I'm so pleased to be able to update this review from 2010. How time flies! Our dear Penny whom Shasta helped us with back then passed away in 2015. We started working with Shasta again in 2017 when we got our new pup, a border collie rescue. He came to us emaciated and poorly socialized, needing love and positive experiences to bring him out of his shell. Shasta gave us much-needed training advice, and from there her staff started walking Hugo on group walks, which he's done once a week since 2018. He enjoys these walks so much; they provide wonderful socialization experiences. All the treats and training in the world can get a dog so far, but a strong adult with a great pack really helps with confidence-building and calm. Hugo walks with Toni, who send us pictures of him each week with his crew. I can tell that Hugo is happy with Toni and his pack: as we release him to the car (to maintain social distancing), our pup who usually does not like to leave my side will happy run down the stairs to greet him and hop in the car! Shasta also runs Puptown for boarding. We've only needed this service once, but having been in there and knowing Shasta for so many years, I know that this would be a great resource as well. It has been a pleasure seeing Shasta grow this business for over a decade, and watch it continue to provide the same excellent service it did in the beginning. If you need training support, especially with difficult dogs, a weekly walking group, or more, Bow Wow is a great choice. Review from 2010 I love Shasta. She has walked our dog for well over a year. She been amazing. We have worked with four dog walking companies, and Shasta is a cut above. As a handler, Shasta knows dogs and dog behavior. We switched to her when we were having some behavioral problems with our dog at home, especially after walks. Shasta worked closely with Penny and we've seen huge improvements in her behavior. Last year our dog needed surgery; Shasta worked with us on her rehab, and continues to be conservative with her play to ensure that she stays strong. As a business person, Shasta has been great. She handled our initial interview, paperwork, and invoicing professionally. We LOVE her daily dog walk "reports"--these little report cards let us know how our dog was feeling, what she did, and (sorry for the detail) even if and how she pooped! Who could ask for more? Our dog loves Shasta, responds well to her, and behaves well at home after a walk with her. That's what matters most. read more

Bow Wow Ventures - Hugo happy on a walk with Toni. - Dog Walkers Near Me

This crew... where do I start? Shasta and her team have been walking our dogs since they were months old. Now they're in their twilight years, we still feel the same. They are a wonderful team that treats these dogs like their furry children. Shasta and her team have been awesome, helping to transform these loving, high energy dogs to obedient and happily exercised ones. One of our dogs is socially awkward -- he's gotten kicked out of almost every doggy day care in the East Bay. o_O The off-leash hikes are must haves for them and our backyard - you should've seen what these two did before we hired Bow Wow Ventures! They're worth every penny. I'm not kidding when I say our dogs love them. When they hear the truck coming, they're raring to go. And they're the only ones we call when we need to board them. I cannot recommend them enough. read more

We can't recommend Shasta and her walkers more highly. They've walked our dogs for years, but we have a Special Girl who's very nervous around other dogs who hasn't been walking with the group for long. We took the dogs for a walk to Pt Isabel on Sunday. It's always been a stressful thing -- Clementine would want to be there so badly, but no matter what, she would whine and pull and worry about every dog that came up to her. But on Sunday? Somehow, we took a perfect dog to the dog park. She met and greeted happily ALL THE DOGS. Wag, wag, sniff, and away we'd walk. Another dog got screwy with her, and she just ignored him. She was calm for the entire walk, and it was like a miracle. All we could do was look at each other and say, "DO YOU SEE THAT?" It was wonderful. Keith and Angie seem to have fixed her brain. Is that possible? It has to be! It's a non-Christmas miracle! (Also, today we got home to find that Clara had gotten into the trash (again), and either Keith or Angie had swept it up for us. That's just above and beyond the call of duty. They're amazing.) read more

Bow Wow Ventures continues to be my company's #1 dog walking and boarding company to refer to folks when, for some reason, we can't help them or feel like they're a better fit. Recently one of our walkers had a family emergency and was suddenly unavailable to take care of a very high-energy German short haired pointer over a weekend. I emailed Shasta and told her the situation and they helped us (and the client) by taking great care of the GSP girl. The clients raved about the great care their dog received, just as do many other people I've referred to Bow Wow Ventures. I see Shasta and her crew on trails regularly and they are not the dog walkers you might see on their cell phone or standing with a coffee in hand chatting up other walkers. They're hustling their pack up the trails, often with a harder-to-manage dog or two on leash--the rest off leash. (I hope other walkers would say the same of me and my handlers.) BWV also does in-home boarding and training. I highly recommend this team. read more

My wife and I recently asked Shasta to watch our pit bull, Mickey, for a week. When we got her back, the transformation was nothing short of fantastic. Before Mickey went into Shasta's care, we were working to train her, but were having trouble (we're not experts in dog training, by any stretch of the imagination). It's not that we didn't care, or didn't try, we just weren't very good at it. Shasta took care of that like a champ - in an extremely capable and professional manner. Daily progress reports and pictures, updates and excellent care... we wouldn't think of taking our dog to anybody else. Her prices are really reasonable, as well. To us, there is nobody else in the world of dog care and boarding. If you find yourself in need of dog boarding, training, or walking services, you'd be wise to call Shasta, and foolish to go anywhere else. Seriously. read more

Shasta has been a godsend for our pups, Cosita and Joe. Cosi used to be totally agro-punk, beating up on her homies for no good reason, and killing skunks in our backyard just to tick us off. But then Shasta came along, and now she's the goofiest, sweetest girl there has ever been. Cosi, not Shasta. So, when we adopted Joe as a puppy, we knew exactly into whose hands we needed to entrust him. He is growing up to be a wonderful dog. He's hyper as hell, but that's not Shasta's fault. He's a puppy. And puppies have energy. Much more energy than their old, decrepit parents. Anyway, Shasta has always been wonderful about not just training our dogs, but training us. She will take as much time as needed to make sure that you are thoroughly competent and confident in the techniques needed to train your pup. She makes sure that you create a bond with your dog, so that they don't just look at her as the boss. To make a long story short: Shasta has a magic touch with the pups in her care. She has turned a family on the verge of giving up into one close-knit group. Shasta is Aces. read more

Bow Wow Ventures - Cosi in Shasta's care. - Dog Walkers Near Me

Full disclosure: this review is based on a consultation only, and not with the boarding/walking service itself as I have no experience with that. I'm trying to find a holiday boarding situation for Brea, my super lover-bug pit mix. After a bit of phone tag, Shasta called to tell me that she had no availability for the dates I needed. In 99% of all cases the call would have ended right there, but she spent a good 30-40 minutes on the phone with me pointing me to other resources and giving me advice on how to find a reliable sitter and a good fit. That is well above and beyond the call of duty, especially for someone who isn't even your customer yet! She is clearly devoted to her trade and has great insights about what matters most when your doggie is in the care of someone else. I wouldn't hesitate to contact her for my future boarding needs based on this refreshingly wonderful first impression. Thanks, Shasta! read more

Being new to the Bay Area, the most important thing is finding a dog sitter for my dogs. After trying a few places I'm happy to say I found my girls a second home. Shasta made me feel so comfortable leaving my dogs with her. And getting pictures and texts with updates each day made my day. The best part was coming back and seeing that my dogs were completely happy and comfortable with Shasta, her home and family. Not only that but they got a few good lessons and I got some too. Overall win win and I feel completely comfortable to go on vacation now that my dogs have a 2nd home and someone who will care for them the same as I would. Thank you!!! read more

Bow Wow Ventures - She feels right at home. - Dog Walkers Near Me

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I have nothing but GREAT things to say about Shasta and Bow Wow Ventures. Our pup, Ryder, started walking with Shasta almost 2.5 years ago when he was 7 months old and it was quite possibly the best decision we ever made for him. Ryder is able to hike off-leash with us and has great doggy social skills. He LOVES Shasta and really enjoys all of the other pups he gets to play with on his hikes. Shasta's love for dogs is very apparent and she is always willing to provide training or advice when needed. If you are looking for a dog walker in San Leandro, look no further - you've found the best there is. read more

I've used Bow Wow for overnight boarding and I cannot recommend them enough. My dog (Timmy) is my life and I don't leave him with just anyone! Shasta was reliable, responsive, trustworthy and most importantly, she made our dog feel comfortable and safe. Not only did Timmy have a great time at her home, Shasta took him for a long hike. I know this because she took a picture of him and sent a full update so I wouldn't worry. She really put my nerves at ease. I know Timmy will be excited to visit Shasta and her team again, and I love that I can feel confident that he's safe and having a great time. read more

Shasta and Bow Wow Ventures have been an amazing service to us and our dogs. Our first dog was part of Raul and Teresa's pack and coming from a shelter beginning he really blossomed and became less anxious and much better socialized. I accompanied him on a couple of the walks and witnessed just how much Raul really runs the dogs up and down the trails. Maki was always very tired on his Bow Wow days which was nice and allowed us to go out to dinner guilt free on Fridays. He had some separation anxiety and Shasta was incredibly helpful with advice. When we adopted our current crazy boy, Helix, it didn't happen on the time schedule that we had planned and we ended up bringing him home a week before we had a 5-day post xmas vacation, uh oh. Shasta was more than willing to accept him sight unseen for boarding and gave us a great report of all of his quirks and pointers for his behavioral improvement. He now is a twice-a-week regular and Shasta continues to help us with his socialization. Shasta is way more than just someone who you pay to tucker out your dog a couple times a week. She's really an investment! I'm constantly worrying about our pup and I leave a lot of little notes and emails. She is very prompt to reply and address my concerns. I'm always impressed with how generous she is with her advice and knowledge. She truly cares about your dog and your dog-human relationship rather than it just being a business. I really love that Helix comes home with a report card with a little blurb about how his day was, who he played with, and how he's doing with his "needs-improvement" areas. We been a client for almost two years and I still look forward to reading about his day everytime :) read more

Shasta and her highly trained and expertly vetted team are the real deal for walking and boarding. We've been 2+ walks a week clients of other dog walking services and came to Shasta last fall. Wish we had done so a lot sooner since Bow Wow Ventures provides the best hands-on training, and trustworthy and friendly walkers we've had in 10 years. We also appreciate her high standards, obsession with personal service and attention to detail. This is evident in the care they take with the dogs and their follow up: writing creative, individual dog logs, emails, pictures and facebook posts. It's like being on the walk or in training with them. This team is truly passionate about working with dogs and creating experiences that nurture growth, activity, social and behavioral skills, and happiness. Thanks to Bow Wow Ventures we have the sweetest dog in the world, of all time, even in fiction. read more

Shasta and her walkers are seriously as good as it gets! My husband and I were hesitant when trying to find a dog walker. Our Puggle lead with her nose and has taken off on us before. The walkers have worked with her on her recall and after several trips to Point Isabel, we have restored our faith that she can be an off leash dog. I owe this all to Shasta and her team. We also love using Bow Wow Ventures to board our dog, We can spend our vacations not worrying about our dog's well being. Shasta has always been more than accommodating with our needs and schedule, taking our dog in while we had our daughter. It was a relief to know that she was in great hands and was one less thing to worry about. Our dog loves her hike so much, she almost bounds out the door when her walker comes to get her. I've even caught her waiting by the door on a Saturday. She was sad to learn it wasn't a hike day. Please, do your dog a favor! Give Bow Wow Ventures a go. You won't regret it! read more

Shasta and the team at Bow Wow Ventures are the best! Ajax walks with Theresa and Raul 3 days a week and LOVES it. They provide not only an outlet to release some of his pent up energy, but also a great reinforcement for his training. I look forward to reading his report card after each walk. Raul and Teresa have offered great advice when we've had frustrations with Ajax's behavior and has helped us sort out approaches that we may not have considered. Raul has a true gift...he is a like a Jedi Master of dogs. Whenever we travel Ajax boards with Raul and Teresa and comes home such a gentlemen. They take very good care of the dogs and I sometimes think he may actually be a little disappointed to come home. I'm grateful for finding them and feels as though they are part of our extended family. I highly recommend them for walking, training and boarding. read more

I first came across Shasta when I was taking my two dogs (one 7 year old and one 7 month old) to Chabot (frisbee) park. I saw her working with a German Shepherd and its humans, and I saw right away that she had an excellent manner with both dog and human. About an hour later, done with my dog hike, I came back down the hill and she was still working with them. In fact, she asked me to come over with my two dogs, to go through some exercises for the German Shepherd. I was really impressed - what I really liked was how thoughtful she was in her way of correcting both dog and human. She never makes you feel defensive or stupid. I asked for her card. Well, Shasta has been nothing short of a life-saver. My adopted puppy has some severe shyness and anxiety issues, and I had an upcoming 10 day business trip. The last time I had left the dogs with a caretaker, the puppy got spooked and ran away (thank goodness for micro-chipping), causing me to cut my vacation short and fly home. I had a lot of anxiety about leaving for Spain and properly caring for the puppy. Well, Shasta made all of the difference. We had an evaluation visit, and she took the time to answer all of my questions and get to know Cayenne (the puppy). I left for Spain, with my older dog at my ex-housemate's, and Cayenne with Shasta, and I hoped for the best. The entire time I was in Spain, I was put at ease by the pictures and videos Shasta put up on her Facebook page--I could log in and see Cayenne on the dog walks! That was awesome. And Shasta worked diligently and thoughtfully with Cayenne, learning the puppy's "trigger points" and working to resolve them. When I came home, they had obviously bonded, and I felt so glad that I had entrusted Cayenne to Shasta's care. One thing I want to highlight is that Shasta really takes the time to talk to you and explain everything. She's really easygoing and friendly and so obviously cares about every dog in her care. Since the trips, Shasta has also provided me, my boyfriend, and my older dog ALL training, and also walks both of my dogs. I am SO glad I just happened to run in to her that day at the frisbee park. Cayenne is really on the road to being a well-behaved, content, calm dog and it's all because of Bow Wow Ventures!! read more

Bow Wow Ventures has gone above and beyond to provide dog walking services for my Doxie. We've thrown them curve balls: locked doors with wrong keys, forgetting to leave my canine counterpart at home and they've been understanding and helpful. Shasta runs a trustworthy and reliable operation. Lyla is the absolute best, great energy and graciously deals with my last minute communication. The ladies even leave a little "report card" on the dog's walk. The long walks on trails, the recall training sessions and the love my doxie gets from Bow Wow has motivated me to be a better dog owner- and in turn my dog's behavior and demeanor has improved dramatically. read more

I love my dog Nandi and he loves his twice weekly romps with BowWow Ventures in the Oakland Hills. After 12 years of continuous quality service Shasta and her team never disappoint me or my hound. Louise R read more

Shasta is amazing! I have been working with her for almost 2 years this coming fall. She has truly played a MAJOR role in my dogs transformation.I honestly never thought I would be able meet dogs passing by on trails without being embarrassed of his reaction or even have my dog off leash. Instead of clenching my leash in fear, he now he has learned how to approach and meet/ignore dogs and have some off leash time.She not only trains your dog but trains YOU on how to train your dog. It is a rare thing to find someone so passionate about trade and Shasta truly is a prime example of someone who absolutely loves their job! I could go on and on about Shasta but to sum it up....I HIGHLY recommend everyone to choose BOW WOW VENTURES. They treat you and your pups like family. 5 Paws up from our household! read more

Bow Wow came to the rescue when my pup and I needed extra help in mid-2008. Lucy was having trouble getting along with other dogs. She is an athlete, so she needed the intense exercise you can only get off leash. I was a single dog mom, working full time, so she needed more than just a 1/2 hour lunch leash walk. Bow Wow said "yes" - and succeeded - when other folks could not. The walkers and the pack trained Lucy to control her own energy and play nice. They leave a daily report card, so I can track her progress, and sometimes I receive pictures of the dogs on the trail. Lucy boards with BowWow when I travel. I feel better knowing that she is with people (and dogs) she knows and loves when I am away. Raul, Teresa and Shasta have also spent extra time with me, training me to be a better doggie mama. Bottom line: My dog is happy and healthy and I have peace of mind. read more

If you like your dog, and you want it to be well cared for, you will let Shasta and her crew take care of your pup. I have utilized Shasta's services for training, walking and boarding. In all aspects she is an amazing professional and compassionate person. I needed to learn how to manage my under socialized pitbull. Other dog walkers wouldn't work with us, I could see that they couldn't handle my dog any better than I could. But Shasta never saw a problem she couldn't solve. She immediately gave me instruction on how to improve my behavior and my dogs. Then she created a program where my dog and I got to practice in a safe and structured environment. Now...I have the best dog around. My dog and I love to run into Shasta on the trail and show off what we've learned with her guidance. Shasta's always got her pack under control, and her dogs always look like they're having fun. read more

We heard about Shasta and Bow Wow Ventures from a friend originally to get some help training our dog, Buddy. Not only did Shasta help us learn better ways to work with Buddy, Bow Wow Ventures is now handling weekly dog walks and boarding while we are away. Buddy LOVES his friends at Bow Wow Ventures! read more

Shasta, Jackie and Steven are amazing! We've done training and boarding with Shasta who is super talented and has been a life saver with our one year old rescue GSD (honestly training us more than him!) Jackie and Steven take him on walks three times a week and have been a huge help with his socialization. Plus they really give him a workout! They are honest, reliable and most importantly, they really care about Jake. We have full confidence in Bow Wow Ventures and recommend them whenever we can! read more

Shasta is a miracle worker. I was at a loss with my dog a year ago, our lives were miserable because the pup was so out of control. Within a few months of working with Shasta our dog was listening and finally not behaving in a way that was dangerous both to her and others. Bow Wow has changed our lives! Every day now I take my dog on a walk and it's so fun and easy, we're really grateful to Shasta for bringing the joy back into being dog parents. read more

You know how you watch someone give an acceptance speech and they say " I owe it all to....."? Well for me and dog care it's Shasta at Bow Wow Ventures. When I was looking for hands on experience to further my own dog care goals Shasta provided it by training me as an off leash dog handler for her. So folks this review is from the inside looking out not from the customer perspective. Shasta has all the qualities you need when trusting your dog kid with another. She is calm, cool, smart, caring, experienced , and one of those few who really, and I mean really, understands dog language. I always knew she was in total control of the pack, kept them safe and provided a fun experience. She always shared her knowledge with me, her customers and anyone who asked. She was honest with her customers and handlers and consistent with the dog kids. Off leash dogs walks have inherent hazards and can be dangerous. Do your homework before you trust them with others. I have experienced situations with other dog handlers that frankly are scary and I would not trust my dog with them. You can trust them with Shasta. read more

Shasta is wonderful and has boarded my dog several times over the past 3 years. He always comes back relaxed and happy so I know he had a good time. She even offers pick up and drop off service, which is extremely helpful. I am a stress case about travel but I don't have to worry about my dog at all when Shasta has him. read more

We've been customers of Shasta's for many years now and are very satisfied with the service. The walkers are all great with the dogs, and work with them on behavior issues. Our dogs are always super exhausted when they return from a walk. We also use them for boarding. Bow Wow Ventures is reliable and friendly. read more

Shasta is amazing! Shasta is very flexible and willing to work with anyone's schedule and always does what is best for the dogs, which is not always what is best for her. She always has the client and dogs interests first. She takes the time to teach you about your dog and how to train them. She is very knowledgeable and I highly recommend her for dog walks, training, or boarding. read more

Shasta and her team are the best! I've used dog walkers all over the east bay and peninsula, and I'm so happy to be back in Bow Wow walking territory. They love my dogs; they get to know their weird quirky little personalities, they put up with their naughtiness, and they celebrate all the small victories! Nothing makes me happier than coming home from a long day at work to find exhausted sleeping dogs. Being out with the pack builds my dogs' confidence and trust, it gives them much more time to socialise, and the Bow Wow team works to set boundaries and reinforce positive behaviours. Every dog owner should have a dog walker, ideally at Bow Wow Ventures :) read more

This is the first (and likely last) Yelp review I've written. Only Shasta and her wonderful work at Bow Wow Ventures makes it worth it! I'll keep it short. Since moving to Oakland in 2008, Shasta has been a tremendous support for my dog, Asia. She is highly professional, incredibly nice, and a true lover of dogs. I feel 100% safe when Asia is with her and her team at Bow Wow Ventures, both on hikes and overnight boarding. She takes extremely good care of my dog and is 100% professional in every aspect of her business. Bow Wow Ventures has a quality that no other dog care business I researched had: flexibility. Every other place I contacted demanded that Asia have a consistent weekly schedule, which did not work for my work schedule. Bow Wow, in the other hand, was fine with flexible dates and times. They are the most accommodating service out there. I give Bow Wow Ventures my highest possible recommendation. Give Shasta a call today! read more