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
Houdini came to us after he was abandoned and was left to fend for himself. He was very underweight and used to being independent and in charge. The main challenge for Houdini was introducing him to my cats, Joey and Baby Freaksauce. Initially, I was optimistic that we could live as a happy family. Then Houdini attempted to take a bite out of Joey’s tail. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but that day I decided to call for help. I was lucky enough to connect with Ralf.
Ralf made me and Houdini feel comfortable from the moment we met. He was patient and kind not only to Houdini, but also to me. Ralf made sure to explain the rationale behind the behavioral training. He made the sessions both educational and enjoyable. Ralf was flexible with his schedule. The fact that he was able to train us in my home was invaluable.
Training Paid Off
Today, Houdini is fully integrated into the family. I no longer worry about him attacking my cats. I can actually walk him without being dragged behind. His days as an escape artist are well past. He happily understands his boundaries and stays in our yard without attempting to escape or wander off.
Before meeting Ralf and going through our training, I was sure I could not keep Houdini. I was actively searching for another home for him. Now, I can’t imagine my life without him.
— Elizabeth M
Ralf has done amazing work with our dog Lady. To say she is a different dog would be a gross understatement. Before we met Ralf, we had some serious issues.
Lady was a rescue from the South LA Shelter who was found because she had been dragged by a car. She had several scars, both physical and emotional. Lady was incredibly sweet and loving but also had a powerful distrust of strangers and especially men. We had reached a breaking point when she had bit 2 of our friends in the same week. We had tried other trainers and decided that if things didn’t work out with Ralf, we would have to give her up to someone that could handle her issues.
When Ralf arrived, we were a bit nervous because he simply told us he wasn’t afraid and would walk into our house and demand her respect. Lady tried to bite him three times within the first 10 minutes he was there.
Amazingly, by the end of our first 3-hour session, she was walking on the leash without pulling and had clearly given Ralf her respect. Not only did he give us the tools to maintain a calm, submissive, and much happier dog, he explained in simple terms why she responded to the methods he used and taught us to use them as well.
Ralf was a great teacher to Lady, but an even better teacher to us.
Today, Lady goes out to coffee, gives strangers kisses, and only barks at the mailman 🙂
— Joe and Annie Z.
I was skeptical of Ralf’s skills before meeting him because all of his reviews were outstanding. It seemed impossible that such a dog trainer would be accessible or affordable. My dog had a lot of fear issues with random people and dogs. When we met Ralf, he showed me his techniques, and there were immediate results that I could do on my own. Since hiring him a few months ago, we continue to train (I have two dogs). He is highly skilled as a trainer, especially with dog aggression. I am completely satisfied with his services. He is talented, motivated, and has a true business ethic. I endorse his work and fully recommend him as a dog trainer.
— Coco B.
After one session, each of my dogs could walk civilly on a leash. One practice week later, I could walk both dogs together through kids, traffic, barking dogs, and other distractions.
After our second visit and a few days of practice, my puppy could sit and stay while I walk around and move out of sight. I’m looking forward to our continuing sessions with Ralf to learn more about good behavior and make my loving dog a constant pleasure to both my visitors and me.
— Ann M.
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
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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.
