Obsessed with Senior Trainer Jimmy Got a simple dog you need…read moreto just sit and stay? Go to Petsmart on a Saturday with all the other commoners and basic dogs - follow pee smell to the paper sign-up form. Stop reading here. Got a four-legged friend you want to see become their best furry selves, motivated to behave, and eager to build a trusting relationship with you? Go see Jimmy. Continue to page 2 of ramble for why. What you get from Pack Place K9: Tactical and actionable guidance backed by canine ethology explanations and anchored with strategic relationship building and communication maturing goals True, true, true and deep expertise BEYOND breed stereotypes, Cesar Milan soundbites, and other Frankensteined tips Astute insights to help you understand behavioral nuances so your training works for him/her FISCALLY responsible and wallet-respectful advice and programming that works Also, it's really nice to have a service that has a modernized customer experience (centralized portal, automation, etc) and is simply well-ran/organized. What you DONT get from Pack Place K9: Aggressive upsells of unnecessary products or irrelevant services Pushy training schedules and timeboxes counter-productive to your pet's learning (or your busy life) Canned, generic, and rigid training programs don't deliver results you thought you paid for My Story Max-Gaston is a 3 year old oversized Husky mix too wicked smart and skillful for his own good. That's OK - he ain't my first dog; I figured we'd figure it out. At 9 weeks, Max already scaled his playpen on the first try. By 3mo, Max mastered all fundamental commands. By 5mos, he figured out how to open doors. Around 6mos, he figured out how to turn the key to UNLOCK the door in order to open it because we started locking those damn doors. Currently weighing around 100lbs, Max matched my size but was equipped with a pulling instinct possessed by Togo himself. Walking him became an impossible task. With 90%+ obedience rate across a rich vocabulary spanning 3 languages, Max was perfect....indoors. As soon we exited those doors, he forgets his own name. I thought I'd have to Rapunzel this guy forever. By the time I got to Pack Place K9, I already sought services with a 5-starred celebrity hunting dog trainer and former SeaWorld animal trainer - they were great but not meant for Max. I've invested in swimming and boarding and other memberships and about anything you can waste money on - Max had fun; Max was not impressed. At the end of my Pack Place K9 FREE evaluation with Jimmy, I was handed practical tips to achieve Goal #1 without wasting any sessions on it. By the time I got to session #1, it was already night-and-day. Honestly, by the end of Session 1, I questioned every cent I've wasted in the three years of nonsense that I thought I was happy with. I walked away from Session 1 understanding Max's behavioral drivers and nuanced body language within reactivity that was substantiated with environmental props...of other dogs positioned as stimuli. I am out of character count to rave about Session 2. Jimmy is changing Max's life...literally because I no longer have to Mother Gothel this furry son and there's hope he won't have to be a "house husky." TL;DR: My furry nieces and nephews are getting Pack Place K9 training this Christmas. I will try to buy some sessions of their humans too.

Pack Place K9 has been treating my baby boy, Benito, the absolute best. He's a puppy with so much…read moreenergy and very confident in himself, so I needed a place to teach him basic obedience and other areas we were struggling with at home. He has been working closely with Julia (thank you Julia!) who has taught my baby boy so much and she is able to keep up with his crazy energy! After he completed his 3 week new member orientation, Julia patiently demonstrated to us the training to continue doing at home so Benito can enhance his skills. I continue to use their daycare/training service so Benito has the opportunity to continue learning and socialize with other pups. Plus, Benito is always so excited when we walk up to the front door of the facility, and always greets staff with excitement-- which is a definite green flag when putting trust in leaving your fur babies all day somewhere without you there. Pack Place K9 has staff who are very professional and trustworthy.

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!

A wonderful veterinarian visit! Lola needed the balance of her 4 vaccinations, however the first…read morehalf were initiated by the VHA Freehold veterinarian. Bennett Creek worked w VHA and coordinated the remaining 2 vaccines. Much appreciated!

Bennett Creek was recommended to us as affordable and kind, which is why we chose it. We brought…read moreour cat Zorro in on September 3rd. I watch my animals very closely -- I even have a camera pointed at their litter box -- and the first thing I told the vet, Dr. Castano, was that I suspected a UTI. He was hardly using the litter box, and he'd also urinated a large amount on a blanket, which is very unusual for him. Dr. Castano hardly documented any of what I told her, despite the fact that I explained I monitor my animals closely and know his patterns. She came out and told us the urinalysis was done and it was "fine," and that his abdomen was "fine" on palpation. We later learned neither was true -- her own notes said she couldn't get a urine sample and that his abdomen was tight, the opposite of what she told us in person. Instead of the UTI test I'd specifically requested, she pivoted to concern about a possible obstruction and recommended further testing and an overnight stay. We declined the overnight stay because of cost and because Zorro is a very anxious cat who does worse away from home and his mom. We dropped him off again at 9 AM the next morning for a scheduled sonogram. The sonographer, a traveling contractor, was on vacation and never showed. There were two failed attempts to find a replacement, with the cost rising roughly $300 with each call. By early afternoon, the front desk said they were trying to get him to eat, which meant the sonogram couldn't happen anyway, so we went to retrieve him. We then waited two hours in the waiting room before finally speaking with the practice owner, Dr. Walcoff. That's when I learned the urinalysis from the night before had never actually been performed. When I explained that the entire reason for the visit was a suspected UTI, Dr. Walcoff was able to obtain a small urine sample himself via ultrasound-guided cystocentesis -- the exact thing that could have been attempted, or at least honestly disclosed as not done, the night before. After waiting almost 3 hours since our arrival the result confirmed blood in his urine, consistent with a UTI. Zorro has been on antibiotics and doing fine since. When I raised this with the practice, I was met with defensiveness -- told it was a "miscommunication," that I must have misheard, or that Dr. Castano was simply more focused on the obstruction concern. I'm an elementary school teacher and my boyfriend is a police officer; we don't fabricate details like camera footage, water intake, or litter box habits. When an owner specifically asks for a test, and is told it was done and normal when it wasn't, that's not a miscommunication -- it's inaccurate documentation and false reassurance, and it delayed treatment for a real infection. I won't be returning, and I'd urge anyone considering this practice to ask to see actual results in writing before accepting a verbal summary.

This place is seriously awesome. Patient and kind staff, knowledgeable and helpful doctors, very…read morereasonable prices, and a super clean facility. My pup recently had a post-spay complication due to her extremely active and accident-prone nature. Dr. Lamar and Dr. Liberto did a fantastic job with her spay and repair, respectively. I'm so relieved to have found this place.

@Mark. Your staff has no business raising their voice to someone just because they are hard to…read moreunderstand. That information was not something I should have ever had to share with your team. It had no bearing on the information I myself was asking for. 'WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO' is not a professional request for additional information.

So I haven't used this establishment for boarding but I did use it for grooming services a while…read moreback. My cat seemed very happy with the visit and came home refreshed and clean. They gave us a report card and sent pictures so that made it reassuring. All the staff are very friendly. Drop off and pick up was a breeze. I would definitely return in the future for another bath or boarding.

I recently left my 11 year old cat for a few days while I was traveling out of state. He doesn't…read morelike boarding but I hoped having his own room, not being around dogs at the vet, etc. would make him less stressed. He came home and for the past two days has been vomiting and had diarrhea. It seems either because the people stressed him out or because he caught something there that he has gotten sick with, and now I have to see if my vet can fit him in today. Furthermore I know the report cards are misleading because his second day supposedly he had stool, urine, and was eating but when I picked him up his chart said he had only eaten once in four days. The Webcam was also turned off several times, so now I'm worried that he was already sick there and they were hiding that from me. Especially considering the price, I 100% *do not recommend* this place at all. These people are dishonest and not worthy of your money.

I took my Labrador here for grooming and when I picked him up I was in shock. He looked like he had…read morelost a couple of pounds because they were able to get the dead hair off of him. I'm not sure that my dog has ever smelled this amazing and his nails are simply perfect! The salon was immaculate, smelled clean (not air freshener clean, you know the difference), and the team was very communicative. Everyone was incredibly welcoming to a Mom that has not ever done this before and may be a bit of a worrier. I can honestly say that my boy will not ever go anywhere else! The peace of mind and reasonable prices were invaluable. Thank you so much Belquest Grooming, you are very appreciated!

I've used Belquest a couple of times for boarding my pug and this time boarded both my pug and…read morepomeranian for two nights. No real issues with boarding, they seem to come back happy and everyone seems nice. My issue was that I agreed to them both being given a bath prior to pickup, which was heavily pushed (I suppose as a way to offset the "second dog boarded for half price" discount). They were given a bath and a nail trim before pickup and as soon as I got in the car, I noticed that my pug was bleeding everywhere -- two nails were cut WAY too short and bled for over an hour. We had to wrap her foot, as it wouldn't stop on it's own. I understand that these things happen on occasion, but no one bothered to mention it to me and I find it hard to believe that that amount of blood wasn't noticed. If they were in a hurry or the dog was too excited, I would have preferred that they forgo the nail trim altogether, as I never even asked for it. So, would recommend for boarding -- not so much for grooming (or nail trimming, at least).

We just wrapped up our second stay here, and it was another great experience. What stands out most…read moreis how friendly and caring the staff are--you can tell they love what they do and truly look out for each dog. It's such a relief to know we're leaving our dog somewhere safe and welcoming, and that she's in good hands while we're away. She came home happy and relaxed, which says it all. Highly recommend if you're looking for a place you can trust.

This was our first experience with Healthy Hounds and so far I'm not impressed and unsure I will go…read moreback. 1. I called ahead and schedule whatever is done my first visit. When I arrived there was no record and they didn't know I was coming. Ended up giving me a tour and when I asked if I could do the evaluation for my dog, they said they needed vaccine forms. Ok, fine, but would have been nice if they had told me that ahead of time. Not a big deal, but I took note of poor communication. 2. We work out the vaccine forms. Not sure what happened as Healthy Hound told me my dog wasn't up to date. Ok, so I call the vet and ask to get him updated. Vet says he IS up to date. Fine. Weird and a waste of my time, but fine. 3. Get the evaluation scheduled now the vaccines are sorted. They tell me I have to sign a form beforehand. Ok, done. When I arrive they tell me I have to do it again. Ok, no big deal but am noticing they just seem overall unorganized. My dog is dropped for the eval and I let them know he's a herding dog who loves to run and he does bark. They say no problem we have lots of dogs like that. Great. 4. They call kid way thru the eval and say my dog passed but "because he is a puppy can they give him breaks?" I ask what a break looks like and they are sort of vague and not making sense but something about protecting him from fights because he runs a lot and the other dogs get worked up. So I ask if he got into a fight? They say no, they caught it before it escalated. So I ask for clarification: what is the break they want to give him? They say they want to put him in a secluded room from 12-2. And upon my insistence, they finally admit this break is to give the other dogs a break from my dog. I know my dog is a lot of energy, so I get that, but the point of sending him is to have him USE the energy. I can crate him at home for free. So I'm already thinking this isn't a good fit. 5. I go pick up him up two hours earlier than I have to because I'm. It feeling this. I was required to put a credit card on file and assumed that would be how I would pay. Long story short, that's not the case and they wouldn't give me my dog. Now, I understand I have to pay. That's good biz but the poor communication just feels like a dealbreaker. They seem so unorganized. Caveat: from what I understand there was a system change and I suspect I have just fallen thru the cracks, it happens. But calling to tell me my high energy dog who I'm sending for him to be able to run and play needs to be secluded for two hours of a five hour session and how they tried to spin it like "he's a puppy he needs a break" feels like something we aren't going to recover from given this is my first impression. Super bummed. Really wanted this to work.

Awesome trainers hands down and New facility location nestled in the Potomac Valley shopping…read morecenter! While the location of facility is just recently opened, the business itself has actually been around since 2017. We decided to go with them in 2022, signed up for the Board and Train and hands down, the best investment I've ever made for my pooch (and myself ofc). I wish I knew them then with my first doodle. We had David then for our 2 weeks B&T, fast forward 2 years later we are still getting on going support from Caroline, David, Dylan (aka the treat guy for Bailey..lol) with weekly pack walks, pop up training class, group lessons, etc. If you are serious about getting your dog trained and better behavior or you simply need guidance to be a better dog owner, get in touch with them! Signed, ~Bailey, the pooch with attitude who used to bite/tug on his leash during walk, to a confident dog who can behave in public and proudly earned his CGC after :)

Very clean training facility with easy parking. Andrew was very responsive and described the…read moreprogram well. Our dog was afraid of him. The training/boarding program is expensive, and we were worried that it wouldn't lead to our long-term goals.

Went away for a few days and needed a cat sitter for our two kittens. Steven was very nice and the…read morekittens seemed to like him when he first stopped by. The rate was responsible. While away, he sent daily text and pics. We would use On Call again.

Great service and communication! Will use again in the future. They care about animals and take the…read moretime to be with them.