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!

Scott was a FANTASTIC trainer, his weekly sessions and homework were just what we needed to get our…read moredog under control. We could not leave him alone without howling and didn't trust him to come at the park. After working with Scott that all changed. High recommended!!!

Scott is amazing! I didn't even have to explain what the problems were with our eight-year-old…read morereactive pup. He has helped me to be able to walk her and give her a much better life.

We had a great experience with the basic obedience class! The instructions were really clear and…read morethe lessons moved quickly enough that my dog stayed engaged the whole time. I'm already seeing improvement in her recall when we're at the park! Highly recommend these trainers and will be back for more classes.

Classes are great. Staff is wonderful. I had a few follow…read moreup questions and received a comprehensive response that was pages long.

I can not recommend Scott and Suzy at Dogs by Dancer highly enough. They are thoughtful and…read moreprofessional and my dog loves Scott and is always so excited to see him. I had such a great experience, I am going to send our other dog to Scott. Scott clearly cares about the dogs, is proactive with outreach and has also followed up regularly to see how my dog, Taco, is doing post-training. Taco had several behavioral issues and is so much better, calmer and more confident after his board and train. The follow up group classes are such huge bonus. If you are looking for effective and professional training by someone who clearly loves dogs, Scott Dancer is your guy.

I do not recommend Dc dog wizard, "Dogs by dancer" or any dog training program by Scott Dancer…read more Scott made unsafe choices for the dogs in his care. My dog was returned to me covered in feces/urine. The progress I made with my dog's challenges is gone due to whatever occurred with Scott. Communication was unclear & poor, Scott was incredibly unprofessional & disorganized. Save your money & go elsewhere.

After a phone consultation with James, I knew that Controlled K9 was going to be the best option…read morefor my almost 3 year old pit mix rescue, Kacey. She was leash reactive with dogs and wanted to chase wildlife. As a senior, I was concerned about being knocked over and pulled around by Kacey. Kelia came to do an evaluation, and Kacey loved her--she doesn't always react positively with people. Kelia had her for 5 weeks of training, where Kacey learned so much about behaving on leash, and she had the benefit of learning how to play with other dogs with Kelia's own pups. Kacey also got to go on outings, which I think will help her in meeting new people. I look forward to taking her places now, whereas before I was too worried about her being out of control. I love that I can contact Kelia if I run into any issues with Kacey in the future. i cannot say enough good things about Kelia as a trainer. She has made it possible for me to enjoy Kacey. I know that Kacey will miss her; I think she would have gone back home with Kelia on drop-off day here after training!

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!

So this is just an exceptional service that my little dog loves. My vet recommended this company to…read moreme when my biscuit started gaining some weight. We are usually too busy to give him all the exercise he needs so this was perfect for us. They basically do a variety of different exercises at a bunch of different places so it is a lot more vigorous and exciting than just normal dog walkers. I also like that Biscuit it matched with other dogs his size so we don't have to worry about him getting trampled. And then to top it off, we get a daily report and sometimes even pictures so we can see him in action. Everyone is very professional and clean-cut, which is important to me since they have unabridged access to both my home and my dog and I've never had any problems getting in contact with them, so I'd give their customer service 5 stars as well. Even though it is more expensive per month that other places, I think this is the best bet for Biscuit!

We couldn't be happier that we found Pant & Wag! It has been a lifesaver living in DC with our very…read moreactive lab mix, Koa (Koa has been going on Pant & Wag adventures for over 2 years now). Sean, the business owner, is an incredibly trustworthy, fair and dependable person and you can tell he absolutely loves our dog like his own (and she loves him). It really shines through that the business and spending time with dogs is something he loves to do. Koa is always tired and happy when she comes back from all her adventures. It's been really fun for us to receive the photos and description after each adventure of where they went that day - all throughout the city. She's explored more of the area hiking trails than we have. We always joke that she is having a better life than we are! We feel so much better knowing that she is getting proper strenuous exercise at least a couple of times a week during her adventure days. It really is a great service

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!

I've had a great experience with Terrific Dogs. Sarah, the main trainer, is one of those people…read morewho just 'gets dogs.' We adopted an American Bulldog who had insecurity based aggression issues. They were so bad that I considered him unsafe and thought I'd be forced to return him to the shelter. I communicated with several trainers about his issues and I found Sarah the most helpful and engaging, even before we signed any contract. She was also the only one I found who would do a free consultation (others ranged from $100-300). I found that she's able to see things that I don't, even though I consider myself as a decent dog person. She explored the extent of my dog's aggression and guided me through exercises to help alter his behavior. This was all in the first consultation. Given that first impression, we contracted her services and it's been great. She's been very responsive to any questions or problems I've had and continued to give me input between our sessions. I'm half way through my sessions with her and I've seen a ton of improvement in my dog's behavioral issues, much faster than I was expecting. As a bonus, she's also helped me teach him basic obedience which ties into our behavioral training. So I'm very satisfied with her services. Probably the best thing about Sarah is she gives you the confidence to work with your dog on your own, and this is unique since I don't get that impression from many people. I think she should be at the top of the list for anyone seeking a dog trainer.

I have a challenging rescue dog. We are making progress.read more

We had a life-changing three hours with David Schmucher of Sidewalk Dog Training. He communicated…read moreinstantly and effectively with our rescue pup and showed us how to do that (and more). He is an extraordinary guide, teacher, and resource!

We reached out to David and he was booked up pretty far in advance but was able to squeeze us in on…read morefairly short notice which was much appreciated. We adopted a 4 yr old mixed breed who was having some difficulties getting settled in to our home. During the training session we learned some new things and our dog seemed to enjoy himself. However, we did not feel comfortable using the provided collar as our dog would choke on it from pulling and became more anxious and fearful with it's use. Maybe over time our dog would have adjusted to the slip/show collar but we didn't want to take any chances with a new dog. We are instead focusing on obedience and positive reinforcement training and using a no-pull harness.

Brittany ROCKS! If you need positive reinforcement in your life (with your pups), I highly…read morerecommend calling Brittany and Dances With Dogs. Her training and patience will change your pup(s) and your relationship/interaction with him/her. She is life-changing. Call her now!

We had Brittany as the instructor for our pup's Basic Manners class. She was great to work with:…read moreshe provided clear instruction and helpful advice, created a positive learning environment for the pups, and was willing to drill down on more specific issues we were having. Super prompt communication via e-mail, and took COVID precautions seriously to keep everyone safe. Highly recommended!