Testimonials

Check out what some of my clients have to say:

[Yolanda]is the trainer at [the San Juan Capistrano] store, and she is absolutely amazing. The store has a wide range of dog training classes here; everything from puppy potty training, to 8 week long puppy/beginner, intermediate, advanced, and even special trick classes. If you are interested in your dog becoming a therapy dog, they even provide Good Citizen Certification (after going through beginner and intermediate training) which is the first step.

Yolanda is patient and kind, obviously loves dogs and truly knows what she is doing. She remembers all of the dogs she has ever had in class, and will say hi to you whenever you are in the store. People constantly comment on how well trained my dog is, and we only went through beginner training! Keep in mind, part of (if not most of...) dog training classes are to train YOU as well. Show up, do the work, and you will be amazed.
Classes start all of the time, and you can call the store to find out, but it is really just easier to go in and get one of the calendars they keep at the dog training kiosk near the front door.

Jane and Phoebe

I would like to take this time to say thanks for helping us with Cooper and Ginger. They have learned a lot in such a short period of time… There is no better feeling than to have your dog listen to and perform the command you give them. Christine and I get so many compliments on how well behaved Cooper and Ginger are and then we respond with, “I know of this great trainer over at PetSmart. Her name is Yolanda and she really knows dogs…”

Christine and Dean Carr with Cooper and Ginger

As a veterinarian, having a wonderful human-animal bond is extremely vital to me. I would like to thank Yolanda Freeman for increasing this relationship with my new friend Josie, a 5 lb Maltese. Josie and I look forward to the once a week classes. Having training classes has made our home cheerful, fun and stable. I have had previous trainer with other pets and seen numerous training techniques, Yolanda’s positive clicker training techniques have accomplished quick and reliable results.

Yolanda is pleasant and courteous. She is patient, articulate, experienced and very knowledgeable. Yolanda is dedicated to understanding dogs and altering their behavior through positive methods. She catered to my dog by adjusting training techniques to help my little Maltese understand the right path to journey on. For example, she showed us how to use a training pole as a marker, to help me not have to constantly bend down. This made it easier on both Josie and me. My goal for Josie is to use her as a therapy dog. Yolanda has helped in making this dream become a closer reality.
I highly recommended her to friends and feel that she is a great asset to Petsmart.

Wholehearted thanks from both of us,

Holly Anne Brigman, DVM and Josie

Y]ou are the best. Even the "professional" trainers that I worked with on the movie were not as in tune with their dogs. Max may or may not be in the movie, [but]he did great. I have missed your advice and help. 
Because of your knowledge and ability to inspire a dog to do things and enjoy them, Max has had many opportunities he may not have had. Thank you for your support and love for people and animals. Max misses you. He still looks for you when we go into Petsmart. Let me hear from you too. 

Teresa and Max

"Rory started Yolanda's puppy class as a wild 8-week-old and graduated from Intermediate as a well-behaved gentleman. Everyone loves Rory and we constantly receive compliments on how well-behaved he is. Thanks Yolanda!"

Jennifer Stubenhoffer










“We just wanted to thank you so much for making our first ever dog training class fun & educational at the same time. You are so great with the dogs & the owners. It was really a pleasure to spend an hour with you every week.”

The Saadeh’s (Dennis, Tina, Malena & Miley)

“Tonka and I have enjoyed going to ‘school ‘with you as our teacher.”

Norma Owens and Tonka

Dear Yolanda,

I want you to know what a great dog Luke has turned out to be – thanks to your training expertise! When I adopted Luke at 7 months, he had been ‘sent away’ for training with two different trainers and knew a few basics. As foolish as it sounds now, I assumed he would stay that way with very little effort on my part. WRONG!

Before I knew it, my lab puppy, growing by leaps and bounds, was wreaking havoc in my life. I was frustrated, he was frustrated and my property was being destroyed piece by piece! He was on the fast path to being out of control and intervention was needed!

I headed to PetSmart to sign up for training. Lucky for me (and Luke), you were the trainer. Your knowledge and love for dogs was obvious from the start and the dogs would do ANYTHING you asked! I wanted your calm command of my pet!

Luke and I spent more than a year going through the various levels of obedience training with you. We even participated in a couple of the classes more than one time (practice, practice, practice!). Our last class before you moved, ‘Click a Trick’, was great fun!

Luke has turned out to be the best dog I have ever had and I know that without your guidance, it could have been a different story. I am so proud of him when strangers comment about how well behaved he is! Luke frequently accompanies me to visit my parents in a retirement center and he is an angel while there.

I am happy to hear that you like California so much, but North Carolina sure misses you!

Thanks for EVERYTHING!

Ellen Dillard and Luke
Charlotte, NC

“All of the classes we participated in were great! Our trainer helped us with everything from Potty Training to Tricks! I would recommend Yolanda’s PetSmart training classes to everyone who wants to get more out of their relationship with their pet!”

Holli and Roger Burgess and Doodlebug and Dixie

I am so happy that my Chihuahua, Betsy, took Beginner training. Yolanda is an excellent trainer. The classes were fun and I am impressed with the many skills that Betsy has learned. Yolanda made everything very clear and helped me learn to be a better dog owner and I know that Betsy enjoyed it. I would highly recommend the classes!

Caroline and Betsy, January 2009

I appreciated the help Yolanda gave me in training Dusty, my longhaired mini dachshund. We started out in her Puppy Class when Dusty was ten weeks old. Then we attended her other classes: Advanced and Click-a-trick. She helped me train Dusty for the Canine Good Citizen Test and a Therapy Dog license. He passed both tests. Yolanda is an enthusiastic and loving dog trainer.

Sandy and Dusty

I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful trainer you have in Yolanda Freeman. She is amazingly knowledgeable and always patient with me and my dog, Chloe. She always has an idea about how to fix a behavioral issue or teach Chloe a new trick. It’s because of her I keep coming back for more classes.

Kim and Chloe





Buckley , Winston and Chelsea are doing fine and we are waiting for another addition (a Blenheim girl to be named Chloe). I am so disappointed that you won't be here to train our new baby as you did such a wonderful job with the other three! All of them have done so well and thanks to you teaching us how to train them , we can pretty much depend on their behavior in every situation and feel confidant that we can take them anywhere. Even Chelsea, who you know I struggled with, has come around and is as well behaved as Buckley. I am so glad we were able to work with someone who understands dogs and their behavior as well as you do. Had you not worked so hard with (and helped me keep the faith with) Chelsea, she may have gone back to the breeder and I would have missed out on the wonderful pet and companion she has become. Winston continues to be very spunky and we have to be more firm with him, but he too knows what is acceptable and what is not and one of his commands will bring him back in line every time. Of course Buckley (the prince), is as well behaved and eager to please as ever. I hope Chloe has his personality and not Chelsea's...how will I train her without you if she is another Chelsea?

Joyce, Buckley, Chelsea and Winston

This experience has made learning fun and training a success. Thanks for making it so much easier to enjoy my wonderful puppy.”

Michelle Salby and Fiona

Previous to our classes with Yolanda, I believed obedience training was for people who either were very serious about learning "tricks," people who had never had pets before, or people who had very troubled dogs who needed extra help. After one too many separation anxiety destructions to the house, I figured going to class couldn't hurt and gave it a shot.

Yolanda was the FIRST person we ever came across who was able to correctly identify our dog as an Alaskan Klee Kai, at first sight. She works with Jordan as an individual to keep her (and us) engaged and keep the class fun. She genuinely loves what she does and is able to innovatively show us and Jordan that we all know what our goal is, that it is attainable, and that if we keep reaching for it, we will all get there together.

Training has become a family event for us and all three of us look forward to weekly classes. We hope that there will be more classes for us to take in the future and we share our wonderful experiences with anyone who will listen.


Janice and Jordan