Kindred Spirits

I took the beginner class with my 8 month old puppy and we both loved it. He got excited every time we pulled up to the training yard :) The trainers are incredibly knowledgeable and the classes are very well run. In addition to the lead trainer, several assistant trainers are also available and demonstrate the techniques being taught using their own dogs. It’s great to see how it’s supposed to be done and very encouraging to watch these beautiful, well trained dogs in action. My puppy and I both learned so much and we will definitely continue taking classes here.

The team at Kindred Spirts is comprised of true dog whispers. My husband and I have been taking our new rescue pup to their basics course for the last few weeks and are so happy to see the growth in his confidence and obedience. Our Aussie Lab mix is full of energy, sweet as can be at home, but nervous in crowds and has deep abandonment issues. Each week the KS team has given him the special attention he has needed. They have worked with us to find the right collar for him, have given great suggestions on healthy ways to get his abundant energy out, and have answered every question we’ve had as new dog owners. No matter how full the class is, you feel like you are getting a customized class with 1:1 attention.
I HIGHLY recommend Kindred Spirits to all dog owners! At $ 125 for the 7 week class, it’s an affordable opportunity for you and your fur baby to grow and bond together!

Kate came out to my house today and did a personal training session. I have been having so many problems with my dogs in the way of anxiety with one and aggression with the other. Kate explained simple and practical training techniques to me so that I can now hopefully have control over their behavior and eventually, peace in our home. I look forward to our next session!

I’ve taken both of my Goldendoodle pups through Kindred Spirits and can’t praise them enough :) The entire team of trainers are very knowledgeable and ready to help. My eldest pup, Macaroni attended the basic obedience, therapy training and Canine Good Citizen classes, passing them all. We just finished the basic obedience class with our newest pup, Barkley and will return for several future classes, including trick training and therapy.
I’ve found the Kindred Spirits training method to be the best approach yet. They don’t jump to the most severe actions but instead start with minimal amount of correction that may work for your pup. Some dogs will need a little more «training» then others.
I never worried that my dogs wouldn’t pass, not because they are such great students. lol but because the trainers here will really give you specific attention to your «problem areas» and are open to question after question. They will even pull your dog aside during the class to work with them one on one if needed.
In reality, since they don’t follow you home (although they do offer private training) they are training YOU on how to train your dog. Some people may not like that they actually need to practice techniques on their own in order for their dog to succeed. Kindred Spirits gives you the tools and knowledge but you will need to PRACTICE!
Lastly, they offer drop in classes that are only $ 5 after you have taken one of their other classes. This is great to hone up on skills, learn new skills, address problem areas and pick their brains… for only $ 5!
Highly recommend Kindred Spirits.

I have worked with other trainers in the past and I do believe that the folks at Kindred Spirits are the absolute best! I have a 2 yr old German Shepherd who loves going to class and loves the ladies out there. We have been through Basic and Intermediate Obdience and Trick Training. We will be doing the CGC class as soon as they start one. I have always found all the trainers to be compassionate, caring, knowledgeable and willing to address any problems. I have never felt that it was a «yank and thank» system that some have talked about and Liz Palika has been friendly and available whenever I’ve wanted to talk to her. I take my Indy out as often as I can and am always complimented on his behavior. After you graduate from Basic Obedience they have a drop in class once a week for $ 5.00 where you can go to continue training. We go as often as we can. I appreciate all the trainers there and feel that we have been in the best hands ever!

My husband and I brought our pup for the AKC Puppy Training when he was approximately 10 weeks old. The funny thing for us is two of his litter mates turned up for the same training which was completely unplanned, but a really cool way to experience a group of Aussie pups being taught together and feeling out different dispositions.
In our trainings, we primarily worked with trainors Liz, Kate and Connie. They each have their own personal style and balance each other out. The reason we chose Kindred Spirits as our first choice training facility is several of the traino have a great deal of experience with Austrailian Shepherds and since this is the breed of our pet — we would gain some solid experience and knowledge on best techniques and practices for working with an Aussie.
Liz is tough and strict and very knowledgeable — she has written many books on dogs and training. Kate has a wonderful way of explaining things and getting her points across. Connie was more hands on with our testing and how to handle our dog in more difficult situations.
We loved the weekly group talks and demonstrations and even the mini award ceremonies for the graduating pups that were transitioning out of training each week. Lots of laughs with other pet owners, etc. Also, there was a weekly drop in puppy playtime in the afternoon that was fun to join — where the pups could just show up and be themselves with less discipline than in training. This was conducted on a donation basis — generally a $ 5 or $ 10 recommendation.
PS We always had a good laugh when Liz shouted out to her dog «HOWARD!»

Im going to make my review as unbiased and honest as possible. This is what I wouldve liked to have known before I took the class. (You can skip the wall of text and go straight to the bottom for bullet points)
There are different styles of training and this one is a very strict, alpha dog, yank and thank kind of method. It is called aversive training with negative reinforcement (incase you want to look it up) It is very effective and gets results. However, that being said, its not for me.
My dog was taken in the middle of class, by a trainer, and yanked on until he listened. Yes I had given her my permission to take him and yes he listened after she had lifted his feet off the ground about 6 times. However the «pride» she said he was feeling was fear. He was stressed during this class, it didnt help our relationship, and we didnt pass our final test. If anything our communication and performance dropped.
We took a similar class at a different location with a different trainer and passed a CGC and community dog test with flying colors before and during the time of being enrolled in this class. The method of this training was reward-​based
(find a great example of the difference here
))
He took a little longer to get all his training down then with the other class, however in this class he was good because he wanted to be. It made him think about his actions and ultimately I feel like it made him smarter, more happy, and he would listen to everyone (not just the alpha dog who yanks on his leash when he doesnt listen as with the other class). It also had the same effect on me. I was also way less stressed, felt more accomplished and like we made way more progress in the long run.
I gave it 3 stars because of 4 things
1. The activities/​scenarios at this class were different and very useful. Every class was different and the drills were awesome
2. The trainer helpers were very nice and actually seemed to care about my dog and I passing. The head trainer Liz didnt seem to care and I felt marked off as if we wouldnt pass as soon as we stepped in the gate
3. This class was way too packed
4. It is aversive training methods with negative reinforcement and that isn’t how Id like to train my dog.

Kindred Spirits is simply the best!!! Liz and her whole team are extremely knowledgeable and so helpful…
Going into their basic obedience course with my American Staffordshire Terrier, I wasn’t sure what was going to come of it. «How will she do!?» «What if she fails?!» «What if she can’t sit/​stay/​lie down?!» These are just a few of the questions that went on and on in my head. I was immediately put at ease. This class is mostly just FUN for both your dog AND you. It’s like you’re training yourself and your dog and you almost don’t even know it, we had SUCH a blast! You will learn SO much and so will your pup!
My dog walked away from this place every night with swagger and a huge smile on her face. At the end of the 7 weeks my sweet girl not only knew how to sit, lie down, stay, come, and more… but she was gaining confidence every day, and so was I! She didn’t lose any of her bouncy, tail wagging sweetness that made her so special, but instead she learned how to control it better. When I thought for sure she would never stop and just calm down (I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at one point because my dog wouldn’t stop bouncing all over the place to just lie down for me) one of the trainers did a one on one and gave me some super helpful tips that worked like a charm.
Kindred Spirits also gave us great advice on proper nutrition, which was so helpful! They’re always willing to listen to you and answer any questions. They stayed past class to answer them all. The trainers have their dogs there too and I’m sorry but honestly the proof is just in the pudding… their dogs are so well behaved and happy, and you know kindred spirits staff trained them, so how can you not think this place is just amazing?
Anyway, I’m all over the board here… basically, Kindred Spirits is extremely affordable and what they offer you is just so above and beyond… There is no better place out there. We will be coming back for all of our training needs!

The team at Kindred Spirits is great! Each trainer is knowledgeable and helpful and more than willing to give you extra support if you or your pup are having a hard time picking up a new command. We started with an in-​home private session with Kate for our rescue malte-​poo. Within seconds of her arrival Kate had made fast friends with our pup and had him listening and watching attentively. We have had issues with our dog biting and Kate did not make us feel like we had a «bad dog» or were «bad parents» but rather that we had a great dog who just needed some help dealing with some fear and anxiety issues. She recommended we attend the basic obedience class which we have now completed and have seen consistent improvement in our pup’s listening skills and our own ability to confidently and consistently guide his behavior.

Ok the other commenters have written a lot, so I’m just simply gonna say that Liz and her team are very knowledgable, helpful and caring people. Very affordable and very fun! I’ve never done dog training before but I am loving this! I have a stubborn dog but she is learning a lot and it’s all cuz of this class. I highly recommend this place to anyone with a dog who they want to improve and enjoy more!

I am a huge fan of this training center. I am half way through puppy class and can’t wait to move on to basic obedience! Connie welcomed me and my pup with such warmth the first time we walked in. My pup was shy at first and I was worried a group class would never work. I was so wrong. Dawn and Mellissa pulled me aside with the other first timer and just let the puppies get comfy while they talked to us about what to expect from puppy training and some good tips to get us started. They were also super great about answering even our silliest questions.
On our first time actually in the group class, I was delighted to see how well they handled all the different personalities of puppies and people. They took their time (even go over class time often) to answer concerns. My puppy has blossomed from this class and I LOVE ALL the trainers.
I also just took their pet first aid class with Kate and Liz. I don’t think that the people that wrote the bad comments about Liz actually took the time to get to know her. I spent 6 hours with Liz and Kate and Kate is a little more warm and fuzzy than Liz but Liz is funny and super smart and is a lot softer than she leads on. If you want to know ANYTHING about your dog, just ask them.
As for the correct and reward or yank and thank… Well, if you have a dog that is out of control lunging or barking, what do you suggest? Ask them politely? I am a huge believer in positive training and follow those guidelines but on occasion, I need to give my pup a gentle tug to remind him to not pull… I don’t see the harm and we enjoy our walks a lot more now.
I plan on continuing all of my dogs training at this facility and I have already recommended it to many friends with pups and older dogs. I can’t wait to co train with friends!!!
I give Kindred spirits 5 stars because they care about my dog and want to see a long happy life for him and my family. Thank you Kindred Spirits!

Basic Obedience Class: Loved it! Kate is really great with people and dogs and the other trainers also did a nice job. Many people had highly recommended this class including volunteers from Labradors and Friends– an awesome rescue!
Therapy Dog Classes and Love on a Leash: Excellent class to prepare your dog for volunteer work. Love on A Leash North County is a great organization. The leader of this group, Connie is terrific! Super volunteers!
Thank you to everyone!
Suzanne and Teddy

i went to training here and it was not a good experience at all. Liz is very condesedning and rude. She acts like you are a moron for asking a question when that is why we are at dog training, She likes to embarass people and single them out. She is just not a nice person. On the positive her helpers are very kind and patient.

Liz Palika has written a lot of books and won a lot of awards, but her training style just isn’t for me. She is from the yank-​and-​thank school of training; very Cesar Millan. If you have a difficult dog and you’ve tried everything else, she’s certainly worth a shot, but I think her methods are completely wrong for most dogs.
On the plus side, her helpers are all super sweet ladies and the training grounds also have an agility course and some ducks/​geese so you can get your dog socialized to fowl.