Martin is a patient and professional dog trainer. We learned a lot from him!! Our dog is behaving…read morebeautifully. Thanks for everything, looking forward to the Saturday walks with you....

When I required a trainer to help my dog's on-leash walking, I selected Argos due to the number of…read morehigh star reviews. To share perspective on why I believe this number is so high - at the last session, Martin has you scan a QR code and asks you to write a review on the spot while he is present. This guarantees five stars. He also on the spot wanted me to provide a positive recommendation for him for a certification program he is currently in which I did not feel comfortable doing. The positive: Martin made a very good recommendation on a leash that helped my dog's walking (gentle leader). The overall experience however wasn't up to par or the reviews I read. Martin is a seller. In the initial consult he takes his time (hour +) and he sells you on his services. Once you have signed a contract and have paid this begins to wear off. What was initially a two week board and train for 4k became a three week board and train for 5k on the day I arrived to drop my dog off, before he had any sessions. The results delivered with my dog, outside of a better leash recommendation that assisted walking, do not add up to the cost. Other points to note if it bothers you - this is a high traction cigarette home. Martin always smelled of cigarettes. I once arrived in the pouring rain and he had me wait outside while he smoked his cigarette. When I took my dog home it looked like his ear had been tapped by a cigarette. Martin likes to talk over you if you are a female. When I asked questions he told me to work with him I had to wait for him to talk. I also noticed him frequently cut his wife off and talk over her which I found disrespectful as she usually had helpful things to say. Martin asks you to send videos to provide feedback on techniques, however I don't think he watched them as feedback was not provided on the videos I shared. He sends you videos but they are not particularly helpful and usually the audio is cut out. There is a Circles program you need to join for training. Without notification they will charge you on subscription three months after training without email notification. In short from my experience the recommendation I can provide is do not fall into Martin's sales pitch without comparing other trainer's techniques and prices, do not allow him to upsell you for his profit, double check you aren't being auto billed, and double check your dog hasn't had any injury from cigarettes made to them. If you do proceed with his service my additional recommendation is to not write a review on the spot and to take time to write one on your own to share your experience with others. I am happy to share my experience with anyone in the Yelp community; I have been advising others away who have asked me for training recommendations.

I have never brought a dog to this trainer, but I've dog sat for those who have. The dogs were…read moreclearly so well trained, recall was a breeze, and walking them on leash was the best experience. I contacted the dog owner to ask who trained them. That's really my only connection, but the owner's recommendation spoke volumes.

I wanted to share my experience with Tom and Marilyn ( Owners and Trainers ) When my bf and I…read morereached out to them our two dogs ; a boxer and a Olde English Bulldoggee, both males began having problems getting along. They were resource guarding, fighting, and we lost complete control over our dogs. It got so bad to the point we were considering getting rid of them which was an ABSOLUTE last resort. Tom came over to our house TWICE to review their behavior, educate us on what the process would be and worked out a financial plan that was going to be fesible for my partner and I. Not to mention both of them were VERY respectful that we are a LGBT couple. Tom ended up doing a in home board and train with Vance, our bulldogge who we believed to be the agressor, didnt listen at all and was very defiant. Opie our boxer recieved in home training as he caught on alot easier then Vance. Tom continously would answer our calls or texts when we had problems. Things settled down for awhile and due to the fault of my partner and I not being as consistant as we should have began to have issues again. At that point Tom picked up the training right where we left off and this time my partner and I took training alot more seriously. We had to utilize muzzle training while dogs where in the house along with place command in order to reaclimate them to living with each other and understanding that neither of them were the Alpha. During this period Tom advised to keep dogs completely seperate, it was hard at first but since following his training and putting our trust in him our dogs now can walk properly on a leash, be in the house in place without muzzles ( we can even leave the room ) and put them in the backyard again together with toys. Although nothing is perfect in life the freedom that Tom's knowledge gave us has allowed us to gain control again over our home and our pets. We utilize his techniques everyday ( Not to mention we learned how to cook pasta the correct way from Tom hahahaha ) Tom and Marilyn truly make a great team. Marilyn brings a more hollistic approach to training which I think is amazing and very helpful if you have a very tense dog , plus its great for the owners too, because dog never bit there were times I felt uneasy because I couldn't read his body language or behavior. Tom is the disciplinary one who is excellent at teaching how to run a pack. A thousand thank yous to them both. Steve and I will FOREVER be in debt to them for what they provided us. Please, if your at the end of your rope and you feel you have no other alternative, reach out to them. Nobody can guarentee it's going to work but I assure you that their confidence, experience and professionalism will shine through! I look forward to doing some fence training with Vance our bulldog this spring/summer. Justin, Steve, Vance & Opie

Mary and her team are the top dogs in South Boston!…read more After our long-term dog walker moved out of town, I was at a loss until I found Hounds in the Hub. I was anxious about establishing a new routine after so many years (and with such a quirky pup lol), but Mary was so professional and communicative about her business and services. It was super easy to set up a meet and greet and just go from there! I love the fact that requests are run through a simple, easy app. It provides great flexibility and helps avoid any miscommunications about scheduling. Plus, the photos and the notes from the walks are highlights of my day! And, of course, there is always the option to reach out directly for ad-hoc / special circumstances as well. Every member of the team maintains that same level of professionalism and care. Talking with other dog owners in the neighborhood, you hear that not every walking service is as kind or safe with animals. It just reaffirmed over and over that Hounds in the Hub was absolutely the right choice. My girl, Blue, is sociable, but often aloof. I have felt totally comfortable that everyone on the team was comfortable with her (pack walks or solo) and that's what is most important to me. And that's not including the numerous times and ways that the crew went above and beyond the call of duty, spoiling her rotten! If you need a dog walker / walking services in Southie look no further!

We truly cannot express how grateful we are to have Mary and the Hounds in the Hub team. Mary has…read morebeen walking and providing overnight care for our dogs Daffy and Gus for several years now. Our Gus is fearful of many people and can be very reactive to new dogs. Before we found Mary, we had very few people that we'd trust to care for Gus. But Mary has been incredible - not only do we totally trust her with them, but she has gone so far above and beyond to help us make so much positive progress with Gus. She has helped introduce him to many new doggy friends and really grown his confidence. Mary and her team provide so much more than dog walks and boarding - they provide customized care for our best friends. We cannot recommend Hounds in the Hub highly enough!

I'm not writing this out of malice, but in hopes that it helps other dog owners who just got their…read morepuppies/dogs and are super excited and just looking for guidance like my boyfriend and I were. Do not go here or choose this program! Period. While colonial may be good for dogs who already have issues, it absolutely was NOT the right fit for a puppy. Our puppy came to us at 8 weeks old and we wanted to start his training and routines off from the start and be able to have a professional to ask questions to and look to for guidance. What we got instead was a woman who was super judge mental, used a prong collar to SHANK our dog extremely HARSHLY and told us to tie our dog to his bed for hours, have him in the crate for hours, or leashed to our side. She would shank him for things he didn't even understand he was doing wrong and she did it so hard he'd whimper and tuck his tail and be terrified. This CAUSED a TON of ANXIETY and then aggression as self-defense in our puppy which he has now struggled with his whole life. We had to hire a $4K dog trainer, go to a SPCA Dog behavioralist to put him on anxiety medication and completely re-train him to not be fearful or anxious or aggressive. He still isn't completely confident or able to be fully relaxed or happy. Going through Colonial Dog Training's program is one of my biggest regrets, HARMED my puppy/dog and caused problems that we will be trying to fix for years to come. Sure he learned sit, lay down, and stay, and one-on-one training is good, but he developed severed deeper issues that are even harder and more expensive to address. I understand how difficult it is looking for help and how many options are out there so it can get overwhelming, but I would absolutely tell anyone to not choose this program and instead, take your time interviewing trainers and find one who does not use such harsh negative reinforcements.

We've worked with Jenna at Colonial dog training and cannot say enough good things…read more When they say you get a lifetime of support, they mean it. After the expected rounds of training with them, our dog was less anxious with people as well as other dogs and our relationship with him was better. After moving two years later, our dog had accidents in the house. We reached out to Jenna who guided us through how to help him healthily adjust to the new space. Within a month, we were back on track. Most recently, a few years later, our dog started having aggression when it came to crating. We reached out to Jenna who helped us to safely address behavior until she could come out and work with us in person. Two weeks after she came and taught us how to work through this behavior, our little dog puts himself in his crate and we are confident in his behavior again. If you are willing to put the work in, you get a lifetime of support and a happy, healthy pup! Thank you Jenna and Colonial Dog Training!

I brought home the cutest 9-week old Boston terrier puppy. Shortly after, he turned into the devil…read more I signed up for the 5 private lessons package because I realized we needed private attention. She came to my condo promptly each time. I scheduled at my convenience, leaving a long period between my 4th and 5th sessions. Ida diagnosed my puppy son with dominance, very rare at that early of an age. I had diagnosed him with asshole, and it seemed I was right. She taught me how to show him I was the boss and get him in line. She also taught him all the important commands and gave me homework to strengthen those commands between lessons. She truly got into my dog's head and turned him into a wonderful companion. He is now 8 months old and my best friend. I still call Ida here and there for other problems I have like housekeeping or barking. She suggested a bell he could ring to tell me when he needs to go out and now he uses it every time. I have suggested several friends use Ida. She is a miracle worker.

So far so good, it's been a few weeks since we've started, Ida is great she has come to my home for…read more1:1 with Lexi, I've learned a lot and continue to train Lexi everyday. Looking forward to the group class in January. Lexi has leash reactivity, which can be a challenge but we're working on it, thanks to Ida

We love Community Canine! Our dog started with private training and has since graduated to pack…read morehikes, where he's now fully off leash trained. We've also taken group classes and always come away with so many useful takeaways. I love that the hikes are about more than exercise; they reinforce recall, sit stays, and good manners. The whole team is wonderful and truly cares about the dogs!

We've been working with Micaela and her team for the past five years and cannot imagine where we…read morewould be without their support, community and guidance. We have a very high-drive, high-energy Shetland Sheepdog named Bruce. Like most Shelties, Bruce is smart, sensitive, and social but he is also highly triggered by movement and very VERY very vocal. He developed pretty significant leash reactivity, especially towards other dogs, when he was an adolescent. Bruce wasn't technically a covid puppy, but a gotcha day of Halloween 2019 means he got the combo of isolation and overrun dog parks that were typical of that time. We live in busy Coolidge Corner and began to dread taking him outside. I was often in tears I was so embarrassed. We had resorted to excessive fetch and taking him outside the city to run off his energy. We 100% were "those people" shouting "he's friendly!" as he charged, off leash, towards other dogs. We were pretty desperate by the time we found Community K9. Micaela is talented, educated and effective. She understands and applies dog psychology like no one else. She taught us about barrier frustration, biological fulfillment and frustration tolerance training, emotional regulation and so much more. She is empathetic and supportive and never made me feel embarrassed or anything other than empowered. Through introduction of an ecoller, brain games, teaching him and off switch, focusing on making sure he is biologically fulfilled every day and structured walks with other (non-reactive) dogs, Bruce has thrived (and re-earned off leash privileges). After each training session, we are sent a long document reiterating everything we had learned and with many other resources included. I have assembled all her guidance into a training book of sorts and consult it often. Micaela doesn't just train your dog, she trains YOU. Investing in this type of service is not cheap regardless of who you go to. If you do find someone cheaper, my advice would be simply to remember that you get what you pay for. Micaela's prices are industry standard and as described above, the value you get for that money is exceptional. Bruce still hikes with Zack from Mikaela's team twice a week to fulfill his need for socialization and play with other dogs in a safe environment with dogs who are all trained to the same high standard. Zack is kind, enthusiastic and skilled. Bruce adores him. We also board with Community K9 for all vacations and holidays. We have had the pleasure of working with Annie, Clara, Micaela & Zack as well as other wonderful former employees that have gone onto great things! Micaela's team is so top-notch that I ultimately ended up becoming very very close friends with one of her former employees (Amanda) whom Bruce and I regularly went for structured walks with so he could learn from the good example set by Amanda's dog Gracey. I also recommended Micaela's team to my sister who worked with Annie for her large (part Great Pyrenees, lab and husky) fearful, reactive rescue dog. My sisters dog had always been nervous around children and Annie successfully helped my sister prepared for the birth of her first child and a seamless integration. I see Cannoli and my niece now and it's hard to believe anyone ever worried which is such a testament to the skill Micaela cultivates in her team. This short (haha) review is all to say that Micaela is outstanding, and her business name is on point. She skillfully and compassionately teaches you and your canine to live harmoniously within your existing community, and then she provides a like-minded community for you and your dog that is worth its weight in gold. I cannot imagine either of our lives without Community Canine. I HIGHLY and without reservation recommend Micaela, Zack, and the rest of her team. You will find the answers you are looking for with them.

Love, love, love their services. Our cats (3) love Andrew and Betsy. I have been using their…read moreservices since 2021 I believe. Never disappointed. They stay for 30 minutes feeding, cleaning litter boxes, and TLC. Best part is they send pics so I know our kids are well taken care of when we go away. Very reasonable rates. I definitely recommend

We love Andrew, Janis, Barry, and Betsy at Pet Assist. We have used them for bunny sitting for…read morenearly 2 years, and we love them for the ease of booking services via their mobile app or phone, dependability, and good communication. Thank you for taking care of our bunny!

Chase came out for the meet and greet and I knew he was the right guy to help with my Rottweiler…read morepuppy Roxie . We've only had a couple sessions and she's already learning and making progress . He explains why we are doing things the way we do . Essentially he is training me so that I will be have the knowledge to work with her and understand why things are done the way they are . Great guy . Class act in my opinion . I look forward to see what the future brings as far as the potential of having a well trained and behaved loving dog . I'd definitely recommend chase he also is willing to work around my hectic schedule and is patient and 100 percent professional and a gentleman.

I use Chase whenever I am in town. The Great OZ is always very happy to see him and comes home…read morehappy too! Thx Chase