38 Reviews. All Five Stars.

Steven is such a great trainer! He helped me learn techniques and tools to help manage my dog's reactivity. My dog loves working with Steven and I have become better equipped to handle my dogs reactivity. Services Dog training

My sweet girl has always had trouble since I got her from the shelter. She struggled with recall, being outside of the house around dogs/small animals, sometimes men, and honestly just listening to me in general. I have noticed milestones that I never would imagine my dog would be able to. I feel like Steven has been so understanding and non judgmental. I was always worried to get into training because I felt like I had no idea how to control my own dog, but he has made this process so nice. It’s been an amazing experience overall and I recommend Steven 1000%!

Steven has been amazing to work with over the past 7 weeks. He didn’t just train my dogs—he taught me how to better understand them and build their confidence. Darci and Trout have both made so much progress, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything we’ve learned. I highly recommend him! Please consider him for any aged pups and don’t be surprised with how fast the progress happens! Services Dog training

"Working with Steven at Venture Dog Training was a fantastic experience. He was so patient and gave me the tools I needed to truly communicate with Marlo. If you're looking for an excellent trainer, look no further!" Services Dog training

My dog Pedro and I had a great time working with Steven and Hannah. Steven helped my reactive pup calm down. My dog couldn't even look at a toy dog without going crazy for it. Now he can walk by dogs with little to no issues and I can tell my dog is happier. Steven knows his stuff and is great at working with dogs and people as well. There is so much kindness, patience, and education there that is very cool! The knowledge I gained on how to take care of Pedro and help him was also so helpful. I would totally recommend Steven to anyone who has a reactionary doggo that needs some help! Now my dog is able to go out beyond our little neighborhood and hangout with us!

Great price Steven has been absolutely amazing to work with. When we first started, my dog Jazz could barely go outside our house without completely losing it. He was extremely reactive and anxious about the world around him. Through Steven’s patience, skill, and dedication, Jazz has gained so much confidence. Steven helped him realize that the world is not such a scary place, and because of that, Jazz is now able to enjoy experiences that once felt impossible for him. Steven is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and truly willing to go the extra mile for both dogs and their owners. I’m so grateful for the progress Jazz has made and cannot recommend Venture Training Team enough. Services Dog training

Steven at Venture Dog Training has been an incredible mentor and played a huge role in my growth as a professional dog trainer. He helped me tremendously by deepening my understanding of behavior, structure, and clear communication — not just teaching techniques, but teaching the “why” behind them. His guidance and high standards pushed me to grow in both confidence and skill, and his mentorship contributed greatly to me earning my certification. I’m truly grateful for his leadership and highly recommend him to anyone looking for knowledgeable, structured, results-driven training. Thank you, Steven!!

I hired Steven to help get my corgi Chihuahua mix dog with self control since we are expecting a baby in the family and my daughter moved in with her 2 cats. My dog, Oliver, had selective listening skills prior to training and would hyperventilate and bark constantly around the cats. With Steven’s guidance and consistent training approach we were able to get Oliver to listen, and now he can hang out with the cats without barking at all. At first, it didn’t seem like it was going to work, but with consistent training over a three month period were able to be successful.

As a professional animal trainer and veterinary technician specialist in behavior, I am selective about who cares for my dogs. I have used Steven for several years. He is dependable, kind, and my dog is always eager to see him (and his dog)! Thank you for the wonderful care you have provided with your pet sitting services! I trust you to give my dogs the same level of care I provide them. Services Service not listed

Steven is phenomenal at what he does, and we cannot recommend his services and talents enough. We did a six-session course to help with our 75lb, 7-month old pup. Steven would give clear, actionable directives. He would help address behaviors that were important to us and that were important to our lifestyle. His guidance was specifically tailored to our dog and what was effective. He is also responsive to text when we have questions or need quick input. He clearly knows and understands dog behaviors well! We saw slow improvements in some behaviors, and fast improvements in others, all in the name of positive progress. He even met us in different locations to help meet the needs of the environments we wanted to be able to take our dog in. We've seen great success and behavior improvements in our dog since we've worked with Steven, and could not be more grateful! Services Dog training

Our new puppy was causing a lot of frustration in our family with her wild behavior. Steven came to our home and patiently taught us helpful training techniques that have made a world of difference. Highly recommended and well worth the cost! Services Dog training

I really loved working with Steven! He was a kind, skilled and knowledgable teacher. I'm neurodivergent and can struggle with task switching between processing verbal in person instruction and actually training the dog, but I try to take in person classes as well as online ones because there's so many benefits to training in a controlled environment like a class. In spite of me having a generally harder time with in person instruction, Steven was very patient, encouraging and a joy to work with. He also was always very flexible if I wanted to do something a different way, and was even creative enough to come up with new solutions himself if I preferred training a skill in a different way, which I did not at all expect. I would not hesitate to take a class with Steven again.

Steven is an attentive and genuine trainer, who knows how to handle a reactive dog with care. With our dog Ozzy he helped us better engage and refocus a smart, but powerful animal. With home visits he was better able to understand how this dog reacts to other dogs and people in our own neighborhood (leash-aggressive, curious but territorial) and give us the tools to help redirect his fear-motivated behaviors while also working on how to keep his mind occupied. With practice this dog was much more restrained when noticing other people and dogs and helped us introduce others into our home much faster, and more safely. Ozzy has made so much progress from where he started and I can finally take him on a walk without getting a sore shoulder from all the pulling or barking at a runner. While training will go on forever, Steven helped us understand what we will continue to do to set the right baseline for our dog's behaviors in and around the home. Services Dog training

We had a great experience - Steven really helped change my perspective about how to build a relationship with our new puppy! I am very happy with the results 🙂 Services Dog training

We turned to Steven when we added a surprise third dog to our home (he literally came up to us on the street). We named him Scratch in honor of his new beginnings and his flea-ridden self. It quickly became obvious that he had never been properly socialized with dogs and did not have a healthy relationship with food. In our first week together he managed to break into a bag of dark chocolate, a (closed!) jar of chili oil, and a pill bottle (thankfully no ingestion there). He was also very toy aggressive. Enter Steven. He worked with all of our dogs and gave us some insight into the reasoning behind his behaviors and ways to mitigate and eventually improve upon them. We ended up gifting Scratch to my partner’s parents, and he’s quickly won over everyone who meets him thanks to his impeccable manners. And even more impressively, he is no longer you aggressive. Steven set Scratch up for success, and we’re forever grateful for his help. I highly recommend his expertise (he’s also a really nice person to boot).

*Game Changing Dog Training* Steven Tallas, owner Venture Dog Training, worked miracles for me by teaching me the best training techniques for my dogs Millie and Gus to gain the confidence, trust and skills to live happier and calmer pooch lives. Mixed-Terrier Millie was rescued at 8 months-ish with a broken femur along with malnourishment by a Houston Good Samaritan. Consistency with her training has reduced her fear-based reactivity on leash by 95%, and night-time panic attacks plus fearful car rides by 100%. Now 3, Millie and I are happier and less stresed. Next, Labrador Retriever Gus came to me at 1 year from a foster-like situation where he had the freedom to run many acres. His farm-like upbringing along with high energy and anxiety made adaptation to urban life in Austin very challenging. Learning to walk on a leash was a major struggle for him; there was sooo much to see. Working with Steven has given me the training tools, knowledge and resources (consulting with a Behaviorist Veterinarian) to make leash walking possible and home life calmer. Now 2, Gus doesn't fight being on leash and doesn't get as so excited seeing people or dogs. He fully trusts me. Committing to training initially was hard for me because thought I knew what I was doing after raising dogs for years. Finally got that I needed new training skills specifically for Millie's and Gus' unique reactivite behaviors. Uncertain about theuseful of training for your dog or dogs, reach out to Steven Tallas, Venture Dog Training and learn why his training is a game changer.

Finding someone I could trust to care for my Tibetan Mastiff was incredibly difficult after my first sitter tragically caused the loss of my first TM puppy. I’ve carried that trauma with me ever since, but working with Steve has truly been life-changing. With Steve, I can finally relax and have peace of mind knowing my dog is in the best hands. He stays at my house, so my dog never has to endure the stress of a boarding facility. He also prepares my dog’s raw meat meals with care and even brings his sweet dog, Evie, to keep my TM, Anubis, company. Steve is reliable, committed, and always follows through. He sends frequent updates, pictures, and videos, which reassure me that everything is going well. I couldn’t ask for a better person to care for my dog, and I 11/10 recommend his services for both boarding and training. If you want someone who genuinely cares for your dog as if they were his own, Steve is the one to trust!

ABSOLUTE SUCCESS!!! Working with Steven has been life changing!! I was so discouraged by the challenges presented by my very shy, fearful rescue dog (very different than my first rescue) and had even considered returning her. Steven helped me to understand the emotional and psychological reasons for my dog's behavior and showed me how to work with her. With his guidance and assurance I committed to the process and am SO glad that I did! My shut- down and fearful rescue has become the most social, loving, responsive, well-trained and FUN dog. Working with her under Steven's guidance has been one of the most deeply rewarding experiences of my life. I now have a loving connection with this incredible animal that is built on mutual trust and understanding and it has greatly expanded my awareness of what is possible! I find myself recommending Steven to almost everyone I know! He is so gifted and an expert in his field!!!

We love training with Steven. He takes the time to get to know every person and pet in our family. We worked with reactivity with him first and then that also turned into a fitness classes. Moose improved so much under his instruction.

Steven is incredible! He worked wonders with our Doberman, Tyson, helping him overcome his reactivity toward both people and other dogs. Under Steven’s expert guidance, Tyson has made tremendous progress. His compassionate, fear-free training techniques truly made a difference! Tyson is now much more relaxed, confident, and willing to trust. We are so grateful for Steven’s support and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a skilled and caring trainer!

We are so impressed with the progress our dog has made after just 8 sessions with Steven from Venture Dog Training! She learned how to sit, stay, lay down, take a breath, and leave it—and she absolutely loves Steven (and so do we)! Steven is not only super knowledgeable and professional, but also incredibly attentive. He’s even helped answer questions outside of our scheduled sessions—which we try not to take advantage of, haha! He’s truly passionate about what he does, and it shows. We especially love that Steven comes to our house, making training so convenient and personalized. He even joined us for a session at our favorite bar to help train our pup in a real-world setting, which was exactly what we needed. Steven is kind, trustworthy, and an all-around great guy. We couldn’t recommend him more!

Working with Steven for our dog Darcy’s reactive barking & fear of strangers was worth every penny. We saw an immediate beneficial change in her behavior and with continued practice, we’ve seen her confidence grow. His teaching style is fun and his passion for positive training is so appreciated. If needed, we would not hesitate to work with Steven again.

Thank you, Steven, for working with me to help identify and improving my 5-year-old labrador's reactive behavior around strangers without pets. I have learnt a lot and gained a new perspective on K9 training.

Steven and his team are amazing! They are quick to get you in for a FREE telephone consult and respond to messages with speed. I went with the fitness and nutrition package shortly after my dog was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. My dog is fearful of new people, especially men, but Steven was able to develop a plan to help with her stance, gait, and rear end muscle building, and coach us entirely virtually! I have seen a massive decrease in her pain since working with him!! His nutritionist, Amanda, was also able to develop a diet to help with her IBD. She is extremely knowledgeable on all things dog nutrition! I’d recommend Steven and team to anyone who is looking for expert coaching and a trainer who cares so deeply for the animals in their care.

Steven was great! Our dog ken was very fearful with strangers. He always barking at them and would never let anyone close enough to pet him. Now ken is able to safely greet anybody and even accepts pets! Steven not only taught our dog, but he also taught us. We now understand Kens behaviors and are much more equip to handle whatever comes up! I would highly recommend steven!

Steven came to us to do training in various places which was nice. He listened and provided us with good tips, tricks, and games to work with Ollie. Thank you for all your efforts, and you can't go wrong with Steven!

Steven was amazing! He was very knowledgeable. Our girls love him and thanks to him they behave way better! 100% recommended!

2 months ago, I rescued a year old border collie mix with zero training. Based on his great reviews, I reached out to Steven and had a conversation with him about his training recommendations. Steven takes a very positive motivational approach. The first couple training sessions seemed overly simple as they focused on just getting the dog to engage. After reinforcing those basics, obedience training was simple over the next several sessions. Additionally, Steven was extremely helpful with helping me understand a dogs enrichment and how that affects their happiness. With Steven’s help, I now have a happy dog that behaves and listens well. Steven gets my highest recommendation

We have been working with Steven during the last two months. He has been invaluable in helping us with our high drive/rowdy Aussie puppy. Iggy has made great progress. He loves and looks forward to his training sessions with Steven. We have succeeded with basic puppy training and undesirable behavior modifications. At the moment, we are making progress with loose leash walking. We were impressed from the initial phone call consultation, through the completion of the puppy training with Venture Dog Training. Will be looking forward to more advanced training and obedience.

Steven is an awesome trainer! He's been working with my dog Luna for over a year as her dog sitter and trainer. When I adopted her from AAC, she was completely untrained and utterly terrified of people. She's become a much more polite dog since then, and has made a lot improvements with Steven's help, developing a lot more trust with people and making new human friends! Whenever she's in his care, I know she's in good hands; getting regular exercise, attention, and mental stimulation. Thanks, Steven!

Last September I adopted a ~5 month old puppy who'd been abandoned as part of a litter dump according to the owners of the apartment complex where she was found. She's was incredibly fearful of strangers; you couldn't get close to her if you didn't know her. I was at a loss as to what to do since I'd never had a dog like her, and really didn't have the skill set to know how to make her life easier. A friend of mine recommended training and that's how I ultimately ended up meeting Steven. Steven is everything you want in a trainer - he's calm, patient, and listens to you while observing your dog and tailoring the training to their needs. Luna has made such amazing strides in a year, has gained so much more confidence, and while she's still somewhat fearful, I now have tools and tricks to make interactions with her easier for both her and those she encounters. (Thankfully, I also have friends and family who put the effort in and have been willing to follow the steps Steven has laid out to help all of us, including Luna.) Because of Steven, Luna can go to the vet and be ok (it's still not her favorite, but compared to the first visit, it's a 180 degree change), and she has friends. The other day a friends car was pulling up, which I didn't hear, and she wuffed, ran to the window and waited excitedly as they backed into the driveway. Then she hopped up and down when they came threw the door, rolled on the floor with one of them, and did a lot of zoomies. Her biggest complaint that day was that no one threw the ball nearly enough. These simple interactions were not something I could hope for the first day I met her. We still have work to do, but she's worth it, and there's no one I trust more than Steven and Venture Dog Training Austin.

Steven was absolutely wonderful to work with! The progress our dog made over the 6 sessions has been so encouraging. Steven's approach to reinforcement and the structure and homework he provided us was exactly what we needed!

Steven has been such a pleasure to work with! I had recently adopted a new dog, Maverick, and was having some concerns with reactivity. He gave us some advice and tools to work on, little did I know that a month later he would be a completely different dog! His behavior has improved so much and we’re both at peace! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and giving us guidance, I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!

I highly recommend working with Steven. Steven always brought a calm presence to our house. I felt 100% confident that he would help me train and understand my dog. Steven has a kind, loving, gentle approach. He heard my concerns and addressed them at each session. I learned what my dog is capable of - and my relationship with my dog has improved greatly. I learned: drop it, leave it, find it, place, stay, wait, crate and much more.

My dog is very stubborn and Steven was friendly and patient enough with us. He clearly knows what he is doing and my dog and I are very happy with the results. I will continue to book Steven for further lessons. He did say Jax has definitely been a challenge but a rewarding one and that he absolutely loves how much personality he has.

Highly recommend working with Steven and Venture Dog Training. He uses the most up to date training methods and science to work with your dog in a compassionate and effective way. You'll love his approach!

Steven is a world class dog trainer. His passion, knowledge, and kindness are unparalleled.

Steven is a great trainer that is knowledgeable about dog behavior and I would recommend anyone to work with him!