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The Human Dog Team

San Diego, California

4.9/5· 56 Google reviews

About The Human Dog Team

The Human Dog Team helps San Diego dog owners build better communication, confidence, and real-world reliability with their dogs. Gonzalo provides personalized training for puppies, obedience, leash walking, recall, reactivity, aggression, anxiety, fear, and other behavioral challenges. Services include one-on-one private and in-home training, K9 Pack School day training, group classes, pack walks, and virtual coaching. Training is tailored to the individual dog, owner, lifestyle, and goals, using reinforcement, structure, clear communication, and practical real-world training to help human-dog teams succeed together for life.

Training & services

Training goals

  • Behavior consultation
    Program details

    Individualized training for recurring behavioral challenges such as reactivity, fear, aggression, overarousal and poor impulse control. We combine management, training, owner skills and progressive real-world practice.

  • Canine Good Citizen preparation
  • Crate training
    Program details

    Build calm and reliable crate habits for rest, management, travel and everyday home routines. Training is adapted to the individual dog while teaching owners how to use the crate clearly and consistently.

  • House training
    Program details

    Establish reliable bathroom habits through scheduling, supervision, management, reinforcement and consistent household routines designed to prevent accidents and build clear expectations.

  • Leash training
    Program details

    Build comfortable, controlled walks without constant pulling or tension. Training focuses on communication, leash handling, engagement, positioning and progressively working around real-world distractions.

  • Obedience training
    Program details

    Build the communication and foundational skills that make everyday life easier, including engagement, markers, sit, down, place, leash handling, recall foundations, impulse control and daily structure.

    Advance established urban skills through greater duration, distance and distraction. Training may include AKC CGC requirements, in addition; heel work, recall, impulse control, public manners and increasingly reliable responses in real-world environments.

  • Puppy training
    Program details

    Build strong foundations early with communication, engagement, house and crate habits, leash skills, socialization, impulse control and basic obedience while teaching owners how to prevent unwanted habits from developing.

  • Recall training
    Program details

    Build a more reliable come-when-called response through engagement, reinforcement, long-line work and gradually increasing distance and distractions, with real-world proofing appropriate to the individual dog.

  • Socialization

Behavior support

  • Aggression training
    Program details

    Individualized training and management for dogs displaying threatening, guarding, lunging, snapping or biting behavior. The focus is safety, clearer communication, owner handling and practical behavior change based on the individual dog.

  • Fear and confidence
  • Reactivity training
    Program details

    Training for dogs that bark, lunge, fixate or become overwhelmed around dogs, people or environmental triggers on walks. We work on handling skills, communication, appropriate distance, calmer responses and real-world progress.

    Individualized training for dogs that bark, lunge, fixate, become overstimulated or struggle around dogs, people or environmental triggers. Training focuses on management, communication, owner handling and progressively calmer responses.

How training happens

  • Day training
  • Group classes
    Program details

    Structured group practice designed to advance communication, obedience, impulse control and real-world reliability around dogs, people and distractions. Class placement is based on each dog’s current skills and behavior.

  • In-home training
    Program details

    Private training in your home and neighborhood, where everyday routines and behavior actually happen. Coaching is customized to your dog, household, goals and real-life environment.

  • Online or virtual training
    Program details

    Live one-on-one coaching from home for owners who want personalized dog-training guidance remotely. Sessions focus on clear instruction, practical exercises, problem-solving and a training plan you can apply between meetings.

  • Owner coaching
  • Pack walks
    Program details

    Structured group walks for qualified dogs and owners to practice calm movement, leash skills, neutrality and confident handling around other human-dog teams in real-world environments.

  • Private training
    Program details

    Personalized one-on-one coaching centered on your dog, your goals and your lifestyle. Training may address obedience, behavior, leash skills, confidence and reliability while teaching the owner how to continue the work successfully.

Dog age

  • Adult dogs Customer-reported
  • Puppies

Training level

  • Advanced obedience
  • Advanced training
  • Beginner training

Dog sports

  • Trick training
    Program details

    Fun, individualized skill training that develops engagement, communication, confidence and body awareness while providing dogs with productive mental enrichment.

Additional services

  • Daycare
    Program details

    Structured drop-off day training for dogs participating in qualifying training programs. Pack School reinforces obedience, social skills, neutrality, enrichment, handling and real-world manners through purposeful training rather than standard daycare.

Other listed services

View 5 additional details
  • Dog training
    Program details

    Customized training for dogs and their people focused on better communication, practical skills and real-world results. Training may address obedience, behavior, leash skills, confidence, household routines and everyday reliability.

  • E- Collar Training
    Program details

    Instruction in appropriate e-collar use as one communication option within a broader training plan. Owners learn proper fit, timing, communication, safety and how the tool works alongside established training foundations.

  • Dog Anxiety and Fear Training
    Program details

    Structured coaching for fearful, anxious or easily overwhelmed dogs using management, fulfillment, confidence building, gradual exposure and owner guidance at a pace appropriate for the individual dog.

  • Dog Training Consultation and Evaluation
    Program details

    A comprehensive first meeting to understand your dog, goals, lifestyle, current skills and behavioral challenges. We evaluate the human-dog team and recommend the clearest training priorities and path forward.

  • Urban Dog Training - Real World Proofing
    Program details

    Training designed for real city life. Advance your dog’s skills around sidewalks, parks, patios, crowds, dogs, bikes, traffic and other distractions while building increasingly reliable behavior in everyday environments.

Confirm current programs and availability directly.

Customer reviews

Google listing
4.9
out of 556 Google reviews

Mentioned in reviews

  • Clear instructions 6
  • Reactive dog training 6
  • Private lessons 5
  • Confidence as a dog owner 4
  • Leash reactivity 4
  • Personalized guidance 3
All 10 topics
  • Anxious dog training 2
  • Distraction training 2
  • Happier pup 2
  • Virtual training 2

Google review topics, not confirmed services.

56 collected reviews

Text reviews first · newest first
Molly Haines McKay
5/5
Gonzalo is amazing! We’ve had dogs before, but never a formal trainer and decided with our newest puppy we should try it. We couldn’t be more pleased with how helpful, insightful and intuitive Gonzalo has been with training Poppy (and us!). We’ve been very impressed with the nea…Read full reviewClose full review

Gonzalo is amazing! We’ve had dogs before, but never a formal trainer and decided with our newest puppy we should try it. We couldn’t be more pleased with how helpful, insightful and intuitive Gonzalo has been with training Poppy (and us!). We’ve been very impressed with the nearly immediate results and couldn’t imagine not having him help us. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Gonzalo as long as we have dogs. Highly, highly recommended.

Fatima Jacobo
5/5
I am so very happy with the work and progress my dog and I have made with Gonzalo! I am a believer as to what consistent and good work can do with a dog. He worked with not only Arlo and I but he also helped by 6 year old niece learn to be confident and a leader to Arlo. Arlo and…Read full reviewClose full review

I am so very happy with the work and progress my dog and I have made with Gonzalo! I am a believer as to what consistent and good work can do with a dog. He worked with not only Arlo and I but he also helped by 6 year old niece learn to be confident and a leader to Arlo. Arlo and I are so much happier during our walks and enjoy it so much more now that we both know what we're supposed to be doing. It was a team effort! We are appreciative of Gonzalo for agreeing to help us and teach us the ropes. Gonzalo also offers pack school and I will definitely be starting Arlo on those next month!

Sam Hoeck
5/5
We recently completed 5 training sessions with Gonzalo and were absolutely blown away. Having just gotten a puppy we weren't sure where to start. He showed us not only what the dog needed to learn to have a happy and fun future, but the training sessions were more geared to what …Read full reviewClose full review

We recently completed 5 training sessions with Gonzalo and were absolutely blown away. Having just gotten a puppy we weren't sure where to start. He showed us not only what the dog needed to learn to have a happy and fun future, but the training sessions were more geared to what we needed to provide our puppy to set him up for success. My wife and I learned so much from Gonzalo and will definitely be going back for more sessions. Gonzalo is extremely responsive, knowledgeable and genuinely cares about the relationship you and your family want to have with your dog. He is not pushy in any way but certainly takes strong stances on situations that could turn into unwanted scenarios in the future. Building a healthy learning environment and structure is pivotal and Gonzalo, in our opinion, is extremely well equipped to help you.

Ivan Moreno
5/5
We recently adopted a 9 month old dog, named Lava, that was being fostered by Gonzalo. Since we knew we wanted a young dog, we were expecting to put in a significant amount of work into training to reach our levels of expectation from a dog. When we came across the adoption ad fo…Read full reviewClose full review

We recently adopted a 9 month old dog, named Lava, that was being fostered by Gonzalo. Since we knew we wanted a young dog, we were expecting to put in a significant amount of work into training to reach our levels of expectation from a dog. When we came across the adoption ad for Lava that was posted by Gonzalo, we figured this would be a great way to not start from scratch since we'd be adopting a dog from a dog trainer. My wife and I were absolutely blown away by how well trained Lava was when we first met her. Gonzalo did an amazing job during her earlier months and I'm convinced that we hit the jackpot as far as adopting the perfect puppy. He was and has continued to be very clear with his training techniques and how we should continue to follow with her training. The most reassuring aspect is being able to be stress free and confident in all our dog walks, training sessions and play time. The communication methods set between handler (My wife and I) and dog (Lava), work so well that we don't even question whether we will be able to handle any situations. Having been around dogs all my life, it's been transformative to see what a truly, well-trained dog, is like. With a consistent training schedule and crystal clear instructions to perform and continue her training, we've had a pleasure having Lava around. I would, without hesitation, recommend Gonzalo to anyone who is looking to have complete control of their dog in any situations and environments. He is amazing with following up and giving you any last tips and pointers to may need to allow you and your dog to have that clear communication that is key to stress-free dog-human relationship.

Karen Y
5/5
My husband and I are so happy we chose Gonzalo to help us with Odin. I now feel empowered to take our big guy on walks without being pulled in every direction and am able to manage his unwanted behavior around guests and so much more. We have so many tools in our pocket now. Gonz…Read full reviewClose full review

My husband and I are so happy we chose Gonzalo to help us with Odin. I now feel empowered to take our big guy on walks without being pulled in every direction and am able to manage his unwanted behavior around guests and so much more. We have so many tools in our pocket now. Gonzalo is so generous with his time, knowledge and talents. Amazing trainer who expanded our world and opportunities with our big boy.

Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.

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