Clickstart Dog Training Academy
Ranked #1 in Lake Forest and #2 in California
Service area: Clickstart Dog Training Academy is based in Orange County, CA, with a campus in Lake Forest. They offer in-person services in Lake Forest, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, and San Clemente, including in-home and community-based training. Virtual services are available from anywhere in the world.
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Service Dog
- Therapy Dog
- Competition / Agility
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Jumping on People
- Barking Excessively
- Separation Anxiety
- Biting / Nipping
- Potty Training
- Resource Guarding
- Fearfulness
- Recall
Training Formats Offered
- Private Lessons
- Group Classes
- Day Training
- Video Calls
- In-Home
- Private Facility
Program Formats
- One-Time Consultation
- Sessions Package
- Intensive Program
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Positive Reinforcement Only
Equipment:
- ✓ Clickers
- ✓ Food Rewards
- ✓ Obstacle Courses
Clickstart Dog Training Academy offers a comprehensive range of training programs tailored for dogs at every life stage and for various behavioral needs. Their services include Private Training, Group Training, Day Training, Behavior Modification, and Seminars.
Private Training offers one-on-one sessions in-home, at their Lake Forest campus, in public, or virtually, covering basic to advanced obedience and puppy raising. Behavior Consulting, led by certified consultants, addresses complex issues like fear, anxiety, reactivity, and aggression, starting with a Zoom evaluation.
Group Training features small class sizes at their climate-controlled campus, on Zoom, and in local city parks. Programs include Puppy Classes (Puppy Prep, Puppy Kindergarten), Core Classes (Elementary, Middle, High School for life skills), Advanced Classes (Patio Pups, College, Masters, PhD Dogtorate for public outings and AKC titles), and Extracurricular Classes (K9 Nose Work, Clicks for Tricks, Field Trips). The Reactive Rover Recovery class is a prerequisite for reactive dogs, offered live on Zoom.
Day Training includes the Academy program (3-hour drop-off at campus for customized training, socialization, and enrichment) and Homework Sessions (1-hour in-home sessions where trainers work with the dog). Educational Seminars cover topics like Pet CPR & First Aid, Puppy Prep, Family Paws presentations, K9 Nose Work orientation, and Living with Rattlesnakes.
Pricing & Policies
Pricing Summary
Private Coaching begins with an Initial Session for $195. Packages are available: 4 sessions for $680, 8 sessions for $1320, and 12 sessions for $1920. Behavior Consulting starts with a 1.5-hour Behavior Evaluation on Zoom for $250. Subsequent private coaching sessions for behavior consulting are priced at $900 for 4 sessions, $1760 for 8 sessions, and $2580 for 12 sessions. Group classes are described as an affordable option, and completing weekly homework for the Reactive Rover Recovery class can earn a 20% discount on private Behavior Consulting.
Policies
Clickstart Dog Training Academy offers complimentary Make Up/Office Hour classes for group series to accommodate missed sessions. Students who complete all weekly homework assignments in group classes can earn a 20% discount on future private Behavior Consulting. The business states that their classes are a “no-risk purchase.”
Testimonials
“I am in love with Clickstart’s positive training philosophy. The keep things light and low stress on everyone (dogs and people). We’ve done 2 courses so far (High School and College). Baloo just finished college and PASSED his Canine Good Citizenship test on the first try! We are so proud of our boy! Clickstart is a great way improve our relationship with our dog and honestly a good excuse to get out of the house. We’ll probably continue to take Clickstart courses until we run out.”
– Kimberly J.
“We enrolled our puppy, Chai, with Clickstart starting at nine weeks old. Since the beginning, all of the staff have been super accommodating and welcoming. They answer every question we have and consistently go out of their way to meet our specific puppy’s needs. After puppy kindergarten, we started doing private sessions at home with Michael- who has been the absolute best. Michael is always on time, shows up with a great attitude, and is very patient with us and Chai! Chai LOVES Michael (we’re pretty sure he’s chai’s favorite human.) Michael has taught us so much – how to loose lease walk, teaching chai to settle, and much more. We will be continuing to use Clickstart and work with Michael to set our puppy up for success.”
– Raina J.
“I would highly recommend Clickstart for any new or seasoned dog owners, especially those with reactive dogs. Our journey with our dog started over a year ago with the reactive rover classes lead by Cassie. The online format allows for comfortability practicing at home, and the lessons and homework were excellent reinforcement. After those classes were done, we decided to continue with 4 one-on-one training sessions with Cassie to help further our dog’s skills and reactivity, allowing us to become better advocates for him as well. We’ve seen him come a long way and are so grateful for Cassie’s guidance on this journey. We look forward to future classes at Clickstart. The investment is highly worth it and we are thankful to have them as a resource.”
– Rei A.
About the Trainer
Clickstart Dog Training Academy is dedicated to helping dogs and their guardians thrive at every stage of life. Based in Orange County, they offer science-backed, ethical training in a fun, stress-free environment, grounding their curriculum in positive reinforcement to strengthen the bond between dogs and their humans.
This woman and LGBTQ+ owned small business was founded in 2019 by Cassie Pestana and Liv Healy, two of Orange County’s top dog behavior experts. They have built a team of expert trainers specializing in everything from puppy development to service dogs. In 2023, they opened their first campus in Lake Forest, providing top-tier training for dogs of all ages and abilities.
Clickstart offers a wide variety of services and class formats, including private training, group classes, day training, behavior modification, and educational seminars. They pride themselves on their dog-centric approach, ongoing education for their expert team, and humane training methods.
Accomplishments
Clickstart Dog Training Academy was founded in 2019 by Cassie Pestana and Liv Healy, who are described as two of Orange County’s top dog behavior experts. Liv Healy has 15 years of experience in dog training.
Cassie Pestana is a Certified Behavior Consultant with a BA, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KA, and PetTech Pro certifications. Liv Healy is also a Certified Behavior Consultant with an MA, CBCC-KA, FFCP, and Atlas CT certifications. The team prides itself on ongoing education and opened their first campus in Lake Forest in 2023.
How to Get Started!
To begin, clients can book a complimentary 15-minute Discovery Call to ask questions before committing to services. For Private Coaching, the first step is an Initial Session. For Behavior Consulting, clients start with a Behavior Evaluation, which is a 1.5-hour session conducted on Zoom. Dogs with reactivity issues are encouraged to start with the 6-week Reactive Rover Recovery online group class as a prerequisite. Clients can also fill out a form on the website to receive a trainer recommendation.
Contact Information
Availability
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
Certifications
- CBCC-KA
- KPA-CTP
- Credentialed
Associations
- AKC
Misc Features
- onsite services
- wheelchair accessible entrance
- wheelchair accessible parking
Other Services Offered
- Pet supply store