PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINING in Los Angeles and Southern California
Behavior Consultations 
Board and Train Programs
Private Training Lessons
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GET HELP WITH:
Obedience Training (Beginning through Advanced)
Behavior Modification
Reactivity & Aggression
Sport Dog Foundations
Off-Leash Training
Puppy Training
Trainer: Kristin Burke
Specializing in obedience training and behavior modification for a wide range of dog behavior problems, including reactivity & aggression.
Testimonials
See what our satisfied customers have to say about our Los Angeles dog training services!
A long overdue review to say how incredible Kristin is. The sooner you start with her, the better. After many... read moreA long overdue review to say how incredible Kristin is. The sooner you start with her, the better. After many sessions with different trainers and specialists, I was starting to give up home that someone would be able to help my sensitive / reactive dog. Almost immediately, Kristin was able to identify behaviors that no one else could pinpoint. I especially appreciate that her technique is both thorough and flexible, meeting all animals (and people) at their level. If one idea didn't engage my dog, she had several different options at the ready. Kristin is a fount of knowledge and draws upon her vast experience to devise a personalized program for your pup. read less 
Kristin has been an incredible teacher for our new puppy, Rita. We were desperate to get help with curbing... read moreKristin has been an incredible teacher for our new puppy, Rita. We were desperate to get help with curbing some of her less than desirable pup behaviors; counter surfing, jumping on guests, etc. In just 4 short lessons we have seen a drastic improvement! Kristin's expert advice and knowledge have been invaluable! She is extremely confident and professional and I can't say enough wonderful things about our time together. Thank you, Kristin! read less 
Kristin is truly incredible! We signed up for her board and train program and I am blown away by our... read moreKristin is truly incredible! We signed up for her board and train program and I am blown away by our puppy's transformation.
As a busy family with two kids under 3 years old, we were overwhelmed and found it challenging to find the time to train our new puppy. Kristin helped us jumpstart his training as well as socialize him.
After 2 weeks under her care, our puppy made an AMAZING transformation.
When he returned home he understood several basic commands and is also a calmer, more manageable and happier puppy!
Thank you Kristin, you're the best!!! read less 
Kristen is an absolute gem!! She has helped me not only adopt two dogs, one for myself and one for... read moreKristen is an absolute gem!! She has helped me not only adopt two dogs, one for myself and one for my parents. She has helped correct negative behaviors, successfully crate train, and give two strays a new start at life. She has a deep desire to help people and their pets live together in harmony. Any money spent on her services is a great investment for you and your faithful friend. Highly recommend! read less 
Kristin was a TOTAL lifesaver for my pup, Poppy, and me. We began working with Kristin in an attempt to... read moreKristin was a TOTAL lifesaver for my pup, Poppy, and me. We began working with Kristin in an attempt to correct some aggressive behavior that had showed up in my pup. Over the course of our very first session, Poppy demonstrated incredible progress (my mind was truly blown!), not to mention I learned so much from Kristin about what I should and shouldn't be doing to ensure that I'm not reinforcing the bad behavior while we were trying to train it away.
We bought a 4-pack of sessions and by that 4th session, Poppy was like a different dog. She was so easy, so much less fearful of any handling and just a generally happy and confident pup. And in the weeks after our sessions ended, she continued to improve and is now truly the best, cuddliest, most loving pup I could have ever hoped for. Kristin is really the most gifted and knowledgeable dog trainer we could have ever hoped to work with!
As anyone who's ever searched the internet for advice on correcting dog behaviors or basic training, you know that there is so much contradictory information making it impossible to know what you should or shouldn't do. Having Kristin to show us the RIGHT way to train, using positive reinforcement, alleviated so much of the confusion and stress of trying to do this on my own. I've already recommended her to one of my friends and they've also seen incredible results. If you are looking for the best trainer for your pup (and, let's be honest, for yourself!), you can't do better than Kristin! read less 
Kristin is hands down the best trainer in the business. Our Australian Shepherd puppy had some serious behavioral issues and... read moreKristin is hands down the best trainer in the business. Our Australian Shepherd puppy had some serious behavioral issues and he is now like a different dog. Her methods are so kind and humane. To say she is knowledgeable about the science behind training is the understatement of the century. She has an amazing ability to explain why the dog is behaving in a particular way, and how to go about correcting the unwanted behavior. She's also exceptionally good at training the human owners too!! She delivers so much follow up care, information, continued training techniques. She is always there when you need her. She herself is such a pleasant person to be around it makes it easy to see why dogs and humans alike respond so well to her. After board training our puppy for 2 weeks, it is heartwarming to see how much our dog adores seeing her at follow up training sessions. I literally can't say enough positive things about her methods. She is truly the best trainer out there! read less 
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Kristin. First of all, her training methods are extremely kind. She trains dogs... read moreI cannot say enough wonderful things about Kristin. First of all, her training methods are extremely kind. She trains dogs the way dogs should be trained, with positive reinforcement. My Cavapoo Ginger did wonderfully with her. We chose a combination of board and train, and in-home lessons which worked great. She knows all the basic commands, and some other really handy ones like how to put her head through her harness and sit properly so I can put it on easily for walks (she used to roll on her back and make it really difficult). She has also helped me greatly with Ginger's separation anxiety (which has improved dramatically and is getting better every day). I highly recommend booking in with Kristin, particularly if your puppy is young. The earlier the better! read less 
Kristin helped me understand how to best help my dog when he is on walks and sees another dog. Before... read moreKristin helped me understand how to best help my dog when he is on walks and sees another dog. Before training, he would have a crazy meltdown when seeing another dog out walking. Screetching at the top of his lungs and causing a huge scene giving me massive anxiety. I didn't know how to help him feel more confident and secure when walking to where he didn't freak out every time he saw another dog. Kristin helped our dog ease into the idea of seeing other dogs and provided me with all the best tips to help support him when we are on walks. Now he can even go up to other dogs when we see them without freaking out! Truly changed our dog's anxiety. Thank you! read less 
We came to Kristin for help with our dogs breed specific aggression and attention seeking behaviors. She is extremely knowledgeable... read moreWe came to Kristin for help with our dogs breed specific aggression and attention seeking behaviors. She is extremely knowledgeable about behavior and provided us with a ton of information and exercises! Our dogs behavior began to improve pretty quickly with her help (even his daycare commented on the positive changes) and we can continue to use the tools and exercises she provided! We highly recommend Kristin! read less 
Kristin is SO GREAT. We've been working with her for the past couple of months to help get our anxious... read moreKristin is SO GREAT. We've been working with her for the past couple of months to help get our anxious and territorial 80-lb dog Beau ready for the arrival of a baby. She designed a custom training program for Beau, including muzzle training, a general relaxation protocol, and getting him comfortable staying in a room behind a closed door while we're in the house -- all based around positive reinforcement. She's patient and non-judgmental, plus Beau loves her and gets so excited when she comes over! In case you can't tell, we highly recommend her. read less 
Kristin is, by far, the absolute best person I could have ever found for my corgi. This is a... read moreKristin is, by far, the absolute best person I could have ever found for my corgi. This is a very long review, but hopefully it will show you the amazing depth and range of Kristin's methods.
When I first brought my corgi puppy home, I thought she didn't like me because she was very lethargic and wouldn't play at all. After Kristin met her, she immediately clocked her as having something not quite right with her. Turns out, Kristin was right: Story had come home with two parasites. So instead of being able to spend the first couple weeks out socializing her, as I had planned, Story was going to have to be quarantined and take some heavy duty medication.
Story ended up being violently sick due to an allergic reaction to the medication. After being up with her all night, I texted Kristin at 5a (before the vet opened). Even though Kristin had no outstanding relationship with me (we had only had the one session together), she called me and talked me through what was one of the worst experiences of my life.
As Story started to get better, it became clear that she was naturally very fearful (maybe the result of having been sick from the time she was brought home). Every little noise scared her, and everywhere we went, she would hide in the back of her crate. She was TERRIFIED of other dogs. We went to puppy kindergarten and she refused to play; just cowered in the corner behind me. I was so sad; I had gotten this puppy with the idea that she would come everywhere with me, and it was becoming clear that she didn't want to be anywhere except home. Kristin and I spoke again, and she thought that a three week puppy socialization program with her would be something that would help her get over her fears during this critical imprinting period. I said a tearful goodbye to my puppy, worried that she would always associate me with those early days of being sick and scared, and handed her off to Kristin.
Kristin texted me every day multiple times a day with pictures and videos of my puppy. She showed me the ways that she was introducing her to other dogs, including big dogs, and how she was introducing her to different stimuli (umbrellas, sirens, trucks, skateboards, etc.) so she would have neutral reactions in the future. For basic obedience training, she used 100% positive reinforcement - no use of NO, physical correction or any type of shaming - to EMPOWER Story to want to make the right choice when given a command. Story was so sensitive, but she could really come out of her shell with 100% positive reinforcement because she felt zero fear: if she made a good choice, she would be rewarded and if she decided not to obey, she simply would not be rewarded (i.e., she never had to fear a punishment, even one as seemingly innocuous as saying the word "No"). Each Friday night, Story would come home and Kristin would walk me through what they had done together so that we could continue to improve on her issues and continue her obedience training. Slowly, it became clear that underneath her fear, Story was a super happy and excited puppy. By the time Story came back to me at the end of the third week, I saw glimpses of the confident, joyful, affectionate dog she would become.
After Story came back to me, I knew I wanted to continue to keep Kristin in her life so that all of our hard work would not be undone. We started doing private lessons with Kristin, and having some overnights so that Story could continue to play with Kristin's dogs. We soon graduated to Walk N'Train, where Kristin's amazing associate Will would come over and walk Story, again using 100% positive reinforcement (no pulling on the leash, no use of "no") to train her to want to walk right next to him or me. Story came more and more out of her shell. We would address issues as they would come up, but the most important thing was that Kristin made me feel like I was never alone. Every issue was something we could work on, and any fear (mine and Story's) was something that could be addressed, albeit with time, patience and consistency.
Kristin's compassionate, intuitive methods set my puppy up for success in life. What's more, she helped train ME to ensure that I continue set Story up for success. Today, Story is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted and friendly dog. She walks politely next to me every day, stops to greet other dogs and people, and is so affectionate with me. I take her to work with me, to our coffee shop everyday, and to the dog park, where she even plays with the big dogs sometimes. These are things that seemed impossible when I first brought her home. Without Kristin, I know 100% that Story would not be the dog she is today, and the dog she is continuing to become. I hope Kristin will part of Story's life forever, because she has been so integral in shaping her into the amazing dog she is today. I can not recommend her enough. read less 
As third time doggie parents, we thought we had perfected the formula to dog training. Our current older baby is... read moreAs third time doggie parents, we thought we had perfected the formula to dog training. Our current older baby is a smart, independent lady. She didn't start off that way but after watching and reading many a doggie parenting book...we were able to shape her into the sweet girl she is today. As she began to get older, we decided to get another pup, and our boy Jasper came into our life. With a personality completely opposite of our girl and a true daddy's boy, he proved stubborn and difficult to train. After trying every trick in the book and an unfortunate furniture destruction incident, we decided to seek a pro. Kristin has served as our translator into the non-verbal communication of dogs. We never realized how much our boy analyzed our every move and how subtle cues on his end and ours could trigger his behavior. We now have the tools we need to help him improve and we have continued to have a great experience working with her. read less 
Kristin was amazing! She knows exactly how to work with your dog's specific needs. She provides a ton of information... read moreKristin was amazing! She knows exactly how to work with your dog's specific needs. She provides a ton of information to take home after sessions and she cares immensely about the success of your dog's training. I would strongly recommend her to anyone looking for dog training. read less 
Thank you so much, Kristin! I really appreciate her patience, knowledge and you could tell right away she just understand... read moreThank you so much, Kristin! I really appreciate her patience, knowledge and you could tell right away she just understand and fully passionate about the training. It's all about positive reinforcement which was why I believe her method was the best for Buster. Thank you again! read less 
We don't know how to thank Kristen enough. When we adopted our dog she came with a baggage of problems.... read moreWe don't know how to thank Kristen enough. When we adopted our dog she came with a baggage of problems. We initially turned to the 'assertive leader' type training because that's all we heard about on tv. With that method, my dog was the worst student ever. We went through some tough times.
Kristen was our second trainer but she taught the positive reinforcement way. In her eyes, Paloma was a sweet dog and an attentive girl. ..and she turned out to be right.. The most important thing Kristen did for me was she helped me understand the beautiful personality of my dog. My dog wasn't "misbehaving" but instead she was sensitive and needed time and encouragement to adjust for the better.
Kristen will be proud of what has come out of Paloma. We still have our daily challenges, but she is soooooo much better now, and at the end of the day we only have praises for our dear girl. So thank you Kristen. 🙂 read less 
Kristin is awesome! After adopting a 10-month old puppy in December 2017, who is a little bit anti-social, Kristin... read moreKristin is awesome! After adopting a 10-month old puppy in December 2017, who is a little bit anti-social, Kristin was very patient. She helped us socialize him and used humane and very kind & sound techinques to train Duke (our puppy). Kristin is very compassionate and cares a lot abut the success of training dogs in general. Thank you for everything! read less 
Cannot even express how wonderful Kristin is. She is a miracle worker, and her knowledge of canine mentality and behavior... read moreCannot even express how wonderful Kristin is. She is a miracle worker, and her knowledge of canine mentality and behavior is amazing. She started me off with a lot of research to understand why my dog was behaving how he was (my dog has fear aggression), which was so informative and I continually reference. Then her training is so different from anything I've experienced. Her approach was to get to the root of the anxiety to relieve the cause of the action (and then the action stops too). She can read the smallest physical changes that indicate my dog is tensing up, which has been key to turning around the fear. She had a methodical plan to slowly ease his stress through positive re-enforcement, while constantly evaluating how he is feeling (by his body language) as he improves. I have learned so so much about how to help reduce my dog's anxiety, that I never in a million years would have learned anywhere else. And how to read his stress, which was a total mystery to me before Kristin. The improvement in my dog's behavior has been beyond my wildest expectations. It never would have happened without Kristin. read less 
As some may be able to tell by several of my reviews, I can be a pretty tough customer. After... read moreAs some may be able to tell by several of my reviews, I can be a pretty tough customer. After this review, I'm going to leave a less glowing review of another dog trainer I used before this one.
This is my 3rd toy poodle and my 4th training experience, so I have a pretty good feel of the differences between effective and not so effective. My dog was about 7 months old when I started with Kristen. I had her in 4 weeks of boarding training prior to this. Over $3,000 later, I felt I got nothing for my money other than 4 weeks without my dog.
When I met Kristin, we agreed to 2-3 weeks of boarding training with followup in home sessions. I still have at least 3 of the in house sessions left. During the initial consultation, she spends a lot of time talking about dog behaviors. At first my gut feeling was less presentation, more training. I guess I was skeptical due to my last experience. She proved me wrong, as after just the 1st week, I noticed an enormous improvement in the behavior of my dog. My dog was and still is very spunky, but we were having major potty issues, lots of barking, she didn't know how to walk outside without hopping really fast on her back legs like a kangaroo, wouldn't warm up to anyone, she was just so wild. Kristin helped me understand that forcing the dog to do behaviors it doesn't want or isn't ready for is counterproductive. Instead, we worked on giving my dog more freedom, but in a very measured way. We worked on positive reinforcements including positive distractions when something might make my dog nervous. Know right up front that your dog will be getting a TON of treats during this training, but try not to let that bother you and focus on the fact that you'll be getting so much improvement if you make the effort to supplement her training with what you are also taught as an owner. It is critical that you make the effort. You can't just expect miracles if you don't contribute to the dogs training.
I don't know if its appropriate to put the price here, she ain't cheap, but we felt it was money well spent. My dog is much more relaxed, much happier, much more balanced....its hard to put it into words. I feel like she went away for 6 months when it was only 3 weeks and I got a much more mature dog back. Kristin also was very helpful coming up with a plan with regard to how to handle my dog in different situations within my own house....like when I'm working from home and I need quiet during a meeting I'm running. 4 weeks ago, my dog was peeing in her crate, she was in her crate most of the day crate training, barking, crying. Now, she has a very large pen which she has connected with going out on a balcony to a grass square, she sleeps all night in our bed, she gets much more free roam time in the living room, she learned several commands including, sit, stay, down, paw, go sniff...her outdoor walking is dramatically improved. She hasn't had an accident in the house for over 3-4 weeks. Still need some work on 'come', but we will get there.
I highly recommend her. She knows her stuff and she is an expert in dog behaviors. She is the real deal which is hard to find in LA. She's also a super nice person..the kind of person that sort of lights up the room, so its no wonder dogs love her :-).
Thanks for reading. Message me if you have any questions. read less 
I have so many positive things to say about Kristin I don't even know where to begin. After calling around... read moreI have so many positive things to say about Kristin I don't even know where to begin. After calling around and researching dog trainers in the Los Angeles area, I decided to go with Kristin (she was referred over to me by two people). While briefly talking to her over the phone I could sense her knowledge and passion for training dogs. My intuition told me she was perfect person to help me with my puppy Zen.
After just a few sessions I could see a noticeable difference in Zen. He was more obedient and responsive, and knew that I was in control. When I had to go out of town for work there was no doubt in my mind I should leave Zen with Kristin. As a new dog owner, I was anxious about leaving him with just anyone, especially since he was so young and not fully vaccinated. Despite my anxiousness I felt a sense of peace knowing Zen was in the best care possible. While I was away she constantly sent me videos and updates on how he was doing. I loved that he had a yard to run in, and Kristin's dogs to play with. He seemed so happy!
By the time I got home (she had him for four days) I was truly blown away by how calm and well mannered Zen was. She taught him how to sit and go down on command, and come when called for. Instilling these behaviors helped lay the foundation for Zen. It was obvious that she put the time and energy into training him. Her training is EFFECTIVE-- and it was amazing to see the transformation right in front of me.
Whenever people stop me to pet my dog, they always notice how well behaved he is. I have Kristin to thank for that. She is an incredible trainer, but also an amazing teacher. Thanks to her teaching I am able to reinforce good behavior with Zen.
Kristin is a God sent, as it is extremely difficult to find people you can trust in LA (especially with your baby!) She will be in me and Zen's life forever. read less 
We came to Kristin to help with our dog's anxiety and aggression. After the consultation, we were so impressed with... read moreWe came to Kristin to help with our dog's anxiety and aggression. After the consultation, we were so impressed with her immense knowledge on behavior and her ease with our pup. We opted into a package of private lessons with her so that we could learn what we needed to continue training Nico. I highly recommend doing the private package lessons not only because we needed the training but because the education and insight it gives you about predicting your dog's needs. We have a whole new level of love and connection with our dog after training because we were also taught to empathize with them. Something that Kristin clearly understands deeply as her love and respect for animals is so clear. After a package of private lessons, we are so proud of our dog (and ourselves) for making life all around more enjoyable for us and our dog. read less 
Kristin is unbelievably knowledgable, calm and lovely to spend time with. She came to consult with me and my... read moreKristin is unbelievably knowledgable, calm and lovely to spend time with. She came to consult with me and my two pups to help us with some Resource Guarding issues and from there I asked her to stay on with us to help with the more basic training that we were never able to wrangle. As well, one of our pups is blind and she has helped us sort out ways to train and guide him too. She has really made a difference for us and we are excited with the progress we are seeing. I don't think I ever want her to leave us!!!!! read less 
Kristin was UNREAL in saving our dog Tyra. We came to her at a breaking point where our dog's aggression... read moreKristin was UNREAL in saving our dog Tyra. We came to her at a breaking point where our dog's aggression towards other dogs was so bad that we could no longer take her outside. And after very attentive and compassionate training, she is nearly fixed. We can take her on walks and she's even able to meet other dogs. She's a miracle worker. Highly reccommend. read less 
Kristin has helped us so much with our dog, Arnie! She started working with us when Arnie was just a... read moreKristin has helped us so much with our dog, Arnie! She started working with us when Arnie was just a puppy, and she made it so much easier for us to be new dog owners. Kristin is very professional and arrives to training sessions with a training agenda tailored just for our dog. She uses positive reinforcement to shape behavior, and she can get Arnie to do things we thought were impossible (and happily too!). Kristin seems to be able to read our little dog's mind! She is very attuned to the little things Arnie does, and he responds to her right away. We also utilized her board and train services, and Arnie returned to us able to do all the things that we had requested. Personally Kristin is a pleasure to work with and Arnie loves her too! read less 
Kristin has been so great with our dog Mingus. He's had a few anxiety issues since he moved from NY... read moreKristin has been so great with our dog Mingus. He's had a few anxiety issues since he moved from NY to LA and she's been working with him to help alleviate the barking and clinginess.
Her method is so easy and fun to work with. I can't recommend her highly enough. To say Mingo is not only doing so much better, but is also Happier dog because of it, would be an understatement. read less 
Love Kristin and all she has done for our rescue pup, Koda. We started with a private training package... read moreLove Kristin and all she has done for our rescue pup, Koda. We started with a private training package to see how it would work and love the idea of training in our home versus a park or pet store. Great idea....well worth it. Have since signed up for more training and some board & train. Koda loves her and all the info that comes our way is on point for what we need. She knows her stuff and Koda responds immediately to her. Could not have thought about raising Koda without all the help from Kristin. read less 
AMAZING! Kristin is the ABSOLUTE BEST! She was instantly available when I reached out to schedule the training... read moreAMAZING! Kristin is the ABSOLUTE BEST! She was instantly available when I reached out to schedule the training for our puppy. She was extremely accommodating and worked with our time constraints. Kristin sent me updates continually with our puppy's progress along with pictures and videos. She is incredibly knowledgeable and is a fantastic teacher for both the dog and the family. She easily showed us how to continue the techniques she taught our puppy. Kristin's follow up is second to none. Best of all my puppy loved her - He sat at the door after she left and waited for her to come back. Kristin is THE BEST trainer around. We are so grateful to have found her! read less 
1 review
5.0 star rating
6/10/2016
I had a first consultation with Kristin and thought I got... read more0 friends
1 review
5.0 star rating
6/10/2016
I had a first consultation with Kristin and thought I got it all - I was wrong. I exchanged a few emails with her afterwards regarding my puppy's issues and finally decided to purchase one of her package. Best decision I have made. Within days I could see a big improvement in our dog's behavior. She is an AMAZING trainer and also an awesome person. Not only she is training him, but also giving us the tools to ensure we work with him appropriately between sessions. She provides detailed notes on our session, training tips, videos, and so on. She is always easily reachable via email or phone if need be. Thank you so much for all your help and also giving us hope in our little guy that we love so much. I highly recommend her services! read less 
I had a first consultation with Kristin and thought I got it all - I was wrong. I exchanged a... read moreI had a first consultation with Kristin and thought I got it all - I was wrong. I exchanged a few emails with her afterwards regarding my puppy's issues and finally decided to purchase one of her package. Best decision I have made. Within days I could see a big improvement in our dog's behavior. She is an AMAZING trainer and also an awesome person. Not only she is training him, but also giving us the tools to ensure we work with him appropriately between sessions. She provides detailed notes on our session, training tips, videos, and so on. She is always easily reachable via email or phone if need be. Thank you so much for all your help and also giving us hope in our little guy that we love so much. I highly recommend her services. read less 