TESTIMONIALS

We could not be happier with Elijah and The Working Walk. In addition to being just plain tired at the end of the day, since starting with The Working Walk, Ziggy has noticeably improved in impulse control, leash manners, and comfort with other dogs and humans. We’ve also consulted with Elijah on how we can work with Ziggy on our own to reinforce good behavior, which has been extraordinarily helpful. Elijah himself is professional, responsive, and flexible. We think he is a dog whisperer - our dog LOVES him. We can’t recommend Elijah and The Working Walk highly enough!

Elijah came highly recommended to us from the East Bay training community, and we're so glad we reached out!  He's an absolute pro at guiding dogs of all personalities through their challenging puppy years, and provided us with the tools we needed to continue that training and positive reinforcement of good behavior outside of scheduled visits.  His pack walks have been foundational to our dog's understanding of how to behave on leash, and how to behave around other dogs of all shapes & sizes.  Highly recommend that anyone looking for help with their puppy reach out to Elijah

Eli and his crew began walking my eight year old labradoodle in January 2020. I needed a walker due to my need to recover from orthopedic surgery that wouldn’t allow me to walk for many months. So, not only did I need a dog walker, I needed an empathetic and considerate person to enter my home during a tough recovery time in my life.

From the very first conversation with Eli, I was reassured that my pup would be well cared for. However, I had no idea what additional special qualities Eli brought to the table. As time went on it became evident that Eli cared about how I was doing too. He enters my home (I’m always here) with respect and consideration. He offers the perfect amount of feedback about my pup is doing and shows interest in how I am doing as well.

Eli is 100 percent reliable and my pup always comes home ready for a long nap!!

Eli is an incredibly kind individual with a keen ability to connect with people and train dogs. My pup has never been more calm and responsive to training. My pup’s manners are slowly improving and I plan to engage Eli in training sessions with me (and my dog) as soon as Covid precautions loosen.

I truly cannot day enough about how pleased I am with Eli and the workingwalk team!

Our pup is a dachshund/ chihuahua mix. When we rescued him we did not understand that these are 2 of the most aggressive breeds there are. This little man would lunge at children, bikes, skateboarders and almost anyone who got within a certain range when we walked him.  And he didn't just lunge... he snarled, barked and growled, and 3 times he has bitten and broken the skin of an innocent human. Elijah and The Working Walk saved us from sending this little guy, bred for aggression,  back to the shelter. They taught us how to handle him better, they exposed him to his triggers while also controlling his reaction and taught us to do the same. They socialized the worst behaviors out of our pup and helped us instill new and positive interactions. Our pup still barks more than we like when the doorbell rings.... but all the other behaviors have been under control for a few years now. Thank you Working Walk!!

Elijah is the true dog whisperer!  He helped me most of all, giving me guidance and confidence in how to handle my pup.  His one on one instruction was invaluable, and the introduction of the prong collar and its correct use changed the way my reactive pup handled social situations.  Without his help I would not have the most wonderful pal in the world!  Thank you Elijah!

Elijah has been walking our two pups for many years. They love their pack walks to different spots around the East Bay and we appreciate the good manners, discipline and impulse control that they have learned. Our dogs have been much happier at home since they started walking with Elijah. But maybe the best part for us are the pictures we receive from their outings. Those are priceless!

Elijah and The Working Walk have been a huge help with socializing my GSD Mix after his total hip replacement surgery in 2019. He's incredibly professional, on time, and keeps me updated with the cutest pics on his walks. I struggled with many different walkers for an entire year and after many "your dog is too reactive/aggressive" conversations, meeting Elijah was a huge relief. He made me believe that my anxious pup could socialize again with the right amount of structure, patience, and love. He's one of the few people that I trust with my pup - I would recommend him and the Working Walk 10x over! 

Elijah and his patient dedicated skills were huge assets in re-directing the adolescent
behavior issues we were having with our 10 month old Rottie.
His guidance and strong pack leadership helped our pup through fear issues such as
crowds, unfamiliar objects, meeting strangers - especially people of color.
He was able to relax her highly reactive behavior and in time, build a foundation
of confident calmness.

Our Rottie, now 8 years old, is truly an ambassador for the breed.
She goes everywhere with us...off-leash dog parks, beach, R.V. trips and all dog friendly
environments. She loves to be socially engaging in all situations !

Elijah has an intuitive passion when working with dogs.
He listens and truly cares about the relationship between you and your dog.
And most importantly, he embraces Trust and Respect Principles.

Martin and Kim Duggan

Elijah has been “walking” (the word doesn’t even begin to encompass all the work/training/exercise that he actually provides) our 4-year old, 90 lb Mastiff/Pit mix, Malyke, since he was 6 months old. Malyke is a huge ball of anxiety, and Elijah has helped him learn to relax, gain confidence, and be the most well-behaved dog, making us look like the best dog owners. Elijah’s gentle yet firm nature has been so helpful as he has trained us and our boy through many life transitions, including moving several times, fostering other dogs, and bringing a baby into our lives! Malyke always comes back from his adventures with Elijah both exhausted and happy. Elijah provides feedback about Malyke’s behavior, helps us reinforce his training, and provides great pictures of him just having fun with his buddies. We have also used Elijah for boarding, and can say that we feel that Malyke gets a deluxe vacation anytime he stays with Elijah. He goes on multiple adventures in the City, gets constant training, and when we return, we reunite with a well-exercised, extremely well-mannered , balanced and happy dog. We don’t know what we would do without Elijah. He knows dogs, is passionate about them, and has awesome results with them. Thank you, Elijah!

Erica Torres and Sandra Murcia

When our beloved Golden Retriever died, we decided that our next dog would be a rescue. We rescued a 4 year old Golden. She was loving, caring, and loved us. She also hated other dogs. She could not be near another dog without snarling or pulling on the leash. Her behavior was unacceptable, but we were at a loss as what to do. "She loves people, but isn't good with other dogs" is what we said. That would be our future with her.

Two months later we found Elijah. He met with us, and Sky. He explained what he thought was going on with Sky, and dog behavior in general. Who knew?! We started working with him, and he changed our lives. He trained Sky, and he trained us as well. His patience, guidance, and belief in our dog changed everything. Sky now is a star! She swims in the ocean, goes on walks with other dogs and even attends dog day care! (She was rejected the first time she applied) She is living the life that she was meant to, and we are so grateful to have her in our lives. We can not imagine our lives without Elijah!

Debbie Edack

I’ve known Elijah for well over a decade, first as an employee and now as a trusted colleague. When Eli left Every Dog to launch his own business I was excited to see him put his considerable dog handling skills to such great use. As a dog daycare provider who values dog safety and comfort above all else, I can say without hesitation that Eli does the same. We often refer clients to Eli because we know that he has the ability to understand the particular needs and temperament of every dog he cares for. Over the years he has been able to help many dogs that for various reasons weren’t enjoying daycare. Some have even been able to return to daycare and thrive. There are many dog walkers, but Eli is one of a select few that we trust completely. Your dog is in good hands with Eli. Not only is he aware of what your dog needs, he will provide for those needs with skill and loving compassion.
-Lauren Westreich, Founder - Every Dog Has Its Day Care

One day my boyfriend came home from another failed attempt at the dog park and exclaimed, “I just saw this dog walker walking a group of 10 dogs! They were perfectly lined up in a row on either side of him. No one was pulling on their leashes; it was amazing!! I wish we had someone like that to help with Moose.”
Moose is a fantastic dog, but we struggle with a few behavioral issues, one of which found him kicked out of doggy day care. The daycare referred us to Elijah and when he arrived, we were surprised and excited to see it was the same man who had all those dogs so magnificently trained on the group walk!
After an assessment, Elijah agreed to work with Moose and slowly introduce him to his pack. From the moment we spoke with Elijah we knew he understood Moose’s and our needs. After working with him for just a few months now, Moose has already started to calm down in public situations; he seems like a more confident dog and this leads to fewer confrontations while out. His leash work has also drastically improved and he heels like a pro. When Moose comes home, he’s tuckered out not just from the walk, but also from all the learning and brainwork. We've also boarded Moose with Elijah and the way he kept us updated with texts and pictures about Moose's day really helped us feel comfortable leaving him for a few days.
We are so happy to have found Elijah and The Working Walk. We recommend him, and his methods, without reservation.

Elijah has been working with our dog for the past three years. Our 7 year old, chocolate labradoodle, Gracie, has had severe issues with fear aggression and separation anxiety since she was a puppy. We have tried day care, multiple trainers, electronic collars and medications. The final straw - she was thrown out of day care for aggressive behavior! We did not know where to turn and received a recommendation to contact Elijah Weiss.

Elijah came to our home for an interview. Gracie barked, growled and lunged at Elijah. Elijah calmed her and actually agreed to work with her and take her on pack walks. He brought the pack to Gracie’s neighborhood for 2 weeks to get her acclimated. She went from fearing other dogs to waiting by the door eagerly anticipating her daily walk. Now, she jumps right up in the truck with all the other dogs. She has a 2 hour structured walk with her pack and returns happy, tired and satisfied.

Gracie's behavior issues have improved dramatically. She is not only more physically fit but she is intellectually stimulated on her walks. She is much calmer around other dogs and people on her walks with us and she is clearly less anxious! Elijah has given us a new sense of freedom and confidence in knowing that she is no longer distressed; and essentially providing a better quality of life for the entire family.

To say that Elijah has a gentle way about him, is an understatement. He is the Dog Whisperer! He is confident, not shy about providing proactive tips on how to manage issues and best methods to keep Gracie engaged. Elijah is accountable, responsible, a great communicator and is a good steward of his own business. We and Gracie would be lost without him!

We would recommend Elijah without hesitation to anyone that is looking for behavioral training, dog socialization or routine fitness to improve not only your dog’s life but your family’s life as well! He is a treasure and valuable asset to our family.

Mary Kay Lopez and Laura Horowitz

Like many dogs, Louie didn't thrive at doggy day care, he was wild, anxious, and jumpy. He is a working breed and was a stray that learned some bad habits before winding up at his rescue, and then eventually in our home. We considered ourselves experienced dog owners up to this point, but we were quickly overwhelmed at the complexity of his problems and coming up short on solutions. We really needed help directing his focus and learning how to make sure his energy and anxiety did not get out of control.

Elijah came highly recommended from a co-worker, and his initial assessment of Louie and his quirks sounded exactly like what we had been missing all along. Louie's walks aren't aimless jaunts around the neighborhood or romps in the dog park. He's put to work, and challenged to behave, stay calm, and get along with his fellow canine. While to a human this sounds like boot camp, for a dog like Louie it's heaven. He returns home happy, satisfied and eager to please. Elijah knows exactly how to set Louie up for the success, and that is when your dog will be at his or her best.

Our zippy, crazy, spastic, anxious rescue pooch is turning into a happy, goofy, slightly lazy sweetheart. He has come out of his shell and is more comfortable and confident than ever. Elijah continues to address his needs, and continues to be a resource for us as owners who have so much to learn about what's best for a dog like ours. And of course the icing on the cake is just how darn nice, understanding, professional, flexible and communicative Elijah is, every single day.

Max and Katie Bickley

I cannot begin to scratch the surface of the talents Elijah brings to the table. He has been a lifesaver. My young dog had spent most of his life going to a doggie daycare. I spent all kinds of money on training with them and thought he was getting great care. Soon he was getting in trouble at daycare and being shoved in a cage all day. I finally reached out to Elijah for help after several coworkers gave him top recommendations. I felt such relief within the first minute of my first conversation with him. It was clear he understands dogs at a deep level but can also untangle the human part of the equation. He reassured me that there was nothing wrong with my dog and with some training for both of us we could fix any issues there were. He clearly takes great pride in his work and has enormous love for the dogs. I never ever worry about anything with Elijah. (Well, except that maybe my dog is having more fun with him than with me!) The work Elijah has done in his months with my dog has been fantastic. Frankie is a shockingly happier dog now that he is with Elijah and not going to daycare. (He was always a relatively happy dog but I swear he is downright giddy some days.) I don't know what I would do without Elijah - he has been amazing. And seriously, my dog and a bunch of others held a sit the other day with Elijah while a rooster walked around free in front of them -- not a single dog moved at all. Insane!!!

Danielle Feinberg

We adopted our Westie Blake when he was 1-year old. He was a much more anxious dog than we expected which manifested as aggressive behavior towards visitors and accidents in our home. We soon realized we needed additional help to assist Blake in adjusting to his new environment and we contacted Elijah. He has been a lifesaver! During his time with Elijah, Blake has shown tremendous improvement in his anxiety and our stress has decreased significantly. He no longer has accidents in the home and is much more comfortable with visitors. Out-of-town guests have recently commented that Blake seems like a completely different dog than the first time they met him. Elijah has given us invaluable tips for correcting Blake's behavior and his combination of exercise and behavioral training has allowed Blake to increase his confidence and be a much more relaxed dog. In addition, Elijah provides an excellent boarding experience for Blake when we leave town. Blake really enjoys his time at Eli's (which we always enjoy seeing via photos and videos that Eli sends) and we feel completely confident that Blake is well cared for and has a second home where he can relax. To sum it up, Elijah is a godsend and has become a very important part of our family!

Mindy Oliver

Elijah took care of our boys (Beau and Buddy) for six years. We tried to get him to relocate to Nebraska with us when we moved, but he refused. We still miss him. He understood everything about our dogs, their individual needs, quirks, and behaviors. Our labs are now both 10 and still in fabulous physical shape as a result of Elijah’s history of exercising them. They are easy to walk, responsive to requests, and wonderful to be around. None of this would have happened without Elijah. We will forever be in awe of Elijah’s ability to control a pack of big dogs without breaking a sweat. Some of our favorite photos are those taken when Elijah put 8 dogs in down, walked away, and snapped a picture of them all patiently waiting for their next command. In addition to walking our boys daily, Elijah often cared for them overnight. When we traveled to Italy, without much internet access, we never worried about the dogs. We knew they were cared for and loved. Elijah is a true treasure and any dog who gets to spend time with him, is a lucky, lucky, lucky canine.

Marj Plumb and Tracy Weitz

We've known and worked with Elijah for many years. To say that he improved the quality of life for us and our doberman Lena is an understatement. Lena was a member of Eli's east bay packs until she aged out because of knee surgeries, but until then she was with him 5 days a week; a happier dog could not be found. In addition to pack walks and boarding her when we travelled, Eli helped us one-on-one working with Lena, who is adorable but also willful. I was delighted to recommend him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of whom were so relieved to become his clients.

Eli has been consistently reliable, trustworthy and an excellent communicator. We always appreciated his careful approach and skill. And the texts and photos he sent us from time to time when Lena was with him were a bonus. To entrust anyone with our dog and our house keys is no small thing. But Eli's integrity made it an easy choice for us. I unhesitatingly recommend him to anyone that wants their dog to have a fabulous coach, dog walker, caregiver in their lives. You'll be lucky to have him.

Hillary Dreyfuss

I used to listen to The Dog Whisperer and wish that I could have my dogs trained by Cesar Millan and, more importantly, that I could be trained by him. I watched every video and tried to absorb his knowledge. Well my wish has come true. Elijah is a true Dog Whisperer. I’ve never seen anyone communicate and commune with dogs the way Elijah does. Without sentimentality, but with so much love, he offers a gentle, quiet, dignified authority that profoundly addresses the harmony we all crave to have with our dogs. Our wild puppy is growing into an awesome family member and we look forward to all of us transforming and expanding as we learn from this wonderful and generous person. And, by the way, his whole team is superb. The Working Walk is much, much more than a walk! Our world yearns for peace and understanding and it is to be found in these small packs of dogs on their walks with Elijah.

Our dog, Gonzo, has been changed for the better by his pack walks with Working Walk. Elijah and his crew are some of the warmest, most genuine people you could hope to know, but perhaps more importantly, they all possess great knowledge about how to improve dogs behavior. Our little guy had some real issues with trying to assert his dominance over other dogs, skateboards, loud trucks and busses and his daddy. While he continues to be a work in progress, the amount of calm and control we have with him after his experience with Working Walk is absolutely amazing. Elijah has helped us to be better pet owners and therefore has helped Gonzo be a wonderful guest, friend, and neighbor. We don't know what we would have done without the WW team. Gonzo looks forward to seeing them twice a week, almost as much as we do! We love you guys and are so thankful for the influence you've had on our precious little weirdo.