Scott is the dog whisperer of the Shenandoah Valley, Va. My…read morewife had Scott help her with one of her dogs. She was an aggressive type Chihuahua who wouldn't listen to my wife. We have 5 dogs total , 1pitty mix, 3 chihuahuas and an intact male pug dog. My pitty mix is very protective and Scott came over and we let him in. My pitty mix looked at Scott and never barked and never alerted. My pitty mix Geisha knew immediately Scott was a dog whisperer as she turned and went back to lay down. Scott worked with training Chloe and my wife. Yes he trained my wife because he explained how important it was for the owner to be in control in order to have a great trained dog. Scott worked with us and Chloe the Chihuahua was doing things never thought possible. If you want a trustworthy and great dog trainer you need Scott the owner of Healing Dog! Don't wait because you don't know how good your dog can be unless you try with Scott at Healing Dog!

"It's like we have a different dog." Nala was aggressive with anyone not in the family and would…read morebark nonstop at any noise outside if she saw someone at any distance. We couldn't even pet one of our other older dogs without conflict. Now we can pet our other dogs and she won't go crazy with other people and listens to us!

Peggy is the best person to trust with your dogs! She's a professional dog trainer and a great…read moreperson. Dogs stay in good sized kennels, at least 2-3 times bigger than others and at a very reasonable price. There is a large fenced area where dogs play a few times a day. Great outdoor space in the mountains.

From the owner: For more than 30 years, Clever K9 has been actively training and competing with our own dogs. Our…read moredogs have been trained in obedience, agility, tracking, and Schutzhund. Peggy O'Callaghan will teach you how to guide your dog's natural inclinations to become a trouble-free, well behaved companion. We offer private and group instruction in basic dog care and obedience exercises, problem behavior solving, and new puppy training. To find out more about our free consultations, personalized services, and pickup & delivery, call us or visit our website today!

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!

Our family highly recommends Controlled K9! We adopted our boy Mortimer last year after he had been…read moreliving as a stray, and we were really struggling when he came home with basic manners, reactivity, and having him settle in with our other dog. We ended up sending both of our boys for a six-week board and train with Kelia. It seemed to only make sense to send both dogs so they would have the same baseline training. Kelia was amazing! She kept us informed just about every day with videos and texts so we could see that the boys were happy and making progress. When Kelia brought the boys home, she spent a few hours with us, showing all the commands and techniques that she taught them, so we had a seamless transition. The "place" command alone has been lifechanging. (Although as you can see in the picture, they sometimes refuse to use separate mats, LOL.) We use the command before we feed them, initially when guests come by, and when we just need them to settle down a bit. It has reduced the stress and chaos in our house tenfold, and we actually can see the boys relax when they know they have a place to go and chill out. Kelia also gave us the tools to make leash walking and general obedience so much more successful. There are a lot of options out there for training. What set Controlled K9 apart for us was (1) our boys lived with Kelia, her family, and her dogs during training - they were not staying in a kennel and were in a real-life, loving environment, and (2) the promise of lifetime, free follow-up support. The boys have been home now for about 3 months. The training has stuck, and we feel like we really have the tools we need to make life pleasant for all of us, including the boys. Kelia has also proactively checked in to make sure things are going well, provided tips on the best way to reinforce training, and has responded quickly when we have follow-up questions, including offering a visit. Over three months later, we are still completely satisfied with the training and support provided by Controlled K9 and Kelia, and we would use them again in a heartbeat.

We worked with Julie to have our 10mo old Australian Shepherd trained. The entire process was very…read moresmooth, from the consultation to training, to the transition home. We spent a lot of time reviewing our goals together and our trainer followed through with the plan that we set together. She stayed in constant contact with transparent updates about the puppy's progress and answered any questions we had. Given the puppy's breed and determination, she required quite a bit of foundational training. Since returning home, she's a pro on the leash (complete transformation). Walks are far more enjoyable - no more barking, pulling, lunging towards moving vehicles, and now has a peaceful relationship with the mail box and trash can. Another high priority was addressing the puppy's reactiveness to our child - puppy is now able to follow my lead during potentially chaotic interactions. Overall our program length was 6 weeks long and completely worth it. We are thrilled to have these foundations instilled by a professional who also cares for the dog. Highly recommend!

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!

Carly is hands down the most efficient and effective dog trainer I have had contact with. I had…read morepreviously used two other training facilities in Winchester, but was not impressed with their training methods and the training outcome. Thank goodness I found Carly. I love her setup to board and train dogs; she lives in a rural area and it is perfect to train dogs on distractions such as wildlife, etc. My Willow, a lab mix 1 yr old, had no manners at home. She was not pleasant to be around because she lacked impulse control and was generally in your face all the time, jumping, counter surfing, was not good on a leash so walking was very unpleasant. Carly worked magic with Willow. I initially did individual lessons, and then decided to do the 3 week board and train. I brought Willow home just yesterday, and she is a different dog. She is more laid back, listens to commands, walks perfectly on a leash, and knows "place" so well. Carly's availability to answer questions once I got home is quick and on point. She is extremely responsive to questions and concerns. Just because the formal training is over, does not mean Carly isn't available for follow up questions on any issues that may arise at home with Willow that needs addressing. I highly recommend Carly as a trainer for any dog with any issues, whether it just be normal behavior issues or more intense issues with aggression, etc.

My friend suggested I take my dog to Blue Ridge Dog Training Club for some classes. He was a…read moreshelter dog that had a lot of issues and problems that needed to be worked through. All of the instructors were great at giving me ideas and working with me to help him over come most of his problems. I guess it is like PTSD he may never get over all of his issues, but he is now a happy well behaved dog. He seldom reacts to other dogs and men now. You would never know he was the same dog that I brought to the first class! I would highly recommend anyone take their dog to Blue Ridge for training!

We achieved total understanding of our dogs' behaviors in, literally, one home visit after one two…read moremile walk with our dogs. Jessica is extremely knowledgeable, personable, funny, and clearly loves what she does. My daughter was so enamored with Jessica and her training that she and our lab, Korra, went through her therapy dog training with Rockingham Rec Center. My daughter now uses the training techniques and insights that she learned from Jessica on the dogs that we foster for local rescues. Adopted families are amazed and thrilled when they adopt a rescue dog that already knows basic commands and is leash trained. I do not hesitate to recommend The Balanced Dog to anyone who either needs help with their dog or wants to take their dog to a higher level of training. I trust this company so much that I recommend it to dog rescues when a dog needs some manners in order to be adopted.

We have had our rescue dog for 5 years now. He has always struggled with being calm and polite…read morearound strangers. We tried some other programs that helped a little bit, but nothing gave us the confidence that he really could be able to meet new dogs and new people and be ok. We recently had our first baby, and things got worse as he became depressed and disobedient. When Jessica came, she explained to us that how he acts has much to do with how we treat him and what we let him get away with. Within an hour of her being here and talking with us, our dog had met her two dogs and was walking around the neighborhood with Jessica and her dogs. We were amazed and very thankful. She gave us practical tools we could use with him to help continue what she had shown us. We greatly appreciated her big heart for dogs and her desire to see them become well adjusted members of their families. We highly recommend her!

I've trained 2 large breed, intact males through Jack. His methods of training have allowed me to…read moreown and handle 2 awesome dogs have the ability to protect my home or hang out with little children at the park. If your looking to hand your leash to a man and have a magic trick done, this is not it. He takes time and pleasure in instructing you as the owner to train your dog. This course takes patience and self discipline along with the participation from those in your family. By taking this course you are utilizing over 50 of Canine expertise and literally 1000s of dogs successfully trained from all walks of life and behavior issues. The community he has built with previous handlers and trainers makes for a great way to meet new people and socialize your dog amongst friends. Highly recommend.

I started training with Jack because my miniature Australian shepherd would not walk on a leash and…read morewas aggressive towards people when in my truck. Within 1 session we went from a dog that would collapse immediately when you hooked up the leash to a dog that heels on leash and off leash. Jack has been a godsend.

I'm new to Front Royal and took my very matted longhair cat Sophie in for a bath and lion cut…read moretoday. She came home looking beautiful! And the cost was VERY reasonable. She'll be going again regularly.

The woman at the desk is very rude and not friendly at all. I watched my older dog having his…read morenails trimmed. The woman had his leg in a horrible position and, when he turned because it hurt, she smacked him. Then, I unfortunately went back, thinking it would be better. He had his nails trimmed, and he was so upset, he peed by their dirty cat tree. She said something like, I can't remember now but it was like, uh! You peed . Anyway. I said I was sorry and offered to clean it up. She put paper towels and spray in front of me. I cleaned it up and apologized again. And asked, where was the trash can? She replied, it's outside. I still needed to pay, with my card. She made me try to do that holding the dirty towel. I mean, come on! What a .....! I would say rating of 0, but no option for that.