DOGGY BOOT CAMP-Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, California

Sierra Macy

I was having trouble. In certain situations, my sweet, incredibly loving, adopted, 1.5 year-old Dalmatian puppy, Freckles, would turn into a complete monster. I could not control her when I took her for a walk. I was embarrassed and terrified. She is very strong and could, and did, trip me, and pull me to the ground. She started to attack our small pug in our house. It was horrible.

She had loved walks and meeting other dogs. Soon things changed: she would lunge ferociously at other dogs on our walks, snapping and snarling. She would even “see red” and start attacking our other dogs that we were walking her with, like our tiny Maltese, whom she had never had a problem with.

Even on the days I felt strong enough to control her, my shoulders hurt, my hands hurt, heck—my ankles hurt standing my ground with her. My heart hurt, with the anxiety of possibly seeing another dog on our walk. I would try to time our walks so other dogs weren’t around. The less I took her out, the more destructive she was at home, digging holes, and eating rocks!
In the house, she started to randomly attack our pug. I couldn’t figure it out. She would cuddle up with her and then later in the day it would look like she was trying to kill her. My family told me I needed to “get rid of her.” Heartbroken, I knew if I didn’t do something, she was going to kill one of our other dogs or get into a fight with a dog while we were out. I was also convinced that if I did give her to a shelter, that she would never be adoptable, and that she would get worse or even euthanized. I didn’t want to give up on her; I needed to save her.

I tried all the tricks for training that other trainers had taught me. I had spent thousands of dollars listening to the experts; she did tricks, but her aggression got worse. I was at my very last hope. Then I found Doggy Boot Camp. I heard about Joe.

I read the reviews. I cried. I couldn’t believe it. Review after review the stories I read were EXACTLY what I was going through. Dogs owners could not control, but after meeting Joe, their dogs are FIXED! On leash! Off leash! Dogs that just “hang out” at coffee shops…. What How is this possible

I immediately reached out to Joe. He explained that my situation was NOT permanent. However, I needed to listen to EXACTLY what he said to do, or it would NOT work. Oh man, he was tough! Even intimidating! I was not sure I could do it. But I knew it was my dog’s last hope. I was desperate and determined. I promised to trust him completely. If I did not, it could mean one of my dogs or a couple of them would end up dead. I could not live with that. I trusted in Joe’s method. Joe saved my dogs.

I worked with Joe and his daily training for about 14 days. He checked in with me daily. He was incredibly attentive to every situation I encountered with my dogs and explained the dog psychologically behind the behaviors I saw. Even the smallest things I thought were not a big deal, he would tell me how they were affecting my dog/dogs and their mental state. I saw a HUGE improvement after only a couple of days, before even meeting with Joe in person! Crazy! After meeting with Joe for one FULL day, I had a different dog. I was stunned. He was very tough and no-nonsense with her. And me! But I had promised to completely trust the process and, oh my gosh, I am so thankful I did!!

Now I feel like a good dog owner. A happy one. A responsible one. Freckles is also happy. She is good in the house. Good outside. She LOVES being with other dogs. She walks on a leash. She travels all over with me, camping and hiking. I don’t think about being fearful on walks anymore. I have with her at restaurants and coffee shops. It is fun to take her out now. My family loves her. My kids love her. Joe saved her. I can’t thank you enough, Joe. Freckles thanks you, too.

Joe KNOWS dogs. Just TRUST him. If you want a GOOD relationship with your dog. A happy, healthy relationship, TRUST Joe. Your relationship with your dog is one that is worth the effort. I promise you.

Joel Zemer

We have a 2.5 year old dog that was highly reactive on the leash, would often bark at dogs or strangers that would approach him, and had become highly protective of our child.

He had gone through different training programs with some slight improvements that would fade away a few weeks later, and after my wife got to a point where she no longer felt she was capable of walking our dog and controlling his aggressive nature on a leash, we decided to explore potential options and stumbled upon Joe.

After an hour call with Joe it was clear he is incredibly committed to achieving your desired outcomes, and has an approach that he firmly believes in. I was not as confident as he was that we would see the outcomes, and on the timeline he was sharing without meeting our dog yet.

Turns out he was 100% correct, and in a matter of a few days he had our 100 lbs dog walking on a leash flawlessly, engaging all dogs around him in a pleasant manner, and playing with other dogs when off leash.

A few weeks post training our dog is a whole new individual for the better, and our trust and confidence in his ability to engage all dogs and humans is at an all-time high. The change in quality of life that Joe has brought not only to our dog, but to our whole family is tremendous.

His program is not for the faint of heart or passive dog owner. He will demand changes in the way you interact with your dog, and he will demand a level of commitment from you that requires 20+ hrs of your time in a week long period, but the results are unmatched and well worth it! Could not say enough great things about the impact Joe's program has had for us.

Maya Upton

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.

Colby and Vicki McLellan

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.

Bob Young

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.

Sarah Davis

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.

kathy hanley

Joe at Doggy Boot Camp changed my life for so much the better! I used to walk with my 22 pound Australian Terrier held tightly on a leash, in terror that he would lunge after another dog and attack. I could not walk him off leash as I did when he was younger. The bigger and scarier looking the better for him, as I learned from Joe that what I was doing at home had made him my protector and the little guy would put his life on the line for me!

After a week of “homework,” during which I changed some of the ways I was engaging my dog, and giving him jobs to do at home, and then a few days with Joe I had a completely changed dog; one whose job was no longer my protector. He was walking off leash, running up to big dogs he would previously attack, and wagging his tail!

When you work with Joe he is available night and day to answer questions, plan for the next day’s strategy, and help your dog become the best dog he can be. Joe has a wealth of knowledge and he is full of great tips, to help owners. His knowledge and compassion for dogs, and dog behavior is unmatched. He is a gift to the owners and dogs of this community, and like others have said, worth every penny! Do not hesitate- go with Joe, I wish I had three years ago, but I am so glad I did now- seeing my little guy running around socializing and having fun is such a joy!
Thank you Joe!!

Laura Wyatt

Joe speaks dog! a couple years back Joe helped train our puppy and he was a superstar. So good in fact I stopped using the training tools and techniques and I forgot I was in charge. I recently called Joe for a refresher to get myself and my dog back in line and it worked wonders. 4 sessions and we are both so much happier on walks and at the park. Joe is strong in his beliefs and has been doing this a long time. It has worked well for me.