Canine Balance Dog Training -

Joe D1

We rescued Brandy, a Shepard mix, from a shelter in July 2023. They could tell us nothing about her except she had been returned to the shelter at least once before. We took her home and thought she was the perfect dog...until we took her for a walk. She had horrible leash reactivity.

We hired a trainer in September 2023, to fix Brandy's leash reactivity, after all our attempts at training her ourselves failed. The trainer came to our house once a week for an hour and instructed us how to train Brandy to walk, sit, stay, come, and place which he said were the necessary fundamentals. For the last visit he met us at a dog park but was unable to successfully teach us how to fix the leash reactivity.

In October 2023 we brought our dog to Emily at Canine Balance Dog Training in Colfax, CA for just over 3 weeks for Behavioral Management training. When we got Brandy back in November 2023 the leash reactivity was gone! Plus she walks much better and her behavior in general has improved. She is now a very happy dog and we are very happy we didn't need to try to re-home her.

I wish I could upload videos but I think the before and after pictures I've included speak for themselves. The before picture shows her mid jump as she barks at a passing dog while the after picture shows her wagging her tail as we pass another dog.

I highly suggest you try Emily before you spend any money elsewhere...she is definitely worth it!

Catie Van Dyke

Short but sweet: We love Canine Balance Training and are so grateful for the work they did transforming our dog.

Long version: Our dog Iggy was overall a very calm, smart Shepard mix but had become unpredictable in his aggression. What was once non-existent, started popping up at seemingly random surroundings and places and without much warning (a potentially dangerous combo) . Under certain circumstances (when some imaginary territory had been established by him...) he was even becoming aggressive towards humans. We had gotten to a point where trust was broken and we didn't feel we had control or understanding of how to prevent this behavior. Luckily, after much research, I found Canine Balance Dog training who really educated Iggy and us in a very short time.

Emily and team were WONDERFUL with Iggy and with us for a number of reasons:
1) At the time, we were in the bay area and they were super flexible and were able to meet in Davis for pick up for their 3 week board and train program. They have done this again for just boarding and met us half way for pick up which is so nice.
2) Though it is not cheap, I actually found it to be a great value, especially if you compare the cost of just boarding your dog for 3 weeks. Additionally, Iggy was being trained on his recall and during the last week, we received a message in which they said, "He's doing well with it but could be better and more reliable, could they keep him an extra week at no additional charge, to make sure he continues his improvement?" That is INCREDIBLE. I would say, Iggy's recall is now one of his best skills and I'm grateful they cared so much to make sure he nailed it. Obviously, I'm sure this isn't a thing they do all the time but it certainly shows they care about the results.
3) It seemed like a much healthier environment for him to be for such a long time, one where they're taken out into the world, on hikes etc., as opposed to many training places where they never leave the "facility". What good is it if you have a well-trained dog in one environment but still don't feel comfortable taking him out with you?! Because his aggression was more environmental, this was essential to us and I think a very important point for any dog to get true success.
4) A week into Iggy's training, my father passed away. I mentioned it during pick up since it had flipped our lives up side down and a couple days later received a gift basket with a note from the team sending their condolences. This was AFTER we had already picked Iggy up and paid. It was one of the more generous acts of kindness I had received during an incredible difficult time and showed me they genuinely care about the dogs and their owners in a way that no other trainers I looked into could even pretend to match.
5) Most importantly, Iggy's demeanor and our understanding of him and his aggression has improved immensely. He does well with rules and overall seems happier than he was without. He also came back healthy. No weight gain or loss, no anxiety, no fur loss. I've heard horror stories from other facilities but with Canine Balance training, it was as if we had been taking care of him the whole time. I'm so proud of this dog and we now get compliments all this time on how well trained he is. He was never totally unruly but even strangers really notice how calm and tuned in he is. That is a ringing endorsement that it's not just noticing a difference.

Obviously, I love this training team and their philosophy. It worked well for us and for our happy good boy.

Samuel Golding

Jennifer, Emily and Christal were fantastic with my dog. I have a completely different relationship with my girl and couldn’t be happier. They were communicative, responded quickly to any questions and thorough with their answers. The training my dog received was phenomenal and reliable. Couldn’t recommend them more!

Faune Towery

Neither our dog experience nor private dog training classes were able to help us. Thankfully, Canine Balance gave Ava confidence and stopped leash reactivity, so we can enjoy our time together. Their method is so inclusive that we can take Ava anywhere. They continue to answer our questions, well after her time at camp, and they really know our dog.

Julie Bos

We took our goldendoodle, Buster to Emily. He is a very energetic and stubborn puppy. He now walks on leash with no pulling and right next to us. He also has much better impulse control. While he is not perfect, we know we need to keep up the training she has put in place. She worked with us on pick up day to show us everything we need to continue to instill in him. We highly recommend Canine Balance Dog Training!

Emily Luna

We adopted a 6 month old french bulldog and didn’t exactly know what we were getting into. The poor puppy had no socialization, no potty training, didn’t even have a name! We knew we needed to invest in some formal training because we had no idea how to give him the best start and foundation. We found Canine Balance training online and discovered that friends of ours also took their dog here and gave us a great referral. We also happened to have a vacation coming up so felt comfort knowing he would be taken care of. We live in Petaluma but they are all the way in Grass Valley but made it so easy to meet up. We did the three weeks puppy bootcamp and when we got him back he was a new man! His confidence was up he wasn’t shaking scared in public, his leash walking was like show dog and the potty training support was such a relief! We also just brought him there again to board while we were in Tahoe. They are so communicative and we know he is in the best care! Highly recommend we will continue to use their boarding care whenever we need it! They are THE BEST!! Worth the distance we drive to bring our pup!

Susan Baka

Emily did such a wonderful job with Koko. I was at my wits' end with her leash and dog aggression. I had never experienced a dog with these behaviors and it really frightened me. Now I have the tools and understanding I need to be in the world with my Koko.

Kate Bond

Wonderful trainers! We booked the board and train option and asked Canine Balance to give our puppy his first introduction to crate training, basic commands, walking, and sleeping through the night. They delivered! We loved the daily updates of pictures and videos so we could see how well he was doing. When they returned our little guy, they taught us how to keep up his training and stayed available for any future questions. They were prompt with all communication and very open about training methods and safety practices. We would gladly utilize their services again!