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!

This was just the experience I want for my dog…read more James is awesome. He's so attentive to what you need or want from your dog. My dog, Koa is a year old Belgian Malinois but unfortunately was not trained. She was rehomed to me. I desperately needed obedience training. James shared pictures and videos with me of the whole journey since I lived 3 1/2 hours away. I had no reservations about leaving her with him. I doubt she wanted to leave him to come home! This will probably not be the only training she will get from James. He's very open to this being a great experience for you and your dog. I highly recommend him for any training you need for your dog.

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!

Taught my dog basic training. Melissa was very patient and knowledgeable. Also helped me with my…read moredog's leash aggression. Walking my dog Teddy is much easier and more enjoyable.

From the owner: Harmonious Handing Dog Training is all about enhancing the human - animal bond with positive…read morereinforcement training. We offer everything from basic obedience training, to behavior modification programs for problems behaviors. We are here to help you socialize new dogs in your family, or help you prepare for a new baby in the family. We offer video consults, classes, walking groups, and in-home help.

I loved getting the pictures of Watson playing and running everyday. It's was wonderful to see him…read morehappy.

I continue to support and refer friends to Cozy Canine. The owner thoughtfully designed the kennel…read moreto provide spaces that are specific to different breeds. Timid and shy, bold and loud she's got the right place for them all. My dogs were inseparable, they boarded together. Only kennel that allowed them to be together. a friend travels from Silver Springs to board and train her dog. She claims it's the best place she's found for her dog!

We just recently hired Scott to work with us and the pooch we rescued in January. Our dog is a…read moreHusky mix, and is a little over 4 years old. While basically a good dog in many respects, Riggins displays anxiety and shuts down during walks, which manifested in his past as fear aggression. This is not something we had dealt with with our previous pets, and knew that we needed to ensure against any kind of dangerous situation. We understood when we adopted Riggins we'd need to work with him on these ingrained bad habits. Shortly after we adopted him, we tried out group training sessions. It was clear the group training was for working on basic stuff, a lot of which our dog already knew. We felt the best option was to go with 1-1 training. And so glad we did. It was worth every penny. Scott gave us the tools to work with Riggins, as well as manage our expectations and learn how to deal with a variety of situations. We signed up for five training sessions with Scott, and as others mentioned in their reviews, the training started as soon as Scott entered the house. He made an immediate connection with Riggins and so amazing to see how the dog just snapped to attention for him. Such a great talent to have. Basically Scott told us we need to completely reprogram our dog. We're continuing to work on that, and probably will for the foreseeable future. But there's been a definite improvement in the way we deal with Riggins, and I see daily 'baby step' progress on walks. We've also been bike riding with Riggins, which he seems to enjoy and is great at draining his energy. The bike rides also ensure that the dog is following me, I'm in the lead and have control over the situation. So thanks to Scott for his help. We may well call him again for a tune-up, but for right now, we're putting his recommendations in place and are seeing a difference.

My fiance and I are new dog owners. We had only been relying on online puppy training videos to…read morehouse break our 8 week old goldendoodle pup, but still needed some more in-person guidance. I researched many different dog trainers in my area and ultimately decided to contact Scott. We first spoke over the phone to see if the training would be a good fit. He asked me what my goals were and then explained what his style of training was. We booked a double day session for 2 hours and it was intense, but so helpful, educational, and so rewarding! Our puppy's nipping has really lessened and she definitely is paying more attention than before. Scott taught us various ways to walk a dog and the importance of keeping them safe in different environments. He also gave us great insight on the dogs' point of view which really helped us understand our puppy's behavior more. Scott made sure my fiance and I were highly involved with the training and it helped boost our confidence for when we'd continue training our puppy on our own. Although the training already made a big difference, Scott also reminded us that our puppy is still so young and that we need to remain realistic and patient. The reassurance, constructive criticism, and encouragement created a very positive environment for the session. I am overall very impressed! Thank you so much, Scott!

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.

Marvin has been so wonderful with our dogs. When we started with him a couple months back our dogs…read morewere trying to kill each other. One of our dogs even tried to bite Marvin upon our first visit. He never gave up on us. He never turned us away. He was straight forward and told us EXACTLY what we had to do to save our dogs. We followed the steps and everything has changed. Our dogs are PLAYING again. They enjoy each other again. If you listen to Marvin and put in the work things will change. Be aware that if your dog is aggressive he will not handle it. He gives us instructions and we follow said instructions. He always tells us if we're doing it incorrectly and what we need to fix. If you think he is being "mean" or stern understand that he is trying to save your dog. Putting your dog on sedatives for the rest of its life is a lot meaner than correcting unwanted behavior. Listen to Marvin. Put in the work. Follow the steps that he gives you EVEN if they don't make sense. Your life will change and so will your dogs.

my dog loves going to stay with Marvin at Berkeley K-9 school. He is very well cared for and always…read morecomes home well adjusted and happy.

My dobies LOVE this place. They jump out of my car and don't look back. Suddenly I don't matter!read more

This is like Disney World for dogs! My dog gets so excited to go there. He wiggles and cries as we…read moreget closer. He comes home happy and tired! Love this place

If you live in the northern Virginia area and you're looking for an amazing dog trainer...look no…read morefurther! I was so nervous to take our sweet pup Kip to a dog trainer, but I'm so glad we did. Kip has some fear aggression with men and after reading all of Bridget's reviews, I thought she ma be the perfect fit for Kip. Immediately upon arriving to our private session, she was calm and sweet with Kip. Within 15 minutes into the session, he was responding to commands from her such as sit, down and leave it! We had a two hour private session and I can honestly say I saw a huge difference in Kip just after the one session. He seems to have more confidence, is listening to my commands when he becomes nervous and seems happier! She only uses positive training methods...which was a must for us. She trains using treats, eye contact and positive reinforcement! We will be going back for her elementary manners class in a few weeks and I am sooo excited to see the progress Kip will continue to make! Like I have told so many people already..she is like a dog angel! Thanks Bridget!

We had a wonderful first session with our greyhound puppy and learned a lot about how to start off…read moreon the right foot with his training. Bridget introduced us to topics such as crate training, products, and books that were extremely helpful. The most important concept we left with was learning about the timing of positive reinforcement. Thank you!

Super friendly and you can feel assured that they will take great care of your pet…read more It's small so they can focus on the animals yet situated on a nice size family farm so they can take care of horses as well Ollie (the cat) loved it

Leaving our dog is so hard, but Widow's Mite makes it a little eaiser :)…read moreCharlie loves his doggie vacations. I must admit, he is a little spoiled when we pick him up. The staff is so friendly and they give him lots of loving. This kennel is awesome, lots of room to run and play. We definitely recommend Widow's Mite!!