impossible to have a more organized and knowledgeable experience for your dog and family. our dog…read morecomes back happy and tired EVERY TIME!

The only folks I trusted my dogs with when I lived in the Bay... skilled, trustworthy, and…read moreevidence-based dog handling and training customized to each dog's needs. Boarding and pack walks were amazing for our two doggos.

We are moving away from the bay area and so, so sad to be leaving Kaellyn! Kaellyn walks Blue M-F…read morein her pack hikes with 5-6 other dogs. She is reliable, professional, and so loving of our dog. In her pack hikes, Blue has gotten so much better with recall and general obedience. We will truly miss her! I don't even want to think about how much Blue will miss her and his doggo friends. SOB!

Our rescue dog Wyatt has always loved other dogs and people, but when he first came to us it might…read morebe said that he loved them too well. We were incredibly fortunate that K Lynn spotted my wife being walked by Wyatt. Over the ensuing months, Wyatt went from a loving but somewhat unruly dog to -- I have to say it -- the perfect dog. OK, I'll grant that every dog person says that about their dog, but K Lynn has done some amazing things with Wyatt. First of all, his recall is ironclad. He can be running away from me toward some desirable target, like another dog or a squirrel, but when I call his name he slams the brakes as though he's seen a cliff, then trots happily back to me. Second of all, he went from loving other dogs by immediately jumping all over them to being a very polite canine citizen -- sidling up, bowing, and taking the full measure of the other dog before engaging in play. I can take Wyatt anywhere without fear that he'll run away or misbehave. Third, he's just happy. You can tell. K Lynn will swear up and down that she's not a dog trainer, and I suppose that's the case. But in my experience, if you've got a dog who's got some rough edges, she is fantastic. She starts by working one-on-one with the dog to make sure she can manage him in the context of a pack walk. Then she'll introduce him to other dogs in the pack, one at a time, to make sure he can be socialized. If all goes well, pack walks follow -- at first with a short leash, and then slowly with more freedom. As this process progressed, we could see Wyatt's home behavior improving every day. K Lynn is a pro. She communicates clearly, follows through, and runs a very tight ship. With her on the job, I know I don't need to worry about Wyatt during the day. She's also been great about advising us on how to make sure we're all sending the same signals to Wyatt. She taught me how to use eye contact and non-verbal communication with him, and since that day I haven't had a single behavioral issue I couldn't correct. She has a true gift for canine communication, and I'm grateful to have learned a bit from her.

Emily was amazing! She was very friendly and easy to get along with. She is also flexible when it…read morecomes to scheduling drop off and pick up times. She was very thorough with her instructions and reminders. She gave us pictures of Twix (our dog) while we were on travel and that was very comforting to know that Twix settled and ate well and that he too was also enjoying his time. I will work with Emily again whenever I need a dog sitter. Great job, Emily, and thank you!

We originally found Emily when my work converted to a hybrid schedule and we needed someone to come…read morea few times during those days to let our puppy Mango out of her crate to get some play time, potty, and get fed. Mango seemed very comfortable around Emily, and she even sent us a picture while she was over watching her. We also discovered that Emily does daycare during our conversations with her, and have since tried that route once. It has worked out well knowing that Mango has someone to keep an eye on her throughout the day while we're gone, and not just barking up a storm while locked in her crate all day. Emily communicates primarily through text, which has worked out well for us in coordinating logistics and communicating schedule and updates.

Dominique and her whole team are great. Dominique is very communicative and reliable. Her and her…read moreteam treated my puppy Palmer so kindly and accommodated us when we needed to change his care arrangements. They were flexible, caring and very knowledgeable about what he needed. Palmer loved his pack walks and I always knew he was in the best hands.

Dominique and Huey are awesome, truly good people, and everyone they hire is also great. Our two…read moreblack labs love them. Dominique is amazing -- she is so organized and efficient, and she is also so friendly and helpful. Recently we had a sudden need to board our dogs, which can be a total headache with the dog hotels and their schedules. Dominique and Huey took our two dogs to their home without hesitation. They feel like part of our community, so warm, understanding, and supportive. I have used three other dog walking businesses, and East Bay Dog Service is far and away the best.

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!!

Michelle took care of my 1 year old rescue Evie and she was amazing. She took Evie out with a group…read moreand they went hiking and exploring for many hours. Evie always came home so happy and exhausted. I recently moved out of Berkeley and was so sad to lose her services, so if you are looking for a dog walker in the Berkeley area Michelle is your best bet!!

Michelle has walked Ozzy for two years now, and it's changed his life. Ozzy used to be downright…read moreparanoid. Every other dog, every passing car, every stranger with a hand out represented a threat to be warned off with a growl or a snarl. Michelle taught him that so long as he was a member of her pack he had nothing to fear. Gradually, little by little - Michelle is patient and very consistent - Ozzy relaxed and began to enjoy life. He can't wait for Michelle to come in the afternoon and give him yet another chance to be a good dog. And when Michelle isn't here, he looks to me or my wife as interim leaders, so he's a good citizen for us too. Besides her talent for animal attitude adjustment, Michelle is extremely reliable, punctual, and a pleasure to deal with.

Updated Review -…read moreSee attached photos. This is about trust. - Our cat (who is actually a girl ) has been cared for many other people in the past including friends and pet sitters before we moved to Pinole (not Hercules) and needed to find a new sitter - Cathie's response was posted 6 months after my original review so not sure if she is thinking of someone else

Cathie is heaven sent. She is a true animal whisperer. Cathie is professional, trustworthy, honest,…read morepatient, efficient, loving and kind. She came to pill my parent's cat, who was in heart failure, for months on end, every morning and evening. She never missed an appointment. She had to give up to 6 different meds in different doses in the am and pm and developed multiple ways to lessen the trauma to our cat. She was with my parents and the precious kitty up to the very end and sat with my parents as they processed their deep grief. She is an incredible and talented person!

If you want someone who cares as much about your dogs as you, you've found the right crew!…read more Junko and her crew have been walking my dogs for 6 years. I can't say enough good things about how much they have helped my dogs stay exercised, socialized, and balanced. I am very grateful for Junko's dedication and care of my dogs. All of my dogs have absolutely loved going out with the pack. After my two dogs passed away, we added our newest puppy during the shut-down and I was worried about how to socialize her properly. Junko helped by starting my 14 week-old on neighborhood walks with her own dogs and then progressed her to walking with the pack. My insecure, fearful puppy is now a confident, friendly, and social dog. And her recall is really coming along (thanks Junko, Antonio and Stephanie!) Junko has also helped with consultations and resources on all sorts of doggie-related issues.

Words cannot properly convey what The Complete Pack means to me and my pup. Junko and her team have…read morebecome an extended family to us. On walk days, they are without a doubt, the highlight of my dog's day. My dog was not an easygoing social animal by any means. Skittish, afraid, and reactive. Over the years being in this pack has been nothing short of miraculous as I've seen her grow into a confident and communicative canine. When I travel for work, my dog gets to stay at "Aunt Junko's." It can't even count as dog boarding, as it's basically a vacation where she gets to hang out with her bf Bero. Junko's love for her pack and her passion for caring for dogs is tangible. As a protective owner who knows my dog isn't the type where I can just have a friend easily look after, I trust fully and unequivocally Junko and her team. We are forever and truly grateful to have The Complete Pack in our lives.

I was really stressed out about my upcoming vacation because I was worried I wouldn't be able to…read morefind a good place for my dog. I am not interested in a kennel that is going to keep the dogs in cages all day and only let them out for an hour or two. I also had a lot of apprehension about leaving him with a complete stranger (I am very picky about who I will trust with my dog). But when I found Sara I felt 100% comfortable with having her watch my beloved long-haired chihuahua, Mo. She boards pets in her home so it is as close to their normal environment as possible. She also tries to keep their normal routines (sleeping, eating, etc.) consistent. When I dropped Mo off he was so excited to have other dogs to play with that he didn't even notice when I left. I wanted to explain to Sara that Mo has a collapsing trachea and what to expect but she already knew - very impressive! She really knows her stuff which put me at ease. I was also glad that she lets customers pick their dogs up until 11 pm which took some of the strain off of our travel schedule and saved us from having to pay for another night (although her rates are very reasonable). When we picked Mo up I was pretty sure that he would have rather stayed with Sara! I know that he had a great time playing with other dogs, going to dog parks, taking long walks, and playing at the beach. He was exhausted (but in a good way). Normally I would feel guilty about leaving him but this was like a vacation for him as well! Boarding my dog with Sara took all of the stress out of my vacation and I am definitely going to utilize her services in the future.

I had the good fortune of being a neighbor of Sara's. As soon as I met her, I was impressed by how…read moremuch she invested of herself into Green Dog and the dogs she cares for. I immediately trusted her with my two dogs. Sara is very well organized and meticulous about all aspects of her business and her relationships with her clients -- and of course with the furry ones. She organizes the walking groups according to temperament and size, and doesn't accept poorly socialized dogs. Unlike the so-called walkers you see with way too many dogs all leashed together in a tangled mess, Sara never exceeds the legal limit because she wants to ensure the safety of the group (and other people/dogs) and the quality of the OFF LEASH walk. She also does basic training exercises, cleans the dogs when she delivers them home, keeps photo blogs and videos of the walks, and overall gives them a tremendous amount of love and friendship. If I could, I would have Sara spend time with the dogs every day. They love going on her walks and actually anticipate her visits! I have no doubt that the time they've spent with her has made them happier and healthier.

Samantha and her team are the best! They take my dog out 3x a week and he is super tired…read moreafterwards. Especially now that we commute to SF for work, I used to feel really guilty coming home from work late at night and my dog, Brewer, thinking it's time to play. Now we come home to a happy, sleepy, well taken-care-of puppy. It's good to know that he is having fun while my boyfriend and I are at work :) Samantha had a meet and greet with us and Brewer loved her. The few times I've worked from home, he always runs straight to the door when Samantha or her daughter comes over to pick him up. You can tell that they all genuinely love dogs. They also send cute pictures and videos of the dogs playing, which are always nice to get while at work! The Lazy Bones Dog Adventures team is professional, nice, flexible, accommodating and their prices are reasonable. I highly recommend, and Brewer says, "2 paws up!"

When you have a full time work schedule that includes a lot of travel, it's a necessity to have a…read moretrusted person to help care for and love your pup. Samantha and her lovely family gave our dog Kaia just that! Always on time, flexible, consistent and showing up with big smiles made us and our dog feel cared for and safe :). Kaia is a rescue and is cautious of new people. Samantha and her daughter knew exactly how to handle her and gained her trust immediately which was impressive. She also offers affordable boarding options and has a beautiful space that allows Kaia to run and play with other dogs. Her daily walking rates are very fair as well. Highly recommend her walking services!!