Our Testimonials
On this page, you will find dog training reviews from our many wonderful clients. All client reviews are from real people we worked with. Many will gladly provide references when asked. These client testimonials are a testament to the work and effort we put into helping every dog develop its full potential. We recently also started collecting dog training reviews on Google. You can find them on our Google My Business Profile.
From 2012-2017, we also connected with clients through Thumbtack. You can read 46 more reviews on Thumbtack. Some were cross-posted on our website.
Our Dog Training Reviews Cover Many Areas
My clients have written me many five-star reviews over the years. I think the breadth of these speaks for itself. These testimonials cover a broad range of dog training areas. They include basic and advanced obedience training, helping fearful dogs gain more confidence, getting aggressive behaviors under control, training for GRC Dog Sports, shadow programs, and many other behavioral areas.
Does a dog training review with any particular client dog resonate with you? Does a case sound similar to what is going on with your dog? I love helping people whenever possible and often can make progress where others fail. I have and continue to spend a significant amount of time and money every year to further my canine knowledge. My clients benefit.
If you are ready to get help with your own dog(s), please use our dog training contact form to schedule a free phone consultation.
Quick Links
When Willow was a few months old, I knew she was a smart girl. But she needed more training than I was able to provide. I began to seek out trainers that would provide a one-on-one training environment. I was looking for help targeted towards Willow’s insecure barking and reactivity towards people and dogs … this search landed us in the hands of Ralf Weber from Happy Dog Training.
I’m amazed at the progress both Willow and I made during our 15 sessions. She went from reacting and checking out to either no reaction or reacting and then checking in for further direction. Oh, the magic of the ‘ah-ah’!
Ralf’s methods are simple and clear, focusing on timing and direction using verbal markers. This speaks to me as a horse person who trains horses using natural horsemanship methods. If natural dogmanship is a thing, Ralf has it!
Willow and I still have work to do, but I feel fully equipped with the knowledge and tools to continue her progress.
— Angela A.
Ralf provided instrumental guidance for my sibling rescues, Stella and Remy. I adopted a brother and sister Shepard mix. After their first year, they developed problems with strangers and other dogs. Stella and Remy were biting and showed general fear. I desperately turned to Ralf for help.
I was relieved by his total confidence and non-judgemental demeanor in responding to me. Our initial meet and greet to analyze the dogs was very pleasant. I am always amazed by his approach. His ease with a fearful dog and redirecting the energy is such a wonderful model.
He uses positive training techniques and doesn’t shame or confuse clients during sessions. During the session, all adjustments for me or the dogs were always provided in a calm manner. He will show you how to approach situations with sensible, sound instructions. Remy and Stella made remarkable improvements, I am so pleased!
This is a truly professional training company; I highly recommend Happy Dog Training!
— Jeni R.
After attending a group obedience class with my 6-month-old Weimaraner, Linus, I realized he needed more one-on-one attention. I found Ralf through his Doggie Social Club (which I highly recommend!). I hired him as soon as I saw how quickly Linus responded to him. After just one session with Ralf, I noticed a dramatic change in Linus.
Ralf reinforced the importance of using markers and rewards. Through this method, Linus learned a new behavior at every session. Using an Operant Conditioning approach, Ralf helped Linus improve his loose-leash walking. He helped him become more confident around children and other dogs. And taught him to keep his focus on me when distractions were present.
Ralf’s vast knowledge of a dog’s psyche and how it thinks brought a high level of training to each session. The “homework” he gave was manageable and immediately effective when working with Linus on my own. It truly made a difference in Linus’s success!
I highly recommend Ralf for all levels of training needs. He gets to know your dog (and you) and helps you really understand the methods you use to train your dog and why they are effective. Ralf does this with experience, professionalism and a great sense of humor! “Ralf days” were one of Linus’s favorite days of the week!
— Donna R.
Our black, eight-month-old German Shepherd Luna was very hard to control. She was constantly spinning after her tail ripping off fur, and would even break the skin and bleed. We took her to the vet, and they said we would probably going to have to amputate her tail. This was unacceptable, and we quickly realized we needed to explore other options. We hired another trainer before we went to Happy Dog Training. But after two sessions with the other trainer, we quickly realized that Luna’s problems were beyond a normal trainer.
Ralf from Happy Dog Training came recommended by other trainers as the go-to for behavioral issues. So after our first failed attempt, we consulted with Ralf. From JUST the consultation, we already started to see progress with Luna and managed to start breaking our dog’s spinning actions. Throughout our sessions, Ralf not only helped us break Luna’s obsessive spinning. He also helped us manage her anxiety around other dogs. Now she is a very well-adjusted dog with a beautiful tail she proudly wags around everywhere. Ralf is extremely knowledgeable and professional with the way he handles our fur children. I can’t express how much help Ralf has been to us, and we are forever in his debt. Ralf is a sure bet. You won’t need anyone else!
— Danny and Jessica
Services and Area
We are located in Southern California and train dogs nationwide. Happy Dog Training currently offers local dog training services in the following counties. Riverside County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County, and San Diego County. In addition, we offer our board-and-train program nationwide and all virtual training services worldwide.
Do you want your new puppy trained right from the start? Are you looking for help for your fearful dog? Do you need to resolve a severe aggression problem? You came to the right place! We are experienced, professional dog trainers. Ralf has trained over 1500 dogs in over 18 years, and Sarah has trained over 1200 dogs in over 11 years. Consequently, we can help you with any dog training goal.
What We Offer
For many of our clients, we train their dogs from puppyhood, getting them off to a great start. However, we also have extensive experience training rescue dogs from all imaginable backgrounds and circumstances. Our Board-and-Train program is our most popular.
We can help you, regardless of your dog's challenges or training goals. Being a professional dog trainer means having experience, knowledge, and skill. Further, we developed a highly effective training program to specifically help fearful dogs gain more confidence and become the best possible version of themselves. Building Confidence is our second most popular training program.
Last but not least, we are experts in dealing with all types of aggression in dogs and are often the trainers of last resort after many other programs have failed. Most of our aggressive dog clients previously spent significant money on half-baked solutions without much improvement. This is different from us. We will give you an honest assessment of what goals are realistic for your dog. We will tell you what can be resolved reliably and what likely needs to be managed before we start.
Our flagship product is our board and train program. But our virtual dog training and coaching services have become quite popular over the last couple of years. Our setup enables us to deliver online dog training services from our indoor and outdoor training areas. This allows us to help clients worldwide.
Other Resources
Also, check out our Free Dog Training tips on Separation Anxiety in Dogs, Potty Training aka Housebreaking, and Leash Handling for expert solutions to common challenges.
Additional Services: Presentations and Q&As on Dogs | Professional Service Dog Training
Contact Us and Start Training
Finally, once you're ready to move forward, please use our dog training contact form to schedule a free phone consultation or book a paid, in-person consultation.
Terms, Conditions and Privacy Policy
By using this website you agree to all Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy.
About Ralf and Sarah
Happy Dog Training is the pet dog training business of Ralf Weber and Sarah Gill. We are certified professional dog trainers in Southern California. We are specialized in advanced obedience training, all forms or behavioral challenges and service dog training. For behavioral training, we are known for our work with aggressive and fearful dogs. Our service dogs, through Total K9 Focus, have a nationwide reputation for their reliability, longevity and performance.
Ralf Weber, MS, TWC CPDT, IACP CDT, CDTA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer Ralf Weber is lead pet dog trainer of Happy Dog Training. Ralf is a long-time dog owner of German Shepherds. During his career, Ralf has worked with over a 1500 dogs of many different breeds. Moreover, Ralf has a thorough understanding of all aspects of canine training. This includes evolutionary psychology, ethology, and, most importantly, learning science. Ralf is specialized in resolving dog behavior challenges—especially fear and aggression. Apart from this, Ralf trains dogs in basic and advanced obedience, service dog tasks, and GRC Dog Sports. Ralf is further certified in a broad range of other canine training areas. Last but not least, Ralf is the author of the behavioral book If Your Dog Could Talk: Understand Your Dog Like Never Before.
Ralf loves helping people have a better relationship with their dogs. He is a certified professional dog trainer in the Training without Conflict™ methodology by Ivan Balabanov (TWC CPDT). Ralf is also a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and also holds their basic and advanced dog trainer certifications (IACP CDT, CDTA). In addition, Ralf is an AKC-approved evaluator for the AKC Puppy Star, CGC, and Advanced CGC programs and is also certified in canine first aid by the Red Cross.
Sarah Gill, Certified Professional Master Trainer
Sarah Gill, is a professional service dog trainer and handler. Sarah entered the world of professional service dog training after a car accident. As a result, she had to use a wheelchair for almost two years, trying to maneuver in a house not designed for it. No one expected Sarah would walk again. This opened her eyes and became a driving force behind pushing herself to defy the odds. When she regained some stability, Sarah attended a dog training school and learned how to train service dogs. Sarah completed her Master Trainer Certification and gained further experience by training new trainers. However, the school wasn’t accommodating to those with physical difficulties and PTSD. Hence, Sarah moved home to Dallas. In 2019, Sarah teamed up with Ralf and moved to California.
Sarah started this journey because she had a trained dog to mitigate her disabilities. But Sarah needed additional tasking for a new diagnosis. The only option she could find was getting a second dog for the new diagnosis. She knew there had to be a different way to address this. Sarah's passion is changing the ways of the service dog training industry.
