DOGGY BOOT CAMP-Santa Barbara

"We Didn't Think It Could Be Done! Before I get into some of the details, here's the one sentence headline: Our training with Joe has been an unqualified success and he has done for us exactly what he said he would do. If we knew then what we know now, we would have done this ages ago. Ok, so that was two sentences, sorry. How did we get here? Our dog Enzo, five and a half at the time he started with Joe, had been under-socialized. The result was that he was reactive with other dogs - nervous about life and the world (can relate!) and had figured out that he could cause other dogs and people to leave him alone if he barked and lunged and generally acted scary. We had a neighborhood reputation of having the sort of dog where you cross the street when you see 'em. Not. Great. Enzo was amazing with us at home but since he unpredictable with others, it bred a pattern of insularity where we didn't invite people over, didn't take him to meet other dogs and the like. Enzo was alone on our little island - he was getting out to walk but not really experiencing the world the way a dog should be able to. Enzo was overly sheltered because we were nervous. If this sounds like your situation, keep reading because it doesn't have to be this way! We had done training before with, at best, so-so results. Even though it was not our first time, I don't think we realized it could be done so differently. I will say, when we first talked to Joe, our initial impression was: 'whoa, this guy is sort of hardcore'. There were rules that he told us we needed to impose if we wanted to be successful that we hadn't even thought of as problems. Nothing unreasonable but definitely changes in our regular routine and a more disciplined approach. That was new - previous trainers didn't have much to say about the big picture or changing the home life, though in retrospect, this part was critical. We met for our first day - a multi-hour session to get everything started. We didn't know what to expect but we were willing to give it a go and let him direct us. Our expectation was that it would take at least weeks to see results. We were wayyyyyy wrong. Even after that first session, we made major progress. Joe's philosophy is to help dogs be dogs and it turns out that when you swim with the tide instead of against it, things go a lot more smoothly. Enzo is a changed dog. Our lives are better and most importantly his life is much better. He's out running and playing with other dogs daily, something that we thought was impossible just weeks ago. Joe delivers and we give him a hearty recommendation."

"Joe was great to work with and in a couple of short weeks our new rescue Billie was socialized and responding to our commands...such a joy! Joe's enthusiasm and dog intuitiveness is remarkable...wonderful guy and incredible teacher. Shall I say more...do yourself a favor and call Joe TODAY."

"We rescued our pup frpm the pound at about a year old and she was very reactive to other dogs, had prey drive for squirrels, would pull while walking, had separation anxiety, and wouldn't listen to commands most of the time; this is all after we had tried to train her on our own with past knowledge and web search suggestions. We had not taken her off leash due to lack of recall and fear that her reactivity could be dangerous to her if around larger dogs. By day 2 after working with Joe our pup had less separation anxiety. By day 3 she was walking on leash without pulling. By the end of the week she was walking off leash, in off leash areas, and not reactive to other dogs. She walks without pulling, listens to commands better, and is much better around squirrels and rabbits. Joe was able help us to greatly improve our pup's behavior and give us the tools to help her continue improving. We also had to be dedicated to make changes in our own behavior and Joe was clear and encouraging in explaining what we needed to do to get the results we wanted; we will continue to work with our pup to make her better every day and keep her on track for success."

"SUCCESS!!! I am now a confident & trusting owner of a dog that is living her best life. I use to think that sufficient exercise & love would yield a good dog. That may be true for some but not all. I, like many, adopted a dog that has a history that I am unaware of so I sought the guidance of a trainer. Joe hit hard & fast with clear cut rules. He spoke truthfully & took into consideration the whole picture including my home life, work hours, habits, personality, every interaction I have had with my dog, etc... His methods may seem drastic to some but I feel like stripping away the histrionics & stopping the excuses & story telling got me back to basics; my dog & her needs & a streamline way of communicating with her. For 2 months I didn't trust my dog & I lacked confidence when walking her on leash (I wouldn't dream of taking her off leash). I tried another trainer in town & found that I wasn't gaining trust or confidence. I felt confused every time I left the sessions. With Joe we had my dog off leash & responding to me on day 1!!!!!! My dog is now playing appropriately at the dog park, easy to walk on leash, & loving her new freedom. I am so happy with everything that Joe has done for us."

"I highly recommend Joe at Doggy Boot Camp. He is absolutely the only dog trainer you will need. We tried 3 other trainers before we discovered him. My daughter and I both adopted dogs this last year. They are both very different, with different issues. My daughter's dog, Hazelnut, was incredibly reactive with zero recall and a few bad habits. My dog, Coconut was a shy, nervous puppy with barking tendencies. First, Joe worked miracles with our family and Hazelnut, helping her to be much calmer, non-reactive, social and happy. She has 100% recall (since meeting Joe the first morning!) and is great on the trail or in the mall. Coconut came a bit later. We worked with Joe to help her become more confident and less fearful. She no longer cries when approached by a big dog nor does she disappear when she sees a hang glider. She is a fun, playful, happy dog with 100 percent recall, easy off-leash and no-tug leash-walking. I no longer worry that she will bolt out of fear. Joe helped teach us how to help our dogs be dogs. He is a master at understanding dogs and what drives their behaviors. He also teaches you the importance of truly understanding how to have a healthy relationship with your pet. During your time with him, he will focus on what you and your dog need and he will create those experiences as he assesses and reassesses. He is a wealth of information. When you are working with him, he is easily available by phone to talk you through the process. Joe does use a correction collar, which is often misunderstood. It really is a safe and humane way to communicate with your dog without yelling or tugging a leash. Once you get used to the idea and how to use the equipment, it is a relief that you "have your dog's ear" at all times. Do your family and your dog a favor and get on board with Joe and his program. It is a commitment that is well worth the time. Your dog will thank you."