About Follow The Leader K9
Reviews for Follow The Leader K9
Write a reviewHours
Monday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Tuesday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Wednesday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Thursday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Friday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Saturday: ClosedSunday: Closed
Follow The Leader K9 is a dog training service that offers customized training approaches for dogs of all breeds and temperaments. They specialize in creating unique training programs for each dog and owner, with a focus on effective communication and building a strong bond. The business operates on a half-acre training facility and provides individual training sessions as well as day and overnight training programs. Their training philosophy is centered around the mottos "If we love them, lead them" and "We don't blame them, we train them." Clients have praised the trainers for their expertise, patience, and flexibility, and many have seen quick and positive results. Recent reviews highlight the dedication and skill of the team, with clients noting significant progress in behavior and socialization. One customer reached out in a crisis, having fostered a small dog that had bitten out of fear; with Follow The Leader K9’s guidance, the dog now sits politely for meals, walks willingly, and meets new people with manners. Another client, fostering a shelter dog named Suzie, received a free session that helped her learn tools and practices to create structure and reward desired behaviors, leading to a calmer, more integrated dog. A third customer, with a background in military training, described how Eric exceeded high standards with his calm confidence, patience, and genuine care. The client’s rescue dog was reactive and high-drive, but through the program, they learned to lead with discipline and trust. The trainer’s approach requires commitment from owners, emphasizing that dog training is a lifestyle shift, not just a drop-off service. The trainers stay late, tweak plans, and pour extra effort into each dog, creating a true partnership rooted in excellence. Overall, Follow The Leader K9 is highly praised for their expertise, dedication, and ability to produce noticeable improvements in dogs’ behavior and the bond between dogs and owners.
If you're looking for a dog trainer or boarder in Santa Barbara, Follow the Leader is the absolute best and will completely change how you interact with your dog! We first met Eric when we were searching for a trainer who worked with foster dogs. Eric immediately understood our foster and helped us understand all of the behaviors that we had been naively reinforcing. After seeing the incredible results that we had with our foster (who was adopted shortly after Eric fully trained him!), we signed our dog, Roscoe, up for training and boarding with Eric. We had worked with two other trainers in Santa Barbara before to varying degrees of success, but Roscoe remained anxious,...read full review
Eric is an excellent dog trainer. I rescued a three-year-old male husky, Yukio, who had been in the shelter for five months and came with some behavior issues. Having trained horses, I thought I was pretty well equipped. But, I quickly realized I needed help!
Eric gave me the education, practical tips, and confidence to really work with my dog in a way that made a difference. He broke things down in a way that was easy to understand and apply. It was all about training me and then creating time to make training Yukio a hobby. I only wish I had started this work with Yukio earlier!
Yukio is now seven years old—well behaved and sweet. I’m very grateful...read full review
We adopted our German Shepherd, Henri, from a shelter. He is a very sweet dog, but he struggled with anxiety and reactivity toward other dogs. Before finding Eric, we worked with two other trainers, but they weren’t the right fit for Henri or for us.
Eric is incredibly intuitive and truly understands that every dog is different. Henri is a sensitive dog, and we needed someone who could guide us as owners, not just train the dog. There was a point when we honestly didn’t know if we would be able to keep him, but Eric gave us the patience, instruction, and confidence we needed.
After completing the 10-day training program, Eric and his team have continued to support...read full review