Expert Dog Training, Puppy Training & Board and Train in Oakland

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 Natalia Martinez 
 
 
 
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We love going to class with Francis. From Circus School, to Brewery Dogs, his classes are incredibly fun and insightful and very tailored to the individual dog and human team. The High Functioning Dogs class and the Brewery Dogs class have been incredibly helpful in raising our adolescent dog. We met and worked alongside great dog and human teams and ended up being able to do real life things in 4 weeks that I originally thought would be challenging or unattainable for our happy and extremely social young dog. Thanks to Francis, we are well on our way to having a really good canine citizen and joyful companion.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Gemma 
 
 
 
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I have taken my puppykins both to private training classes with Francis, and his
High Functioning Dogs group class. I highly recommend both! Hands down the best trainer I have had the pleasure of working with. I have sadly worked with some pretty bad ones... there are a lot of rookies out there. Beware! Previous trainers literally wrote my dog off as unfixable, but now my dog is well on his way to being high functioning, thanks to Francis. Francis really knows his stuff! I can't tell you how happy I am, though I'm sure anyone who's experienced a dog with behavioral problems can imagine how great it feels to see their dog making leaps and bounds in their progress! Don't hesitate in signing up!

P.S. Archie says thanks! 🐾
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sophia Anderson Urwin 
 
 
 
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We enrolled our 2 year old Golden Retriever in the Master of Hounds 4 week board and train program, and have nothing but good things to say about our experience. When we picked our dog up from Kylie and had our training session with him, it was amazing to see him fully heel walking, heel walking off leash, coming the first time we called, with overall much better manners than when we dropped him off. He also had the best time! They went on hikes, practiced training in the park, went on family outings - every picture we got from Kylie we could tell he was so happy. She is so knowledgeable and great at what she does, and we felt very comfortable leaving Lucky in her very safe hands! Could not recommend her enough and he will be going back for brush ups!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Clare Keane 
 
 
 
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When it comes to dog training, Francis Metcalf is the real deal. He and his partner Kylie provide expert, no nonsense, everyday useful techniques to help dog owners succeed. If I could give 5 stars + I would! Please don’t waste time, energy or money looking for other trainers. This has been a fantastic find for our family and I cannot recommend Francis highly enough.  We rescued a four-month-old pup at the end of summer, and despite our best efforts (and being previous dog owners), we quickly realized we were going to need professional help with pup training. After a false start with another trainer, we were recommended Francis by a good friend and neighbor. We had an initial meet-and-greet / training session with Francis, which turned out to be extremely beneficial. So much so, we decided to book our pup in for four weeks of board and train with Francis. We cannot describe the transformation in our pup - except to say it is it has been utterly life changing for our family. Our delightful but extremely rambunctious pup (think excessive jumping, mouthing, energetic happy feet, zoomies out of control, trying but not really heeding our commands) responded so well to training and commands that she is a joy to have in and out of our home! She walks (on and off leash) by our sides, stays at the open door until invited to enter and exit, recalls back to us 100% of the time on the first ask, heels, stays “in place” on her bed. I could go on an on. She is wonderful with other dogs and kids alike thanks to the training. Francis even went to the trouble of training our pup to not fear climbing and sitting on bleachers knowing we do tons of sports with our kids. This is the dog we have dreamed of. Francis said the goal is a pup that is more interested in their human handler than their immediate environment. This penny dropped for us when our pup came home. While she is still the delightful happy puppy we rescued, and we still have work to do (keeping the training crisp) she is 100% engaged with us, listening and waiting for the next command. Francis delivered 1000%.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Anderson Franco 
 
 
 
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I cannot recommend the board and train enough! Francis & Kylie absolutely improved our dog’s obedience and personality! Our dog is so well behaved thanks to their hard work. 10/10 recommend.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Fairy Zolnasr 
 
 
 
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I can’t say enough good things about Kylie! In 4 weeks she transformed our anxious labradoodle to a confident pup. She taught our dog skills that are invaluable for our family. Our dog now heals, stays in place, and is responsive on recall. Kylie also went the extra mile to prepare our dog to come home to a newborn baby, including playing baby crying sounds and doing stroller walks. Kylie is super communicative, kind, and deeply understands dogs and their owners. She sent us lots of photos and videos throughout the 4 weeks so we always knew how our dog was processing. Highly recommend!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 VenusJoy 
 
 
 
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Francis Metcalf is the best! We just finished the intermediate obedience class with him and I learned so many new skills and my dog had so much fun! I have been working with dogs for a while, and Francis is a joy to work with. Valentino and I can’t wait to do some private lessons next month in-between our group lessons to really “proof” our training. So glad we found him. Circus School was our initial course and boy oh boy is that a hoot!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kevin Kimura 
 
 
 
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Kylie brought out the best in our three Shibas, and they absolutely love her!

We’ve done board and train with Kylie for all three of our Shibas, and the results have been amazing. Each of our dogs has such a different personality, but she knew exactly how to tailor the training approach to fit their needs. She really understands the breed—Shibas can be independent and strong-willed—but she brings out the best in them with patience and care, and our dogs just love her.

What we also loved is how Kylie kept us updated throughout the board and train with photos and videos. It gave us so much peace of mind to see their progress and feel connected even while they were away.

When they came home, all three were listening to commands, better behaved, and much calmer in situations that used to overwhelm them. Kylie gave us the tools and structure to keep building on that progress, and it’s made such a difference in our everyday life. We’re so grateful to have found her and couldn’t recommend her enough!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Lauren Crawford 
 
 
 
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We couldn’t be happier with our experience! Our 10-month old yellow lab completed a 4-week board and train with Kylie and the transformation has been incredible. Before training, our pup was stubborn and hard to take on walks. Kylie worked her magic and our pup is now responsive and well mannered without losing his quirky personality. Kylie gave us the tools and confidence to keep reinforcing everything at home.
The communication through out the whole process was excellent and made us feel like our pup was in great hands. We loved receiving the videos and photos of our puppy throughout his time with Kylie.

I will recommend Kylie to anyone!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Laura Guagliano 
 
 
 
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I was referred by friends who had completed Francis Metcalf's Circus 1 dog class and I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for Circus 1, six week session, with my four year old pitbull girl Lilo but I was not disappointed.

We had an absolute blast. It was a great bonding experience for us and she took to the training fast than I did. Francis is a great communicator and is very detailed in how he trains the pet parents/ handler's to get the desired results from their dogs. He is calm and patient and focuses on the process with the dogs not the end result, which is a successful trick/ behavior.

We will definitely sign up for Circus 2 classes when the next schedule comes out. Highly recommend his style of training and this class in particular, so much fun!