Ridgeside helped fix a problem rescue more than two years ago. They've been a home away from home…read morefor my fur babies ever since.

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

My friend suggested I take my dog to Blue Ridge Dog Training Club for some classes. He was a…read moreshelter dog that had a lot of issues and problems that needed to be worked through. All of the instructors were great at giving me ideas and working with me to help him over come most of his problems. I guess it is like PTSD he may never get over all of his issues, but he is now a happy well behaved dog. He seldom reacts to other dogs and men now. You would never know he was the same dog that I brought to the first class! I would highly recommend anyone take their dog to Blue Ridge for training!

This place is awesome... we moved from San Diego to Virginia and our golden turned 12 years old…read moretoday. She was used to us going to Fiesta Island on weekends and paddle boarding and swimming her little heart out. We haven't heard her whimper for joy in the last year since having our baby. This was such a sweet way to celebrate her 12th birthday and have. Whole hour dedicated to her. They say there's a 7 to 1 rule with dogs: one hour to us is 7 hours to them since they have such a shorter lifespan. We absolutely will come more often hoping she has a lovely rest of her time here on this side of heaven with us!

Our boy, Remy, loves this place! As he excitedly burst through the door in the morning, the staff…read morealways welcomes him by name, and when we pick him up, he is thoroughly played out. The pool is always a great treat, and it's relaxing to know he's having fun while I'm working.

Tim Cline who owns Dog Watch of Winchester is one of the most conscientious business contractors I…read morehave ever had the pleasure of working with. We had our system installed 6 years ago and we could not be happier with the system or the service we have received from Tim over the years. He has a very happy personality and is very knowledgeable about the systems he installs and also has about the same knowledgeable about other inferior systems if you have questions regarding comparisons. The reason I am writing this review today is we had the alarm go off indicating a problem. Text messaged him Wednesday evening and he was here at 11:00 AM Thursday and had the problem diagnosed in Five minutes and had it fixed Ten minutes later. It appears that the landscapers must have hit a box containing electrical devices on the side of the house and knocked a wire off something inside it. Over the years I have had Tim just stop by and see us when he is in the neighborhood just to talk to us and to see how things are and to see our dogs. He has such a good report with dogs and both my Rottweilers just love him. Initially my dogs didn't respect the fence with the normal collar that is sold with the system. Well Tim custom designed special collars for my two that included extra contacts that go up the side of their throats so now they each have four contacts that make contact under their chin on the chest neck area and up further. I TELL YOU THEY RESPECT THE BOUNDARY LINES NOW. Our landscapers over the years have had a habit of not remembering where the underground wires are buried and have cut through them when edging the yard. I immediately call Tim and he is always here either the same or next day to ensure our dogs are kept contained. He sells a very good product and is much less expensive than some of his competition. The reason I know that is because I got different price quotes from them all prior to choosing Dog Watch. Collar Batteries are good for 2 years, so you don't have to always remember to get one monthly or get on a monthly battery plan like other systems. They also sell a newer system now that actually sends messages to your cellular phone if there is a problem. I think it sends messages for other things too but I'm not certain what all it does. I think it is a stronger signal also that handles more determined dogs who think they can break through. I can't say enough good things about Tim Cline and his Dog Watch business. He takes pride in what he sells and how he handles his customers. I really enjoy talking to him when he is here. Please tell him you called him because of my review so he will know I referred you. PS: I read a review on Google that some woman posted about 5 years ago that she should really consider taking down which affected his rating here on google. It appears from the review she called him complaining there was something wrong with her fence and ultimately discovered when he arrived that it was not the fence but a smoke detector near the equipment that was installed in the house. She commented that he charged a service call fee for driving out to her home to determine what was happening which I know from my past dealing with him is simply $45.00. She bitched claiming he had the gall to charge her a service fee. Now why wouldn't you expect to pay a fee for a service call especially when nothing was wrong with what he had installed. This woman was mad because of that. She is damn lucky it wasn't a $125.00 like Lowes, Sears, Home Depot, and other companies charge to come to your house just to diagnose a problem prior to actually fixing it. I've come to realize that some people would complain if they had a tit in both hands. Instead of maybe just cutting her review a star she busted his reputation by giving him just one star. You can read my reviews and I am honest with everyone I have written and deliver exactly what is deserved. Dog Watch of Winchester is a highly professional company and Tim Cline is one of the best service providers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. If anyone wants to see how a system works, I have given Tim permission to bring perspective clients to my home for a demonstration. Tim if you read this review, please be aware that we appreciate everything you have done for us and our two Rottweilers. Mark Anderson

I cannot begin to tell you how satisfied we have been with Tim and his team. They came when they…read moresaid they would; they returned when they said they would; and they thoroughly explained the system to us. We have 6 dogs of varying sizes and they set and adjusted the collars appropriately. We nicknamed one of our dogs "The Escape Artist" because she would find any way to run, paying no attention to the invisible fence we had at our old property. Tracking her down was both a chore and a half and a cause for worry. Now, we just open the door and let her run. She stays within the perimeter that Dogwatch created. She used to strain at the leash when a car drove by; now she basically ignores them other than a few barks as they go by. The dog is happy, she even seems more spry, and we have peace of mind. This system works and the folks who installed clearly know what they are doing and they love dogs. John C

I am pleased to write a 5 star review on Strategic Paws as they are the go to place in the…read moreimmediate area for dog boarding. I know what I'm talking about because at one point in my life I was the owner of a pet care center and had interest in a veterinarian hospital located at our facility. I know dogs and all about proper care. Connie and her staff offer such a comfortable atmosphere for the dogs to live in while staying there. I especially like the constant hands on approach they use with their operation. They also live on the property allowing for monitoring of what is going on when they are not in the pet boarding areas by use of CCTV camera's which they monitor from their home just a few feet away. The accommodations are easy on the eyes and are kept spotless. My wife and I have two very large dogs (over 125 lbs. each) and the living quarters they were each given consist of both inside and outside areas which afforded them plenty of space. In addition the dogs are supervised when being taken outside to a 2 acre nicely maintained area which is fenced by what appears to be a 12 foot fence which is plenty secure for any dog to run without fear of an accidental escape. All the staff are pleasant to meet and talk with. You feel as though you are at a home away from home and you are given that assurance that your pet is certainly in good hands. Be advised that they are a small business and at this time only are caring for 11 accommodations. If you want a reservation you will need to schedule as far in advance as possible. The safety of all are taken into consideration which requires absolute proof of proper vaccinations prior to allowing your pet to enter. Your pet is also required to be parasite free. Training is no longer offered. I was fortunate to be able to train there 2 years ago but their attention is now focused solely on the care of boarding and exercising pets. Easy access off Rt 11 South just South of Kernstown and North of Stephens City. No offense odors and I'm told they use aromatherapy with the pets. Connie took photographs of both our dogs while they were there and texted them to us with updates as to how they were getting along during their stay which gave us relief and allowed us to enjoy our vacation more knowing the dogs were happy and enjoying themselves. A happy reunion when we picked them up and it was apparent that they had been taken good care of and were happy. If you are in need of someone you can trust with your dog and don't want to open your house to a pet sitter I encourage you to consider entertaining patronizing Strategic Paws. We are glad we did!

Connie has been a life saver for my dogs Charlie and Emmy. Shes given a lot of great training…read moreideas, and I continue to see progress in Charlie every week. Training with Connie weekly is also great, as we have a plan, we have homework, and it keeps me accountable for continuing to train my dogs. I'm so glad that I found Connie, and I would recommend her to everyone!

We just recently hired Scott to work with us and the pooch we rescued in January. Our dog is a…read moreHusky mix, and is a little over 4 years old. While basically a good dog in many respects, Riggins displays anxiety and shuts down during walks, which manifested in his past as fear aggression. This is not something we had dealt with with our previous pets, and knew that we needed to ensure against any kind of dangerous situation. We understood when we adopted Riggins we'd need to work with him on these ingrained bad habits. Shortly after we adopted him, we tried out group training sessions. It was clear the group training was for working on basic stuff, a lot of which our dog already knew. We felt the best option was to go with 1-1 training. And so glad we did. It was worth every penny. Scott gave us the tools to work with Riggins, as well as manage our expectations and learn how to deal with a variety of situations. We signed up for five training sessions with Scott, and as others mentioned in their reviews, the training started as soon as Scott entered the house. He made an immediate connection with Riggins and so amazing to see how the dog just snapped to attention for him. Such a great talent to have. Basically Scott told us we need to completely reprogram our dog. We're continuing to work on that, and probably will for the foreseeable future. But there's been a definite improvement in the way we deal with Riggins, and I see daily 'baby step' progress on walks. We've also been bike riding with Riggins, which he seems to enjoy and is great at draining his energy. The bike rides also ensure that the dog is following me, I'm in the lead and have control over the situation. So thanks to Scott for his help. We may well call him again for a tune-up, but for right now, we're putting his recommendations in place and are seeing a difference.

My fiance and I are new dog owners. We had only been relying on online puppy training videos to…read morehouse break our 8 week old goldendoodle pup, but still needed some more in-person guidance. I researched many different dog trainers in my area and ultimately decided to contact Scott. We first spoke over the phone to see if the training would be a good fit. He asked me what my goals were and then explained what his style of training was. We booked a double day session for 2 hours and it was intense, but so helpful, educational, and so rewarding! Our puppy's nipping has really lessened and she definitely is paying more attention than before. Scott taught us various ways to walk a dog and the importance of keeping them safe in different environments. He also gave us great insight on the dogs' point of view which really helped us understand our puppy's behavior more. Scott made sure my fiance and I were highly involved with the training and it helped boost our confidence for when we'd continue training our puppy on our own. Although the training already made a big difference, Scott also reminded us that our puppy is still so young and that we need to remain realistic and patient. The reassurance, constructive criticism, and encouragement created a very positive environment for the session. I am overall very impressed! Thank you so much, Scott!

We started training classes with our 8.5 week old puppy because my spouse and I had never had a…read morepuppy so young and wanted to start off right with our little guy. We also didn't want to use harsh training methods (like choke chains or e-collars) and the fact that Bridget doesn't even allow those in her classes made a great first impression on paper. I didn't really know what to expect when we started and was a little out of my league and a little intimidated, but when we walked out of the very first session with our wee baby dog knowing how to sit and walk on a leash in under an hour, I was impressed. Bridget is great with recognizing which dogs are better paired together and which ones likely shouldn't interact and then pairs them up for individual play time during the sessions. Having the combination of social time and training time. She truly understands their behaviors and the way they think. I've never seen dogs adjust to training so quickly. I honestly wish I had gone to her with my last dog because she's great with all ages and stages of dogs, but I just didn't know to even look for her! Our dog is now 5.5 months old and he has since graduated puppy kindergarten and just completed elementary manners. Those two classes are very similar in training, but elementary is a smaller class, more focused, and it really does help reinforce the behavior as the dog is growing and changing constantly. We plan on enrolling in more classes so we can continue our dog's growth and development because Bridget really does understand dogs and has really helped us with a crazy puppy!

If you live in the northern Virginia area and you're looking for an amazing dog trainer...look no…read morefurther! I was so nervous to take our sweet pup Kip to a dog trainer, but I'm so glad we did. Kip has some fear aggression with men and after reading all of Bridget's reviews, I thought she ma be the perfect fit for Kip. Immediately upon arriving to our private session, she was calm and sweet with Kip. Within 15 minutes into the session, he was responding to commands from her such as sit, down and leave it! We had a two hour private session and I can honestly say I saw a huge difference in Kip just after the one session. He seems to have more confidence, is listening to my commands when he becomes nervous and seems happier! She only uses positive training methods...which was a must for us. She trains using treats, eye contact and positive reinforcement! We will be going back for her elementary manners class in a few weeks and I am sooo excited to see the progress Kip will continue to make! Like I have told so many people already..she is like a dog angel! Thanks Bridget!

Carly is hands down the most efficient and effective dog trainer I have had contact with. I had…read morepreviously used two other training facilities in Winchester, but was not impressed with their training methods and the training outcome. Thank goodness I found Carly. I love her setup to board and train dogs; she lives in a rural area and it is perfect to train dogs on distractions such as wildlife, etc. My Willow, a lab mix 1 yr old, had no manners at home. She was not pleasant to be around because she lacked impulse control and was generally in your face all the time, jumping, counter surfing, was not good on a leash so walking was very unpleasant. Carly worked magic with Willow. I initially did individual lessons, and then decided to do the 3 week board and train. I brought Willow home just yesterday, and she is a different dog. She is more laid back, listens to commands, walks perfectly on a leash, and knows "place" so well. Carly's availability to answer questions once I got home is quick and on point. She is extremely responsive to questions and concerns. Just because the formal training is over, does not mean Carly isn't available for follow up questions on any issues that may arise at home with Willow that needs addressing. I highly recommend Carly as a trainer for any dog with any issues, whether it just be normal behavior issues or more intense issues with aggression, etc.

Kelia was the most amazing trainer for me and my dog. He was an anxious, dog reactive guy, and it…read moreaffected every part of how and when we interacted with the world. Since he's worked with her over the five-week training period, he's made a complete 180. Now we're able to walk around the city and not have him bark at every dog we see on the street. I want to point out that because my dog is innately anxious, it affects his physical state too with eating and other issues. Kelia shared that she used to be a vet tech and made me feel the most comfortable and confident with helping me set up a plan for when he might have an episode due to the transition and what all would take place to ensure he would be okay, loved, and healthy. Long story short, she cared for him for the days he was struggling, kept me updated, and he came out of it because she was purposeful, knowledgeable, and more than capable to handle the situation. I can't recommend Kelia enough for anyone seeking support and/or confidence in how they can better work with, love, and respect their dog. Bonus, she's genuinely such a joy of a human being!

Our family highly recommends Controlled K9! We adopted our boy Mortimer last year after he had been…read moreliving as a stray, and we were really struggling when he came home with basic manners, reactivity, and having him settle in with our other dog. We ended up sending both of our boys for a six-week board and train with Kelia. It seemed to only make sense to send both dogs so they would have the same baseline training. Kelia was amazing! She kept us informed just about every day with videos and texts so we could see that the boys were happy and making progress. When Kelia brought the boys home, she spent a few hours with us, showing all the commands and techniques that she taught them, so we had a seamless transition. The "place" command alone has been lifechanging. (Although as you can see in the picture, they sometimes refuse to use separate mats, LOL.) We use the command before we feed them, initially when guests come by, and when we just need them to settle down a bit. It has reduced the stress and chaos in our house tenfold, and we actually can see the boys relax when they know they have a place to go and chill out. Kelia also gave us the tools to make leash walking and general obedience so much more successful. There are a lot of options out there for training. What set Controlled K9 apart for us was (1) our boys lived with Kelia, her family, and her dogs during training - they were not staying in a kennel and were in a real-life, loving environment, and (2) the promise of lifetime, free follow-up support. The boys have been home now for about 3 months. The training has stuck, and we feel like we really have the tools we need to make life pleasant for all of us, including the boys. Kelia has also proactively checked in to make sure things are going well, provided tips on the best way to reinforce training, and has responded quickly when we have follow-up questions, including offering a visit. Over three months later, we are still completely satisfied with the training and support provided by Controlled K9 and Kelia, and we would use them again in a heartbeat.

3?dog farm is amazing. My pet Ziggy loves it so much he drags me to my truck to take him there. All…read morethe staff are so friendly and they show their love for the dogs. It is truly amazing. I watch him join the pack and run all over.

This is like Disney World for dogs! My dog gets so excited to go there. He wiggles and cries as we…read moreget closer. He comes home happy and tired! Love this place