iHow the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%85+46.4Reliability 24%75+18.2Value 14%96+13.6Replies to reviews 7%21+1.5Craft & service penalty99−0.1Experts Score= 79Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews.79SCORE
BGradeiLetter from the Experts Score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = under 20.
#36 of 44 pet trainersiPosition by Experts Score among all companies we track in this category. · better than 19%
4.9★★★★★69 Google reviews · 24 photos
94%five-star reviews
5.00★last 12 monthsiAverage stars on reviews from the last 12 months only.
5%1–2★, last 20 reviewsiShare of 1–2★ reviews in the last 24 months — or the 20 newest reviews when the company had fewer than 20 in that time.
Google reviewers rate Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 69 reviews, with the owner responding to 12% of feedback. Customers frequently describe services such as board and train, obedience, and protection training, highlighting effective communication, punctual weekly demonstrations, and successful behavioral improvements for reactive or aggressive dogs. One low-star review criticizes the pricing as very expensive, though it acknowledges the quality of the training provided.
Google rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 69 reviews (94% five-star).
Reviews on this page: 69 Google reviews (52 with written comments, 10 with photos).
Owner responses: the business replied to 12% of reviews.
Most recent review: August 1, 2026.
Service: Pet Trainer serving Encinitas, California.
Data from Google, last updated November 1, 2026.
Score profile vs other pet trainers
Score per factor (100 = best)iEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (star average, share of 1–2★ reviews, price verdicts…); standing within the category can only raise it, never lower it.. Strongest: momentum and craft & service; weakest: replies to reviews.
This companyPet Trainers median0 = centre, 100 = best
SatisfactioniSatisfaction · 54% of the scoreRecency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 85/100 on this factor. Category median: 92.A
85
ReliabilityiReliability · 24% of the scoreHow rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 75/100 on this factor. Category median: 89.B
75
Craft & serviceiCraft & service · penalty only, up to −10 pointsGoogle review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 99/100 on this factor. Category median: 100.A
99
ValueiValue · 14% of the scoreCustomers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 96/100 on this factor. Category median: 99.A
96
MomentumiMomentum · penalty only, up to −10 pointsPenalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 100/100 on this factor. Category median: 100.A
100
Replies to reviewsiReplies to reviews · 7% of the scoreHow often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training: 21/100 on this factor. Category median: 56.D
21
Bar = this company · dark tick = category median.
Star ratings
69 Google reviews we collected
4.9of 5
5 stars6594%
4 stars11%
3 stars11%
2 stars11%
1 star11%
Praise vs complaints
Phrases our text analysis found in 52 written reviews
95%praise
Praise5995%
Complaints35%
Topic share
How often each topic comes up in the written reviews
7topics
Staff & attitude1626%
Would recommend1423%
Quality & results813%
Communication813%
Honesty & trust813%
Speed & response610%
Price & value23%
What customers talk about
We read 52 written reviews and marked every phrase about these topics. The same colors are highlighted in the reviews.
“Our dog has now been home for about a month, and we’ve already had an in-home follow-up session that was extremely helpful.”
“It was an overall great experience that I would recommend to anyone who was looking on getting their dog on the right track.”
“Working with Mike and Hannah was a great experience for my Golden Retriever and myself.”
“Her communication was excellent, she answered every question we had, and she always made us feel comfortable and confident throughout the process.”
“The positive impact on our home has been immeasurable, and we wholeheartedly recommend Pro-Train to anyone looking for a trainer they can truly trust.”
“She is so much better on leash now and we understand her triggers and how to correct them quickly before she over reacts.”
“Excellent training but very expensive”
People customers mention
Shell10 reviews
Mike9 reviews
Shepherd5 reviews
Mark4 reviews
Wayne3 reviews
Castillero3 reviews
praise complaint · found by our text analysis, Google review wording unchanged.
Reviews for your job
Customers hired Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training for 1 kind of job. Pick one to see what they paid and said.
MMark2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 months ago★★★★★
Working with Mike and Hannah was a great experience for my Golden Retriever and myself. I was looking for obedience and socialization training as I he would be around family and friends as well as other dogs. During his board and train we would schedule a time for me to observe his improvements as well as get…
Dog boarding with training
SSteveLocal Guide · 69 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a year ago★★★★★
amazing group of trainers, caretakers and owners. When you want the best for your dog in an environment that supports their behavioral improvement without breaking their spirit. This is the place to go. 5 stars! Michael the owner is dedicated and innovative.
JJulie4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a year ago★★★★★
We rescued a large German Shepherd adolescent dog from the shelter who was unruly, out of control and a kitty chaser. Here he is after being home 2 weeks. Highly recommend Mike and team!
NNicole2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 years ago★★★★★
We took our golden doodle for obedience training. He’s such a different dog now, he listens and follows commands. We are so happy with the outcome. Our trainer Shell was super patient and taught us what we needed to know in order to follow up with our puppy.
AAngel1 reviewiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 years ago★★★★★
We brought our 1 year old cane corso here for advanced obedience training. He’s a brand new dog! Our trainer Wayne was very friendly and knowledgeable, I highly recommend this place, your dog will have a lot of fun and will be treated with love.
MMichael1 reviewiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 years ago★★★★★
Pro-Train has been a huge blessing for our family. Our dog, Reese, is a super smart dog who loves to work. This is great, but also can be very challenging if my wife and I are not handling her correctly. We were at wits end. Reese would often become inconsolable barking and there were triggers around the house…
Working with Mike and Hannah was a great experience for my Golden Retriever and myself. I was looking for obedience and socialization training as I he would be around family and friends as well as other dogs. During his board and train we would schedule a time for me to observe his improvements as well as get coached myself on how to properly handle him. It was an overall great experience that I would recommend to anyone who was looking on getting their dog on the right track. At home he is now an absolute gem to be around and lovely with other dogs. We now have a foundation for further training and and it could not have been possible without Pro-Train! Thank you very much!
Services: Dog boarding with training
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Jennifer Lopez8 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Jennifer has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We can’t say enough good things about Pro-Train and Gaby. Enrolling our 5-month-old Cane Corso in their board-and-train program was one of the best decisions we’ve made.
From the very beginning, Gaby was incredible. Her communication was excellent, she answered every question we had, and she always made us feel comfortable and confident throughout the process. The weekly visits gave us the opportunity to see our dog’s progress firsthand and learn the commands right alongside him, which made bringing him home a seamless transition.
Our dog has now been home for about a month, and we’ve already had an in-home follow-up session that was extremely helpful. The transformation has been amazing. He is well-mannered, confident, and an absolute joy to have as part of our family.
What truly sets Pro-Train apart is their commitment after training is complete. Knowing we have lifetime support and can schedule additional sessions whenever we need them gives us incredible peace of mind. That level of dedication is rare.
We are so grateful to Gaby for the time, care, and expertise she invested in our dog and our family. The positive impact on our home has been immeasurable, and we wholeheartedly recommend Pro-Train to anyone looking for a trainer they can truly trust.
Thank you Gaby, you are truly appreciated!
Price assessment: Great price
Services: Dog boarding with training, Dog boarding, Dog training
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Jennifer, we really appreciate the kind words how about our dog training services here in San Diego. Just a reminder we offer lifetime training support. Once again, thank you
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Steve BrantLocal Guide · 69 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Steve has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
amazing group of trainers, caretakers and owners. When you want the best for your dog in an environment that supports their behavioral improvement without breaking their spirit. This is the place to go. 5 stars! Michael the owner is dedicated and innovative.
J
Julie Gammelgard4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Julie has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We rescued a large German Shepherd adolescent dog from the shelter who was unruly, out of control and a kitty chaser. Here he is after being home 2 weeks. Highly recommend Mike and team!
Response from the owner · a year ago
Julie, great to work with you and Maximus. He's such a great dog. We appreciate your kind words here your review. Remember, we offer lifetime support and maintenance for Maximus and his training. Let's us know if we can help in any way going forward. Thanks
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Nicole Hernandez2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Nicole has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We took our golden doodle for obedience training. He’s such a different dog now, he listens and follows commands. We are so happy with the outcome. Our trainer Shell was super patient and taught us what we needed to know in order to follow up with our puppy.
Response from the owner · 2 years ago
Thanks for the great review on the training for your dog Nugget. He's sweetheart it was a pleasure to work with. San Diego Golden Doodle does great work with their breeding program. Keep in mind we do provide lifetime support for Nugget's training. Look forward to seeing you in the future to continue progressing his training forward. Thank you
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Sherri Soto4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Sherri has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Our dog Bubba is soon to be 8 and we weren't able to take him anywhere without yanking on the leash, sizing up other dogs and barking at anyone or anything that went by our corner home. On one occasion, our sister was walking him and he lunged, pulling her down into the street while her dress flew up, exposing her to the neighbors who stood and watched in horror! Bubba is a family member and we needed him to obey us so we could live peacefully in our home and take him places. Our daughter had already taken her dog to Pro-Train and we needed help. The first week was easy as we were on vacation but when we returned home we decided that, at our first training session, we would take him home as we truly missed him. We arrived to find Bubba a new dog, obedient, happy, following commands. Thanks to the team at Pro-Train SHELL and WAYNE we knew he needed to stay! SHELL knows dogs so well and helped us to learn how to manage Bubba. We always thought when we gave a command that perhaps he didn't hear us but SHELL assured us that he heard and was choosing not to obey. We learned to give a command and wait until he obeys. Upon returning home we vowed to do what we were taught consistently to maintain his behavior. On the very first walk a lady came out to tell us what an obedient dog we had. We explained that he just came from three weeks of intensive training! On another walk the other day, the same lady was outside and saw Bubba obey all commands. She commented, " That training really worked!" We are so happy with Pro-Train and so grateful to the owner MIKE and the staff that trained him. It isn't cheap but you get what you pay for, it's guaranteed for the life of your dog, and will give you peace at home and the ability to take your pet places. We plan to take him back to board whenever we travel as we know he will be taken very good care of! We can't thank you enough Mike, Shell and Wayne!P
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Jennifer Spurlock2 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Jennifer has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We recently got a new puppy, a Great Pyrenees and poodle mix, and were referred to protrain by a friend. We had been using an online training program, which wasn’t working for our situation, as our (very large) puppy was starting to play bite and nip at our kids quite a bit, and jumping up onto people during walks. We went through the puppy management program initially with Shell, who gave us invaluable training tips for our dog. We then realized that it would be best to separate our dog from our kids temporarily to get him trained, though we were so nervous to send him away, and we registered him for the Board and train program. Wayne was an amazing trainer and teacher, and we are so happy we invested in this program! We can now enjoy our dog and bring him everywhere with us. No more biting or nipping, and we are now able to easily train him around our new chickens. I love that we are able to bring him back for free refresher training for life as well!
Response from the owner · 2 years ago
Thanks for the nice review. We really appreciate you bringing Gideon in for puppy management and and then enrolling him into our advance obedience program. Yes, please take advantage of all the free tune-up and maintenance training. Will really help progress the training into the future.
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Angel Hernandez1 reviewiTotal number of Google reviews Angel has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We brought our 1 year old cane corso here for advanced obedience training. He’s a brand new dog! Our trainer Wayne was very friendly and knowledgeable, I highly recommend this place, your dog will have a lot of fun and will be treated with love.
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Carrie Manke5 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Carrie has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Pro-Train cured my dog! I adopted a rescue Australian Cattle Dog mix and invested over $1500 in training to address her behavioral problems. She bit me a few times, attacked other dogs, barked non-stop, and was so anxious that she seemed miserable. I worked with other dog behaviorists who helped me manage her behaviors along with putting her on Prozac. However, she was still incredibly dog aggressive and only trusted me. I went through multiple dog sitters because no one could handle her if I ever left town, and walking her was a nightmare if we saw another dog. The last trainer I worked with told me she was unfixable... until I found Pro-Train. They understand dog behavior! I sent my dog there for boarding/training and had several sessions myself with them to learn how to address her behaviors. They taught me her loading cues, how to correct behaviors before they happen, and understand dog pack dynamics. My girl came home a new dog! I got her off Prozac and she is now a happy, relaxed dog that loves life! Thank you for fixing my girl!
Response from the owner · 2 years ago
Carrie, appreciate the review. You have got a great dog! But you're great owners for not giving up. Behavior modification is our specialty. Dog aggression is very fixable and always starts with the owners willingness to put the time and work in.
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Michael Weiss1 reviewiTotal number of Google reviews Michael has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Pro-Train has been a huge blessing for our family. Our dog, Reese, is a super smart dog who loves to work. This is great, but also can be very challenging if my wife and I are not handling her correctly. We were at wits end. Reese would often become inconsolable barking and there were triggers around the house (vacuum, ladder, humidifier, etc) that would elicit such an aggressive response that Reese had bit both of us. After taking Reese to ProTrain, she is like a new dog, and my wife and I are like new owners. Mike at ProTrain gave us simple tangible recommendations that have made all the difference at home. You do not need to stress anymore about your dog’s behavior, hoping to find the secret somewhere on the internet. Take your dog to ProTrain, and make sure you do what their trainers tell you to do!
Response from the owner · 2 years ago
Thanks for the review Mike! Reese is so smart. Clearly evident by how fast he learned to not be aggressive. He just wanted you to be a good leader for him. And you proved that to him with a few training sessions. Keep up the great work. Thanks again for your kind words on our dog training services here in San Diego.