David Utter Dog Behaviorist Orange County Los Angeles

David has helped us with multiple Dobermans that have gone through our rescue with reactivity issues to other dogs and well as to people. We had a 110 lb Doberman that could not even tolerate being in the same ROOM with another dog, but 3 weeks after board and train with David, the dobie is now well-behaved, and has even managed to make new dog friends! David will teach you the methods, and he'll fix the issues with the dog. But as with all training, YOU the handler have to be willing to do the work if you want your dog to continue to retain that training. We've board and trained with David for dogs that have more severe issues, and we've also taken private lessons with David for dogs that require moderate behavioral adjustment. We are happy customers.

We can’t say enough good things about David Utter and the incredible work he’s done with our two American Bullies, Lady and Bowie. We first met them as fosters—two nervous, under-socialized, two-year-old pups who had clearly never received formal training. After helping them raise their eight beautiful puppies (all of whom found great homes!), we realized we couldn’t imagine life without them and made them a permanent part of our family. That’s where David came in. Bowie was the first to go through Board and Train, and WOW—the transformation was unbelievable. He came to us with a very intense prey drive and a lot of nervous energy, but with David’s guidance, he made huge strides. He now knows all of his advanced commands and is responding beautifully to continued training. His prey drive is still a work in progress, but he listens and focuses in ways we never thought possible before. Lady, our sweet but spicy girl, followed shortly after and has also blossomed under David’s care. She now listens immediately when we say OFF or LEAVE IT, especially when play-fighting with Bowie. On her first walk back, she calmly sat and observed a yappy dog without reacting—a big win considering her past behavior. She’s walking well on leash (even if she’s a little too excited about munching grass), and inside the house, she’s showing so much more confidence and calm. While there were a few rocky moments—like some quick nips at our Beagle, Sandals, and a little guarding behavior—she now listens when corrected, which is a huge improvement. Before David’s training, she would have completely ignored us. Both dogs have their moments but are now more grounded, secure, and happy. David didn’t just train our dogs—he gave us the tools, confidence, and support to keep building on the progress. If you're looking for someone who can handle strong-willed, sensitive, or misunderstood pups with skill, patience, and real expertise, David is your person. We are so grateful.

David changed my life with my dog Siopao. He used to always take things from me at home and sometimes lunge to attack me for them, I’ve been bitten a few times. After the 2 week training with David he came back home to a much more calm and mellow dog. He no longer pulls me on walks and stays by my side, he doesn’t try to attack my dyson vacuum anymore, and when I tell him to drop stuff he drops it right away! Would definitely recommend him to anyone with a dog that has behavioral issues.

I cannot speak more highly of David’s training services and incredible care for my dachshund, Cosmo. After working with various trainers for years with no success addressing Cosmo’s behavioral issues, we were beginning to lose hope when we finally found David. Cosmo began with an intensive 3 week board and train program, and she was truly a different dog by the end of it (still her same loving silly personality, but disciplined, confident, and so much more comfortable around large dogs and children). Now she trains with David routinely, and I can’t believe her progress each week. David’s approach to training has been the answer for us, and I could not recommend him enough - especially as someone who has worked with many different trainers in the past and continued to see no progress. Beyond the training, Cosmo adores David and his pups and has become like family. He treats her with so much care and love, and I trust him immensely with my sweet pup. This is my first Google review and sharing as I hope others will read our story and have the chance to work with him.