Super friendly and experienced staff. Great place! Very clean. Sofie is amazing, but honestly everybody here is great.

After trying other trainers, I was finally able to get a handle on my super reactive little Chi-mix. Sophia was patient and knowledgeable and we were able to make tremendous progress with my little problem guy. I was given guidance tailored specifically to the issues I was having with Milo. I highly recommend! I was able to interact with other staff members as well and the vibe was perfect. read more

**Update- my puppy came home with quite a good amount of energy left. They respond quickly and fabulously to email (since I'm constantly emailing them ) and they informed me that due to my pups age he plays for 45 minutes, goes on a walk, then gets crated to rest for an hour. Idk about you but I'm not paying for my dog to be crated....so at first I was not satisfied with thus answer. However, I do believe they are knowledgeable and my pup seemed happy and safe and most importantly NOT overwhelmed or stressed. So still no real issues. Just keep this in mind when you drop off your dog for a whole day!** So far I have 0 issues here! I am very picky of leaving my new fur baby with strangers, and also very aware of the horror stories surrounding places like boarding, PetSmart, etc for leaving your puppy. The rates here are reasonable. The environment is clean, seems very well run, free consultation went really well despite my weariness to trust just anyone with my baby (10 week old mini goldendoodle). Customer service is prompt via email- in person they are profes I will keep this review updated! As of now Finley is playing with another puppy his age ( they are both first timers) with a supervisor watching....after today we will decide if we enroll for 6week puppy training! read more

this place is great! the staff are wonderful and flexible and the dog trainers are top notch.

I boarded my dog here for 8 days during the Thanksgiving holiday. My dog is almost 8 years old and has never been boarded in a facility. When I took her in all seemed fine and the facility appeared to be clean and well run. People were friendly, etc. so I felt okay about leaving here there. I figured she'd enjoy playing with other animals a few times a day. When I picked up my dog, she looked like she'd lost weight and she didn't really respond to me. That's unusual because she always gets excited to see me when I've been gone during the day or for a few days. I thought maybe she didn't eat like she usually does because she was in a strange environment. Fast forward 2 weeks later and my dog starts sneezing regularly and having hacking cough fits at night and throughout the day. I got really scared because she's never done anything like that before. I thought maybe it was allergies because she does have seasonal allergies to pollen, but it's December, so that didn't make sense. Since things weren't improving, I decided to take her to a vet emergency practice to make sure whatever she had wasn't serious. Turns out, she appears to have gotten Kennel Cough (bacterial infection). I was told by the vet that it's not unusual for dogs to get KC when boarded and I should contact the facility to ask them if they had any reports of this bacteria in the past few weeks. I did call them and they told me that they had not. Whether that's true or not, I can't say, but my dog has not been exposed to any other dogs since she's been back these past two weeks, so it appears the only way she would have gotten it was through exposure at the boarding facility. Aside from the expense, I am very worried that this infection doesn't get worse. She's on antibiotics now, but she's still hacking, although not as much. I don't want to disparage this business. I'm sure they do what they can to avoid problems for the dogs, but I'm not sure how meticulous they are. I will say that I was told I would get regular updates online in the portal and frankly, I did not. When I did get an update, they said the same thing from the previous update so it was hard to tell if anything was amiss. Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Doggy care, like child care, is not always perfect. We do the best we can to find a place that will love and care for our pets like we would, but realistically, things will happen and it doesn't necessarily mean that the place is bad. I'm just not happy that my dog appears to have gotten an infection that is known to spread in boarding facilities which makes me wonder how meticulous they are at cleaning the spaces and also ensuring that dogs that are boarded have the requisite vaccines to avoid the spread of dangerous bacteria. read more

Both my dogs love this place!! Every person I've met is very welcoming and genuinely pleasant. Easy to book and flexible with my busy schedule. read more

I've been hesitant to write this update, but I decided that I would've wanted to see a review like this when I was doing my research, so here it goes. We did 1 week of drop off training, and about 8 days of puppy socialization. It's worth noting that this was all completed during Phase 1 & Phase 2 of Virginia's Covid-19 reopening plan. The first day, I called to let them know we were outside, vaccination papers in hand, ready to go. My pup went in no problem, but because I was a little overwhelmed (the place is next to a very busy road + masks = difficult to hear), I didn't hand them my vaccination papers. I should've known it was a big red flag that they didn't ask for them. I reached out and emailed them over anyway. Throughout the week, I got exactly 0 communication about what she was learning. Even a short report when picking her up would've been helpful so I could at least be aware of what she was learning. I guess that part doesn't really matter at the end of the day, we did get the wrap-up lesson with me, pup, and the trainer. As time went on, I saw even more red flags. Once, I pulled up and a staff member was smoking a cigarette and walking a dog. I don't care at all if anyone smokes, but I want it very far away from my dog. I was taken aback that it would be allowed or even considered by staff members. Another strike. Then, I was picking up my dog a few times, and there is one particular staff member who absolutely yanks my dog so hard because she gets excited to see me. I get that they want her to comply with & be consistent about her training, but she yanked my dog so hard she fell onto her back, then blamed it on my dog. Unacceptable in my opinion. Overall, their attitudes towards me and my dog were stale. They consistently made comments about how she misses me during the day ("Yeah, I get it [name], you miss your mom all the time"), and said it with such disdain that it really disheartened me both as an owner and as a client. There would also be times where I was waiting outside and calling them to come grab her (Covid restrictions in place called for this) for upwards of 10-15 minutes. Then, as soon as we would switch leashes, my dog would be very visibly upset and cry for me--not quite the attitude I would want to see from her, especially considering she does NOT do this at the vet, which has the same drop-off procedures, but they have staff that love my dog & care for her in a very compassionate way. I can appreciate that maybe they were disorganized because of Covid restrictions. But I cannot get past the way they treated me, my puppy, and I suppose other dogs in their care. At the end of the day, I did like our trainer and she was the best part of this whole experience. My puppy has stellar leash manners & a great framework has been set for her so I can keep training for her success. Unfortunately, I felt like I had no other option with my dog's training/socialization, as her socialization window was coming to an end and there were little to no other options available for her during restrictions. However, I think if I could do it all again, I would choose a different place. I hope other people have very different, much more positive experiences. read more

We had a great experience with Dogs Downtown and Sophia. Our Cavapoo puppy was biting a lot and generally not very well behaved. We did a consult with Sophia to describe the issues and decided on the two week board and train since we live in DC. We checked in as we got close to the end of week one and Sophia told us Cooper had made tremendous progress and wasn't sure he needed the second week. We really missed him so we picked him up and she was right! Our puppy is so much calmer and well behaved after just one week. We plan to keep up our training with and may do another board and train as he gets older. We highly recommend Dogs Downtown and Sophia. read more

Dogs Downtown - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

Originally I was hesitant because the first staff member I encountered was really awkward, not really dog friendly so I wasnt sure I wanted to bring him. I picked this place because i moved away from my original dog boarder which is now over an hour away from me and this one is only 15 mins. Decided to try for one day and seemed to go well. The next staff member I encountered was so nice and made me feel comfortable saying they all wished my dog was staying longer and they liked him. Had him stay a weekend and he came back with what I'm pretty sure is kennel cough (Vet appt will confirm later). Vomitted his food, keeps hacking every couple minutes, shivering, can't get comfortable, hasn't slept more than 30 mins at a time. I know kennel cough can happen at dog boarders but I've been taking him to my previous dog kennel for 7 years and this is the first time he's ever been sick. Not sure if this speaks to their cleanliness or not but just won't be taking my dog back because of this. I feel so bad with how sick he is :( read more

Cliff at Dogs Downtown is fantastic. You would be hard pressed to find someone with more experience and knowledge then him. Over 20 years of training dogs...Service dogs, Working Dogs, Pets, everything. Highly recommend. read more

My sister and I are currently collecting black dogs and we were struggling with our pack. Our immediate need was to help break my youngest dog Guster of his people reactivity. We did a google search for doggie day school and wanted to find a place where he'd have multiple trainers to help him with his issue. We booked the free evaluation and Leah was patient with him and converted him to her friend within 20 minutes. This quick win with positive results made me confident to sign Guster up for their two week board and train program. Guster is a Frenchie and we were concerned about sending him to a non air conditioned place. Scott was drafted as our trainer. As we pondered our pack issues, we ultimately decided to send three out of four of our dogs for training with Scott. He helped our dog Wilma become more relaxed and less nervous. He's currently working with my middle dog (Snowflake) who has been stuck in the flight or fight mindset for quite sometime. Scott focuses on the individual dog and their specific issues, and listens to your concerns as a dog owner. We have a lot more work to do, to continue to reinforce the training foundation that Scott has set up. But, we are thrilled with the initial results and hopeful that we will keep seeing improvements. We recommend Scott, Alexa and all the staff at Dog's Downtown. We are also happy we found an all inclusive dog boarding/daycare facility with and outdoor yard. read more

Dogs Downtown - Guster practicing his down stay at home! - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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I gave the facility 2 stars only because they took my pup at the last minute . I was hopeful for a better experience but sadly was disappointed. After leaving my pup their for 5 days due to me being a 24 hour in home care provider I needed the help with a new client put on my schedule. I called every day checking on him. On Monday I called that morning to check to see how his food was doing and him they told me he was great and actually one of the staff favorite . Later that afternoon I got a email asking to sign forms for if anything happened to my pup while staying there which I understand these forms need to be signed but 20 minutes after signing them I got a call about sores on my dogs face which he definitely didn't have when I called the morning of or the day before nor did he arrive in such manner. They then sent me photos of the sores which looked like he was kicked in the face once I actually picked him up the following day shortening his stay. The young man at the reception tried to say it was from him chewing his bone which was not true Not only when I picked him up was i charged for a wellness check that they should've been responsible for since it happened in their care. But my pup whose only 2 years old friendly, loving and has never been sick came back with a bad cough. I then took him to my own vet that confirmed he had kennel cough and that wherever he had been sleeping was not being probably sanitized. I feel it is my fault that I didn't do deeper research into this place before bringing him here. The young man referred my dog as a rescue dog on too many occasions while speaking that Monday it raised much concern for me which is why I cut his boarding short. I've had my pup since he was 6 weeks old he is not aggressive and can be a bit needy with wanting attention but overall loving and given love at all times. In regards to finding somewhere for your dog to board when you go out of town I would not recommend them at all. read more

Dogs Downtown - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

I sent my dog here for three weeks for board and train. We had an awful experience. I had a set list of goals for my dog (knowing that of course they wouldn't all be met or be perfect at all) and he became even more reactive when I got him back than when I took him. When I showed up to pick him up, our trainer said that she would show me the skills he had worked on and when he looked completely clueless as to what she was saying and actually did the wrong behaviors when she said the cue words, she told me he was just stubborn and that he knew what to do which wasn't convincing. We were promised three in-home follow up visits and only got one. After about a month of having a hard time adjusting once I got him back, we were told by our trainer that my dog and I were not a good fit and that I should consider looking for a different home for him. I reached out more times in the next month or two for more follow-up visits and never got any responses. My dog's trainer also had him using a prong collar and shock collar at the same time which made me uncomfortable. Overall, it was a ton of money spent for a negative and detrimental experience. Would not recommend. read more

We could not be more pleased with our training experience at Dogs Downtown --- particularly Sophia. We recently adopted a 4-year old Golden Retriever who had little training. She resisted going on a walk and when she did, she either pulled constantly, or stopped part way through the walk and wanted to go home. We were almost ready to give up, but after doing some research online, we discovered the positive Yelp reviews for Dogs Downtown. We made an appointment with Sophia where she patiently listened to our training objectives and offered options to address our needs. After several in person lessons with Sophia at their facility followed by training by us at home, our Golden has been transformed. She walks on a loose lease, sits and waits on command and will come running from across our yard when called (with a treat and praise to follow). Again, Sophia is simply the best. She made such a difference in the behavior of our Golden, we cannot thank her enough and highly recommend Dogs Downtown. read more

We did a two week board & train program so this review is detailed with all the great support our baby got! We adopted a 2 y.o mixed breed rescue officially in mid-feb after fostering for about a month. We knew we wanted to do training and actually had signed on with another training facility closer to our home in Falls Church but needed to change plans due to a last minute trip out of town. If we were going to board for a full week, we really wanted our pup to get some enrichment (and bonus that we were going to get her training anyways) instead of being cooped up for a week somewhere. I found Dog's Downtown online when googling local Board & Trains. We had a great initial consultation, felt comfortable with them & our dog, and we were fortunate they had space to take her on while we were going to be out of town. We still weren't sure if our dog would need 1 week or 2 week B&T so we agreed to go in on the 2 week program and call it at 1 week if she needed a break, was getting stressed out, or any other reason. Our dog Joey is a really good dog -- unlike other fosters we've card for, she has no serious obedience issues, no issues with aggression or leash reactivity, etc -- so our goal was mastery of basic obedience training. Our trainer, Alexa, really wanted to emphasize we can't guarantee if our dog will learn or catch on, and our dog it a slow learner, so our expectations weren't high, but for the B&T rates I was going to be happy with basic obedience skills. We received updates usually every other day -- pictures, videos, and emails from the staff. They were responsive to any emails or calls we made to them. We had a check-in call with the trainer at the one week mark and we received the good news that our dog was catching on to the training and that she would benefit from another week of training to reinforce/master. The second weeks is when Joey really made progress in her training so while we really missed having her at home, it was totally worth it. We picked her up at the two week mark and had a 90 min session with our trainer to learn the commands Joey had learned. I was nervous about reinforcing her training as well as she had learned it from Alexa, but we caught on easily with Alexa's help. Despite our slow learning pup and metered expectations, she mastered all the basic obedience and then some (sit, stay, down, come, leave it, place/mat, loose leash walking, wait, touch, etc). Joey's training met and exceeded all of our expectations. We were very pleased with her obedience training at the session, but since we've been home with her for 2 weeks we've gotten to see how well she took to the training and how engrained it is for her now. I was glad to see that she hasn't regressed or gotten complacent since she left the facility. We are very glad we chose Dogs Downtown and had Alexa as our trainer. You could tell Alexa and staff cared for our pup as a sweet family member and not just a job. We had a great connection with Alexa and think she was the perfect trainer to maximize the potential of our sweet Joey pup. We would love to come join the group sessions or their day care but our dog gets really car sick and the drive to Chantilly from Falls Church is too much for her. We will use Dogs Downtown for future boarding needs and maybe throw in some mini trainings! read more

My golden-doodle puppy is a bit of a handful and a little stubborn but since we have started working with Alexa she has shown tremendous progress. Alexa listens to our concerns and immediately starts to think about workable solutions that fit our family's environment. Our pup came back from a week of excellent boarding and training a better version of herself. Highly recommend! read more

Dogs Downtown - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

Sophia I did not use any tactic to get the price lowered you called me on the phone and told me that I would be at the $55 rate because I was a return customer,the new employee that you referring to is Sheppard who was there since September when we started training. we boarded our dog in December so I hardly consider that a new employee and he fully agreed with me on the phone regarding the price, he was only following policy.According to David my dog was not special needs he said the dog was very trainable and not aggressive.This was the flyer that I received after I picked my dog up after boot camp,the revised flyer was shown to me after we picked up our dog the second time.By the way when I was reading your reply the person that was riding with me in the car when you called heard our entire conversation on speaker and will back me up on what you stated. read more

Dogs Downtown - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

5 Stars with out a question for this business and my master trainer, Leah. Since the day we walked into this business and meeting Leah, my husband and I knew we had made the right decision. Leah went above and beyond to find us a service dog to match our needs. Our pup is now 8 months old and we can not believe how mi j we have learned from Leah. If you are looking for a dog trainer, or even just a great place for a dog play time, this is your place. Clean and reputable. Very grateful to have found Leah!!! read more

My daughter is working with Sofia to train her new lab puppy to be a medical alert dog. Sophia is patient and gentle when explaining her lessons for the week. We frequently take our puppy in for playtime and she comes home a happy tired puppy! I would high recommend the company!!! I posted the original review two years ago and things have changed at Dogs Downtown. It has taken on even more wonderful staff and expanded to offer even more services! My daughter is almost finished training and feels like she's leaving family behind. I cannot tell you how great they are here and how much of a positive impact they have had on my whole family as we have went through the process of training. In the two years we have been there I have grown fond of ask the staff! read more

If you are looking for a positive dog training experience where anyone has any idea what's going on.... AVOID THIS PLACE! My puppy and I have been to Dogs Downtown for a consultation. Two drop off trainer sessions with owner training at the end. And one week long 'Board and stay'. The consult went fine. The woman who did the consult seemed compassionate and knowledgeable. She took notes on my puppy and the plan for her and I scheduled a training session. The first training visit; the trainer didn't know anything about my puppy, how long the session was for, or what it was for. That was surprising since the consult had been quite thorough. But I filled the trainer in briefly and dropped my dog off for 4 hours. The training session at the end was supposed to be 45 mins. It lasted 18mins. The second training session; a staff member just came and took my puppy off her leash while I was singing in and took her to the back. When I returned after 2 hours. I was told our trainer was out but had not given enough notice for us to be notified. The person that was filling in didn't even introduce themselves to me. They asked if this was our first session! This is after they had spent time training my puppy. They had no information on whether my puppy had even been there before or what training had already taken place. The lesson from the last week had just been repeated. It was outrageous. The manager spoke with me and apologized for the situation and I didn't pay for this session. The board and stay; I spoke with the regular trainer that would be working with my puppy during the stay in advance of drop off so that I knew there was a plan. The trainer was very nice and accommodated our after hours pick up. We did a training session that was 45 mins and that was good. However, I had communicated with the manager in writing that I would like to have the trainer work with my puppy to have her nails trimmed because she was developing a fear. The manager assured me that would get done. On pick up, discovered it was not done. They did it quickly in the waiting room and did a not great job. Exactly what I was trying to avoid. The note that I had left for the trainer never got to the trainer even though front desk said they would pass it along. My puppy also got an eye infection while there. She is now on antibiotic drops. I wrote DD and the manager basically said 'Thank you for your feed back...", that is the risk of boarding, and best of luck. Terrible place! Terrible customer service! Terrible communication! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! read more

10 days of boarding our 1 yr old dog, not a single picture or video sent despite our emailed request. Finally got one picture, no further elaboration or sharing of any details. First time dog boarders, I wouldn't drop your pup off here if you are the type who seeks feedback and follow up. If you're the out of sight out of mind person, this place would be fine. I've gotten better care and responses from folks off Rover than this place. read more

Cliff did an amazing job helping us with our dog reactive rescue. He knows what he is DOJ g and really cares about the dogs, and knows exactly what the dogs need to be successful. I couldn't be more pleased. read more

I brought my dog here for aggression desensitization. After the first assessment they told me it was going to be a long process and that baby steps were key. I started with a few weeks for financial reasons, and ended up loving the results so I kept bringing him back. He went from snapping at any dog that sniffed him, to being able to tolerate having a dog be behind him with NO reaction!!!! They have eliminated so much of my stress and anxiety when going on walks, or even having my dog in the same location as another dog. I highly recommend them. They truly care about the lives of the pet owners as well as the mental health and safety of the dogs! read more

Dogs Downtown - Pet Training Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

I called and left a message multiple times and sent multiple emails and got ignored. The most unprofessional business.

We had a great experience at Dogs Downtown. We took our 9 month old lab puppy to Sophia for training; he had already been to puppy kindergarten elsewhere but needed to work on leash walking (he was getting so big he could almost pull me over!). Dogs Downtown offers a free diagnostic session, after which they'll make recommendations for a training plan and explain their methods. We never felt that they were trying to sell us on more training than was needed, which I very much appreciated. We signed up for 3 sessions and saw very quick results; I can now enjoy taking our dog for a walk, rather than getting dragged down the street. Beyond just leash walking, Sophia was able to identify the root cause of the issue, and showed us exercises and games to work into the training that would help him with patience and impulse control. Sophia took the time to explain her methods and the reasoning behind what we were doing with each activity in training. I would definitely recommend Dogs Downtown! read more

5 Stars because I was thoroughly impressed with my master trainer, Cliff. He was able to successfully work with my recently adopted Pit/mix who had many issues but the most troubling was dog and people aggression. During the process, Cliff became Bella's best bud. I also want to give a thumbs up to the entire staff for their professionalism, enthusiasm and caring attitude. Thanks, Phyllis H read more

I cannot say enough about Dogs Downtown but especially Clifton. Our dog Ace is a loving, sweet, affectionate young pup but we were struggling with how to help him be a better greeter to guests, take walks, and harness his endless energy. After much searching, I had a consultation with Clifton & he told us in five sessions he thought he could help us with Ace. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first but my gosh was I wrong. After just two sessions, we saw INCREDIBLE improvements with Ace - he walked in heel, listened to our commands of off, leave it, and quiet...and was all around an absolute joy to have at home. We just finished our fifth training session today and we have gained not only a ton of knowledge but also the confidence and tools to continuing working with Ace. I cannot thank Clifton enough -- he is a truly incredible trainer! I cannot recommend him enough! He bonded with Ace and we cannot wait to continue our training journey! read more

I've worked with Cliff for around 3 months now to train my German Shepherd as a service dog for anxiety, depression, and some issues relating to concussions. From day 1 Cliff was and is professional when he had to be but also incredibly personable. His knowledge of how to train a dog seems to just keep on growing. Any issue that comes up I know Cliff will have an answer. My dog is about 6 months old and she is already better trained than some of my friend's dogs who have been in training off and on for years. The staff at Dogs Downtown is polite, knowledgable, and will go out of their way to make your life easier. I cannot recommend Dogs Downtown enough read more

I'm pretty sure my dog was abused at this place while boarding. When I contacted the manager Leigha, I listed the reasons for my concern and her response (without investigating) was that I had to apply logic to the situation. Here's the logic I expressed to Leigha prior to her statement. My dog is 12.5 years old, has been boarded his whole life and has never expressed anxiety. He has also been left home alone all day his entire life. In the weeks since his most recent boarding he hides in his bed on high alert all day where he used to sleep and look out the window. He also began scratching his face bloody with anxiety and I had to buy a cone for him to wear. I have cameras in my house and verify this behavior daily (pics attached if this site allows posting them). Do I know he was abused? No, I never will. Do I suspect he was? Yes. Was this suspicion made stronger by the manager's response and unwillingness to investigate? Absolutely. I'm not one to accuse and hopefully this doesn't sound like I am, though be very wary of this place and their manager's lack of willingness to investigate a serious allegation. read more

An amazing place!! My dog isn't fans of other dogs! And within 3 sessions I saw a huge improvement!! The trainers are amazing!! And just all the employees there are just soooo nice! They care sooo much about your dog whether it's for training or for boarding/playtime! (Your dog will be soo excited to go! once getting use to going!) And they are willing to help if money is an issue! I'd say they got great bundles! I would totally recommend it to anyone!! read more

This place is awesome! I brought my 5 year old rescue collie-husky in a couple months ago because he was very insecure and started to act aggressively towards other dogs soon after I got him. Since then, he has become way more confident, relaxed, and responsive to commands. I even felt comfortable enough to bring Reggie (my dog) to meet my 11 month old nephew and he could not have behaved better than he did. I recommend anyone that works there as far as training your dog (and you), but I have worked the most with Clif and I can't say enough good things about him. He is very serious and passionate about working with dogs but is also very easy to get along with and communicates how to train, raise, and love your dog. Reggie gets happy and excited when we pull into the parking lot and even more so when he sees Clif! read more

I've been working with Dogs Downtown for several months now - and I couldn't say more positive things about them - they are great! Sophia is a complete natural with dogs - and has gone above and beyond with training! Not only do I have a well-mannered/behaved Puli, but I also have a great Service dog-in-training! Sophia - keep up the great work and can't wait for the Open House tomorrow - the new facility is AMAZING! read more

This place has a really good program for obtaining and training service dogs--it's very unusual. They sell trained dogs that have been getting ready to be service dogs and match them with people needing such dogs. Then they train the person and the dog together to make a team. This is a very unusual but greatly needed program. I don't think there are any other programs like this in the metro area. While we didn't end up buying one of their service-dogs-in-training, they were very helpful and I would recommend checking this place out. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Dog's Downtown! My husband and I rescued our one year old pup (German shepherd, terrier, bulldog mix) in June of this year. Her backstory was unclear but was thought to have been kept chained up, potentially abused. She was sweet as can be when we met her and with us however we soon realized she had definite issues with strangers and other dogs and would become extremely reactive when out on walks and difficult to control. She also of course needed obedience work. Initially we signed up for training via the local pet store but it became apparent that wouldn't be enough for our girl and we began researching other options. I found Dog's Downtown online and signed up for a consult session. We met with David and Ivy barked at him for a solid 45 minutes, wouldn't let him near her and it was only towards the end of the hour that she would run forward to gobble up a treat he tossed her then quickly retreat away. David was completely honest with us and said he didn't know if he would be able to help us but he was willing to work with her if we were committed. Three months later we have a completely dog. Ivy LOVES going to Dog's Downtown and we go there not only for training but also for playtime. We completed 8 sessions with David and she knows all her commands plus a few simple tricks we've taught her at home. She is SO much better on walks and no longer barks at people, we still have some issue with other dogs on leash but she's easier to correct and we hope with more time this behavior will be eliminated and we also know that she's not reacting aggressively but just wants to play and is frustrated when she's not allowed to. We give so much credit to David who not only trained Ivy but taught us to train her. She always enjoyed her sessions and he always knew exactly when she needed a quick 2 minute play break. We are so glad we found Dog's downtown and even though we've finished our training for now we know we can always get refresher lessons if we need them and we still bring Ivy there for playtime because she loves it so much so we still get to have interaction with the staff and trainers on a regular basis. David has told us he wishes he videotaped her first session so everyone can see how much she turned around. He even suggested that she was almost ready for the Canine Good Citizen test which we didn't think we would be able to do for awhile. We also frequently get comments on how well behaved she is, we have worked so hard so to hear that from strangers is so rewarding. We would have never progressed to where we are so quickly without Dog's Downtown and especially David! read more

Everyone at Dogs Downtown has been remarkably knowledgable and compassionate in working with my entire family and our two four year german shepherds over the past several months. Our relationship with the dogs has improved beyond our greatest expectations. Additionally, Dogs Downtown generously helps the non-profit organization Veterans Moving Forward with their service dogs in training. Clif is an amazing trainer and especially gifted understanding how to best help people like me who need help adding additional tasks for their service dog!! I recommend Dogs Downtown for all training from basic obedience to specialty areas like scent work or service and therapy dog preparation!! The facility us always spotless, cheerful, and has awesome accessories/gifts for every four footed friend in your life. Stop in and see their remarkable boarding and play areas!! read more