This crew... where do I start? Shasta and her team have been walking our dogs since they were…read moremonths 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.

I'm so pleased to be able to update this review from 2010. How time flies!…read more 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.

Fabi is one of THEE best trainers in The Bay. She is super accommodating with your schedule, my…read moreBelgian Malinois LOVES her so much and loves the training work Fabi does with her. Every time I get her back from doggy daycare or from long weekend boarding she comes back with a great demeanor and in great spirits. I also love all the videos and photos I get while I'm gone. Constant updates and communication is incredible and I know Luna is in amazing hands while in traveling. If she can handle multiple Malinois at the same time, you know she's a dog whisperer.

Leaving my dogs behind when I travel used to give me so much anxiety. Durk and Simba are my babies,…read moreand the thought of them being somewhere unfamiliar always made it hard to enjoy my time away. That all changed when I found Fabiola. From the very first visit, I could tell Fabiola genuinely loves what she does. She treats Durk and Simba like they're her own. She takes the time to get to know their personalities, makes sure they feel comfortable, and gives them the love and attention they're used to at home. What truly sets Fabiola apart is her constant communication and care. While I'm away, she sends me updates and pictures of my boys having fun, playing, and training--it seriously brings me so much peace. Knowing they're not just being "watched" but actually thriving in her care makes all the difference. Durk and Simba get to socialize with other dogs, which they love, and Fabiola makes sure they're engaged, active, and mentally stimulated throughout their stay. She continues their training while they're with her, and it shows when they come home--they're happy, calm, and well-behaved. Fabiola doesn't just board dogs. She creates a safe, fun, and loving environment where dogs feel like they're part of her family. I'm so incredibly grateful for her. Thanks to her, I can travel with peace of mind knowing my fur babies are in the best hands possible. If you're looking for someone who will love and care for your dogs like you do, Fabiola is the one. I can't recommend her enough.

Victoria is super friendly and attentive with our corgi! Her flexible schedule has made it easy for…read moreus. I happened to have been out of town and my husband starts work early so the off leash walking times worked well to give our pup a potty break and run some energy out. I was originally hesitant since we never did offleash but he seems to enjoy it!

To say that working with Victoria has significantly changed our lives for the better would not be…read morean overstatement. Our pup Pluto started walks with Victoria at about 18 months. He is a sweet, high energy dog but with his energy levels, he can be a lot. He also has a lot of anxieties and in particular has anxiety around people touching his neck, which can make it hard for people he doesn't know well to take his leash on and off. And he struggled with this and the busy environment of a daycare. As soon as Pluto started walks with Victoria, she was extremely patient and he took to her immediately. The leash issue only took a couple walks to get over, and he is ecstatic with his walks and pack. He goes on walks multiple days a week when we are at the office all day, and it is such a relief knowing that he is in a safe environment getting his energy out with his friends. Victoria is fantastic. She truly loves her pups and sends pics every time they go out on a walk. She also is extremely reliable and they go out every walk rain or shine. She also approaches everything in partnership. Instead of presenting anything that comes up as a problem, she presents them as an opportunity to work together and find a solution. We feel so fortunate to have met and work with Victoria.

I'm so happy I found Merika and the Citi Hikes team for over 4 years by now - she is a great…read morecarrier and I know I can rely on Merika always to give the care with love . Timely informing updates , plus keeping my place clean! Merika is also taking cool pictures of my cat (one is attached I recommend Citi Hikes to take a reliable personal care of your pet

Super responsive and attentive to our pets needs. Highly recommend! Merika and the team are very…read moreknowledgeable and deeply care about our pets needs. The only people we trust when we're away on vacation.

I came to Judge as a last ditch effort in trying to train my dogs after trying a couple of…read moredifferent trainers in the Bay Area. I initially came to him to see if he could board & train my dog, Soju, but within 30 seconds of meeting Soju he could already tell he would not be a good fit for board & train due to his bad aggression and recommended the 12x12 training; which made me appreciate his honesty and prioritization in safety. We are now in the group training and I cannot fully express how grateful I am to see the immense turnaround I see in Soju (as well as the other dogs we've been in class with!). We've gone from avoiding other dogs on our walks and walking across the street to actively looking for dogs for Soju to walk next to and see him not react at all when passing by. While we are still working on some behaviors, it's been a night & day difference. Judge is honest in his work and you can tell he is truly passionate about training you AND your fur best friend. He takes the time to learn each dogs' unique personality and quirks and tailors the training to their needs. I am forever grateful to have found Judge and little Soju loves saying hi to his new friend every week :)

Amazing training from Judge! The individual and group training classes have given both my dog Rio…read moreand I the confidence we need for her to work on her reactivity and challenging behaviors. We have the foundation we need to keep growing and building on what she's learned. Thank you for an awesome experience!

Petra Reynolds has dog sat and trained our 12 year old chihuahua, Mole' since she was a pup. Over…read morethe years her work has turned our dog from a shy, timid dog into a confident, friendly, responsive dog. When we go on vacation, Petra takes Mole' into her home and treats as if she were her dog. For dog training, dog sitting and dog walking, there is noone better! Helane Zeiger

Silvie and I just completed a 5-session dog training and Vicki definitely has a gift. When we…read moreattended our first training, Silvie was already excited to make a new friend and eager to learn. I adopted Silvie, a Taiwanese Formosan Mountain dog and Labrador mix a couple of months ago...she came with some basic training courtesy of Adopt a Doggie http://www.adoptadoggie.org but needed additional training with staying (duration), walking (she gets too excited to focus and pulls, jerks from side-to-side) and learning to leave things on the kitchen counter. Vicki is wonderful in answering questions and making recommendations if something isn't working. I learned the proper way to help Silvie with her training such as the difference between using the command 'stay', 'wait' , 'settle, to 'leave it' and respond immediately when calling her name. And in order to get Silvie to focus on our walks is to use a higher reward treat (a yummier item) and eventually she will walk on a loose leash. Basically, what it comes down to is constant training and time and eventually Silvie will be on her way. Silvie and i both learned a lot and greatful for the sessions and will most likely continue with other sessions. Thank you Vicki!

Vicki is amazing and understands how to correctly train even the most stubborn of breeds…read more Vicki and Braveheart Dog Training was a recommendation from our vet. Beginning with great habits while they are puppies is optimal. We went from puppy class to intermediate clicker training to getting Nikkou CGC (Canine Good Citizen) trained! Shiba Inu's are known for their willful personalities but Nikkou loved Vicki and would complete each request for her. She taught ME how to gain the skill and the command so that behavior was kept over time. Owner skill and mood really does travel down the leash so ensure YOU are ready not just the dog. Plus, I have seen her take older or "problem" dogs and teach them socialization and great behavior. This is a MUST for owners who want to be out in public with their animal. Not just to learn how they are to behave but how to react when the other animal (okay mostly owners) that has no manners! Thanks Vicki for being a great part of Nikkou's development!!

This review is on the owner Tania. I've never taken a…read moreclass. My Pup Senta! (IG Senta_the_weimaraner) was booked for a photo shoot for Norton Life Lock. The shoot required a professional Handler and expert on set for Senta's protection and well being. Senta! and I were paired by and amazing photographer Michelle Russ from Hilarious Hounds who booked Senta!. I met Tania and was impressed. Her professionalism, thoughtfulness and attention to Senta's well being was above reproach. Senta! took to Tania immediately. Tania's constant attention to detail, not only to the shoot schedule but Senta's interactions with the other "talent" was on point. Tania's care to explain to others on set how to approach, interact and proper human to service Dog interaction kept Senta! overly chill and settled through the entire process ensuring maximum return for the client. I can highly recommend Tania for your needs too. Please note Senta! is very well trained but that being said the over stimulation of a photo shoot/Comercial environment is daunting even to the seasoned professional let alone an animal. Feel free to reach out to me if you'd need additional information. Please see attached photos.

Tania is nice however, given the fact that I paid almost $200 for an initial consultation I do not…read morefeel as though I received any real guidance or clarity on the issues I am having with my dog. Most of what she shared was no different from what you can find with a quick google search on the internet.