We enrolled our two adopted GSPs (barely three years old) with Ridgeside K9 for the three-week board and train program and they were placed with Perry and Brandi. The boys were unruly, had minimal basic training, and were impossible to leash walk. We were somewhat hesitant about the use of an e-collar but after having them back home and learning how to use the device appropriately ourselves, we have experienced significant improvements in managing them.The Ridgeside training greatly accelerated their behavioral improvements inside and outside our home. We still work actively to reinforce their foundational training and achieve continued improvements. Perry and Brandi gave them excellent care, sent photos each evening, and remained available to answer any questions we had throughout the training program. The day they delivered the boys home they spent many hours with us explaining the training methodology and teaching us how to use the e-collar. We're very satisfied with the training results and the progress our boys made in their care, and we're especially appreciative of their expertise and dedication. Perry and Brandi were instrumental in making our GSPs more enjoyable family members and better dog citizens. read more

What a joy to work with Brandi and Perry! My 9-month old Cavapoo, who before training was sweet but bouncing off the walls with puppy energy, is now calm and so obedient! It's amazing to me. Her e-collar does the trick and is not at all painful for her. Brandi is also very responsive, so if you find yourself stuck or confused once your pup is back home, she will take good care of you. I will continue to use the boarding services of this wonderful training couple when I travel. read more

This is a good location for dog training. Be careful if you are boarding your dog. They charge you $60.00 per Calendar Day not a 24-hour period. If you drop your dog off at 4:00pm on Friday and pick up on Saturday at 9:00am you will be charged $120.00. read more

Poor results, worse service TLDR: We had a very disappointing experience with Ridgeside K9. The training was ineffective, the communication was terrible, and despite repeated attempts over multiple weeks to address our concerns, the owner refused to even speak with us. We paid over $3,000 for no appreciable improvement in our dog's behavior. Read the negative reviews and (especially) the owner's responses before deciding where to send your dog - we wish we had. We sent our dog for a three-week Board and Train from late June to mid-July 2024. We were excited, as we were informed that we'd been assigned the "head trainer." Unfortunately, this turned out not to be true, at least not in any meaningful sense. Instead, the head trainer's wife (apparently also a Ridgeside trainer) conducted the training. We didn't think much of it at the time, but in retrospect, this was the first assurance from the company that was not true and did not meet expectations. When we got him home, the lack of improvement was evident right away. We diligently followed the instructions we were given, working with him multiple times every day. He showed no understanding or interest in any of the commands he was supposed to have learned. After five days of struggling, we reached out to the trainer, explained our concerns, and asked for help. She offered to come to our house a couple of days later for a one-on-one session. During that visit, we attempted to walk through our neighborhood. She saw the poor behavior firsthand, and told us the issues were due to our corrections and timing - a possibility to which we were fully open. With our lack of success, we asked she could demonstrate proper corrections and timing. After some hesitation, she took the leash... and utterly failed to control him. Our dog saw another dog, went crazy, and she struggled to physically pull him away from the situation. This is the behavior that led us to seek professional help in the first place. He hadn't failed to improve with us - he just hadn't improved. We were stunned to watch her do what we had always done - apologize and struggle to overpower and attempt to re-gain control of him. The photos and videos we received of him sitting or walking alone in the woods were nice, but when it mattered, she demonstrated a total inability to handle him any better than we had. We reached out to the company, explained the situation, and requested a refund. Their receptionist contacted us, and after a brief (very defensive) conversation, she promised to get in touch with the owner and the trainer and get back to us. She did not. She ignored us for 3 weeks, despite multiple attempts to follow-up. When we finally got an answer, the receptionist offered additional sessions with the same trainer or a conversation with the owner. After three weeks and a clear failure during a one-on-one session, we had no reason to expect different results with the trainer. We requested to speak with the owner. The receptionist tried to convince us that sessions with the trainer would be better, but we (again) requested to speak with the owner. She then ignored us for another week. After another follow-up from us, she finally replied and said the owner would call the following day. He did not call. The receptionist later informed us that the owner had changed his mind, as he was "very busy." Our only options were to have additional sessions with the same ineffective trainer, or to drive to their office in Winchester. Apparently, the owner could make time in his schedule, but only if we were willing to take time off from work to drive out of town. Give me a break. The owner was not interested in the fact that the training failed, nor bothered by the fact that our only contact at his company found it acceptable to ignore the issue for weeks at a time. We exchanged several more emails with the receptionist, but they were as absurd as they were unhelpful. Highlights included: * The fact that they "didn't choose our dog." While true, they accepted him, overpromised, underdelivered, and disappeared when issues arose... with over $3,000 of our hard-earned dollars * The receptionist's position that we "completely understated" our dog's reactivity by describing him as "hyper reactive." Had we instead described him as "extremely reactive," apparently, things would have been different... * RK9's continued insistence that the "head trainer" was our trainer. They stuck to this even though we never met or even spoke with him. According to them, the person that assessed our dog, picked him up at our home, sent progress updates, brought him back to us for post-training handoff, came back for the follow-up training session, and was offered for further sessions was (somehow?) not actually our trainer. Our dogs are family, and we won't give up. Our search for effective training continues; after experiencing the poor results and customer service from Ridgeside K9, we'll be even more careful next time read more

There are no words to express how impressed I am with how Brandi and Perry of Ridgeside K9 have helped me with my dog, Bandit. Bandit was my first foster dog and after a few weeks we decided to adopt him. He's a 9-month-old Aussie Shepherd mix and it was obvious that he needed some training to help make him the best possible version of himself. After his training I noticed a difference in Bandit right away. A few examples of this are: I was able to have Bandit sit on his cot while I put together a chair for my home office. This is something that never would have happened without the training from Brandi and Perry. Bandit would have been all over me and the box and just getting in the way while I put together the chair. Another moment that impressed me was when I was walking Bandit. He no longer pulls on his leash, and he very rarely reacts to people and/or dogs that pass by anymore. I even had a situation where two people saw me walking Bandit and decided to ask me some questions regarding Bandit and during the whole conversation Bandit sat right next to me and didn't bark, didn't pull his leash and just sat and smiled. It was amazing! Also, another thing I loved is that when the turnover happened, Perry spent 3-4 hours with my husband and I teaching us the proper communication and commands that Bandit has learned that will help keep him on the right path. It's important to know that owners have to also follow the rules they're taught to help maintain your dogs. Oh, and one more thing, I got updates every night regarding Bandit and his progress I highly recommend hiring Brandi and Perry of Ridgeside K9, LLC for your dogs training. I can't say enough great things about them read more

I would HIGHLY recommend Gina Furtado for dog training. She actually did an amazing job with our Cavalier King Charles.. so much so that the training effects have had a lasting impact on her in that she is just a very well behaved dog and great listener. We are sending our dog back for a refresher too. I definitely trust Gina. read more

Iggy spent 3 weeks with our 6 month old lab in the board and train program. He was amazing. She not only came back very happy, but she came back a much more trained puppy. The work Iggy did with her was amazing. She's still an enthusiastic puppy, but she now knows to heel when being walked. She walks right next to me and no longer pulls. She sits when I stop and no longer tries to greet every single person or animal we see on a walk. She'll go down when told and even stay there when people enter the house that she doesn't know. She also is now able to play fetch and actually give you the ball back. I received daily updates and videos. I've had a couple of questions since she came home and Iggy responds immediately. The work Iggy did with her was truly incredible and I would highly recommend Ridgeside K9 and Iggy. read more

The 2-week board and train with Gina Furtado completely transformed my dog. My 10-month old Alaskan Klee Kai puppy was having impulse control issues and would bite at me and howl when she wanted something. I wasn't sure how much 2 weeks of training could fix the problem, but at the end of training I received a different dog. Gina keeps the dogs in her home and trains with her children, which is great exposure. When I dropped off my dog, she was running from me, hiding, refusing to go in her crate, and generally didn't listen at all. Now, I can say "crate" from across the house and my dog will run to her crate with no fuss. Gina also worked on desensitization to nail clipping and handling, which has been a total game changer. Her command are crisp and clean, and we have had no more nipping or biting. My dog seemed to really enjoy training with Gina and has men much more affectionate and comfortable being handled since I got her home. Ridgeside K9 is a great investment in your dog and well worth it. read more

My dog is a well known therapy dog in the Northern Virginia region. As a terrier, she can be reactive, so I entrusted her to Ridgeside for a 3 week board and train program with Aaron J. This was a big mistake. Shame on the owner of this company, shame on Aaron J for allowing this mistreatment of dogs to occur, and for charging people $3k+ for this. Upon return: - She lost 4 pounds in 3 weeks. I would have appreciated Aaron J noticing and bringing this to my attention. - She was extremely stressed, shaking uncontrollably in my arms. I sensed that she could not wait to get away from Aaron J. She did the commands in his presence but there was a cost to it -- the cost was her extreme distress. There was no bond with Aaron J, even though the website says your dog will be well cared for with a bond. I would have appreciated Aaron J bringing to my attention that this approach didnt seem to be a good fit for her. - She had a dead look in her eyes the first few days. - Prior to bringing her to Aaron, she was fully house trained. Upon returning, she had 7 accidents in the house in 1 day and we've had to begin house training her again. We woke up to a big shit in the house. Aaron admitted that there were times he did not bring her out enough, so my guess is she got used to having accidents again. - Upon returning, she is now more fearful around dogs and *more* reactive. - Upon returning, she is not able to do any of the skills (place, recall sometimes only, heel). The website says that your trainer will spend 3-4 hours with you training you upon return; the whole point is to train you on them so they can be generalized. He spent 20 min with me, 10 of which were simply showing me the ecollar system without her. - When I called to complain, the company defended Aaron J and said I must be mistaken. Then they said they would follow up with me to resolve the matter, but they have not fully done so. Additionally, the owner declined to speak with me. Collectively, these actions and outcomes speak for themselves. I feel very sad that my dog went through this, and most of all, I feel sad that I entrusted my dog to Ridgeside K9's care. I feel sad also that the owner didn't seem to care when I raised these concerns regarding the mistreatment of my dog. Overall, I felt that Aaron J really did try to train my dog, but that within the process of training dogs, he has lost sight of the forest for the trees: The dogs you are training are sentient, conscious beings. They are not robots meant to be programmed by you, at the expense of their health. Perhaps training so many aggressive dogs has led him to detach over time or to lack empathy for the dogs at the end of the day, thus resulting in his inability to see my dog for what she really needed, or to develop a bond with her. Small things: - He did not remember her actual name. - When we spoke prior to training, we discussed concerns (reactivity around certain situations) that he later did not recall us speaking about. I would have appreciated him caring enough to remember things about my dog. I can only conclude they are overloading him with too many dogs at once to truly bond or remember or care for them properly. Feel free to reach out to me individually if youd like further information; Im happy to help. The good news is that my dog seems to be recovering well and is back to serving as a therapy dog; she now has firsthand experience with the things she is helping with, which I think can only further strengthen her bond with people in need. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

Amazing results!! Our hound mix rescue pup was absolutely unmanageable. 60 lbs of young, goofy, and stubborn. He went to 3 weeks of Board and Train with Perry and Brandi, and now he listens to us! We had tried typical training classes without any luck. But Perry and Brandi established a way to communicate with him and taught us how to do it too. Ridgeside K9 was a game-changer for us. Totally worth the investment! Thank you Perry and Brandi! read more

Our dog Vinci had a three weeks board and train program with Gina. And it was amazing! Vinci is a highly energetic golden retriever pup, who just loves going outside and greeting every creature she sees. we had tried teach her heel walking, and it never went so well, so we didn't have much expectation going into the program. However, this 3 weeks program fixes her wrong behavior completely! She's doing the heel walking, not jumping on people and everything! Walking her has never been so easy. Absolutely will recommend Gina for everyone who needs a dog training, it will make your life so much easier! read more

Gina did such a fantastic job with our (very stubborn) English bulldog Matilda. She's still a puppy, but we're on a much better road now thanks to Gina. She was patient and kept us updated every single day on Matilda's progress. It was comforting to know that Matilda was safe with her training family, and to see the pictures of her interacting with kids and other dogs. Thanks again! read more

Ridgeside K9 - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

Ridgeside was amazing. Brandi and Perry trained out 17 month old lab who is a gentle giant (85 lbs) but had lots of bad habits. I was a little hesitant to send him away for 3 weeks but it has made all the difference in the world! Gus (the lab) is so much happier and so are we. Brandi and Perry were amazing sending us pictures and updates everyday. Gus loved their family so much I was worried he wouldn't want to come back home. They delivered Gus back home to us at the end of the training and spent hours of one on one time training us. They've followed up with us so many times to check on Gus and to check on us! Thank you Brandi and Perry!! read more

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Perry and Brandi are the best!! Our 100lb Pyrenees/Golden needed some training when we adopted him as a 5-year-old rescue. He pulled and lunged on the leash, wouldn't come when called, and at times stubbornly refused to do what we asked of him. He is a gentle soul and loves children but we needed to be able protect him, ouselves and others from his strength and independent thinking! In just two weeks with Perry and Brandi we have a very manageable dog. Bear no longer pulls on his leash, comes when called, and stays in place when commanded. He also now gets into our truck without being bribed with whipped cream and salmon. He goes up and down our steps in the house, now curious about where we go when we disappear to the second floor. When guests arrive he no longer rushes to the door but will stay on his cot until the visitor greets him. He is such a joy to have in the home. Now I feel we can take him anywhere. Thanks from Bear and his family! read more

Ridgeside K9 - Bear just chillin' - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

We were fortunate to have Brandi and Perry provide professional training for our Boston Terrier pups. They addressed behavioral issues in the training, helped us learn to build on the results they obtained. We highly recommend them. C Boyer read more

I just got my puppy back from a 10 day puppy board and training with Brandi and Perry from Ridgeside K9. Winnie is young and I wanted to set her up for success early. In 10 days, Brandi and Perry were able to do way more in Winnie's training, than I was able to do on my own since I rescued her. I received daily updates and photos showing Winnie's progress. When it was time for Winnie to come home, Brandi brought her back and spent two hours with me filling me in on what they had done so far, demonstrated Winnie's new skills, and then Winnie and I practiced her new skills together while Brandi observed and coached me on how to continue Winnie's training. The follow-up with Brandy and Perry has been fantastic, too! Winnie will go back in a few weeks for two more weeks of training and I'm confident in Brandi and Perry giving Winnie the skills she needs to be a well trained and obedient dog. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

I am so happy to share this review. We partnered with Bernie and Ashley for two separate trainings. The first time was so successful, we had to sent our second to them as well. Each story is a bit different and I think will help those looking for training so I will share both: Cannon (2.5 year old male GSD / black and red) - Cannon was our first that we sent to Bernie and Ashley. Cannon has always been a true people lover, and was once an other dog lover too. After being attacked twice by other dogs, he became extremely proactively aggressive when seeing other dogs. He had some of the basics down, but also struggled on walks with pulling/tugging, etc.. The biggest struggle was how reactive he was to other dogs when walking - it made it nearly impossible and our fear led to making it worse. Cannon spent three weeks with Bernie and Ashley and, in all seriousness, came home an entirely new dog. Well, he was still his fun and people loving self, but he had learned composure and obedience that we were simply not able to teach on our own. I can proudly say that walks with Cannon are now a true joy. He is able to walk without being reactive to other dogs that are around or we see at other homes. He notices, but stays right by our side. The techniques and education that Bernie and Ashley instilled in him were a true game changer. I know us as owners feel better and I am sure he does as well. Cole (7-month old male GSD / black) - Our experience was so positive with Cannon, that we were sure going to send our newest to Bernie and Ashley for training (2-weeks). Cole is our wild child - much different than Cannon. He is more of the typical GSD you would see in funny videos - mischievous, stirring the pot with his brother, all talk but no action when he sees other dogs, etc.. This was more of a typical younger dog training, but we still had important learnings we were hoping for with him - mainly obedience. He is still a young wild man, so he struggles a bit with listening and gets overly wound up and excited leading to jumping, throwing his paws around, leash pulling, etc.. I am also ecstatic with the training Cole received. Look, he is still a young dog, full of energy, but he has taken on quickly to Bernie and Ashley's training - mainly with the obedience we were looking for. He will sit at the door when told, and wait for permission to go out. He is a pleasure to take on walks. He is aware and listens to his remote controlled collar and commands that come from us. Overall, I could NOT be happier with the training our two dogs have received. Not only was the training worth it and successful in my eyes, the open and frequent communication, transparency, education and kindness of this training team were beyond any of my expectations. I HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who may be looking into formal training, but have any doubts or concerns about whether it is worth it or not - it truly is. read more

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Our German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix just completed her three week board and train with Brandi and Perry...and we wish we'd reached out to Ridgeside K9 years ago! Our dog is sweet, intelligent, well-behaved, and extremely obedient, but has always tended to be rather nervous. Over the past few years, she began to exhibit territorial behavior in our house and around our neighborhood. Specifically, she became extremely reactive toward delivery trucks, sometimes in situations that could put her safety at risk. We spent thousands of dollars on other training programs trying to resolve her reactivity, but none were effective. We didn't consider Ridgeside K9 initially because I did not want to board her for three weeks. However, when our travel plans made it necessary for us to board her somewhere, we decided it was the right time to try Ridgeside K9. Brandi and Perry were wonderful. Brandi sent us updates and photos of our dog every single day. I felt confident she was safe and well-cared for. Knowing she was getting lots of one-on-one time, mental stimulation, physical exercise, and affection from Brandi and Perry and their family was a huge relief. In fact, we are so happy with the care Brandi and Perry provided that we plan to use them whenever we need to board her in the future! We are already seeing a difference in our dog's behavior on our walks around the neighborhood. Finally, and arguably even more important than actually training our dog, Perry spent hours training us on how to effectively communicate with her, which will ensure we can continue to build on the progress they helped her make. I have already recommended Ridgeside K9 (specifically Brandi and Perry!) to friends seeking dog training services and will continue to do so! read more

It's been a week since our standard schnauzer Fred came home from a 3 week training with Perry and Brandi. Wow! Can't say enough about what a game changer this has been. We are enjoying our pet like we envisioned. He came home with a solid foundation for us to build on. Brandi sent a text every evening with pictures of Fred that made us feel like we were part of the journey. These texts became the highlight of the day in our house. Perry did an incredible job with Fred's hand off back home. He was patient with 4 inexperienced adults asking repetitive questions and made us feel comfortable. Overall our dog's quality of life and our owner experience is already so much better. We are looking forward to the next several years with Fred. Thank you Ridgeside K-9! Justin & Carolina Frailey(+kids) read more

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Gina was absolutely amazing with our 8 month old, high drive puppy. She patiently allows him to learn basic obedience all while keeping us up to date with daily updates and lessons for when our dog was back. I would not hesitate to send our dog back to Gina and we've even signed up for additional training in the future. read more

Based on many favorable customer reviews, I have no doubt that Ridgeside K9 has done good work in dog training. That said, I am writing about my experience with this company, which was nothing short of horrific. Our interest is solely to 1) make known that our dog was seriously injured while under Ridgeside's care; 2) make known that the owner of Ridgeside, Aaron Taylor, attempted to bully me in a conversation which he illegally recorded without my consent. My family was initially attracted to Ridgeside given its corporate purpose as a veteran-owned and operated business. Many of the trainers are former K9 police officers. We liked what the company stood for and we sent our pure-bred Doberman to Ridgeside for a 3-week board-and-train program. In an email after signing on, we were told that our assigned trainer, Trent Ashman is "truly an amazing person and a world-class dog trainer. Prior to our training, we called Ashman, our assigned trainer, to ask if he would be comfortable posting our dog's ears for the 3 weeks he'd be away. For those less familiar with Dobermans, the breed standard is characterized by upright ears. In order to produce this appearance, dogs undergo surgery on the cartilage of the ear and owners provide follow-on care which consists of "posting" the ears so that they stand. This process consists of inserting a soft foam rod into the ears and taping loosely to "train" the ears to stand. Ashman said he was comfortable posting our pup's ears. And, given that we were told that Ridgeside has extensive experience with Dobermans, we had no reason to doubt Ashman or the company's stated marketing as Doberman experts. Nonetheless, when Ashman arrived to pick up our dog, I demonstrated exactly how I post his ears and gave him all the necessary supplies. We got daily updates and it looked like our dog was happy and learning. Three weeks later, our dog came back. The good news is that he came back with some new skills. The horrifying reality, however, is that he came back severely injured. When I unwrapped the tape from my dogs ears soon after Ridgeside's departure, I found his ears purple with swelling and with several open wounds. It was clear that Ashman had wrapped the ears enormously too tight, causing severe injuries. Please refer to the photo on the day that our dog came back home. He is on 2 weeks of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory meds. Our vet says that scar tissue will likely prevent his ears from standing permanently. All of our care and hard work is ruined and our dog will never look the same. I don't think Ashman deliberately hurt our dog, but it was clear that he didn't have any expertise posting ears and he didn't follow my instructions. He was clearly not qualified to care for a Doberman, or any other breed with posted ears. I was busy re-adjusting and caring for our pup when a few days later, I got a call from Aaron Taylor, owner of Ridgeside. His first words were to tell me he'd seen all of the text communications between myself and Trent, then to tell me he has over 20 years' experience with Dobermans. But when I tried to explain that my dog came back injured, instead of simply expressing some empathy or understanding of our situation, he arrogantly huffed "we're not dog groomers" - a statement which demonstrates his absolute ignorance of the Doberman breed. Anyone who has ever owned a posted Doberman knows that ear care isn't a grooming function; it's the responsibility of the dog owner, sometimes vets. Moreover, I was told by a "world class dog trainer" that he was comfortable taking care of my dog...so I had no reason to doubt the company. Taylor refused to listen to anything I had to say, bullied me throughout our conversation, constantly interrupted, and ultimately tried to tell me that my dog's injuries were somehow our fault. Moreover, in a later text exchange, he states: "Ma'am, based on our call yesterday and listening to it again in detail I am confused as to what you would like us to do?" Please refer to photos of the text exchange from Ridgeside. Taylor recorded our conversation without my consent--which is not only illegal but also unethical business practice. Ironically, anyone else who may have been listening would have heard a business ownerraising his voice at a customer, bullying and generally behaving in an unprofessional manner. My point is simply this: If Ridgeside wants to claim they are Doberman experts, then they should know how to care for Dobermans. If the company can't care for a Doberman's ears (common practice relating to this breed), then they should be truthful with customers and tell them that they lack that kind of expertise. If either Taylor or Ashman had simply said 'we don't feel comfortable caring for Doberman ears' then I could have made alternative arrangements for my puppy's care. Instead, the company's hubris and ignorance has resulted in lasting harm to my pet. read more

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I highly recommend Ridgeside K9! 2 years ago Nicole trained my German Shepard girl. Fast forward to August we reached out and got on her calendar to train our newest furry family member, Ben. Nicole is amazing with the dogs and with her clients. We are able to enjoy our confident, behaved, loving dogs even more because of her work. I have zero concern or hesitation taking my dogs into any situation. Ridgeside K9 and your trainer are there for you ...forever. For instance Nicole reached out a few days ago just to check in and see how things were going with the puppy and if I had any questions. I swear she is a mind reader because my family and I were wondering what to do because the pups weren't sharing toys. Her advice was spot on. I continue to be amazed on her caring nature for the dogs and for us. They truly have made our family so much more relaxed and the dogs are a joy. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Our newest pup! - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

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What a difference 3 weeks makes! We honestly cannot thank Morgan (our trainer) and Ridgeside K9 enough. If you're on the fence, let me tell you that it's absolutely worth it and that these people are simply amazing. My wife and I are first time puppy owners and we welcomed our first kid when our golden retriever was still under a year old. In short- we didn't know the best way to train our loving pup (Zoey) and no longer had enough time in the day to try and figure it out by piecing things together from online resources and those 1 hour sessions at the doggy daycare centers. After reading tons of great reviews like this one - we signed her up for the 3 week board and train - and got blessed with having Morgan as our trainer. From the first text update she sent us, we could tell that she (and her husband Matt who is also a Ridgeside trainer) had practically adopted Zoey into their family and treated her as if she was their own pup. It became such a joy to get the daily update from her seeing the incredible progress Zoey was making. In every photo and video our pup had the biggest smile on her face too! (Side note: Morgan is an incredible pet photographer. No joke we're getting some of the pictures she took framed and one will probably be on our Christmas card. haha) Morgan was also super accommodating when our family got hit with Covid right before the expected turnover. She and Matt kept Zoey for a few extra days to make sure we could all be safe and well before bringing her back. At the turnover, Morgan spent plenty of time with us to teach us how to best continue the training for Zoey. She made sure we were comfortable with all the commands and gestures, even acting things out as if she was Zoey at some points to cover different edge cases. She and Matt then brought Zoey over and it honestly shocked me how much Zoey had improved in such a short time. She used to terrorize all the plants in our backyard and try and eat everything off the ground. Now she just looks at us lovingly and runs to get more pets or sits in place looking so accomplished. Zoey used to pull on her leash so hard. Now its like we don't even need one because she is walking right next to our leg in a perfect heel. If you're still reading this far- I know you really care about finding the right trainer for your dog. The last thing I'll say- which is the ultimate compliment for Morgan, is that during the turnover Zoey kept going over to her and snuggling with her. She loved them as much as they loved her. Morgan and Matt simply are amazing people and I hope you get a chance to have the same experience we did. read more

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We sent our dog off for a 3 week board and train. Ryan Woellner was Layla's trainer, he is phenomenal! I am impressed by his professionalism and caring. He checks in periodically to see how we are doing and to answer any questions we might have. Last week Ryan made time to meet up so that he could see how I was walking with Layla on and off leash and give me some pointers. I so appreciate his continued support. As far as I am concerned Ryan is one of the best trainers out there. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Ryan and Layla - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

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I cannot recommend Ridgeside K-9 enough. From start to finish, this was a great experience. My young golden retriever is very smart, but also extremely driven and energetic. She is very sweet but was a wild child - always jumping on people, nipping to play, and totally out of control on the leash. We tried a "puppy kindergarten class" with her and it just wasn't enough. I reached out to Ridgeside after looking through countless reviews of dog training companies with a few questions and Chrissy answered everything quickly and comprehensively, and was able to find 3 weeks for training that worked well for us. Our dog's trainer, Nicole, was amazing. Not only did she reach out beforehand and spend nearly an hour going over everything with me, she made herself available for additional questions. Throughout our dog's stay with Nicole we received daily updates on her progress, complete with commentary and pictures. There was one day where our dog had some tummy trouble and Nicole actually called to inform us and let us know all of the steps she was taking to make sure her tummy got back on track. Our minds were totally at ease knowing our dog was in Nicole's care! The handoff was also very smooth! Nicole made sure that we were prepared to continue our dog's training, and spend a lot of time with us to answer questions and actually have us put the training in practice. She clearly is great with training dogs, but she's also great with training their humans! I went from nervous to feeling confident that I could continue my dog's training within a couple short hours. She has also continued to make herself available post-training for questions. Our dog is completely transformed. She has maintained all of her sweetness, but she is obedient, calm, and honestly she seems so much happier! We can finally walk her down the street without it being a mess, she can come to work with us and not jump and nip, and she finally has stopped knocking me over as we walk through doors. I cannot recommend Ridgeside and Nicole enough! Thank you! read more

In January of this year, I sent my 1 year old border collie to Ridgeside K9 to tackle his fear of men and improve his ability to focus and behave well in public. Our experience was nothing short of fantastic. From day 1, Aaron J was communicative, clear, and sent me updates about how my guy was doing through the process. At our go home session it was so clear how much time Aaron had spent building a relationship with my dog. He went from being terrified of any man to wiggling his whole body any time Aaron looked at him during the turnover session. His off leash obedience is excellent and he will recall without fail. He has a much better ability to focus in public and ignore or leave distractions when asked. While he is still reserved with strangers, Aaron gave us a huge head start on managing his behavior and the difference is night and day. Before the board and train, I could not get him to engage with me at all and he would either cower in fear or bark and lunge at the end of his leash whenever he was approached by strangers, especially men. Now we can walk through a crowded city street and he will heel beside me. When strangers come into our house he is accustomed to going to place and waiting for a release command before engaging with people. After almost 2 months of keeping up and building on the skills my pup learned at Ridgeside I can confidently say he is becoming a great dog to live with, and his time with Aaron helped him get there. Overall I think my pup got so much confidence and clarity from this program. Aaron J is an excellent trainer and I would not hesitate to recommend Ridgeside and their services. read more

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Gina was incredible with our Doberman puppy, Copper! She sent us photos and updates everyday. Gina was very patient with our questions and showing us everything at the turnover. Copper had the best time being trained and the improvement was immediately obvious. Thank you!!! read more

We sent our 5 month old golden retriever to Brandi and Perry and we couldn't be happier. We've had a few friends send their dogs and only had the best things to say. The trusted referrals meant a lot to us as we are incredibly protective of our dog! They were amazing with her for three weeks. Brandi would text us every night with pictures and updates -- my kids always knew to expect a text at a certain time. Nala came home happy, healthy, and so well trained. Perry spent four hours with us to make sure we were comfortable with how the training works and to help us ensure Nala's ongoing success. I'm sure all the trainers at Ridgeside are wonderful, but I know we are so fortunate to have had Brandi and Perry work with us. read more

Total game changer with our Golden. Brandi and her husband, both military K9 experts were amazing. My husband who was resistant now feels it was the best thing we've ever done with Charlie out of all of our 6 prior dogs. read more

I cannot speak highly enough of my experience with Brandi and Perry and their exceptional dog training services during the 3 week board and train. My spirited pup, once a whirlwind of energy and unpredictability, returned to me after three weeks as a totally different pup though still happy and with his sweet personality. From the outset, Brandi and Perry impressed me with their professionalism and evident love for dogs. During the three weeks my dog spent with them, I received regular updates and progress reports, which kept me reassured and informed throughout the process. It was clear that my dog was not only learning essential commands but also thriving in a structured environment. My dog also enjoyed his first swims in a pool with Perry at his home with their 3 children. Upon Rex's return, the transformation was nothing short of remarkable. Previously prone to chaotic bursts of energy and mischief, his manners had improved significantly, responding promptly to commands and showing respect for boundaries both at home and in public. The turnover with Perry was also wonderful. He is a REMARKABLE teacher and gave us the foundation of the psychology of what was taught to Rex before bringing him out to work on the new skills directly with us. He spent almost 4 hours with us and it was packed with information and hands on learning. What stood out most about Brandi and Perry's approach was their genuine passion for dogs and creating a healthy dynamic in a home. They not only trained my dog but also coached me on effective handling techniques and strategies to reinforce the training. On the first day I took Rex to various stores with us and everywhere we went people remarked on how well behaved he was. I even referred a woman with her dog that I met at Petsmart because she was so amazed at how Rex looked at me and remained calm around her wild dogs. I cannot wait to send Rex back for boarding with them because i know he will be both loved and continue with the healthy boundaries and routines he has developed. The board and train was worth every penny and I would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

If you are looking to train your puppy and or adult dog, go with Ridgeside they are the best! We had the pleasure of working with Brandi and Perry for the puppy and adult training. For both sessions we received daily pupdates about what was going on with our pup along with instructions on how to continue the training within our home with our boy! Brandi and Perry kept us posted when Cooper didn't feel well the one day and worked around our schedule when we were going out of the country for the second adult session for cooper. They took Cooper in and loved him as if he were their own! I couldn't be happier and or more impressed with how well Cooper has done with their training! Cooper is a high energy lab and with their help and training he is no longer jumping on people when they enter my home, chasing after and play biting at my kids and or myself, so on and so forth. There were certain tendencies Cooper had that I knew I needed extra help on how to train him to get out of those tendencies. I'm going to miss hearing from them on a daily basis! Thank you so much again Brandi and Perry for taking such good care of Cooper and helping us train our puppy! read more

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Our 4.5 yo Golden Retriever, Macy, just completed her 3-week board and train with Brandi and Perry in WV! My family adopted Macy less than a year ago - she came to us a "retired breeder" who had never lived in a home, walked on a leash, etc. Our biggest wish was to get her comfortable enough to spend time outside in new places, go on walks with our family, etc.! After Macy completed her 3 weeks with the Bailey family/trainers, we went on our first EVER long walk on a busy trail (think tons of cyclists, runners, dogs, people, every distraction imaginable). Macy LOVED IT. We as her owners felt 100% comfortable with our new skills - we continue to practice on our daily walks, and it's the best thing ever! We are completely impressed with our experience with Ridgeside K9. Thank you to Brandi and Perry for all they've done! read more

Trainer Aaron Jeter might have saved my life. Walking my 40-pound Catahoula mix had become a nightmare. He was triggered by every dog he saw, going completely feral. He actually bit me several times as I tried to control him, and once he even knocked me down. I'm an experienced dog owner, but Max's behavior left me feeling like a failure. Three weeks with Aaron and Max's leash manners are excellent, his recall is nearly perfect, and he is incredibly open to learning new things. Aaron has helped Max become his best self and I am very, very grateful. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Max being a good dog. :) - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

Ridgeside K9 is an elite business with top notch trainers and superb customer service. Trainers Caleb and Shelbie addressed all of my pup issues (jumping, leash pulling, barking at door, and more) during the boarding/training period. They took such great care of my North American Mastiff, Kiva, and when she came home she was not only well trained, but she looked great. Her coat was super shiny and she was very well conditioned. Super impressed on all fronts! In addition to training, Caleb and Shelbie went above and beyond to care for my girl when I unexpectedly went into the hospital during the training period. The stress of being in the hospital was minimized because I knew my girl was in such great hands and well cared for until I got home. I didn't have to worry about a thing because the daily updates and pictures from day one to homecoming showed my girl was in good hands. In today's world, it's hard to find reliable business that provides a remarkable service but also ranks high with customer service. The front office staff is very friendly and responsive, particularly Chrissy who manages day to day operations for Aaron Taylor, the owner. I highly recommend Caleb and Shelbie at Ridgeside to address all of your pup training needs. You will not be disappointed! Pics: Shelbie (@shelbieberg_furtography) read more

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How thrilled I am with my year-old Corgi Wellie after his 2-week stay with Aaron Jeter at Ridgeside K9. Aaron did an AMAZING job. I have a beautifully-trained dog now who still has his puppy spirit and silliness, but no longer bolts out the door to the neighbor's house. And he *always* comes when he is called. Hallelujah! While Wellie was in his care, Aaron kept us in the loop with texts and photos everyday. And Wellie came back so happy! The little guy used to run off at any chance he got, barking and getting under horses' feet when I took him to the barn, but no longer. Now I say "come," and Wellie stops whatever he's doing--chasing a rabbit or a squirrel--and redirects his energy by running towards *me*. His happy obedience puts such a smile on my face! Off-leash control is really important to me as I DO want Wellie to explore, but just come when he's called. And now he does! btw, Ridgeside training fee includes a Garmin electronic dog collar which is high quality and has two signals -- an audible tone Wellie hears, and a mild electric stimulation if Wellie does not respond to the tone. We never have to use the electric stimulation because Wellie responds to the tone, and most of the time we don't even use the tone because Wellie responds to "Come!" Aaron is worth every penny and more as Wellie now has a solid base. Plus after we got Wellie back, I called Aaron practically everyday for a week with some question or another, and he'd get back to me within the hour. Aaron Jeter is THE BEST. I am so happy, and so is Wellie. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Wellie is the *happiest* dog after training with Aaron at Ridgeside K9! - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

Brandi & Perry are brilliant dog trainers. I am thrilled with the results for my 18 month old Lab/Dane mix and highly recommend their service. We went from pulling and obstinate behavior to a calm, listening, and responsive dog that we can communicate with. She is great both on and off leash, and is the talk of the neighborhood :-) You'll love them too, they keep the owners up to date with daily photos on the training, and also are providing post training support when I need to brush up on my techniques or encounter new situations. Fabulous experience all around, you will be amazed at the results. read more

I was researching dog training programs in NoVA for our eleven month old coonhound named Luna. Given her hound tendencies (stubbornness lol) and puppy craziness, we thought the best method to give her some off leash freedom and an effective way of communication was through the use of an e-collar. After a quick search, Ridgeside K9 was one of, if not, the top rated dog training companies around the area. I've been following Ridgeside K9 on social media for some time before deciding to sign our Luna up for their two week board & train program. The sign-up was straight forward: texted Aaron and he provided the documents we needed to fill out for Luna. Afterwards we agreed on a time-slot and I was assigned to Nicole. A day or two after we signed up, Nicole took some time over the phone to introduce herself and answer any initial questions. Knowing that she has other dogs of her own and that she's been training dogs for over 20 years put us at ease that Luna will be in good hands. There were some logistical hiccups regarding Luna's time-slot but it was easy resolved. When the day came, we dropped Luna off with her collar, leash, bed and food. During Luna's training, we received several text, picture and vide updates which was very nice and reassuring! After her training, Nicole came over for the turnover which took about two and a half hours. She took her time going over the e-collar they use for training which is the Garmin Sport Pro. Afterwards, she gave Luna time to settle at home before we ran some scenarios of what she did before training such as counter surfing. Afterwards we went outside to do some heeling and loose leash walking with any distractions that happen to be near such as other dogs and people. On top of that, she demonstrated the place command which will definitely be useful! (Bought ourselves a dog cot on Amazon for her "place"). Any questions we had, Nicole answered them to the best of her knowledge! After the turnover, instructions were clear to maintain Luna's training and if we had additional questions, they were answered. Overall, I am very pleased with Luna's results! She is a very smart and spunky girl so we know she has great potential to be an awesome dog and companion! With the e-collar, we hope to give her some freedom off leash when the time and place is right. If you are on the verge of deciding to do e-collar training, definitely do some research beforehand. It can definitely be used incorrectly (as with anything else) but with the help of professionals (like Ridgeside K9), you'll set your pup up for success! P.S. a nice perk we thought was worth it as well is that if we needed to board Luna for any reason, we would schedule it with Nicole and she would maintain her training during her stay! read more

Ridgeside K9 - One of the many update pictures we got from Nicole! - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

we sent our german shepherd puppy to Brandi and Perry Bailey for a board and train session at 3 months and at 6 months, and they did a wonderful job. After the second training at 6 months which just ended, she became much more disciplined and compliant when we gave her instructions off leash to come, sit and stay, and she also was very good at heeling properly when we walk her on the leash. The e-collar they used and gave us is very effective and does not shock the puppy, and she already is following instructions without having to use the e collar very much. Our puppy seems to now have a very solid behavior foundation as she grows past the puppy stage. Since she is already 70 lbs and is likely growing toward 100 lbs , we felt it was important to get her behavior under control before she got too big, and this training seems to have been very successful in doing that. read more

We recently sent our two pups to Ridgeside for the three week board and train with Aaron Jeter and couldn't be more thrilled with the results. Our two rescues had a few issues they each needed to work on from a lack of recall to a "disaster on a leash." They came back the same, playful dogs, just with an understanding of their boundaries and a respect for our commands. Recall is amazing, heal is amazing (we can walk them without dislocating a shoulder) and their place/stay is on point. We recently took them to NYC and were shocked at how well they handled the high stress environment. One of our pups even went to a dog park, which we never thought would be possible due to some dog aggression issues. In terms of Ridgeside and Aaron, nothing but great things to say. Super communicative (pics each day), the handoff was perfect and he's answered all my annoying questions since we got them back. The pups will continue to need work (in a good way - you always have to keep learning), but Ridgeside and Aaron created the baseline and gave us and the pups the tools we need to continue to be successful. read more

Ridgeside K9 - Pet Training Near Me - Bluemont, Virginia

Please think twice before sending your dog to K9 Ridgeside. We had a terrible experience and if we can save at least one dog from going there we'll be happy. At no point did Ridgeside K9 deal with us clearly or honestly. First, there was never any mention of their use of e-collars for training. After raising this, we were told that there was language in our contract to notify us of the use of e-collars. However, we sent them their contract and showed them that there was, in fact, no mention of the use of e-collars anywhere in that contract. If we had known they used e-collars, we would have not sent our dog to them. In addition, we were specifically told, "While training, you will be sent daily progress reports and photos, keeping you in the loop throughout the training." This ended up not being true. After our dog was returned to us, we raised the concerns. The owner of Ridgeside K9 wrote in response to the concerns raised, "Yes, I acknowledge the trainer should have had more contact. Absolutely agree with you." The trainer also did not follow their standard procedures during the "hand-off" when our dog was returned to us. Apparently there was supposed to be a manual to explain the use of the e-collar and additional information. We had no idea this manual existed until the owner of Ridgeside K9 raised it with us. After explaining we never received the manual he replied, "Yes, I am sorry. Trainers are supposed to provide the client with the guide the day of the turn-over. I am sorry she did not send it to you." Our concerns aren't about a difference of opinion--they're clear black/white, yes/no deficiencies and lapses on Ridgeside K9's part that they agreed happened. Ultimately, there was little benefit to the training--despite our dog spending three weeks with Ridgeside K9 and wasting $3,300 (their fee for a three week program) on this. We tried to raise our concerns with Ridgeside K9 before writing this review. Their response was to suggest sending our dog to them for another three weeks for another training session (this was after being gone from him for three weeks already). We didn't ask for a refund, but we were offered one, which we reluctantly accepted. However, of course, that refund never came. Do yourself a favor and either ask plenty of questions and get things in writing or, more easily, go to a well-respected and trust training center and not this place. read more