Starr Dog Behavior

I am so grateful that I stumbled upon Starr Dog Behavior when looking for a trainer for my then 6 month old Cavapoo, Bailey. She was adopted and her background mixed with lack of structure at home created a fear reactive pup. I initially started off with a few in-home lessons which made a noticeable difference and taught me how my behavior affects my pups.

Rather than finding a Rover sitter when I had a few trips back to back planned, I reached out and asked if Joseph would be open to do a board and train, which he so kindly worked around my schedule and accommodated my dates. I looked forward to seeing the updates on Instagram throughout the weeks and appreciated how great he was with taking care of her, even when she had a few things going on that required a vet check.

When training was complete, Joseph took over two hours to go through everything Bailey learned at training and more importantly what I need to do to continue to set her up for success. Since then, I have noticed a big difference in her behavior at home and she is walking much better on the leash. I've had a follow up and will continue on with a few more training sessions to perfect the walk and go over what I could be doing better.

I feel like I'm getting just as much of a lesson as Bailey. I would recommend Starr Dog Behavior to anyone in the area looking for someone to not only help train their dog, but also teach a shift in mindset when it comes to how your behavior affects your dogs behavior! He takes the time to explain everything and wants to see you succeed. Our sessions never feel rushed and he is so generous with time. He truly is the dog whisperer!

I did the board and train for my 5 month old mini golden doodle and got a totally different dog! Joseph does a great job training not just the dog but the human so that the training never stops. I even have my dog walker learning from him. I highly recommend if you want to kick off your pup on the right paw or just have a dog that's out of control.

Joseph has been working with our German Shepherd since 2022 and has completely changed the fundamentals of our relationship with our dog Hiro. We had issues with leash reactivity and insecurity/anxiety and the techniques Joseph has taught us to use on walks have improved our daily lives and made us better dog owners. Hiro is significantly more relaxed and confident, and we will continue to seek Joseph's services and expert advice in the future!

I can't say enough good things about Joey and his approach to training. My dog had developed leash aggression to the point where I was very nervous about walking him and Joey agreed to help us. After just 1 session I've seen such a huge improvement. He not only taught us both (he trains the human and the dog) the proper way to walk but he aligned us on the right mindset in-home and outside. I'm so thankful for this healthier relationship with my dog thanks to Happy Paws/Starr Dog Behavior

I highly recommend Joseph and Happy Paws to anyone with a happy energetic dog that needs to learn when to turn that energy down. Gilly is my service dog, but I was nervous to take him on an airplane because he is/was the most excited dog in the world. He would run up to and jump on any stranger who even glanced his way. This would not fly at the airport.

Even though Gilly was certified and helping me out, he still was not in a place where I could calmly walk him through an airport. Not even close. My trip was a month out and I needed help. I was referred to Happy Paws as a company that would be able to put me on an accelerated training program that could get my dog where he needed to be in one month. Joseph trained me as much as he trained Gilly, and it worked!

After just a few weeks, I was able to take Gilly on a trip that included multiple flights and long layovers. He behaved the entire time and was even complimented by some of the flight attendants who didn't even notice he was there! Last week at work, multiple people asked me when my dog got so calm. I told them it was when I got him trained by Happy Paws!

I took my dog to Happy Paws for a handful of training sessions and they made such a huge difference! After the first training session, I felt more in control in the relationship with my dog. Joseph is very helpful and provides advise on how to move forward with the relationship with your dog. I will continue to use his advise with all of my future dogs as well. I highly recommend Happy Paws!

Joseph's training has been the best thing for my dog and I! My 3 year old pit mix was shutting down on walks and always scared. Nothing I found online or with other virtual dog trainers helped. Joseph not only made my dog feel more safe and calm but me too! He's taught me the right skills & how to provide the structure for what my dog needs, making our relationship and communication much better than before! Joseph really understands the dog/human relationship and cares for your dog like his own! I couldn't recommend him enough!

We're so glad we decided to train with Joe! We wanted to give our new pup some structure and to work through her anxiety. Joe knows his stuff and we couldn't be more pleased with our progress! Even though we didn't feel like we had major behavioral problems before training, we enjoy our dog even more now. It's 100% worth the money and effort!

We love Happy Paws! Joseph was very professional and responsive, which is greatly appreciated. He was very knowledgeable to the point where he could immediately identify what our young bernedoodle needed help with, as well as what my husband and I were doing right and wrong in our home. We would go on long walks as he taught both me and Mace how to walk with a leash in a way that would keep Mace focused and not pulling me in every direction.

We noticed an immediate effect in Mace's behavior due to what Joseph taught Mace and due to what Joseph taught us. Training sessions almost felt like psychology lessons where we leaned how Mace was thinking and how our actions would encourage unwanted behaviors without us realizing it! We absolutely recommend lessons with Joseph (especially if you have an energetic and co-dependent pandemic puppy like us!) Did I mention how great the prices are? Happy Paws is a must if you are in Dallas!

Great teacher who is very knowledgeable. In just 1 class I was able to take away so much that I have continued to work on with my puppy. Thank you!

Recently went on a trip to Dallas and took our almost 2 year old Golden Retriever with us and found Happy Paws when we needed to board her for a weekend while we were there and it was SUCH a great experience overall. From the moment we dropped her off, we could tell she'd be in great hands, through the thorough conversations at the start, and the experience matched our expectations.

While she is usually a very shy and skidding dog (we typically are apprehensive about boarding her), when we picked her up, she was clearly very comfortable at Happy Paws and almost didn't want to leave. Can't recommend Happy Paws more and only wish we lived closer for our pup, Zoe, to even try out some of the training options available!

I can't say enough good things about Joseph and the great work he has done with my Ellie! Where do I begin, Ellie was a very rambunctious, mischievous, chaotic corgi who would act out a lot. Because of my hours working as a nurse I honestly didn't have the time to properly train Ellie (which is definitely my fault). I began to look for dog trainers in the DFW area and I stumbled upon Happy Paws and I'm so glad I did. Joseph immediately responded to my call and took the time to identify my needs/wants for my goals with Ellie.

His knowledge of dog behavior and psychology was very impressive. By the end of the week, Joseph came to my house and did an in home evaluation and recommended we do a board and train for 2 weeks. Honestly, at first I was very hesitant to allow someone care for my girl but Joseph was very caring and assured that she was in good hands. After 2 weeks of being with Joseph, Ellie returned to me a completely changed dog, her temperament was calm, which in turn made me calm. Joseph coached me and gave me the information I needed to set me up for success moving forward.

I can't say enough great things about Joseph and the care and compassion he has for all dogs. Ellie even goes to stay with Joseph now when I travel for work. THANK YOU Happy Paws! If you need a one stop shop for all your pet needs, you've come to the right place! Don't look any further

What can I say. Joseph is so knowledgeable when it comes to dogs. We all know how nerve racking it can be entrusting someone with your pup. The moment I met Joseph my mind was at ease. All you need is a conversation with him and you will see what I am talking about. You can tell when someone is passionate about something. You can tell Joseph has that passion with his dogs and with his training. We will be returning! Thank you Joe!

Joseph is phenomenal. We have two dogs so it was interesting learning how they feed off of each others reactions. He was able to make corrections on both of our dogs and us see a pretty quick change in behavior. Highly recommend.