Gary Maria Professional Dog Training

I can’t say enough great things about Gary Maria Dog Training, and this review is honestly long overdue! My partner and I completed all three levels of Gary’s training program with our Corgi puppy. We started when she was just 14 weeks old, and completing Level 3 at 10 months has been an unbelievable transformation. The progress she has made over these past few months is nothing short of tremendous. What makes Gary so fantastic is his balance, he makes training genuinely fun and engaging, but you can also tell how much he deeply cares about and loves your dog. He doesn't sugarcoat anything, which is exactly what you need when building real obedience and boundaries. Just as importantly, he has a great ability to work with two dog parents who don't always start on the same page, helping us navigate our different philosophies and get unified. If you're in the East Bay and looking for high-quality, practical, and effective dog training, Gary is the absolute best. We couldn't be happier with our experience and will miss our weekly training sessions with Gary!

Gary was incredibly responsive when I reached out for help with my dog Peaches and her leash reactivity. The initial consultation went great, and I learned a lot about dog communication and how to better support her. I also learned that Peaches is a very anxious dog, which helped explain many of the challenges we were facing. We enrolled in Gary’s 6-week program and saw real progress. Peaches has come a long way, and we now have the knowledge and tools to keep her moving in the right direction. Just like people, dogs recover at their own pace, and we’re excited to enroll in advanced training when she’s ready. What really sets Gary apart is his approach. He doesn’t rely on obedience-only methods or gimmicks. Instead, he teaches you how to work through real situations and explains the “why” behind everything, helping you become the calm focal point your dog needs. Highly recommend.

We worked with Gary Maria for six weeks to help our 3-year-old rescue, Giorgi, who struggles with fear and anxiety. Honestly, Gary was incredible. From day one, it was clear he knows his stuff and loves what he does. A lot of the time, Giorgi was too overwhelmed to participate. On day 1, Giorgi hid under a table the whole session. But that’s ok because Gary was really training us. By the last session, Giorgi was walking around, watching other dogs and people walk by, and still listening to commands. Gary taught us how to help Giorgi feel safe, calm him down when he’s stressed, and build trust. We’ve already seen such a difference at home. Gary is knowledgeable, patient, direct (in the best way), funny, and available when you have questions. He celebrated every little win with us! You can tell he truly cares about the dogs he works with. We still have more work to do, but thanks to Gary, we know how to keep moving forward. If you have a dog with anxiety or fear, seriously, go to Gary. He’s the real deal.