Our dog Perly loves going to Dogtopia in Springfield to play in the romper room once a week…read more Everyone that works there is very nice, cares about the dogs and we know Perly is in great hands there.

A rude employee named Lindsey I always see her in the cams yelling at my dog and she's also so…read moreshort tempered when I see her.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! When we were first shopping around for a doggy daycare, I assumed all daycares…read morewere created equally but I was VERY wrong. Most larger daycares fill a room to capacity and provide a couple attendants to make sure no fights breakout, there's no real interaction with the dogs. The Backyard Pack (BYP) engages with your dogs and loves them as one of their own. They create a safe, clean and healthy environment where dogs can thrive and have fun. And unlike the larger daycares we tried, the staff at BYP takes the pups out for potty breaks rather than letting them go in the room where the dogs are playing. I HIGHLY recommend the BYP if you're looking for doggy daycare or boarding, your pup will thank you!

If you want to read about the boarding stuff, read my previous reviews. Also, their cost includes…read moreeverything, so no paying extra for special play times or anything. After checking out a few trainers, I got together with Brian at the Backyard Pack for some leash training for my dog. They (Brian and Laurie) worked with him a bit while he was being boarded, then met with me to teach me how to work with him. Duke pulls a lot on leash, and barks furiously at distractions (other dogs, runners, bikers, squirrels...) For an extremely reasonable price, they came to my house for a session. They brought another dominant dog who they were training, so the dogs could be walked together. They walked us right up to distractions, and showed me how to handle his panic both before he reacts, and after, if he does react. I feel like I finally have the tools I need. Duke's improved a lot. He's still a work in progress, but we have way more good walks than bad ones now. They sent me a list of tips, followed up with me, and are available for me to ask follow up questions via e-mail. I'm happy because they've helped me to control his behavior, not just distract him with food.

After moving to the West Springfield area, I went looking for a place to take my dog so he could…read moreplay. He'd been a regular at another dog daycare, and I knew he'd miss playing with other dogs. I checked out several in the area, and got recommendations from my neighbors. I decided on Reserved Barking because it was clear that they adore my dog as much as I do. He is always super excited to go inside to play. I love the fact that they have an outdoor play area. That's unusual and a big benefit in my opinion. I know the employees are vigilant, caring, and professional. He loves to see them every morning and I trust them completely with my dog. They get 5 stars on Yelp because they deserve it. You couldn't ask for a better place to bring your dog.

I absolutely LOVE Reserved Barking, it's owners and the staff; what a great group of people! My…read moredog loves coming here, when I first got her I was in distress to get her quality fun time when I was at work (sometimes 10-12 hour days) and my husband just deployed. I was a new dog owner and she being my first ever puppy and dog (GSD); I was sooo stressed. But the owners are so helpful and knowledgeable, this is truly the best place in the history of EVER for dogs! I also love that this is Veteran owned and you get to interact often with the owners. Thanks guys, I can't say enough great things about them. It's terrible and comical some of the reviews that I've read about this place... I'm sorry but it isn't RB's fault if your dog ate something it shouldn't have and how do you know it was at RB? Reserved barking doesn't have toys available for dogs to chew on or anything else for dogs to play with other than other dogs (and the water hose!). Reserved Barking is an amazing oasis for my puppy she gets sad when she doesn't get to come here. It breaks my heart.

I am very late in writing this review, but I wanted to share how meaningful my experience was. I…read moreenrolled my puppy, a red standard poodle, in her classes, and very quickly realized she was exactly the kind of trainer I had been searching for. She is clearly knowledgeable and skilled, but what truly sets her apart is her holistic approach and genuine care for animals. She treats every dog as an individual and tailors her training to meet each one's specific needs. That same thoughtful approach extends to her human clients. During this time, I was dealing with significant health challenges and was not able to attend every class. She kindly offered makeup sessions, which I deeply appreciated. When she learned that my absences were due to my health, she checked in on me personally and even asked if it was okay to call me at home to see how I was doing. Her compassion meant more to me than I can easily express. She showed more care and concern than many people I have known for decades. Anyone looking for a dog trainer should go to her, not only for her expertise, but because she is genuinely kind, attentive, and deeply invested in both her clients and their dogs.

I took Hazelnut here when she was a pup. She's now an AKC Grand Champion and I am back with he…read moredaughter. Bringing her pup feels like full circle, which says everything about my experience. April is knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly effective at tailoring guidance to each dog's temperament and each handler's skill level. I especially appreciate how she focuses not just on obedience, but on building confidence, socialization, and a strong relationship. Seeing the progress from one generation to the next has been really special, and I wouldn't trust anyone else with those critical early training foundations.

Be aware: I have a 20 lb dog and I sought help for his leash aggression against other dogs. I was…read moreadvised to sign him up for the calming classes. They did help with generally calming him down and I learned some training techniques but the leash aggression continued. I was advised that they do not have the resources to help with leash aggression as they are limited to working in their facility. I understand this, but I wish I'd understood their limitations when signing up. I've been working with my dog as they recommended, but it will be some time until he is ready for their other classes.

WE LOVE ZOOM ROOM I'm so so so happy we found Zoom Room on…read moreIG. I wouldn't call our youngest pupper George a problem per se however he has been through puppy training, obedience, training, and even some private lessons before we found Zoom Room. The issue was not obedience with him so much as overall behavior, (barking at dogs, crazy on a leash, tearing things up after walks) that we were challenged with. Julia has been so helpful and G is absolutely improving and I know he loves it. He drags me to the door when we get out of the car. The flexible scheduling is so great too! Zoom Room is clean, the energy is incredible, just such a great experience.

I would not recommend this company. I sent my dog there for two weeks and she did not learn…read morecommands. Now I need to still have her trained because she's not following commands so I would think about another company before going to this one.

Too much reliance on the e-collar before my dog was ready for it. Tucker had no idea what the…read moreverbal commands meant. Trainer spent 8 weeks on same commands...none to very little progress. I got better results on my own at home without an e-collar. Even after talking with the trainer about my concerns, it was ignored. Huge expense for little return!

Brandi and Perry did an awesome job training our 10-month-old mini bernedoodle. She is a pleasure…read moreto be around now. The e-collar training is absolutely life-changing. I wish I had done this sooner- it would have saved me from a lot of stress and aggravation. Communication with Brandi was awesome. She was always quick to respond and gave us updates with pictures everyday. It's definitely a worthwhile investment to have an exceptional companion for the next 15+ years!

I can't say enough good things about Brandi and Perry Bailey of RSK9. Their work has given my pup…read moreand I so much freedom and balance. Pebbles (blue heeler, 1.5 years old) would never listen to me, would not sit or lay still, and had a lot of other obedience issues that caused her to be stressed or confused. She was a TOUGH dog to train and I was concerned I couldn't find the solution for her to get basic concepts. This view has completely changed since working with RSK9's 3 week program. I would HIGHLY recommend them and their methods - you can tell they genuinely love working with dogs and it's made a huge difference in giving my dog the chance to find real rest at home. They send DAILY updates with photos and videos which was so nice. This isn't a regular class or something you just pay for; it's truly an investment that you and your dog will be using for the time you get to share together. Side note: it's worth doing 3 weeks versus 2 weeks. At the 2 week mark is when Pebbles really started to understand her marks and cues. From here there is so much more that can be refined and Brandi/Perry really capitalize on that threshold being crossed!

Our family highly recommends Controlled K9! We adopted our boy Mortimer last year after he had been…read moreliving as a stray, and we were really struggling when he came home with basic manners, reactivity, and having him settle in with our other dog. We ended up sending both of our boys for a six-week board and train with Kelia. It seemed to only make sense to send both dogs so they would have the same baseline training. Kelia was amazing! She kept us informed just about every day with videos and texts so we could see that the boys were happy and making progress. When Kelia brought the boys home, she spent a few hours with us, showing all the commands and techniques that she taught them, so we had a seamless transition. The "place" command alone has been lifechanging. (Although as you can see in the picture, they sometimes refuse to use separate mats, LOL.) We use the command before we feed them, initially when guests come by, and when we just need them to settle down a bit. It has reduced the stress and chaos in our house tenfold, and we actually can see the boys relax when they know they have a place to go and chill out. Kelia also gave us the tools to make leash walking and general obedience so much more successful. There are a lot of options out there for training. What set Controlled K9 apart for us was (1) our boys lived with Kelia, her family, and her dogs during training - they were not staying in a kennel and were in a real-life, loving environment, and (2) the promise of lifetime, free follow-up support. The boys have been home now for about 3 months. The training has stuck, and we feel like we really have the tools we need to make life pleasant for all of us, including the boys. Kelia has also proactively checked in to make sure things are going well, provided tips on the best way to reinforce training, and has responded quickly when we have follow-up questions, including offering a visit. Over three months later, we are still completely satisfied with the training and support provided by Controlled K9 and Kelia, and we would use them again in a heartbeat.

We have been raising a Great Pyrenees mix puppy (who rather looks like a Border Collie) since she…read morewas 9 weeks old. She is (too) smart, friendly, playful, easy to teach but very stubborn. And this last personality trait caused several issues. She grew used to the freedom of a large property and was very resistant to being on a leash. Pulling and too excited to walk nicely. She loves playing with our 7-year-old but was too rough, jumping and nipping. She had an electric fence collar that she respected when she wanted to, and would recall when she felt like it. Our home training was ineffective as she grew older and as she started to develop new bad habits, we were looking for training options. Finding Controlled K9 for Board and Train was the best scenario as we had an upcoming month-long family trip planned. Lexie was so confident with her from the first moment that we didn't question that we were leaving her in the best hands. We regularly received pictures and videos showing her progress and we could see how our puppy was doing. It was unbelievable. After 4 weeks we got back an almost different dog. At first we were concerned that she might have lost her puppy spirit, but she returned to her cute silliness and endless affection very quickly. Meanwhile she had learned great manners. Walks on the leash without pulling. Stops when we stop. She stays at the property line and waits until we return. Runs with our child without jumping. She recalls reliably despite distractions. And no longer chases the cats. And a bonus, we can now even take her out in public easily. She calmly stays next to our table without bothering other people or dogs. She learned Respect. And while not perfectly, we have been able to maintain the learning. Thank you Lexie! And thank you Controlled K9!