HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! When we were first shopping around for a doggy daycare, I assumed all daycares were created equally but I was VERY wrong. Most larger daycares fill a room to capacity and provide a couple attendants to make sure no fights breakout, there's no real interaction with the dogs. The Backyard Pack (BYP) engages with your dogs and loves them as one of their own. They create a safe, clean and healthy environment where dogs can thrive and have fun. And unlike the larger daycares we tried, the staff at BYP takes the pups out for potty breaks rather than letting them go in the room where the dogs are playing. I HIGHLY recommend the BYP if you're looking for doggy daycare or boarding, your pup will thank you! read more

If you want to read about the boarding stuff, read my previous reviews. Also, their cost includes everything, so no paying extra for special play times or anything. After checking out a few trainers, I got together with Brian at the Backyard Pack for some leash training for my dog. They (Brian and Laurie) worked with him a bit while he was being boarded, then met with me to teach me how to work with him. Duke pulls a lot on leash, and barks furiously at distractions (other dogs, runners, bikers, squirrels...) For an extremely reasonable price, they came to my house for a session. They brought another dominant dog who they were training, so the dogs could be walked together. They walked us right up to distractions, and showed me how to handle his panic both before he reacts, and after, if he does react. I feel like I finally have the tools I need. Duke's improved a lot. He's still a work in progress, but we have way more good walks than bad ones now. They sent me a list of tips, followed up with me, and are available for me to ask follow up questions via e-mail. I'm happy because they've helped me to control his behavior, not just distract him with food. read more

My pup Peanut had his first day at the daycare right before Christmas 2020. I work on Belvoir, so it's nice not to have to go too far out of the way. The place was easily located (by the blue door). They greeted him, took him back for his assessment and let me know he was good to go in about 10-15mins. When I picked him up they informed me that he did well and was welcome to join the daycare. He was sooooooo tired when he left there (which is great for me) lol. I love that they post videos of the dogs playing so that you worry a little less. They also walk the dogs around noon so you don't have to worry about poop and pee all over the floors. Fantastic daycare facility! I recommend it to those first time nervous pet parents. read more

I am extremely pleased with the results of using TBYP for boot camp training for my dog. My review is really long in case there are any panicked yelpers looking for a dog trainer as I once was! But the short version is that they are great! The dog I adopted last year gradually developed what looked like severe leash aggression. I hired multiple trainers to come to our house to work with us, spoke with other trainers on the phone, and took an 8 week class for reactive dogs, but still had a dog that would get so panicked on a leash that she would turn around and bite me when she saw another dog approaching us. Because of her leash problems, I stopped feeling comfortable taking my once very social dog to the dog park despite her problems being generally confined to when she was on a leash. Slowly, Zoe started growling at people and children too. Walking the dog became a really stressful and exhausting activity so I decided to look into board and train programs and I am SO GLAD I did. After doing a little research I landed on TBYP. Zoe had an initial assessment and was deemed a good fit for the boot camp training program so I dropped her off for 5 weeks at TBYP with Brian and Laurie for a VERY reasonable price. Laurie emailed me updates occasionally and after 5 weeks I met Brian to pick Zoe up and receive my training. The training session was brief, and my first impression was that Zoe was not perfect on a leash, but had come a long way. I also went with Brian and Zoe into a dog park and watched with relief as Zoe played totally normally with other dogs as she once had. Brian and Laurie also provided a follow up training session a couple of weeks later, and answered multiple emails full of my questions. After having Zoe back for 3 months, and using the corrections I learned from Brian, Zoe is so much better. I think it took her a little time to realize I was going to use the same system as Brian and Laurie but once she did the growling, snarling, jumping around like a maniac, and (ahem) biting me stopped completely. Very occasionally if provoked Zoe will do a little anxious dance or small woof but that's about it. She doesn't growl at people, children, or dogs which feels like a Christmas miracle based on her behavior last March. For anyone nervous about leaving positive reinforcement training behind, I'll just say using corrections (which are mild) has worked so much better for my dog than the 5 months of positive reinforcement training did. I honestly think it's kinder to the dog to give clear guidelines and be in charge so they don't feel the need to be in charge themselves. To be clear, my dog is not perfect now, and will probably always be a little anxious on a leash (and sometimes off a leash), but Brian and Laurie gave her a great head start on training and with constant work at home she is a million times better. I also use Brian and Laurie for daycare and boarding since they are the only people I trust with my dog. If you have a dog with a problem you've been unsuccessful correcting I would highly suggest getting in touch with TBYP. read more

I have been meaning to write this review for awhile. I was so lucky to find Brian and Laurie to help me with my rescue dog. She was developing aggressive behavior against my other dog and the situation became very dangerous. I was absolutely frantic trying to figure this out. The first time I talked to Brian about it, I was literally in tears. Sophie did 6 weeks of bootcamp (for a very reasonable cost) and came back a very sociable little girl! It far exceeded my expectations. Now her and my other dog tolerate each other well, and even play. I take her for day care a couple of times a month to keep her sociable. I won't take her anywhere else for boarding, as long as I live in the DC area. I literally drive 30 miles out of my way to take her to the Backyard Pack. Brian and Laurie are awesome. They even came up with an installment plan so I could pay for sophie's rehab over the course of several paychecks. I can't recommend them enough. read more

Amazing place. Only place I will take my dog. Laurie and Brian go above and beyond to make sure the dogs are happy and healthy. My dog has gone to both boarding and daycare for over a year and we could not be happier. read more

We are using their dog day care for our boston terrier. She loves Brian and Laurie, everyweek she get so excited to meet them. We put our dog for 2wks when we went to oversea trip to see my family. I was worried about leave her behind untill we finally found best place for her to stay while we're gone! It's very nice place to put your dogs day or night and i like how they are having your pet in their house&yard, not like big shelter like other places. I think our dog feels more like being at friends house than being at daycare :) read more

As I have gotten to know Laurie, and now have seen the back where the dogs play... I don't know what we would do without this place. I do and have recommended this place to anyone in the area. read more

The Backyard Pack is awesome. Laurie is awesome and was always so helpful and accommodating when my sweet Winnie was going through her health issues. They do a great job in daycare with help the nervous dogs fee more comfortable and the rambunctious dogs release their energy. I highly recommend them for boarding as well. I always felt at ease when Winnie would stay there. I'd give them way more stars then 5 if Yelp allowed it:) read more

I brought my little Shi/Tzu Poodle Mix, Mia, to The Backyard Park for her fist doggie daycare experience. Brian took great care to make sure she was comfortable in her surroundings, introducing her to all the other dogs. The Backyard Pack keeps the dogs active throughout the day, playing in the pool, running all over the backyard, and somehow manages to even get in nap time. The dogs are continually supervised and monitored for any behavior problems, and Mia being a littler dog was able to play with dogs her own size as well as interact with the larger dogs because of this. What I like most about The Backyard Pack is that the owners will go out their way to help make your dog a better dog, with behavior modification, training, overnight visits, grooming, and positive reinforcement. Mia was all tuckered out after we brought her home. She can't wait to go back and play with all her new friends!!! read more

The best doggie daycare ever!!! I am so happy that we found TBYP! We have been taking our dog Roxy there for over a year now. She get's so excited when she knows she is going to day care and truely loves Brian and Laurie. Roxy is an all around better dog since she has been going there. They gave us a few tips on how to train her not to do the bad things she was doing. We were so excited to learn that the dogs are not crated there during the day hours or even overnight! Now when we go away on a trip, we know Roxy will be loved and taken care of while we are gone and won't have to left in a cage! When Roxy comes back from daycare she is exhausted and sleeps the entire night! It's a great way for the dogs to get used to being around other dogs and in a playful enviroment. I cannot say enough about how wonderful The Backyard Pack is!!! Liked: Disliked: read more

My dog LOVES coming here for daycare. Laurie and Brian are dog experts and this is the only place where I feel comfortable leaving my dog for the day. I always know he will be taken care of and he always comes home pooped! Laurie and Brian truly understand dog behavior and tendencies, and can likely provide answers to any dog-related questions. It is evident that they care for each and every dog under their watch, and their processes for doggie pickup/drop-off reinforce their understanding of dog behaviors. I rarely see my dog more excited than when we make the turn off telegraph road into the Backyard Pack driveway. read more

We take our Bullmastiff and Labrador to The Backyard Pack two days a week. The excellent customer service, professional environment, and welcoming atmosphere never ceases to amaze us. Furthermore, having a dog trainer supervise the animals has been a huge plus relative to other doggie day care locations. Our dogs have grown so fond of the place that our Bullmastiff -- who has suffered from severe timidity issues since we got her -- feels right at home at The Backyard Pack. In fact, we have seen a noticeable improvement in her confidence in response to Brian's positive reinforcement techniques used with the animals. Our Lab also enjoys the location and is always eager to visit. One other positive note would be that our dogs never have any scratches or cuts when we pick them up, which was a problem with other day care locations. And, of course, the prices are very competitive, so it is not too difficult to budget! We would highly recommend Brian and Laurie to anyone in need of a dog trainer or doggie day care in the Alexandria or Springfield area! read more

This place is great! We were new to the area and had been interviewing several dog walkers, but couldn't find the right fit for our two girls (Zoie - lab mix and Alexandria "Alex" - lab/hound). We found The Backyard Pack and were thrilled. My girls had a wonderful time. We even called to check on them during the day (as we're overly concerned parents sometimes) and we were told that Zoie was playing (a first I must add as she's usually all about people and not dogs) and that while Alex was scared when other dogs got in a scuffle, she was doing great! I appreciated being told the truth about their stay and the best part is that they slept all night long - they were so tired that the next morning, they ate breakfast and went right back to bed! This is the perfect place - great hours, great prices (for the area) and the owners are certainly all about the dogs (unlike other places). I would recommend this place to anyone wanting to give their dog some freedom during the day!! read more

I have been bringing my dog Jenga to TBYP now for about 3 months for daycare. She LOVES coming and playing with all her friends. Laurie and Brian have been wonderful with her as she is a rescue Pitbull mix that is about 1.5 years old and she has a ton of energy. The play room is large enough for all the dogs to have plenty of room to romp around in. I like that this daycare has more structure than other daycares (I have tried several) for the dogs which has taught her to have better manors when at home too. One of the other things I enjoy about TBYP is I can also purchase her dog food here so it is a one stop shop. I can't say enough good things about TBYP and the owners. read more

I am so glad I found this daycare! I moved to Virginia about a year ago and was looking for a place to take my 2 dogs. Most of the places I found had hours that didn't fit with my work schedule, were outrageously priced, or had a bad daycare/boarding environment. When I checked The Backyard Pack out I loved everything about it. My dogs love going there for daycare or boarding and are always anxious to go back and play (they rarely even look back to say "bye" to me before going into the play area...jerks). Laurie has given me lots of training advice about my younger dog, who I adopted right before I moved to Virginia, and she is always available to answer my questions. The prices are very reasonable, especially if you have multiple dogs. I highly recommend this place! read more

My husband and I adopted a dog through The Backyard Pack in June 2010, and it was a nightmare! They told us the dog was "aggressive on a leash" and needed some more training...after having him for a week, we discovered that not only was he aggressive on a leash, (and by aggressive, i mean he would foam at the mouth and try to bite the leash off), he bit my father-in-law on the nose for absolutely no reason, and tried to attack anyone and everyone who walked in our front door. We called them and told them we could not handle the dog and that it had bitten someone and they said "well, he's never done that before", insinuating that we must have done something to the dog. We brought him back and that was the end of that. If you want to adopt a rescue dog, DO NOT go through these people--go to Lost Dog Rescue in Arlingon, they were awesome and we got a great dog from them!! read more

We've been clients with TBYP for 3 years now. If I can sum up everything The Backyard Pack is as a dog daycare, training and boarding facility is, these people are dog lovers before they are in the business of making money. They do not nickel and dime you like other "dog resorts" do with a la carte services I.e, snuggle time, extra feeding or extra walks. Everything is included in a single rate. No surprise costs when you come to pick up your pet. I know our 3 dogs are in good care when I drop them off. Never a worry. Our kiddos absolutely adore their Auntie Laurie and Uncle Brian. You want a high quality, no frills daycare boarding facility, this is the place. read more

TBYP is the ONLY place I trust taking my rescue to for boarding. Brian and Laurie are very knowledgeable and it seems like at least one of them are always around looking after the dogs, which is nice. I don't have to worry about my dog being in an environment where the employees don't really have a good understanding of dog behavior. I think that the structured play at TBYP is great and I don't worry about my dog when he's there. I also think the pricing is very reasonable for what you get and it's clear that Brian and Laurie are really passionate and caring with what they do. read more

The worst dog day care facility. There are two reasons people get into this business, the love of animals or money, this is definitely the latter. I am in the military, my dogs have attended daycares in Colorado, Washington, Kansas and Missouri courtesy of my army moves. I took them here because it is the closest to Fort Belvoir. This is the worst one I've encountered bar none in over 10 years. First, they won't show you around, this was really my first red flag since all other daycare have always offered to take me and see the place, here they require an appointment just for that, but based on reviews I figured they must be ok. Their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, normally I see people who are happy to see my dogs arrive, here the woman would walk away to the back, get a cage or part of a cage to cover her dog under the desk with this cage and then finally acknowledge me, every time same thing. They have set drop off and pick up times, so how is it that during the set times she never had this set up already? On the 5th day there, the road to them was closed, I called to ask for directions to go around the closures, she told me it would take an hour to get there, they are 3 miles from me, but with the closures traffic was not moving. I took the hour long detour and called her about five minutes from finally getting there and she told me that I better get the before 0930 because they close. Ok, yes during a normal day , but considering Telegraph road was closed from both sides and she was aware of that she would be more sympathetic. I got there at 0910 and they already had the sign that they were closed. Whatever, I wished her a good day every single day regardless. The office is small and hot and a slight smell of urine, to be expected I guess, but the heat in that office made me ask if they have A/C, the temperature was over 90 every day, she told me yes but only in the back. Every afternoon my dogs were always ready to go to the bathroom as soon as I picked them up, so I asked if they were allowing my dogs to relieve themselves, she told me that she walked my dogs twice a day, I told her how they seem to be full after I picked them up, she told me its because they drink so much water since it's hot (I thought they had A/C)? So far a few red flags. On the 10th day there my dogs began to pull away from her, they didn't want to go in. That was a first ever, and the biggest sign something was wrong. On the 11th day (Monday) my older dog really began to fight going with her to the back. She got angry and started yelling, I didn't understand what she was yelling but I had to turn around and come back to figure out what was going on, then she said he had the wrong collar. It was the same collar he's had since day one, which she acknowledge but then said that it looked like one of theirs so she always assumed it was. She proceeded to rip off his collar from his neck and started yelling at me about how it slipped off and that I needed to buy one of their collars because their collars are safe. I saw her rip the collar off, it didn't slip off. She then shoved it back on him and ripped it off again. The whole thing was strange. I walk him with that collar always and he has never slipped off, supposedly she had walked him twice a day for 10 days and had never noticed the collar type? Also they must unleash my dogs in the morning and leash them again in the afternoon right? And never did they notice this dangerous collar? Anyway, I told them I wanted my money back for the remainder of the packet I purchased, way too many red flags by now. They won't refund my money, the clearest sign that they are only in it for the money. Any reputable business would have good customer service and would return money for services not rendered. That they won't means two things, first I guess many people ask for their money back and second, they only care about the money not your pets, or your service. The owner, Brian, first and only recourse was to blame me because according to him I have a bad attitude, the whole one time he saw me in the 11 days my dogs went there he went to pick up my dogs from the back and handed them to me, and I said thanks, have a good day and left, I guess he wanted a hug. I offered him to part ways by giving me my money back and no further issues or I would get a lawyer to get my money back, he chose lawyer. Ok. read more

We decided to go to Disney World for a few days but have never left our 2 year old boxer. She gets very nervous around other people and has never been socialized with other dogs. We brought her in for a day of doggy daycare a couple weeks before we left and she did good but was still a little nervous so we did one more day before we left. Our dog, Maggie, did good so we went with the five days of boarding her. Laurie was great about sending us text messages to keep us up to date with how Maggie was doing. Even a video of her playing with other dogs. She gave us great information on what dog foods are good for Maggie and why her nose is dry all the time. She even made Maggie Beef stew after the first day when Maggie wouldn't eat, and gave her chicken a few times. After talking with Laurie you realize she really cares about the dogs and wants what's best for them. Their prices seem high but it's a very fair price for how your dogs are treated. Highly recommended. read more

I could not be happier with the Backyard Pack! My dog, Asha, absolutely loves it and it's well worth me driving 15 minutes past work just to drop her off for a full day of fun. She sleeps the entire way there and perks up when we get closer like she knows we're almost there. Laurie has been so pleasant and easy to talk to since the day I met her and as a dog owner that was many years removed from the last time I had a dog, she gave me great tips and tricks for training. She and Brian have welcomed us with open arms and I couldn't imagine another daycare where Asha would get the kind of exhaustive playtime she gets with the Backyard Pack. Her time here has greatly impacted her socialization skills and how she interacts at the dog parks near home. I'm very thankful for Laurie and Brian! read more

We were referred to TBYP by our neighbors and so thankful to have discovered them! We have a one year old pit/boxer mix, Heidi, who has been a pack member of TBYP since she was about 16 weeks old. It is evident to us that the owners, Brian and Laurie, genuinely care about the dogs and feel passionate about their overall well-being. Whenever we have raised questions or concerns regarding Heidi, whether it's been training techniques, choosing a healthy dog food, correcting bad behaviors, etc., Laurie has always made herself available to speak to us at length to discuss and educate us on any issue. I've been a dog owner for many years and taken my dogs to other daycare facilities in the area, but in my opinion, none compare to TBYP. Brian, who is also trained in behavior modification, is with the dogs while they play in daycare on a daily basis. We can feel confident that when our dog is dropped off she is left in the best care possible. We will be boarding Heidi for two weeks next month and have never left her for an extended period of time. We are concerned that Heidi may have some anxiety and Laurie has gone above and beyond to make us feel at ease. To all the dog owners out there, you know that our dogs are not just pets; they are family. Brian and Laurie understand this and we feel like TBYP is a place where Heidi is able to play and exert energy in a safe, well-structured and monitored environment with professionals who truly care. I would highly recommend TBYP to everyone!! Mindy and Leighann read more

The Backyard Pack is truly as good as it gets. My first experience with this company was when my Fiance and I sent our newly adopted dog, Hammy, for bootcamp training due to aggression and anxiety issues. The difference was night and day after all was said and done. We can now take our dog out for walks and to local dog parks without issues. Now we just have to keep an eye on the behavior of OTHER dogs rather than worry about ours. Ever since then, The Backyard Pack has become our go to place to board Hammy when we are traveling or on vacation. He has made many dog friends and occasionally we get to see updates when he plays with or meets new ones. Laurie & Brian truly run a great operation here and I strongly recommend The Backyard Pack without hesitation to anyone in the area. read more

The backyard pack is hands down one of the best things about living in Northern VA. We are a young couple and we searched long and hard for a boarding facility where we knew our fur baby would get plenty of TLC. We hated the idea of her sitting in a lonely room or crate. If you're searching for the same thing, look no further this place is the one! Laurie and Brian are such dedicated owners and absolutely will take the very best care of your pups. With their dog training knowledge and passion for canines we've never once doubted that our girl is in the very best hands. Our pup has a lot of anxiety but when it's time to go to BYP she leaps for joy and cannot get to the car fast enough. She loves playing all day long with her friends. We recently had some health issues and Laurie was beyond supportive with helping us to sort through options to help us to save on vet bills and find the best remedies for our girl. The time and attention she gave to us for no other reason other than she genuinely cares for all her BYP dogs meant the world to us. We love BYP so much that we often tell every dog owner we encounter on walks. It's hard to summarize how much this place means to us, let's just say we talk about moving but BYP is one of the reasons we don't. read more

I'm writing this review simply because I believe that credit should be given where credit is due...and Laurie, Brian and The Backyard Pack deserve all the credit in the world. Our dog Bella has been going to daycare/boarding at TBYP for the past 1 1/2 years, and our experience has been a million stars in quality! We have complete trust in Laurie and Brian when it comes to our Bella. We know she'll be cared for, loved, trained and appropriately disciplined. Lately our schedules have not allowed us to take Bella in every day as she used to, and if she could talk I bet Bella would tell us to just leave her at TBYP every day!!! :o) Even though we live about 25-30 min from TBYP, we take Bella in on our days off; this should be a reflection of the quality of work these guys do and of our trust in them; I hope it serves as an incentive for anyone who reads this and is considering taking their pup to TBYP. Thank you Laurie and Brian! (Bella says, "woof"!) read more