Who's Walking Who? Dog Training - San Diego, California

Andreas Pappas

My wife and I adopted Bali at the end of December (2023). When we adopted her she was potty trained, however, that was the extent of her training. She knew no commands and was not leash trained (pulled a lot). When we adopted Bali she was extremely skittish and pretty much scared of every dog and person she encountered. We hired James for the 4 private lessons and couldn't be happier.

Not even 2 months in, after the 4 private lessons, Bali has really come out of her shell. I attribute this to the confidence she has in us from her training - she trusts us fully and knows we will always do what's best for her.

Now she begs to play with dogs at the park, we take her for play dates with our friends and even take Bali to the mall where she thrives. She knows her commands well to the point where at the mall we can use our “down” command where Bali patiently waits for us, use “place” when leaving the house for her to stay in her bed, and “sit” for photos ops. We can confidently let Bali off leash at the park and let her play at will.

I highly encourage people looking into training to chat with James, learn about his approach and his experience. He's tried all training methods and has been doing it for a long time. Also, he loves the dogs he trains. You can see the way he is with them, this isn't his "job", this is what he loves to do.

Matt Karr

I highly recommend James. We got our dog at 7 months untrained and within a few short sessions it was basically a brand new dog. It was a relief knowing we were in excellent hands.

What was most impressive was his ability to read our dog almost immediately and was able to give us extremely accurate advice on how he would respond to different stimuli.

Finally he was extremely accessible. I called him to ask a question on a day we didn't have training and he took the time to give me a detailed response to my dogs behavior.

When we have another dog, James will 100% get a call from us.

Heather C

Adopting an adult Akita can come with its challenges, especially given how independent and stubborn they can be. I knew I’d need professional help to ensure our rescue Akita, Keiko, would adapt well, and after doing thorough research, I decided to go with James as our trainer—and I’m so glad I did!

We opted for the four-week private training program, and the results were incredible. Keiko learned to walk calmly on a leash, ignore other dogs during walks, and mastered obedience—all things I never could have achieved on my own. James provided us with the knowledge and tools we needed to train Keiko effectively. Training a dog isn’t just about teaching them; it’s also about learning as an owner, and James made that process so much easier. He kept us accountable and made the experience enjoyable.

We were so pleased with the training that we also entrusted James with boarding Keiko for three days while we traveled. When we picked her up, it was clear she had a great time with the other dogs and continued her training during her stay.

I can’t recommend James enough if you’re looking for a balanced dog trainer. And if you’re considering a board and train service, you can trust James completely. Leaving your dog in someone else’s care can be nerve-wracking, but with James, we had absolutely no worries!

Scopelink Incorporated

James worked with our rescue dog who was pretty much out of control. We were close to taking her back to the shelter, but reached out to James first- and very glad we did!
In a couple weeks, she went from attacking every dog she met (and charging people too) to dog friendly and much happier and well behaved.
We would highly recommend Who’s Walking Who (and have) to anyone with dog training issues. A great experience!

Bill Arzt

Repeat customer - and worth it. We adopted a puppy and needed a refresher on the basics. We first did the training a few years back and have to say - it works, and with our latest addition I'm thankful we went back because teaching is different then reinforcing... both doggo's are where we need them to be and have a solid foundation that I can continue to work with.

Tammy Fletcher

We have a VERY energetic 8 month old Labrador puppy. We'd been discussing training for her (and for us) since day one, but some recent surgery meant we needed to look into a facility where she could be boarded and trained. She got the best of both with Who's Walking Who. Our girl got exemplary care, lots of attention, and an individualized training program based on her personality, age, and breed. She was socialized with other dogs, and troublesome behaviors addressed. We arrived to pick up a calm, happy puppy....then *our* training started. James walked us through every phase of training and made sure we got it. All questions were welcomed and answered thoroughly. We got so much more than we expected in working with James and Allison. They set your dog up to succeed, and train you to keep them that way. I'd give 10 stars if I could 🙂

Amanda Brown

Money well spent! Our Bernedoodle went to the Board & Train program and came back home a well behaved pup. She was about 7 months old when we took her to James. Before that we had hired a private trainer to come to our home to help with jumping, commands, and potty training (not through Who's walking who) which did not help at all. We are so thrilled with our pups results! James is wonderful and offers so much help even after we picked our pup up. Game changer!!

Kate Stahler Starrett

James is amazing! He literally saved our dog from being owned by another family- we almost gave him away. We got a puppy and didn't realize the stubbornness of the breed we got- jack Russell- and after he ate our furniture, peed everywhere, wouldn't listen, knocked over our 1.5 yr old, jumped up on everyone, barked at all dogs he came in contact with, freaked in the crate, barked in the crate- We were ready to give him away. We called James and he taught us some proper training techniques and helped us train our dog- he mostly trained us- our dog is a great dog now. People are constantly asking us what kind of dog he is and can't believe he is so "mellow" for being a jack Russell. I, of course, instantly accredit James for his mad skills, ease of use- he comes to you and his way with dogs. He also took Hub in for 2 weeks for a board and train and when he came home- he was socialized with all kinds of dogs and we can go anywhere and hub is great with all dogs now. No small dog complex for our 15 pound pup. James saved our dog and us!!! Hire this guy! You will not be disappointed. Oh and he is really nice- a total bonus.