High Five Dog Training, LLC

Full disclosure: Gabriela and I have been friends for 38 years, however, this has no bearing on my view of her as a dog trainer - a side to her I have only come to know closely this year upon getting a wonderful but excessively bitey puppy. When Gabriela offered to give me long-distance zoom consulting, I accepted without knowing what to expect, a new situation for both of us with me in the role of a stranger seeking help. These sessions with Gabriela turned out to be invaluable in terms of getting our small family unit back on track, with evenings that had become unpleasant for us a couple as well as our little puppy whose play-fighting had escalated into a frenzied state of biting us. Gabriela listened carefully to what I was telling her and posed incisive questions. Not only did she do a succinct analysis of the dynamics in question, she is also very thoughtful in terms of giving empathetic viewpoints for all involved - and possesses a host of practical solutions to go with science-based theory. These are all tools that will stay with us and and can be applied to a range of new situations (and species), and it is a gift to be able to enjoy our incredible puppy without the painful biting. Thank you, Gabriela!

Gabriela is a wonderful trainer -- highly qualified, knowledgeable, encouraging and fun to work with. In addition to specific training targeted to my dog's issues and needs, she provided a wealth of resources and information. Under her guidance, I taught my dog, Becca, things in the course of a few weeks that I had not attempted or thought possible in the four years I have had her. I was so underestimating my own dog, and learned a new appreciation for her abilities. Thanks, Gabriela!

I reached out to Gabriela because she was listed on the Animal Behavior Wellness Center website and her reviews were very good. I asked if she would be willing to chat on the phone for a few minutes prior to booking a consultation. Upon calling Gabriela, I was taken aback by her curt demeanor and condescending answers to my questions about her approach as a dog trainer. We decided to give her the benefit of the doubt (maybe she was having a bad day?) and booked an initial consultation for 1 week later. We signed a contract, sent our three pups' vaccine records, and blocked off 2 hours on our holiday weekend Sunday afternoon to meet with Gabriela. I had mistakenly thought I responded to a payment request she sent two days prior to our appointment, in the midst of handling the other paperwork (for some reason, we were asked to sign the contract 4 separate times). Instead of reaching out Sunday morning to remind us, she canceled the consultation; when I replied 5 minutes later and explained what had happened, stating that I would pay immediately, she said the appointment was "no longer available." Gabriela unfortunately appears to lack interpersonal skills and seems difficult to work with on a human level. Regardless of whether or not she needs our business, there is no reason to disrespect potential customers who are seeking professional training help for their rescue dogs.

We hired Gabriella to help us with our "spirited" rescue dog. After reading her reviews and website, we felt she would be a good fit. We were quite literally blown away by her professionalism and expertise. Some words to describe Gabriella: insightful, encouraging, patient, brilliant, flexible. Gabriella is extremely knowledgeable and will meet you where you are with your dog. She takes your priorities into account and is laser-focused on your dog's well-being and learning ability. Somehow she remembers everything we talked about and everything that happened in previous sessions (even when I do not) and is 100% invested in training the humans to offer the best possible training for their dog. As a type-A nerd myself, I appreciate that she knows her stuff, reads the research and clearly has a passion for the science behind what makes dogs do what they do. She is an extraordinary resource and while we've made huge progress in our 4 sessions, I am sure we will be back for more at some point in the future as we continue to work with our sweet dog. We are beyond grateful to have found her and could not recommend her more highly.

I highly recommend Gabriela/High Five Dog Training I needed help with Sophie (my highly reactive black lab) before a planned weekend visit with retired friends who had just adopted a puppy Sophie was immediately drawn to Gabriela and her focus on “force-free, reward-based dog training” and I felt I learned something new and significant in each of our four training sessions Gabriela helped me develop a plan to identify and resolve Sophie’s major triggers which has helped her relax and throttle down her reactivity to unexpected situations. It’s not likely Sophie will ever allow a squirrel to cross the yard unchallenged, but it’s nice that I’m not on high alert when we visit friends with dogs I highly recommend Gabriela/High Five Dog Training 30 April 2023 update: I've added pictures of Sophie playing with Frodo (6 month old puppy) from yesterday - she's been relaxed and patient - a BIG improvement. I don't think we would have gotten to this point without Gabriela's help