HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! When we were first shopping around for a doggy daycare, I assumed all daycares…read morewere 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!

If you want to read about the boarding stuff, read my previous reviews. Also, their cost includes…read moreeverything, 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.

Our dog Perly loves going to Dogtopia in Springfield to play in the romper room once a week…read more Everyone that works there is very nice, cares about the dogs and we know Perly is in great hands there.

Employees when I called to inquire about services gave conflicting information about their…read moreservices. What was relayed does not match Dogtopia policy. There is no "free" meet and greet and stay per the employees. The "stay" is mandatory and charged after per the employee when the larger Dogtopia company said that was complimentary. Not worth my money to take off work to do a temperament meeting and then forced to have a "stay" before a trip to test things out.

Had our first "puppy class" last tuesday led by Gwen and Charlie the tzu and I learned some new…read moretricks, got to play with the other pups and enjoyed ourselves. Training is based on positive reinforcement with treats which at 8 pounds, I'm trying to watch his figure but will probably prepare his dinner and use it for next class per trainer's recommendation. Hey boys gotta eat! Soon as you are confident, you can ween off the treats and use play and praise. Gwen even used Charlie to "demonstrate" which I laughed because good luck with my OCD puppy but low and behold, Gwen is the Dog Whisperer. Okay, I shut up now and whatever you say, I will do. First class covered simple sit, lay down, down, leave it, potty training techniques and homework to try with your pup. I learned a bit and it's up to me to practice with my puppy but I am really excited about it. Gwen even gave us her contact and is open to questions and topics inside and outside of the classroom so that's a big plus! She really cares and wants pups to succeed so be sure to "reward the behaviors you like!" Even though we attended our first class, I look forward to the next classes coming up!

I just completed four one-hour private lessons with Lisa at Kissable Canine and am very happy with…read morethe results! Lisa was so great with my 6 month old beagle and was professional, a great teacher, and such a nice person! We had gone through the basic puppy training at Petsmart (6 weeks of one hour group sessions) and that had helped with basics like sit and stay but we had problems walking him on the leash and getting him to be more obedient. The four session package was $320 and so worth it! Lisa starts out by discussing your expectations and makes sure there's no expectation gap. I told her that our big goal was to get him to walk better on a leash because he either dragged behind or ran ahead, stopped to sniff forever and it would take 5 times as long to get wherever we needed to go. Over the course of the four sessions (spread out over 2 months, per my request) my little guy has gotten very good at down, stay, staying in his bed (Lisa said this was good because if the pup is trained to stay on the bed, then you can take the pup to hang out at a coffee shop or restaurant outside); he got over a stair phobia, we're working on recalls ("come" command, even from a distance), and she gave us advice about how to walk him (apparently tugging on his Easy Walk harness is ok...he is much improved now). I highly recommend the one on one training because you can train your dog in home, outdooor, and dog park (or places with other distractions) environments. Lisa is a great teacher and gave us fundamental skills to keep training the pup. The homework is targetted at your dog's specific needs. Well worth the $320.

I took Hazelnut here when she was a pup. She's now an AKC Grand Champion and I am back with he…read moredaughter. Bringing her pup feels like full circle, which says everything about my experience. April is knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly effective at tailoring guidance to each dog's temperament and each handler's skill level. I especially appreciate how she focuses not just on obedience, but on building confidence, socialization, and a strong relationship. Seeing the progress from one generation to the next has been really special, and I wouldn't trust anyone else with those critical early training foundations.

April is fantastic! April is also very accommodating and kind. She genuinely cares about her…read moreclients. She makes sure that you walk away from each class with the tools you need to keep practicing with your pup. Everything that's covered in class were taught in bite size pieces so when I left class I could keep practicing it. I enrolled my pup in her kindergarten puppy class and we will be doing her middle school class! My pup had so much fun in her classes and learned so much (I probably learned more than my pup!). We had to miss one of our regularly scheduled classes and upon notifying April quickly made arrangements for us to go to a different class the next day.

Jason did an amazing job on my great pyrenees. My great pyr is not an easy dog and it's been years…read morebeing able to find a groomer he will cooperate with. I had to self bathe him myself for years. Recently I had to board him last minute due to heading out of town. I also was nervous boarding him as he shuts down/will not cooperate as well. However, I receive no issues with boarding. He seem great leaving the facility. He has been matted for a while and needed sanitary trimming and brush out. The scheduler thought Jason was the perfect guy to handle. She was right. Jason brought me a new dog. You can tell my dog felt so much better. My family loved it. Highly recommend Olde Town Pet Resort Springfield for boarding and grooming needs.

Rude experience at the front desk on the morning of 7/24. I arrived, and the lady (curly hair) I…read morelined up in front of never acknowledged me. Though, I was within her peripheral vision and she definitely was aware I was there. She just never greeted me. Then, a coworker of hers, also a female, came to her to talk to her. She too did not acknowledge me. I saw another customer enter and line up in front of a male employee. He helped her. So I went and lined up there. He ignored me. Wtf. The 2nd female who ignored me after the 1st female noticed I was not being helped, so she asked me, "Have you been helped?" I flatly said, "No." The 1st female looked at me for the first time, but with attitude and anger, almost like she wanted to hit me. The guy proceeded to help me, barely making eye contact with me. Meanwhile, the 1st female was staring me down everywhere she went. I even caught it on camera. Ask me for the footage. I even posted it on Yelp. This was such a bizarre, rude experience. Customer service was extremely poor at the front desk. Only the customer service at the cattery lightened my mood. Such a stark difference. Whoever helped me there was extremely sweet. Front desk was horrible.

When I first reached out to Tommy, I was in a pretty dark place with my 3-year-old English Bulldog…read more His behavior had taken a serious turn--aggression, constant overstimulation, and a total breakdown in how we communicated. I was heartbroken and honestly starting to feel like I'd failed him. What Tommy brought into our home was a complete shift in perspective. He didn't just train the dogs--he taught us how to create structure, set clear expectations, and restore calm. After just the first session, our house felt noticeably different. The tension was gone, the barking and toy-fighting stopped, and even our older dogs--who had been keeping their distance--seemed relieved. What really makes Tommy stand out is the continued support. He's incredibly responsive, provides real tools and a step-by-step plan, and genuinely checks in on your progress. The Lifetime Guarantee is a huge comfort--knowing we have ongoing access to help if new issues arise takes so much pressure off. We're still working through things, but the difference already feels like night and day. I can't recommend Tommy highly enough--he gave us back peace and hope.

We adopted our good boy Buddie from a shelter in December. A sweet boy, but years in a shelter…read more(five!) has made him somewhat a sensitive pup prone to barking to loud noises and strangers approaching. Passing cars on walks yielded barking and lunging, doorbells ringing, more barking. We tried some "do-it-yourself" online things with zero success, and realized actual one-on-one training was the only option. Enter Tommy from Bark-Busters. His initial three-hour in-home training course was amazingly effective, so much so the change in Buddie was almost night and day to us. Upon meeting Buddie for the first time, Tommy immediately knew the kind of sensitive dog Buddie was and tailored his training to suit. His techniques were easy to understand and master and can be practiced anytime we're with Buddie. No more barking when the doorbell rings, or when a car passes, or a stranger approaches. Buddie's a lot calmer now which is more in keeping with his overall sweet nature. Highest recommendation!

After moving to the West Springfield area, I went looking for a place to take my dog so he could…read moreplay. He'd been a regular at another dog daycare, and I knew he'd miss playing with other dogs. I checked out several in the area, and got recommendations from my neighbors. I decided on Reserved Barking because it was clear that they adore my dog as much as I do. He is always super excited to go inside to play. I love the fact that they have an outdoor play area. That's unusual and a big benefit in my opinion. I know the employees are vigilant, caring, and professional. He loves to see them every morning and I trust them completely with my dog. They get 5 stars on Yelp because they deserve it. You couldn't ask for a better place to bring your dog.

I absolutely LOVE Reserved Barking, it's owners and the staff; what a great group of people! My…read moredog loves coming here, when I first got her I was in distress to get her quality fun time when I was at work (sometimes 10-12 hour days) and my husband just deployed. I was a new dog owner and she being my first ever puppy and dog (GSD); I was sooo stressed. But the owners are so helpful and knowledgeable, this is truly the best place in the history of EVER for dogs! I also love that this is Veteran owned and you get to interact often with the owners. Thanks guys, I can't say enough great things about them. It's terrible and comical some of the reviews that I've read about this place... I'm sorry but it isn't RB's fault if your dog ate something it shouldn't have and how do you know it was at RB? Reserved barking doesn't have toys available for dogs to chew on or anything else for dogs to play with other than other dogs (and the water hose!). Reserved Barking is an amazing oasis for my puppy she gets sad when she doesn't get to come here. It breaks my heart.

I have brought my dog here several times and the service/staff have always been great…read more Easy to schedule appointments and easy to get in contact with. The doggy daycare along with the boarding is great for my dog.

Friendly staff and lots of walks! Recently boarded my pup there for a month and she was happy and…read morereceived lot of attention. Grooming was great - they even cleaned her teeth! Only quibble would be nice to revive more updates automatically - facility did provide updates/photos on request. Good value for this area.

Archie went to camp with Gina for three weeks and came home a different dog. I'm still a little…read moreamazed. He's a five-pound chihuahua who shakes when someone new walks in the room and basically lived on my lap or behind my knees. I'd worried a trainer would either give up on him or scare him worse, but from the very first day Gina put so much thought into making him feel safe. She texted that afternoon to say he'd already jumped into her daughter's arms. When he barely ate the first couple days and I got worried, she talked me through it and told me he'd come around, which he did. She took him on long walks around the park and the neighborhood to burn off his nerves before she ever asked anything of him. His crate became his safe spot at her house, a familiar place that was all his in the middle of a busy home with other dogs and parrots and training going on. And she started him on tiny, predictable rules, sitting before a door, coming when called, so he always had something he understood to hold onto in a new situation. She explained that for an anxious dog, knowing what to expect is half the battle. She also refused to pick him up every time he got scared, and warned me that part would be harder for me than for him. She was right. Somewhere around the second week he started smiling in the photos. He was hanging out with her little dogs and her family, going on field trips to the park and coffee shops, staying on his place while she walked away, heeling next to her. He knows sit, place, heel and here now, and he does them for me too. The turnover at my apartment took a couple hours and it was real work. She sat me down and explained everything before we ever touched the dog, then had me practice with Archie while she corrected what I was doing wrong. She's kept sending reminders and answering my questions since, including a few dumb ones about shampoo and brushes. Here's the part I still can't get over. We went to a party a couple weeks after he got home, which is a huge deal for Archie. He sat on other people's laps. He licked hands. He barely cowered. Six weeks ago he would have spent the whole night shaking under my chair. Everyone at the party noticed and commented on the change in his demeanor. I was a proud mama that day! If your dog is the anxious type, the one who hides, trembles, won't eat around strangers, or has to be carried everywhere, I really want you to hear this. A lot of trainers are set up for big confident dogs and don't know what to do with a scared little one. Gina does. She never rushed him, never forced him, and never made me feel silly for babying him all these years. She reads a nervous dog and meets them where they are, then slowly builds them up until they can handle the world on their own. That's exactly what Archie needed. I honestly feel like Gina is just getting started with him, and I'm already thinking of when I can work with her again. If you have a tiny, anxious dog and you're on the fence, go with Gina. Archie is a different dog and so am I. Thank you again for everything you did for him, and for me. Archie sends smooches. Sheri

I can't say enough good things about Brandi and Perry Bailey of RSK9. Their work has given my pup…read moreand I so much freedom and balance. Pebbles (blue heeler, 1.5 years old) would never listen to me, would not sit or lay still, and had a lot of other obedience issues that caused her to be stressed or confused. She was a TOUGH dog to train and I was concerned I couldn't find the solution for her to get basic concepts. This view has completely changed since working with RSK9's 3 week program. I would HIGHLY recommend them and their methods - you can tell they genuinely love working with dogs and it's made a huge difference in giving my dog the chance to find real rest at home. They send DAILY updates with photos and videos which was so nice. This isn't a regular class or something you just pay for; it's truly an investment that you and your dog will be using for the time you get to share together. Side note: it's worth doing 3 weeks versus 2 weeks. At the 2 week mark is when Pebbles really started to understand her marks and cues. From here there is so much more that can be refined and Brandi/Perry really capitalize on that threshold being crossed!

This review is specifically for the agility class...which is AMAZING! I literally can't say enough…read morepositive things about the agility class! My pup LOVES it and the instructor Sherri is SOOO patient and so good with the pups. She tailors the exercises for the different skill levels so it's fruitful for everyone. I know my pup is...different (he's part husky so he likes to talk) and Sherri never makes me feel bad about it. The Level 1 class is difficult to get into because it's sooo popular but so worth it!

Have been going here for years and love it. The workers are fantastic and they will work with you…read moreif you need something specific with your pet. We love our time with them.