I used Auburn Leach's K9 facility when I first brought my "very solid" rescue home. He trained my…read moreservice dog named Quincy for several weeks. He did a fantastic job with Quincy and even provided some extra at home training as i was nervous. Unfortunately, these sweet babies have such a bad wrap. If boarded, Quincy always comes home clean and tired. I've had an unfortunate year health wise and have been in the hospital several times. When I take Quincy to the facility, he cries to get out of the car! He loves to make new friends and visit Mr Leach's team. He doesn't hesitate to leave me in the dust, which I feel speaks volumes! Knowing I'm missing my dog tremendously, Mr. Leach will answer phone calls or texts within several hours, if not immediately. The facility is clean, the staff is accomadating, and Mr. Leach beyond reproach. You won't be sorry if your fur baby needs boarding or a class (or two).

In the beginning he was very nice. I told him I could not take my German Shepard into a store or…read morearound people. He started out great however, I was never given any info on the training signs he used. He was suppose to take us to Lowes to train him and myself to be calm around people and that never happened. The main problem was He brought him out to the car one day and he saw his buddy from class leaving and jumped at his leash. Auburn jerked his chain collar, that he uses on all dogs, so hard I didn't think he was going to catch his breath. He was 6 months old and didn't need to be choked because he want to play with his friend. But the worst problem came when his wife came out to get him one morning. He jumped into my lap and pressed himself against me so hard I couldn't breath and begin to tremble. She had came to the car several times but he never acted like that. She had done something to him that had him scared to death! That was it my dog had been mistreated ! We never went back!! You do not need a choke collar to strangle them into submission!!! Please do not take a chance of your dog being mistreated by these people!

This place is much more than doggy day care. My friend has a horse (okay really large dog) that is…read morebeing trained as a special needs dog. This facility has spacious grounds to allow dogs to roam outside. There is also inside space. When dogs are being trained to assist, they are taken out in public to get used to every day situations. There are various packages you can purchase for your pet. Training sessions cost more. My friend's dog recognizes the building. He is happy just seeing it. When you pick up your pet, a staff member brings your dog out on a leash and greets you.

We started taking our Great Pyrenees/Central Asian Shepherd mix to socialization and training…read moreclasses when she was a puppy about 11 months ago. We wouldn't have been nearly as successful with raising a well-behaved dog without positive paws! Our dog loves it there and it's great knowing she's in good hands while we're at work.

Tricia with CVCA is fantastic! I've quickly seen a change in my dog after working with Tricia. My…read morepup is becoming much calmer when seeing other dogs on our walks. I'm a dog-walker so I'm familiar with dog behavior. Tricia sees the tiniest cues that I miss. These tiny cues make all the difference!

TL;DR: HIRE HER. She's AMAZING…read more Our little beagle was rescued from a puppy mill that was raising him sell to a lab. The mill was shut down due to animal abuse. Since our pup had spent his entire life living in a kennel (and didn't know about grass, cars, walks, toys, peanut butter--anything!), we had our work cut out for us. And we're first-time dog owners, to boot. Tricia was recommended to us after I posted on a community Reddit page. She promised to be our one-stop shop for dog help, and she's more than lived up to her promise. Not only did she help us potty-train our one-year-old pup and teach him basic commands, but she's helped us with everything from figuring out doggy daycare, grooming, pet supplies, etc. We see her once a week at our house or at a public place and also answers tons of questions from us via text/email in between sessions. Not only is Tricia great with our pup (he ADORES her), but she's great with us, too. She's super professional and prompt, and is helping us gain confidence as new dog owners. I'd highly recommend her to anyone (and have already recommended her to several friends!).

Ralph was amazing with our dog. Despite his wealth of knowledge and years of experience he made…read moreeach lesson with our puppy very digestible. He gave in depth tutorials behind each of the exercises we did. Not just showing us how to perform the exercise but also why we do it. The behavior of our puppy after training was exactly what we were looking for. Highly recommend.

My dog was difficult to control on walks and would run towards cars and pedestrians. After the…read morefirst training session our dog began to improve and walks were much calmer. He gave us good insight into out dog's motivations and suggestions for further training. Training was well worth the investment.

Where do we begin with providing a proper client review of such a WONDERFUL and WELCOMING…read morehome-away-from-home for your beloved furry family members, and where you will be a returning client? Is it with the: 1) CARING and KNOWLEDGEABLE client/pet-oriented family Team; or, 2) WELCOMING and INDIVIDUAL luxury boarding suites and adjacent fenced exercise areas; or 3) CALMING and RELAXING clean air environment and walking trails set in the Blue Ridge Mountain region????? As "parents" of two shelter-rescue Rottweilers [Cola (f) and Moose (m)], in early 2024 we were in need of the "purrfect" boarding team and environment as we prepared for an March/April trip to Europe. Significant considerations included the facts that neither pet was very social, nor had ever been apart from us or away from home. To say we had anxiety about this issue is an understatement; but then, we found Miriam and her family-based team at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat in Amherst, VA. Our initial engagement was so successful we returned recently for 2 weeks in October when we attended a family wedding. Below is our attempt to inform accordingly so you may also experience such joy...... Firstly, the TEAM: No business can operate to its highest degree of precision absent having the highest caliber TEAM to execute flawlessly and achieve such performance. Factor into the pet-boarding business equation is the fact that our pets are beloved family members and we strive to entrust their training and care to the most qualified and caring professionals of integrity in the safest environment. Have no concerns on this front, as Miriam and her family are the highest caliber cohesive TEAM who exceed client (and furry guest) expectations. From the moment we engaged with Miriam, we knew we made the purrfect choice. Miriam listened to us and understood our concerns, and suggested an initial meet and greet with Cola and Moose. We eagerly made the 2-hour drive from Mineral, VA to meet Miriam, who is a well-accomplished author and expert in the field of animal behavior, training and care; and her clients and their pets are the direct beneficiaries. I stress the fact Miriam listened to our concerns and provided insightful information facilitating our collective best-informed decision to entrust Cola and Moose with her for a 1-month board and train period during our upcoming trip. I assure you that we did not have any guilt-based regrets as we departed on drop-off day of either of our two visits to date (March/April and then October). You can trust that Miriam sincerely wants you and your pet(s) to be happy, comfortable and free of any stress, emphasizing her positive reinforcement approach which serves as the corner stone of Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. You can even follow your pet's daily adventures through various updates Miriam posts thoughtfully on social media and her website: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Secondly (but equally), the BOARDING SUITES/EXERCISE AREAS: Discard any concerns you may have that you will find institutional-style stress creating chain link fence-type boarding "cages" or rooms at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. Rather, at Shady Mountain your family member will reside in a very comfortable, climate-controlled individualized roomy suite, separated by solid walls from neighboring guests. A raised off-the-floor style pet bed is a plus to afford more comfort while resting. The suite doors have a full length glass window (with drop blind as needed) so residents can watch the daily "office" activities, and a rear-exit pet door leading out to the fenced in exercise area. Each guest enjoys their own supply storage cubby which facilitates the management of feedings, etc. External fenced in exercise areas are divided into separate sections which permits greater staff flexibility for training, etc. See website for all the other possibilities for your pet's stay: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Lastly (but equally), the clean air mountain ENVIRONMENT and WALKING TRAILS: As you ascend Shady Mountain to reach the Retreat, you will be filled with a calming and serene sense, taking in the peaceful natural Amherst, VA environment. Cola and Moose love taking in all the smells of nature as we drive up the mountain. Peaceful and calming are the words we would use to describe this environment. If pet appropriate, Miriam's team can take your loved-one on nature walks through trails in the surrounding landscape, with the potential to see deer and other varieties of wildlife. Cola and Moose told us they so enjoyed these nature walks on their most recent visit. We conclude our review by recommending, with the highest regards, the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat, Miriam and her team. At the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat all three elements of knowledgeable and caring people, well-apportioned boarding/training facilities and a serene environment combine to provide the most wonderful and trusting of experiences. Thank you!!

As someone who's worked in canine behavior and training for years, finding a place I will entrust…read morewith my dogs is no easy feat. Now that I've found Shady Mountain I may never leave Virginia. Miriam is the real deal. Besides l the numerous books she's published on dog behavior and training the facility is perfect. It's set up impeccably, has appropriately strict health screening for entry and the services on site are too notch. I left my dogs for their first stay and walked away with ease and comfort knowing they are in the best of hands. It's worth every penny and then some.

Devon and team are professional, kind, and compassionate even with the shyest of puppies. I highly…read morerecommend the Canine Campus team!

My pup only stayed here a few times for daycare but the staff were very communicative and…read moreaccomodating. They definitely know about dog body language and how to appropriately give rest breaks to dogs. Thanks for your care of my nervous GSD!

Wonderful people to help you with your next puppy. Super…read morewell bred dogs. Austin's put their Shepherds first. My family has been welcoming Austin's GSD's into our family for seven years. We now have 3. We couldn't be happier with our breeder choice.

Had a great experience with Judy and Kevin at Austin's German Shepherds! We brought home our happy,…read morehealthy little guy just over a week ago and couldn't be more in love with him! Communication was great and Judy and Kevin were super easy to work with!

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!