SMRTDOG

Overpriced and comparable to Petsmart classes, (Which are cheaper!) All the things taught in their puppy classes can be found for free on youtube.
I initially was interested in Smrtdog bc they were close and offered Nosework classes. We felt it’d be good to build up a rapport with them while training our puppy. Unfortunately we didn’t really enjoy our classes with them, (And apparently neither did the other 4 puppies as one dropped out and the others didn’t continue on to the follow up classes.)
I can’t really critique the owner Jamie. The only class she was there for she spent a lot of time talking about her credentials. She also had a horde of apprentices come in with her and stand around awkwardly.
The instructor for our classes was overall a nice guy but often forgot things we were learning/​what we’d worked on the week before, or would change what we’d be learning that day. They also didn’t seem interested in varying their technique if the dog wasn’t getting it.
It was also disappointing that they didn’t show puppy owners how to properly introduce our dogs to each other, which is super important! They also recommended training devices, (Easywalk, Halti*) that should NEVER be used on puppies, let alone without even learning how to use them appropriately. Instead of teaching owners how to walk loose-​leash, they showed ineffectively how you train a puppy to heel. Their method never clicked with my dog, and I had to find a different way to do it via youtube, (Which he picked up in the first lesson.)
They may be great for adult dogs, but I’d steer clear of their puppy classes.
*Halti’s can cause neck injuries, and easywalks/​etc can cause shoulder injuries.

I highly recommend Jamie at Smrtdog! I adopted a 6 year old chi wienie mix (Ruby) who was very skittish and untrusting. Initially it was hard for her to even go out on walks due to her anxiety. I started scent training with Jamie and her team and it has made a remarkable change in her behavior. Ruby has gained so much confidence and is so much happier! Jamie is able to understand and explain dog behavior so that I get the training results so quickly. She makes the training so fun and easy. She is very approachable and responds so quickly to any questions or concerns. She really cares about your dogs success. I am amazed at the changes in my pup. She has passed her odor recognition tests and is going to be competing in a nose work trial in March. It is so much fun doing the scent training and has made such a difference in my dogs behavior.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said… Jamie is by far one of the most talented animal trainers that I have worked with bar none! She it very good at what she does and takes her profession very seriously. Jamie does scent work as a profession and really cares about what she does rather than other options that do it as more of a hobby.
We have a dog (Ruby) that we adopted recently that had a horrible time in her previous homes where she was so timid around everybody including other animals that she would always hide and bark in fear. With Jamie’s training she is like a entirely new dog. She has given her confidence by teaching her to be a working dog through scent training that she is not a confident love bug that loves to go outside and to new places including the dog park to socialize.
She has since excelled at her training and has passed her first two «hurdles» of the certification process and is well on her way to tackling bigger and harder tasks.
I have been around dogs for years and years and have gone to see multiple different trainers over the years for the many dogs that we have adopted. I can definitely say that Jamie is the most in tune with knowing what an animal is thinking and feeling that any other trainer I have ever seen. I look forward every week to my next training session because it give me a new perspective on how my animal is behaving and reacting to her environment and how she is growing.
We have a total of three dogs that we are currently training with scent work, but only taking Ruby for the classes. Jamie has been totally cool to answer questions about our other dogs that are learning as well even though she sees them only at the trials or mock trials that she helps arrange with NACSW for certifying.
I could blab forever about lots of the ways that she is a great trainer from skills to flexibility to intuitiveness, but I really don’t think I could do her justice; she is really that good.

Smrtdog is awesome! I highly recommend this company to all of my friends and family. After working with several other trainers, I was so relieved to finally find someone who was actually qualified and knowledgeable when it came to canine behavior. Smrtdog only uses positive reinforcement training techniques which are backed by science and proven to be the most effective and humane ways to interact and train canines (all animals, really). Smrtdog showed just how possible it was to create a positive and fun learning experience for both me and my dog. I originally sought out smrtdog for private lessons and enjoyed them so much that I signed up for K9 nosework classes as well. They offer a wide variety of classes to suit every need and I found all of the instructors I worked with to be extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. Thank you, smrtdog, for such a wonderful experience!

I HIGHLY recommend Smrtdog for dog training, socialization, and sports/​activities. Amazing trainers with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources. Our dog was involved in puppy camp and took K9 nosework and agility classes at smrtdog from age 4 — 10 months old. Getting connected there was the best decision we made for him. He now has such a strong foundation of good manners. And he is happy, friendly, and confident with all other dogs and people as well as in different environments. As dog parents, we now feel equipped to continue effective, positive training and to make good choices for his overall health. Smrtdog is the way to go!

I was admittedly a little underwhelmed. While I learned some good techniques in clicker training and basic commands, I felt like it wasn’t worth the price tag.
— First off, while it was an assumption on my part, classes were only 50 minutes and not an hour.
— Of those 50 minutes, at least 20 of it would be puppy play (which is free at the dog park)
— Your first class is an orientation, without your dog with you, and that goes towards your 5 classes. I felt that this 50 minute orientation could have been a 15 min pre-​class session on when exactly to click the clicker.
Overall, I agree with some other comments on this page — if you want to learn the very basics, it’s good. If you’re looking for more in depth training, maybe shop around.

Great training classes and a wide variety. From agility to k9 nose work. The Hollywood Hounds trick class is great fun for dogs and owners!
Jamie and her team are knowledgeable, professional, and great educators. Thanks SMRTDog!

Fantastic if you want your dog to sit, down and do other basic commands and have no idea how to teach them. If you’re looking for anything more, the basic manners group classes are not for you. If you are looking for a trainer who is good with the owners and not just the dogs, this organization is also not for you. I did not enjoy the lack of people skills on our trainer’s part. Our dog did not even like her, and she loves all people after meeting them initially.

Since submitting the first review I have also had the chance to participate in SMRTDog classes (Basic Manners and K9 Nose Work), I am once again thrilled with the level of professionalism, knowledge, and help. Jamie (as well as her team-​Tonya, Jess, and Greg) are skilled, caring, and wonderful educators!

Jamie is an amazing trainer! Both of our dogs have taken several classes through Smrtdog, including puppy kindergarten, Hollywood Hounds, and basic agility. When they were puppies, we worried that our dogs were playing too rough with each other, so Jamie made a house call, observed our dogs at play, and gave us advice and feedback. Our dogs are now 7 years old and we can still call or email Jamie with any questions that come up. She is knowledgeable, patient, consistent, has a no-​nonsense approach, and is the best in the business. Not only does Jamie train dogs well, she trains their people well, too!

We called Jamie a few months ago after noticing that our 1-​year old rescue needed a behaviourist to deal with his nervousness of people in our home. From the first conversation over the phone we realized Jamie would be a great resource. Our first impression was proven right when we filled out her detailed questionaire and finally met her for the first time. Jamie is an excellent trainer. After each session, she sends a detailed email highlighting key points from the session and the things to work on.
Its rare to come across someone in the service industry who gives a true 100% to what they do and Jamie has given us nothing but 100% even before we started working with her. Not only have our in-​home sessions been very informative … they’ve been quite fun. We’ve really learned how to better understand and communicate with our dog. Jamie has provided us with tons resources for us to read so that we can further educate ourselves beyond each session.
We are looking forward to taking some of the many classes Jamie has to offer soon.

I am a huge fan of Jamie and the Smrtdog crew. Q and I are enrolled in Basic Manners 1 and we’re set to graduate this weekend. Q is a very rambunctious, BIG, 2 yr old lab who really needed some manners work, to say the least. He came to the hubs and me already knowing «sit» and «down» but he really needed work on focus, avoiding distractions, etc. Smrtdg is not about teaching your dog «tricks». It’s about teaching your dog how to behave — how to pay attention, how to heel, how to respond correctly and how to be a good companion.
Shortly after Q settled into our family, he began to act out with barking during walks and lunging after dogs he meets on the street. We took a private, in-​home lesson with Jamie in addition to our manners class to work on strategies related specifically to his behaviors. Through Jamie’s instruction I’ve learned how to behave with my dog — what are appropriate responses to his behavior.
A note on the manners class: it was me and my big dog and 2 – 3 little dogs. The Smrtdog room in OB is small but functional and the crew is able to divide up the room into sections — and block out the dogs’ view of each other as need be. I was a basket case on the first day because my dog was a barking spazzoid while we waited for class to start and I’m sure everyone wanted to throw rotten tomatoes at us while we waited to go inside. However, once we got in, the SD crew made us feel comfortable and calm. They have all the tools to get through the class– including «high value» treats for the dogs’ rewards during class. Training Q is definitely a *process* but from our private lesson and from the basic manners class, my husband and I feel empowered with knowledge to continue our work with Q, who is a great dog simply in need of consistent training.
We have plans to take another private lesson or two and after lots of practice, take the next level basic manners class.
Finally, here are some things about our experience with Jamie (from class and the private lesson):
–Jamie is very knowledgeable about dogs, first and foremost. She takes detailed information from you to really understand the dog’s situation and background before working with you.
–She is GREAT at communication — promptly responds to emails, sends a ton of worksheets before/​after each class — we keep a binder full of the «lessons» from each class to review and remind ourselves how to practice.
–After our private lesson, she sent an exhaustive summary of Q’s issues and how to work with them. So thorough and so on point!
–She offers lots of recommendations for outside assistance and also tons of creative ideas for getting the appropriate response from the dog if the first idea doesn’t seem to click.
Anyway, I’ve really enjoyed learning about being a good dog owner through my work with Jamie, and I love my Q even more. Instead of being frustrated with his barking and lunging, we’re becoming a better team and more relaxed together. I recommend Smrtdog to any dog owner — and encourage you to keep an open mind to new ideas and also to be CONSISTENT in working with your dog. You must practice, practice, practice and be consistent. I love Smrtdog!

Looking on Unilocal,we thought she’d be great. She seemed very knowledgeable but 3 weeks through the course, she started calling our dog by a different name. I don’t know how many times we corrected it; in class and in email. Everyone in class would even give weird looks when she called our dog up for a demonstration.
Considering she preached consistency in training, you think she’d keep our dogs name consistent, especially for a class of only 4 dogs. Towards the end of the course, it also seemed as though she really was more about business than putting a personal touch on customer service.

I’ll admit I haven’t technically used Jamie’s services. BUT in doing research for dog training, I contacted her and she was EXTREMELY helpful. She answered tons of questions, forwarded me lots of useful information and even continued to provide advice and information after I told her my girlfriend and I would be looking into another training option. It’s clear she truly cares about the well-​being of animals and their caretakers as well.
The only reason we did not proceed to go with her was we found another training option that is more within our price range. We haven’t used them yet, so they may not even work out. In any case, if our dog had simpler problems that we felt could be addressed in only a few sessions, we definitely would have gone with Jamie and not regretted it.

Jamie, Vanessa and the SmrtDog crew are amazing! My 10-​month-​old Weimaraner puppy Slater and I have been through Basic Manners I and II and are starting AKC Canine Good Citizen next month. When Slater and I started I was exhausted from trying to wear him out to keep him tired enough to be well behaved. I was working under the premise that «a tired dog is a good dog,» but I was running out of ways to tire Slater out and was actually increasing his endurance.
After our first week at SmrtDog and some basic games that Jamie taught us, Slater and I became a great team and life changed drastically! I learned how to exercise him mentally as well as physically, teach him to focus on me and have some much needed impulse control.
Slater is now so well behaved for his age and breed that we forget he’s still a baby and have to remind ourselves when he acts like one. He is well behaved when company comes over and after the initial excitement and greeting he will usually just settle down in his bed with a toy. Slater is a show dog and the work we’ve done with Jamie completely translates into his success in the ring as well as behavior at the shows. Most importantly it’s created an amazing bond between Slater and me that I believe sets us up for years of adventure and fun!

I took our puppy to 2 of Jamie’s classes so far, puppy preschool 1 and 2 and we plan to continue with other classes in the future.
The classes were fun, and Jamie is really good about responding to email questions and following up in class regarding those and any other questions/​problems we might be having with our pup. I definitely recommend her and would do it again!

I was referred to SMRTDog by two separate people — another dog trainer in North County and the owner of PL Pet Pantry when my husband and I were about to adopt a rescue puppy. We have been SO happy with Jamie and the classes.
As new dog owner we had no idea what to do to train our puppy. Jamie has a great rapport with the puppies in our classes and owners.
Before each class, Jamie emails out what we will be doing in class and word docs with step by step instructions on what we will be doing and reminders of what to bring to class (high value treats, a mat or towel and long line for Puppy Preschool 2). I also emailed Jamie during the week with random questions and she was always prompt answering them and very helpful. Class started and ended with some puppy play to help socialize the pups and teach us as owners what is inappropriate play styles and how to remedy it.
We took our puppy to Puppy Preschool 1 and 2, and now have her in the scent class which is SO fun for our dog. Our dog has learned so much and Jamie is so positive and a great trainer.
The prices are comparable to other training classes that I researched too and worth every penny!

Puppy preschool is a must! A new doggie parent I was pretty clueless about how to teach my little guy to listen! Well 5 years later, I’m glad to report he is finally obedient! ha ha, but that has nothing to do with the training we got at SMRTDog… he’s just special.
These classes were great and we always started with an essential play session so the pups could wrestle each other and get it out of their system! Very fun.

We have just finished both Puppy Preschool 1 and Puppy Preschool 2 and both were great!
Jamie is so good at teaching owners how to interact with their dogs in a way that the dog will learn fast and have fun. We learned so much in both classes and plan to take more in the future.
I agree with Brandon that it is pricey, but sooo worth the money. Jamie teaches you the tools you need to teach your puppy to make good decisions! I would highly recommend Jamie at SMRTDOG to anyone!

I got a chocolate lab puppy and wanted to make sure he starts off right. I wanted to make sure Jake was well trained and didn’t attack the mail man or eat little kids that might stray into the yard.
Jamie has an amazing amount of dog behavior/​dog psychology knowledge. I’m almost through the second puppy class and Jake has learned a lot (he’s still got a ways to go, but he’s only 5 months old).
The classes seem to be about 6 puppies per class and Jamie sends an email before each class with an update of what the objectives of the lesson are and any special things you need to bring (like high value treats). After classes, she frequently sends very detailed emails with tips and tricks on puppy training.
The classes are a bit spendy — 6 weekend sessions for $ 150, but so far I think it’s been well worth it. Jake still has some crazy issues, but he’s 99% of the way there and I’ll say a lot of it is due to Jamie’s classes.
I’d highly recommend her classes for anyone with a new pup or anyone with a dog that needs some extra work.