Archie went to camp with Gina for three weeks and came home a different dog. I'm still a little…read moreamazed. He's a five-pound chihuahua who shakes when someone new walks in the room and basically lived on my lap or behind my knees. I'd worried a trainer would either give up on him or scare him worse, but from the very first day Gina put so much thought into making him feel safe. She texted that afternoon to say he'd already jumped into her daughter's arms. When he barely ate the first couple days and I got worried, she talked me through it and told me he'd come around, which he did. She took him on long walks around the park and the neighborhood to burn off his nerves before she ever asked anything of him. His crate became his safe spot at her house, a familiar place that was all his in the middle of a busy home with other dogs and parrots and training going on. And she started him on tiny, predictable rules, sitting before a door, coming when called, so he always had something he understood to hold onto in a new situation. She explained that for an anxious dog, knowing what to expect is half the battle. She also refused to pick him up every time he got scared, and warned me that part would be harder for me than for him. She was right. Somewhere around the second week he started smiling in the photos. He was hanging out with her little dogs and her family, going on field trips to the park and coffee shops, staying on his place while she walked away, heeling next to her. He knows sit, place, heel and here now, and he does them for me too. The turnover at my apartment took a couple hours and it was real work. She sat me down and explained everything before we ever touched the dog, then had me practice with Archie while she corrected what I was doing wrong. She's kept sending reminders and answering my questions since, including a few dumb ones about shampoo and brushes. Here's the part I still can't get over. We went to a party a couple weeks after he got home, which is a huge deal for Archie. He sat on other people's laps. He licked hands. He barely cowered. Six weeks ago he would have spent the whole night shaking under my chair. Everyone at the party noticed and commented on the change in his demeanor. I was a proud mama that day! If your dog is the anxious type, the one who hides, trembles, won't eat around strangers, or has to be carried everywhere, I really want you to hear this. A lot of trainers are set up for big confident dogs and don't know what to do with a scared little one. Gina does. She never rushed him, never forced him, and never made me feel silly for babying him all these years. She reads a nervous dog and meets them where they are, then slowly builds them up until they can handle the world on their own. That's exactly what Archie needed. I honestly feel like Gina is just getting started with him, and I'm already thinking of when I can work with her again. If you have a tiny, anxious dog and you're on the fence, go with Gina. Archie is a different dog and so am I. Thank you again for everything you did for him, and for me. Archie sends smooches. Sheri

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!

I recently took my little darling Parmaranian, Winnie, to Crispy Paws. I was a little nervous…read morebecause she had never been boarded. However, after meeting with the owner, Chris, I was taken in by her welcoming attitude and caring personality. After chatting with her for a while, I felt my little doggie would be well cared for while I was away for 14 days.

From the owner: Crispy-Paws offers in-home boarding, doggy daycare, convenient pet taxi pick-up and drop-off, and…read morebathing services for dogs up to 40 pounds. Your pets are family to us, so we provide top-notch care and a loving environment for every furry friend. Chris, our owner and Pet CPR certified caregiver, ensures your dog receives personalized attention, daily playtime, and plenty of cuddles in a cozy home setting. Whether you need reliable daycare or a safe place for overnight stays, Crispy-Paws is your pet’s home away from home, giving you complete peace of mind whenever you’re away.

Can't recommend this place enough! I began sending my dog Sadie here about 6 months ago, going once…read morea week. She loved it! In August, they had a year-long package come available, which made sending my dog every day approximately the equivalent price of a 30 minute walk, but for 4-5 hours of play time. Having a cattle dog, this is great for her to get her energy out, and has led to her being much better behaved at home. I haven't been out to the ranch yet but from their instagram, it looks amazing. I love seeing pictures of her on the instagram. Hands down the best part? They do drop off and pick up in DC! I work long hours, but feel comforted knowing that when my dog gets home before me (usually between 5 and 6) she's tired out and snoozing. Thank you K-9 Divine for being such a great experience!

Used several times. After the first the dogs went running to the door…read more Extremely well organized and careful. Love that they require a test visit. Worth the drive

If there's a negative star, this deserves one. From the moment we pulled into the driveway, we saw…read morepiles of dog poop. At the filthy front porch we saw discarded, broken bits of furniture and trash. She wouldn't let us inside because there was one dog who doesn't "like people" - wait, WHAT?? We NOPED out so fast!!

Deena takes such good care of our dog. He's difficult to say the least, very wary of people after…read morebeing a COVID puppy who didn't get socialized properly then after a very traumatic accident, our dog is mental. But he loves Deena. Because of her we can take vacations and go out of town once in a while. Then it's a fight to get our dog to leave!

Great name as they are the BEST pet sitters I've had for my 3 dogs…read more Elodie and Moe are spectacular. I am a neurotic owner of 3 dogs and just used them for the first time while my wife and I were out of town for a week. Each one of my dogs has a different personality and they dealt with all of them well; even my newer pup who barked at them forever the first day. I got several photos and videos each day showing my dogs playing, eating, etc. They administered pills and were able to walk all 3 of mine at once. You can really tell they are not just doing a job but really love the animals. Hire these people. They will be my default pet sitting from now on.

Unfortunately we can no longer recommend Leila Knows Best for dog boarding. We were frequent and…read moreloyal clients for years, but the relationship changed over the last 10 months as Moe increasingly focused on how to extract more money from us instead of cultivating a continued positive client relationship. It started with less and less updates and photos when we boarded our dog. When Moe did provide updates it was usually in conjunction with an offer to purchase credits for future stays (which we did and later came to regret). Then Moe started asking us to pay additional fees for stays we had previously negotiated and paid for, going so far as to request those additional fees while he was already watching our dog. This behavior started to make us feel uncomfortable in continuing to use his services and more concerned about leaving our dog in his care. Moe's behavior did not present as someone thankful to clients that consistently supported his dog watching business. We had been loyal clients for years and, this year in particular, had already used Moe's services nearly every month with more scheduled trips through the rest of the year. Despite our concerns, we continued to use Moe's services since we had pre-paid for two more stays through the end of the year. That changed when we requested to reschedule one of the stays. Well in advance of the trip, we asked Moe if he was available for a week the month before our trip. He confirmed he was, but when we requested to reschedule our original trip to that earlier week and use the pre-paid credit, Moe stated he was no longer available. When we referred him to the cancellation policy on his website, he offered the credit, but wouldn't let us use it until the end of the year. We reminded Moe that in the years we've consistently used his services, we have never rescheduled, and explained the importance of rescheduling our trip. Moe subsequently offered to board our dog for the requested week, but wanted an additional $150, despite our pre-paid credit exceeding the amount of time we were rescheduling for. We felt hustled and tried to handle this issue privately, but Moe stopped responding to us. Unfortunately we have lost over $1,000 in pre-paid and unused credit--a costly mistake that we won't be making again. We're sad that our relationship soured in this way, but we could no longer trust Moe and would suggest prospective clients be cautious about doing business with him.

Lena's Ensure PetCare was a great alternative to boarding my cat somewhere while I went out of town…read morefor a week. Sarafina (my cat) got to run around and play in a home rather than being stuck in a cage for most of the day. Lena took great care of her and sent me updates and photos every other day. High quality service and very reasonably priced, I would definitely recommend!

From the owner: Ensure Pet Care is built on trust, compassion, and a genuine love for animals. We’re more than a…read morepet care service—we’re a dedicated partner for families who want the very best for their pets. From the wagging tails that greet us at the door to the gentle purrs of content cats, the happy squeaks of guinea pigs, and the playful hops of bunnies, every visit is centered around comfort, safety, and personalized attention. Pet parents choose Ensure Pet Care because they value reliability, professionalism, and a higher standard of care. We take pride in providing a calm, stress-free experience while treating every pet like a member of our own family. As we continue to grow, our focus remains the same: delivering premium, dependable care, expanding our services to meet your needs, and building lasting relationships within our community. When you choose Ensure Pet Care, you're choosing peace of mind—and a team that truly cares.

I have brought my dog here several times and the service/staff have always been great…read more Easy to schedule appointments and easy to get in contact with. The doggy daycare along with the boarding is great for my dog.

Friendly staff and lots of walks! Recently boarded my pup there for a month and she was happy and…read morereceived lot of attention. Grooming was great - they even cleaned her teeth! Only quibble would be nice to revive more updates automatically - facility did provide updates/photos on request. Good value for this area.

David has been my pet sitter for many years and he has cared for my 2 dogs, cat, and fish!…read moreTrustworthy and dependable. And my fur babies love him! I would recommend him with 5 stars.

Excellent, reliable, honest and fairly priced service. I'd recommend David for anyone, especially…read moreif you have several dogs, as I do.

I have two wonderful, year-and-a-half-old pups who I adore to no-end. Playful Pack's Rosslyn…read morefacility has been absolutely wonderful. I've utilized other day care facilities in the Northern Virginia/Arlington area, but they do not compare to Playful Pack. The staff are friendly and responsive and they instill confidence in me that my girls will receive the best care. The facility is clean and welcoming. The web-services (e.g., online portal, booking and reservations, report cards, photos, live stream) are all unmatched. Further, w/ the Report Cards, specifically, its evident that the staff are getting to know my girls. The comments and descriptions are meaningful and reflective of my pups' very different personalities (i.e., not generic). I've utilized them for day care and boarding at this point and have been very happy. I'll continue to do so increasingly as in-office-time and travel continue to pick up. I've not yet utilized bathing and some of the other services they provide, but plan to do so in the future.

Avoid at All Costs -- Gross Negligence & Pet Abandonment…read more Do not trust Playful Pack Rosslyn with your dog. My dog was attacked by another dog on their premises while boarding with them a month ago.The facility left a voicemail admitting that my dog was 100% blameless, explaining that an unprovoked dog went at her because staff were distracted cleaning condos instead of supervising the playgroups.The injuries were severe, requiring general anesthesia, surgery, and multiple stitches. I had to arrange her vet appointment myself even though Playful Pack had all her information. They said I had to make the appointment and they would take her to it, even though I was abroad. What if they couldn't reach me? I made the appointment to care for my dog, but it was shocking. After transporting my dog to her vet, the Playful Pack staff abandoned my dog at the vet. They walked out without paying the emergency intake bill, authorizing payment, or staying to coordinate updates while I was traveling abroad. The vet staff was so appalled by Playful Pack's complete lack of professionalism that they had to contact my emergency contacts to figure out who was paying and who would care for her after surgery. Playful Pack initially promised to reimburse me, but management is now completely stonewalling me and refusing to cover the vet bill. They have alluded that insurance will cover it, but they refuse to return my calls or letters. A business that neglects your pet, abandons them at the hospital, and then refuses to pay for the damage they caused is appalling. I am moving forward with a small claims lawsuit and reporting them to Virginia Consumer Protection and Animal Control. Avoid this place if you care about your dog's safety.

What a difference a day (with Atlas) makes! After just one visit with Thomas my puppy is remarkably…read morebetter behaved! I have a 8 month mini golden doodle. She's incredibly smart and before finding Atlas she was pretty well behaved but I had sort of hit a wall with her undesirable behavior (barking, separation anxiety, jumping up on people). I knew she needed better instruction than my partner and I were giving her, but knowing how social my dog is, a group puppy class didn't seem ideal. Luckily I met Atlas owner, Danny, and immediately I felt the right vibe. He seemed to have a training approach based in dog psychology, and I knew I was gonna have to think like my very intelligent dog if I was going to effectively communicate with her. I then met with Thomas (who I thoroughly enjoyed on a personal level too!) for only 2 hours and we went over a lot... all sorts of tips and tricks and it helped me to understand the overall philosophy of dog training. I was so busy going over every training mistake i had made, that I didn't even notice that Thomas was efficiently correcting her and my dog began to be on her best behavior... quietly cuddled next to me. Later on that night the change became more apparent when my partner was also like "um did you notice how obedient puppy is being?" We began joking that it's like we brought over a military school recruiter and now she's like "I'll be good! I'll be good!" We're not 100% sure which tip that Thomas gave us was so magical (but I suspect correcting the pack hierarchy was a major point) but it worked! Barking has turned into a low growl or nothing at all, she's stopped pestering us for fetch in favor of waiting for "play time", the results are kinda mind blowing! But the best part I never saw coming. Until seeing the after effects of Thomas I didn't realize how my stressed my puppy was. So now everyone in the house is happier! This is one of those business I love to support! Great people doing great work!

Stay away. Staff isn't trained on dog behavior, they'll onboard problematic dogs, the dogs will…read moreshare the same water bowls, and their philosophy on allowing all dogs to sleep in a kennel-less environment is dangerous.