REACTIVE DOG TRAINING IN SANTA BARBARA CA.

"I just had to comment again today. Skyla has been lucky to have worked with many wonderful and a couple of not so wonderful trainers in Santa Barbara. She was a wound up jumpy borderline inappropriately dominant puppy who through a ton of hard work and training and time and of course M-O-N-E-Y! Had become excellent while on pinch collar or e-collar but who otherwise was just as or more crazy then ever when we didn't have a remote in hand. A lot of the issues were my own. I was well educated in how to train a dog and she was well trained but I just didn't know how to make the connection and translate what she and I knew into real life. And so... she lived in a crate when we couldn't watch over her w remote in hand or tethered so she wouldn't "shop" all over the house (Joe's word for exactly what she was doing all the time!). After working with Joe for just a few sessions. REALLY! I only met him a few days ago!! My dog and my relationship with my dog finally feels like it was supposed to be like. Joe took the time to walk me through "real life" at a dogs pace and looking through a dogs eyes so that all the book learning and all the skills my dog has learned could meet and fall into place! I can't say enough good things about this trainer. If you invest in the first meeting and walk with him... you will know quickly if he is the missing link between you and a well adjusted dog in everyday life, or... if you were hoping for something else. Many have found that that first walk and talk was enough to make the adjustments needed to go from good to great! Others have figured out that this guy can help them reach their wayward dog and some have even realized that getting their dog to not be aggressive required someone who wasn't afraid to show the dog that it was not ok to be mean! And when you behave, life can be very good! All day with this boot camp and tonight my naked dog (no collars or tools) is uncrated, untethered, and asleep unsupervised in the den on her unchewed brand new "big girl" bed. Well done puppy! Good girl! Thanks Joe!" --KR, dvm.

"Take your dog to Joe Martinez at Doggy Boot Camp in the morning and have a new dog by the afternoon!!! Seriously!

My husband and I adopted Ike and Tina, an 11 month old bonded brother-sister pair of Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix pups, in June 2017 from Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center. As the dogs became more comfortable and confident out of the shelter environment in our home some disturbing behaviours began showing up: fear based aggression, rushing the front door when we had a visitor, fence guarding, table surfing, destroying furniture and blatantly ignoring our commands. Combine all of that with a strong prey drive due to their breed and the fact that there was two of them, we found that we were having very little success with any type of training we tried to implement. Our home environment was one of mass chaos and much frustration with the dogs merrily calling all the shots!

During the first session, Joe spent time with Tina establishing the ground rules and reestablishing who had the power in the relationship. (Much to Tina's surprise​, it was not her!) But he also spent time "training" me, as there were things we had unknowingly done, and had allowed the dogs to do, that had helped create and encourage their inappropriate behaviours.

Now, just 4 sessions later and less than 2 weeks after the first training session with Tina, the transformation is AMAZING! She greets people appropriately without fear or aggression, she's learning not chase squirrels and bunnies on our ranch, she's learning to play with other dogs appropriately and is happily obeying commands given to her. Ike's training will begin soon and we know the transformation will be just as amazing as Tina's was. We have been able to implement the tools we have learned from Joe with all three of our dogs and everyone is so much happier! The chaotic, frustrating home environment has been replaced with the calm that comes when everyone knows their place and what their job is.

Tina is becoming the incredible dog that we knew she could be and the dog we think she has always wanted to be but didn't know how until she met Joe Martinez!

If you are tired of the canine-caused chaos in your home, take your pup, young or old, to Joe Martinez at Doggy Boot Camp! If you trust what he tells you to do, utilize the training tools and tips he gives you and implement them consistently, I promise, you won't be disappointed!" ---Linda K Graham

“Pickle, our Aussiedoodle, was a gorgeous, and very bright fellow, but, I had forgotten what it means to live with an untrained puppy. Although he has always been very affectionate and wonderful with other dogs, he developed a number of inappropriate behaviors that made living with him increasingly difficult. Pickles was obsessed with gnawing on my hands and feet, jumping up on me and the furniture, ripping my clothes with his sharp puppy teeth, and continually on the prowl for toilet paper, ball point pens, knitting yarn, my husband's cashmere sweater, and grandchildrens' toys to chew and rip up. When caught with a forbidden item, he would charge around the house, playing keep away and refusing to drop them. He would bark to come inside, and then refuse to walk over the threshold, unless given a treat. At dog parks, he would come about 85% of the time, but would not reliably come if he was playing with other dogs or in an unsafe situation.

I called Joe because I was at my wit's end with what to do with Pickles. Joe turned around Pickles and MY behavior incredibly swiftly. Pickles' only home behavior that I'm still working on is his great love of toilet paper, but all of the other inappropriate behaviors are gone. Besides always coming when he is called at dog parks, he has learned to keep his eye on me, so that he can play and have fun with other dogs, while regularly trotting back to me to check in, without even being called. He no longer jumps up, or tears clothing. If he takes anything in his mouth, he will drop it instantly with one, “Drop it”!

Besides being relieved that we are able to live happily with Pickles, I am particularly pleased at how much happier and calmer Pickles is now. Before working with Joe, Pickles seemed somewhat frantic, hyped up, and “looking for trouble” all day. With those behaviors gone, he is more connected to my husband and I, and he seems to be enjoying his daily life much more than he was. Just about every time I'm at a dog park with Pickles, folks come up to tell me what a great dog he is. Moreover, the process of training was a very positive experience for myself and Pickles and incredibly quick. I can't recommend Joe highly enough.”

"We adopted Pablo, a 1 year old Boxer/Queensland Heeler cross from a family, and it became apparent that he had not been socialized with other dogs. On leash, he pulled, lunged and growled at other dogs, and was very unpredictable. At home, he was sweet with our 7 year old son, but nervous with guests at the house and growling. While we didn't think that he was aggressive with people, we were very nervous about his behavior with other dogs and scared at what might happen.

Joe helped us to take a look at his behavior and train him off the leash. Pablo was very nervous with other dogs, but with Joe's help and time, Pablo is now interacting with dogs daily and running a lot. Joe has helped us with training collars to correct too much rough play with other dogs and coming back to us while off leash. 

Because Pablo is a young dog new to training, he made a few mistakes.   Joe gave us the tools to correct him. It has been so great to see him happier and more comfortable, and for us to lose the anxiety!

For anyone with a rescue/adopted dog with challenges, we would highly recommend Doggy Bootcamp and Joe to help adjust."

"As a new puppy owner my nervousness was about how to get Rolex to come back to me and not to eat things when he was off leash. These were the only 2 things I wanted to have some control over. After looking into dog training in town and the group dynamics of the classes, I was not satisfied. I needed better attention to me of my fears and worry. Joe did just that. He was a personal trainer for me first and then it was the knowledge of what my dog does and doesn't do second. The progression of the training for my 4 month old Weimaraner went from my anxiousness to total comfort and ease anyplace I go in a very short week. 

The knowledge I have learned from Joe is really priceless. To be able to recall Rolex and for him to pass anything temping to eat on the ground is as simple as can be
Every. Single. Time.

But Joe's training goes beyond that.  It is about how Rolex and I think together. I feel the structure you build in the relationship with your dog the better equipped he is when facing new and not so comfortable situations. Like facing a dog that is aggressive with him, I am able to call him out of the circle and move on, he in turn has this ability to move through it without being submissive nor bolder in turn, there is a fluidness of decisions at that moment from him also. We both have confidence together at the same time.

I am a proud human of a well-behaved puppy that gets to be off leash, can play, can run and have as much fun as possible and know my commands Every.Single.Time.

Don't waste any more time, let Joe show you how. Start Doggy Boot Camp now!"
Juli and Rolex

"Thank you Joe for giving me peace of mind. It has been 5 weeks since I adopted my little guy Diego who is an amazing dog that needed some assistance with his social skills Joe, who now has become uncle Joe. After a day or two of having Diego, I realized he had really bad anxiety around certain dogs which made him have inappropriate behavior that made me uneasy and concerned for him and other dogs around him. I had recalled a friend of mine posting a review for a local dog trainer describing the issues her dog had and it was very similar to what I was seeing in Diego-- So, I found that review and contacted Joe right away. He responded that same night with solid good pointers to get me into a good emotional state. As you may be feeling or can understand the feeling of having a dog that can't communicate well with other dogs or even more concerning many may consider aggressive. It took me about 4 days to meet up with Joe but he gave me a few tips over the phone to help me start a good relationship with my new dog.

I have a new dog... Okay, it's still Diego but he is now a responsive dog who is able to go run with other dogs and PLAY! Yes, play... without Joe's guidance I don't think I would've been able to get to this healthy place. Diego is still a pup and is still learning as any pup does but we are now able to walk and run and enjoy our day at Douglas. The one aspect of Joe's training that I loved was that he taught me that my dog needs to learn to walk away from inappropriate behavior of other dogs without responding. Helping us avoid issues in the long run... Thank you UNCLE JOE- from Ruthie, Darwin and Diego. –Ruth Iniguez

"Ted is now a 6 year old Staffordshire bull terrier blend.  We adopted him in 2016 from the shelter where he had been for 2 years. His history tells us that he was " on the street " at the age of 1. He was picked up by animal control and taken to the county shelter. We were told by the shelter that he was " dog aggressive " and we must not let him socialize with other dogs. The shelter staff tried to introduce him to horses, but it was a miserable failure. A local professional dog trainer tried to work with Ted, but said that he is likely 'un-rehabilitable'.

We met with Joe and the first thing Joe did was to allow him to go "off leash" and also to allow Ted into believing that he could make his own decisions and simply be a dog.

After many outings in "off leash parks" with a control collar on, Ted was taught to " walk away " even if another dog decided to bite him and show aggression.  

Because he has been allowed to be a dog--but has also been given boundaries--Ted now has a recall and is a happy dog.  Ted is happy and so are his owners."

Check out Ted video  https://youtu.be/TVmgov00OEA 

This beautiful, chocolate Pit Bull mix named “Penny” came to DAWG after spending three lonely

months at the Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter where she had failed the “cat test”

during her evaluation. Because of behavioral issues, which included a strong “prey drive,” she

was considered unadoptable and was kept in isolation until DAWG stepped in.

DAWG immediately reached out to Joe at Santa Barbara Doggie Boot Camp who agreed to

foster and work with Penny. Today, anyone meeting Penny and not knowing her history would

see only a very sweet and gentle dog who obeys commands and gets along with everyone. A

video on a pet adoption website shows Penny walking calmly through a shelter with rows and

rows of cages holding cats and she acts as if they are not even there! There is no question that

if she were evaluated today, Penny would ace the “cat test!”

Thank goodness Joe stepped in when he did, or it’s likely this dog would no longer be alive.

She is now entirely adoptable, and will make someone a wonderful pet!

Penny's heartbreaking story of being rejected by shelters was published in the Santa Barbara News Press and caught the attention of community animal activist, Gretchen Lief who shared with Suzanne Von Drehle.  Suzanne asked Doggy Boot Camp if they could help.  With the help and support of Nuetzie with Penny's rescue organization, DAWG, Doggy Boot Camp saved an amazing girl.  She took well to in-house training, and it only took six months to find the best forever home for her with a great family.   Check out this great video that showcased Penny to help find her forever family.  Happy Tails to Penny!

We Just Lost Her  10/21/24

 https://youtu.be/7JwiFWiHHsQ 

Joey was set to be euthanized for not passing the cat test Also and also aggression issues he had two bites on his record one of which was a kennel attended the volunteers at the shelter we're not going to let that happen they fought to save this dog with bake sales and the help of DA WG we were able to take care of his aggression issues prey drive we're he actually passed the cat tests successfully I believe within about six weeks we found Joey's forever home he lives down in Ventura where is two owners Boni and his daughter Isabella absolutely love this guy. We were able to save this guys life and turned it around

"We adopted Zeke, a lovely young pit mix, from the shelter, a year and a half ago.  He has been the sweetest, greatest dog (thanks to his shelter foster, Mark B.& Elsa-who cared for him during his year at the shelter).
So, he was 98% perfect, except for a !00% no recall, and a play style I call "lion attacks gazelle"(which is definitely not well received by most dogs)
We went to Joe specifically for those challenges, and after a couple sessions
we're well on our way to helping Zeke be the perfect dog that he deserves to be.Joe used a citronella collar on Zeke, which makes a sound, and then a spritz of citronella, to "surprise" him and redirect him. So, we are all having a blast! Seeing your dog make the right choice is fun and so worthwhile. Watching Joe observe every subtle behavioral nuance, and react to help your dog, is really very enjoyable.He is very funny,clearly loves dogs, and wants them to be happy. We were fortunate to get to know a new ex- shelter dog,Joey, who Joe rescued on the day he was to be euthanized due to "aggressive behavior"(caveat:I don't know the whole story)-So, on day 6 of Joe's care, Joey was only wearing a simple collar with an I.D. tag, no "corrective devices"-no raised voice, no punishment, and he and Zeke were playing gleefully, frolicking for hours,off-leash, interacting nicely with all humans and dogs, big and small. So, Zeke's and my life are truly enhanced with our new skills, but the difference Joe has made for Joey is huge! Thank you, Joe! Happy Trails." ---Bob Ghandi

I was oscillating between regret and resentment. I got Hazelnut from a shelter. A gentle girl with beautiful markings and a silly side... up until we went on a walk. If she even thought she saw a dog across the street she transformed into a monster, an uncontrollable, bark-yelling monster. When we saw one out on a walk she would bark, jump up and down, and twist herself around me. There was no way to get her attention in this moment, nothing I could do but apologize and drag this writhing beast further down the block until the other dog was out of sight. She weighs 55 pounds by the way.

Then there was the off-leash problem... I learned quickly that this dog was going to get herself killed if she was let off-leash. She would sprint in the opposite direction and it was just a matter of time until she would sprint right into traffic.

I am an active person, I love hiking, backpacking and going to the beach and I wanted a trail-dog adventure buddy. But I would leave her at home when I knew my hiking partner was bringing her dog, or when we would go to the beach because Hazelnut would have to be on a leash, and this meant that she would be pulling to get to the water, to get to that seagull, or going into monster mode if she saw another dog. I had tried other trainers, one that suggested a prong collar which was only a momentary superficial fix, and one that was against all forms of prong and e-collars and suggested that I give her treats to get her to come to me and to redirect her when she was reactive. I'll tell you, no amount of hot dogs, turkey meat, or even a fresh rotisserie chicken would get that dog back to me if she was let off leash... trust me I tried.

Continue reading here

https://g.co/kgs/nSHmP2

CHECK OUT HER VIDEO

 https://youtu.be/n-sXKIiYNXA 

 
2 years ago Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value This is my second review of SB Doggy Bootcamp because I’ve now had the pleasure of working with Joe twice now, he’s helped me with a total of 3 dogs. First he helped me with my two French bulldogs, one of which was reactive/aggressive towards the other, with his guidance and methods of training I was able to get my home back to a peaceful place. I was constantly stressed and watching over my shoulder worrying that my little dogs were about to fight. I even considered rehoming one of them. If you follow Joe’s protocols, you will literally have a transformed home and dog! Even after one session with him you will notice a change in your pup. It’s pretty magical. Anyway now he has been helping me with my 7 month old Rottweiler, Cash. Cash has always been a very sweet dog and I didn’t need Joes help with any serious behavior issues however Joe has helped Cash and I, with so many things! Since Cash loves meeting people and saying hello to everyone, whenever I would take him off leash he would go up to every person and sometimes even sit in their laps. It’s a cute thing when a puppy does something like that however Cash is going to be a big dog one day. Also it was and is important for Cash to learn not to approach dogs on leash. If a dog is on leash and he’s off, I do not want Cash to approach them. Joe’s methods will teach you and your dog how to do that. Also when Cash is engaged in play it was very hard for me to get him to come when called. He had zero recall whatsoever. He and I were lacking a major connection! He didn’t even notice if I was there or not, gone to the wind he was.

Continue reading here

https://goo.gl/maps/ybnjK2f5EUYQbJVx9

We didn't think it could be done!

our training with Joe has been an unqualified success and he has done for us exactly what he said he would do. If we knew then what we know now, we would have done this ages ago.

Ok, so that was two sentences, sorry.

Our dog Enzo, five and a half at the time he started with Joe, had been under-socialized. The result was that he was reactive with other dogs - nervous about life and the world (can relate!) and had figured out that he could cause other dogs and people to leave him alone if he barked and lunged and generally acted scary.

We had a neighborhood reputation of having the sort of dog where you cross the street when you see 'em. Not. Great.

Enzo was amazing with us at home but since he unpredictable with others, it bred a pattern of insularity where we didn't invite people over, didn't take him to meet other dogs and the like. Enzo was alone on our little island - he was getting out to walk but not really experiencing the world the way a dog should be able to. Enzo was overly sheltered because we were nervous.

If this sounds like your situation, keep reading because it doesn't have to be this way!

We had done training before with, at best, so-so results. Even though it was not our first time, I don't think we realized it could be done so differently.

I will say, when we first talked to Joe, our initial impression was: 'whoa, this guy is sort of hardcore'. There were rules that he told us we needed to impose if we wanted to be successful that we hadn't even thought of as problems.

Nothing unreasonable but definitely changes in our regular routine and a more disciplined approach. That was new - previous trainers didn't have much to say about the big picture or changing the home life, though in retrospect, this part was critical.

We met for our first day - a multi-hour session to get everything started. We didn't know what to expect but we were willing to give it a go and let him direct us. Our expectation was that it would take at least weeks to see results.

We were wayyyyyy wrong. Even after that first session, we made major progress.

Joe's philosophy is to help dogs be dogs and it turns out that when you swim with the tide instead of against it, things go a lot more smoothly.

Enzo is a changed dog. Our lives are better and most importantly his life is much better. He's out running and playing with other dogs daily, something that we thought was impossible just weeks ago.

Joe delivers and we give him a hearty recommendation.

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 15+ 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 you.

Larry Rieder

December 27, 2022.

I rescued Shadow a 2-year old Malamute/Husky mix this past summer and I only had two weeks to work with Joe before I was leaving Santa Barbara. Shadow had zero social skills and would greet dogs by barking in their face and being aggressive. Joe and I did a crash course (4 hours a day) and in two weeks Shadow learned to behave with other dogs and good recall when called. I have worked with other dog trainers over the past 40 years and Joe is by far the best dog trainer I've come across. He is very stern and diligent with the dog and the client but you quickly learn his methods and techniques are spot on!! Do yourself a favor, call Joe.

Insert 

Jenny Sims
Nov 16, 2022
Joe Martinez at DoggyBootCampSB is a miracle worker! My 3 year old dog used to be super protective of me and (what she considered) Her possessions. She was reactive and would nip at people and dogs who came near me- even my friends walking over to give me a hug and say "Hey!". It brought me so much anxiety daily to have a dog I couldn't trust to be around other dogs and people. I never wanted to invite friends over because I was scared my dog would attack them if they walked near her food bowl or by "Her" room. I was fearful to bring my dog to the beach (where I play volleyball almost daily) and other dog parks because she was so unpredictable and I didn't feel comfortable to do so. What use to be Ironic is my dog's name is Joy. Before Joe, she was ANYTHING BUT a Joy to those around her (that wasn't me or my Boyfriend at the time); however, now, she has really earned her name and is nothing BUT a Joy to be around! Joe has a real gift for turning reactive dogs into sweet, loving, obedient, playful dogs. He is always going over and beyond for his clients and even after the training time is up, he continues to help. He always feels just one phone call away and is always responsive if something comes up in your post-training. He genuinely cares about healing the
relationship between you and your dog. It seems like a lot of work at first to understand how to communicate affectively with your dog, but Joe makes it very simple and really teaches you along the way. It is never the dog that is the problem but how you as the owner communicates with your dog- Joes methods WORK if you work the methods. I really don't know where Joy and I would be if we hadn't made the commitment to work with Joe. I always use to worry about a law suit coming my way if Joy bit the wrong person! But now I don't live in that anxiety anymore! That peace of mind to me is well worth any cost of training. Thank you Joe! From Jenny and Joy

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO

https://youtu.be/TKUVGRyrF4w

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, beck-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! 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, thank 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.

CHECK OUT HER VIDEO

 https://youtu.be/Yl7oVSMoz9A 

We adopted Skye when she was 3 months old. She was timid and seemed a bit fearful, but still very puppy like. Thinking that we were doing the right thing, I started bringing her to the local dog park as soon as she had all her shots. Skye hated it. She barked and barked and barked, she hid behind me and sometimes tried to crawl up my legs. Dogs terrified her. People terrified her. Fellow dog park go-ers suggested a bark collar since she barked so much. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I enlisted the help of a trainer to try to improve Skye's confidence- the dog trainer did not recommend taking her to the dog park, and to work with her at home. So I did. We did obedience training and she learned all the basic commands. However, anytime someone came over to visit, or came up our driveway, Skye would bark out of fear. Anytime we took her on a walk, Skye would growl or bark at anyone we talked to or even those passing by. She wasn't angry, she was just afraid! Skye started developing bad habits at home, and without realizing, we enabled the behavior. She began growling at our young daughter and there was nothing that we did that could stop the growling. Our trainer was even at a loss as to why she was growling at a young child for what seemed like no reason.

A couple years after adopting Skye, we found DoggyBootcampSB while looking for a trainer for another dog we had just adopted. Joe had us work with Skye at home for several weeks before he was willing to meet her in person. She was very much a Velcro dog and sulked immensely when we tried to implement DoggyBootcamp's rules. She didn't like it the new rules and didn't want anything to do with it. Our other dogs went first and trained with Joe, while Skye took the backseat and watched their show. They went to training after training, coming back a bit more confident each time. We practiced leash work at home and slowly Skye started showing interest in being part of that too. She would walk alongside the other dogs as we leash trained them at home, pretending she was also on leash.

Soon enough, after she stopped sulking as much, it was Skye's turn to meet Joe. She was in full blown panic mode! She writhed on her leash, she panted out of stress, she barked and growled at any human that she saw anywhere near us during training. Joe kept at it. Four hours later, we were walking with her through a dog park off leash amongst other dogs and people. Skye was still in panic mode- but she was slowly realizing that no one was out to get her, that they were all just doing their own thing.

A few days later, she saw Joe again and this time things seemed to have settled down in her mind. She no longer growled at people, and growled only at dogs who got a bit too close to her. Slowly and surely, she started leaving my side for longer distances and longer periods of time.

5 hours of training later, and keeping it up at home- Joe suggested I take her to our local dog park along with our other two dogs, who were dog park professionals at this point. So I took her to the dog park I used to take her to as a puppy, the place she feared with everything she had. Skye barked and growled a bit, but after spending some time digesting everything around her, she started venturing away from me and exploring with the other dogs. She would come back and check in, then run off to go greet some newcomers to the park. Slowly, the time she was away from me started increasing!

We are becoming dog park regulars now, and Skye is getting better each time we go. She is gaining confidence and slowly understanding that the world isn't such a scary place- there are friends to be made and space to run and play! It will take time before Skye completely loses her fear of the world- but the gains she has made with Joe's help are incredible. With her fearful personality, she was a completely different kind of dog to train than our other two dogs- but Joe knew exactly how to train her, in the way she needed to be trained, where it was on her terms, nor ours. Skye is far less neurotic and no longer growls at our daughter- we are starting to see her true personality emerge and it is an amazing thing to watch. Before DoggyBootcampSB we couldn't and didn't want to take our dogs anywhere, afraid of how they would behave... Joe has given us the freedom and confidence to take our dogs on any kind of adventure now! Thank you!

 Sarah Davis

starstarstarstarstar Dec 21, 2022

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.

DOGGY BOOT CAMP-Santa Barbara

Owner

Dec 21, 2022Text here

REVIEW for DOG #1: SOPHIE
I contacted Doggy Bootcamp SB close to midnight on a Saturday evening after staying up late searching for dog trainers who specialized in aggressive and reactive dogs. I was hanging onto my last thread of sanity- having spent almost every day over the past two months struggling with the newest canine addition to our family. Sophie was a great dog on her own - but she appeared to have some major issues with one of our dogs. Incident after incident happened; Sophie attacked our other dog several times - resulting in tears, bloodshed, a vet visit and some major heartbreak. I called the shelter where we had adopted her from, as well as several trainers, begging for help. We were two dog trainers in at this point, both who had ultimately recommended and supported what I felt like was my only option left: rehoming Sophie into a family that had no other dogs, and preferably not having contact with other dogs outside the home due to her being very "dog reactive". When she was on her own, Sophie was so sweet- lovable, eager to learn, eager to please... so, in hoping that three times really is a charm - I wanted to give Sophie one more chance and searched some more and found Joe's website; I read many, many reviews, sent an email... and he was in touch the next morning.

After our first phone call with Joe, all of our lives changed: dogs and human. The new rules he wanted us to follow seemed a bit intense at first but within 2 days of implementing Joe's rules into our household, we could already feel the difference. The house was calmer, quieter and less neurotic. There was less barking, less tension. After a week of doing our "homework", Sophie was ready to meet Joe and in that first session, I saw that little dog transform. Within an hour of meeting her, Joe had her walking off leash. Within a few hours, Joe had Sophie recalling and off-leash amongst other dogs at the dog park. Not only was she not dog reactive, like we thought she was, she was actually afraid of other dogs! That night, with some new tools under my belt and new rules in the house- we reintroduced Sophie to our other dogs, after having had them separated for several weeks out of concern for everyone's safety, and did they play!

Fast forward many hours and many days of intensive training, I now have a dog who peacefully coexists, eats amongst and plays with my other dogs- even befriending the one whom she used to attack. I have a dog who is the superstar at the dog park and will happily play with anyone - big or small- who is willing to run and play with her. I have a dog who walks nicely on leash, and doesn't drag me like a sled dog. I have a dog who has amazing recall when she is off-leash from hundreds of feet away, all thanks to Joe. Joe not only saved Sophie's life, he saved our sanity and taught us how to let Sophie and the rest of our dogs live their best life. Thank you Joe, we are forever grateful for everything you've done for us and Sophie.

*

Lisa Kirwan

starstarstarstarstar Jul 11, 2020

Our dog was well-behaved 80% of the time, but there were specific situations, such as beaches and parks with wide-open spaces, that would trigger him and he would become reactive and protective. I compensated by putting him on leash and would let him off only when it was “clear”. We were walking on the beach with our dog on leash and he bit another dog that was off leash running towards him. Thank goodness the other dog is now fine but it was devastating and a clear sign that something needed to be done.

A friend recommended Joe from Doggy Boot Camp. From the consultation phone call to the one-on-one training sessions, Joe was supportive, positive and clear about how to help our dog become a more balanced and happy dog.

Joe got to know our dog and our situation and gave us very clear directions and changes that we could make to support our dog and his behavior in all situations. We adopted Joe’s system of using a training collar specifically and humanely.

Our work with Joe was worth every penny and every minute we spent. Today our dog’s old trigger areas are no longer problematic and he is a better behaved dog in all areas. We are able to walk at the beach or park or anywhere off-leash with ease, calm and enjoyment. We now have a happy, and balanced dog with no need for us to micromanage him. He is well-behaved and much happier--and so are we. He interacts with other dogs in a safe and positive manner.

 Joe also trained our 5-month-old puppy and individualized the training for what each dog/puppy needed.

I highly recommend Joe as a trainer. He is 100% committed to helping you help your dog. He made a huge impact in our life and our dog’s life. Don’t give up on your dog or micromanage your dog like I did. Joe is an excellent trainer and will assist you in training and correcting your problematic behaviors and therefore your dog’s problematic behavior, so your dog will be happy and balanced in all areas of his life.Joe is all about happy and balanced dogs, which is good for the dogs, good for us and great for the community!

Thank you, Joe!

Positive

Responsiveness, Reliability, Quality, Professionalism, Value

Joe saved my dog's life!!  My dog was VERY aggressive toward other dogs.  I went through many training programs and consciencely tried to implement what I was taught.  Nothing seemed to work.  I was at the point where I feared my dog would kill another dog and I would be forced to put her down.  Within two hours of meeting Joe, my dog was changed as was I.

His techniques were all about my taking the total alpha dog role, being a strong boss to her.  At the end of that first two hours, my dog was running free in the dog park, interacting with other dogs, not fighting.  I couldn't believe it!  He has a special way with aggressive dogs and with their owners!  We met a few times after the initial meeting for me to gain confidence with my dog and to see the changes truly were for real.  I am forever grateful for his knowledge and for his patience not only with the my dog but with me.  Thank you Joe

When I got Reeses I fell totally in love with her: playful, friendly, and nonstop energy! But I let her get away with too much.  I had very few glimpses of her bad side: destructiveness in the house, a little bit of rough play, and a couple of fights with one of the other dogs in our house - normal puppy growing pains I thought. Then all of a sudden, I was home for Christmas, and she tried to go for my grandmother. Growling and snapping, she bit her on the hand. I was out of my mind and didn't know what to do! How could my sweet baby try to attack Grandma?!?! Well it got worse. She tried to go for Grandma a second time, and while trying to back away, Grandma fell down the stairs and ended up in the hospital. While Grandma ended up okay, it was a slow recovery. I was heartbroken and considering putting Reeses down. When I called Joe I was actually going to ask him if he could take her off my hands. He told me that I created this problem dog and at this point either I should train her myself or put her down. Keeping Reeses was one of the hardest decisions of my life. But Joe was so helpful and encouraging! I can honestly say he saved my dog and me! If you saw Reeses today you'd never guess her history. She's still fun and playful, but has mellowed out so much. She's gentle and patient with puppies, but still up for a good romp around the park with the big dogs! She's calm around dogs, cats, ducks, horses, you name it! I hardly ever even bother with a leash anymore and I'm constantly getting complements on her behaviour. I can't recommend Joe and his Doggy Boot Camp enough!!!

Joe Martinez came highly recommended.  And from my first frantic call, I knew Joe was the right person to help our family.  About a month earlier, we had adopted a 10 month-old Pit-Shepard mix named Bear, who immediately started taking over our home with his high energy.  He was digging up our yard and fountain, eating our car mats and seats, and had no boundaries.  He was  jumping on all the beds and furniture, jumping all over us and our friends, and could never calm down.  Bear treated the inside of our house like a dog park, and would launch into the front seat of my car whenever I picked up my son from school.

Our family had no idea we were going to be raising such a high intensity dog.  We anticipated a good daily run and lots of loving, but not full-time anxiety over his behavior.   Even our very active children, age 17 and 11, were taken aback by Bear’s endless energy.  We were constantly correcting him, and our normally peaceful home had become chaotic.  Although Bear is sweet and not aggressive, his energy was just too much.  And he was really stressing out Sugar, our 10 year-old Pug mix rescue.  

The day before I called Joe, I left Bear home alone for the first time; and he broke out of this crate and ate half our couch!  It was quite a sight to come home to, and I was bummed out.   But Joe came right over after our call, and from that day forward, everything shifted towards the positive.  Joe had an instant connection with Bear; and during his first session, the transformation began.   

Joe taught our family some great tools to manage Bear’s energy and keep it balanced throughout our day.  The citronella spray collar Joe recommended helped immensely, as well as Joe’s lessons on how to stay neutral, how to be calm during this transition.  My family got on board with his suggestions, we taught Bear how to live with us, and things became more peaceful.  Within the first few days after practicing Joe’s techniques, my family took back our home.  We got Bear off the beds and couches, ended all the running and jumping inside the house, and created better boundaries.    Bear is now a polite greeter and plays really well with other dogs.   We started spending more time praising Bear, and less time correcting him.  Now Bear is less anxious, and more confident in his surroundings. He has continued to respond beautifully to Joe’s teachings.

Sugar also got a little Boot Camp training with Joe. He taught her how to be on track with what we were teaching Bear, and now she trusts being around him all day.  Both dogs are now off our beds and sleep on their owns beds in a designated space. It’s pretty cool to see them sleeping together and hanging together on their daily runs; exactly what we were hoping for.

Joe’s Boot Camp kick started our family as well.  We have learned so much about our  role in Bear’s life and how to help him navigate through his days successfully.  We are all more mindful of our role in raising him to be the amazing dog he’s always been, with the right kind of guidance.  And now I consistently hear from others what a great dog Bear is.

I recommend Joe Martinez to anyone who wants a well-behaved and confident dog.  He is a very knowledgeable and professional in his work, and has the expertise to help any dog, regardless of the issue it’s struggling with.  I now hear from so many others at the local dog park how much he has changed their lives as well.  Our family is so grateful for his dedication to teaching us how to raise the best dogs imaginable. Bear and Sugar thank Joe too!

Tiffany Story 

My story begins on a fateful day when I was included on a big group email with other "dog lovers." A woman was pleading for someone to save her dog Bella whom she had relinquished to the humane society because the family had to move (don't get me started on that one). She said the humane society was going to put Bella to sleep because she was developing kennel aggression. She had heartbreaking pictures of this sweet petite pitty mix dressed in lakers shirts and leopard print ensembles sleeping on her son's bed. Suffice it to say only two people remained active on that email: myself and a woman I had never met before named Kay. Kay and I worked feverishly via phone and email  to try to save this dog. Neither of us had rescued dogs ourselves before but we felt we had to do something. In the end the woman turned out to be "crazy" and we had to beg her to let us save Bella. The first time I set eyes on Kay was the day we went to pick Bella up. We had NO idea what we were getting into. We just blindly dove in as optimistic beginners. Our new friend Beth offered to foster temporarily. Beth had a young son and a three legged older dog named Mac. I had an off leash dog walking business so all Bella's needs would be met until we found her a home. Or at least we thought. We drove straight from the humane society to go on a group walk. Kay was relieved that Bella was so sweet with us and loved belly rubs. All was sunshine and roses. We got to the park with the other dogs, and a dog went to sniff Bella. Bella immediately turned into a Tasmanian devil, growling and biting, spit flying everywhere  and basically scaring the crap outta everyone. Kay and I looked at each other and mouthed "OMG." NOW WHAT!? Bella  didn't want dogs anywhere near her and that's all we had to offer. Beth our foster said to bring her over anyway because maybe she'd be okay with Mac who's pretty chill. Mac was so happy, went to say hi, and Bella attacked him. Things were going downhill fast. Being new to the rescue world  we had zero resources, support or information. We both decided we had made a big mistake. But at least Bella was alive, right!

The next 48 hours were one long anxiety and tear ridden blur. Kay and I took shifts driving Bella around in our cars, feebly brainstorming, and avoiding any and all contact with other dogs. At one point by complete coincidence we found ourselves in our cars next to each other on a street in the San roque area. We were zombies with tear stained faces and no sleep. Kay, weak and shaking, said "I came to this area because I vaguely remember there was a guy who did training especially for shelter dogs. I have no idea which house or even street." We wandered around that suburban neighborhood for hours asking neighbors and knocking on doors pathetically to see if they knew a guy with some kind of work truck named Jay, or John or something. I'm surprised someone didn't call the cops. It was such a ridiculous long shot but what other choice did we have. Finally someone thought they knew who we were talking about and pointed to a house. No one was home so we left a note.

It was indeed Joe's house! He called Kay who completely lost it on the phone and cried "WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO! Can you help us!!" Joe told Kay, who was standing in an aisle at Petco buying a muzzle, to come over with Bella right away.

When I arrived Kay, Joe, Bella and Sadie ( Joe's awesome dog) were all in the front yard area. Kay put up her hand to me telling me to just sit tight for a minute as Joe was working with the dogs right there and then. Suffice it to say within a half an hour we were all on our way to the dog park, Bella sitting in Joe's car with Sadie and a super hyper boxer named Coco. OMG, SHE WAS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO TWO DOGS AND NOT REACTING. How could this be the same dog!!!! Kay and I were beside ourselves. It was to us no less than a complete miracle. All three of us had been released from some horrid, draining, god awful prison and were now running around playing, laughing and completely enjoying life. Over the days Bella needed a correction or two from Joe which she took happily. We found an adopter for her and she is now loved beyond compare by her family.

Joe made what could've been a complete nightmare into a complete happily ever after story.

I've now been heavily involved in rescue for 6 years and I've never known a dog Joe couldn't help. In fact he takes the dogs that other trainers have deemed "unfixable" and, well..."fixes" them! The man has truly got a gift.

Thank you again Joe, from the bottom of my heart!

Tiffany Story

Kerstin Williamson

I am posting this for Don, who has no Facebook account, however, wanted to write a review for Doggy Boot Camp. 

I have had many German Shepherds and Marley is the first dog with severe dog aggression. I had several other trainers to help me with this problem without success.

I highly recommend Joe at Doggy Boot Camp. His techniques provided me with the tools to train my rescue dog. My dog's behavior and personality have completely changed for the better. After just 3 sessions Joe will explain how to use his technique and why it works. You must be willing to consistently follow his instructions to be successful.

MEDINA Lani

1:10 PM, Dec 10

I reached out to Joe and Doggy Boot Camp about a month ago for help with my two golden doodles. My dogs were horrible off leash, they would coral small dogs, chase birds, run and bark aggressively at people and not respond to me at all. After an extensive two week boot camp with Joe my dogs are completely different dogs. I can now bring them to dog parks and let them off leash without worrying About what they will do. This is something I never thought would be possible before I worked with Joe. If you want someone who really cares and knows what he is doing Joe is your man! I feel confident with my dogs and feel as though I have to completely new dogs! I can't say enough about how wonderful Joe is!left this review on Yelp and Facebook don't have Google account under Melissa Martinez

CHECK OUT THERE MOVIE

 https://youtu.be/6qJra8bMAbg 

Campbell B.

We are feeling so helpless about our dog Chinook's behavior. She is a mastiff/pitbull mix and is aggressive with dogs and humans.This happened a week after our older dog

passed away and all of it was just too much and now she is scared and reactive to everything.She's a sweet girl, but now it's causing trouble with our landlord and neighbors. Please please help us.

7/25/2022

Joe has changed our lives--seriously! Our dog had some past trauma and we weren't equipped to help her move past it. She was reactive to people, dogs, cats, you name it. Not a good trait in an 85lb dog. This caused a lot of stress and tension in our home and really was something we struggled with as a family for over 3 years. Joe taught us to "wipe the hard drive clean" by changing our behaviors and habits with our dog. His methods allow your dog to ENJOY being a dog. Trips to parks and public places used to be such a source of stress for us, now we are "footloose and fancy free". Joe's dedication to helping both dogs and owners overcome obstacles is unmatched. He has made it where we can have FUN being dog owners and our dog is the happiest she has ever been. I cannot say enough good things about Joe and Doggy Boot Camp. If you're considering signing on with Joe, start now--I wish we had started with him sooner. Thank you Joe!!!

CHECK OUT HER MOVIE

 https://youtu.be/pBRvM1-iSio 

Maya U.

Jan 5, 2022

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. 

marie webb

I don't have a ton of money to spend, and I am about as skeptical as they get with approaching someone that I have researched online. I am also hard to teach at times because I am emotional about my pets. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy education, and enjoy learning and taking direction from others. However, I am most comfortable with taking the role of training others. I am an educator. My professional duties somehow do not translate into being a successful dog owner. Training a dog requires a specialist. I am now a firm believer that no one should own a dog unless they are willing to work with a dog specialist. Although I did my due diligence with friends and family who are "experienced" with training dogs, I knew how important it was for me to seek help with my rescue dog KiKi that was having aggression issues on and off leash. KiKi was an angel when I first adopted her. She was timid and shy, yet played well with all of the other dogs at the rescue. She even played well with my housemates' puppy, and other dogs at the beach! I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw her lunge at my neighbor's dog, and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable walking around my gated community. She pulled my arm so hard that my shoulder issues came back, and I felt like she was always walking me. So? My natural response was to buy a leash that wrapped around my waist so that it was easier on my body. Wrong decision. I wish I had met Joe so much earlier on. Luckily, I was able to find him after 1.5 months of adopting KiKi.

KiKi began to learn from Joe's advice even before our first training. His advice is heartfelt, but to the point. You might be worried about working with trainers that use a chain or a shock collar. I was too! Yet, when Joe first put the collar on me and showed me how a level 1 shock actually felt, I didn't even notice he was shocking me! It reminded me of when my doctor gave me a chicken pox update when I was 13, and I jumped off the table in fear--not realizing that he had already given me the shot! The shock is a last resort, and he uses it with caution. Kiki only needed it once, and within less than one minute she was recalling straight to Joe.

Not impressed yet? Kiki is what I used to call--a man hater. Please don't ever say those words about your dog again, and get ready because Joe is all about changing your mindset and the way you speak about your dog. I have to say it here in my review for you to truly understand how negative my mindset was with her, and how fearful I was of what she would do or how she would act. She would nip men, lunge at them, and do anything she could to get them away from her. Yet, I witnessed her go right back to Joe in less than a minute and within 5 minutes off her leash with him for the first time--EVER. I could not believe my eyes.

As I sit here this evening writing this review, I am in awe at the new inner peace that I have as Kiki's owner. I am respectful of Joe and grateful that a trainer like him is out there! He has the biggest heart, and will respect you and dog!

Go with Joe! And most importantly, believe in your dog!

Positive

Reliability, Professionalism, Value

Colby and Vicki McLellan

Apr 25, 2023

We rescued our pup from 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.

Check out her Instagram Page

https://www.instagram.com/thesunnyfanclub?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Theresa McNulty

I can't say enough great things about Joe. He truly is the dog whisperer!

I started noticing aggressive behavior in my dog Maggie (4 year old put bull, beagle mix) shortly after my daughter was born. She would be aggressive to other dogs she felt she could dominate. Fast forward 2.5 years and Maggie's behavior escalated to the point she attacked a puppy. I knew I had to get this behavior under control and fast.

I had heard wonderful things about Joe and called him straight away. The first thing he asked was... "Do you allow your dog on the bed or couch?" I said... "yes, guilty." Then he asked... "Are you willing to change that behavior?" I said... "yes, 100%." He then explained that this would be the only way he would work with me and dogs that have aggression issues. He was absolutely right! Joe told me with this change alone I would see results. The first few days of this I totally did. Maggie was much more attentive to my commands.

I then started working with Joe and was very impressed with his consistency and follow through not only with his magic ability to command the dog, but how he conducts his business too. Joe always answers his phone when I call, he is an excellent communicator, and very thorough. He is determined to make sure your dog is relaxed, happy and that the whole family can enjoy life again with a well behaved dog.

Bottom line, dogs love this man and Joe loves what he does! We are so lucky to have him in this community and he will make your dog great again.

Like

Comment

Share

I’ve worked at Dog Adoption & Welfare Group, (DAWG), for many years, and during that time

Joe from Santa Barbara Doggy Boot Camp has helped us with several hard-to-handle dogs like

“Tama.” Tama had extreme “possessive aggression” when he first came to us from another

local animal rescue. Because I’m pretty experienced with aggressive dogs, I decided to

temporarily foster this dog in my home. However I was caught off guard when Tama jumped up

onto the kitchen counter and grabbed a chicken I was preparing, ripping the sweatshirt off my

arm in the process. Later, when I tried to move his bed, he lashed out at me again.

At that point the staff at DAWG realized Tama needed some professional training so we turned

him over to a local trainer for several weeks. In the meantime the owner of the original rescue

discovered Joe at Santa Barbara Doggie Boot Camp and asked him if he would help us out with

Tama. Within a week Joe called us and invited us to come to his house to meet the “new

Tama.” Right away we noticed a huge difference. We took Tama to the dog park and were

amazed at how well he listened to commands. After about a month with Joe, we found a good

home for Tama.

Recently I went to a benefit where I ran into Tama and his new owner. Although there was a ton

of food at this event, I was thrilled that the “new Tama” behaved like a perfect gentlemen - no

more food aggression! Both Tama and his owner seemed very happy.

If it wasn’t for Joe, I honestly do not know what we would’ve done with this dog!

(Read on for more testimonials from Nuetzie at DAWG)

I Was His Last Hope.

https://youtu.be/zqosYQVKDSU

Where do I begin to say how much Joe changed our lives in a wonderful way! The lives of my husband's, mine and our two year old lab Stanley. He's a total love dog, but had serious prey drive. It worried us that if there was a situation where a squirrel ran across the road no matter if cars were coming or not, he would obsessively chase after it, not even aware of our existence and of course we feared that one day he would be hit. For a while, we thought it was so cute that he could just run and run and seemingly enjoy himself as he chased almost anything that moved in safe off leash environments. Joe helped us understand that that is not what a dog should be doing and is actually quite stressful for them, not to mention us always being on high alert. In a matter of a few sessions with Joe, we have learned how much more joy there is to be had when your dog plays happily with other dogs and you get to enjoy the time too knowing they're getting the socialization they need and the exercise. Joe is a gifted trainer who is a joy to work with! He really understands dogs and teaches you how to understand yours!re

We ventured to Santa Barbara with our two Pups Kratos, a 2 year old Boston Terrier, and Daenerys, a 3 year old American Eskimo. I spoke to Joe about some of the issues we had been having with our pups and explained how we needed some guidance. Both dogs were jumping up on my legs and visitors in excitement and not being receptive to any kind of verbal discipline. In addition we had issues where they would both jump up on furniture and push each other out of the way seeking attention. We were also worried they would run away if given the opportunity. We needed help with these issues and contacted Joe. Immediately he took the pups one at a time for an alone session. And then they played together in a separate session. Joe helped me understand proper leash behavior for both myself and  for guiding our dogs. Right away Joe had both dogs off leash and learning. I was amazed at how quickly behaviors were changed for the better. These initial lessons took one weekend and a week later, both pups are doing great! They are recalling, listening, and obeying commands. Thank you so much Joe, you are a miracle worker!!re

This Rottweiler came to DAWG from Santa Maria where he was found lost and wondering the

streets. Apparently his name was “Vato.” Engraved on his big, leather collar was the phrase:

“Vato get your buzz on,” and dangling from the collar was an actual bottle opener.

We changed his name to “Outto” and brought him to our shelter. Sadly, he did not do well. He

was extremely aggressive, could not get along with other dogs, and most of the shelter staff did

not want to have anything to do with him. Finally, our lead trainer Ricky Rojas decided to reach out to Joe

from Santa Barbara Doggie Boot Camp and ask for assistance.

Joe took this dog on a Friday night and worked with them all day Saturday. Saturday night Joe

called and asked to meet him at our local dog park on Sunday morning. When I arrived at the

park I was amazed to see Otto off-leash and playfully running around just like any other dog.

Joe continued to foster Otto until we found the perfect “forever home” for him. Now he's

happily living with a couple and their daughter who told me, of all the Rottweilers they’ve

previously owned, Otto is the best dog they’ve ever had!

We are so grateful to Joe for giving this dog a second chance for a happy life!

Aimee Alanis

Our dog, Bean, is extremely reactive and aggressive to any stranger or any animal. For example, on walks, Bean is a puller and anytime she sees a stranger, biker, or another dog, she will go crazy and bark and lunge at them (I believe out of protectiveness). The same thing happens when visitors come to the house. She has such a hard time staying calm, and her overstimulation makes her become out of control. Acclimation to others is a struggle for her.

We have had one other trainer in Santa Barbara (SB Dog Whisperer), who was trained by Cesar Millan, to try and help us with Bean. She had us use a prong collar on her to help correct her bad behavior, which worked momentarily, but now she is back to her bad behaviors. We are a little hesitant with the use of electrostimulation on our dog, but we saw it was used as a last resort. We are still confident you would be able to help us and our dog.

Aimee + Elijahere

This is a story about “Sadie.” After being locked up in a Lompoc animal shelter for nine months,

Sadie was due to be euthanized in a matter of days when I received a desperate call from the

president of the shelter asking if I could help them.

I turned to Joe at Santa Barbara Doggy Boot Camp and he agreed to work with Sadie and

temporarily foster her. After being locked up for such a long time, Sadie had many difficult

issues and needed a lot of patient, one-on-one instruction.

Under Joe’s care at Santa Barbara Doggy Boot Camp, Sadie blossomed and Joe fell head over

heels in love with this pink and white Pit Bull mix and ultimately adopted her. Joe and Sadie

spent seven wonderful years together and she served as his ambassador and helped him train

many other dogs with similar issues.xt Here

Kathy H.

Oct 31, 2022

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!!

 Sean Alexander 

My sweet pit lab mix never had any problems and went to the dog park every day for about 4 months. Then one day he knocked down another dog and bit him.   As we tried to pull him off he bit down really hard and began to shake his head in a way meant to destroy the other dog. Fortunately the other dog was fine, though he had a puncture in the back of his neck. I was so scared that he would do it again that I wasn't bringing him outside, I was worried he'd be a loner for the rest of his life.

that's what I knew I had to get a trainer. Joe came highly recommended and he is very much worth it. He commands instant respect from the dog, and has a variety of great tricks to help keep him in line. He's an expert with both the electric stimulus and spray collar which has been very helpful to give me the confidence I need to bring him out in public again. Ever since working with Joe my pup has been perfect. I bring him to the dog park every day and he's totally well-behaved and interacts great with other dogs. I am super grateful to have found Joe as I know he has given Albert a stress free life going forward. Thanks Joe!

Joe works miracles.  My puppy had an excitable jumping habit as well as some other undesirable behaviors around people.  Since working with Joe, we were able to turn that behavior around within a week.  She's better behaved at dog parks and any place that we interact with people.  The results were absolutely amazing.  I've been recommending Joe to all my friends with dogs.  He's great!

Her Video 

 https://youtu.be/7Q6ak_Kfpfs 

 Debra Babai

I was so lucky to find Joe,  We had gotten a new 8 month old rescue lab mix from Mexico and she was sweet but had bad habits and needed direction.  I wanted to have a dog I could take off leash that was well trained and well behaved.  Joe had to train me first and the first day of training was intense.  We did 3 hours together in the morning and another 1 1/1 hour that evening.  She was well behaved on and off leash and I was soooo happy and could not believe how well the training was going.  I practiced with her alot and met several more time training with Joe.  We have alot of kids, grandkids and dogs in the family and we needed her to be able to behave with them.  Using the training collar has made it easy to give corrections when needed.  I feel blessed that I met Joe and his darling dog!! Funny story, after about 1 hour Joe told me to put my dog in the back of my Tesla with his dog and away we went driving around to various off leash sites.  I almost died....my dog had no training to be with another dog in the back of the car.  However it happened, no fighting, no barking, no biting.  Easy as can be.  I would never have done that in a million years without Joe training me first.  If you are thinking of using him please do,  It will change you and your dog forever.   THANKS!!!

 Mia Rene Davies 

Joe is seriously a dog whisperer. Within just an hour of my little dog Mini working with him I was able to walk through an entire dog park with her at my heels without her barking at any other dogs or kids. I was amazed! I am now working with my dog back home in San Diego and implementing the tips and strategies he suggested and I am seeing improvement everyday!

Joe is our lifesaver! My 5 year old chocolate lab was the king of the house. With a new puppy coming in, things were escalating fast, and causing my husband and myself a ton of stress and breakdown in mental health. We realized how poorly trained my older dog Bailey was, and this was our1st priority to fixing the problem. The only thing Bailey was good at before Joe was listening when food was involved. He was bad at walking on leash, even after multiple trainers. Bailey thought the word "come" meant take off after every dog that came close. Just after one day of training, Bailey is walking at my side on leash with minimal pulling, he comes, with a little encouragement when called. I am in complete shock, we walked him off leash at SBCC, he remained close, and his recall was amazing!

 If you have a dog that is attacking people or other dogs then you came to the right place, Joe can fix this. You are reading this review because you have a reactive “special” dog, or just need some extra help. Joe can fix this too. You probably need Joe's help more than you know.

My dogs' relationship with each other was at the point of what I thought was no return. They were attacking each other…often! 

The reward for all of this time, money, and energy spent was worth it because Joe fixed it!

My relationship with my dogs will last forever! Joe taught me how to interact with my dogs and other dogs in a healthy and positive way. If you have ever wanted to just “speak dog”, Joe is your guy. He will teach you how to read your dog and effectively communicate with it.

There will be times during Doggy Boot Camp when Joe explains things that you don't understand, that's ok,  just ask questions. This training is to make you and your dog better, Joe cares about the dog and your relationship with it. He is fully committed to making a happy, play-filled life for your dog, and he will train you to provide that life for your dog.You have to understand that Joe is a professional. He knows what he is doing, and he speaks “dog” well. Joe cares about your dog and wants the best for it. His methods are very humaine, and are part of his master plan to make you both better. Don't let your emotions and sensitivity prevent you from getting the proper dog training that you need.

Joe will require that you have the proper equipment for the training too. This will include a leash, a correction collar (get the one he uses!), and a “Sport Dog collar” (get the one he uses!), Also a citronella spray collar ( preferably: waterproof, long range, is refillable with a canister not a cartridge). I'll be honest I did not feel the need for all of this equipment and I was very hesitant to buy it all, so much so that I feel like I lost some good opportunities for corrections because I delayed purchasing it. Don't make my mistake, just get the gear, it will pay off! Joe gave me more of his time than I paid for which I believe he does for people who follow his directions. Thank you Joe! See you at the park soon!

I have a 1.5 year old Aussie, Rudy, I adopted about a year ago. He is a dog park regular and was very friendly and playful to people and dogs until a few months ago when he started to show aggressive behavior towards puppies.  I was shocked as he had always been so friendly.  I was hoping it was something he would outgrow but no such luck.  I contacted Joe and in just 3 sessions he had Rudy's behavior under control.  I have seen Joe work with other dogs and he tailors his training to the needs and personality of the dog.  Probably the easiest thing would have been to teach Rudy to not play with any dog but instead Joe taught Rudy to play gently with other dogs.  That was perfect.  I love having a dog I don't have to worry about anymore.  I had considered getting an electronic collar and trying to train him on my own.  That would have been a huge mistake!  I am sure without guidance I would have overdone it and created a fearful dog.  So glad I had Joe's guidance!  Joe did an excellent job with Rudy and I would highly recommend him to anyone whether the dog has severe issues or the dog just needs a gentle nudge to get him back on track.

 REVIEW for DOG #2: REED
Reed came to us from another family, and in general was a great dog. However, he was over protective of his home, car and family as cattle dogs naturally are, and the extent of his protectiveness was a little out of control. Cars or trucks would drive past our house or up our driveway and he would bark loudly and continuously. He tried to bite a FedEx delivery person. He would lunge and bark at visitors coming to our home, sometimes attempting to bite them. He would bark at other dogs in passing on walks. If traveling in the car with us, he would bark angrily at people who walked anywhere near our car. I dreaded taking him in the car, I dreaded cars and trucks driving near our house, I dreaded visitors coming by. But I figured it all came with the territory of owning a cattle dog.
 

Enter: Joe.

After implementing some DoggyBootcamp regulations into his life, as a result of Joe training one of our other dogs, Reed has come to the realization that he doesn't have to be the cop 24/7. He can relax and just enjoy being a dog! Before meeting Joe, there was no way I would even think about taking him to a dog park. I feared how he would react around other dogs he didn't know, and most definitely how he would react around other people he didn't know. But after training with Joe, dog parks are something we do on a daily basis now- Reed can politely mingle and run with other dogs and greet new humans without needing to be in charge! We can now drive up to our own house without him losing his mind, we can have visitors over without him lunging at them and barking, we can take walks and pass other dogs without him reacting, he can sit in the car quietly and observe without barking at every passing person. We can take him places off-leash and he is the happiest dog ever! Not only that, Reed now has the most incredible recall! Reed is 100% still Reed, Joe just helped us turn him into a much more polite version of himself! Thank you Joe!

At 10 years of age our sweet Labrador Troy began to exhibit some aggression toward dogs. He's behavior escalated quickly and no animal was safe. Even our cat lost one of her nine lives...

After consulting a trainer I was told late onset aggression was impossible to correct. I was heartbroken.

I had heard about Joe through some dog owners who used him with excellent results.

It was true, Troy responded to Joe immediately and we got results!

Troy's life is full again with park visits and dog walks. His happiness level is tangible. Our family can now give Troy a better life for the  remaining of his senior years.

Thank you Joe for your kindness, hard work and Troy's life.

Elizabeth

Joe's training method is incredibly fast and simple! We adopted a sweet 1 year old Min Pin Rescue Zoey a few months ago from living on the streets of Bakersfield with her pack. She came to us with extreme prey drive, no leash/walking skills, and was always trying to eat anything she could find on the ground including dead animals. Walking was constant pulling, sniffing and correction and off leash it was chasing her down the beach to pull her off her finds. After a few weeks, we started noticing her becoming protective of me, and would often bark and lunge at people on our walks. Even though we never saw her bite, we were worried about her escalating or just scaring people. She also was exhibiting separation anxiety unless in her crate. The training we were doing (avoidance/positive reinforcement) was teaching her some tricks and working somewhat in the moment, but not actually addressing the underlying issues. Well, Joe put us (mostly me) in our place, and has changed our dynamic to where Zoey is no longer my protector, but she is our dog like she is meant to be!! He uses tools for correction and taught me how to use them, so instead of yelling her name, chasing her, constant treats and commands, I can use the tools for minor corrections and she looks to me and follows me! She is an entirely new dog after a week and a half, to the point where we walk trails with lizards, bunnies, droppings, dead birds, dogs, people OFF LEASH with rare corrections, she has learned new tricks and games, and acts much more calm and happy. I can't thank Joe enough for showing me how my actions were causing negative behavior and how simply I could change that to make our lives better. If you talk to Joe, you will hear him say "no bed, no couch" and control collar and that might scare you off, but if you want to save thousands of dollars, and months or years of time give him a chance! His method works!

Arrianne Sandera
January 18, 2018 ·
I cannot say enough great things about Joe and Doggie Boot Camp. Simply put, the boot camp experience changed not only my life but my dogs life, for the better. I called Joe basically in tears and feeling completely defeated by the behavior my dog had been displaying. I was afraid to take him out in public, be around other dogs and I was the neighbor with "that terrible dog". Within the first day of bootcamp, Joe had my dog socializing with others and having very little issues. By the second day, he was a different dog. Joe's style of training is discover what the dogs inappropriate behavior is and let's place you in as many of those situations as possible so we can directly work it out. So many other trainers i had avoided my problems all together and the issues never got better. After Doggie Boot Camp, I can take my dog to the park and watch him play with the other dogs, something I had never been able to do before. I can walk with ease instead of anxiety. I can sleep at night. Not only has Joe trained my dog of his bad behaviors, he has trained me and given me a confidence to be the owner my dogs wants and needs. Absolutely life changing. I would recommend Joe over and over and am so thankful I called Doggie Boot Camp.

CHECK OUT HIS MOVIE

 https://youtu.be/ZsLMKnGslMk 

He Was a Prefect Gentlemen for me not one Growl, No Lunging.

Dogs Love to be Guided instead Being in Control..  

https://youtu.be/puSHymfE-JQ 

She was causing trouble at apartment complex, she was getting complaints.

Now i see her at the Park Having a Blast.  CHECK OUT HER VIDEO

 https://youtu.be/rGb7d4Yhf7U 

CHCEK OUT HER VIDEO

 https://youtu.be/7p3jzBe-hoA 

Trying to find the Review

 CHECK OUT HIS MOVIE

 https://youtu.be/SyfcwEvN0NI 

CHECK OUT HIS VIDEO

 https://youtu.be/srpY9FWwb8Q