I've been bringing my dogs to Four Paws since 2007. The owners and staff show a high level of care and attention to the dogs that attend. My first dog was a rescue and went through training with Lisa Marie, who did an excellent job. He ended up attending daycare almost every weekday of his life until he passed in 2022 at the age of 18. To this day I attribute his long life to the love (and the activity) that he was given by the staff at Four Paws on a daily basis. Since his passing I got a new puppy that has been attending daycare every weekday as well. She can't wait to go every day, and rushes to the front door when we arrive in the morning. You know that you are at a great place for your dog when the staff is as excited to see the dog as much as your dog is excited to see them. The prices at Four Paws are very reasonable, especially compared to other options nearby. I have temporarily tried other facilities (mostly due to the pandemic), but none stand up to the level of Four Paws. I've recommended them to other dog owners I know and they are now regular daycare attendees as well. If you bring your dogs to Four Paws both you and your dogs will not be disappointed! read more

Four Paws Inn - Photo of Noodle, taken by the staff at Four Paws Inn. - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

The only place my wife, and I trust to watch our dogs. We have been choosing Four Paws for 5 years, and have used almost every service they offer. Daycare is great for our 8mo Basset Hound, Ladybird, it takes some of that puppy energy out of her. Ladybird runs in, and isn't the least bit scared when we pull up (shows me she is well cared for, as she is a bit of a diva). The first time I picked her up from daycare she pouted in the parking lot for 5 minutes since she did not want to leave. read more

Four Paws Inn - Ladybird by the Four Paws tree - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

ATROCIOUS CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! Go somewhere else! I waited over two weeks to write a review in hopes that the owners would rectify my experience, but they have made it clear that customer service is not a priority at Four Paws Inn! They may think that they have a strong clientele and do not need to satisfy every single prospective/recurring customer, but word of mouth gets around and it is not looking good! I visited Four Paws one afternoon as they were getting ready to close. It was about 15 minutes to close and I was denied any information at all. No questions answered, I was treated as an inconvenience and was told repeatedly by the front desk clerk that 'if I didn't like her answer, well, there was nothing else she could do to help'. She continued to repeat herself in a very rude and sarcastic manner, the amount of time it would have taken to answer my few questions. I was not asking anything unreasonable and did not want to take much of their time. I just wanted to find out about their services so I could bring my puppy in for day care and training. I also brought documents for them to have on file to facilitate daycare check--in next time I came to drop off my pup. I explained that I came a long way to get to them and had spoken to someone on the phone, they still had a few minutes until they closed, but she just wanted me gone. Her responses or denial of any information did not bother me as much as her awful attitude, so I asked to speak with a manager, who also refused to speak with me. Had she been respectful, I would have returned the next day. I do not ever want to deal with someone like that, especially if I am spending my money for a service! The next day I spoke to the 'manager', Caitlin, who claimed to be the 'daughter of the owner'. Instead of focusing on how she could rectify the awful experience I had, she just continued to defend the awful lady I dealt with. She insisted that the lady had been with the company for many years and I would just have to deal with her nasty attitude if I chose to bring my pup. I asked to speak with the owner and was denied. Not ONCE did she ask if she could answer any of the questions I had during my visit. She was just full of excuses. Caitlin appears to be a terrible 'leader' so I am not sure how her training sessions reflect. There are other choices in doggy daycare and training to put up with an organization that clearly does not appreciate customers or problem resolution. This is apparent by some of the reviews on their page. The 'founder' of this organization, P.J. Reilly should be ASHAMED at how those she trusted to take care of her customers and animals are driving her name through the dirt! And from past reviews, it seems that they treat pets with the same lack of respect they do their customers. My recommendation for a dog daycare: Great Neck Doggy Day Care. I came here for an option closer to home, but I will drive the extra mileage for a place that not only cares for the pets in their care, but their customers as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UPDATE AFTER RESPONSE: Thank you Lisa Marie J. What a shame, because had I spoken to you (the owner) like I requested numerous times, things could have turned out differently. I waited on your call over TWO WEEKS before submitting my review! Your response although late, is gracious and night/day difference from my first two interactions. It is not what it is said, it is HOW IT IS SAID. My experience is based on my first impression, which prevented me from experiencing your services, like I so desperately wanted to. Just think of how many others may have experienced the same, but left with no feedback, because according to reviews from other sites, customer service at the frontlines of your business appears to be an issue.... read more

Boot camp was worth every penny! I was at the end of my rope with my girls behavior. very hyper and rude. I needed help and between the boot camp and then sub novice training (which was mostly for the humans at that point), our girl is thriving! We are so grateful for 4 Paws! read more

My 4 year old husky mix has been doing doggy daycare once a week for the last 3 years and she (we) absolutely love it here! Super friendly, doggo loving staff. Wonderful facility. They do baths and nail trims, too! It makes me feel comfortable knowing that they're strict on shots and temperament, as aggressive dogs aren't welcome (unlike dog parks). Absolutely recommend! read more

Four Paws Inn - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Our pups spent a week here in September. It was our first time leaving them in the care of someone besides family so I was really nervous. I was a bit disappointed when the pups developed doggie pink eye during their stay (they came home with it), but when you have all those dogs together for an extended period of time, I suppose it's hard to expect things not to come up from time to time. Regardless, the staff took good care of our fur babies. They called when one pup was itching to get out of his cage and rubbed his nose raw on it. Fortunately it didn't keep happening. We definitely appreciated the baths and nail clippings they received for free (for the week long stay) before they came home! Contemplating a few doggie daycare visits and some classes for the pups to get some more socialization in before we move to San Diego next summer. read more

Three years later and we STILL love them. Our dogs come home tired but SO HAPPY. Of note, our little dog Gracie is still a little skittish around other dogs, but I'm so happy how they took the time to introduce her to the pack and are very diligent about making sure she's not overwhelmed. Trust me - you and your dogs will love this place. read more

Update: they really need more stars!! I was suddenly sick and spent 9 days in the hospital. 4 Paws Inn and their staff went way beyond for our family. They took Isaac and cared for him and it was such a blessing to know he was with people who love him and understand him. We will always be so grateful! I wish I could give more stars! The more times we interact with the people here the more I really love this place! Do you know how it feels when you leave your child in the care of a really good teacher? This is how we feel during the training classes and when we leave our dog in daycare once a week. It's like having an expert whose had experience with many dogs guiding us along. We even get notices of things little things we didn't realize we a problem but we needed to visit the vet about. They notice the little things!! I feel so lucky to have found this place for our fur kid read more

New to the area seeking boarding/daycare services only. Four Paws advertises "visitors welcome" on their website, however when I showed up unannounced for a tour of the facilities I was told for "safety reasons" I could not go past the front desk. They wouldn't allow me to see ANY part of their facility other than the desk and windows to the daycare. This sends up huge red flags for me. Any good boarding company will gladly provide you with a tour. You should want to know where your pet is eating, sleeping, playing and if it's clean. What are they hiding? There are no photos of the boarding (sleeping) area on their website currently. I was told to view their security camera (at the front desk) which shows a small room filled with a bunch of plastic (airline type) dog crates. This is where the dogs sleep. "It's big enough for your pet to sit, stand and turn around in" is what I was told. While this may be fine for small dogs or crate trained puppies this is not going to work for my large breed arthritic dog with severe hip pain that needs soft bedding and room to stretch. Regardless, they lost my business at "no tours". read more

Four Paws Inn is the best place I have ever boarded my dogs. I have owned 3 dogs over the years and each of them have stayed with the wonderful folks at Four Paws. My pets always come home tired, after all the play time they get there, but, they almost seem kind of sad to be leaving! I have never met a dog-owner that used Four Paws that didn't love it! I highly recommend Four Paws Inn for boarding your dog. read more

Great place to take the dogs for day care and to board them!!! They also have a great doggie boot camp for your puppies!!! read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about the trainers and facility of Four Paws Inn. The trainers are knowledgable and kind. They are passionate and patient, two things that are pretty much a necessity in any field that works with animals. They seem to never tire of puppy kisses. They are meticulous about cleaning and yet never seem to get upset about the occasional puppy pee. My Luna started with them after being a puppy school dropout at the young age of 10 weeks. We left a well known national facility after being completely dissatisfied. Luna has now successfully completed the courses at Four Paws all the way through to graduate novice and became a certified therapy dog and passed the canine good citizen test. She now works at local schools and hospitals as a therapy dog. We've found great success at Four Paws and are sure you will too! read more

Four Paws Inn - Down stays. - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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We have been taking our dogs to Four Paws Inn since they were puppies. The training classes were great. It is our favorite place to board our dogs when we take a vacation. Our dogs love playing with the others and come home tired, happy, and clean. Our dogs are always sad when we can't get them boarded here. They hate being stuck in dog runs with nobody to play with. read more

Highly recommend observing a puppy class here before bringing your puppy. AKC has a Star puppy program which is offered by several local obedience training clubs including Hampton Roads OTC. Club members are certified to use positive reinforcement and gentle training methods. You won't see Bitter Apple being sprayed in the mouth of an excited puppy; you won't see a slip collar cutting into the trachea of an excited puppy. For the most expert and up to date training, find a local obedience training club thru the AKC website. read more

Great friendly service and they take great care of my pups! My dogs have been going there for daycare for 7 years and we love them!

Buissness closed on weekend just went to drop off my dog Saturday morning due to hours on website and door of location no one there no answer on phone what a waste of time read more

If you are a first time dog owner then the beginning class is for you. If you have owned pets all of your life, try a book first. We were told this place was great, but we were disappointed in the trainers attitude on several occasions. We felt as if she had been doing it too long and needed an vacation/change of job. Needless to say, we were very disappointed. read more

We have been loyal customers since 2003. This was our beagle's 2nd home and she loved it here. The staff treated her like she was their own, she had ample room to roam and was not kept in a crate all day. Not only are the prices affordable but I felt that our dog was in the best of care. When we brought home our puppy there was no place I'd rather take him for training and boarding. Our new puppy loves going there for daycare to get his energy out and once again I feel safe leaving him there for overnight stays. Lisa Marie, Caitlin and the rest of the staff are a high quality top notch team! read more

We took our two dogs there for boarding and they were there for 10 days. We couldn't be happier knowing they would have significant play time outside with other dogs and weren't just stuck in a concrete kennel all day. When one had diarrhea, we were consulted. When we picked them up, they were bathed, happy and didn't seem anxious and ready to go. They have been so content and calm that I know this stay was a good experience for them. read more

I have been using four paws for my dogs for about a decade now. Lisa Marie and her staff are absolutely the best ever. They worked with one of my dogs who had some behavioral issues, I use them for my dog training, and every time my dogs stay there they don't want to leave. They get days of playtime and my dogs are excited when I pull up to the place. The training staff is great as well. I'm so grateful for the good behavior of my dogs as a result of the training here I absolutely recommend them for all boarding & Training. read more

I have boarded my dogs at Four Paws Inn for 16 years. My dogs have always been well cared for, and are excited when we pull into the parking lot. They recently upgraded their boarding & training facility, and it looks great. I'm happy to support a local business, and my dogs love the indoor and outdoor play time they get with other dogs. After a week of boarding, each dog gets a free bath & nail trim. Lisa Marie & Caitlin are wonderful, as are the rest of the staff. read more

Our dog - a GSD - hated this place. She would start shaking and fighting us when we took her there & they would never let us see where she stayed at - think it was a crate. There were bad vibes all the way around. We found an awesome place at another kennel who I don't want to mention as we don't want to get them to get so overcrowded that we can't book our dog. The rooms are huge (not a crate), and lots of land to explore. One star for this place, five stars for the other. read more

We recently moved out of the area and are SAD that we are now too far away from these guys! We took our "fur baby" to Four Paws for daycare many times during the year or so that we lived in Chesapeake. The team is friendly, professional, and very obviously loves dogs. The dogs are always physically supervised by staff members AND by a live feed of cameras, creating a super safe environment. Our dog not only cried with joy anytime we drove within half a mile of the place, but always came home happy and TIRED (a serious feat for our very high-energy breed). Prices are also very reasonable for the area, so we were huge fans of this place while we lived there. We never boarded with Four Paws or used their training services, but several friends spoke highly of both. A few things to be aware of: 1) BOOK IN ADVANCE. These guys are super popular (for good reason). By the time we moved away in May, it was getting to the point where if you didn't book at least 2-3+ weeks in advance for daycare, you probably wouldn't be able to get a reservation. They do have a wait-list, but that only ever worked out for us once. This was kind of frustrating, but you can book out MONTHS in advance, and I highly recommend doing so if you have something important in the future and know you'll need daycare/boarding. 2) There are both indoor and outdoor play areas. They group your dog with other dogs of similar energy levels, and the dogs rotate with their groups in different play areas throughout the day. This means your dog will probably come home a bit DIRTY from being outside. Often our dog came home kind of muddy, especially in summer months (they have doggy pools!) and during rainy weeks. This is obviously pretty much unavoidable, but good to know in case you want to bring a towel to save your car seats on the way home :) 3) They often aren't able to answer their phone, but they ALWAYS return calls if you leave a message. I didn't know this at first, but I wish I had. Leave a message!! Overall, we loved Four Paws and would recommend them in a heartbeat. We are still in search of a daycare that measures up to the great experience we had with these guys. read more

Our two dogs were boarded here 8 days while away for the holidays. This will be our go-to kennel for the whole time we're in Virginia. One of our dogs has social issues due to being stacked while on a leash. They really worked with him until he was able to roam around freely. When we picked up our animals they smelled great and we're very happy. You can tell Four Paws employees love their job. They even let us continue our raw diet with our dogs. This is such an amazing place - we are so happy we found them!! Thank you again we will definitely be back again!!! read more

I just completed basic training with my two dogs. Both have their own obedience issues. Lisa and Caitlin were exceptional. They not only trained the dogs but trained the humans. The facility is now airconditioned and indoors which was great since I have two long haired dogs. I am thinking about advanced training due to the positive experience. Additionally, one thing all pet owners may be be concerned about is the group training and exposure to other animals. Four Paws requires all vaccinations and flu shots to be up to date. I would consider boarding if I should need it since I feel my dogs would be left in quite capable hands. Not to mention my dogs liked the trainers. read more

Biggest waste of $1300 I've ever had to shell out. After 12 days, no change at all in dogs behavior and she came back broken out with raised bumps all over her back. Would not recommend to anyone. Should have went to Mt. Pleasant. read more

Lisa-Marie and her team are the most caring and talented dog trainers you can find. We are now completing our third class with our very spunky Corgi puppy Bonnie. She has made great strides due to the classes each week. Each class is very helpful and yet everyone has fun too. We drive from Virginia Beach to Chesapeake as the classes are well worth the extra effort to get there. We have learned as much as Bonnie and everyone there takes the time to answer your questions about behavior problems or any other doggy related issues. We highly recommend Four Paws Inn for your dog training, day care or boarding. We look forward to Continuing the classes. Thank you Four Paws Inn for all your help and for all the love and caring you give the dogs! Barbara and Walter K. read more

i have been involved with Lisa Marie and her staff for over 20 years with either boarding, daycare, or training. I not only think Four Paws is a great professional business but they have always taken great care of my dogs. I have had Lisa Marie, Caitlin, and Diane help me successfully train my labs over the years and really appreciate their patience and hard work. Countless times Lisa, Diane, or Caitlin would stay after class and even give us some extra attention when needed. I have been so proud of Lisa Marie when she has faced challenges with her business because she strives to correct any problem and consistently makes her business better. I feel like I have high standards when it comes to the care of my dogs and always feel confident we are receiving the best care, training and love at Four paws. read more

I have successfully competed in obedience trials at the CD and the CDX level. I began training about thirty years ago with Lisa Marie's mother. I am profoundly disappointed that the training methods used by Lisa Marie and Caitlin have not moved forward in thirty years. What I encountered in a class with Lisa Marie is the same thing I encountered thirty years ago. The lower level obedience classes taught by Lisa Marie and Caitlin focus on corrections. In no way, shape or form could these classes be considered a positive approach to obedience training. Frankly, I found it disturbing. I watched Lisa Marie demonstrate a new command and was appalled at the number of corrections given to a dog when teaching a new command. In fact, the class began with a check to make sure the "training collar" was on properly so that the maximum amount of correction (pain) could be given. The emphasis was on corrections, not positive reinforcement. I found the number of corrections being given to be profoundly disturbing. I participated in a higher level obedience class at Four Paws with Diane - the difference in the class was like night and day. Diane encouraged positive reinforcement, and unlike Lisa Marie's and Caitlin's class, treats could be used. Diane's class was very effective in bringing out the very best behaviors in my dog. It was a fabulous experience that positively enhanced the bonding experience with my dog. On a number of occasions I observed dogs from Lisa Marie's and Caitlin's classes and I noticed that none of the dogs appeared to be motivated or having a good time. I want a training experience to be one that is fun for my dog - I want my dog to want to "work." I do not want my dog to be compliant simply because she is trying to avoid a correction. I've expressed my disappointment to Lisa Marie and I believe she was not open to criticism. Lisa Marie, it is the twenty first century. Doctors don't typically use leaches as a medical intervention, and there are many more positive and effective methods for training dogs than the one dimensional, correction. If you are looking for a positive approach to train your dog, you won't find it in a class taught by Lisa Marie or Caitlin. I would never put my loving companion through the training approach that they advocate - I love my dog and love all dogs too much to do that. read more

I took my dog to Four Paws for doggie daycare when we first got him (rescue). It was a clean facility and the dogs get playtime. I absolutely love Four Paws and I'm so very sad that we moved away. I can't find a doggie daycare that compares. read more

If you have a dog with any behavioral issues being worked on or anxiety this is NOT an environment that is nurturing. My German Shepherd has anxiety regarding crates and has been kenneled there before. Last time I picked him up I was told that he chewed a plastic crate and let himself out and "if he does that again he will not be able to come back here". Today I dropped him off for a bath only. I told Caitlyn that he has trouble in crates so either don't put him in one as he will only be there an hour or be sure he is in the strong crate he cannot get out of. I went to pick him up and Caitlyn herself told me he broke a crate and is no longer allowed at Four Paws Inn. I found that disappointing and unprofessional since the last thing I said to this same employee is that he needs to be watched or not crated. I have boarded him there twice. Once I had to pick him up and take him to the vet for kennel cough (though he had been vaccinated), the other time was without incident with the exception of the puppy damaging the crate letting himself out. They do keep notes on the dogs so they were aware. I would not take an animal nor would I recommend this kennel. Huckleberry, Chesapeake Virginia read more

Our dog was boarded for 11 days while we were on vacation. This was the first time she had ever been boarded at a facility. I am a customer for life and I'm now considering a few day care visits per month because she loved it so much. There was a slight mix up in the amount of food that was given to our dog. Because we did not carefully read the intake information that was recorded, she was fed twice the amount she should have been fed. We were notified of the food shortage with plenty of time to make arrangements to have more food provided to the facility. Despite this incident, I am very happy with this facility for three reasons - 1) the fact that they gave us ample time to remedy the food shortage; 2) when she got home, she walked better on her leash than I've ever seen her. I'm not sure if she was getting more exercise than normal or if the expertise of the caretakers attributed to her manners but I was floored and 3) our dog did not want to leave. She whined on the way home (and she loves car rides). We thought she'd be happier to see us after such a long absence! Maybe it's because she was so well fed. :) read more