Good Dog Club CA

I can’t thank all of the wonderful people I met and interacted with at this facility enough. Meghan, Thoma, Chelsie, Amanda, other Meghan, Angela, Lex, and I’m sure I’m missing some. Not to mention the great group of other members that I had the pleasure of training alongside as well. Meghan and Thoma have created a great space to educate people on the core aspects of dog training. They are very welcoming and adapt to the different needs that each dog requires. The group class setting makes for an inspiring environment, where you get to see what consistent input can result in. And this is coming from an introvert that tends to run away from group settings. The people that show up are all working towards similar goals. In my case, seeing other’s success made me push our training harder, competing to prove to myself that my dog and I could do that too! My dog is a 3.5 year old Yorkipoo. We got him at 8 weeks and went through Petsmarts puppy program. I joke and call it a “No Dog Left Behind” program. Though it did show us some things, I never really felt like it addressed anything important. We also started to run into issues where Meeko wouldn’t care about treats after a few successful obedience commands. He would get bored and shut down. Petsmart’s suggestion was to boil some chicken… For 3 years after that, Meeko’s reactivity to other dogs kept getting worse. He would pop off and chase his tail anytime he saw a dog within eyesight. He would also react this way to some humans, if he felt they looked sus. The biggest thing I learned from Thoma was that play can be used as a training motivator. This blew my mind and unlocked something that both Meeko and I could enjoy while setting the foundation for our communication moving forward. Instead of me being a treat dispenser, we were actually working together and having fun in the process. In play, he learned some basic obedience, but most importantly, he learned marker words that actually meant something. “No” was no longer his middle name, rather, he understood it was something I wanted him to stop doing. In 2 months, Meeko was able to spend a weekend in Carmel, surrounded by other dogs and be cool as a cucumber. OH! They also have a fantastic store selling some of the best food and things for your dog!

Tldr: GDC is THE place for helping you and your best friend have a joyful life! Reactivity and more—they can handle it! I brought my dog Sharkbait here after spending more than a year and a half looking for a board and train option. From my very first meeting with Meg and Thoma, I felt like there was hope for my reactive pup. My dog knew some commands but lacked accountability and Thoma explained where things were going awry. I sent Sharkbait there for three weeks and received lots of updates and videos while I was away. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! When I picked him up, he was able to be calm, not pull the leash, settle down, and just generally was the kind of dog I knew he could be! We are keeping up with training sessions and practicing our skills at home. Taking him for walks is now a joy instead of a stressor. He can walk by other dogs and pay no mind, whereas before he was losing it. I’m excited to help him progress to agility and beyond!

We cannot recommend Thoma, Meg, and the entire team highly enough. We adopted our dog, Islay, as a stray, and she came to them scared, unsure of the world, and terrified of even getting into the car. From day one, they treated her with incredible patience, kindness, and understanding, always working at her pace instead of forcing progress. The transformation has been amazing. Islay now walks confidently on a leash, doesn’t pull, is curious about her surroundings, and is becoming more comfortable experiencing the world. They don’t just teach obedience—they build confidence. That has made all the difference for her. One of our favorite parts of the program is that they take the dogs on real adventures. Islay gets to explore parks, beautiful green spaces, and new environments, helping her gain confidence through positive experiences. We also love receiving videos throughout the day of her training sessions, adventures, and playtime with the other dogs. It gives us so much peace of mind knowing she’s happy and thriving. When we unexpectedly discovered that Islay was pregnant before we adopted her, Thoma and Meg went far beyond what we would ever expect from dog trainers. They spent time talking us through the situation, offering thoughtful advice, answering questions, and genuinely caring about what was best for her. Their support during such a stressful time meant more than they know. It’s also clear how knowledgeable they are. They work with dogs of every personality and energy level—from high-drive working breeds to young, energetic dogs—and they do it with professionalism, patience, and skill. The facility is clean, safe, and thoughtfully designed, with structured enrichment, training spaces, quality boarding, and everything the dogs need to be successful. You can tell every dog in their care is treated like family. Their shop is fantastic too! Our dogs are obsessed with the natural cowhide chews they recommended—they’ve become their favorite treats. Most importantly, every single person there is a true dog person. They genuinely love what they do, and it shows in every interaction. We are so grateful for everything Thoma, Meg, and the team have done for Islay. She’s currently recovering from surgery, and once she’s healed, we know she’ll be so excited to get back to dog school and see all of her friends again. We couldn’t ask for a better place to trust with our dogs. Video is of Islay, gaining confidence and being comforted by their dog Chloe, who is one of her besties. 🩷

I have a 4 year old GSD that was causing havoc and chaos in my household. Blowing off commands, attacking other dogs in the household, refusal to engage with me in sports and frequently staring down other dogs while out. I didn’t have the knowledge of how to hold her accountable for what she knew, until booking my initial in person consultation with Meg and Thoma. We began with foundations, reintroducing my girl to the e-collar, sharpening up her commands and clarifying what behaviors were acceptable, and we began the steps to getting her engaged and willing to work for me through tie-back and tug. I went from being on the verge of rehoming her to having a dog I look forward to being around and taking out. She’s no longer causing issues within the household, she goes running alongside my bike and completely ignores other dogs while doing so, we also have been able to have her out in public without the theatrics and uncertainty. We will continue coming and plan to try just about every class they have to offer. If you’re finding yourself on the fence about starting training, I highly suggest you pull the trigger on it with Good Dog Club.