Dog training in Santa Monica, CA

Dog Training in Santa Monica, Right at Your Front Door

Calmer walks between the bike path, the Promenade and your own hallway.

Raquel brings private, in-home dog training to Santa Monica homes, from North of Montana family houses to Ocean Park apartments. You get one long session at your place, practice on the blocks you actually walk, then free advice while new habits settle.

Get Your Free Phone Consult

Tell Raquel about your dog and your Santa Monica home. She will call you back to talk it through.

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Tell Raquel about your dog (age, breed, what happens)

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Dog gallery

Meet Some of Raquel's Happy Students

Real Los Angeles dogs, photographed by their families after training with Raquel.

Dog training in Santa Monica

Dog Training in Santa Monica, Where the Problems Happen

Happy Paws offers private dog training in Santa Monica that happens in your home and on your street, not in a class across town. Raquel works with your dog and everyone who handles it, then walks your usual route with you so the new habits hold up outside the living room.

Santa Monica is a lovely place to have a dog and a demanding place to train one. Bikes, scooters, visitors and other dogs share narrow sidewalks, and a large share of homes are apartments with shared hallways, lobbies and elevators. A group class cannot copy that mix. Your own front door can.

Common Dog Problems in Santa Monica

Most Santa Monica calls come from busy shared spaces. Leash reactivity toward bikes, scooters and other dogs tops the list, followed by pulling on crowded sidewalks, barking at hallway noise and puppies that greet every visitor at full speed.

At home

Out on walks

A dog that meets one scooter a day in a quiet suburb may pass twenty on a Santa Monica walk. That repetition can make reactivity worse quickly, and it also gives you plenty of chances to practice calmly with Raquel beside you. If barking and lunging look more like aggression, leash reactive dog training is usually where Raquel starts, with a vet check suggested if pain might be involved.

Santa Monica Situations and Where Raquel Starts

Situation	What usually happens	Where Raquel starts
Walks near the beach path	Fixating on bikes, scooters and other dogs	Loose-leash walking and calm passing at a distance your dog can handle
Apartment or condo living	Barking at hallway noise, rushing the door, stress in the elevator	Door manners, settling on a mat and a calm elevator routine
A new puppy near busy streets	Overexcited greetings, mouthing, accidents indoors	Puppy routines, a potty schedule and gentle exposure to city noise
Café patios on Main Street or Montana Avenue	Whining, begging, lunging at passing dogs	Settling under the table and ignoring passers-by

Typical patterns Raquel sees in Santa Monica homes; every dog is assessed individually.

Training a Santa Monica Dog?

Raquel will tell you where she would start before you book.

Santa Monica at a glance

Local rules that shape your training plan

Leash lengthSix feet or less on public property

Beach sandNo dogs allowed

Off-leash areasFour enclosed city dog parks

Dog parksCity dog licence required

Busiest blocksMain Street, Montana, the Promenade

Session startYour home, then your route

What Santa Monica owners ask for most

Where Raquel Trains Dogs in Santa Monica

Training starts in your home, moves to your usual walking route and, once your dog is ready, heads toward a local park. Santa Monica runs four enclosed off-leash areas: Herb Katz Dog Park at Joslyn Park, Airport Park, Pacific Street Dog Park and the small dog run at Memorial Park, according to the City of Santa Monica. They suit practice for calm arrivals and exits, though they are not the place for a reactive dog’s first outing.

City rules call for a leash of six feet or less on public property, so long retractable leads do not work on Santa Monica sidewalks, and dogs are not allowed on the sand. A relaxed walk near the ocean on the streets above the beach is a realistic goal; a run on the beach is not.

Training Santa Monica Owners Book Most

Three programs cover most Santa Monica dogs. Private in-home training sets manners at the door, on the walk and around guests in one plan. Puppy training builds potty routines that work in a condo and introduces city sounds gently. Reactive dog training helps dogs who bark and lunge at bikes, skateboards or people. Many dogs need a little of each, and Raquel builds them into one plan.

★★★★★

“I followed her guidelines, and they work. They really truly work.”

Shannon I.

Neighboring Venice · Google review

Shannon adopted a rescue with extreme leash reactivity in a neighborhood where, in her words, there is a dog every five feet.

Santa Monica and nearby

Santa Monica Neighborhoods Raquel Serves

Raquel trains in homes across every part of the city, from the bluffs to the eastern edge by the 405.

Wilshire Montana
North of Montana
Ocean Park
Sunset Park
Mid-City
Pico Neighborhood
Downtown Santa Monica
Santa Monica Canyon edge

Nearby areas: dog training in Wilshire Montana, dog training in Venice and dog training in Brentwood.

Google reviews

What Dog Owners Say About Raquel

Read more client reviews →

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 64 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Yaesh P 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Raquel is exceptional. My dog Sasha is reactive, and my dog Rocky struggles with anxiety — before working with Raquel, I felt stuck and unsure how to help either of them. She didn’t just give us quick fixes; she taught us “the way of the dog,” a philosophy that helped me actually understand what my dogs were experiencing and why.

What stood out most was how many practical tools she gave us. I now know exactly what to do in triggering situations instead of freezing or panicking. That shift has changed our lives — we can go places together now, enjoy ourselves, and I’m not dreading outings anymore.

She is also extremely compassionate and deeply committed to helping, and she was always readily available to deal with any road bumps along the way.

Raquel is a wonderful trainer and human being, worth every session.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christina Fontana 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We couldn't be more grateful for Raquel! Our pup was having issues with stranger danger aggression and anxiety and she completely transformed after a few hours under Raquel's guidance! It was mind blowing. Raquel doesn't just wave a magic wand over your dog. She helps you help your pup. We learned so much and know how to step in and guide when needed. Could not recommend more!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christine Woertink 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Raquel doesn’t just train your dog — she teaches you “the way of the dog,” helping you build a genuinely confident and connected relationship rather than relying on quick fix tactics. She was with us every step of the way, checking in and helping our family grow together, and she gets to the root of discipline issues instead of just patching over them. Highly recommend if you want the best relationship with your dog, now and for the years to come!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   shannon ialongo 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Raquel is a true one of a kind behavioralist. After I adopted my 1+ year rescue with no background history and extreme leash reactivity, I was scared it wasn’t going to work as my neighborhood in Venice CA has a dog every 5 feet, it seems. My mutt rescue has ALL the working/over active breeds you could think of! But it didn’t matter. Raquel trained ME! I’ve been working with my dog for just over 2 weeks now and it’s seriously like I have a different animal. I followed her guidelines, and they work. They really truly work.

On top of everything else, she is a great human (as you would imagine for someone who knows dogs so well). She is available, inspiring (she’s even helped me breath to relax to help my dog!!!!). I have a whole new relationship with my kid (dog) now. I honestly couldn’t recommend Raquel enough. I have full confidence that if I stick with what she’s taught me, I’m going to have the most amazing life with my dog. I’m not blowing smoke!!! It’s so worth the cost. Skip the rest and just go to Raquel. Honestly, it’s changed my life! 💓💓💓💓💓

Edit 4.14.26 - I have to add. Even further down the road. I have truly stuck to what Raquel has taught me. My pup is now able to do things I never thought was possible when we first started. I said this to Raquel tonight: learning how to give paw is nothing like teaching your dog to not go bananas when on walks. My kid now is able to be around other dogs without having a meltdown. I still have to be vigilant. But it’s on me. We’re team and Raquel taught me that. I’m so over the moon that I worked with her. Honestly, I call her my “dog therapist”. Lol. She’s given me the tools and as long as I implement them… and stick to it. And work with her when it needs tweaking, it’s a game changer. I’m so in love with my dog Watson… and even more now. ❤️
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   2missbrooklyn 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My husband Aaron and I cannot recommend Raquel at Happy Paws Dog Training LA enough. She worked with us and our dog Mako, and what sets her apart is that she doesn't just train the dog—she trains the whole family. Raquel made sure that both Aaron and I understood the techniques so we could work together as a household unit, and it absolutely works.

She is kind, courteous, patient, and incredibly respectful, but most importantly, she knows exactly what she's doing. I also loved that she uses a form of psychology and other training methods that most trainers don't use—it really set her apart and honestly, she is like a true dog whisperer. Worth every penny. We highly recommend her.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alexus Payton Leach 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Tl:dr. Almost 1 year after our initial session with Raquel and we cannot recommend her enough!

Raquel made something we thought was impossible as simple as 1-2-3. Our pup Mia previously was abused and was so fearful of humans and other animals that she refused to walk outside (literally would freeze in terror before getting even 2 steps off the porch). Raquel not only helped us improve Mia's confidence so much so that Mia now craves walks and social hour with other pups, but we felt so well-equipped and educated with the lessons Raquel taught us that we added a second rescue to our household. Also, Raquel helped us teach Mia basic commands and facilitated the potty training process (we were really starting from square 1).

******
Detailed Review:

It's now been almost 1 year since Raquel helped train Mia, who at the time, was freshly 1 year's old and completely untrained.  We adopted Mia, a pitbull/bully mix from the shelter in January 2025 and immediately knew we would need a patient, kind, and knowledgeable trainer whose methods were firm yet tailored to our specific needs - especially given that Mia refused to take treats when she was scared (which was all the time) and we did not want to train her with any punitive or fear-based tactics.

Mia's history involved abuse and when she came into our home from the shelter, she was incredibly anxious and fearful of everything including other animals, humans, loud noises, ruffling bags, you name it. Any attempt to get her to walk outside and she would stand completely still and refuse to move. She was even afraid of stepping on grass. Initially, this was fine for us since we knew we'd be in for a long self-training journey. After about two weeks of us having Mia however, she started to get serious cases of zoomies indoors - which was a huge problem considering she is a 55-pound muscle machine running full speed in a condo.

At the time we contacted Raquel, we only cared about getting Mia to walk outside so that we could improve her quality of life. Our only expectation was that Mia would be okay to take even just one stroll around the block.

Raquel came into our lives and changed everything! She was able to get Mia to walk calmly and confidently on a leash, helped us teach her basic commands, and even gave us great tips that made the potty training process much smoother! Most importantly, Raquel taught us how to really understand and communicate with Mia in ways that improved her trust of us, and our understanding of what she needs - including things like structure and routine. Raquel isn't your basic trainer, she truly knows how to read a pup's energy and humans, too, which helps facilitate a baseline of respect that makes everyone's lives that much more enjoyable. I learned a lot about myself in the process as well.

Long story short, Mia is doing so well now that we added another doggie member to the household because Raquel not only improved Mia's confidence, but Mia also started craving soalization with other pups!

Highly recommend investing in training with Raquel because you'll set habits that stick with you, your current pup, and all future pups for life!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Harla Levitt 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Raquel provides a great balance between information about her philosphy to dog training with practical demonstrations and recommendations that are designed to take into account your dog breed and tendencies. This individualized attention is fantastic. The first in-person visit lasted more than 4 hrs, and it was clear that much of Raquel's approach is to 'train the trainer', changing and challenging our approach to training our dogs. Raquel emphasized that changing human behavior is a lot more challenging than a dog's behavior, and she was spot on. It has taken practice on our part to be consistent so that our new Aussie mix puppy and adult Havanese co-exist in great harmony. Each has had its own challenges, but the Havanese anxiety is so much better and the puppy - well is still a puppy, but Raquel's tutoring of us has produced much improved behavior. They go on fantastic walks without any behavioral challenges, play great together, and both have become very chill when we leave them - this was a major problem for us. At 8 months of age, our Aussie puppy is still a work in progress, so the extended service after the first in-person visit, to be able to talk through a challenge we are having, with Raquel, is a life- and time-saver. The  first in-person check-in at a neutral location just occurred, for over an hour, and it was incredibly helpful and reinforcing that we are making great progress - like a booster shot! Brief calls and emails to Raquel between visits are very helpful as well.  There may be many ways to train a dog. In our view, you get what you pay for, and Raquel has really delivered. One improvement would be to have a bit more face time with Raquel at critical junctures when a significant challenge occurs, even just scheduling a 30 minute session in order to have Raquel's great vision to help readjust our approach. Raquel is the real deal.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Paige Froelke 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It’s hard to put into words just how much Raquel has transformed our dog and family. We adopted our dog Shrimp at 4 months old and quickly learned he had severe anxiety, fears, and struggles from his previous owner. He didn’t know how to walk on a leash, and at just 5 pounds would charge at people so ferociously, barking non stop. After 3 months with Raquel we have a completely different dog. He walks calmly by our side, loves to people watch outside, and is overall a calmer happier pup.

Raquel truly changed Shrimp and our lives. Her teachings are incredible and truly deepened our bond with Shrimp. The best part is to see him transform before our eyes, to have the ability to feel proud of himself and enjoy the best of life. If you’re questioning starting with Raquel we hope this review serves as a sign to say yes. Her support was consistent throughout our time. She answered all our questions and sos messages calmly and within minutes, allowing us to come up with a plan for groomers and vet visits, in home visitors, and any new situation that was thrown at us. We truly don’t know where we’d be without Raquel and are so blessed to have found her.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Author Mary Ting 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I can’t express enough how much Raquel has helped my little dog-Udon. We couldn’t take him out because he barked at everything. Even car ride was a nightmare, and walks were impossible. I paid a trainer before Raquel and there was no result. I wanted to give up, but thought to try one last time. I can talk Udon out for walks now without him barking at people and dogs. I cried when it first happened. Raquel is our angel and I can’t thank her enough. I highly recommend her!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   JoshChristman87 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Earlier this year, my partner and I adopted a maltipoo, Cinderella. Only 8 weeks old, she was full of energy and curiosity. We already had another dog, Sylvester, who was rescued 5 years ago, was a bit older, and the not the friendliest with other dogs.

Sylvester had already gone through some training, but was due for a refresher. Cinderella was wet clay ready for molding. After doing some research online, we reached out to Raquel, and after one phone call, we knew she was the best person to collaborate with.

Raquel brought up a very key point early on in that Cinderella will follow the lead of the head dog already established, so we wanted to make sure she was learning good habits early on in her life.

Over the next few months, Raquel has spent time with us in our home and the park as we’ve been learning how to better communicate with our dogs, and with each other with it comes to training them. So much of it is Raquel training us as the owners in as much as it is training the dogs themselves.

Raquel is always a text away and within reach, has incredible insight into the minds of dogs, and so very kind and gentle with all of us.

It can be very frustrating to re-learn habits from walking our dogs to feeding them to communicating with them when they’re doing something naughty. Raquel is a great teacher who is able to simplify the process, and we’re very happy with the results we’ve seen so far with our dogs.

Whether it’s Cinderella growling at everyone the moment she starts eating, or Sylvester going into attack mode when he sees another dog across the street, Raquel has been there every step of the way giving guidance and suggestions, and we’ve seen the progress.

My partner and I highly recommend Raquel to anyone looking to become a better parent to their dogs. Because it starts with you.
  
 
  
  
 
 
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Free phone consult

Not Sure Where to Start?

Describe your dog and your building. Raquel will tell you honestly whether one session is likely to be enough.

Phone(323) 629-3767

VisitsYour Santa Monica home

First session3 to 5 hours

Santa Monica questions

Dog Training in Santa Monica: FAQs

Do you come to homes in Santa Monica?

Yes. Raquel trains in homes across Santa Monica, from North of Montana to Ocean Park and the Pico Neighborhood. The first session happens at your home, and follow-ups can take place there or near a local park.

Is it worth paying a dog trainer in Santa Monica?

For many owners, yes, because the hard part of training here is the environment: bikes, crowds and shared buildings. A trainer who practices on your own street helps you fix the habit where it happens instead of guessing from videos.

Do you offer dog training classes in Santa Monica?

Happy Paws doesn’t run group classes. Every session is private, with your dog and your household, so the plan fits your home and your walking route. Private sessions also suit dogs who find group settings too stressful.

Can my dog go on the beach in Santa Monica?

Not on the sand. Santa Monica doesn’t allow dogs on its beaches, so training walks happen on nearby streets and in the city’s dog parks instead. Raquel can help you plan a calm route near the ocean.

What is the average cost to train a dog in Santa Monica?

Raquel quotes after a short free call, because the plan depends on your dog’s age, behavior and goals. The first visit is one long Master Class rather than a stack of weekly lessons, and advice afterward is free.

Can you help an apartment dog that barks at hallway noise?

Yes. Barking at doors, hallways and elevators is one of the most common Santa Monica problems. Raquel teaches your dog to settle on a mat and gives you a calm routine for the front door, neighbors and deliveries.

Didn’t find your question? See the complete Happy Paws FAQ list.

Ready for Easier Walks in Santa Monica?

Tell Raquel what a walk looks like right now, whether it is the scooter that sets your dog off or the hallway that starts the barking. She will tell you where she would begin.