Is The Pooch Coach Still Accepting New Dog Training Clients?

Updated

No. According to the announcement on poochcoach.com, Beverly Ulbrich ("The Pooch Coach") stopped accepting general dog training and behavior cases as of 10/1/24. She now takes on only special needs cases and temperament evaluations that require her depth of knowledge, plus continued appointments for existing clients. If you are a new client with a routine obedience or manners issue, this is not the right provider to contact.

What The Pooch Coach Still Handles

The site lists three paths that remain open:

  • Existing clients — can book a free training appointment through the existing-client booking link.
  • Highly specialized cases or referrals — new clients who have a case requiring Beverly's expertise, or who arrived by referral, can apply to work with her.
  • Temperament evaluations — for a court hearing, landlord, or dog therapy program, you can send in your information and request an appointment.

Everything else — puppy training, house breaking, basic or advanced obedience, AKC Canine Good Citizen prep, and manners work like barking, pulling, or jumping — falls under general training that is no longer being accepted from new clients.

What Changed and Why

The announcement states that Beverly is retiring from dog training and shifting her focus to her pup Musik's dog acting and dog modeling career. The site also notes she will always have time for existing clients.

This matters if you found the site through search results or old reviews describing her as a Bay Area private dog trainer and San Francisco dog behaviorist. Those descriptions still appear on the page, but the availability behind them has changed. The historical credentials — 20 years of A+ Better Business Bureau rating, voted Bay Area's best private dog trainer — describe the practice's track record, not current new-client capacity.

If You Are a New Client

Match your situation to the right path before submitting anything:

Your situation What to do
General obedience, manners, puppy, or housebreaking issue Do not apply. Look for another trainer.
Court, landlord, or therapy-program temperament evaluation Use the temperament evaluation request link on the site
Highly specialized behavior case needing Beverly's expertise Apply through the "request to work with Beverly" link
Referred by someone Apply through the same request link
Already a client Book through the existing-client appointment link

Common Missteps

  • Applying for routine training. The application path is reserved for specialized cases, referrals, and evaluations. A standard obedience request is likely to be declined.
  • Assuming the phone number means open intake. The site still lists (415) 643-3333, but the announcement governs who is being accepted.
  • Confusing "existing clients" with "former clients." The free training appointment booking is described for clients, not for anyone who once used the service.

Where to Go Instead

For general dog training in San Francisco, you will need a different provider. When comparing alternatives, check the same things this page makes clear: whether new clients are being accepted, what specific issues the trainer handles, and whether they work one-on-one or only in classes. The Pooch Coach's own page argues that classes cover basics but individualized one-on-one time is what meets a dog's personal needs — a reasonable standard to apply when evaluating whoever you contact next.