It's odd how this is the first time I'm hearing of all of this. We received a great report upon picking Bruin up the first time which is why I thought this was the place for him. We do exercise him with daily walks as well as fetch with the kids and we even have a treadmill he uses daily running 2 miles. And if you supposedly called us I'm not sure what number you used because neither one of us got a phone call or a voice mail. As for pinning and biting the other dogs, I would think this would've been brought up to us when we picked him up. We bring him to dog parks and he has NEVER shown aggression towards other dogs, in fact he is more the submissive one, running away from the aggressor with his tail between his legs. Also, not only are you untruthful about refunding us, but tried to charge extra for the extra staff you had to bring in. Over all, I trusted you once with him and everyone had a great experience. I was told on the phone by someone obviously other than you how she remembered Bruin and was excited to have him back. THAT is why we brought him back. This experience is a complete 180 as far as experiences go. There was absolutely no communication between your staff and us regarding any of his behaviors except for "he did fine". You could've mentioned he was too energetic for you to handle and we would've gladly walked him or put him on his treadmill before going. In my opinion, you have extremely poor business practice and if I looked at all the other reviews similar to mine I never would've gone with another company in the first place. Luckily we were able to find a doggie daycare/boarding center in time for our weekend away. No thanks to your business. Hopefully people will take the time to read reviews before placing their loved ones with an untruthful and irresponsible institution. read more

Alpha Dog Center - Bruin on his treadmill burning off some excess energy. - Pet Groomers Near Me - Cumberland, Rhode Island

I will be quite honest. I have no idea what these people do to my baby but she comes hope so darn happy and exhausted. I have to say the staff here is great and the products they sell extra are even better. 1) Yes They do temp test. If your animal has not been exposed to other dogs or has some type of aggression because you rescued it from a kill shelter and it had to fight for its life it WILL have an issue and come out in the tempt test. This is a safety feature for both the pack and pack members(humans) 2) The outside section is fantastic. The fact that it IS asphalt not only allows the dogs to run around "while getting free nail filing" it is clean and sterile as outside can be. I am sorry you cant "wash" urine out of "grass". 3) The grooming is top notch and is comparable to any of the big box stores in pricing. and i Believe they do a better job. I tried Petsmart daycare ....... Petsmart infected my dog with kennel cough..... locked her in a cage all day...... you tell me where the better choice is...... Alpha Dog Cares about the dogs and remembers the dogs. I don't go every week with my dog but they never forget her!!!! read more

My husband and I were saddened to pull our dog out of daycare. She attended for a few months and would come home very sleepy. A great resource for her to burn energy. (She is a husky, lots of energy) I am upset I didn't previously read yelp & indeed reviews before enrolling her here. We are the type of dog owners that understood our dog could use additional training, and we were willing to be proactive and enroll her into the right programs to get her there. (She is only just turning 1 years old). A few red flags began popping up for us at Alpha Dog Center that didn't sit well with us. Initially, she attended daycare having absolutely no issues. She plays well and is loving. Once the staff gained our trust as customers, Mia started having behavioral problems. Kirby let us know when they grab Mia's collar she would bite. At home, we didn't tend to lead her by her collar but when they told us this we began doing so and noticed she did bite. Kirby recommended we enrolled Mia in their behavioral training class that was starting up to keep her in daycare and get the training she needed, so we did for $150. There was a $25 deposit as well that I paid to hold her spot. The day training came along, we were being charged $154. I thought this was strange that the $25 didn't go to our balance. Kirby told me it did and that the tax was why it was now $154. I just paid not wanting to be too difficult and wanting Mia to get the right help. We did 3 out of the 5 weeks of training before deciding to pull her out. We absolutely learned so good tools during this class - down, loose leash walking, stay & come. However, nothing regarding the behavior issue we were having unless we asked for some 1:1 time with the owner. Mia attended daycare twice a week throughout the time she was in training and staff had no issues with her. Everyday at pick up we would get glowing remarks that she was excellent for them. As training was coming closer to the end Kirby began recommending Fetch & walk add on's... for $10 a pop on top of the $34 daycare cost. My question is - why does staff not play fetch and burn dogs energy outside of their clients paying extra? I paid for this one day and declined the add on the following. I had a feeling when I declined this I would have issues with Kirby. Around 2:30 that day, here I was with a voicemail stating Mia is having a really rough day biting staff (this was a shock to us as we began actively working on this behavior as soon as Alpha Dog Center told us about this and have had absolutely no incidents at home or there since) and that I really should be doing add on's like fetch & walks to burn her energy. They also charged us a care fee of $11 for that day due to staff having to be on Mia. They crated her telling us she was disturbing the others dogs trying to sleep. I do not pay Alpha Dog Center to put my dog in a crate, I pay them to allow her play time to burn all that energy. If I wanted to crate her all day I would do so for free at my home. So my thoughts - does my dog just have a lot of energy or does she have behavioral issues? Why do none of these issues come up when I pay for extra things? Why does Mia no longer get nippy with anyone in our personal lives but does at Alpha? What are they doing to influence this negative behavior? Unfortunately, this company in my opinion is in it for the money. Manipulating behavioral problems to clients to get them to pay for extra items. If you don't have enough staff at your facility to give dogs the care they need then you should really hire more people to keep the dog to staff ratio manageable. I'd also recommend anyone out there to see the trend in their yelp reviews and I would especially check indeed. A lot of serious accusations on there that truthfully didn't surprise me after the bad taste I got from them. To add to my review - I shared with the community page via Facebook and received numerous responses from other clients who experienced almost identical if not worse treatment then I did. Kirby as well as the owner Kendra chimed in unprofessionally sharing false bite marks from my dog Mia which I never saw prior to this. Argued with me on the social media platform and then flagged my comment as harassment to have it formally removed from the community page. They then what on to block me from their Facebook page not allowing me to comment or like anything. Additionally, I had a total of four prior employees directly message me telling me how awful this facility was and that I made the right decision to remove my dog from here. If this doesn't scream red flags then I am not sure what does. read more

Horrible customer service, bought an antler that splintered and they told me they dont splinter even after I showed them pictures! My poor dog could have choked and died but they didn't seem to care it's all about money with them. They should be ashamed of themselves! read more

Staff is instructed not to give any type of affection to the dogs there unless you pay extra for one on one time. Unfortunately they are in it for the money. Very sad. read more

I was very disappointed during my initial visit to Alpha Dog. I brought both my dogs in for a "temperment test" because I need to board them while I'm on vacation. I explained to the receptionist that my dogs have had ZERO experience with doggie daycare. Obviously they didn't listen. I showed up, they took the 1st dog by his leash, walked through to where the dogs are kept and came out 1 min. later and informed me "Nope, he didn't pass!" I was in shock. I asked what she meant. She said he was aggressive. I had already paid $20....for this?? I have since taken my dogs to Camp Bow Bow in Bellingham. Their temperment test was putting them in an empty play yard then slowly introducing them to the other dogs. They not only passed but let them stay an additional 3 hrs. FOR FREE! read more

After seeing all these poor reviews, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I used to come here for a training course as well as one or two times for grooming (only because my favorite groomer temporarily moved there but after much drama she moved back to her original place). Let me just say a lot of the people seem nice. I don't mind it. But the second to last day of training, one of the owner's pitbull BIT MY DOG IN THE FACE, and then proceeded to pretend nothing happened. She tried to blame it on my dog's energy, and I kinda just went along with it but let me just be honest: My dog is a V-rated Sch3 IMPORT from GERMANY. He is not a dumb f*** by any means. He is intense, but he knows when to be polite and when to "work". He was always happy to see the pitbull, but I don't think he fully understood how much this female pitty did not like other males. Anyways, I never went back for the last class after that, I thought the whole thing was silly. The owners supposedly have experience with schutzhund dogs but she used to do little things that made me go "hmmm...?". When I took him for grooming, the first time I get the lecture of "Oh he has dry skin so we recommend Taste of the Wild, we sell it here" and I had to laugh because my dog is on an all raw and natural diet, and he was seeing two holistic vets. The only reason why he had dry skin was because he had to be on a few medicines to help calm something else down, and unfortunately it took a toll on his skin and fur health. Second time, my mom dropped him off and she explained to the lady that he only walks on your left (training from Germany), well she kept trying to get him on her right and getting mad at him and finally my mom snapped, which made the lady put him on her left and low and behold, THE DOG LISTENS. (one of the signs of why I don't really believe they know schutzhund, at least real schutzhund and not the fake American nonsense). After my groomer left there, I just never went back. I thought it was a bit of a waste of time and money, but I had fun with my dog. We used to just stand in the circle while all the other psycho dogs were lunging, and my dog was taking a nap on my feet. Thanks but I think I'll keep my part couch potato german shepherd. PS/ I just saw the owner and manager put up a little note on the Yelp page about how the negative reviews are paid for by other businesses..... HAHAHAHHAHA what? First off, not only is that crazy (I'm sure it happens but I know for a fact it is not from me!), but completely unprofessional. Own up to the nonsense online. I personally write reviews specifically for pet services because as a doggy mom who researched dogs and dog behavior for 5 YEARS before I even decided I was ready for a dog, I would expect that giving other pet owners a piece of mind of what my experience was (good or bad) would help with their decision making. Every business deserves this honesty, too. To say we, the people who had negative experiences, are paid for by other businesses to somehow put our names out there and slander a business, is completely disrespectful. I put this review so you would know what I experienced, and hopefully to help you. Thanks. read more

I have been a daycare and boarding customer of Alpha Dog for 4 years. Even though I moved out of Cumberland 2 years ago, I bring Wolfgang back to Alpha Dog at every opportunity. In fact, they are the only place I trust to board and care for him for any extended period of time. The staff at Alpha Dog engage with the dogs, physically and mentally, all day long. Their facility is safe and spacious for the dogs to run and play (inside and out). No slippery floors (which really freak Wolfgang out), ample outdoor space for bathroom breaks and he doesn't come home smelling like he's been running through pee all day long. I hate that! After touring and interviewing three different facilities in the Providence area and briefly patronizing one, please know that what Alpha Dog offers is atypical. Every one of the facilities I looked at lacked something that Alpha Dog offers, be it space, cleanliness, total engagement with the dogs in their care or even safety (the outdoor area of one place was on a rooftop!). I've developed relationships with Kendra, Kirby, Karen and several other employees since I became a customer. They know that Wolfgang likes his ears rubbed in a certain way and that he needs a little time out nap mid-day. They treat me well and treat my dog even better. Alpha Dog matches my pet-parenting style and mantra: Exercise, Discipline, Affection. My husband and I are particular. We have high expectations of the businesses we patronize, especially when it comes to providing services for Wolfgang. Alpha Dog works for our family, human and canine alike. They have my total confidence and I recommend them frequently to others without hesitation. Keep up the great work! read more

Brought my dog in to be groomed and from walking in the door the customer service was horrendous. The groomer did not introduce herself, instead told me my dog wasn't properly trained and couldn't walk on a leash correctly. I picked up my freshly groomed dog and yes, he was groomed very well, I got home and his rear end was bleeding NON STOP for hours. I called and asked what happened and was told "your dog moves too much". No apology, no explanation, nothing. I was then told that he could not come in on a weekend because they're "too busy" on Saturdays. I guess paying customers and generous tippers are not what this place is interested in. Maybe if you have a stuffed animal for a dog then this place is for you...otherwise stay away. read more

If your looking for the best doggie daycare for your fur baby this is the place that offers safety, structure,respect and their love of animals is truly outstanding!! Our chocolate lab Bella has been a pack member for almost 2 years and attends 3 days a week, love love love the staff!!! Thank you ADC read more

I had used their grooming service for several years. We didn't necessarily like the customer relations portion of business, but the groomer did a good job. I just received a call, out of the blue, cancelling my upcoming appointment and telling me we were no longer welcome because I supposedly complained about having to drop off my daughter's dog separate from my dogs. incredible! Not only is that untrue, I always thank them for setting appointments back to back for me and tip them generously. I know their groomer left and they are using a temp, so maybe they are trying to phase out grooming??? Insulting, rude, condescending, unprofessional. beware. read more

Please take a moment to read the reviews and you will notice some disappointing themes. An overall rating of 2 1/2 stars is too generous. We brought our 7-month old rescue hound/boxer mix puppy in for his initial "temperament test", which he passed without any difficulties. A couple of days later we dropped him off for his first day at doggie daycare. Within in a few hours we received a call stating we needed to pick him up since he wasn't "being cooperative" with training. Of note, he did attend to puppy training classes at another facility and did wonderful. Upon our arrival he had a bloody nose, a hemorrhage in his eye, and he was wet. The manager, Kirby, stated they were attempting to walk him with a slip leash and he was resisting, therefore they were pulling increasing the tension on the slip leash. Kirby also noted his injuries were a "NORMAL STRESS RESPONSE". We contacted our vet who informed us the bloody nose and eye hemorrhage are were most likely caused by a rapid increase in blood pressure related to the extensive tension created by pulling on the slip leash. He was actually choked, causing his blood pressure to rise, resulting in injuries. I called back and spoke with Kirby to try to understand why they utilized such mistreatment to our puppy during training. Kirby stated multiple times they need to teach dogs "RESPECT". Really? I am not sure choking animals and causing injury teaches "RESPECT". Unfortunately, I have no "RESPECT" for Alpha Dog. Animals should learn by positive reward, not abuse! I have requested a call from owner Kendra. Five days later and I have not received a call. Obviously, the owner has no concern or "RESPECT" for her customers, or the dogs in their care. Please think twice before leaving your dog at Alpha Dog. I wish we did. Our puppy not only has physical injuries but also the emotional traumatic injuries we now need to overcome. You may want to also read some of the past employee's reviews on Indeed claiming mistreatment of animals. read more

I have one question for this place, and that's "what so they do to dogs behind the scene?" And here's why: I used to bring both my dogs there every month for a nail trim as I was always happy with how they trimmed my dogs nails. In October I brought both my dogs there and after paying $30 dollars for both of them, the staff very rudely came out and told me that one of my dogs behavior was terrible and it took 3 people to hold her to trim her nails and that she showed aggression. Now I know my dog is no angel but she has always had sensitive front paws but has never showed aggression towards anyone. After bashing her for a minute they continued to tell me that she is no longer welcome there until her behavior improves and then went on to charge me an extra "handling fee". To say I was disappointed was understatement. I went on for weeks so embarrassed at the thought my dog acted poorly towards people. Fast forward a few weeks, after talking to many people I have heard all different stories and that they treat the animals poorly behind the scenes. So many people I've spoken too in the area have had similar if not worse situations happens to them. Not to mention, just yesterday my dogs nail split all the way up and the vet had to remove it completely and it took 1 person to hold her, no muzzle, no aggression. So my question stands, what do they do behind the scenes and who gives them the right to judge my dogs behavior?? Needless to say, never going back there or recommending this place ever again. read more

Do not bring your dog here! Awful customer service to say the least. We brought our golden retriever to get groomed and were called to come pick him up as soon as possible. They said he was restless and misbehaving. We've brought our dog to several groomers and have never had that feedback, ever. We thought they had the wrong dog. Our golden is extremely calm and well mannered. I've heard from several people to not bring our dog here and we should have listened. Make sure you read all these awful reviews, they are true! read more

I love this place they trim my dogs nails and brush her teeth she is such a pain she deserves a great treatment however it is hard to get her to hold still they do a great job using a Dremel read more

I am disappointed that I am ending up having to leave a negative review for Alpha Dog, but my experience with the business ended up being extremely frustrating and I left with a very poor taste in my mouth. I brought my 2 year old, WELL trained dog, for the temperament test & then started bringing him a few days a week thereafter, for daycamp. Initially everything was great--he came home exhausted, and the staff only had nice things to say. After about a month out of nowhere, I received a call from Alpha midday stating that my dog had "snapped at" one of the staff members, and they wanted me to come and pick him up. I rushed there, an emotional wreck, to pick him up. My dog has never ever put his mouth on anyone in an aggressive manner, so I was really upset. They told me to take a day or two off from day camp, and I did. A few days later I dropped him off in the morning and left feeling hopeful that all would be fine. Sure enough got another call from Alpha midday stating that my dog had again "snapped" at a staff member, and that he had punctured her skin. So I went to pick him up again, this time even more of an emotional wreck. When I got there to pick him up, the woman at the desk told me to not be upset, blah blah blah, said he was far from the first dog that this had happened with, and long story short...ended up suggesting that I sign up for their basic obedience training class......for about $150, with classes every Monday at 7pm. So, despite feeling very hesitant about enrolling, since my dog attended a 5 week board & train with probably the most renowned & respected trainers in RI (and now I'd say in the nation)...I decided I'd sign up, and was under the impression that by doing so my dog would still be able to attend for day camp. So I went to every class even though it meant rushing home from work and then in turn rushing to Alpha Dog, I made sure I was there each week. I tried to remain positive throughout the weeks, even though I felt like they were totally judging myself & my dog at every class. They honestly made me feel like I was a horrible dog owner and that the training philosophy he had initially been trained with was crap. At the end up the 6 or 7 weeks, they basically told me that my dog couldn't go to day camp and that it was my fault. So not only did I throw over 100 bucks down the drain, but I also withstood a serious emotional roller coaster for NOTHING. Luckily, my dogs trainer expanded to a bigger facility and started offering a day camp service, where he goes most week days. And has been going for months, with absolutely zero issues. He's actually praised by the staff as being one of the best at socializing with any dog that comes into day camp. Most of all I just felt like Alpha Dog really didn't care at all about my dog & my well being as a functioning pair. It seems like they were more concerned about making an extra buck, and about doing the least work possible with the dogs rather than wanting to produce an established, stable & social environment. If I were you I'd explore other options first; especially Solid K9, where they undoubtedly care about your dog & your well being above all no matter what. read more

For the past five months my dog has loved going there; he would come home exhausted and the staff seemed to love him. He loved all of them too and would get extremely excited when we asked him in the morning if he was "ready for school." He would even bring us his leash. This past weekend changed everything when my husband and I had to go out of state and we boarded him at Alpha for two nights. He has stayed there before a handful of times and has never had a problem (although when we first got him he did pee in one of their crates at 4 months old). Apparently he peed in the crate on Saturday night, so they cleaned it up and moved him to a larger kennel. The owner told us that they checked on him at 4pm on Sunday and he was fine. However, when they opened up on Monday morning, my dog was loose and running around the center unsupervised. He had apparently chewed their phone and was loose all night. My husband was instructed by a staff member that morning that "you need to work on his crate training." Little does she know that he has been crated every day of his life for the past five months and has NEVER had a problem. The bothersome thing to me is that their website specifically advertises that while your dog is boarded there they are and I quote "supervised by a camera" and " the room is secured by an alarm." This is false advertising! They are not supervised by a camera because if that was the case my dog would not have been left unsupervised for hours because they clearly would have seen him running around! When I challenged that, I was told that the play area is on camera and so is the desk - but not the kennels/crates. If that's the case, wouldn't you have seen him chewing the phone that's specifically on the desk? Anyways, how can a dog get out of a kennel?! The owner made me pay for the phone (that's fine, I understand I am responsible for the damage), but she never apologized and she said that it wasn't her team's fault. Well then who's fault is it? He was in their care...and they were NEGLIGENT! Furthermore, if my dog was checked on at 4pm why are they not checking on him until 6am the following morning? No wonder he peed and wanted to get out; he was alone for 14 hours! My dog could have gotten electrocuted while chewing on the phone or could have seriously gotten hurt while in their care. It very much upsets me that they did not take ANY responsibility for what happened. Their negligence in caring for my dog could have caused serious harm. And I am not okay with that. Their inability to apologize or take any responsibility for what happened has negated our level of trust with them and needless to say, my dog will NEVER be returning to Alpha Dog Center. Please be careful when boarding your dog there. read more

Poor Customer Service and Communication. Received a call from Alpha Dog Care's owner 4 days before start of overnight boarding reservation that our dog was no longer welcome at facility. This is after our dog had been at Alpha Dog Care on three separate occasions and no issues ever reported to me at time of pick ups. In addition, a staff member commented how much she loved our dog. Last minute cancellation on part of the owner caused my family to have to cancel a weekend getaway due to being unable to scramble for plan b pet care. read more

Recently divorced I felt incredibly guilty about leaving my pup home for 9-10 hours at a time while I worked so I looked into local daycares. I was pretty excited to see that Alpha Dog was very close and although moderately expensive I thought my baby was worth it. I called and had a million questions which the woman on the phone was able to answer. I felt confident that my boy would be well taken care of and I scheduled his temperament test. When I arrived I had little to no clue how to actually get in the building and once I did I was met with two doors, again no clue. I walked into a dark room praying that I was the right place but almost certain I was walking into a horror movie. Finally I saw someone and was not greeted with a hello or any type of personal skills. I told them I was there for a temperament test and a woman came over grabbed my dogs leash and walked away. Never greeted my dog properly, never introduced herself to me. I was starting to boil. She put my dog on a slip lead and while pulling with all her might on his neck was yelling at my dog to sit. My poor baby was so confused but I kept telling myself they're professionals and I should trust them. After introducing my dog to many other dogs most of which he didn't react to. Truth be told he's more of a people dog, they brought him back out and told me he wasn't suited for daycare and was aggressive. I can tell you this. I've worked with animals my whole life, I was a dog groomer for years and never in my life did I ever think my dog was aggressive, he plays at the park with other dogs, he's never met a stranger and he's about a million times more likely to lick you than he is to bite you. Extremely disappointed in the way the entire appointment was handled. Would NEVER recommended this facility to anyone. read more

They charge for a temperament test which is absurd. They refuse to provide any tours of the any part of the facility which I found UNACCEPTABLE. They just want people to relinquish their pets without showing the parents any inch of the place where they're kept. They were very cold every time I went there. When I explained some of the behavioral problems I was having with my pup they told me to crate him. Sorry, that's not a solution. I didn't like how they man-handled my pup right in front of me. It made me wonder how they handled him when nobody was watching. I'd never go back, and would absolutely not ever recommend. read more

Ok, Vet recommend that we give our dogs a mild sedative (prescribed by the vet) before vet visits and grooming, due to collapsed trachea for their safety, Alpha has groomed them several times before on the sedative, now just refused to groom them because of sedation. I find that utterly ridiculous since its by Dr. Recommendation. Had issues with Alpha few years ago but few months ago decided to give them another try. Won't make that mistake ever again !!!! . read more

This business popped up on one of my friends profiles and I got to thinking that I should update my old review.So here I go. I'm staying true to my three stars but I will expand in thought. IN SHORT: POSITIVES: Family owned/ owner operated/ small local business Clean, very clean cleaned daily, multiple times a day. Outside area for dogs. Truly love the dogs NEGATIVES: Prices are higher than other local places. Bording is remotely videoed, there is no human on premise overnight. No interpersonal skills. Charge for the temp test I spent 6 Months at Alpha Dog as a customers. In that time frame (very short time frame) I was able to see the ins and outs of the business. Here's the things you should know: The owners truly care about dogs. They do a lot of donation and volunteer/ out reach in the community to support animals. The dogs are hardly ever left alone. In the case that they are, the troublesome ones are placed in the kennels for a few minutes until the employee returns, and the big dogs are always separate from the little. There business is a small business and usually short staffed. Meaning; some nights there may be one person wrangling 26 -40 dogs. This answers the questions to why they don't get to the desk as soon as you walk in. Typically they have to calm the dogs (they get excited when they hear the door bell) and successfully get through the gate, and through another set of doors before they get to you. There computer system to track your pup- package and payments is excellent. I never agreed with the $10 temp test, and I have seen first hand that other like businesses do not charge for this. I still can not answer why they would charge $10 for the test. I would think that if you wanted the opportunity to work with and profit from an individual that this would be a courtesy.With that being said, it is a required test where ever you go... Also keep in mind, that the dogs that your pet is typically used to playing with, are not these dogs. What I am trying to say is that dogs react differently in different situations. It's lovely that you dog was in day care for three years in California, but dogs do not operate like humans, they think differently. This is a new place, a new smell, a new pack all together. A temp test is required. You should be grateful if they deny you... they are saving you a large vet bill down the line when another dog puts yours in its place... Grooming is great here. The groomer really knows her stuff. She really enjoys "haired" dogs such as poodles and Bichon Frise etc,. Her work is well done, creative and evenly cut. She spends whatever time is needed to get it right. Prices seemed to me to be higher than others in the area. If I did grooming... it was basic, If I remember correctly Wash& Dry was $45 for a Labrador. I did have one major issue here ...that had to do with my dog being injured. Now to be fair, my dog is a nutcase, kind and sweet but doesn't know boundaries at all. She has no issues just shoving her nose up the next ones butt for a good sniff... So,on the third time that she went to day care I got a call from the owners sister that my dog had an accident and was cut and bleeding. They followed it by telling me that they did not know why...YOU DON'T KNOW WHY? How do you not know why? If she got in a fight you would have had to break it up. The cut was deep enough that there had to be blood on the floor somewhere. And I know from experience that there really isn't anything back there that they could get cut on... so still puzzled at that. The cut was under and very close to her eye and took almost two months to close completely heal. To this day... years later she still has the scar. Because of my personal circumstances I chalked it up to a miss handled mistake and moved on. We then moved and started at another local day care almost immediately and she has had no issue at all. Actually they told me she was very timid and spends most of her days laying down...SO a bit of a contraindication. As for the camera thing. There are cameras. They are in the back play area and also in the lobby by the desk. Those are the only two I know of. They are on remote access directly to the owner. She works there most days, and has to sleep at some point, so indications would suggest that at some point those cameras are not being watched. The way that I left understanding was that they care for the dogs until about 8pm at night. After that I was not privy to information. My favorite thing about AD was the summer time fun that my pup had. She really enjoyed the pools and the outside area, which my new location is lacking. My least favorite thing was the interpersonal relationships that they held with the customers . They are wonderful doggy people- they are terrible people- persons. Interpersonal is not their forty. As if they're not in the business to make you happy, there in the business to make the dogs happy... read more

Grooming of my little girl was done very well. HOWEVER, get ready for lots of extra charges! Bill was $67 .. Tax was $8.04! 12%! When I questioned this I was told this is an extra charge to offset what they have to pay to accept credit cards! ".. and we have to make some money to offset that". I know (having been CEO of a company that accepted VISA), that the credit card Co.does not authorize these extra charges. Additionally, there is no way this should be listed as "TAX", Then I am told that Alpha allegedly sent out an EMail saying this practice would be discontinued! If there is a processing charge tell your customers DO NOT hide it under "Tax". Not sure I will be back ... read more

Unless you have $$$ to throw away, think twice before enrolling your dog in day care here... One positive note: the young ladies that work there really care about the dogs... The negatives: the owners should educate themselves on the definition of customer appreciation and learn how to professionally run a business. After bringing my 3 year old dog to this facility twice a week for about a year, they advised me that he wasn't getting along with a few dogs and he was no longer welcome there unless I enrolled him in a 6 week behavior modification class ($180). If his behavior changed, MAYBE he could go back to daycare. Coincidentally, they were the ones offering the class. I did not enroll my dog in the class and have learned other dogs that took the class and were not admitted back into daycare. I had purchased a 5 day pre-paid package; the day they made him leave, he was on day 2 of the package. When I asked about a refund, I was told the package was non-refundable. AND I was responsible for a $10 surcharge for a handling fee for separating him from the dogs he wasn't getting along with! In addition to the cost of the day care, I had paid $15.00 extra for him to get a "kong" treat each of the 5 days. They used that balance for the $10 surcharge and then told me I still owed them $1.07!! After keeping over $75.00 of my money, they had the nerve to ask me for $1.07! Needless to say, I won't be sending them any money nor will I ever recommend Alpha Dog to anyone. I have since enrolled my dog in another day care center, and he has had no issues there at all! read more

My son brought his golden to Alpha Dog for grooming recently. He was not happy about the cut and politely informed them of the reasons he was not happy. Even though he was not satisfied he made her next appointment with them. He then received a voice mail stating they would not groom her due to a previous complaint. Imagine a business receiving constructive criticism from a customer then subsequently refusing service! Apparently they do not agree with the basic concept of listening to the customer. Our extended family has multiple dogs and we will never go back to Alpha Dog again! Do yourself a favor and find another groomer. read more

Would never leave my dog here. I came to check out doggie day care to socialize my dog. She isn't aggressive, but is indifferent around other dogs and gets nervous easily. I work at a shelter and want to start fostering the dogs, so I need her to be comfortable around other dogs and enjoy playing. First, it was $10 for the temperament test, which I found crazy because other centers charge nothing. I was able to watch through the window as my dog was introduced to other dogs. She was scared- shaking, hair standing up, tail between her legs, ears back. The owner introduced 2 dogs, one at a time, and she was ok. Then they let in 7 more dogs at once, and they all ran over to her to sniff her out, which was overwhelming. She was scared. The owner was a little too rough with the lead around her neck, pulling too hard to where she was straining her neck. My lab- who is like my child- was scared and instead of being gentle, the owner HIT her on the butt and yelled at her. As they were coming out she made Lola sit for an extended period of time by the door, and if she got up she would tell her to sit again, which she did because she knows her commands; I have no idea what she was waiting for! When I talked to the owner and got my dog back I commented that she was scared. The owner was extremely rude to me, and told me she wasn't scared, but she has separation anxiety and it's my fault, that I induce it and cause it. I know my dog is attached to me, but she's with me- hiking, running, walking- daily, which is why I was there in the first place to check out daycare. She corrected me when I gave her examples of when I thought she seemed pretty scared and overwhelmed and stated she was a "dog behaviorist" and everything "wrong" with my dog was my fault. I'm sorry, but I also work with dogs at a shelter, can read body language, and I know my own dog. I didn't see the outside area where the dogs go, but there were also 2 dogs locked in kennels because they were boarding.. I was under the impression they were only there to sleep- but they had no bedding either, as other places recommend for boarding. Lola passed the temperament test, but I would never leave her there after dealing with the owner. read more

Lets see if this TRUE review makes it through the Yelp nazi's... Alpha Dog really is a s good as people say it is... we have been using them for a year now and find the staff to be super... our dog started there as a 12 week old puppy taking obedience classes, he goes to daycare there 5 days a week.. has overnight boarded there a couple of times and gets groomed there too... my wife and I spoil the crap out of our dog and would not have him go anywhere that we think was not high quality and that is exactly what Alpha Dog is.... read more

I have used Alpha dog for both obedience training and grooming. The staff seems very knowledgeable and I have to say that I've watched the dogs in day care and they always seem to be "smiling". My dog sheds quite a bit. I get the furminator grooming package and it seems to keep her shed free for a week or so. They are not cheap by any means BUT you get what you pay for. I will continue to use them for grooming and I like how they are so charitable and try to give back to the K9 community. read more

Oh boy, were do I start? I had just recieved a new puppy over the summer and I was looking for daycare options while I teach during the day rather than leave a new pup in a crate for 7 hours at a time (not recommended). I wanted him to go to Alpha Dog because it was so close to my home. I went to set up the temperament test. They had me pay for a stool sample after I told them he just went to the vet a day prior. I then paid more money for a 5 second temp test. But while I was there the staff seemed pretty nice. I went home to think about any questions I had. I emailed said questions and they assured me that my dog would slowly be introduced to a few dogs at a time and work his way up to being around many dogs at once. They never gave me a tour even though I asked more than once. I brought him about once a week for a few hours at a time. Well last week I received a call stating he bit a staff member! They said that this is the second time it has happened and that I was informed about them both. That is a lie. No one called me or mentioned anything about it. They at first said he had separation anxiety (which I now see is a trend of theirs). They never showed me the bite mark which they claimed he punctured the skin. and then I ran into a girl who works there and she knew nothing about it! Seriously! They basically set me up because I wouldn't train my dog with them. They then assumed that he never received training because I declined on their offer. So then they make up lies and say he is a menace and cannot provide the proof to back it up. FYI. My dog has been in formal training since 6 weeks of age that started with his breeder. He then came to me at 8 weeks and has been in obedience training ever since. He is now 5 months old and has mastered over 6 commands. He is trained off leash and has the best recall I have ever seen in even a full grown dog. He has never bit or been aggressive to any dog or person. This place is absurd! My dog will only protect himself out of instinct.... So why is he biting? Makes you wonder what they are really doing back there. 23 dogs: 3 staff Do not send your dog there if you love them! read more

I enrolled my 4 month old boxer puppy in what I was told was their "puppy" training but it ends up it was a class of nine dogs of all ages and with different social issues. There was no socialization allowed. The instructor (owner) was cold and militant. During the training she yelled at me a few times to continue to walk (during the 2nd class) with my puppy around a room even though he was choking himself, gagging and frothing at the mouth. I was only giving him a break. She kept demanding that I shorten the leash and keep walking! His front feet weren't even on the floor! This seemed pretty severe to me. When I got home he had a red mark on his neck where he had been pulling. All her other philosophies seemed just as severe to me so I asked for a refund for the remaining classes. I would have understood if they could only reimburse half of them. But the front staff "Jess" was unbelievably rude. I had met her in person a few times and she was super sweet but when I explained my issues with the class she came at me like an wild animal (I wish I was exaggerating). Seriously. "What are you going to do when he's seven months old and pulls you down the road? Would you let you're little girl do whatever she wanted? If you want socialization you have to pay for our daycare." What?! And this was just a small snip-it of the verbal lashing she dished out. I told her I was shocked that she was treating me this way when I was told this was a "puppy" class. Not boot camp. She would not let up on the badgering. And ultimately told me she could not refund any of the course fee just because I didn't like their philosophy - which she also kept telling me was the only way my puppy would become an accepted dog in doggie society. I am still in total shock at how I was treated. I am thankful in a way that I found out the kind of people who are employed there and am relieved not to be associated with them. What a horrible, horrible experience. If you could have seen the way they treated the dogs in that class you'd never board your dog there or use their daycare. And I love Cesar Millan so I'm not against tough love but this was different and just didn't feel right. If you feel your dog is an object who you want to be the lowest thing on the totem pole in your family then go for it. If you want a friend and companion then go somewhere else. read more

I boarded my dog here a while back. He's 5 1/2 lbs and a grazer. I told them he didn't have a feeding schedule because he had gastritis in the past so the vet recommended we let him graze. When we picked him up, he'd lost a pound. He looked emancipated and miserable. I will never recommend this place to anyone. I was quite disappointed because they are nearby. read more

I have to say just how happy my Lucy is and I am coming here. The staff is educated and very caring with all the pooches!! Love seeing pictures and videos of my Lucy when she is there. The idea that she is with other dogs and monitored all day is a big relief for me, she is out playing and not stuck in a crate half of the day like other daycares. I can call anytime of the day and I always am able to talk to someone and see how Lucy is doing. We will be starting the behavior modification class with Kendra and are so looking forward to it. I hear only good things about this class and the others that they have. Thank you so much for taking such good care of my Lucy. read more

No, just no!!! I have witnessed some of the things that go on here and in no way are they nurturing. They use crating as a punishment, and seem stuck up. They think they are the best daycare around when in fact they're the worst with the worst ratings. Look at other daycares on here before you come here!!! They have one person to a room of 30 dogs. That is NOT safe!!! They aren't Ceasar Milan. These dogs go back to homes where there are different rules and can start fights and some bigger dogs could kill the small ones because some escape. This place needs help! read more

Very rude staff. I would never send my dog there again. The fact that you pay for a temperament test that lasts like 5 minutes is ridiculous. I was called to pick up my dog on his first day because of his agitation and aggression. I had a very lengthy discussion with the owner about my dogs anxiety and how he needs to be integrated slowly with other dogs.They then told me my dog couldn't come back til I did behavior training at a hefty price. The staff was rude and didn't even seem to like dogs. I would not have had anything to compare this place to until going to a different daycare and it was the complete opposite. They wanted to work with my dog and make sure he felt comfortable as he is an anxious dog. They integrated him slowly and explained each step where Alpha Dog does not. Research your doggie daycare as there are much better ones out there! read more

I really really hate to do this, but I want to make sure what has happened to me here is just a fluke (although it did actually happen twice). I have taken my dog here for just under a year- occasional daycare and rather frequent boarding. I have spent over $2,000 in 11 months. I could tolerate the lack of people skills (which you can read about in several other reviews), as my main priority is to have my dog properly cared for when I can't be with her. I could even tolerate their rather tough approach with the dogs. I truly believe the owner knows dog behavior and runs things based upon her knowledge. My dog is a silly, gentle, happy girl, who I'm certain doesn't fit the owner's ideals of the disciplined dog, but has nonetheless seemed very well received by the AD staff. I can tolerate feeling judged by the owner (I also had the very curt interactions and judgments at the temp test), as long as I feel that my dog is safe and happy, and that I am respected as a customer. I never had any experience like some mentioned in the reviews below, that indicated my dog was unsafe or mistreated, but I have felt ripped off by this place that is already pretty pricy. For that reason, and because I have now done additional research and see that there are other good options, I just can't give them my business anymore. TWICE, while my dog was boarding, they informed me that she "got into the food" (that's for sale), and I had to pay for it. They kept her in an enclosure that was placed directly against an open shelf of stacked bags of dog food. Two times. The second time, I was informed over the phone that they had "no idea how she got it, because it was so far away." I picked her up this morning and looked at the placement. It was inches from the bars of where she had slept. I was so frustrated and angry, and I did tell the girl who was working that I would not be coming back. I also told her I understood it was not her call or her fault (new girl I have never seen there before). I was not mean or rude about it- I felt disappointed by a place I had hoped would continue being part of my dog's routine. So, I have now spent over 2 grand on daycare, boarding, and grooming, and $110 paying for bags of food they made accessible to my unattended dog overnight. If they were personable people, I may have had a conversation about the appropriateness of this. They have, in the time I've taken my dog there, hired some more friendly people, but I do not believe those young women have any say whatsoever in the treatment of customers regarding business matters. Unfortunately, at this point, there are just too many negatives to continue paying for something that already stretches me financially. They made me feel like a total shmuck and a pushover paying for that food- twice. I hope they figure things out- it should, and easily could, be a much better business. I do whatever I can to give my dog a full, loving, active life-experience, and I will spend my money elsewhere to help me provide that. read more

I finally called it quits with Alpha. After spending nearly $1000 in day care services over the past year, I walked out of there this morning without checking my dog in and will never go back. Recently, my dog got sick and they required me to get a note from the vet which I did. The vet told me that they had a disease problem hence why they require the note. I'm ok with the note requirement. However, I travel a lot and due to the week that my dogs illness, 5 days of my package expired. Today, the Owner of the business said "sorry those pre purchased days expired"... when I said "are you kidding me" she said "you signed the agreement, sorry!". They have no customer service skills at all. Parking is horrible at night. They spend more time bashing Purina dog food in hopes to sell some red neck brand of there own. At Christmas time they sent out a "wooo is me" facebook post saying that everyone is bashing them and they still make it. Haha see how long that will last. I'd recommend you stay away. I found many other more exciting alternatives. Tucker's owner read more

If I could have chosen zero stars, that would have been my review! I have been taking my dog here since their business opened on Diamond Hill Rd. My dog has never been late or missed an appointment there in 10 years. I made a last minute appointment recently and by accident missed the appointment due to a miscommunication with my husband(we each thought the other person was bringing our dog to the appt). It was our error and I called them immediately to apologize! I considered us to be great clients beforehand, and didn't think it would pose a problem in future appointments. Apparently the one-time mistaken "no show" (after 10 years of business) resulted in a call from them, cancelling our appointment today. We will happily take our business elsewhere. :) read more

I've recently had my black lab groomed here twice and they did a phenomenal job. I used to groom him myself but due to being pregnant I needed to take him somewhere. I had tried another local salon and was so disappointed. Alpha dog however did a wonderful job. My dog came home smelling and looking extremely clean, they got so much undercoat out that his shedding was drastically decreased for a few weeks and he was content and not stressed at all. I would highly recommend their grooming services. The pricing was very reasonable for the great grooming. I've also used Alpha Dog for training and was very satisfied. They provide real life dog training that goes above and beyond your standard training class. read more

Do your dog a favor and DO NOT go here ! I brought my two super friendly golden retrievers here for grooming because I saw on google that they had favorable reviews and they were close to where I live (I did not go to Yelp and I should have!). When I first arrived I was not impressed with the uncleanliness of the building, I had a bad feeling about the place and should of trusted my gut and left. The lady at the desk was not friendly and seemed more concerned about going over her lengthy agreement with all kinds of conditions and extra fees than welcoming my dogs. She called me two hours later to say I could pick up my dogs but told me she was charging me a $10 extra handling fee because one of my dogs was so nervous he couldn't stand up (he had thrown up twice and yet they NEVER called me to pick him up) and the groomer was not able to do any of the trimming. She told me she was charging me for a bath plus the handling fee which came out to $7 less than the total cost I was quoted AND my dog was only half groomed. I asked her to take the fee off saying it was ridiculous and she refused and told me she would not negotiate. I asked her is it worth a bad review of your business and she continued to stand her ground. She then told me she was charging me an extra $15 for a matting fee for my other dog and she said "I am giving you a deal". I can not believe how unprofessional this place is. I WILL NEVER BRING MY DOGS HERE AGAIN!! My dogs have been groomed for years with NO issues and to hear that my dog was so upset and they did call me is reprehensible. read more

My dog has been going here since he was 4 months old! We couldn't be happier. He jumps out of the car with excitement upon arrival. Loves the people who work there as much as his doggie friends there. I know when he comes home he will have had a full day of play and excitement and it makes me comfortable to go to work everyday and leave him there. Can't thank AlphaDog enough for the service they provide! read more