Testimonials

Our biggest concern before we started with David is that we had no control over our 1 year old rescue Lab/Pit mix Jax.  This was especially apparent whenever we would have guests over and he would bark and growl aggressively.  We had no idea how he would react in these situation and it led to a lot of anxiety.   Walks were hit or miss as well.  Jax would be fine one moment and then his attitude was shift when other dogs or even people got too close--it was not fun!  We had one incident with a neighbor and we knew enough was enough so we started researching obedience training.  We knew we needed something more than group sessions at our local pet store and I found that David at "iWorkDogs" had great reviews and testimonials.  We scheduled an evaluation in our home with David and he quickly determined that Jax was an insecure and protective dog. David has a great way of explaining things using human analogies that make a lot of sense in the "dog" world.  We opted for his 8 private session package as our main concerns were being comfortable when guests would come over and leash aggression.  I can say throughout our 8 sessions that our needs were definitely met.  We started off basic with "focus" training and gradually moved on to more complex training tactics like "go to your bed" and recall training.  The combination of our weekly sessions and our commitment to practicing throughout the week gave us great results with Jax. He now knows to go to his bed at the sound of the doorbell!  We recently hosted a dinner party in our home--something I couldn't imagine a couple months ago! Thank you David!I'd say the most rewarding part was actually training ourselves and knowing what situations to avoid with our pup.  David always preached that confidence in our training and recognizing situations to avoid lead to happier/more confident dogs.  This could not be more true in our situation!  We learned some great tools and committed to practicing for a little each and every day.  Our dog is even sleeping better and we are much more comfortable letting people into our homes and going on walks.  I'd recommend David to anyone with an insecure dog or anyone who feels they can benefit from one on one training.  David is very prompt and professional and you will be very pleased with the results!

Tank is doing really well - I can't believe how much he's changed.  I've actually had a few friends over who have commented on how different he is, and how well behaved.  I no longer worry about opening the door and him darting outside to get at another dog.  One of the two pictures I've attached is us on a hike today - can you see our buddy is now ok off-leash?  We've been working more at off-leash with distractions and I know he'll be there in a couple more months.I mean every word of this testimonial... thank you so much for what you've done for us.  I LOVE walking my dog again!!!  🙂

We had tried all kinds of different dog training courses before finding David at iworkdogs.com. With three young rescue dogs, we faced many challenges with our dog pack. One of our rescue dogs had been described as “untrainable” by his previous owner before that owner surrendered him to a shelter. Another one of our dogs had been rescued from the streets and, consequently, was scared of everything and everyone. Our third dog simply lost his mind whenever anyone approached our home and had been terrorizing our mail carrier.  We tried private training classes and group obedience classes but our dogs always behaved during training class only to misbehave later. Faced with “real world” distractions (like certain other dogs, bicyclists, mail carriers, loud children, etc.), they were difficult to control.  We were frequently trying to correct barking, rough play and leash pulling.After exhaustive research of dog training methods and theories, we came across A LOT of conflicting information and approaches to dog training and socialization. We weren’t certain of the right approach and knew, as dog owners, we needed our own training and education. We decided to contact iworkdogs.com after seeing videos and posting of David's work with dogs and reading the testimonials of his clients. That was one of the best decisions we ever made. We still can’t believe that our dogs will now sit on their dog bed when the mail is delivered and that we can walk all three dogs together without relentless leash pulling.We are frequently asked about our dog trainer and are quick to recommend iworkdogs to anyone needing some training help. David has done wonders for our dogs and working with him was a major game changer for us. The most rewarding part of the training has been watching our dogs grow more confident with each training session and bonding with us even more!

Knowing that I had just adopted a high drive German Shepherd was a little overwhelming to say the least! I got my dog Raksha with the goal to eventually work with her in a sport or activity beyond her being my pet, but I didn't even know where to begin.Before I met David I was desperate to get her to a point where she was manageable for me - how do I deal with this high drive dog that I had just adopted? Her leash skills were non-existent, and she wanted to chase every car she saw. Living in Venice, we were going to come across every distraction you could imagine - tons of dogs, people, cars, skateboards, etc, and I needed to be able to trust her in any situation.From our very first lesson, David was able to ease my stress by outlining a plan of action, beginning with helping me create a communication system with Raksha. From there, we worked through basic obedience and a system of rules for our walks and in the house - which have been life changing. Crate training was a super daunting task to me but David was very encouraging along the way and helped me get there on my own timeline. I now am able to confidently walk her down the street and have peace of mind that she is safe in the house when I am not home. These two things alone have been invaluable to me!Outside of our basic training program, David has also been able to guide me through any challenges I faced along the way that I would have never been able to figure out on my own - from keeping my dog engaged and interested in me, to working through her reactions to noises, and even developing her relationship with my cat. I also have been working with David on getting my dog involved in a sport to give her an outlet - I can say without a doubt there would not have been another trainer that would have been able to give me the same education, advice, and guidance on the specific training needs for my particular dog.The best part of this journey has been establishing a relationship of mutual respect with my dog - something David guided me on from the very beginning. Being able to anticipate what Raksha will do in different situations and now having the tools to handle it has given me a HUGE peace of mind. Looking back on the progress we have made since last September is not only incredibly rewarding but also encouraging for where we are headed in the future.David is not only a great dog trainer but an awesome person! He makes training fun (for you and your dog). Whether you just got your fur pal and haven't encountered any problems yet or are someone who is struggling with a specific issue, David will get you to a place of confidence by helping you create a great relationship with your dog! I would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat! Thank you David for not only helping me get a handle on Raksha but exposing me to a whole new world of dog training and dog sport that I absolutely love!

We began working David to help us with getting our dog, Zyrus, to walk on a leash along with a few other behaviors.  Zyrus is a lab mix and is a big, strong rambunctious puppy.  We needed assistance to help control our large puppy better!  In our private lessons, David was a pleasure to work with and full of helpful ideas.  He patiently helped us teach Zyrus to obey commands, stay for extended periods of time, greet people appropriately without jumping on them, and he greatly improved Zyrus’ walking on a leash.  David was equally helpful in training us to confidently handle Zyrus.  I have already recommended David to another friend!  You will not regret your decision to work with David.  Zyrus misses seeing him regularly!

Our biggest concerns were with the lack of progress we were making in training our small dog on simple commands like "sit", and trying to train our large dog to be less impulsive.  David had a lot of great techniques for both of our dogs, who couldn't be more unalike in temperament.  He had great techniques for working to build our chihuahua's confidence and reinforce the "sit" command without forcing her to comply.  He also had helpful techniques, tips, and games we can play with our large dog to provide mental and physical stimulation, as well as practicing sustained attention and focus to following our commands.The most beneficial part of the training for Zoe was building trust and confidence with her, and her learning to sit.  The most beneficial part of the training for Lola was learning how to reinforce the commands she already knows by sustaining her attention and increasing the amount of time she complies with a command, this was achieved using treats and the leash in combination.  We also learned easy techniques and games for mentally and physically providing her stimulation that can reinforce her training.When I recommend David to friends, I will tell them how useful the training was in training both us and our dogs.  We learned great techniques and strategies that we can continue to use with our dogs to fine-tune their skills!

I found iWorkDogs by searching Yelp for reviews on dog trainers in my area - I am so happy I did!  David Wright is a true professional in his field.  We adopted Rocky at the age of 3 months.  He was from a rescue litter of 9 and we were told he was the "puppiest" of the litter.  They weren't lying or exaggerating!  After attending 3 different rounds of group training lessons at the local pet supply store I realized that we needed a different approach with Rocky.  I truly was at the end of my rope, then David stepped in.  After coming to our home to watch Rocky in his own environment, David suggested private lessons.  His approach to teaching me how to train our dog was just what we needed. It is so nice to receive compliments from people when we are out for our walks.  Although still a work in progress, my understanding of what Rocky needs from me - patience, security, consistency, calmness - have allowed us to have a more peaceful coexistence; something we didn't have until we met David.I HIGHLY recommend David for all of your dog training needs.  He is truly the best!!!

Bringing a dog into the family is a big responsibility with many rewards.  It is up to us owners to maximize the success of the adoption and enjoyment.  All dogs have different personalities and habits.  Some of these habits can be of concern.  Some of the more problematic habits are: aggressiveness towards other dog or humans, jumping on elderly parents, lack of overall control.When we adopted Ruby (a 4-month old Labrador/mix puppy), we experienced the above habits.  It was our responsibility to seek out training that would help both Ruby and the Bussey Family.  This led us to search for the proper trainer.  We now know the importance of an experienced dog trainer.  There are many people out there that offer dog training services.  Trust me, we enlisted a few with limited results.Let me introduce David Wright at iworkdogs Dog Training Co.  David is the person we turned to when all other training did not work.We opted for immersion training for Ruby.  David addressed the aggressiveness and jumping directly.  The training also included overall obedience training and the all-important human training.  David’s expertise and dedication with both Ruby and our family paid off.  I can gladly say that my wife-Lisa, daughter-Rachel (8 years old), Ruby and myself owe David our gratitude.  The bad habits are gone and most importantly, Ruby is a cherished part of our family.

Before Maisie and I started working with David, I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep her.I rescued her from a shelter with no knowledge of her background, thinking she was just a little shy from being in the kennel and would warm up into a friendly dog eventually. She did warm up to me, but I soon realized she wasn't just going to warm up to everyone, and I was in for more than I had bargained for.I live in an apartment complex with thin walls and a plethora of dogs, and Maisie has separation anxiety and would cry VERY loudly anytime I left, and has dog aggression that made walking her nearly impossible. I was constantly worried that  I would be forced to take her back to the shelter. I was looking for a dog for some stress relief, and ended up with a dog that caused me more stress than I had before.I brought up those concerns when I first contacted David, and those were the very first things he addressed. Over the course of several months David worked with us, catering to what Maisie needed and to what she responded to best.After our training sessions, Maisie and I now have a line of communication that has allowed us to develop a trusting relationship, and has allowed me to understand her more and what she needs. Her separation anxiety is getting better, and I can now take her on walks without a problem. She behaves almost perfectly, and when she doesn't, I have the tools to understand why and to fix it.Thanks to David, Maisie's on her way to being a dream dog!

In July of 2016 our small family was delighted to include Mae West, an 8 week old bright eyed Pitbull puppy.  Mae was cute and sweet as EVER, but boy was she feisty at times.  As most puppies do, she insisted on testing her limits often and using us as her teething toy.  So naturally I wanted to nip those behaviors as soon as possible.  At that time I started to research trainers but especially trainers that understood the ins and outs of large breed dogs, and eventually I came across David.  Thank goodness!David took the time to talk to me more than anyone else ever has!  Before even signing up for the obedience class and private at-home sessions he spent almost an hour on the phone with me.  His level of sincere attention really impressed me.  David came across extremely knowledgeable and had tons of experience with all breeds but most importantly for me Pitbull puppies.After our first training sessions with David I realized that we were the ones that needed the training and not Mae. LOL.  He taught us how to train her by keeping us consistent.  For instance, when a command is met then you meet it with positive reinforcement or rewards.  That logic really worked for us and most importantly Mae.  She loved learning and being rewarded for it!I highly recommend David! Ever since working with him, I rave about him all the time to anyone that has a puppy or a dog with an issue… I connected with him but most importantly my dog connected with him.  I watched it first-hand from the moment he met Mae.  So grateful I found him!

What do you get when you combine an inexperienced owner with a large breed of dog from a working line? Problems, plenty of them. As an new owner we had a few concerns with Genève as a puppy. She was "mouthy" (biting hands, feet, or anything else she could get a hold of) and jumping up on people when meeting them. This is not ok, especially with a large dog. As you can imagine my wife and two young daughters did not appreciate this. This was heartbreaking for me, I love my dog! There was no shortage of advice from people directly or on the internet. I was never sure if what I was doing was helping or creating more problems down the road. The things I was trying were not working all that well. It was obvious that we needed someone with experience to help us, and a class at the local pet shop wasn't going to be quite enough. I started looking around and calling trainers to ask questions. I am very happy we found David at iWorkDogs. We decided to go with the immersive in kennel training and it was the right choice for us. We couldn't wait for 3-4 months and hope some of those issues would just go away. I would highly recommend the in kennel option.After our dog returned from training it was clear we needed to reinforce the training David did with our dog. He is very good at following up and providing feedback. In the followup sessions he made some very small adjustments that made a big difference when handling our dog. His advice was very clear and straight forward for both the handler and the dog. Straight forward, consistent and fair for the dog. Subtle adjustments can go a long way, I had no idea how some of the things I was doing were inadvertently effecting our dog.  It's good to work with a trainer who is an experienced pro, he was great with Genève and she enjoys working with him.A good trainer can mean the difference between a destructive and frustrating troublemaker and a solid quality relationship with your dog. If you are having any doubts at all, I recommend you contact him. The immersive in kennel training and the followup sessions made a huge impact on our relationship with our dog. She is still a bundle of energy, but I needed to know what to expect and how to channel that all that. Dealing with some of these behavioral issues can backfire if not done properly. There was a steep learning curve for me as well. You don't know what you don't know! Training will be an ongoing process, David set a great foundation for us. At this point training with Genève is fun and rewarding for myself, my family and our dog as well.David thank you so very much!

Bear with me here, this may be lengthy but it is a sincere and honest story of transformation! To begin with, value was very much a concern, I was unsure of what the results would be after an intensive board and train, with respect to paying for this service, but let me tell you. IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!I felt that with how terrible Fizzgig was behavior-wise it was necessary to take him to a professional. I knew training would be necessary but I was unsure where to turn for such a difficult breed.  Now, I am not a dog trainer, but holy smokes, David, is hands down, a trainer through and through.Fizzgig had numerous abhorrent behavior issues and I was very concerned for the road ahead concerning our relationship but, I was hesitant to hand my pup over to someone for immersion training. Davids confidence, his very apparent knowledge and understanding of how to work with dogs (and their owners) was clear right away. It was obvious that he was committed to his work with dogs, part of that obvious evidence being that he had kennels in the back of his truck and a truck full of dog training stuff,  and a seemingly endless supply of treats in his pocket! (not to mention Davids bottomless patience and buddha like calm emotion which dogs very quickly pick up on, its awesome to see him work with dogs!) Even Davids character and demeanor towards me were pleasant, friendly, and confident. David was happy to answer all my questions with experiential knowledge, and made sure I knew that my dog was in good caring hands.Now, when I rescued FIzzgig it was quickly apparent he had no manners, no training and some terrible behavior problems. He was like a rude, spoiled child! The worst part, you could tell he was not happy and didn't know his place in this world or how to relate to his human. He would scream if left alone, he would go potty wherever he pleased, he would wake up in the middle of the night, he would pull on the leash, taking ME for a walk, and he didn't listen to a word I said. He was in short, a hellraiser and a big jerk.=( David took Fizzgig into boarding and began the training program which was to sort out all these behavior issues. I visited several weeks later, and I barely recognized the dog who came bounding up to me, excited to say hello and so excited he almost jumped out of his fur! He listened to Davids commands and obeyed!  He was already becoming a different animal. He seemed secure, happy, and eager to please and be praised for good behavior. When I picked Fizzgig up on his last day at the facility, he was a new dog, happy, and well adjusted, though recalling his hellion ways, in the back of my mind, I still wondered how long this reformation would last..My doubts were washed away very quickly!! I have just recently finished my last training session with David and Fizzgig and myself (These sessions are invaluable in my opinion. David will show you where your dog needs direction and teach you how to help your dog be a GOOD DOG!) and I have 100% complete faith in Davids training ability. He will not only train your dog, but help train YOU to be a better human for your puppy! It's difficult to remember when to say what, when to give correction, what not to say, because its a different language!!! David is an excellent coach in this area and very thorough!Dogs don't speak our language so we have to bridge that gap with trust, patience and understanding. The language barrier between dogs and humans is very tall and wide expanse, and David has surmounted that obstacle, and made it possible for me to effectively communicate with my Dog. The Human/Dog communication barrier is no longer an ocean between myself and my pup, it is now merely a means with which we can both communicate our needs, our love and sometimes our disagreements! David has helped my dog become more than just a fixture in my home, My relationship with Fizzgig is one of my most treasured relationships and our miscommunication has become a thing of the past. Fizzgig is a well behaved dog, loves my company and loves to be at my side wherever I am. Just Imagine how hard it would be to make friends with someone who didn't speak your language or even speak! David will change all of that for you and your Dog!!!!I have complete faith in Davids ability and skill with working with dogs. His human working skills are top notch as well!!!  I was given the tools and skills necessary to maintain the hard work David had done with Fizzgig, along with corrections to MY behavior so that I can get the best possible results with my dog. Fizz is a happy, loving member of my family. He knows how to be a friend, how to make me smile, and knows what I need from him on a daily basis. The best part of training Fizz is that I know know how to work with my dog to let him know what's good behavior and what's bad behavior. Dogs don't know this stuff through osmosis and many times our human reactions can be bad for a dog! Training Fizz with David has forever changed the way I will relate to my dog and has ensured that I will have many happy years with my best friend.If you have a dog who has some behavior issues, big or small, please, don't hesitate to reach out to David! If you care about your furry friends at all, the small investment into training them is something that will make a HUGE difference in your life and your dogs life. You will find yourself spending more time with your furry friends, you will find the joy they can bring to your life, and I guarantee you will catch yourself smiling when you think about your pup! Their bad behavior will no longer be a burden to you and your family, Instead, your dogs presence will be a valued addition to your life, like it should be!  You will find there is a friend in your dog that you may never have known existed, David can show you how to find that friend!.Thank you David for all your hard work,. I cant say enough good things about your skills and i will continue to spread the good word to everyone i know! You have made disciples out of me and Fizz!

We were already enrolled in a Basic Obedience group class at the local humane society with our 7 month old labrador, King, who we have only had for 5 weeks.  While King was already versed on basic cues, we were in dire need of building his confidence up, as well as teaching him leash manners / polite walking -- things we knew he needed (and we required!) as we were getting acquainted with him.My first initial phone call with David was so insightful, as I had some very basic questions - from what type of collar is best suitable for him to how to prevent him from chewing.  David made very valuable, knowledgeable suggestions that became easy fixes and just based on the phone conversation alone, I knew that the actual evaluation and training would go just as well.Our initial one-on-one session seemed more effective than attending our 5-week session at the local humane society -- intensive and concise instruction that was very helpful for the long run.I was pretty intent on a goal we wanted to accomplish, which was to learn polite walking.  David taught us how to properly use a prong collar, clearly defined 'pulling' (and learned that King was REALLY pulling) and how to get King to focus on us when walking and not so much on the distractions around him.Best advice from David, which I have since shared with a lot of dog friends, is that our dog does not have to meet every dog they encounter or pass by.  He put it in perspective for me as a parent that we don't force our child to meet every child on the street so why should we force our dog to meet every dog on the street?  As King is starting to develop his personality, we know and understand which dogs to socialize him with based on that sound advice alone - his initial reaction or retraction.David has a very attentive and patient demeanor. Being able to understand our dog, answer any questions, be available for us (even after the training session) and initiate calls, text messages and emails to see how we are progressing proves how much he is  dedicated to reaching his client's goals.If you want a trainer that is genuinely interested in seeing his clients become successful dog owners, come here!

I've had a lot of trainers over the years but David ranks among the most excellent.  My breed, the Tibetan Spaniel, is not the easiest to train obedience because of their independent and stubborn nature and their tendency to try to train humans to do their bidding. No matter how much my dogs tested David and tried to school him into their ways, his patience, sensitivity, quiet authority, and dog savvy enabled him to establish a great rapport with them, both the puppy and the 15-year-old matriarch, and made them want to learn and perform at their best. He intuitively understood what worked best for my dogs, and he did not hesitate to adapt his method of teaching to accommodate their idiosyncrasies.  He also provided me with tips to reinforce his coaching with the dogs and diplomatically corrected my bad habits (as well as the dogs').

I need to make a huge shout out to, David Wright, for helping train our beast of a German shepherd.  We honestly don’t know what we would have if done if we hadn’t found him.  Before meeting David, we created quite a few bad habits we didn’t’ even know we were creating.  We went from thinking we had a vicious crazy dog to learning she just needed a little bit of structure and routine.  Our little beast was actually a sweet heart that had been misled her entire life.David is one of the most patient people I’ve ever met.  He’s extremely professional at what he does, and, I would certainly call him an expert in his field.  We hired David for private training lessons.  He came to our house, he was reliable, and he was on time and, again, always extremely patient not only with our dog, but with us as well.  He gave us homework to work on and would follow up on his next visit, which was extremely helpful in creating our routine.  He has integrity and will not give you a run for your money, as we felt other trainers would.  As it turned out, we planned for 6 privates, but David felt we only needed 5 and was honest about that.  I can’t say enough good things about him and could go on and on, but will leave this post saying, BEST TRAINER EVER.Check him out if you’re in search of your very own Dog whisperer.