I can't praise Ashley and Calm K9 enough for turning my dog life around. I adopted my 5.5 year old…read morePug/Chihuahua mix from a rescue back in February after she was surrendered by her previous owner. She was incredibly timid, anxious, and didn't know even the most basic command. Sit, for instance, was next to impossible. She would lock her back legs if you tried to guide her little butt to the floor, refusing to do it because she had no idea what was going on. Fast forward to a month out of the Board & Train with Ashley. She sits. She stays. We don't use a leash on walks anymore. She stays right by my side on walks or within an arm's length in front or behind me, constantly checking to make sure I'm still close every few seconds. At every curb she sits. I used to have to tell her, but now she just knows to sit, and not to move until I tell her "come". The best part for all of this, however, is that it's all a result of her overall confidence being boosted by knowing all of these new skills. She used to be super skittish and bark at people, jump when cars passed by, and freak out. Every person who walked near us on the street she would lose her little dog-mind over. Now she not only glides right past them, but if they're friendly and she sees that I'm ok with it, she'll wag her tail and allow them to approach (assuming I've given her/the person permission). She actually walks better and is more calm off-leash, which is also a huge advantage for me now that it's getting cold because I can keep my hands in my pockets. I still do bring a leash in my pocket just in case, but I haven't run into a situation where I've had to use it once. Lastly, I was really apprehensive about using an e-collar. Not only because I thought it was going to be cruel, but because of how big the thing looks on my 10lb. dog! I can honestly say that the brand of collar they have you purchase is so adjustable with it's settings that she's never shown any sign of it hurting or even bothering her. She actually gets excited when I put it on her in the morning because she knows we're about to start our day and go for a walk! Calm K9 came recommended from a friend, and I think since seeing the positive change my dog has experienced as a result of the training I've recommended them to anyone and everyone who's interested in getting their dog towards a better place, behaviorally. Lastly, it's been amazing to feel what her being trained has does for me, mentally. With everything else one has to deal with in their day-to-day life, having a happy, calm, well-behaved and confident dog-companion has been overwhelmingly positive. A+ from me. Highly recommended.

They state that they get back to you in 24 hours.. but both mine and my wife's form submission on…read moretheir website (which states that is the fastest response) have gone unanswered for the last 3 - 4 days. Very disappointed that they didn't even have the courtesy to call or reply.

Pat was amazing! He was able to teach us the skills to train our 1 year old Great Pyrenees/Golden…read moreRetriever puppy. After only 6 weeks, she's so well behaved, doesn't pull on the leash and is much better at obeying commands. Pat was friendly, always right on time and very knowledgeable. I've already recommended him to all of our neighbors.

We are so happy with Pat and James River dog training! I was hesitant at first because of the price…read morebut after reading reviews we signed up and we have seen such a huge difference in our dogs behavior. We love that the training is in the dog's home, where they feel most comfortable. Before committing to the training, we chatted with Pat for almost 2 hours during the consultation about what the program entails and what our main goals were. Things to note: this is prong collar training (we tried treat motivated training but found it didn't work too well for us bc we didn't always have treats), in-home training for both the dog AND owner. You also receive a training guide and can call anytime you need training on something with no extra fee. Our dog's anxiety has decreased significantly and everywhere we take him, we receive so many compliments on what a good dog he is! We highly recommend Pat and James River dog training!

My experience with Lara was very positive and productive. She was able to help me understand my dog…read moreand how to clearly communicate with her. She kept us both really motivated to practice and the results were awesome. Not only am I happy, but my pup is much happier too! Now we frequently receive compliments on my pups behavior. We go for long walks without pulling or acting crazy when she sees another dog. She was jumping, nipping, not listening and destructive. My grandchildren were frighteNed by her. Now they are able to play with her and life is good! I highly recommend Lara without reservation!

Those who know me know that my entire world is run by two miniature schnauzers…read more Granted, they are cuddly, cute, and have personalities the size of St. Bernards, and because of these reasons (amongst many), they have turned me into one of those crazy dog ladies that swears up and down that I'll never be able to have children because how -- HOW I ASK YOU?! -- could I possibly love anyone or anything more than I love these two creatures? Yes, Harry & Daxter are the fluffy little loves of my life, and boy oh boy, do they know it. It's not that they're bad dogs, really, it's just that they know how to get away with all the bad things that they do. Because, you know, they're cute. And while they have both gone through basic obedience and already knew how to do all the "normal" dog things like, sit, stay, and even high-five (Daxter gives excellent high-fives, FYI), a few commands does not a perfect dog make. And between the barking at every living thing (and sometimes even non-living things -- hello UPS truck) that passes by the house, Harry's penchant for eating my leftovers straight off of the coffee table, and how Daxter literally backs away from me when I say "come," it eventually got to a point where I needed to call in some professional help to turn my pups into more than just cuddly bed buddies. So thank GOODNESS for Lara and For Pup's Sake training! Under Lara's patient tutelage, my dogs now actually know how to go to their "place" before mealtime, and we're working on sending them there when folks come to the door as well. Their recall is better, they're generally more obedient, and, heck, better mannered, too! After all, a tired pup is generally a well-behaved pup, and with Lara's training these boys definitely get a mental work out. Lara comes and works with you in your home, so your dogs are learning in their environment, and gives you all the tools to continue the training when she's not there in person to guide you through it. We've worked on everything from leash-training to place-training to perfecting their patience and willpower with variations of the leave-it command I didn't even know existed. Beyond that, Lara truly cares about your dogs and wants to make sure they're set up for success from the get-go. My boys still have a bit of a way to go before they're truly the perfect pets (and I have a LONG way to go before I'm the perfect owner, hehe), but I'm so happy to have Lara and For Pup's Sake leading the way there.

If you have a special needs dog, there is not another daycare on the Southside like it. I have a…read morevery anxious dog. They go through a meet and greet process every single time he comes. No other day care in the area (we have been to most) cares about the special need dogs. The just deem your dog non compat (because they don't have the training, supplies, or staffing) and send you away. If you want the best, you want this location Dogtopia! A Quality, caring staff for your precious fur babies.

Pit bulls are allowed at these facilities, are not kept separate from other animals, and one…read moreattacked and injured my much smaller dog. Staff at first claimed my dog mounted the pit bull, which I have never seen him do to any dog or anything, then later corrected themselves and said he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time... at pick up they started telling me "when this usually happens..." indicating it's a repeated occurrence at this facility. Absolutely unacceptable.

Laura is the absolute best! She did virtual training with my dog during Covid and somehow managed…read moreto teach her a full set of tricks and obedience training through a computer. She's always responsive and two years later - she still is always available for any questions I might have. Highly recommend!

I cannot recommend Laura enough. Laura truly understand dog psychology and behavior and uses a…read morepositive reinforcement, force-free approach informed by science. Aside from just training and obedience, Laura helps dog owners better understand *why* their dog is behaving a certain way. You might be thinking that positive reinforcement-only training can't work if your dog is reactive or past the puppy stage, but Laura is proof that if a trainer is equipped with the proper knowledge, skills, and patience it can! Our 6 month old lab rescue gets very overly excited by dogs and people and started jumping - Laura was quickly able to reinforce calm greetings. We leave each session seeing immediate results and with the skills to keep building on what we've worked on. Plus, our dog absolutely loves her :).

While I did not have a bad impression of the facility it was without a trainer at this time, my…read morewhole reason for looking. I also did not realize how indoctrinated places like this are with requiring vaccination of your pet for attendance. And then continual repeat vaccination for certain things. With all that has been unearthed about the contents of the vaccines and the side effects you would think there would be some flexibility or exemption for the owner's beliefs. This facility is not the only one I looked at and this requirement was standard in the others as well. I chose an individual pet sitter instead.

We recently visited the kennel in May of 2024 and was impressed with the layout, and running space…read morefor dogs. We planned on a 4 hours dog assessment for future daycare and boarding but was turned away because they required annual dog flu shots. The initial flu shots are spaced at 2-4 weeks. We did not know if this requirement until the day of dog assessment day. Therefore, off to the vet to get additional shots before my dog can stay. Disappointed!

Jennifer has been a huge help with my very active, anxious pup over the 3 years I've had her! I can…read morehonestly say without her encouragement and guidance through some tough times, Molly would have been returned to the shelter. So a million thanks, Jennifer!!!!

PLEASE... Donate and let's help this WONDERFUL group of animal loving folks save and take great…read morecare of our beloved animals who are lost and need their help! Best dog rescue organization I've ever seen! Thank you :-)

Wyatt is terrific and the positive reinforcement training is top notch. We got a rescue dog that…read morehad a few issues and Wyatt is working with us - retraining both the dog and the people - for a better life. Really appreciate the great information he imparts and the calm, effective training he's doing with me and the dog. We've already seen improvement after only a few sessions. He explains that our job is to get the dog to "want to do what you want them to do." We accomplish this through lots of love and positive reinforcement. Kuddos Wyatt!

Thank you Wyatt for helping us with our 4 legged big baby. At 125 pounds, it's so important that…read moreour girl is socialized, obedient, and a good canine citizen. You're training for our pup as well as our family has been invaluable.