When I first reached out to Tommy, I was in a pretty dark place with my 3-year-old English Bulldog…read more His behavior had taken a serious turn--aggression, constant overstimulation, and a total breakdown in how we communicated. I was heartbroken and honestly starting to feel like I'd failed him. What Tommy brought into our home was a complete shift in perspective. He didn't just train the dogs--he taught us how to create structure, set clear expectations, and restore calm. After just the first session, our house felt noticeably different. The tension was gone, the barking and toy-fighting stopped, and even our older dogs--who had been keeping their distance--seemed relieved. What really makes Tommy stand out is the continued support. He's incredibly responsive, provides real tools and a step-by-step plan, and genuinely checks in on your progress. The Lifetime Guarantee is a huge comfort--knowing we have ongoing access to help if new issues arise takes so much pressure off. We're still working through things, but the difference already feels like night and day. I can't recommend Tommy highly enough--he gave us back peace and hope.

Can't speak highly enough of Tommy Meyerhoeffer! After one in-person session, and a few follow-up…read morecheck-ins, our cute GSD mix Penny is so much calmer and actually listens to me for a change! Penny lived on the streets for a bit before we adopted her - she is very sweet and affectionate but also very stubborn, and a scavenger on walks, grabbing any bit of food off the sidewalk and lunging at squirrels. She also hated our living room television and would act up in the weirdest ways when it was on -- jumping up on counters and the nightstands in our bedroom, knocking lamps and anything else in the way of her 83-pound body to the ground. Tommy taught us how to address these disruptive behaviors with patience and kindness (trust me, yelling does not work!). We practice every day, and our lovely girl has evolved into a happier, sweeter pup and the chaos at home and on walks has virtually stopped. Tommy's love for all animals is undeniable which makes working with him all the more special. You know he truly cares and wants the best for your dog and for you! I highly recommend Tommy to anyone who wants to address behavioral issues with their dog.

Dog Tranquility and it's owner Colleen Dermott have truly been life savers for our family. Over…read moremany years and multiple dog training experiences, I can honestly say that our experience with Dog Tranquility and Colleen is the best we have ever had. She is very passionate about what she does and cares very much about customers and their pets alike. We have adopted dogs for years but two of our current pups were getting along so badly that they were having fights that drew blood. Since we adopt for life, giving one or both up was not an option. Colleen worked closely with our dogs and educated us as owners to address the issues. It was not easy but within only a couple of sessions Colleen had our dogs starting to peacefully interact and over time they have now become good friends. On the rare occasion when we have an issue, we now know how best to address both in the heat of the moment and afterwards to bring the two back together. I am hoping to continue working with Colleen to focus on additional basic obedience and training and to continue to address some lingering behavioral issues. I don't write a ton of reviews, preferring to only write when I have extraordinary experiences and this is one such case. I highly recommend Dog Tranquility; Colleen's experience and training far exceeds usual obedience & training options and the outcomes have been far more meaningful & longer lasting than other options we have tried.

We went to our first group class today. It was only a puppy socialization but it was supervised by…read moretwo trainers who helped our puppies play safely. I know I will go back for more of these group classes and I will keep you posted if I try either the group basic training or private lessons.

Lisa is great! Very calm and knowledgeable! She worked wonders with our high energy pup!read more

Lisa is awesome. She really understands how dogs think and she has great insight into their…read moremotivations. She was able to help us overcome a difficult house-training situation by providing strategies that really work, and she did this in a single session. I was impressed.

Brandi & Perry were amazing! Highly recommend working with them…read more We adopted a one year old mixed breed, Tuck, a few months ago. He's very sweet but started to get rambunctious to the point that my remote work felt challenging. He also started jumping or freezing when he saw other dogs on walks, and he occasionally barked or growled and men. We weren't sure if it was the start of aggressive behavior or just the result of a shelter dog that hasn't been exposed. After doing our research, we decided to do the 3 week behavior modification board and train program. We were really impressed from beginning to end. They shared a ton of information upfront, walked us through their facility (we opted to drop him off) and sent pictures and updates every evening. It became clear right away that they both have a very deep understanding of dogs, as well as a real respect and love for them. Tuck loved them! The best part was the "transition" day when Perry brought Tuck back and spent the day teaching us everything they've worked on together. We are first time dog owners so generally going in pretty blind. Perry gave us a 101 on dogs and the importance of clear and consistent communication. He talked through all of the layers of training and how/why it is effective. We felt this part was SO helpful for us to understand how to be better owners. Then we walked Tuck around the neighborhood with Perry guiding us and then spent time addressing indoor behaviors too. He was flexible and stayed until we felt comfortable with everything. This is a long review so the TLDR: finding a trainer is a big decision and investment so we wanted to get it right. Brandi & Perry were really incredible and beyond our expectations!! Truly worth every penny! Tuck has been doing really great at home and outside since being home. I've been able to work full days with him holding "place" on his cot, which would have been unheard of before!

We couldn't be more thrilled with our experience at Ridgeside K9 in Winchester, VA! We signed up…read moreour Labradoodle, Theo, with Ridgeside K9 with high hopes that they could get us back on track, and Kenny and Sarah Foster absolutely delivered beyond our expectations. From the very first interaction, Kenny and Sarah were professional, warm, and genuinely passionate about what they do. They took the time to understand the pain points that we were experiencing with our new puppy, Theo's personality and tailored their approach to fit him perfectly. I was overseas on vacation, but they shared the progress and transformation pictures and updates every day. Theo is more confident, focused, and responsive than ever. What really impressed me with Ridgeside K9 apart is the care and dedication that Kenny and Sarah brought to the 3-week transformation and the dedicated work with him. It was easy to tell this isn't just a job for them -- they truly love working with dogs and it shows in the results. Theo came home happy, well-behaved, and I could tell during the 2 hour turnover session that Theo had clearly bonded with his trainers. If you're in the Winchester and surrounding area and looking for exceptional dog training, look no further than Ridgeside K9. Ask for Kenny and Sarah -- you and your pup won't be disappointed!

Long post but please read the whole thing…read more My husband and I hired Mark because our dog was aggressive towards strangers. He was very responsive and we set up our first meeting for a Sunday. When I got home from work the Friday prior Marks card was on our door. I assumed he was just scouting the location. On Sunday 15 minutes after our appointment time he wasn't there and I called and left a voicemail. 30 minutes after our appointment time I called and left a voicemail. He returned my call a few moments later and said there was a mix up he thought the appointment was Friday when he left the card. It was odd since he did not call me that day but we agreed that people make mistakes and to give it another try. He was very reluctant to meet us after business hours and preferred daily appointments. This was rough since we both worked but the first week I had two sessions with him at lunch time. My husband couldn't be at these and he needed to learn about it also so we scheduled another Sunday appointment. Again 15 minutes past the appointment time he didn't show up and I left a voicemail. 45 minutes past the appointment time I called and left another voicemail. He called back 2 minutes after our appointment would have been over and said he was running late but it was too late now to do another appointment and would have to reschedule. My husband called him back and explained that he needs to respect our time since we respect his. He promised it would not happen again and that if he was running late he would call us prior to our appointment time. He then PROMPTLY cashed the $500 check we wrote him on the first training appointment day which we understood wouldn't happen until all 6 training sessions were finished. Regardless the next few sessions went well he called in a timely manner when he was going to be late. Our dog started to realize that we were in charge and his aggression died down quickly. The last day of our training was supposed to be the test and we were going to a dog park to prove he learned what he was supposed to. 15 minutes past the appointment time we left a voicemail. 30 minutes after the appointment time we asked him to call and reschedule. It has now been THREE days and he has not returned the call. We were shorted one appointment but honestly I wouldn't want to work with him anymore anyway. Nothing he taught us was extraordinary and having to keep track of him was not worth it. It is a bad business practice and we are out the money. I WOULD NOT recommend him.

Our recently adopted (newly neutered) 2 yr old pug was a huge problem on leash: always pulling,…read moredistracted, chasing after squirrels, cars, everything. He was also rather aggressive to other dogs, trying to dominate them. In the beginning, I had wanted to make sure he got plenty of exercise, but my inability to manage his behavior was not making it easy for us to take long walks, and I felt bad that my lack of skill was keeping him indoors so much. Stress! We wanted to take him to some group training classes, but none were starting at the time and we needed help quickly. I checked out yelp and found Mark, who had very good reviews. I called him, told him about our situation and he was very interested in helping us. We had a good, long conversation, where he offered his thoughts about why our dog was behaving that way, and what we could do now to alleviate some problems. We met a few days later. It was obvious Mark had good energy because our dog, who gets overexcited with any newcomer, seemed to relax very quickly when Mark arrived. Mark observed me and my dog and saw that the dog, though he listened, was rather reluctant to listen and act, and this was a problem. I am a first-time dog owner and so I didn't think it was strange that our dog would lazily respond to my commands. Mark showed me how to get the dog to respond enthusiastically, what kinds of incentives to use, how to adjust my voice and petting. We moved outdoors to work on the leash. Mark showed me some techniques to get our dog to Heel, which worked rather well. Mark gave me other hints and tips to work on outdoors. We all were working very hard and felt like we accomplished something! We had another lesson with Mark, who taught us some new commands, which our dog seemed to pick up quickly. We worked outdoors again, our biggest challenge, and Mark again showed us techniques to keep our dog in check. What I found interesting in these sessions is that Mark is training the owner more than the dog. Mark showed me how to be a stronger leader, whom my dog would respect and follow. I have learned a lot and my dog obeys me more enthusiastically, though we have some way to go. But I definitely feel Mark gave us great tools to mold our dog into a great companion. Mark is very interested in giving you what you want in the lessons. He is a good listener and freely offers lots of comments and advice. He encourages you to call him outside the lesson when you need additional help. He really cares about your dog and wants to inspire the dog to listen to your commands. Overall, Mark is great and I would recommend him wholeheartedly.

Jennifer is a godsend! We went to another trainer and he made us feel like we were at a lost cause…read morewith our Goldendoodle, Winnie, who began developing aggressive and reactive behaviors over a span of a year. Through our initial consultation, Jennifer provided a positive, reinforcing way to assist us with training utilizing science, animal and human behaviorism with tons of analogies in between! She has a warm personality and I felt at ease with her. She really loves and understands dogs, and was very open minded! We decided to add another puppy to our family and setup another private training session with her after we realized that Winnie was having trouble adjusting to our Sheepadoodle, Linus. Jennifer helped us reading their body language and put them into situations where they would understand and respect each other. We also received homework which we worked on diligently, and now they're literally best friends! I was only hoping to have them co-exist with each other, but I'm so happy that they're getting along. I would highly recommend Jennifer and her team at Lead With Fun, as they really do understand dogs! They also have a variety of different classes as well outside of private training.

I've taken several group classes with Jennifer and had her over for individual sessions. She is…read morevery generous with her time and my dog has a blast with her! She's also really respectful of people who are immunocompromised, offering to wear a mask so I could still participate in group classes. I truly appreciate her kindness and thoughtfulness!

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

April was great! Really helped us with our new rescue! 10/10!!!! Super sweet and knowledgeable…read more.. definitely recommend!

This was just the experience I want for my dog…read more James is awesome. He's so attentive to what you need or want from your dog. My dog, Koa is a year old Belgian Malinois but unfortunately was not trained. She was rehomed to me. I desperately needed obedience training. James shared pictures and videos with me of the whole journey since I lived 3 1/2 hours away. I had no reservations about leaving her with him. I doubt she wanted to leave him to come home! This will probably not be the only training she will get from James. He's very open to this being a great experience for you and your dog. I highly recommend him for any training you need for your dog.

My husband and I can't say enough good things about Controlled K9! We recently adopted a two year…read moreold German Shepherd who was well behaved in the house but a true terror to walk on leash (pulling and severe reactivity towards other dogs). Controlled K9 came to our home to evaluate her and recommended a four week board and train to work on basic obedience, leash manners, and off leash recall. We loved that she was taken in as a member of the family during her "boarding school," and they provided regular photos and updates on her progress throughout. She returned to us her same happy, sweet self in the house, but basically a new dog on leash! The Controlled K9 team trained us on how to continue her training, and remained super responsive to our follow up questions. It's incredible to see the transformation and we're so grateful to the Controlled K9 team for changing our lives - and Zoey's - for the better!

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

Employees when I called to inquire about services gave conflicting information about their…read moreservices. What was relayed does not match Dogtopia policy. There is no "free" meet and greet and stay per the employees. The "stay" is mandatory and charged after per the employee when the larger Dogtopia company said that was complimentary. Not worth my money to take off work to do a temperament meeting and then forced to have a "stay" before a trip to test things out.

We need a pet sitter for our two dogs for our holiday vacation and found Gabriela (owner) and her…read moreBurke Centre Pet Sitting company on line. We contacted her through email and got a quick response and she did a very thorough and complete consult to ensure our needs were met by her and her team. We met a few days before our departure which was day after Christmas. Within two days of our consult, one of our dogs became ill and had to be hospitalized during Christmas Eve due to reaction to a pain medication and was discharged Christmas Day. We contemplated canceling our vacation but didn't and relied on Gabriela and her team to take care of our dog while she recovered (slowly). She needed medications, extra attention, as well as taking care of another dog while we were away for 5 days. We almost canceled our trip but glad we didn't as Burke Center Pet Sitting took care of our fukids and helped our sick one recover during our absence. They communicated every day, checked in our dogs multiple times a day, dispensed medications, and cleaned up after a sick dog. Within the first day we were confident we made the right decision. I can go on about how great Burke Centre Pet Sitting is but the simplest way to put it is we put in their hands a dog that was hospitalized Christmas Eve and they were able to take care of her and make us comfortable to enjoy our vacation. I can't give any testimony better than that. If you are looking for a local (Fairfax/Burke area), professional, and caring Pet Sitting service Gabriela and Burke Centre Pet Sitting is the way to go. I'm so glad I found this company because we'll be a loyal customer for life.

Wonderful locally owned small businesses with a kind and compassionate owner!!! Heads and tails…read moreabove any "app"