Paws In Progress

We rescued a dog through a local rescue who was sent to live with Eleza prior to us getting her.
Now here is what doesnt make sense, we were told by Eleza she is aggressive, we should use a prong collar, a muzzle and that she would start a fight in a dog park.
Well less than two months later we started working with a different trainer (closer to home, not because we didn’t trust) and none of these thing seem to be true. Now we take her every day, sometimes twice a day to socialize with dogs and she has shown absolutely no signs of aggression. At first we followed Elezas advice and her leash aggression was out of control but now with regular socialization, our young pup is becoming a happy balanced dog even on leash. I guess I would caution labeling dogs as aggressive and using a prong collar unless it’s a know fact. At the least it definitely wasn’t right for our dog.

Just over a year ago we rescued a Great Pyrenees out of a teeny-​tiny yard and worked to «train» her (unsuccessfully) on our own. After a year of trying to help on our own her we realized that we needed help. Our Stella has recently completed basic training and we’re excited to start her on doggy socialization classes once the summer craziness calms down. We’ve seen such a wonderful change with her behavior: she barks less, listens more, and we feel that we now know how to better read her language. We’ve learned just as much as our Stella has!
Today our Stella reacted to a guest coming to our home in a very negative way. We were very upset and after sending a novel via text message to Eleza, we were so thankful that she promptly called us and spent a lot of time and talked us down. She was so clear and explicit about what to do and what not to do. We can’t thank her enough for her quick response, but also her ability to help us feel empowered as newer doggy owners. We feel so much better equipped to handle her in future situations because of the guidance that Paws in Progress provided for us.
Eleza knows what she’s doing & has been wonderful to work with! We look forward to continuing to work with Eleza so we can all be the best we can be. For the piece of mind that we’ve been given, it’s worth every penny.

Our 16 month old mixed breed did puppy classes and basic obedience with Paws in Progress. We occasionally go to «Paws Perfected» and «playgroup» where he gets a refresher. Here is an example of why I give her 5 stars and think Eleza is worth every penny and more she charges!
A shout out to Eleza — we couldn’t find Theo’s prong collar anywhere (finally found it in the garden outside) so I took him for a walk with just his regular collar and he did very well. I corrected him strongly once and he stayed by me and didn’t pull for the entire 1 ½ miles — even heeled and sat at the curbs! Thanks much for teaching me to be a better dog Mom and for persevering with me and Theo even when I wasn’t sure we’d get anywhere:)

After I wrote my review, as a gesture of goodwill, Eleza agreed to refund me $ 50 of the $ 150 for the initial consult, meaning I lost $ 100 instead of $ 150 as I wrote in the original review.

I received my 6 month old Bernedoodle and was like wow she is one big puppy. I checked out for a trainer before I got her and was so impressed. So as soon as I got her she stared training with Eleza. The first session was Eleza trying to get this big stubborn dog to even sit down. I was thinking is this going to work.
But 6 months later she is even bigger and a very polite dog who loves Kittens, Babies, and dogs and ALL people. We still have one more new class we will be going through. But after that the work will really begin, Zoey is being trained for my Mobility Service dog, so I can stop face planting in parking lots and around home.
Eleza is a great trainer that the dogs love, but I have to be consistent with me following up everyday, which Eleza says is the key. She gives us the infor and then we work with her and our dogs and on our own to keep up the training.

If you’re looking for a trainer to not only help you with basic obedience Eleza is your go to, but she doesn’t stop there. She will offer you help in other areas, so if you have an issue with your dog bolting or a behavior issue, she can easily TRAIN YOU to help you dog. Honestly, dogs can be trained, but us owners need to be trained to make our dogs behave. She welcomes you into a community, not just a once a week for an hour training class. There are meet up, play groups, additional classes, and she is up to try new things. I found her by Facebook and you will see everyone talks highly of Eleza and Jason.
I own a Min Pin and Dobie who have a mind of their own and they love testing the limits. I did both basic and some day training and it helped me jump start and take off. If I wasn’t as busy as I was I would be going much more with Paws in progress. Prices are very reasonable for the training given.

If I could give Eleza and Jason a million stars I would, I can’t thank them enough for all the work they’ve done for my pup and I.
I brought my 8 week old lab puppy to Paws in Progress for her puppy package and I loved it. She had pre-​school on the weekends and day training during the week. They were super sweet and accommodating. I work about 45 mins away, and she was helpful in working around my work schedule even though I’m sure they wanted to sleep in a little more. Every day that I dropped off my puppy she would bound out of the car and wag her tail, she was always so excited for «school». Eleza is even awesome enough to post photos and videos on facebook and instagram so I could see why my pup loved it there so much and what she was up to all day. She got to go swimming and play out in their huge yard, so everyday I got a super tired puppy when I got back to pick her up. I even went on to do her e collar training and some command classes as well.
The compliments I get on my dog are endless, and I know that without paws in progress she would never be this well behaved. They treat your dog just like one of their own, and I never once worried that she wouldn’t be taken care of while she was with them. I would whole heartedly recommend them to anyone looking for a trainer.

Eleza is a great trainer. She uses a good combination of positive reinforcement and leadership to work with dogs. And she makes it clear to owners that it’s up to them to train their dogs, Eleza will work with you and your dog, but the success will be largely on you, she’s giving you the tools/​knowledge.
We’ve gone through basic obedience, a few field trips and now CGC with Eleza. Eleza works with owners to determine the best path for your dog, and she’s got no problem working with or around other things (ie: also training your dog for hunting, or using an e collar). She does use all kinds of hardware based on your dogs needs, I’ve seen dogs in class with no leashes, regular leashes, harnesses, halters, slip leads, prong collars, etc.
I would recommend Eleza! :)

Eleza is absolutely amazing! I have a very stubborn and EXTREMELY energetic (she can run 9 miles without tiring) English Pointer named Abby who Eleza is helping me calm in the house. After only 1 lesson, Abby’s energy level in the home has gone down noticeably. Before meeting with Eleza, Abby would be running around the house like a crazy woman and now she’s able to stay in her «place» for 30 minutes and actually falls asleep. And Abby was also a notorious puller on the leash and Eleza got Abby to walk calmly with her at her side in a formal heel within seconds. I have never seen Abby like this and actually went into tears because I never thought it was possible with my dog.
Abby and I obviously have a long way to go still, but thankfully we have Paws in Progress every step of the way. We can’t thank you enough!

I first used Eleza for puppy school and was impressed with how she taught my stubborn puppy and myself on how to be a good owner. She teaches the owners that a lot of puppy problems are due to the owners not monitoring their puppy appropriately. My puppy is a very stubborn bully breed and became frightened with loud noises. I wanted more individualized training for my puppy so I decided on private training lessons. Eleza did wonders with our puppy! She taught our puppy all the basic skills and gave us homework to work on. Our puppy went from hating the leash, not wanting to listen and hypersensitive to noises to a well listened puppy who loves going for walks on the leash. I continue to be told how behaved our puppy is when we go out to shops and walks. We can walk her down streets with motorcycles passing without her becoming fearful now. Eleza trained with treats and positive reinforcement not negative.
I never once saw Eleza ever aggressive with any dog and I would never allow mistreatment of my puppy. I agree on separating a puppy from a group due to aggression as what review by Gail. As far as her perception, this no where close as my experience.
Eleza was wonderful and my puppy was excited to see her every training day. I would definitely recommend Eleza.

I love Paws in Progress! I adopted my wonderful pup through Eleza and am now taking Basic Obedience with her. Eleza is very informative and relaxed — just a great person to learn from.
Highly highly recommend!

UPDATE:
Just in case you were wondering; I wanted to do an update of my previous review.
Our precious Beagle pup is now 9 months old. She has completed Basic, Advanced and is currrently enjoying Agility class with Paws in Progress.
We are complimented by everyone who interacts with our dog that Carly is well-​mannered and listens. We had a large group of friends over for a pot luck dinner and our sweet pup greeted our guests appropriately without jumping or barking. When it came time to eat; I put Carly in «down» in the living room. Not once did Carly break that command. She did not whine, she did not beg, she listened and acted like the well-​trained pup that she is.
Thank you, Eleza! We appreciate the confidence you have given our family and Carly with obedience training that is kind, effective and do-​able for a lifetime.

Paws in Progress is helping us to be better, more responsible, confident, loving and aware dog owners.
Our family added an 8 week old Beagle pup to our family on March 16, 2012. Prior to Carly’s homecoming we started researching puppy classes and training. If you know Beagles; you know they are quick, intelligent, adorable and stubborn. (Some might say Mule-​Headed, Hard-​Headed or stupid.)
Stubborn applies to most beagles. Their intelligent, quick minds paired with a powerful sense of scent and the need to hunt leads them to snap decisions that are not usually what their owners expect of their precious pup.
When we decided to bring a Beagle back into our family (our previous Beagle was 17 when she passed 2 years ago) we knew that we would need to find a trainer that we could work with. It has been a long time since we thought about puppy training; and we knew we’d be out of our element without guidance and support.
We learned about Eleza through my niece who trains her German Shepard, Coco, with Paws in Progress.
Eleza is WONDERFUL! She is kind, caring and adores animals; she uses a gentle firmness with her training techniques; if a technique doesn’t work for you and your dog she adapts the technique to achieve training success.
While a well trained canine is the desired result; Eleza does NOT believe in using harsh discipline or force. Confident, well-​loved, happy dogs is what Paws In Progress strives for.
We love that Carly has been training and playing with Paws in Progress since she was 9 weeks old! We attended Puppy Class until she had all of her shots and was old enough to begin Basic Obedience.
Carly is probably never going to be the star of her classes; but she is learning! We love that Eleza reminds us that we need to learn right along side of our precious Beagle girl and that a poorly trained pup is usually the result of dog owners that don’t follow through and encourage their pups to be the most social, happy and well trained possible.
At Paws in Progress there are TONS of opportunities for socialization and training. From obedience classes; and socialization classes, to Canine Good Citizen classes, classes for foster dogs, field trips and more!
Lots of appreciation to Eleza for helping us to raise a wonderful pup into a wonderful dog!

After years of dogs and the typical group obedience at the local pet store, we looked into a «real» trainer for our newly adopted dog. After speaking to quite a few peeps, we decided on Paws in Progress.
Eleza is great. She is straight forward with us and even the dog. Her instruction tips are quite workable at all levels. She does doggie playgroups and also doggie time at the lake… our pup is now comfortable in the water, thanks to her.
Eleza is the real deal… if you need some dog training, give her a call. You’ll be happy you did.

Tundra (my service dog puppy in training) just started Basic Obedience and this time was a little bit different because my fiancé decided that our other dog, Hunter would join the class as well.
Yesterday was our first class and I was VERY nervous about having Hunter in it. He is a Giant Schnauzer. They are known for there hard headedness and being EXTREMELY stubborn, imagine a Miniature Schnauzer times 10. Not only that but he is a very large dog (90lbs) with an agenda of his own. He’s a good dog and well trained but that doesn’t mean he is going to listen or do what we ask 100% of the time. He has made us very frustrated at him and made us feel that nothing we did would work for him. It had come to the point where it was very hard to have him out with us. He was a lot to handle and I was scared I was going to get judged having such a large, not so well behaved dog. He does not walk on a loose leash or heal with out a gentle leader. Yesterday in his first day of class, Eleza worked with Ryan and Hunter and offered some great tips and a new training tool for Hunter. After working with Hunter for an hour she had him healing perfectly and he was listening very well. I was shocked, never had this dog walked so well on a loose leash none the less done it after only an hour of training. Eleza is amazing. I can’t wait to see how Hunter will turn out after Basic Obedience. Eleza has told us some new training techniques for him that are completely opposite of what we have been doing before. Her training techniques really work and Hunter is a great example of that. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am with Eleza and her training classes. From now on Tundra AND Hunter will be in her training classes. I can’t wait to take them both to Advanced Obedience and then take the CGC class. Eleza is great for all types of dogs from puppies to hyper crazy Giant Schnauzers.

Eleza is fantastic! I emailed her to get more information and received a same day response. My dog Bruce and I arrived soon after for a free assessment and placement into a Canine Good Citizen class.
On the first day of class, I was concerned that we were in over our heads. But trust Eleza, she knows her stuff! Within 4 weeks my dog was on command, loose lease walking around other animals (which was his Kryptonite) and even got his CGC certificate!
I can’t wait for our next round of classes!
Thank you Eleza!

We rescued a German Shepard 3 mo old pup in Dec and it took only a few weeks for her to feel at home. We noticed that she was great around us but was nervous around other people and dogs.
We met Eleza at the Petfood Express store and decided to try her basic obedience class. After six weeks we are seeing a world of difference in her socialzation skills.
Eleza is not only a good trainer and has good techniques but she helped us with ideas in socializing our pup.
She answered all of our questions and made the class fun. We are looking forward in participating in her advanced training class.

I just completed the basic obedience class with Paws in Progress given at the Petfood Express store in Roseville. The class was reasonable in price and just right in length. The trainer is available for any questions you might have after finishing our classes so we have a «trainer available for life». My dog is much improved and I would highly recommend!

If I could give 6 stars I would. Eleza knows how to help dogs and their humans to have the very best relationship. She does this by teaching the dogs how to be polite and responsive, and teaching the humans how to be fair and consistent.
Basic Obedience was wonderful. Eleza always brought a distraction (her own dog, a dog she’s fostering, a kitten on a leash!) and after Buster (my 1 yo goldendoodle) showed competence in holding a command (sit, for example), Eleza would use a distraction to help Buster grow in self-​control and to reinforce the command.
The intangible great part of what Eleza does is that she intuitively understands what a dog needs and works to help your dog have little successes that add up to a great training experience. Add in her tireless efforts to help rehabilitate and find homes for «unadoptable» dogs, and you’ve got not only a great dog trainer, but a great person as well.

I have a dog that has serious self esteem issues due to abuse as a puppy, no socalization, parvo and poor breeding. I attended obedience classes with her, 2 years ago & found she did well. When we moved to Folsom from the Bay Area I never could find classes that were affordable and a group environment that was also accepting of my dogs nervous attitude (which comes off as aggressive to the average person). So for one year she had no contact with other dogs, except our other dog Emmie (who is terminally ill).
Luckily for Fire I found a craigslist ad about Paws In Progress. I immediately contacted Eleza about my dog. We met for Fire’s evaluation. I was impressed how calm she was about my dogs reaction to hers (not very friendly, and shes a Doberman to top it off, so theres always that breed rep to overcome).
Long story short, We decided to join her play classes & it’s surprising how fast my girl went from a basket case to just a nervous nelly in just 2 play groups. We will continue worth classes to at least see if Fire can break through her fears and learn to enjoy playing with other dogs.
Everyone in class seemed very accepting of my pooch, which really helped ME feel more confident, which is imperative in MY DOGS progress!
You can’t ask for more reasonably priced dog training, either. I plan to attend those once Fire is more secure & can focus more.
The Pet Food Express store in the Fountains is absolutely gorgeous too… That’s where the classes & play groups are held.