West San Gabriel Valley Dog Training

A Better Bond, One Step at a Time.

Our Programs

Is your dog pulling you down the street? Reactive to other dogs? Can’t bring them anywhere because they simply can’t settle?

Our personalized training programs combine structure, clarity, and kindness to help your dog thrive at home and in the real world.

This is where your journey begins!

Hello!

Dog ownership is all happy walks and cuddles, right?

That's what I thought too, before I became a dog owner myself. Reactivity. Leash pulling. Manners that seemed to disappear the moment it mattered most. I quickly realized I had no idea what I was doing and neither did my dog.

So I did the work. I learned about dog behavior, what accountability actually looks like, and how to build real harmony at home. The transformation was incredible, and it changed my relationship with my dog forever.

I knew I couldn't keep that to myself. That's how my training journey began 7 years ago.

Since then, I've helped dogs of every age from puppyhood to adulthood (as old as 9!) Helping owners understand the why and how behind training has become my passion — and it's exactly why I started Balanced Bond Dog Training.

Read more about Michelle →

I’m Michelle.

A woman in black pants and a white t-shirt squatting on the sandy beach, holding a white poodle with a harness, under a clear blue sky, with the ocean and distant hills in the background.

If you’ve ever said something like…

“I walk him at odd times to minimize his reactivity.”

“I wish we could sit on a patio and just relax.”

“I can’t trust her off leash.”

“She barks her head off at other dogs.”

“We’ve gone through many trainers but nothing has stuck.”

“Walks aren’t enjoyable because he pulls the entire time.”

“She listens great at home but not outside.”

“He loses his mind when guests come over.”

“I can’t take the bone away without her snapping.”

Let’s work together to get you and your dog on the same page.

Get Started Here

Our Programs

Three ways to get your dog on the same page.

The Perfect Walk

Stop fighting the leash. Start enjoying the walk.
No more pulling, no more dodging other dogs, no more dreading "walk time." Learn the simple skills that turn chaos into calm — one walk at a time.

4 private sessions | $600

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🌟 MOST POPULAR!

The Anywhere Dog

The dog you can take anywhere…and actually enjoy.
Calm outdoors. Polite with guests. Listens even when life gets distracting. This is the program that turns "good dog" into your everyday reality.

7 private sessions | $1,000

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Behavior Transformation

When obedience isn't enough, this is where real change happens.
Big behaviors that need a bigger plan. Get the customized, hands-on support that moves you from frustrated to confident.

10 private sessions | $1,800

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  • "We have a wonderful 2.5 year old golden doodle that is loving, sweet and full of energy. However she has a lot of anxiety and is reactive to other dogs. It became stressful and uncomfortable to walk our dog as she was high strung and unpredictable. Her recall was fairly good but we want to gain additional comfort with her willingness and commitment to respond to our commands. Over the course of 8 sessions we worked with Michelle to course correct some existing owner and dog behaviors. Upon completion of our time with Michelle, Saje was a more calm, relaxed dog and we built further trust in her ability to stay engaged and respond to our commands consistently. Michelle was great to work with - clear direction, always available when we had questions and focused and strong with our dog."

    -Kathleen L. & Saje

  • "Before: insane separation anxiety (not crate trained), pulling during walks to the point of choking, cannot recall (she would run out of the park and onto the streets, etc). After: fully crate trained, can leave in crate for 6+ hours during the day. Can do full off-leash and on-leash no-pull walks, great recall."

    —Akemi H. & Mocha

  • "After our first session with the Michelle Ma, although a bit overwhelming at first, we noticed a difference in Clover's attitude and behaviour within days! Each session gave us new tools and really worked through how both me and my wife used them. We really appreciated the patience, care and positive attitude that Michelle brought each time we worked through our struggles. Clover is a totally different dog now, she has much less anxiety and we have much more trust in each other. While there is still more to work on, we feel confident in our training and we can share more love than stress with our dog!"

    —Simon V. & Clover

  • Michelle was great with not only showing me how to communicate with Jack and enforce boundaries, but also with listening to his needs and adjusting different training methods to fit his personality and our lifestyle. I learned so much in just a few sessions, and have many tools that I will continue to use for the rest of Jack's life, which have benefitted his and my life already and improved our bond. I know some people are worried about e-collars, but Michelle is excellent at slowly introducing it and making sure that it reinforces commands and does not scare your dog. I have so much more confidence in myself as a dog owner, and so much more trust in Jack when we are out and about.

    -Veronique B. & Jack

WE’D LOVE TO HELP!

Contact us to discuss the right program for you and your dog.

A person holding a white dog with curly fur and a pink tongue out, close-up outdoor shot.