I can't praise Ashley and Calm K9 enough for turning my dog life around. I adopted my 5.5 year old…read morePug/Chihuahua mix from a rescue back in February after she was surrendered by her previous owner. She was incredibly timid, anxious, and didn't know even the most basic command. Sit, for instance, was next to impossible. She would lock her back legs if you tried to guide her little butt to the floor, refusing to do it because she had no idea what was going on. Fast forward to a month out of the Board & Train with Ashley. She sits. She stays. We don't use a leash on walks anymore. She stays right by my side on walks or within an arm's length in front or behind me, constantly checking to make sure I'm still close every few seconds. At every curb she sits. I used to have to tell her, but now she just knows to sit, and not to move until I tell her "come". The best part for all of this, however, is that it's all a result of her overall confidence being boosted by knowing all of these new skills. She used to be super skittish and bark at people, jump when cars passed by, and freak out. Every person who walked near us on the street she would lose her little dog-mind over. Now she not only glides right past them, but if they're friendly and she sees that I'm ok with it, she'll wag her tail and allow them to approach (assuming I've given her/the person permission). She actually walks better and is more calm off-leash, which is also a huge advantage for me now that it's getting cold because I can keep my hands in my pockets. I still do bring a leash in my pocket just in case, but I haven't run into a situation where I've had to use it once. Lastly, I was really apprehensive about using an e-collar. Not only because I thought it was going to be cruel, but because of how big the thing looks on my 10lb. dog! I can honestly say that the brand of collar they have you purchase is so adjustable with it's settings that she's never shown any sign of it hurting or even bothering her. She actually gets excited when I put it on her in the morning because she knows we're about to start our day and go for a walk! Calm K9 came recommended from a friend, and I think since seeing the positive change my dog has experienced as a result of the training I've recommended them to anyone and everyone who's interested in getting their dog towards a better place, behaviorally. Lastly, it's been amazing to feel what her being trained has does for me, mentally. With everything else one has to deal with in their day-to-day life, having a happy, calm, well-behaved and confident dog-companion has been overwhelmingly positive. A+ from me. Highly recommended.

They state that they get back to you in 24 hours.. but both mine and my wife's form submission on…read moretheir website (which states that is the fastest response) have gone unanswered for the last 3 - 4 days. Very disappointed that they didn't even have the courtesy to call or reply.

These folks are amazing. I called them to get urgent help for me door-eating dog, and they came…read moreover that same day to meet him. By the end of the week they had him on a schedule, walking 3 times a week for a half hour, to train him to walk on a leash. Once he can do that (which may take a while, he's hard-headed :)) he is going to go on adventure walks with them, which are basically long hikes with 2-3 dogs at a time, that completely tire your pooch out. I have two walkers that work with my dog, and they are both awesome. They send me an email after every walk, with pictures of my dog and a progress report of how he's doing. They also are bonded and insured, and offer to keep keys to the house so they can come in while you are at work and exercise the pooch. And get this- it's $20 for the walk... and $5 for every extra 15 mins! And that is for one or two dogs... very reasonable. So much so that I can definitely afford the 3 days a week walking, and seeing my puppy so happy at the end of the day is worth it. Love these guys.

UPDATE: 7/23/17: I'm…read morewriting an update to this review 7 years later, still as a loyal client of Canine Adventure. Unfortunately, my 3 boys (Ozzy, Tyler, and Bono) have since passed away, but my 2 new pups (Cannon and Hollywood) are still regular adventurers. They get to go hiking and swimming with Marti every couple of weeks - with Cannon generally finding some enormous stick or piece of trash to keep him entertained and Holly swimming laps in the river and playing chase with other dogs. They always come home happy and tired. There is a review posted from someone named "Matin" (which I assume is made up as it is a brand new account and contains false information) that says someone from Richmond Boxer Rescue steered him away from CA. I am the founder and president of RBR and a loyal client for almost 10 years now. Many of my fosters and volunteers use them and love them as well. NO ONE from my organization knows who this person is or said anything negative about CA, so that is a blatant lie. Review from 2010: I cannot say enough good things about Josh and Canine Adventure! Aside from actually being able to sometimes make my boxer, Ozzy, slightly tired (a nearly impossible feat), Josh was always reliable, responsible and ended up being a good friend! My own dogs (Ozzy, Tyler and Bono) were lucky to get Adventure Walks with him every week! The highlight of their week was seeing Josh pull up in front of the house! In addition to working with my own dogs, Josh graciously worked with my many fosters through Richmond Boxer Rescue. He donates his time to several other local rescue groups as well. The walks and training were an invaluable asset to the foster dogs as were the AMAZING photos he would take on the walks! We moved to the west coast but would still be loyal clients if we were in Richmond! I so wish there were a service like this available here!

Great people, great facility and outstanding care. Our dogs don't get in as often as I know they…read morewould like, but when they do it's obvious they have had a great day. Whether it's workday daycare or a week of boarding, the dogs are always excited to get there and happily exhausted when their stay is done. Meeting the owner and the awesome staff, it's clear that this isn't your average board 'em and charge 'em affair. These folks care about the dogs, care about pet owners, care about their employees and take pride in their facility. Fortunate to live close to their facility and I need to do my dogs a solid and get them in for daycare more often than we have. As far as boarding them for a week+, we won't even consider an alternative facility. There's never any doubt that the dogs are being looked after, cared for, loved on, trained, groomed (if needed) and, just as importantly, having a heck of a good time. Thanks, Woofy!

Our golden retriever Harry loves going to hang out with his Woofy gang at the Woofy Wellness Ranch!…read moreHe has boarded, he attends day care and has the best time. We love that they share daily pictures and that dogs are separated by energy level. The staff are always so friendly and kind. Would highly recommend!!!

Laura is the absolute best! She did virtual training with my dog during Covid and somehow managed…read moreto teach her a full set of tricks and obedience training through a computer. She's always responsive and two years later - she still is always available for any questions I might have. Highly recommend!

I cannot recommend Laura enough. Laura truly understand dog psychology and behavior and uses a…read morepositive reinforcement, force-free approach informed by science. Aside from just training and obedience, Laura helps dog owners better understand *why* their dog is behaving a certain way. You might be thinking that positive reinforcement-only training can't work if your dog is reactive or past the puppy stage, but Laura is proof that if a trainer is equipped with the proper knowledge, skills, and patience it can! Our 6 month old lab rescue gets very overly excited by dogs and people and started jumping - Laura was quickly able to reinforce calm greetings. We leave each session seeing immediate results and with the skills to keep building on what we've worked on. Plus, our dog absolutely loves her :).

I have used Marla's services for the past few years. She is wonderful with my cats and spoils them…read morewhen she comes. She stays and plays with them after feeding and litter chores are done. I would highly recommend her for your pets.

Marla is the BEST. She has been caring for our kitties for years now, and it is such a blessing…read moreknowing that when we go on vacation we can rest easy knowing that Marla is taking wonderful care of our babies. She sends texts everyday with pictures of the kitties and even feeds the strays that come by our back patio. Truely a caring person!

River City Dog Excursions has been ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I have a 1 year old aussiedoodle puppy, and…read morehis dog walker Meghin is simply outstanding. It is evident that she really loves Finnigan and treats him like royalty. My favorite thing, I would have to say, is getting pictures of him enjoying his day on walks or play dates with his "dog friends" and on nature hikes. Not only do I love how she treats him, but when I get home, he's actually tired! This whole company has gone above and beyond in my opinion, they are always on time, always reliable, and are even so dedicated as to walk Finnigan in the snow (ps: he loves the snow!). April is the one that runs the company, and from the first moment I met her I knew I was going to be impressed with the company. She had me fill out some paperwork (dog food, allergies, vet, vaccination history, etc)... which is a true sign of excellence in my opinion. I also love how there are multiple people in the company... for example, although Meghin is his normal dog walker, one time April ended up walking Finnigan because Meghin had to go out of town. Another time, I had to go out of town for the weekend and Meghin wasn't available, so another person was able to stay with him for the night. Another amazing thing too is that they make sure you get to meet the pet-sitter or dog walker before they watch your animals. Every single time, they have allowed for a free consultation so that each person can get to know the dog. I love this company and will hopefully be using them for a very long time. They're professional, reliable, personable, trustworthy, flexible, dedicated, and they LOVE YOUR ANIMALS LIKE THEIR OWN! Can't get much better than that in my opinion. Also, you get what you pay for... so although you can ask your neighbor to maybe watch your dog for free, you won't get the same attention to detail, customer service, quality, and kindness like River City Dog Excursions.

I am an overbearing dog mom and want the best for my pup and River City Dog Excursions is…read moreincredible! I'm so glad I found this company. Meghin walks and takes my pup Norman on hikes. He comes home full of smiles and immediately plops down to nap. She sends the best pictures and videos too. I was really nervous to let someone besides me have Norman off-leash with them but I can tell from the videos that he trusts Meghin and she knows how to control him! I really feel at ease that Norman gets to have so much fun during the day while I'm at work. Thanks River City Dog Excursions!

Took both my girls today .. my 5 month old shih-tzu mix who is very hyper had her first haircut and…read moremy 5 year old beagle mix and they looked and smelled amazing! The staff were so welcoming and they were gentle and patient with my girls.

Sarah has been grooming my two dogs since she opened a few years back. She is professional,…read morereliable, and wonderful with my dogs. Sometimes we want them cut shorter, especially in warmer months, and she handles the changes very well. We are so happy to support a local organization in New Kent!

We love PawsCienda in this house!!! My dog Simons been going for several years now and it's…read moredefinitely his favorite place. They take such great care of him. I cannot recommend their Grooming team, especially Megan enough. He's never looked better. My dog is a very specific bread so for them to know how to style his cuts, is great for me. I recently moved to the city, and honestly the 35 minute drive is STILL worth it!!! I would recommend grooming and boarding here 1 million times. Truly. Hats off to Amanda and the front office team.

My 6 month old dog is dead because I trusted Pawcienda. Please don't make the same mistake!…read more It has been too hard to type these words out, as I come to the reality of life without my best friend, Duke, our chocolate lab puppy who died due to an outbreak of Parainfluenza (aka Kennel Cough) at Pawcienda. Duke was at Pawcienda for training with Stephen, and also enrolled in the doggie day care. He was exposed to Parainfluenza from another dog at their doggie day care, but I was lead to believe it wasn't serious and that he should be fine in a few days. Before this he was a healthy dog and had all of his vaccinations. They weren't going to take him to the vet, but my wife made them! We now know that by law a kennel/boarding facility has to take a dog to the vet, so this was the first red flag! The vet realized it was bad and had turned into Pneumonia, so they rushed Duke to a critical care vet, VRCC. During this time I was on the phone with the owner, Jeff, and he told me that they had cases of Kennel Cough for 2 weeks! That means that this was going on before I even brought Duke to Pawcienda, and they placed their business above the welfare of my dog. If we had been made aware we could have prevented all of this! Duke died 2 days after we were made aware of him being exposed to Kennel Cough. This is very unusual, so an investigation by Animal Control was opened, and a Necropsy was performed. The findings of the Necropsy determined that Duke had Kennel cough for 4 - 6 days prior to death. This evidence proves that Duke was exposed much earlier than we were lead to believe. In addition during the investigation the animal control officer was informed that they had put up a sign alerting people to ongoing Kennel Cough on a Friday, and we were not notified until Monday. This along with the Necropsy results shows that he was there all weekend with Kennel Cough and either A) was not being monitored closely enough to recognize the signs, or B) they were negligent in not providing care to a sick dog early enough to prevent death. Since Duke's death we have found out that this is a serious outbreak of Kennel Cough, that has killed many dogs in NJ, and has now started to spread in Virginia. Please avoid having this happen to your dog, and avoid Pawcienda.