Welcome to Toko Dogs, where we believe it is never too late to build strong and harmonious relationships between dogs and their owners. We are your home for expert dog training in San Diego.
At Toko Dogs, we pride ourselves on tailoring our training programs to meet the unique needs of each dog and their owners. Our holistic approach encompasses a comprehensive assessment of factors, including your dog’s health, environment, temperament, experiences, and behavioral history.
Obedience Training
Our comprehensive obedience training is designed to build reliable and functional commands for living a safer and more enjoyable life with your beloved companion.
We will methodically address your dog’s behaviors and give you the strategies and techniques necessary to build good behaviors and manage or eliminate problematic ones.
If your dog experiences fear, anxiety, or has previously experienced trauma, our Fearful Dog Training Programs are designed to help you build more confidence in your dog and improve their ability and desire to explore and engage with their environment.
Toko Dogs, led by Head Trainer Zachary Martin, is a balanced dog training company based in San Diego. We are committed to equipping owners with the skills and confidence to build positive behaviors and solve negative ones by instilling clear expectations through better communication and an improved understanding of their dogs. We pledge to provide humane and effective dog training programs while maintaining the highest level of integrity and service.
Meet the Trainer
Zach brings extensive experience to Toko Dogs. His diverse background includes helping rescue organizations rehabilitate some of their most difficult cases, training protection dogs, and working with hundreds of dogs and their owners to achieve a higher quality of life. Zach has honed his skills under the mentorship of some of the top trainers in North America. He has been certified to handle severe behavioral issues including fear and aggression. He utilizes the skills and techniques that he has accumulated to develop unique training programs catered to each dog and family that he works with.
Meeting Zach was an absolute game changer for us! Our rescue dog, Gemma, had fear based aggression to dogs (not humans) and obsessive reactions to basketballs, soccer balls, bicycles and skateboards. We had several trainers before Zach. He focused on the whole dog in a kind, patient and passionate way for her overall growth. He is clear with his instructions and explanations of what to do and why to do it and teaches in layers of training with compassion and patience. Zach trains you as well as your dog. We have seen a tremendous change in Gemma. She is less anxious and is a much happier dog.
We are so happy to share that we just introduced her to a new rescue dog, Star, and they are best friends. That would not have been possible without Zach’s training. If you are in need of a trainer who truly cares and produces outstanding results, Zach is the best in the business.
G Galvin
2024-08-05
Zach was amazing with our rescued street dog, Charlie. Charlie was cute but could go from sweet to aggressive and biting in a second. Zach started with basic commands and heeling, which got Charlie to start listening to us. When Charlie kept grabbing any plastic bag or remnant of a food wrapper on our walks (probably how he used to feed himself), Zach made an inventive training process using plastic bags to get him to start ignoring them. Over the course of training, Charlie quit trying to bite us and even stopped chasing our cats! Almost from the first time Charlie met him, Zach had Charlie’s full attention and good behavior. Zach was just as great at teaching us how to do the same!
Zach’s approach to training is characterized by
Versatility in techniques
Effectiveness
Balanced Training with a Positive Reinforcement Focus
The tools we use will depend on your dog’s temperament, obedience, and behavioral issues. Your trainer will always use positive motivators, such as toys, treats, food, and praise. They may also implement corrective tools such as martingale collars, transitional leashes, prong collars, or e-collars. See our complete list of training tools and their uses
How long are your dog training programs?
Our training programs involve at least 5 weeks of one-on-one training with individualized homework for each dog in your home and 12 months of ongoing support. Depending on various factors, such as your dog’s attention span, the severity of behaviors, and the number of behavioral issues, programs can take ten weeks or more.
What do I need to prepare to start a Toko Dogs program?
Buy some of your dog’s favorite treats and have some toys ready that they love. All other equipment is included in the price of the program. We will help you plan and implement safety measures at your in-person evaluation if safety is a concern.
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