SoCal Dog training -– Dog Trainer in Orange County”

I’ve known Vladae for about 12 years from my work as a veterinary technician. I’ve consistently heard great things about him from fellow veterinary professionals. We always appreciated when our patients were also his students. The dogs are calm, well-behaved, and cooperative during medical treatments. Over the years, I’ve referred both hospital clients and pet-sitting clients to Vladae. Recently, I finally had the chance to work with him in person on a 3-month-old puppy. This confirmed everything I have heard. The puppy was very happy when Vladae arrived. It said a lot about how he treats the puppy and his methods. Vladae uses positive reinforcement. He takes time to understand the root of behavior issues. He sets the dogs up for success by using gentle, veterinarian-approved tools I recommend Vladae for dog training of all ages. I support his way of teaching 100%.

I can’t say enough great things about Vladae and SoCal Dog Training! We brought our 10-month-old Labrador puppy to him, and the transformation has been incredible. Before training, she was full of energy and difficult to control on walks — but after just ONE session with Vladae, we saw an immediate difference. She’s now calm, listens to all our commands, and even walks leash-free! Vladae’s approach is amazing — he really understands dog behavior and teaches in a way that makes sense for both the dog and the owner. He’s patient, professional, and you can tell he genuinely cares about what he does. We’ve had such a positive experience and honestly can’t recommend him enough.

Vladae began working with us over three years ago when our Vizsla was a very skittish, unsocialized puppy. He gave us a clear plan and we committed to following his instructions exactly. Three years later, we have a completely off-leash trained dog who’s calm, confident, and a joy to be around. We no longer even think about training — it’s simply part of her daily routine. We’re forever grateful to Vladae and his proven methods.

My wife and I had already tried multiple training programs before finding Vladae. Some were with trainers and some were our own attempts. We saw small improvements here and there, but the real issues never fully went away. Our Doberman was still reactive at the vet, uneasy around other dogs, and easily stressed in public. Most trainers focused on obedience commands, which looks productive on paper but does not solve much when the behavior underneath stays the same. During the FaceTime intake, he spoke with both of us and went through everything in detail. He was upfront about expectations and how serious the process would be. He even told us to talk to other trainers first. Not because he doubted himself, but because his method demands real commitment from the owner. If you are only half in, he would rather not take you on at all. We respected that. One thing he said that stuck with us was that his approach is to underpromise and overdeliver. We also came in thinking we had a solid, reasonable goal. Vladae immediately raised the bar way above what we expected. At first it felt unreachable. I was stubborn in the beginning, which definitely did not help. Once we understood this was not about polishing what we already had and actually trusted the process, everything shifted. This is not light obedience work or feel-good coaching. It is a teardown and rebuild, and most of the real work is on the owner. It can be intense and uncomfortable, but it gets results. He reads the dog well and reads the owner even better, so there is no place to hide behind excuses. What also stood out is that he does not end when the session ends. He gives clear structure with proper equipment, handling, specific exercises, and changes to your daily routine. He also recommended pack walks with OC Pup Scouts, and that extra step made a big difference for us. By the end of four sessions, our Doberman was walking off leash in public, calm, attentive, and confident. The issues we assumed we would always be managing were either gone or barely noticeable. Even with the intensity, you never feel judged or left on your own. There is a real sense of being supported and it feels more like being taken in than being trained. That kind of connection is rare and hard to put a price on. Thank you, Vladae. I also want to extend best wishes to you and your Ukrainian wife. We know how much stress your family is under due to the devastating war in Europe, and we are keeping you in our thoughts. And a special thank you to Antonia for handling all the scheduling and communication. She made the entire process easy and seamless, which allowed us to stay focused on the work.