Spectrum Canine Fremont, California

I sent my 8 month old working line German Shepherd for a 2 week board and train with Spectrum. He stayed with Johnny. Prior to going to train for the 2 weeks I knew I had a very smart and high drive dog that I would need help with. Prior to even dropping my dog off, Johnny got in touch with me and we had a good long conversation about my needs/concerns with my dog and what I was looking to get out of the train and board. During the 2 weeks Johnny gave regular updates and videos on progress. When I went to pick up my dog we spent over an hour with Johnny showing me and my 7 year old son everything my dog had learned and how to continue to build on it. Johnny was able to get my dog thinking and working. My dog who was hyper and very hard to calm, now wants to work and learn. At 8 months he is following commands learned there but best of all he is ready, willing and excited to think through new tasks. Not only is my dog obidient beyond what i could have expected, but he taught him how to listen and learn. The biggest value was the time Johnny took to explain to me how to work with my dog to teach him things and modify his bahavior. They literally enhanced my ability to fully enjoy my dog! I will continue to work with them to get the full potential from my dog and cannot recommend them enough!

Let me start off by saying, Isabel is one of the kindest, most trustworthy people to leave your dog with. I adopted a puppy after my third back surgery and did not have the physical ability to train a large, strong dog as what he needed. I have known Isabel for years, and have watched her grow and develop her skills, so I knew she was the one I needed when I finally got my Benny. When he first went to board and train, he would pull on a leash so badly that I could not handle to walk him without being scared I would hurt myself. He was very bad about jumping on people, and with how big he is, we needed to get that under control. He also had the puppy problem of trying to nip or mouth people and other dogs. It was a hard decision to send him away for four weeks, but I am SO SO glad I did. Now, we walk to the park together every day and I know he will not hurt me by pulling too hard. He is well mannered, and any time I need to correct him on something, I have the knowledge I need to continue his training thanks to Isabel. If I ever have questions or concerns regarding our training, she is quick to respond and always has the answer. Spectrum as whole is filled with highly educated, and passionate trainers and I would highly recommend them (ESPECIALLY Isabel) to anyone from someone with a bad mannered small breed, to a big dog that was adopted from the shelter that needs to be retrained. Spectrum is your one stop shop. Thank you so much, Isabel for giving me the gift of a great dog and the knowledge it takes to continue his training.

Spectrum K9 has the most professional and experienced trainers around. I took Sig to about 2-3 other trainers and no one was able to train him in a tailored manor because of his breed. But with Ricky (owner) we were able to achieve what we were looking for and much more. Sig(our dog) was able to walk off leash with us having ZERO issues recalling him which other trainers were no able to achieve, also have no reactive behaviors towards people or dogs by the time we were complete with his training. We can take him to any outdoor venues and have him as a service dog without us worrying how he will act being around unfamiliar locations. We still contact Spectrum K9 for refreshers and also furthering any training we would like. Spectrum K9 is an investment that every responsible dog owner should consider. 2 thumbs up to Ricky and his team.

I’ve been training with Spectrum K9 for over a year and they’ve been great. I currently use them for private lessons but will also board my pup with them if I’m out of town. Very knowledgeable and experienced with a variety of breeds. I always receive compliments on how well mannered my pup is and I attribute that to Spectrum K9 as this is my first dog. I like that they have a variety of training packages and will customize a plan that works best for your dog.

Ricky is in my opinion one of the most professional, and honest police dog trainers in the country. Wouldn’t purchase a dog from anyone else on the west coast! Great company

We started our 6 month old Belgian Malinois (Sophie) with Ricky’s 2-week immersion program. To say we were in way over our heads is an understatement! We had not appreciated the intensity of this awesome working breed. But after spending the 2 weeks with Ricky and his team, she honestly came home a different dog. She stopped chasing cars. She was far less reactive around other dogs and we were able to control her prey drive. And she stopped using my hands and arms as her favorite tug toys! We continued with a package of several in-home lessons, which have helped us reinforce her training to keep her on track. Ricky has a natural gift with these dogs and we’ve learned so much from his experience. While at one point we were seriously considering retuning Sophie to the breeder, she’s now just over a year old and we can’t imagine our home without her. So happy we found Ricky and Spectrum Canine. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

I will say that contacting them initially was a little difficult. The contact form kept giving me an error but I was really glad when I saw that you can text their number! !!!Don't give up contacting them!!! I scheduled a consultation, paid through venmo, and was connected with Dakota. We have two dogs; Berkeley was rescued from a neglectful home about a month ago and JackJack is my dog that's spent the last year and a half in Philly that I picked up 2 weeks ago. Introducing the two of them; Berkeley attacked JackJack and we quickly realized she gained a lot more negative behavioral issues than we thought. Fast forward 2 weeks, we have a tall gate separating the house to keep the two apart but within eye/sniff sight and we were having mental breakdowns basically every night. People kept telling us that it could take weeks/months for them to be civil but it felt like there was no progress at all. Then Dakota and Jordan showed up for the evaluation. Number 1 tip if you get Dakota, bring a pen and paper because the dude can talk lol Our lives have changed dramatically and it's only been a day! They suggested we take the dogs for a walk, so we did but under their supervision. It was the first time the dogs were near each other without a safety net between them. We were scared but Dakota acted like it was a regular Tuesday afternoon. I'm happy to report that Berkeley didn't attack JackJack! She wanted to at least once but Dakota was able to distract her before her thought of murder turned into a plan of attack. Jordan was amazing as well and her calm demeanor helped Berkeley to quickly trust/engage with her. She also gave awesome recommendations for diets and I want to use her help to determine a good meal plan for the pups. We took their advice (what to change around the house/how to get the dogs to respond to us) and as I'm writing this, my partner has Berkeley in her lap, JackJack laying down next to her, we can go about our day like everything is normal, and I am eternally grateful! Seriously amazing! I thought we had to board and train her because we were so exhausted. Now I feel like we don't have to and we will definitely use them for training sessions!

My pup’s name is Ziggy, who is a 10 month old Mini American Shepherd. He’s been home for 5 weeks from the Spectrum Canine’s Dog Immersion Program. I have been pleasantly pleased with the whole process starting from the consultation with Ricky, the logistical information from Erika and finally, the training and teaching by Johnny. My pup was very intense and reactionary to people and other dogs. Walks were painful for me to the point I would drive a block to the park for a short stroll with my pup then return home. Of course, we attended a few different puppy classes and I followed many training videos with little improvement in his behavior. However, the end point for me was when my pup was growling with his hackles up at my next door neighbor. If I didn’t get control of his behavior now it would only get worse. I would not be able to enroll him in herding or agility courses. The team at Spectrum Canine assigned Johnny to worked with my pup and he has laid a strong foundation of discipline for me to build upon. Now walking my pup is a pleasure. I have even gotten a few compliments when walking by others on how my pup is well trained. Now Ziggy will still alert when he sees other dogs but, I have him focus on me by doing some training drills as suggested by Johnny. My pup loves them! There are many dog immersion programs in the Central Valley (where I’m from) and the Bay Area that I could have chosen. With Spectrum Canine I appreciated their honesty about what I can expect from their program, up front cost information and after care support which has been invaluable for me and my pup. In the end you won’t go wrong choosing Spectrum Canine Dog Immersion Program for your pup. BJ

I can’t recommend Ricky and his team at Spectrum Canine enough! I sent my crazy doodle to Ricky for his immersion program. I was really hesitant at first with all the bad associations there are with certain training tools, but Ricky is one of the best teachers out there and made me feel fully comfortable using them on my dog. I can now take my dog downtown and out in public with me without worrying about him being too crazy with all the commotion. I’m so glad I went through with this training; it’s truly the best investment!! Thank you so much Spectrum Canine!

Ricky does an excellent job training dogs in all aspects of a dogs needs. His passion is the dogs and their owners. I compete with my dogs, my dogs were developing some behaviors that were not going to help my scores when I competed, Ricky has helped my dogs to maintain the level of training I needed to compete successfully in a very timely manner. Superb Training!!

Could possibly be an excellent trainer, but I will never know. My sister signed up and prepaid thousands of dollars for their board and train program, she was extremely excited as she has been struggling with her new dog. As my new dog was from the same littler, I thought it would beneficial to have them both trained by the same trainer. After contacting them, their admin person Ericka said they would be in touch in a couple days. Over the following three weeks I tried multiple times and I never received a call, just a "you're on the list" text from Ericka. I mentioned to my sister if this Ricky guy doesn't have time to even give me a call in 3 weeks, I wonder how much time he devotes to the dogs? My sister was curious so she asked the same question of Ricky - how much time he would be able to spend with her dog daily. With NO REASON he sent her a "you are no longer a fit for our program" and kicked her out (it took a while to get her money refunded but she eventually got it). My sister was in tears, she BEGGED to be let back in the program or at least have a phone call to discuss, she didn't understand what she said that may have caused this. He never gave a reason, or was adult enough to call her. His training skills may be fantastic, I will never know. But the business is run extremely unprofessional and immature. Communication is so vital, and word of mouth gets around. I would never work with someone who handles himself in this way with a customer who had already paid thousands of dollars. Not even decent enough to have a conversation.

My husband & I had the best experience with the Spectrum K9 team. This team is extremely professional and goes above and beyond to produce quality trained dogs. We have an English Cream Golden Retriever and started weekly sessions with Steve at 4 months old. Within the first two sessions we were able to have our pup, Mozzarella.. sit, stay, down and recall. They also provided us with the proper tools (collars, leash leads etc) to be successful and consistent with Mozzarella. We went on a vacation when Mozzarella was about 8 months and sent her to Spectrum K9’s Board & Train, little did I know we would come home to the most behaved, happy and trained puppy. This is the only way we will board our pup in the future. If you’re looking for a quality dog train, look no further!

Ricky and Spectrum Canine cannot come highly recommended enough by me and my family. I have worked with Ricky for a year both through my employment as well as with my personal family dog at home. I saw changes in my dog after just one session. I chose the in home personal sessions and Ricky went over the top to evaluate not just my dog, but myself as the handler and my goals for where I wanted to be. Ricky was very responsive to my needs and did not finish a session until we both felt in a Good place with the days training. I was so impressed I signed up for another round. I never had a problem connecting with Ricky or his staff to schedule appointments and always got a fast response back via phone, text, or email. What impressed me most about Ricky is his versatility in training dogs for several different purposes such as obedience, service, protection, or in my case hunting. He truly can do it all. Not that I had to, but he is well worth any wait to get into the program. Trust me, I have worked with several other “trainers” in the past. Ricky is the real deal. Don't hesitate to sign up and start enjoying you pup.

When I was looking for a trainer for my puppy, I got two recommendations from a respectable business. Ricky at Spectrum Canine was one of them and after reading reviews online, I decided to find out further information. I scheduled a phone consultation, and after a couple of times of not being called back or being told hours of when to expect a call and not getting one, we finally spoke and I liked what I heard. I decided to set up an evaluation. I was told it would be $100 for one hour. I drove all the way out to meet him at a place of his choosing (for me, it was a three hour round-trip) because I truly thought that he was one of the best trainers out there. (Perhaps he is, but his professionalism and his assistant’s professionalism - Erika- are horrible.) Ricky seemed very rushed when I met with him; he only spent 20 minutes with me but said that my dog was a good fit for his program. He was out of the parking lot before I was, but I still had to pay the full $100. I was a little perturbed, but okay, fine. I was looking to book a three week boot camp. I set things up with his assistant, Ericka for my dog to begin the board and train program. It was a three week program and I had to pay for it in advance in full. Meanwhile, my brother, who also had a puppy, had called Ricky and was awaiting a phone call back, as he also wanted a board and train program. He had been on the call list for two weeks and still hadn’t heard anything. I mentioned this to Ricky when I was booking my program and he said he would call my brother that night. He never did. After another week, my brother still hadn’t received a phone call. Three weeks and no phone call? That’s just bad business practice right there, especially during these hard times – you would think you would be doing your best to keep business going. Ricky had told me when we had talked on the phone, that if I ever had any questions for him, to not hesitate to reach out (I had told him about a bad experience with a previous trainer for my other dog, who never communicated with me. He told me that would not be the case with him). So I sent a text to them wondering if they weren’t able to call my brother, who hadn’t received a call in 3 weeks, would they be too busy to give ample time to my puppy? Now mind you, as I stated before, Ricky told me if I had any questions at all, I could reach out to him. So I did, looking for a little reassurance, with my text. Their reply back? “Sorry for your concern. We are going to issue a refund for the immersion program. We have a program that is very successful and we don’t think it is a good fit with your concerns. If you would like to re-enlist her in the future we can do that.” WHAT THE HECK??? They actually booted me out of the program because I asked a question. I immediately replied back that I did not want to be booted out of the program. No response. I tried calling them and apologizing if my text came across badly - I still wanted to be part of the program. No response. I messaged them again. No response. I so needed help with my puppy and I tried everything I could to apologize if my text was received wrong. They REFUSED to respond. I had never been treated this poorly in my life! I kept checking to make sure I got my money back. It finally was coming through, and then Spectrum Canine *canceled* my refund. Were they trying to keep my $4000? I reached out through PayPal to the email address provided. Ricky got right back to me and said that he would re-issue my refund. I tried one more time to email him and say I wanted to be part of the program. No response back. So this leads me to believe that not only are they unprofessional, they obviously have huge egos and the fact that I asked a question was too much for his pride, so they booted me. I guess because I didn’t have a K9 dog, I didn’t make the cut. Sorry - I guess just a poor teacher who was willing to give up a month’s salary for proper training wasn’t good enough for them. (I have copies of all the text messages and emails sent and received as proof of what transpired.)

Ricky did an amazing job with our then 12 week old Belgian Malinois. She was a ball of energy and had some early aggression issues, that couples with the fact me and my husband live in a small San Francisco apartment and we didn’t know where to start. We’ve always been against paying for a dog trainer honestly because “google has the answers” but that just isn’t the case. I cannot express how different our dog is now and how important it is to invest into training. We came out of it with the tools we needed to have a well behaved companion and will recommenced Ricky and Spectrum Canine to anyone and everyone who ever asks or comments on how well our puppy is behaved. We cannot thank Spectrum Canine enough!!

I have been working with Ricky for several years and have been ecstatic with the results!! I have a service dog "Kali" that originally was being trained with a different trainer until I decided to try working with Ricky based on a recommendation and wish I had switched sooner. Kali has spent numerous weeks with him working on specific tasks. Bracing is the biggest one and he did an amazing job figuring out the best way for her to do it so she is comfortable yet still is effective for me. He also helped a lot with her temperament which is huge with a service dog. Whenever I’m in the hospital, Ricky is always able to accommodate and take Kali to board and train and if circumstances result in me needing more time, extending is never an issue. In addition to the work he does when he is with my dog, Ricky is very responsive if I need clarification on something—I never have to wait to hear the best answer. My family’s pet dog "Buster" started working with Ricky recently and we’ve had great results redirecting some troublesome behavior even after just a couple sessions. What I find most impressive about Ricky is his ability to analyze a dog’s weaknesses but also their strengths and come up with a custom plan how to have the dog best succeed while communicating very well and clearly what needs to be done and why it needs to be done. Really great trainer and the entire company is excellent, 10/10!!

Spectrum Canine makes dog training fun and enjoyable for the dogs and their owners. My relationship with my dog has improved tremendously since I started training with Spectrum and my dog actually listens to me now. The Spectrum trainers have been patient and understanding. I am always surprised how much better he gets after each session. The game changer for my dog was a ‘board and train‘ with Ricky. My dog seemed like a new dog when it came back, I couldn’t believe how well he was behaved. I find Spectrum trainers to be responsive and dedicated to using safe training methods. In my case, they recommended and taught me the proper use of an e-collar which gave my dog the freedom I never thought he would have. Really happy with my results using Spectrum Canine.

Ricky and Steve have greatly improved my relationship with my dog. Even more they have increased my knowledge of dogs. They are patient, knowledgeable, and professional. Over the last couple years they have taught me skills that have made working my dog fun and enjoyable. There passion for canines is easy to see and I highly recommend them for all your dog training needs.

I called up trying to get information about the Bootcamp. I left a message and waited for a call back but never got one. I tried calling again about a week later, left another message and still nothing. After the third time calling and hearing nothing, I gave up. Pretty bad to hear nothing (it’s been several months now - they never got back to me). Maybe all the good reviews are just family and friends - not a good way to run your business unless you just don’t care.

As another dog training company, we understand the importance of quality and care for your clients. We understand the need for balanced training, that comes from years of trial and error. Daniel worked with two of their trainers a little ways back on a trip to California and was beyond impressed with the professionalism and knowledge these young men already had. If you are looking for the best of the best to help you with all your dog training needs, call Spectrum Canine now!

This group is well organized and methodical about their training practices. I always see them researching innovative ways of training while utilizing best practices from proven traditional ways of training. They did a great job with my dog and continue to still do so. I’ve seen public and private agencies contacting them all the time for their knowledge.

Knowledgeable & passionate trainers that want the best for you and your dogs. I highly recommend spectrum k9!

Spectrum Canine offers off the spectrum results for you and your dog. Some of the best of the best, I highly recommend working with this skilled team of trainers!

Steven helped Remi go from crazy to a family dog. The three week program really helped Remi. She knows the basics now and when she gets too excited, we can easily handle her now. Very professional and they want to help. Did a one on one training when I picked up Remi. Highly recommend if you want solid results for your dog.

Ricky at Spectrum Canine is a true dog professional. I had the chance to work my dogs with him and the knowledge of canine behavior and learning he has to share is exceptional. He also boarded both my working dogs for several days and the attention to their comfort and well-being was clearly the top priority. The frequent and regular updates were also appreciated, which for any working dog owner is a big relief when you’re away. Spectrum Canine is a great program, highly recommend.

Ricky is a talented trainer across many disciplines, from pet dog training, to police service dog training.

An amazing group of trainers who we gladly refer any and all California clients to.

This is the most knowledgeable dog training company I’ve yet to come across. Their trainers have a wealth of experience across all disciplines. Working with them has changed my dogs life and mine as well. Their passion and commitment to bring the best out of every dog is truly remarkable to watch. Their explanation, reasoning and ability to communicate made a life long impression. If you want to stop wasting your money on an average trainer, I would highly recommend contacting Spectrum Canine to get lasting results.

My case was delegated to an associate who reported to have conferred with the owner. In a nutshell they could not address the random aggression my dog wss exhibiting. Moreover the associate was closed minded on several elements from dog parks to daycare to littermates. She also would not conduct a free evaluation promoted on their website. Luckily I found a different, competent trainer with a balanced perspective and solid approach. At half of Spectrum's exhorbinent rates.

Super knowledgeable and experienced people with the best interest for the dog in front of them!