Pat is fantastic! I…read moreenrolled Harley, my very reactive doxie puppy, in one-on-one sessions followed by a 2-week board and train program and it was the best decision I've ever made. Pat uses these awesome analogies to help you understand the way dogs think and react. You can tell he is extremely knowledgeable and breaks down the training process in a way where it's straightforward for both you and your pup. I can see how it may be awkward to meet a total stranger who is then teaching you how to train your "child", but it never felt that way with Pat. He is super down to earth, hilarious and extremeley personable. I continue to use his dog sitting services until this day and I can tell my Harley girl adores him!

10/10 experience working with Pat both in group and Private classes…read more Pat responded initially with clarity and a clear sense of what we needed along with options for working together We got 5 private sessions with and a bunch of group sessions for once our dog was ready for it. Throughout the entire training process, Pat was incredibly helpful and had a guiding voice that helped Gator but also us on how to be the best pet parents! We're still working with Pat and probably will be for some time and the best praise I could give him is that our dog is in love with him and always so excited to see him.

Pamela has been SO incredible at getting our lovely but very active and somewhat addictive (to…read moreballs, sticks, anything she can put in her mouth) golden retriever puppy to learn to let go, to calm down, and to behave. She has also helped us to be better at understanding Darby's motivations and emotions. Fun and effective training for everybody!

Pamela is the best!!! I just adopted a second dog this week. My new dog Chance has been through a…read moreterrible tragedy in his life. His owners were killed in a double murder. There were three dogs in the home when it happened. One of the dogs was also shot and killed. Chance and his brother Champ survived the attack and were taken to an animal shelter in rural NC where they have been for the last month. I felt compelled that I need to adopt one of the dogs so they would know love once again. A good friend of mine is looking to adopt Chance's brother. I reached out to Pamela after I had a disaster in trying to crate train Chance. She was able set up a consultation in a very timely matter. She was so kind and you can tell she really cares about helping Chance make the transition to his new home. I really can't say enough good things about Pamela, she is a special person for sure. She has helped lift a huge weight off of me knowing we can work through things with Chance as he gets used to his new home and his second chance at love in his life.

I cannot recommend Kathy at Cause and Effect Dog Training enough! When we first reached out, our…read moreSpringer Spaniel, Checkers, was fearful, anxious, and often growled at my spouse and sometimes even at our kids. We had already tried multiple trainers, different techniques, and even followed our vet's suggestion to try antidepressants--but nothing was helping (in fact, the medication only made things worse). The moment I spoke to Kathy on the phone, I felt confident she truly understood the problem and could guide us in the right direction. And she absolutely has. Over the past year, Checkers has made tremendous progress thanks to Kathy's knowledge, patience, and the clear guidance she gave us. We followed her suggestions carefully--even switching vets based on her recommendation--and the results have been life-changing. Earlier this year, we had to travel out of the country and trusted Kathy to board Checkers. During that time, he developed a beautiful bond with her partner Dan. This was nothing short of amazing, as Checkers has always been fearful of men. Watching their relationship grow has been such a gift. With Kathy's help (and the influence of her own two balanced dogs), Checkers has learned how to be a dog--something I once thought might never happen. He now participates in pack walks and can even run off-leash in the fields, something I couldn't have imagined a year ago. If you're struggling with your dog's behavior and feel like nothing is working, do yourself and your dog a favor and call Kathy. She and Dan have changed our lives, and I am endlessly grateful for the care and dedication they've shown to Checkers and to us.

Kathy had great techniques and homework for me and my husband. She was punctual in every session…read moreand gave us constructive feedback. I really think having the training sessions with Kathy helped us bond with our dog more. It was a really rewarding experience. I absolutely feel more confident about my communication skills towards our girl Cub. Thank you for helping us work with her Kathy!!

When I first adopted a shelter dog at 7 yo, he stayed here and was overwhelmed and had anxiety from…read morehis past. The staff here was able to accommodate him and updated me. I trusted that he would be safe with them. I took him to boarding school for two months to fix his past traumas and let him do a one month daycare here afterwards. He seemed a lot better with more socialization. Thank you to wag hotel Oakland for being patient and letting my dog thrive. I would recommend the 30 day daycare if pet parents are busy with their day or want socialization for their dogs

Shame on you Wag Hotel!…read more I scheduled boarding for my dog Hans at your facility back on 1/28 in preparation for a trip to Japan on May 3 - 8, which you accepted on 1/31. However, when we arrived at your facility on May 2nd, the day before my flight to Japan, your front desk staff informed me that Hans' 5/2 - 5/8 boarding was being denied due to him having a heart murmur condition. Even though I've been a loyal customer to you for over 10 years; and that Hans' heart murmur condition had already been noted in your system since 2024; and given that my flight to Japan was less than 24 hours away; and given the fact that your facility waited until I was at the checkin desk in order to inform me of Hans' boarding denial; I was still told that there was nothing that your facility could do and that it was simply following company policy. Luckily for me, I demanded to speak with a manager who then took it upon himself to assist me in finding another facility that would board Hans at the very last minute. So kudos to that manager. However, you should know that he had to make several calls going down your "other recommended facilities" list in order to find a facility that was willing to board Hans on such short notice even with him having a preexisting heart murmur condition. So again, kudos to that manager. So unfortunately, this is how our relationship ends after I've been a loyal customer to you for over 10 years. Policy aside, not only should I have been notified far in advance to my May 2nd boarding schedule, but that I should have also been given an accommodation due to the last minute nature of your notification. It was simply amazing to me to hear both your Manager, and your front desk staff all admit that a notification error had, in fact, been made by your boarding authorization unit, but due to company policy there was nothing that could be done and that Hans would simply have to boarded elsewhere. Obviously, both my years of customer loyalty and the fact that your authorization unit had made a horrendous mistake, made absolutely no difference whatsoever in my situation. So goodbye, and again shame on you Wag Hotel!

Gusty us AMAZING!!!!! We saw great results after just 1 session and learn tons with each followup…read more If you keep up with her lessons you should see great behavioral improvement and management. Our dog was already amazing, but Gusty helped with the transition of our older rehomed puppy to our family. Something to note about the Bark Busters philosophy- it uses positive reinforcement with solid results...and also acknowledges that your dog is still going to be your dog. Their personality is their personality... so they teach you how to work with the dog that you have instead of the dog that you think you should have.

Their 'training' is entirely anchored on fear-inducing techniques. We were given a contraption that…read moregenerates a harsh noise, and my dog was visibly terrified every time the trainer used it on her. All this while they constantly reassured us all their techniques are based on positive reinforcement - what kind of positive reinforcement is centered around fear?! It gnaws at us that we ever decided to go with this service. My dog - and every dog - deserves better.

We recently used Restful Pets for our beloved boy, and I truly can't recommend them enough…read more We called several other places first, and many were far out in places like Fresno or Gilroy. It was really important to us to be able to bring him ourselves and have that sense of control. I had also heard too many stories of larger operations misplacing pets or losing ashes during transport, which felt unimaginable. Some of the places we spoke to also felt very transactional. It didn't feel like they were meeting us in what was a very real, emotional moment. Restful Pets was completely different from the first call. They were genuinely compassionate. Being local made everything easier, and their turnaround was much faster than what we were quoted elsewhere. It's definitely no-frills, with no big packages or upsells, but that ended up being exactly what we needed. What mattered most was knowing he was close and that we were in control of the process, with someone who treated us with care. That made all the difference.

Lost my beloved fur baby almost 2 months ago and while in a state of shock (it was completely…read moreunexpected) I had to search for someone to help me take care of my baby and make proper arrangements for her.. After some searching online I came across Restful Pets and after reading a few reviews - I knew this was my best option. I immediately called and Mark, the owner answered. His tone was perfect given the setting/circumstances. He came within 1.5 hours to my home, allowed me to say my goodbyes, explained the process to me, and took her in a larger size "suitcase" which was hard to see but I understand that's how the process works. Within 2 weeks I received a text message from "Justine" letting us know Princess was ready for me to pick her up; throughout this entire process my only complaint or complaint would be the message when notifying the family that their fur baby is ready for pick up, it stated "good news, Princess is ready for pick up" which in one way, I understand how it can be perceived as good news - I've been without her for 2 weeks and receiving her remains should feel like "good news" but for me, it wasn't good news. It was confirmation I'd never see her face again so I felt the choice of words weren't the best. Besides that - they did such a good job and made an already painful process less stressful. Cost - it was as pricey as anywhere else you're looking. As a stay at home mom, I can't afford much and had to research quite a few places and the price is about the same everywhere $20-30 difference max and again, they came to my home and took care of the arrangements. The only thing I felt was overly priced was the clay paw print, I paid $100 for her print and it was gorgeous - don't get me wrong. But the clay molding can be purchased for $20 so $80 for the labor of doing it seemed a bit unreasonable but I wanted a final paw print so I paid it. The box I received with her ashes was also gorgeous. Again, great services and owner was a great person. I hope to not need to use their services anytime soon but would if needed and I do highly recommend if searching for someone.

Hands down, Christi is the best dog walker in the East Bay. She is a first a dog lover, who is…read moreconscientious, organized, and thoughtful. Her pack walks exhaust the dogs while being safe and exciting for them. Her dog sitting sets my mind at ease as she knows dogs, her level head and knowledge ensure peace of mind while we are away.

this is also a long overdue review, I have used BARK AROUND THE BLOCK for many years. and…read more her staff are excellent. my dog; Rommel, a French bulldog he absolutely loves walking with her. She socializes the dogs with the group walks offered in the afternoons or morning walk. during the ongoing months The scheduling and communication is excellent ! My dog has improved greatly in all aspects of his socialization as well as his obedienc. Believe it or not for his breed he is so chill now. He loves his group walks! The trails are varied which is fabulous and keeps it interesting for the dogs. I have been extremely pleased with the excellent level of service provided by Bark Around the Block She is deserving of the Best Dog Walker of Alameda for the consecutive years, it has been awarded to her Company!

I have brought my dog to Happy Hound for over twelve years, after we tried another doggie day care…read more The staff at Happy Hound knows and cares about all the dogs, they have a thoughtful system for placing every dog in the appropriate group based on the dogs' energy level and temperament (mine is cranky with other dogs and wary of people), and the staff (all great) really understand how to accommodate different dogs -- no matter the size, breed or personality. For years my dog was there five days a week as I commuted into the City, and I always knew she was safe and happy there. Really the best facility for boarding dogs. M.A.B.

Update following the owner (Suzanne)'s response:…read more I appreciate the business taking the time to respond. I want to clarify a few points for transparency and for prospective customers considering Happy Hound. My concern was never the existence of a first-day assessment fee, but the value delivered. I have used dog daycares across NYC, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco and have never encountered one that charges more than a standard daycare day for a first-day evaluation. In many cases, the first day is complimentary. That context shaped my expectations going in. When I called to book, the 3:00pm time slot was the only option presented to me by Happy Hound. At no point during booking--or after the tour--was it communicated that the daycare credit would apply the same way regardless of whether my dog attended for a full day or only a couple of hours. Without that clarity, it is entirely reasonable for a new customer to assume that paying for a full day would result in receiving a full day of care. That is where the communication breakdown occurred. I am not disputing the sequence of events shared in the owner's reply. My concern is with the policy itself--specifically, requiring payment for a full day of daycare while not delivering a full day of service when scheduling limitations come from the business. The outcome was that I paid for care my dog did not receive. A prorated refund for the unused portion of that day would have been a reasonable, customer-oriented resolution. Sharing this simply so other prospective customers understand how the onboarding process and policies work in practice.

Our dog, Maggie (2yrs - Cockapoo), is coming home tomorrow after a 2 week board and train and I…read morecouldn't wait until then to write a review for Bryan. Bit of background: Maggie has done 12 weekly group training sessions with another trainer and is generally well-behaved. However, she doesn't read the social signals from other dogs well (ex: when they want to be left alone), tends to jump on everyone at all times, doesn't respond to commands unless there's a treat involved, and lacks confidence. What I enjoyed about the program is that it includes several in person training sessions during the B&T. We got to see Maggie's progress as time went on and most importantly, we were trained on their behavior psychology and how to become the leaders of our pack. I will say I was nervous about implenting the ecollar but Bryan has demonstrated that it is a safe and effective training tool-- I got to see it used as a tool for correction that Maggie actually responded well to. Maggie is coming home tomorrow and hand-off includes an in-home training sessions to ensure her progress doesn't regress which I appreciate. From what I've seen, Maggie has become more confident, responds to recalls in distracting places (no treats involved), learned to self-soothe, and plays/greets other dogs/people with manners. Truly the best investment I've made in my dog and I'd highly recommend Mutt and Tumble to all dog parents!

I worked with Bryan to help my doodle, Ruby, with selective reactivity. Ruby has always been very…read moresweet and highly obedient -- I've done a lot of positive reinforcement training with her -- but when it came to reactivity, that approach wasn't working. If anything, it sometimes amped her up more. Importantly, she wasn't reactive across the board. She was totally fine on dog walks and at parks. The issues showed up when she was on leash passing dogs, when she felt territorial, and especially with dogs or animals on TV -- she would charge the screen. It felt unpredictable and like it was getting worse, not better. I was nervous about changing approaches because I'd had a bad experience with board-and-train in the past, but I knew I needed to rethink how I was helping her. We started with several in-person sessions so I could fully understand and feel comfortable with the training philosophy and how e-collar training would be introduced. That foundation made a big difference for me. After that, Ruby did a three-week board and train. When she came home, there was a noticeable shift. A few weeks later, while I was out of town over the holidays, I had her go back for an additional week, which also went really well. After the board-and-train, Bryan also did a lesson with my parents in the East Bay, who are Ruby's primary caretakers when I'm out of town. That follow-through meant a lot -- making sure everyone was aligned created real consistency for her. The results have honestly been transformative. She still has occasional moments (as all dogs do), and I keep the e-collar on her to reinforce boundaries, but the trajectory has completely changed. For example, she now sees dogs on TV and doesn't react -- even without the collar on. She sat through the entire Super Bowl, ads and all, without charging the screen, which felt like a major milestone. I can now take her to cafés, and for the first time, I genuinely believe one day I'll be able to bring her to work. Instead of her reactivity escalating, it feels like we've unlocked a new, calmer path forward. The only area for improvement would be communication during the board-and-train portion. I'm used to receiving frequent photos and videos when my dog is away, and updates were more limited -- typically one photo or video per day when I prompted, usually at the dog park. I would have loved more visibility into what her training days looked like, especially footage of the specific reactivity work (like TV desensitization). Overall, I'm incredibly grateful. Ruby is still her sweet self, but with clearer boundaries and far more confidence. That step change has made a huge difference for both of us.

We had such a great experience with our trainer. Our rescue dog had so many behavioral issues it…read morewas overwhelming. We did private lessons with Pohan and she is so amazing. Pohan is now one of our dog's favorite people and the behavioral issues are so much more manageable now. Pohan connects great with people and dogs. She explains things in detail and we are so grateful for finding her and getting her help with our dog.

Mitch and Patrick are amazing! We had 5 home sessions with our two Havanese dogs. We worked on…read moretraining them to be better at greeting people and on how to get them to not make at the door when the doorbell goes off. We also worked on walking and now they don't pull! So nice to be able to go on a walk without being pulled. We then did dog greeting and reactivity and got a lot of tips on what to do to help the dogs feel more comfortable. Mitch and Patrick really went above and beyond to help us!