My 6 month old puppy Finn was a nervous wreck when we rescued him. We believe he was taken away from his litter mates too early and therefore has little social skills when it comes to other dogs. His fear was occasionally exhibited as aggression and in puppy Kindergarten with our trainer Linda and her assistant Michele we made the decision that he needs to be in daycare ASAP while still in puppyhood to help him with his anxiety. At the time WAGD wasn't accepting any new dogs for daycare but Linda and Michele went to bat for Finn and I couldn't be more grateful. Finn has now been going to day care 3-4 times a week for about two months and last week one of the employees there texted me a video of Finn playing with another dog (I was worried he'd only ever be allowed to do individual play there). I could see the employees keeping an eye on things making sure both dogs were behaved but it made my heart so happy to see Finn interacting so positively with another dog! They have a life long customer of Finn and I! Thank you WAGD Staff! I know Finn (Ears) is in great hands when I drop him off each morning and I appreciate the work you do with him. read more

What A Good Dog - Headed home from daycare at WAGD. - Pet Training Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Facilities are very nice but (1) the people who staff the intake desk are rude, (2) EVERYTHING is ala cart and costs alot (e.g., except for brief potty walks your dog will be caged for the duration of boarding unless you purchase play time). My preferred boarding and daycare facility is K9 Resorts Hotel in Malvern. read more

I have had the privilege of being a client of WAGD for over 8 years.. six months shy of my dog Alfie's entire life. The staff and owner's have taken care of Alfie.. truly like one of their own! It is a privilege to have him in their care when needed. Terri C read more

Wonderful people working at What A Good Dog.! They are so kind to my rescue dog, Johnny. When we adopted Johnny we were the third family to adopt him in one year! The other people did not want to put the time in to help Johnny trust his new home, new people. He came to us on April 6, 2020. He was confused, scared, and stayed next to the rescue lady. He had come up from Texas with a group of other dogs. He was bounced around. So sad. Well, we love him! His stay at WAGD this summer will be different. He developed diabetes a few months ago, and, recently he went blind. I still know that the people at WAGD will treat Johnny with kindness, love, and great care. I recommend WACD to everyone. read more

The facilities, the people, how they care for our puppy. We love them & trust them. We wouldn't ever go elsewhere!

I took my dog here for her assessment after Covid because being home with her all day made her anxious when I had to go back to work. The assessment woman was so rude at first. Asking me why I would start my 9 year old dog in daycare. Like what was the point. Almost refused to take her back to "assess". When I explained about the anxiety she relented. However the nasty attitude and tone she gave off left me weary. Clearly this place doesn't need the business. So my advice is look for a better option where the employees are not condescending jerks. read more

My neighbor told me If I can get past the "not a people person" front desk woman, than, it's a great place for my new puppy. Went in for the first time to see it and talk to someone. I literally stood there for 5 minutes while the woman behind the desk played with paperwork without even an acknowledgement to me. There was no "Hi, I'll be right with you", OR, a plain ole "just stop what you're doing and pay attention to a possible new customer" !!!! My neighbor was right about the woman at the counter, but unfortunately, I could not get past it. So rude and does not present a great snapshot of place I wish to do business with. PS.... I just left without even inquiring about all their services. read more

The dog crates are on top of each other. In fact, my dog was able to eat another dogs toy, got sick and threw it up. The kennel tried to tell me that my dog ate this toy at my house and didn't eat for four days at the kennel, then suddenly threw this ball of rope up. when I questioned why they waited four days to call me, they backtracked and said they were mistaken. It was just one day. And she didn't eat something at home and arrive sick. She was healthy and had just been at the vet for her annual three days prior. My dog came home so thin AND on top of all that...She got kennel cough! Never again. read more

I have a difficult breed to train (Jack Russell Terrier) and I should know because I have 3 of them. They do not respond to treats and rewards as much as negative reinforcement sadly. However, because they are so smart, my first two were totally trained in less than 4 weeks. I came here under someone's recommendation and I really regret it. The woman who ran the class was not very warm and I didn't even finish the classes because she was just being unbelievably rude to me and my dog. My old obedience teachers were like drill sergeants but they treated everyone the same. Here some dogs got treated well and we got treated like we could do nothing right. She even told me that my dog didn't like the treats I brought for him so apparently, I cannot even do that right. Then she yelled at me because my mask was falling down the bridge of my nose since I have a small head and I am in between adult and kid masks so nothing seems to fit me. She could have simply said, could you pull your mask up instead of yelling in front of the entire class. I guess if she likes you and your dog, great but if she doesn't, request a refund immediately because it is not going to get any better. read more

This is the best pet boarding place in our area. I've never seen a place so accommodating. Please reach out to this place. Especially if you have a senior dog. If I could give 100 stars I would!!! read more

Lab swimming in Winter = pure bliss! We took our lab to WAGD yesterday for private swimming. The whole place is huge, nicely decorated and immaculately clean. The pool area is sizable with plenty of room for us to play, splash around and get in a good exercise session. They even have fetch toys and a fresh-water hose station where you can rinse your pooch after-wards. It was $30 for 1/2 hr. (plenty of time) for open swimming and you can bring your family of up to 4 dogs. They offer a package of $210 for four weeks and you get to swim 3X/wk. They also offer obedience, boarding (for kitties too), doggie play sessions and grooming. I'm sold on swimming and I wouldn't hesitate to try them for other services. read more

I changed my review based solely on customer service. The facilities are still the best in the area, the guys & girls that take care of my dog are very nice, Karl is always happy to be there, but as a few other people have noted their response could improve. I had a question about something that happened during daycare (nothing serious) & so I called to get a little more information. I was told only the owner could speak to me; I have since left three messages to no avail. Like I said, nothing serious - just the sheer fact that my calls were left unanswered is troubling. ----- As a first time "puppy mom" I was nervous to take our new puppy anywhere. WAGD was recommended to me by a few coworkers. My French bulldog, Karl, has been going to WAGD (Malvern location) for a little over a month now and he couldn't be happier. Puppy day care can be expensive, but WAGD makes it worth every penny. Between all of the services that they offer (we have taken advantage of doggy day care and the grooming services), the excitement Karl has once we round the corner and how much WAGD's staff matches Karl's enthusiasm...we know it's well worth it. The staff is kind and the facilities are immaculate. After a day at What a Good Dog, Karl is pleasantly exhausted. We've also noticed how his temperament has improved, socializing him at day care has helped leaps and bounds. read more

Drove over to this place now that they are in a fancy new location. Was given a tour, was asked all about my rescue dog, they told me all the pricey wonderful programs they can offer. Then when I called to schedule my dog's first daycare session, zero response, no calls back (after multiple messages) and no responses to my emails either. So I switched and went to Canine Creature Comforts, who is wonderful and responsive and obviously wants my business. My dogs are now in daycare over there and we love it. Must be nice to be able to ignore potential clients, b/c you're so successful that you don't need anymore business. Definitely not the business it used to be, when I used them 12+ years ago for Puppy Kindergarten. read more

What-A-Good dog took great care of my 14 y/o crippled dog while I was hospitalized and in recovery for over fifty days. They sent me pictures and videos of her every couple of days in her cart/wheelchair running around. I am so great full for the care and love they showed me and my dog. My recovery would have been much longer without their caring. I recommend them highly. read more

20 years ago we took our brand new puppy to What a Good Dog out at the mansion facility. I don't know if our dog was the best ever canine, or the teaching at What a Good Dog was so wonderful....but it was a match made in heaven. We now have a new poodle and we had our class at the mansion again and just finished agility is fun at the new facility in Malvern. What a beautiful set up they have. We took a look at the two pools, and thought wow.... How neat is that.... We had a fun time with the agility class. The class consisted of only 4 dogs and there was enough room for all of us to maneuver the workouts at the same time. We loved our instructor Shirley. Shirley!!!!!!!!!! Come play with us. We will definitely be back again for another session. Sending hugs........ Mardi read more

Just got back from the thanksgiving holidays! Again as usual my two dogs, Frank and Cookie had the best care! My girl is nervous and they went out of their way to provide her with a quiet place, extra attention and lots of love! Frank goes there for day care so he was extra excited about his vacation! Everyone there from the front desk, Carolyn, Mary, Gail, Christie, the gang in the back and especially Annie provide my dogs with a safe warm loving atmosphere! I couldn't ask for a better place for my dogs to stay! I have used other kennels on the Main line before and WAGD is the best! I never worry when my dogs stay for boarding as well as day care! read more

What A Good Dog - Cookie post boarding! One happy dog! - Pet Training Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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I can't express enough how much I love this place. I have used both daycare and boarding services as well as the groomer and trainers at WAGD and am so happy each and every visit. My German shepherd Kaiser is very skittish and has some behavioral issues (many places refuse to take him). He does so well with the team at this facility. They are all so kind and compassionate to me and my pup. He comes home from boarding and just looks relaxed and happy. I completely recommend this place to anyone whether it be for boarding, daycare, training or grooming. The team here really puts your pet first and I will continue to use this facility for all of their services in the future. read more

This facility is a mixed bag. I have taken numerous classes at WAGD and used their boarding, grooming and day care services. Because I have had excellent experiences, I keep returning. Unfortunately, I have also had poor experiences. The owner is a terrific trainer, and several of her staff members are great as well. Others are nothing short of rude and unprofessional. Reception is a particularly iffy. Sometimes I have been greeted warmly, other times I wonder why I go there. Sometimes the phone is answered promptly, other times my messages are not returned. Bottom line: when things go well, WAGD is great, but you can never be certain of what to expect. The facility is beautiful and clean and many staff members are wonderful. I think the owner would do well to raise her standards across the board and expect a consistent level of professionalism from all her staff. read more

LOVE WAGD. I have an 11 month old golden. I just couldn't meet her energy needs. I was super nervous to leave my baby, but WAGD really put me at ease. Everyone who works here is professional and loves dogs. This was very important to me. My dog has changed so much since starting day care, and all for the better. The experience has been fantastic. She is so excited to go every morning that She wakes me up at the crack of dawn hoping it's time to get in the car. The fact that she is happy and excited to be there means everything to me. Also, her time at home is much more enjoyable now because her exercise needs are being met. She's so much more relaxed since starting day care and I'm happier. She loves the staff. My only regret is I wish I had found WAGD sooner. It's puppy magic. read more

Amazing looking facilities, but lacking in customer service. I've taken my two dogs here one to two times a week over the past 6-7 months. The building and property are very impressive (misting stations in the summer to keep the dogs cool is pretty cool) and generally very clean. Customer service is inconsistent. Boarding gate drop off is a very cool service which saves time, but picking up is normally a slow time consuming process, I've waited in excess of 15 minutes to pick up my dogs in the past, although an average is probably closer to 5 minutes. The employees who pick up the dogs at the gates are generally pretty friendly, but front desk staff has one woman I've encountered who is pleasant, and the other 3 are not so much. To be fair the woman who I normally see in the evening for pick up is the pleasant one. While the facilities are very nice to look at I've found out that if it is raining and there is a training happening inside, your dog(s) will be out in the rain, literally. When I dropped off one day during rain I was told there was training that day and my dogs would be rotated inside as much as possible, but they would spend most of the time outside, in the rain. Outside of rainy days, my dogs still come back noticeably dirtier than when I dropped them off, I'm not exactly sure how this happens. If you want to use their doggy day care they ask that you call in advance to help with staffing, which is understandable but no one else asks for this. Grooming is good, but there is no furminate option and the equivalent offered is nowhere near as good at removing hair. Overall I think there are far worse choices you could make, so I rated this an ok three stars. read more

11 years ago I got a rescue dog that started displaying aggressive behavior to family members and also to animals smaller than herself. In trying to determine whether she would be able to integrate into my family, I took her to WAGD trainers. This was even before the facility in Malvern area. She was evaluated by one of their trainers and it was recommended that we enroll in their classes. We went and attended the first class with the agreement from the instructor first that, if she could not stay with us due to her aggression (she was going after our two cats, my other dog, and was not trustworthy around human family members at this point,) that I would be reimbursed for the remainder of the classes we could not attend. Long story short, we were unable to keep our other animals safe and were forced to return her to rescue. Upon calling WAGD to honor their agreement, I was hung up on twice. Messages left went unanswered. They remained silent until I called them up about attending training classes with our new 5 month old puppy some time later. They were very receptive about our attending classes with them, until I asked if our former unreturned balance of nearly 100.00 dollars could be applied to this new class. Needless to say, I have never had my money returned. In my experience, things are all good with them, until they are not. read more

I would say that if have to agree with some other points made already. Great facility and most of the people with which I've dealt have been wonderful. It can be a little frustrating to get someone to answer the phone to even make a reservation (hello....people want to give you money!!!!). Checking in for day care can be really smooth but checking out can be a little time intensive depending on how many others are there doing the same but still worth the wait. My dogs always come back exhausted which is worth it's weight in gold.I read more

My experience with WAGD started out great and has sharply gone downhill since. The first time we visited we got the full tour and the facilities are amazing. The place is huge and seems relatively clean. We boarded the dog and things were fine. We've taken him back since then for daycare and boarding and each time we've had a worse experience. The first time my dog went to day care we had an incident with the receptionist who was very rude on the phone and in person but we brushed it off. Then, we took our dog in for boarding for one night and he came home with kennel cough. I totally understand that sometimes dogs get sick and spread it to other dogs, but we've taken him in for day care since and again he came home with kennel cough. If that weren't enough, I called recently to make a reservation for daycare and were put on a waitlist. Fine. I initially called on Monday for a reservation for Saturday and had to call three times to try to get a confirmation. On Friday evening at 4:30 I get a call asking if my dog is comfortable being in a crate. I say, yes, he occasionally goes in his crate at home and was crate-trained as a puppy. The receptionist asks if he "rests in a crate at home?". She then tells me she STILL can't confirm my reservation and will need to call me back. Instead, I cancelled the reservation. If I wanted my dog to "rest in a crate" all day I would save the $50 and keep him at home while I'm away. This place COULD be great but their customer service is terrible. I don't trust many people to watch my dog which is why I kept coming back but after 2 spouts of kennel cough, poor customer service, and their willingness to take my money and leave my dog in a crate all day is ENOUGH. I could not be more disappointed with this place and will be going to one of the many other dog daycare centers in the area. read more

I have been a weekly daycare customer for the last 6 months. I am glad I have found a safe, reliable place to leave my dog who suffers from separation anxiety. He is young and energetic, requiring a lot of exercise. At WAGD they give play and rest throughout the day. He comes home exhausted. As others have stated, the facility is great. The staff is mostly good. I think they are at times so busy they get tired and cranky. Customers can be very demanding. Also, as others have stated, communication can be difficult as sometimes callers are dumped into voicemail and calls are not returned. Regarding daycare, I think it is a good value - 4 or 5 days for $100 is pretty good for want you get compared to other places in the area. I have not tried boarding, but I have tried training. Like another reviewer mentioned I sat with someone and talked while the dog walked around for 45 minutes. Then the trainer repeatedly called my dog by his name and gave him a treat when he came.She said I needed to teach him his name, but it was obvious he already knew his name as he came every time she called him. For this I paid $90. I consider that a big ripoff. Then she recommended that I register for group training for even more money. In sum, I am not happy with the training. It is unlikely I will pursue further training at WAGD. Lastly, Three Tun Rd is way too bumpy. WAGD management should make it priority to get it repaved. read more

Terrific place for your dog. Great facility and truly caring people. I definitely recommend What a Good Dog

Heaven on earth for dogs, they can play, swim, learn and stay overnight. The place is state of the art for dog comfort and fun. Staff super careing and loving and is owned an operated by a world famous dog trainer. read more

I absolutely love this place and would never think of taking my dog anywhere else. We have used their training classes for two dogs, a cavalier and our black lab. Linda was our trainer both times and I appreciated her expertise, calm demeanor, and great tips. The owner is completely dedicated to dogs and is very thorough and has created an unbelievable place in Frazer. A review I read below complaining about this facility that they wouldn't just take her dog last minute is ridiculous. The reason I like this place so much is because they do screen dogs and make sure all documents are received prior to boarding. It makes me happy to know they are discerning and want all the dogs to be safe and happy there. So that was an unfair judgement. The staff has always been warm and welcoming to us. In addition to training, we have also boarded our dog there numerous times. We have tried half day daycare as well. Our Dog gets so excited to go and comes home exhausted from her fun, active day. Do not hesitate to use What a Good Dog! read more

Our dog was a rescue dog from a puppy mill He was afraid of his shadow. We did one on one training which gave us an understand of how to work with him. We progressed to day care to help socialize him which was wonderful and still is great. Rudy ( our dog) loves to go and it has helped so much! The staff is AMAZING!! I just had Rudy groomed he looks beautiful and they have a great groomer too!!! I would highly recommend What A Good Dog!! read more

Just went to the new location in Frazer. Came away impressed with the facility. Huge area, clean and well designed. Got grooming for my 2 year old German Shepherd. Highly recommended. read more

My puppy has been for a half day of daycare and then recently stayed for 3 days while we were out of town. The cost to board per night is $55 but I feel it's money well spent. I looked at Paoli Vet Clinic (they charge $25 per night) but could not get out of there fast enough- I wouldn't let them watch a hamster, let alone my puppy. The facility is large and you can add on swimming or day care (half day or full day). I feel like they spent quality time with him and when I called to check up on him they gave me a run down of what he was doing. They are very professional and caring. I looked at Wagsworth Manor and was super annoyed that while the website says the charge is $38 a night, when you get out there you are told you have to choose an add on per day ($15 a day) They tried to upsell me and seemed primarily interested in $. I was not impressed. My puppy is also starting training at WAGD in Villanova- we had our first one on one session last week and I learned a lot. read more

I share the experience of E.A. and also had a mixed experience with WAGD. The facilities are incredible, and the staff obviously love dogs. Here's my experience with the various components: Facilities: 5 star. Amazing, clean, bright and clearly the best money can buy. Soft (rubber?) floors in the training room. Big open space for classes. Separate outside pens for grouping sizes and temperament of dogs for play. Swimming pools. Day care: while we were on vacation, my sister brought our puppy each day. He seemed happy, but it wasn't clear that his food was prepared or given as requested. But he was a puppy and probably too excited to eat. Grooming: We had our dog groomed there 3 or 4 times, and the grooming was good enough, but the groomer always seemed overwhelmingly busy. With nail trims not being included, and having to pay for day care so the dog wasn't crated all day, the fee was over $90 for a mini poodle. Not sustainable for me, but nothing really wrong, just crazy expensive. I have found another groomer who does a fantastic job, includes nail trims and doesn't crate him before or after, for $65. Since we groom our poodle every 5 weeks or so, this really makes a difference. Training: We took two classes, one at WAGD and one at the other location. While both trainers were clearly very experienced, kind and fantastic with the dogs, I had asked and been told that the trainers followed Dr. Ian Dunbar's ideas on puppy classes, which they don't. Their expectation is for the puppy to be on a leash the majority of the time doing puppy training. Our dog DID learn quite a bit, but had very little time to socialize with the other dogs. Much of the time was spent trying to keep my dog well-behaved on a leash in a circle of other dog/owners while each dog practiced the skill being taught. Good if this is what you expect. Administration: This is what had me pull back from what I had hoped would be a fruitful relationship. I didn't experience any rudeness, just a lot of sloppiness and lack of professionalism. Questions like: Where is my dog when I come to pick him up? How much do I owe? Why isn't it the same each time? Did he eat? Where is my reservation? Can I please just pick him up, pay the bill and leave in less than 15 minutes? Why can't I buy a block of day care "tickets" like other places? How much is a half day anyways, and what is the pick up time? Am I the only one who doesn't understand how to be a successful customer? Lastly, I highly recommended the place to my good friend, and despite her calling 3 times for information, they never called her back. She is very involved in agility competitions for her dogs, and very much wanted to train with Mary. But she gave up. And so did I. read more

I absolutely cannot say enough great things about WAGD. I have a new puppy and am a very nervous parent. WAGD was recommended to me by numerous completely unrelated people, which is always a good sign. I have only used the boarding and daycare. She gets SO excited when we pull into the parking lot. The first day we took her for daycare one of the trainers even took a video of her playing- a nice touch to go a long way in reassuring me what a close eye they have on her! We recently boarded her for 4 nights and when we got back she was happy, healthy, and Sue at reception took the time to go over whole report card- very honest comments the staff made because they commented on unique behaviors she does at home. I loved that. You get what you pay for, and WAGD is the absolute best. read more

This facility is beautiful. Went to training and behavior modification for my German shepherd and was amazed at the building. There are swimming pools, large play areas, outdoor potty areas for boarded doggies (no pottying inside there) and the dogs all seemed very happy. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and weren't your typical "college kids hired to watch your dogs". They were very good with my nervous pup and I felt very comfortable with their abilities. They are true experts. I was especially pleased with the private training I am doing because it was a team effort. My dog was helped by others with our training to get him used to other people. It was wonderful. I can't describe how happy I am that I have found this hidden gem. I would recommend them times 30. We begin doggie day care next week and I am more than confident that my dog will be treated like the prince that he is! read more

I feel they are the best around after 5 days there!! I asked they send a couple pictures of Heidi, it was the first I had left her!! I got about 4 pictures and each she was looking very content and our trip was much more relaxing!! Heidi came home, slept first day, looked depressed next day - put her in for a partial day during that week and loved it - ran in tag wagging with the girl that met me at gate. : ) read more

We haven't boarded our dog in a few years (she used to stay with friends), so I went in search of a good facility. My dog is deaf, and she's also old, so those things have to be taken into consideration. I visited a few kennels that were what you'd expect. And what you'd expect is not up to my standards. (Note: Also see my review of Wagsworth.) A friend of a friend recommended What a Good Dog. I showed up randomly on a weekday afternoon, and was cheerfully given a tour. The setup is very different. The dogs are not in jail-cell type kennels. Instead, they are in big, open, cage-type kennels spread around an enormous room. This gives them the feeling of still being in a pack, and they can see everything going on around them. On all my other kennel visits, the dogs were freaking out and it was too loud to even ask a question. Here, one dog barked at me, and then stopped. The others were napping, or playing, or just hanging around, looking content. I was sold. When we brought our dog in (with her own bed and toy, which was encouraged), she was greeted with kindness and enthusiasm. Christy took the time to get acquainted and to find out just what my dog needed -- and what I expected. She asked about whether she should be in the yard with the other dogs or go by herself, and how often, and what her limitations were, and her eating habits, and even where she likes to be petted! It was obvious that Christy loved the dogs and took great care of them. We were told we could call or text any time to get an update on how she was doing, which was really nice. I went on my vacation without a single pang, because I knew they would take great care of my dog. I did text one time during the week, and got a timely reply. And a few days later, I received a photo of my sweetie, with a cute note from Christy. All in all, What a Good Dog was a fantastic experience, my dog came back to me happy and healthy, and I can't recommend them enough. read more

My Sheltie had a great grooming session today. Everyone was very nice and friendly, and he was done in under 2 hours. Great price, too.

In full disclosure, I have not taken my dog there, predominantly because I was quite offended by the rude and judging tone of the person who I spoke with on the phone. I was having a bit of a problem since I had left on vacation and left my dog with a dog sitter. There was a problem and the dog sitter was unable to continue to watch my dog, so I called WAGD to see if my dog could be boarded there for the remainder of the week. When I called to inquire about this possibility, the person who answered the phone used an exceeding judging and condescending tone when they told me that I couldn't "just leave my dog and not come back for a week". I love my dog and would do anything to make sure he was comfortable and happy, and I don't appreciate someone who has never met me making snap judgements about me and my ability to take care of my dog. I would never even consider taking my dogs there. read more

WAGD is a beautiful facility, but oddly enough, it is not puppy friendly. I took my puppy there for a puppy kindergarten. My puppy gets excited when she meets people, and will submissively urinate, even if she has just gone. This is common with puppies, and they usually outgrow it. She did this in the entryway of WAGD and the owner pitched a fit. She complained that she would now have to send the entry-way carpet out to be cleaned, and that we were no longer to come in the entrance, but instead use a side entrance way. The owner apologized the same morning, but the entire episode was ridiculous. I would have never gone back, but since I had paid for the training, I finished the class. The entire incident left a bad taste in my mouth. My husband, who was to be involved in the training, refused to return. Now that the class is finished, I would never go back again. I cannot imagine that a dog place would install carpet that was not puppy proof. There staff also seems to be generally unfriendly, although the trainer was nice and competent. The training was OK, but I have a giant breed dog, and was in a class with a tea cup size puppy. I was always on edge, afraid that my big puppy would inadvertently step on the tiny puppy. I did get the distinct impression that they don't really like large breed dogs. I have found another doggy day care and training provider that my puppy loves. The people at the new place, are friendly and all seem to love dogs. They also divide the training groups by the size of the dog. read more