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Nathan Woods Dog Trainer — Dog Training in Santa Barbara, CA

Nathan Woods Dog Trainer is a dog training business in Santa Barbara, California offering board and train, private lessons, and group classes. They accept aggression and reactivity cases and publish pricing from $600 per course to $4,000.

Santa Barbara, CA • 4.9 ★ (72 Google reviews)

Verified listing

Last reviewed: Sep 5, 2026

Transparency Score

50 / 100

Limited information

How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.

Price transparency: 50%
Method transparency: 35%
Program clarity: 68%

About Nathan Woods Dog Trainer

Based on what the business publishes about itself

Nathan Woods Dog Trainer is listed among dog training programs in Santa Barbara. Published program types include group classes, board and train, private lessons. Ask about staffing, methods, and follow-up support before you book.

What dog training programs does Nathan Woods Dog Trainer offer?

Private lessons and a dedicated puppy program each run eight sessions, covering obedience and socialization. Nathan Woods Dog Trainer also offers board-and-train options ranging from day training up to 40-day immersive programs, with transport available on longer stays. A private group class format lets friends coordinate their own small class together.

VIP 20-Day (with transport)

Price not published.

Duration: 20 days

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

VIP 20-Day

Price not published.

Duration: 20 days

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

VIP 40-Day (with transport)

Price not published.

Duration: 40 days

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

VIP 40-Day

Price not published.

Duration: 40 days

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

VIP Day Training

$1,600–$4,000

The trainer works with the dog four days a week during the day, with the dog returning home each night rather than boarding, then trains the owner to maintain the results. Pricing varies by program length and whether transport is included.

The dog is picked up and trained during the day four days a week, then returned home nightly; owner is trained afterward.

Best for: Owners who want an intensive, hands-off training experience without sending their dog away overnight.

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

Ultimate Puppy Program

$600 per course

This is a set of eight private, self-paced sessions for young puppies covering temperament work, housebreaking, leash walking, retrieving, and breed-specific tendencies. Sessions run about an hour, with the first lasting roughly two hours to cover initial questions and issues.

Sessions take place in the owner's home roughly once a week or every other week until the puppy turns 16 weeks old.

Best for: Puppies between 6 and 16 weeks old.

Requirements: For puppies 6-16 weeks old.

Duration: 8 sessions

Focus: Puppy training, Basic obedience, Socialization

Private Training

$600 per course

This program trains the owner to train the dog across eight one-on-one session, with practice expected between meetings.

Owner and trainer meet in sessions where the trainer teaches handling technique for the owner to practice at home.

Best for: Dogs 16 weeks or older.

Requirements: For dogs 16 weeks and older.

Duration: 8 sessions

Focus: Basic obedience, Advanced obedience

8 Sessions in a Private Group

$600 per course

A self-paced group class where a group of dog owners, coordinated by one group leader, works through eight sessions covering the Novice Level obedience syllabus. The trainer focuses mainly on teaching the owners, with a written step-by-step guide for daily practice between sessions.

The trainer meets the group at a home or park for roughly one-hour sessions, addressing behavior issues from day one and issuing written guides for daily home practice.

Best for: Groups of friends or acquaintances who want to train together at their own pace.

Requirements: A group of friends forms a private class; one person acts as group leader responsible for coordination and payment.

Duration: 8 sessions

Focus: Basic obedience, Socialization

How much does Nathan Woods Dog Trainer cost?

Eight-session private lessons and the puppy program both cost $600. VIP Day Training ranges from $1,600 to $4,000, though pricing for the 20-day and 40-day board-and-train programs isn't published.

Board and Train pricing

Board and Train pricing at Nathan Woods Dog Trainer in Santa Barbara, CA
Program	Price	Length
VIP 20-Day (with transport)	Not published	20 days
VIP 20-Day	Not published	20 days
VIP 40-Day (with transport)	Not published	40 days
VIP 40-Day	Not published	40 days
VIP Day Training	$1,600–$4,000	Not stated

Private Lessons pricing

Private Lessons pricing at Nathan Woods Dog Trainer in Santa Barbara, CA
Program	Price	Length
Ultimate Puppy Program	$600 per course	8 sessions
Private Training	$600 per course	8 sessions

Group Classes pricing

Group Classes pricing at Nathan Woods Dog Trainer in Santa Barbara, CA
Program	Price	Length
8 Sessions in a Private Group	$600 per course	8 sessions

What training methods does Nathan Woods Dog Trainer use?

The site uses general language about training philosophy without specifying techniques or tools. They do state they work with aggression cases.

Public materials reviewed by Barklen do not specify which training tools are used.

Who runs Nathan Woods Dog Trainer?

As described in the business's own materials

Nathan Woods, Owner/Trainer

According to their site, began training dogs at age 10 under Ben Johns Jr. at the Richmond Dog Training Center in Virginia, where he trained his family's poodle to the Utility obedience level and later became lead instructor for nine years, teaching roughly 3,000 owners. He also worked with professional handlers to learn dog showing, then moved to Santa Barbara in 1999 and started his own training business in 2001.

Credentials listed on their site: Titled dogs to CH, CD, CDX, and UD levels in AKC obedience and Bachelor of Science in Business, California State University Channel Islands (2006). Barklen has not independently verified these.

Where does Nathan Woods Dog Trainer offer dog training?

Nathan Woods Dog Trainer is based in Santa Barbara, CA, offering board and train stays, private lessons, and group classes.

Their site says they pet dog owners in the Santa Barbara area, spanning puppies under 16 weeks through adult dogs, including those dealing with behavioral issues such as reactivity mentioned in client feedback.

The business operates out of a location on State Street in Santa Barbara, though sessions are typically conducted at clients' homes or in public spaces like parks or the beach.

Training happens at 3210 State St in Santa Barbara. Parking and accessibility information isn't provided on the site.

How does Nathan Woods Dog Trainer compare with other Santa Barbara dog trainers?

Barklen analysis

Barklen analysis based on 6 published Santa Barbara listings (20 with published pricing). These comparisons are computed by Barklen, not claims made by Nathan Woods Dog Trainer.

Price: entry price above the published Santa Barbara range for group classes ($600 vs. $222–$360).

Reviews: 4.9★ from 72 Google reviews, among 6 published Santa Barbara programs.

Transparency: 50 out of 100 (limited information), with 50% price transparency and 68% program clarity. 1 of 6 Santa Barbara listings show certifications; this business does not list any.

Published prices at Nathan Woods Dog Trainer compared with Santa Barbara ranges
Program type	Nathan Woods Dog Trainer	Santa Barbara range	Barklen read
Group Classes	$600	$222–$360 across 9 Santa Barbara programs	Entry price above the published Santa Barbara range

What should you ask Nathan Woods Dog Trainer before booking?

Generated from what their public materials leave open

Ask for current pricing on VIP 40-Day (with transport), VIP 40-Day, and VIP 20-Day (with transport), which are not published online.
Ask which certifications their trainers hold and who issued them.
Ask for proof of liability insurance.
Their site describes their approach in general terms. Ask which specific methods and tools they use.
Ask whether you can visit your dog during a board and train stay.
Ask if anyone is on-site overnight.
Ask how often you will get photo or video updates.
Ask how many dogs each trainer handles at once.

Location and hours

3210 State St, Santa Barbara, CA

Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

How Barklen reviewed this listing

Barklen reviewed Nathan Woods Dog Trainer against the business's public materials and published this listing. That is not a check of licenses, insurance, or certifications. See our methodology for what a verified listing does and does not mean.

Details the public materials do not address (facility, owner visits during programs, progress updates, overnight staffing, insurance, certifications, and others) are turned into the questions above rather than filled in.

Last reviewed by Barklen: Sep 5, 2026

What Barklen could verify

Programs listed: 8 programs (board and train, private lessons, group classes)
Published pricing: Published for 4 of 8 programs
Training method: Method unclear
Aggression and reactivity cases: Accepts aggression cases
Guarantee: Advertises guaranteed results
Years in business: 25+ years
Booking: Book online