none the wiser. We turned around, and Dan met us to return the extra money. We gave Dan a nice tip for which he was very appreciative. Not only is he great with dogs, he can absolutely be trusted. - Elsa's dad - read more

Dan is a wonderful, reliable contact to have for any of your dog needs throughout the Vail Valley! We rent out our home, and he has helped several of our out-of-town renters who have just RAVED about him! It's so nice to not have to drive somewhere to drop your dog off - Dan comes to your house and wears your dog out on the trails nearby. He's reliable, communicative and truly loves animals. Additionally, he can come do "poop mitigation" as well - something that comes in handy during the winter months when the poop starts getting buried by the snow (whether it's your dog causing the waste or not). His prices are extremely reasonable, and I highly recommend contacting Dan for any of your doggie needs! read more

Dan is an incredibly mindful, patient, and gifted dog trainer. When our dog started nipping at our toddler, we were very concerned and feared that we would have to find a new home for our dog. Dan did a lot of observing and listening and helped us understand how what we were and were not doing was contributing to our dog's behavior. Dan provided great guidance and instruction about simple changes that we could make to improve our dog's behavior. Working with Dan to improve our dog's behavior was incredibly effective and simple. Our dog is still with us (and is no longer nipping at our toddler) - we could not have improved the situation so quickly and significantly without Dan's help. read more

We met Dan last summer in Eagle. He worked with our 2 yr old Bailey (12lb mixed breed). We had been to several trainers and classes but nothing seem to take. The first day Dan was with her she was a changed dog. I always dreaded walking her because she would drag me wherever her nose would go. We had 5 lessons with Dan, who was so informative on dogs behavior and why they do what they do. It really help to understand her behaviors. Now I can walk her off leash at all times where permissible. We are able to have uninterrupted dinners with guest. We have had several friends comment on what a changed dog she is. We are enjoying her so much more! I would highly recommend Dan! read more

I couldn't be more pleased with Vail Dog Training. I'm a fairly experienced life-long dog owner, but my rescue Corgi was challenging me beyond my skill level. To say my dog is high-strung would be a compliment. He was reactive to other dogs and pulled like a locomotive. He would lose his mind whenever the doorbell rang. After one session with Dan, I realized my part in the equation and changed a few simple behaviors on my part. Using his methods, we quickly saw a dramatic improvement in leash walking. After the second session, I developed new-found confidence in dealing with encounters with other dogs. I'm so glad we called Dan. My dog seems happier and calmer, and so am I. read more

Dan has been helping me with my Doberman Hans since he was 6 weeks old. From the beginning, Dan has given me tips on training and behavior issues. From basic sit stay commands, to walking on a leash, dealing with separation anxiety, to introducing Hans to my older dog, it seems Dan always has an answer. And, he is always right on. It's me who needs the tools to train the dog on how I want him to behave. A huge bonus is Dan's pet sitting service because Hans is also getting 24 hour training - it's like a 2 for 1!! Hans is always exhausted when he comes home. I have recommended Dan to many friend and clients and they are just as happy with his services. Thanks Dan! read more

Dan is incredible! We brought our 2 year old Doberman to work on loose leash walking along with general obedience and could not have been more pleased. Dan spent a week with JD and we can already tell a huge difference than when we brought him. Dan sent us daily updates and was accessible all week for any question that came up. Upon picking JD up from Dan, he spent over an hour and a half training us and showing the process he had gone through to garner the desired results. He even said we could call him at any time, even when we weren't in town, for any question we may have. We look forward to working with Dan again and highly recommend to any and everyone! Thank you Dan! read more