***4 1/2 stars***…read more Frenchie's was great and SO close to being perfect. I came here for dinner this past Saturday night with my top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality, a huge fan of French cuisine in her own right. This seemed like a logical choice based on its convenient location to our South End Airbnb, and what looked like a pleasant vibe from their website, both of which were true. When we got in around 8pm, it WAS a little loud and too reminiscent of NYC but we either got used to it throughout the meal or the crowd thinned out (I suspect it was a little from Column A and a little from Column B). It does feel though like a lot of the European restaurant/cafes in the West Village, which definitely isn't a bad thing. As responsible adults, we made reservations and were immediately seated and attended to. We got some pretty delicious items at our table. We split the Scallops and Escargot apps to start, along with a charcuterie board. All excellent, particularly the Scallops which were almost literally melt in your mouth tender and were drenched in lobster bisque. Just heavenly and probably the best scallops I've ever had. Escargot to me is pretty dependent on how it's prepared. This was delicious and had garlic a-plenty. My dining companion also insisted on truffle fries after having a mediocre fry experience the night before at a different establishment, and while they weren't historically amazing like the scallops, it's hard to go wrong with that particular side. For our entrees, I went with the filet mignon and my chum had the branzino. She brought up the branzino numerous times after this meal, all VERY complimentary. I had a piece and thought it was really good. My filet mignon was cooked perfectly at medium rare and came with some nicely seasoned fingerling potatoes. I was pretty stuffed and - full disclosure, I know - accidentally had two hamburgers earlier in the day at Burger King that I sort of regretted in hindsight, so I ended up also having a nice hunk of meat for breakfast the next morning. The only real, legit miss for us food-wise was dessert. We got the olive oil cake on the specials menu, which was excellent with a very light cream accompaniment but the macarons were honestly pretty mediocre. They were small and way too crunchy, and I don't know that the presentation value of dousing them in powdered sugar is the way to go - I think a layer of sugar actually takes away from some of the nuance of the macaron flavors. It's not an easy pastry to make but I'd expect a higher-end French restaurant to be able to do it, and they came up short. The only other issue, which was definitely more of a problem for my chum than me, was that they didn't have a still water option - just sparkling or tap. Easy fix (Evian feels like the natural fit there) but she was disappointed about that. The service was predictably excellent though. Our waiter stopped by regularly and also demonstrated a strong knowledge base concerning the menu. He was clearly French (makes sense) and was communicative/responsive, which I feel is a slightly higher hurdle when there's a mild language barrier, but it wasn't an issue at all. Really great meal. Get the macaron experience at a bakery and stick with the rest of the menu. We're likely coming back on a future visit.

The charcuterie board was a great appetizer, with a good selection of pairings for the meats. I…read moreordered the duck confit hash. It was a bit heavy for me as a brunch because of the amount of protein and carbs, but it was delicious. The duck was perfectly cooked and tender. The poached eggs and hollandaise were great when mixed with the potatoes and spinach.

fostered. very hard decision to keep puppy only because recent brain surgery and wanting to make…read moresure we were in a good spot to give the puppy the best life. it's a big decision and we wanted to do what was right for everyone. Breeder was very patient dealing w me lol. we absolutely love her. she's been a blessing and a joy in the house. she's a snuggle bug and my little shadow. I would be so sad if we had let her go, she's been therapeutic in many ways for me as I continue to heal. my kids love her as well... everyone loves her. we would adopt from NS frenchies again. She's not that old 5 months but her health has been good. I know she's still young but I read of other frenchies having issues early on. Knock on wood, we are very careful w stairs etc and carry her but she's healthy pup.

Can't say enough great things about north shore frenchies! Hakima is wonderful to work with and I…read morenow have 2 healthy beautiful puppies from her! Highly recommend

Had a horrible experience with great Road veterinary Hospital in Acton gave my family an extremely…read morehard time when tried to get a medication for our dog more interested in padding a veterinary bill instead of making money not worth going to this place. They are horrible.

Doctor DeMarco is the best! I have owned pets all my life and have been a part and many different…read morepractices. Dr DeMarco is the best combination of warm, friendly and kind and knowledgeable. She is the only Vet I have ever had that my pets go crazy with excitement when they see her! All the Pets love her even my finicky cat. Most importantly I've never had a doctor that consistently goes out of her way to explain things, calm my nerves, offer solid medical advice. You always feel like she is on your team and goes out of her way to be accommodating in every way. She ALWAYS goes the extra mile for her patients and always follows up and checks in. She is the Doc you can cry too when times are tough and the one who can give you straight medical advice and help you seek the best care for your pet! I highly recommend! Plus I love the techs here - they are all nice and always remeber us when we come in. All of them are thorough and kind. This place is sunny and warm and absolutely immaculate always!

Derek was wonderful with our two mini-schnauzers! He walked them and made sure they were nice and…read moretired! ;-) Derek is also always on time, asks the questions I feel should be asked, listens to all my crazy mom-dog issues, and didn't laugh with my 2 page of notes on the weird stuff we do with the dogs. Both dogs love Derek and always look forward to their regular time with him!

Derek is amazing with our older dog. It's great have a reliable service that does daily play groups…read moreand can keep older dogs happy and safe. Highly recommend!!

Great experience getting our Mocha from Sean. Highly recommend him if your looking to mmm for your…read morenext pup.

Our Boston is just over 1 yr old from Reardon's Kennels. Do not use. Our dog came home with Guardia…read moreand Tapeworms. Multiple intestinal parasites. Subluxation knee and hip problems.Little to no nostrils had to have nose and palate surgery for breathing problems. Almost died post op. Very small Boston Terrier. Will need more surgery on hip and knee for subluxation BUYER BEWARE and get pet insurance. More people need to come forward about this breeder. Has anyone seen his kennels? There needs to be an investigation. Over charges and dog's are sick. Overbreeding. Totally disgusted with his lack of response and unethical breeding.

It's been a bit since I updated my review. I believe the 1st review still stays on Yelp. The…read moredaycare is now called Country Canine Retreat with different owners and some new staff and old. We originally had our first dog Casey start back in 2011. We loved the original daycare and we still very much love Country Canine Retreat with our 2nd dog, Dolly. Dolly is a rescue and had some baggage come with her at 4 months old in 2016 (or so). She has some sass, she's a bit bossy, loves her cuddle time, belly rubs and has enough energy to keep the lights on at the Boston Garden and Patriot's Place! The staff has done an excellent job keeping her busy, entertained, engaged throughout the 5 days a week. She plays with several dogs throughout the day. She loves CCR, recognizes all the staff and comes home sometimes with even more energy at (almost) 11 years old. By Friday, she is one tired happy dog. I love talking with the staff and owner. They are kind, considerate, knowledgeable. I trust them completely. I cannot imagine Dolly going anywhere else.

Best doggie daycare in Acton! Your dog will be so loved and well cared for here. The baths are such…read morea great added bonus!

When we learned that our beloved golden retriever, Parker, had cancer and that our time with him…read morewould be far too short, we knew we wanted to capture as many memories as possible. By pure chance, I saw Fred's sign for pet photography while I was out running errands, and it immediately felt like a sign that I needed to reach out. From the very first message, Fred was incredibly responsive, compassionate, and accommodating. He was able to fit us into his schedule quickly, and his communication throughout the entire process was exceptional. Before our session, he sent tips on how to prepare, which helped us feel at ease and ready for the day. When Fred came to our home, he was absolutely wonderful with Parker. His patience, kindness, and genuine love for animals shined through in every interaction. He made the experience feel natural and comfortable, capturing Parker's personality so perfectly. We especially appreciated that he included us in several photos. A few weeks later, we attended the reveal of our images and were completely blown away. Every photo was stunning, and choosing which ones to print for our home was incredibly difficult because we loved them all so much. The turnaround time was impressively fast, and the final wall portraits we selected are absolutely beautiful. Sadly, Parker passed away just two weeks after our photo session. We are endlessly grateful that Fred gave us these precious memories to hold onto. If you've been thinking about booking a session with Fred, please take this as your sign to do it. Our time with our pets is never long enough, and having these memories preserved is truly priceless.

I brought my timid, slightly nervous aging pooch to Fred because I wanted to keep his special…read morememory. Fred was perfect. He offered times that were convenient to me. He was patient and friendly with both me and the pooch, giving us both time to get used to the studio and equipment. His reflexes were fast, allowing him to catch nuances of expression and posture for me to choose from. He used his artist's eye to show me how changing the orientation and spacing of each portrait helped produce a balanced finished product. I could not have asked for a kinder, more satisfying experience. My only regret is that I had not asked Fred to photograph my human kids when they were younger.

King's Kanines is the only place I will ever board my dog. Candace is extremely knowledgeable about…read moredog behavior and health so I have absolute confidence that I am leaving him in good hands. She takes the time to get to know your dog's needs and excels at delivering a positive experience for both your dog and for you. My dog did not do well at other boarding arrangements but he loves staying with Candace. He has severe separation anxiety and she helps him successfully adjust and calm down for an enjoyable stay. I highly recommend King's Kanines!

Absolutely the BEST sitter I've ever come across; live in with family instead of locked in a kennel…read morealone; pick up and drop off is very flexible with the proper notifications. Both my girls LOVE Candace and always get mopey when we get home because they love their time with her. All dogs are introduced to another to ensure compatibility with the others which makes for an incredible experience for my two clowns. Cost is on point with kennels BUT you get so much more; would you prefer to go away knowing your dogs are alone at night on a concrete floor or wrestling for position on a couch in front of the fire place? Stop looking around, you've already found the best solution for your pets while you're away. Thank you Candace for all you've done; we'll be seeing you shortly!!

We recently adopted a new puppy (Nala) to keep our 3 year old Golden doodle (Augie) company…read more Although the two dogs are siblings from different litters, they didn't immediately take to being together. Unlike Augie, who was always sweet and extremely mellow even as a puppy, Nala bit us in the face, barked, destroyed things in our home and terrorized Augie to the extent that he would run away from her. We weren't sure we could keep her because she was so badly behaved and seemed untrainable. In the span of 3 weeks, David transformed Nala from a challenging puppy into a dream puppy. She obeys all the commands, walks off leash in our wooded neighborhood, sleeps hours later than when she left and most importantly she is able to play well with Augie who now seeks her out and willingly allows her even to sleep in his own bed. David sent dozens of videos so we could watch her while she was in training and learn the language she was learning from David. He kept in contact and was even able to drop her off and meet our other dog for a walk with Nala. Without Massachusetts Dog Training, we would likely have given our wonderful puppy away and never realized what a gem we had. David helped to uncover Nala's true potential and helped us to realize how smart, sweet and special she is. We will be forever grateful for his wisdom, expertise and love for our Nala.

I cannot say enough good things about David and his incredible training skills. My dog, a husky…read morewith a strong personality and a history of aggressive behavior toward other dogs, came home completely transformed. On the very first day with David, he was already playing calmly with other dogs, something I never thought I'd see. David kept me updated every step of the way, sending daily videos that showed my dog's progress, which gave me so much peace of mind. When he came home, he could finally walk on a leash without pulling (a major win for a husky owner!) and he no longer jumps on guests the second they walk in the door. Now, he greets people calmly and listens better than ever. It honestly feels like I have a brand new dog. He is happier, more obedient, and much more social. I'm beyond grateful for David's help and would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for a professional, compassionate, and highly effective dog trainer. He truly works wonders!

After my puppy's evaluation - and having her stay for a week of boarding, supplemental training,…read moreand grooming there - I have to say they are awesome on ALL of their services. My puppy is happy to go there every time. She LOVES seeing familiar faces and the employees are pleasant and helpful. We have had to use them for last minute boarding and day care since we started and they are truly there for their clients. I know I can rely on them and they listen to any concerns I have. I took my puppy for intro grooming to another place and that service messed up her cut. Brianna, the groomer at Gemini, is currently helping to get her shape back and she has had detailed conversations with me on how she will help. My puppy is looking adorable again. Trainers there are very detailed and knowledgeable with what they do and how your puppy responds. I think I may go for additional training. Overall, I'm very pleased and would highly recommend them. Now I understand why their evaluation process is so detailed. They truly care about their dogs.

My only complaint would be that the Gemini dog campus...yes, you read right...I said CAMPUS, is…read moreginormous and it is easy to get lost while trying to find the campus facility. I highly recommend Gemini alerts new clients of exactly where their facility is located apart from their training facilities beforehand. I spent way too much time trying to locate the office and ended up being late. But, staff here were so nice and understanding! My dog was groomed perfectly and she was truly cared for from that I observed. The grooming session was fast (under 2 hours) and I was notified right away when Movha was ready to be picked up. Mocha was really happy when I came to get her! She was jumping and said by to her groomer (who was very friendly and kind). I will definitely be back to have Mocha groomed here again! Thanks so everything, Gemini!