The Dog Wizard

Meet Benson and Bailey. They became friends 6 months ago in an open lot between our two homes. Bailey was off leash running happily, potting. His mom Jess said «Bailey come» and there Baily went darting across the space. Mean while my dog [who is as cute as a teddy bear] was biting his leash, and taking off towards a leaf blowing in the street. Bailey would walk right beside Jess on a walk and was completely off leash reliable. Jess worked with the Dog Wizard.
The day i called Justin was the second best day of the year. Benson did the two week at home boarding and came home a well behaved boy [and not just for the time Justin was still in sight]. Walks that use to take us 45 minutes [because the fluffy one would sniff everything and get into everything] are now a pleasant 15 minute stroll. Benson enjoys running in the open spaces now in midtown and my crazed fear of him a. becoming a hood ornament or b. taking off and just keep going have all been put to sleep because of the wizard.
My only regret is that I didn’t call the Dog Wizard sooner.
We have been going to the Saturday refresher classes which have been excellent practice [for me… Benson got with the program along time ago] and you meet all shapes and sizes of well behaved dogs while exploring state parks I never knew were here.
Thank you thank you thank you for loving and training Benson as though he were your own.

Our two large, but lovable, dogs have always been «leash tuggers», barkers, «door rushers», and generally, unresponsive to any of the commands we tried to teach them, outside of «sit», «shake», and «wanna treat?» With a new baby at home, we wanted the peace of mind of knowing they wouldn’t knock over every visitor we had coming over, and I could take them for a walk without stressing about potentially being dragged with a stroller.
Justin introduced us to using e– collars, which he then had us test on ourselves, so we would know how it would feel for our pets. It’s obvious that Justin loves and respects dogs, and is passionate about what he does. We never questioned that he knew what he was doing, and was an excellent judge of each of our dogs’ personalities!
After only two sessions with Justin, we could already tell a huge difference in our dogs’ behavior, and they continued to improve over time (and at-​home practice). Their problem behavior has improved so much that some of our regular visitors have noticed as soon as they walk in the door! We are grateful to have worked with The Wizard and would definitely recommend him.

Pretty amazing experience with the Atlanta Dog Wizard. From start to finish, the trainers made me feel a part of the process and not just something where they give our dog some guidance and then tell us ‘best of luck’. They work with you to adopt and implement the methods they worked hard to instill in your pup. Bloo is a mighty, mighty beast with the head the size of a basketball, but acts like a loving lap dog thanks to Justin and his team. Always recommend The Dog Wizard to anyone we meet, with a new dog or even a weathered gent in need of some manners.

Someone came to our home whom we thought was a dog trainer but started pushing us to using an «e-​collar» on him for barking for 2 minutes at people that come into our home. Our dog is an Australian shepherd. When I said no to the only option he provided us for training, he got up and left our house with no other option.
Others should be warned that we received no other methods of training our dog on our consultation, only a shock collar for a year old Australian shepherd. If you’re familiar with the breed, they are protective and will bark at strangers entering their homes for not long. They will never do this outside. I expected a proper trainer to come with actual training; other options than an electronic device and when I said no to it, he just got up and left. I think it’s pretty fishy that we were not helped in the least bit because we didn’t want this electronic collar. I will not shock my dog for barking at people which he thinks is protecting us. There are safe, humane methods that work with your dog. Regardless of what you think of e-​collars, this person gave us no other option than a shock collar! And you call yourself a dog trainer? This company seems morbid and that guy was a straight up jerk.

Oliver was, yes «was», more than just a handful. Not really one word to describe him. He dragged me down the street to the point that I pretty much stopped walking him. I know… bad. Giving him a bath left me scratched and almost in tears because he was so afraid. He is a Pitt-​mix so he is extremely strong. He played too hard with our older dog and jumped on guests when they came over. 2 weeks with Justin and we have a different dog; Oliver is a normal functioning, happy and healthy member of our family now. He voluntarily takes his bath! I get to walk him all the time now and he doesn’t flip out when he sees other dogs. He is a joy. The Dog Wizard has given Oliver such a happier and calmer life, which in turn has made our whole family happier and MUCH calmer. Thank you! Will recommend to anyone! It is a doggie miracle.

Caesar and Lucy, our completely adorable and spoiled French bull dogs had had two previous trainers. Until We found Justin, THE dog wizard they were not at all trained!!! When we first met Justin we said…“you won’t be able to train our dogs!!!” He said «watch me!» He trained them fantastic. We couldn’t believe it!!! If you want a kind, loving approach… you need Justin. His communication skills are exceptional. He not only trained our dogs but us too! He helped us and our dogs understand each other. We will never be able to thank him enough!!!

Justin is a life saver! There is nothing worse than having anxiety about having people come over or taking your dogs out in public. We have two rescue dogs and they have completely different personalities. The border collie mix had leash aggression (would pull and bark at any dog, car, wheels, etc.) and was obsessed with women that came over (would sit next to them on the couch and paw them). The Aussie mix was aggressive to men and was territorial of our house. We had worked with previous trainers that told us to keep the dogs separated while we were out of the house and to walk them separately but this advice didn’t solve the underlying issues. Justin came in for our initial (free) consultation and told us we could do the Freedom program. We thought our dogs needed the 2 week doggy boot camp (more expensive) but Justin informed us he could work on their issues with the 6 week training (meeting for approx 1 hour a week). Justin does NOT try to up-​sell something that is not necessary or talk you into something that you are not completely comfortable with. I was so nervous for our first visit but Justin put me at ease and answered all of our questions (hundreds of them).
Depending on the issues your dog (s) have your weekly sessions will be different (Justin will meet you at your house, at a public park, around your neighborhood, etc). He was very flexible with our schedule and our weekly appointments to be sure we could have friends over and have the dogs behave (one of our issues) or meet at a park. He got us to a point where both our dogs can heel (no more leash aggression or pulling on walks), place (sit in their beds when friends come over so the male isn’t territorial and the female doesn’t obsess and paw people), sit, lay down, come, and listen. Thanks to Justin I know now why our dogs would act out and can train/​love them so much more. We also get Saturday morning group classes for FREE! We fully take advantage of this as you work on all the basic concepts weekly to remind your dog the basic commands while having the distractions of being outside with other dogs, bikers, runners, etc. with the help of Justin each week!
We have happier and less anxious dogs and we are happier as a result! Justin is honestly the dog whisperer and anybody that can work with him is so lucky.

My little baby Bowser is the center of the world for me and my boyfriend! Bowser is an adorable 65-​ish pound pitbull mix from the streets of Atlanta and he’s as sweet as it gets. Bowser is full of puppy energy, cuddles, playfulness, and happiness, but he could also be handful to reign in his affection and need for attention.
When it was time for training, Justin Hall was my first thought and single option as as a trainer. Not only did Justin work his Wizard magic on Bowser, he also taught my boyfriend and I consistent commands that help us in our daily work with Bowbow. We get so many compliments on Bowser’s new manners and our friends have noticed a difference in his demeanor. All of which we attribute to Justin and his training methods.
Justin is extremely professional and enthusiastic about his work; you can tell he truly cares about each dog he works with and is passionate about establishing loving homes for them. We’re excited to be continuing Bowser’s training with Justin and can’t wait to start the weekend meet-​ups!

I cannot recommend the Atlanta Dog Wizard enough. Our sweet dog was having issues with letting other people come into our house and around other places that he felt territorial over and it was getting to the point where we were afraid to have any one come by. He went to stay with Justin for 2 weeks and came back a much more confident and obedient dog. We are now so excited for people to come over and see the drastic improvment. He is a dream to walk on a leash and seems to be much happier now that he has gained so much more confidence. The group classes are so great and Justin is always willing to help if you have any questions or issues that come up no matter what, even trudging through the mud in the park behind my house just to find other dogs for Fred to practice interacting with. If you have a «speical needs» pup like we did, please contact the Dog Wizard as soon as you can!

I completely agree with the previous reviewers about the amazing results I have seen with my pups after sending them to «doggie boot camp» for two weeks with Justin Hall. I decided to pursue intensive training for my two terrier mixes after seeing one of them escape from my yard and come within inches of being run over in front of my house. I just could not stand the thought of that happening, and dealing with the anxiety of very sweet and loving, but unruly dogs for hopefully what will be at least another 10+ years. I had previously attempted weekly training sessions with one of my terrier mixes with other training facilities and frankly I needed Justin to work with my pups directly to lay the foundation of their new behaviors. I have learned that I was also not very disciplined as a dog owner and I too needed the training that Justin provided in order for us to keep up great new habits. While I truly missed my two pups while they were away, Justin kept me updated with pictures, videos and check-​ins on a daily basis. I knew that they were having a good time and being well taken care of with Justin. He is so patient, he really loves the dogs he works with, and understands the frustrations and limitations of the owners. I found Justin online after doing quite a bit of research on various programs and after meeting him at our in person consultation I easily determined that he was the best I would find. If you have any hesitations about what he can do for you and your dog (s), I encourage you to give him a call and talk with him about your concerns. He truly cares about what he does, the ongoing success of his canine clients and the happiness of being an owner of well behaved dogs. I am so excited about spring and summer so I can take them out to parks, events and neighborhood patios to enjoy the weather with me. Justin offers a few options such as «away doggie boot camp» and in home training sessions, while the boot camp is a bit pricey (but so are other comparable programs), I honestly believe it is and will be worth every single penny for years to come! I look at it as an investment in both my happiness and that of my dogs as well. I would send them again in a hearbeat. Justin Hall is truly THE DOG WIZARD!

Justin is great! So great, in fact, that he recommended that we do not use his services and told us some quick tricks to solve our minor behavioral issues. How often have you had a consultation where they are just out to get your money and exaggerate your problems? Not The Dog Wizard. He came out, assessed the situation, and told us we don’t need him! That is a major plus for him and the way that he does business. And he was completely right — the quick tricks he told us worked like a charm! He is not only knowledgeable and skilled, but a great business man. If I ever have another dog issue, he will be my first and only call.

It is amazing to see the difference in our pups after spending a few weeks with Justin! We interviewed multiple dog trainers and after meeting Justin, knew that he would be the perfect fit to teach our pups to be well behaved and off leash reliable. We have a 10 month old puppy and 4 year old dog. We knew the puppy should be easier to train but were concerned with the older dog because of her age and being set in her ways. They both came back so well behaved, able to heel, place, sit, stay. It’s amazing the transformation. Justin was great and gave us updates throughout the 2 week training camp. Two weeks seems like a long time to be without your pups but it is sooooo completely worth it! This was one of the best decisions we have made. I can’t wait to be able to take them with us everywhere now!

The Atlanta Dog Wizard has changed the relationship I have with my best friend. Our highly skilled trainer, Justin Hall truly has the patience of a saint. Before he took our beloved 85 lb. Frankie to his 2 week training camp (which I lovingly refer to as Hogwarts), Frankie was one of ‘those’ dogs. Wonderful and super loving, but so much so that he wanted to jump all over our guests and lick them to death. Frankie is a Weimeraner-​Pit Bull mix with the energy of a Weimeraner and the strength of a Pit Bull. The kind of dog that would take you on a walk, instead of the other way around, simply because he could. The kind of dog who would jump the fence or run out an open door and make you chase him for hours before you could get him back inside. Thankfully, those days are over.
With positive reinforcement, dog psychology, and gentle training aids, Justin was able to make Frankie feel important and find his inner zen. As it turns out, all dogs are different and respond to different reward systems. Mostly what they want is for you to communicate with them more effectively, in a way they understand. Once he returned from summer camp, so happy to show off and super eager to learn, Justin sat us down with and explained the ‘language’ to us, followed by a training session (in which we were the ones being trained). We have spent the last few weeks leisurely walking our dog each morning, being the envy of dog owners that pass us with their jumping and barking dogs. It is a truly amazing gift to go to the park, for car rides, or simply hang out leashless in the front yard with a dog who listens — and he LOVES the freedom! I can’t wait for fall season so we can take him camping and hiking and not have to worry that he will stray.
The training and support that Atlanta Dog Wizard gives is unparalleled — and the best part is, we have Justin’s ‘guaranteed’ guidance for life!