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

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!

My friend suggested I take my dog to Blue Ridge Dog Training Club for some classes. He was a…read moreshelter dog that had a lot of issues and problems that needed to be worked through. All of the instructors were great at giving me ideas and working with me to help him over come most of his problems. I guess it is like PTSD he may never get over all of his issues, but he is now a happy well behaved dog. He seldom reacts to other dogs and men now. You would never know he was the same dog that I brought to the first class! I would highly recommend anyone take their dog to Blue Ridge for training!

This place is awesome... we moved from San Diego to Virginia and our golden turned 12 years old…read moretoday. She was used to us going to Fiesta Island on weekends and paddle boarding and swimming her little heart out. We haven't heard her whimper for joy in the last year since having our baby. This was such a sweet way to celebrate her 12th birthday and have. Whole hour dedicated to her. They say there's a 7 to 1 rule with dogs: one hour to us is 7 hours to them since they have such a shorter lifespan. We absolutely will come more often hoping she has a lovely rest of her time here on this side of heaven with us!

Our boy, Remy, loves this place! As he excitedly burst through the door in the morning, the staff…read morealways welcomes him by name, and when we pick him up, he is thoroughly played out. The pool is always a great treat, and it's relaxing to know he's having fun while I'm working.

Tim Cline who owns Dog Watch of Winchester is one of the most conscientious business contractors I…read morehave ever had the pleasure of working with. We had our system installed 6 years ago and we could not be happier with the system or the service we have received from Tim over the years. He has a very happy personality and is very knowledgeable about the systems he installs and also has about the same knowledgeable about other inferior systems if you have questions regarding comparisons. The reason I am writing this review today is we had the alarm go off indicating a problem. Text messaged him Wednesday evening and he was here at 11:00 AM Thursday and had the problem diagnosed in Five minutes and had it fixed Ten minutes later. It appears that the landscapers must have hit a box containing electrical devices on the side of the house and knocked a wire off something inside it. Over the years I have had Tim just stop by and see us when he is in the neighborhood just to talk to us and to see how things are and to see our dogs. He has such a good report with dogs and both my Rottweilers just love him. Initially my dogs didn't respect the fence with the normal collar that is sold with the system. Well Tim custom designed special collars for my two that included extra contacts that go up the side of their throats so now they each have four contacts that make contact under their chin on the chest neck area and up further. I TELL YOU THEY RESPECT THE BOUNDARY LINES NOW. Our landscapers over the years have had a habit of not remembering where the underground wires are buried and have cut through them when edging the yard. I immediately call Tim and he is always here either the same or next day to ensure our dogs are kept contained. He sells a very good product and is much less expensive than some of his competition. The reason I know that is because I got different price quotes from them all prior to choosing Dog Watch. Collar Batteries are good for 2 years, so you don't have to always remember to get one monthly or get on a monthly battery plan like other systems. They also sell a newer system now that actually sends messages to your cellular phone if there is a problem. I think it sends messages for other things too but I'm not certain what all it does. I think it is a stronger signal also that handles more determined dogs who think they can break through. I can't say enough good things about Tim Cline and his Dog Watch business. He takes pride in what he sells and how he handles his customers. I really enjoy talking to him when he is here. Please tell him you called him because of my review so he will know I referred you. PS: I read a review on Google that some woman posted about 5 years ago that she should really consider taking down which affected his rating here on google. It appears from the review she called him complaining there was something wrong with her fence and ultimately discovered when he arrived that it was not the fence but a smoke detector near the equipment that was installed in the house. She commented that he charged a service call fee for driving out to her home to determine what was happening which I know from my past dealing with him is simply $45.00. She bitched claiming he had the gall to charge her a service fee. Now why wouldn't you expect to pay a fee for a service call especially when nothing was wrong with what he had installed. This woman was mad because of that. She is damn lucky it wasn't a $125.00 like Lowes, Sears, Home Depot, and other companies charge to come to your house just to diagnose a problem prior to actually fixing it. I've come to realize that some people would complain if they had a tit in both hands. Instead of maybe just cutting her review a star she busted his reputation by giving him just one star. You can read my reviews and I am honest with everyone I have written and deliver exactly what is deserved. Dog Watch of Winchester is a highly professional company and Tim Cline is one of the best service providers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. If anyone wants to see how a system works, I have given Tim permission to bring perspective clients to my home for a demonstration. Tim if you read this review, please be aware that we appreciate everything you have done for us and our two Rottweilers. Mark Anderson

I cannot begin to tell you how satisfied we have been with Tim and his team. They came when they…read moresaid they would; they returned when they said they would; and they thoroughly explained the system to us. We have 6 dogs of varying sizes and they set and adjusted the collars appropriately. We nicknamed one of our dogs "The Escape Artist" because she would find any way to run, paying no attention to the invisible fence we had at our old property. Tracking her down was both a chore and a half and a cause for worry. Now, we just open the door and let her run. She stays within the perimeter that Dogwatch created. She used to strain at the leash when a car drove by; now she basically ignores them other than a few barks as they go by. The dog is happy, she even seems more spry, and we have peace of mind. This system works and the folks who installed clearly know what they are doing and they love dogs. John C

I am pleased to write a 5 star review on Strategic Paws as they are the go to place in the…read moreimmediate area for dog boarding. I know what I'm talking about because at one point in my life I was the owner of a pet care center and had interest in a veterinarian hospital located at our facility. I know dogs and all about proper care. Connie and her staff offer such a comfortable atmosphere for the dogs to live in while staying there. I especially like the constant hands on approach they use with their operation. They also live on the property allowing for monitoring of what is going on when they are not in the pet boarding areas by use of CCTV camera's which they monitor from their home just a few feet away. The accommodations are easy on the eyes and are kept spotless. My wife and I have two very large dogs (over 125 lbs. each) and the living quarters they were each given consist of both inside and outside areas which afforded them plenty of space. In addition the dogs are supervised when being taken outside to a 2 acre nicely maintained area which is fenced by what appears to be a 12 foot fence which is plenty secure for any dog to run without fear of an accidental escape. All the staff are pleasant to meet and talk with. You feel as though you are at a home away from home and you are given that assurance that your pet is certainly in good hands. Be advised that they are a small business and at this time only are caring for 11 accommodations. If you want a reservation you will need to schedule as far in advance as possible. The safety of all are taken into consideration which requires absolute proof of proper vaccinations prior to allowing your pet to enter. Your pet is also required to be parasite free. Training is no longer offered. I was fortunate to be able to train there 2 years ago but their attention is now focused solely on the care of boarding and exercising pets. Easy access off Rt 11 South just South of Kernstown and North of Stephens City. No offense odors and I'm told they use aromatherapy with the pets. Connie took photographs of both our dogs while they were there and texted them to us with updates as to how they were getting along during their stay which gave us relief and allowed us to enjoy our vacation more knowing the dogs were happy and enjoying themselves. A happy reunion when we picked them up and it was apparent that they had been taken good care of and were happy. If you are in need of someone you can trust with your dog and don't want to open your house to a pet sitter I encourage you to consider entertaining patronizing Strategic Paws. We are glad we did!

Connie has been a life saver for my dogs Charlie and Emmy. Shes given a lot of great training…read moreideas, and I continue to see progress in Charlie every week. Training with Connie weekly is also great, as we have a plan, we have homework, and it keeps me accountable for continuing to train my dogs. I'm so glad that I found Connie, and I would recommend her to everyone!

We just recently hired Scott to work with us and the pooch we rescued in January. Our dog is a…read moreHusky mix, and is a little over 4 years old. While basically a good dog in many respects, Riggins displays anxiety and shuts down during walks, which manifested in his past as fear aggression. This is not something we had dealt with with our previous pets, and knew that we needed to ensure against any kind of dangerous situation. We understood when we adopted Riggins we'd need to work with him on these ingrained bad habits. Shortly after we adopted him, we tried out group training sessions. It was clear the group training was for working on basic stuff, a lot of which our dog already knew. We felt the best option was to go with 1-1 training. And so glad we did. It was worth every penny. Scott gave us the tools to work with Riggins, as well as manage our expectations and learn how to deal with a variety of situations. We signed up for five training sessions with Scott, and as others mentioned in their reviews, the training started as soon as Scott entered the house. He made an immediate connection with Riggins and so amazing to see how the dog just snapped to attention for him. Such a great talent to have. Basically Scott told us we need to completely reprogram our dog. We're continuing to work on that, and probably will for the foreseeable future. But there's been a definite improvement in the way we deal with Riggins, and I see daily 'baby step' progress on walks. We've also been bike riding with Riggins, which he seems to enjoy and is great at draining his energy. The bike rides also ensure that the dog is following me, I'm in the lead and have control over the situation. So thanks to Scott for his help. We may well call him again for a tune-up, but for right now, we're putting his recommendations in place and are seeing a difference.

My fiance and I are new dog owners. We had only been relying on online puppy training videos to…read morehouse break our 8 week old goldendoodle pup, but still needed some more in-person guidance. I researched many different dog trainers in my area and ultimately decided to contact Scott. We first spoke over the phone to see if the training would be a good fit. He asked me what my goals were and then explained what his style of training was. We booked a double day session for 2 hours and it was intense, but so helpful, educational, and so rewarding! Our puppy's nipping has really lessened and she definitely is paying more attention than before. Scott taught us various ways to walk a dog and the importance of keeping them safe in different environments. He also gave us great insight on the dogs' point of view which really helped us understand our puppy's behavior more. Scott made sure my fiance and I were highly involved with the training and it helped boost our confidence for when we'd continue training our puppy on our own. Although the training already made a big difference, Scott also reminded us that our puppy is still so young and that we need to remain realistic and patient. The reassurance, constructive criticism, and encouragement created a very positive environment for the session. I am overall very impressed! Thank you so much, Scott!

If you live in the northern Virginia area and you're looking for an amazing dog trainer...look no…read morefurther! I was so nervous to take our sweet pup Kip to a dog trainer, but I'm so glad we did. Kip has some fear aggression with men and after reading all of Bridget's reviews, I thought she ma be the perfect fit for Kip. Immediately upon arriving to our private session, she was calm and sweet with Kip. Within 15 minutes into the session, he was responding to commands from her such as sit, down and leave it! We had a two hour private session and I can honestly say I saw a huge difference in Kip just after the one session. He seems to have more confidence, is listening to my commands when he becomes nervous and seems happier! She only uses positive training methods...which was a must for us. She trains using treats, eye contact and positive reinforcement! We will be going back for her elementary manners class in a few weeks and I am sooo excited to see the progress Kip will continue to make! Like I have told so many people already..she is like a dog angel! Thanks Bridget!

We had a wonderful first session with our greyhound puppy and learned a lot about how to start off…read moreon the right foot with his training. Bridget introduced us to topics such as crate training, products, and books that were extremely helpful. The most important concept we left with was learning about the timing of positive reinforcement. Thank you!

Carly is hands down the most efficient and effective dog trainer I have had contact with. I had…read morepreviously used two other training facilities in Winchester, but was not impressed with their training methods and the training outcome. Thank goodness I found Carly. I love her setup to board and train dogs; she lives in a rural area and it is perfect to train dogs on distractions such as wildlife, etc. My Willow, a lab mix 1 yr old, had no manners at home. She was not pleasant to be around because she lacked impulse control and was generally in your face all the time, jumping, counter surfing, was not good on a leash so walking was very unpleasant. Carly worked magic with Willow. I initially did individual lessons, and then decided to do the 3 week board and train. I brought Willow home just yesterday, and she is a different dog. She is more laid back, listens to commands, walks perfectly on a leash, and knows "place" so well. Carly's availability to answer questions once I got home is quick and on point. She is extremely responsive to questions and concerns. Just because the formal training is over, does not mean Carly isn't available for follow up questions on any issues that may arise at home with Willow that needs addressing. I highly recommend Carly as a trainer for any dog with any issues, whether it just be normal behavior issues or more intense issues with aggression, etc.

Kelia was the most amazing trainer for me and my dog. He was an anxious, dog reactive guy, and it…read moreaffected every part of how and when we interacted with the world. Since he's worked with her over the five-week training period, he's made a complete 180. Now we're able to walk around the city and not have him bark at every dog we see on the street. I want to point out that because my dog is innately anxious, it affects his physical state too with eating and other issues. Kelia shared that she used to be a vet tech and made me feel the most comfortable and confident with helping me set up a plan for when he might have an episode due to the transition and what all would take place to ensure he would be okay, loved, and healthy. Long story short, she cared for him for the days he was struggling, kept me updated, and he came out of it because she was purposeful, knowledgeable, and more than capable to handle the situation. I can't recommend Kelia enough for anyone seeking support and/or confidence in how they can better work with, love, and respect their dog. Bonus, she's genuinely such a joy of a human being!

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!

They shaved my puppy to the skin! There was absolutely no reason except maybe laziness. his nails…read morewere no trimmed. Terrible experience.

This is the only place to take your pets you don't have to worry about them while they are getting…read moregroomed they are the best all around always so nice and very caring towards all animals and the staff is the best I give it 10 stars always