I have mixed feelings about my experience at River Dog Jax. On one hand, the instruction is top-tier. I absolutely love Keiko Swanberg; she is a highly experienced and incredibly positive certified trainer. Her teaching style makes a world of difference, and the progress seen in the classes is a testament to her expertise! However, the facility itself leaves much to be desired. The space is consistently dirty and unkempt. There is a very noticeable smell, and dog hair accumulates heavily in all the corners and along the edges of the room. It is disappointing to have such a high-quality trainer working in an environment that feels so neglected. I hope the management prioritizes a deep clean soon to match the caliber of their instructors. read more

I am not much of a Yelper but decided to leave a comment on here in addition to my Google review. Our pup Indie has been going to Jax Riverdog for nearly 2 years. Indie requires some extra attention and care due to some injuries and food sensitivities, and when Carolyn and Kim were there- she definitely received all the love and attention! Indie knows Jason very well and enjoys his company, and I believe she is slowly warming up to some of the newer staff (she is a particular pup.) Indie always comes back exhausted from camp, and we always love seeing photos of he on her walks, or playing games, or, her favorite, getting pup cups! The team at Jax, especially the Companion Camp have always been informative and caring and we know that Indie is in good hands here, when there were days her arthritis was acting up, the Jax team was quick to contact us, and let us know how she was doing so we could determine if she should just rest, or if we should come get her. She also wears a brace (for her arthritis) when she is active- so Jax has been very understanding in learning how to put it on her, and when it should be used. We have also given her a bath in their facilities (wish it was open on weekends but understand that requires additional staffing) We are currently taking our 2nd class on K9 Nosework with Austin on the weekends - and she loves it! We have had positive experiences at Jax and truly appreciate all of the folks that look after her when she is in their care. read more

If you use the location in Issaquah BEWARE you shouldn't!!! Incident #1: When I considered using Riverdog for the doggie daycare, I quickly changed my mind. I was staying at the Homewood Suites during some home remodeling about 3 months ago. A Riverdog employee came out of the building with 3 dogs, and went to the Homewood Suites parking lot, met what appeared to be a friend, and sat in the person's car for about 15 minutes. He then walked back into the building, as if he had done his job of taking the dogs for a walk, but no walk. I don't use the daycare but if you do you might want to stop or at a minimum check out what the employees are doing when they THINK no one is watching. I certainly would want my dog properly walked and not hanging out in a car parking lot. Incident #2 I used the self-wash station for my dog. There is a drying table that was against the wall, and elevated to the highest level for drying dogs. There's a foot pedal to lower the table. My dog is on the larger side so I pressed the foot pedal to lower the table. The table dropped rapidly down, catching an outlet with the drier plug that was not visible when the table was up. When I told the reception about the situation, she had Jason S. assess the situation. He proceeded to tell me that a business establishment is not responsible for equipment or safety, and I should have checked all of the table surroundings and made sure the table was safe before lowering it (uh... I just wanted to dry my dog... I wasn't there to do an OSHA inspection). Jason chastised me for thinking a business is responsible to ensure the equipment and surroundings are in safe, working order. Had my dog been any closer to the edge of the table it could have burned him. There was no "Are you and your dog okay?" It was just an asshole response with no accountability. He even suggested that I should pay for the damage because I did not make sure everything was in safe, working order and free from any hazards. They charged my credit card on file the fee for the full wash/dry, even though I didn't get to use the drier. The next day, Brittany sent an email letting me know that I was issued a refund but no accountability. Per the law, when a business is open to the public, the owners of the business owe a duty of reasonable, ordinary care to the people who enter the business premises. The business owner must take reasonable steps to prevent customers being exposed to hazards or risks of harm. This includes keeping public parts of the premises (including floors, aisles, and walkways) in reasonably safe condition. A simple sign above the outlet would suffice, since it is not visible if the table is up. It didn't need to become such a big deal until Jason insisted it is not a business' responsibility to keep customers safe. On a side note, it is code/law to have a GFCI in "wet areas." No compliance here! If this is how they treat human customers, how do you think they treat the fur customers that can't say if they are being mistreated or aren't being walked? If you love your dog and want it kept safe...do not go to Jax Riverdog! read more

Jax Dog Drop Riverdog - Burnt outlet - Pet Training Near Me - Issaquah, Washington

See all

We've been placing our beloved family dog in their care since she was a puppy. The facilities are clean and the instructors/caretakers have been consistently fantastic to date. I love their handwritten report cards! That means a lot and I hope they continue to hire and retain skilled dog handlers. Thanks for your excellent service especially Caroline and Jason! read more

I love this spot to wash and groom my dog myself. It's located on the frontage road behind the strip businesses off 1-90-near the Buick ? Dealership- Clean space with all the tools needed for a happy and clean K-9. I speak as a guardian to a Chow Chow with an extremely heavy double coat. He requires care and coiffuring on a regular basis. The elevated tubs and adjustable pro grooming table are important to maintain a healthy back, 'phew' All shampoos, conditioners, eye and ear wash, brushes towels and blower are provided for your use as well. They even have an apron Tom prevent you from becoming soaked, lol The staff is friendly and helpful even though they are busy helping other clients, the customer service is rated at 10 or of 10. I was told no reservations were needed: was able to walk in. Course if the room is occupied, you could consider Formula Brewing next door &'in front of Jax Dog for a beer and a slice of pizza while you relax and wait. The prices is charged per hour and I found more than reasonable despite taking almost 2 hours. Plenty of parking I'll keep coming back. Thanks Jax read more

Jax Dog Drop Riverdog - Lordy Lordy- - Pet Training Near Me - Issaquah, Washington

This is a review of the training camp. I had an anxious, 11 month old Aussie that I took there for training because he came from an abusive home when I adopted him. They assessed his behavior, knew his entire background and promised me they could help. Long story short... shortly after he finished the program he became increasingly aggressive and ended biting on several occasions. When I got a proper behaviorist involved, we requested the full notes from the trainers there and uncovered that he was abused with the "e-collar training" at this facility that caused him major additional trauma and caused this anxiety and aggression to escalate. I was never told about any of this while he was training with Riverdog. They told me he was doing great. Most of the abuse came from a specific trainer at Riverdog. Please do not take any dog with traumatic history to this facility. They do not have the proper techniques to manage this type of case. Furthermore, I am devastated by the fact that I was lied to by these people. Steer clear of Riverdog and find a place that uses positive reinforcement training methods for your developing dog. read more

Disappointed I was told I could get my dog in for a trial day either that same or next day if I was able to get her records asap. I scrambled and made sure to get what they needed, just to be told that they were actually unable to fit her in the next day because they fully booked it, even after promising me they would get her in. TERRIBLE communication. And apparently short staffed. They sent an apologetic email after so for that I will add an star, but to lie to me over the phone and in an email about getting my dog in was such a stressful experience for me as I was to travel the next day. Luckily I was able to find a great boarding place that has great communication and fit my dog in last minute. I don't care to ever try and board my dog at this place. read more

PLEASE READ BEFORE SENDING YOUR DOGS. We had very good experiences with Jax until an incident when our dog came out of daycare unable to walk straight and seeming completely disoriented. We were told this had been going on since 2:30 that day, but no one called us, and I did not find out until 5:45 when I picked him up, which was too late to take him to our regular vet and required me to take him to the emergency room. The vet concluded that he had ingested something toxic while at daycare. When brought to the attention of Jax, they completely shut us down, told us that nothing could possibly have happened, and refused our request for reimbursement. There was absolutely no empathy or accountability, and they only appeared eager to shield themselves from liability. When we tried to follow-up with phone calls, they screened our phone number and would not answer. A very disappointing end to what had been a good relationship. Please use care if considering them as a daycare option read more

Absolutely five stars for Shirlie! She has been an absolute Rockstar in the Companion CAMP program for all our special dogs... and I trust her to take great care of any dog in her charge. As a handler, she creates programs to best suit each pup, and is clear in her communication to every pet owner. She has proven herself to be a great leader, mentor, and coach, and I would trust her to care for any dog in my "slightly funky" crew! We love Shirlie!!! read more

My puppy recently finished up a round of puppy 101 class at Riverdog on Friday afternoons. Our pup LOVED puppy playtime where she got to play and socialize in a safe environment with other puppies. The instructors for puppy playtime were always very reasonable and watchful. The reason for only two stars is I was disappointed in the obedience class we were a part of, which was the bulk of our time and cost with Riverdog. The teacher was not friendly and taught the same basic 3 things over and over again ('Sit, wait, okay!'). At the end each class she told us what we'd be learning during the next class...only to have us repeat the same training the next week. The teacher was always visibly annoyed with my puppy's jumping habit (which is why we're going to obedience school) and was always really rude and nit picky to me in front of the class when I would try and crub my puppy's behavior. 'It's probably a little late to tell her not to jump, don't you think??' She was not constructive at all and we ended up forgoing the last two sessions because we found it to be more stressful than productive. We're going to continue to train our puppy on our own as we're having way more success with YouTube than obedience class. All in all, I think Riverdog does a good job. Their approach to training is all about positive reinforcement. Their website is easy to use. They have a good, clean, accessible location, especially for people living on the eastside. Unfortunately we just got stuck with a grouchy instructor for obedience class. read more

While I personally haven't had the pleasure of using the canine coaching services they offer this place would get 10 stars if I was able to give it to them on yelp! Riverdog is located down the street from a center for children diagnosed with Autism, including my 4 year old daughter. Yesterday during her pre-school class we were lucky enough to visit Riverdog and be introduced to several amazing service dogs of various sizes and breeds. The kids (and parents) were able to pet each dog and in some cases brush the dogs. They even had a special area setup so the kids could play fetch with a retriever mix. How cool is that?? Each one of these amazing animals was accompanied by their pet parent. These are people who unselfishly donate their own time and money to share the gift of happiness and love to others during what maybe a difficult time in their life or in our case a group of VERY excited Autistic preschoolers. I want to thank Riverdog for hosting a fieldtrip that everyone (including us parents) loved and enjoyed. To the parents/handlers I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the work you do. The world needs more people like you. THANK YOU ALL!!! read more

We took our pup Cooper here for puppy play time and it is such a fun time! We pay $10 for each 30 minute session (mondays and Fridays) and our pup gets really good socialization. It is a better alternative than taking him to the dog park and hoping he has a good experience. read more

We took our sweet, yet stubborn 7 month old puppy to the 3-week training camp. I looked for places all over Seattle and the east side trying to find a place that would teach my dog in a sustainable and effective way, using positive techniques we approved of. I cannot expressed how great this team was. They took the time to get to know our puppy, her likes, and dislikes, and really catered training to her and our needs. Everything from asking the commands we use at home so they can make sure to reinforce them in the classroom, to teaching us new ones, as well as learning to adapt to what works best for our who dog is a picky eater. Aka she won't train with cheese, but meatballs do the trick. Our puppy loved going to camp. And we loved the results. She now knows how to greet people without jumping, waits when instructed, and listens to us when called. I highly recommend! Great staff!! They answered all of our questions. And you can tell that they really care about the dogs! They even provide follow up refresher trainings throughout the doggos lifetime! read more

I took my puppy to puppy camp at Riverdog for more socialization and a bit of daycare. I love that they have a separate puppy daycare. The people were wonderful and my puppy had a great time there, but when I picked her up she reeked of pee. In fact the whole facility reeked of dog urine that afternoon. It did not smell in the morning. Needless to say I have some concerns about the place and potential things my puppy could pick up if the place is not being maintained and if my dog is not being well attended. read more

Our dog Jack has been going to Riverdog since we first adopted him 6 years ago. Riverdog's unique approach to training involves dropping the pooch off 5 days a week for 3 weeks straight. Each day an instructor works with your dog on basic behavioral and obedience training as well as focusing on any special issues that you and the instructor discuss prior to the start of Training C.A.M.P. Each evening when you pick up your dog you receive a report about what they worked on that day. If the instructor is still around, which is often the case, they'll happily give you a debrief. Once a week when you pick up your dog you spend an hour with your instructor so that they can explain how they've worked with your dog. The instructor will provide tips and suggestions and homework so that you can reinforce the training. The transformation is amazing, but of course you as the owner have to continue to reinforce that training. Doggie Day C.A.M.P. is like daycare for your furry best friend - you drop him off in the morning and pick him up after work. Jack is always tired and happy each time he goes to Riverdog. The report card is seemingly a cute novelty but is actually indicative of how well your dog is taken care of at Riverdog. The entire staff are dog lovers, and it is obvious each time you drop your dog off and see how happy they are to see the "counselors" -- many of whom have been there for years. Jack has certainly developed deep relationships with his favorite counselors Edie and Tim, and they know his moods and quirks. The staff at Riverdog are also very safety conscious. Before a dog is accepted for camp, they have to go through an interview. It isn't simply to protect themselves for insurance (which is obviously necessary), but it's also because they really interact with and care about the dog's welfare. A couple of times they pointed out small scratches that Jack might have gotten during play that day that I honestly wouldn't have even noticed, and one time when I picked Jack up the Riverdog staff reported that another dog had been bothering Jack that day resulting in Jack being a bit annoyed and nervous. Because Jack had a long history with Riverdog, and the other dog was a relatively new camper, they asked the other owner not to bring that dog in on Jack's day of the week. Riverdog gets my highest recommendation. read more

See all

I take both of my Bernese Mountain Dogs here and I am more than impressed with their patience and expertise. The environment is great for dogs and although it's in a warehouse setting they do a great job of heating it for the humans. In the last week I have seen my dogs make major strides towards heeling, waiting, and many other critical commands that help with safety, etc. I honestly would not have had the patience to do this without their coaching. read more

Without a doubt, take your best friend to Riverdog. We have had both of our Rhodesian Ridgebacks attend various classes there, and there is not a week which goes by that we do not receive complements as to how well behaved they are. They will train you to be a great owner as well! Denise Stringfellow, CPDT-KA Riverdog Canine Coaching 425.427.5958 | www.riverdogk9.com read more

I took my 8 month old pug to the Basic Obedience 101 six week class with the trainer and my review is based off of this experience. We enjoyed the class so much! I loved that we got paperwork each week with a review of things learned. It helped when my boyfriend missed a class, and I love that we have it in a folder now to review concepts as needed. The room was always very clean, and on hot days they had water bowls out for the puppies. I also enjoyed that their approach was very positive oriented and into praising your puppy. Our trainer, Aly, was very friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us with advice on an individual level too. My family was very impressed with the change in our dog and the improvement in her behavior by the end of the class. One thing I was concerned about initially was the class size - with a max of 8 dogs! But to my surprise there was only one week where there were actually 8 dogs present, most weeks we had only 4 or 5 which was a very nice size. And even on the day with 8 dogs, I didn't feel like we got any less attention. I would say I originally also wished that there was a class for smaller dogs, since our dog was easily the smallest there and is a little intimated by larger dogs, but in the end I think it ended up being good for her to be more socialized around a variety of sizes of dogs. I would definitely recommend Riverdog (and have recommended it to many friends and family!) and am thinking about the next step for my own dog in signing her up for Obedience 102 or maybe Petite Pooch Agility (how fun is that!) read more

My dog has been going here for almost two years and he LOVES it! I can tell by the way he whines in the car until we arrive and then pulls on the leash all the way to the front door. He even knows the name Riverdogs. Every time I say it he perks up and starts barking and wagging his tail. So cute! The staff always greet him, enthusiastically, by name. There's lots of playtime and nap time, too. At the end of the day, he's all played out and sleeps like a baby for two days. It's great for me, because he's normally so hyper. I also look forward to the evening report cards. They always write who he plays with and sometimes add a cute note about how he did that day. The friendly staff take great care of my little guy just like I would. I trust them completely! read more

I sometimes have to work late and need some place for my dogs to go where they will be supervised and cared for. I searched around and came upon riverdog. I was worried at first as my dogs don't like daycare very much but after their first day they loved it. My dogs were given attention and were cared for. They were exhausted in a good way when I picked them up. I can tell they had a wonderful time. I was very impressed with riverdog and will be taking my dogs back very soon! read more

We have been clients of Riverdog since our 12 yo golden took classes with them up in the barn on the Sammamish Plateau. Denise, the owner, is a consummate professional and a real-life dog whisperer! Her business is very well run and her employees are so friendly and great with dogs. We have taken many classes, refresher days (for training) and also use their doggy day camp. My dogs are so well treated and I feel like I can talk to any of the employees if I have questions or concerns. Their trainers are always doing continuing-education and they have very low staff turnover, which says a lot for a business of this nature. They also specialize in treating problem behaviors. They have been working with my younger dog and we are seeing very good results. If you are reading this and just getting a puppy, do yourself a favor and start going to their puppy play times. Then enroll in a basic obedience class. You will learn so much (about your dog and yourself :) read more

Best training classes ever! Clean spaces and responsible trainers. My puppy has been taking classes with Riverdog since he is 12 weeks old and has completed Puppy preschool, 101 and AKC STAR certificate. He is so good with trainer Lauren and would like to do everything she says. It did make a big difference and also help with his socialization. We'll continue taking off-leash and outdoor classes here. read more

We moved here from out of state a couple of months ago and have checked out several boarding places for our dog Johnny. We only want him to stay at a place that requires a trial day so we know that there aren't any aggressive dogs at the boarding place. Johnny has stayed at a boarding facility many times as we like to travel. He's always done extremely well and is loved on by the staff due to his sweet nature. He had trial days at the Jax in Redmond and passed with flying colors as well as another boarding facility (we want to have backups in case we aren't able to get in to a place). When Johnny had his trial day at Riverdog we were told he didn't get approved and that he'd have to have another trial day as well as 3 daycares. I asked what went wrong and was told that he hung out mostly with the counselor and when someone opened a door he would tend to want to leave. I had told the staff when I dropped him off that he has a little separation anxiety but loves other dogs/pp. I asked if I could watch Johnny's behavior either through a window or on a monitor and was told that they didn't have that option in the room he was in. The woman at the front desk was just not friendly about it at all. It definitely felt like they were just wanting me to keep paying for days disguised as their being worried about him being able to handle boarding (which he's done at least a few dozen times in his life). Other problems I had was that when I arrived with Johnny to drop off they didn't offer to show me around (it was our first time there), they weren't particularly friendly/welcoming, and they were difficult to deal with regarding the paperwork (they misread his vaccination records, required I send fecal test results although it showed he had a fecal test, etc.). We'll be taking Johnny to the Redmond location where they are very friendly, love Johnny, and are a delight to see. read more

We love Riverdog so much! We started out in their basic obedience class with our 6 month old siberian husky. The class was great! It was a fun group setting with lots of hands on demos and interactions. We currently take our pup there once a week for Day C.A.M.P and she loves it! She knows the word "camp" now and runs for the door when I say it! At the end of the day when I pick her up she comes to me with a little report card about her day. They also post pictures on their website daily of the dogs in C.A.M.P. I check every time she goes and I'm always excited to see her on the website! She is an ACTIVE 11 month old puppy and Riverdog Day C.A.M.P. tires her out for 24 hours! It's a GREAT place! :) read more

I went into RiverDog today for an evaluation for one of their CAMP programs, and cried the whole way home that I ever put my dog in that situation. I met with one of the trainers, who I believe is the owner and/or manager. I had previously e-mailed back and forth with someone else who answered all of my questions, and I had given lots of information specific to my dog. The woman I met with had no knowledge of this, as she didn't even know what program I was looking to put my dog in. I let her interact with my dog for only a few minutes and this resulted in my 8 month old puppy getting a knee to the chest, and yanked to the ground with her leash several times. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. I'm just so glad she did this in front of me, and I didn't end up enrolling my puppy. Please do your research on what a great, positive, humane dog trainer can be, because this is not it. Overpowering a dog and punishing with force is never acceptable. If you believe in dog training with force, RiverDog is the place for you, but if you want to foster an amazing relationship with your dog of trust and respect, please go elsewhere! read more

one of my dogs loved the place (apparently by her report card) the other dog did not (again based on his report card.) SOME of the staff here appear to be helpful and care about dogs, however the crabby old lady working the front desk IS AWFUL. I was going to write the owner but I figured anyone who would hire a "person" like that to work the front desk and represent her company is probably not interested in my feedback. it amazes me this is one of the only dog daycare places in Issaquah and that they're so highly rated. not impressed and hope more people take the time to correct this apparently overrated doggy daycare. I genuinely wanted some constructive feedback on my males dog's behavior and HELP to correct some of his aggressive nature. being told that my barely year old dog is "hopeless" and beyond help is really not helpful or fair to a dog with obvious anxieties. There's another reviewer who was given the same diagnosis for their dog as well. I had to request a tour (red flag) and found both my dogs kenneled when I picked them up (red flag) and it was very noisy due to the sheer number of dogs in care (red flag.) I know the owner responds periodically to negative reviews and that's nice and i'm sure she gets defensive about her business and blah blah protect my employees and other dogs blah blah, but to any future customers I would urge you to think carefully about using RiverDog. I would recommend Rover.com as well as any place BUT this business. read more

Chief absolutely LOVES day camp. They are always so sweet when we drop off and pick up. Chief is tired for days. Highly recommend their doggie daycare! read more

So, after many years of hearing from people how wonderful River dog is for training, we waited 41/2 months, for a space to open, to train our new great Dane puppy. We enrolled him in the daycamp for two weeks. We picked him up every afternoon, and each day he grew more and more unruly. When we brought him in he was not a barker. This, was important to us, as we live in an apartment. We told them this on numerous occasions, and asked them to please curb this new learned problem. However, this did not happen. As well, when we would pick him up in the afternoon he would jump all over us, and they did nothing to help. We spent $2500 on training, and he was in worse shape when he got out, then when he went in. We are now going to have to find another training facility to help us, clear all of the problem behaviors that he learned at River dog, as well as deal with the basic training problems. I highly highly highly recommend, that you use a different facility. We saved for a long time to be able to afford a training facility like River dog, and in the end it was wasted money. read more

We started taking our GSP puppy Tucker here about a month ago. We bought a 12 day package for a little over $400 to set him up for the month and signed him up for puppy training classes. At first we though it was great after reading all the reviews online but time after time they've been highly disappointing. Fist off, they charged our credit card twice for the package. On top of that, instead of deducting our package for the days he attends they routinely charge our credit card again! We signed him up for nail trimming for 2 weeks before it actually got done and their reason was "the day person should handle that". I don't really care who's responsible for getting it done, just that it gets done. Blaming other employees is never a good customer service tactic. We schedule him for day camp and then get sent home with notes scolding us for not "making an appointment" when we have. When we call to get him scheduled the phone often rings and rings with no answer. Our dog is fully potty trained and everyday we pick him up the first thing he does is run to the grass to pee and poop immediately, leading me to believe he's not being let outside very often. I know they crate him for "quiet time" during the day but his demeanor when we pick him up makes us wonder exactly how long "quiet time" lasts. We get daily report cards saying our puppy doesn't like to be handled which is 100% uncharacteristic of our dog and my vet will back me up on that. The puppy classes have been okay, he hasn't learned anything yet since so far all they've been teaching are things he already does. Overall this place is chaotic and unorganized and not what we had in mind for our dog. We will not be going back to Riverdog. read more

Please take this with a grain of salt, because I suspect it was the instructor I had a bad experience with, not the program in general. A friend of mine works at Riverdog and when I adopted my first dog, she helped him learn basics like stairs and sit. She leant me all sorts of fantastic material on their training methods. After initially working with her, I used the methods she taught me, and trained my 1st dog myself and he couldn't be better mannered. I have complete recall on him and can control him off leash entirely if need be. I adopted my second dog, a 7th month old Saluki, a couple months ago and immediately got to work training him. He's smart and learns quickly, but doesn't always see the point in listening (fairly typical of sighthounds). More troubling, he is leash reactive, mainly to other dogs. Having observed him closely, it's not aggression in the slightest, just an hyper-active desire to play with the other dogs that he can't reach. I enrolled him in in Obedience 101, hoping to learn new techniques to get him to listen to me and get over his desire to bolt toward and bark at other dogs when he sees them. I confess, my mistake, I sat by the entrance (the room was full already by the time I realized my error, so I couldn't move). He didn't bark constantly, in fact, as long as the other dogs weren't active, he mostly sat or laid at attention. Once we got up on our feet though, it would take awhile for him to settle down, stop pulling on his leash and barking, and listen to me. Eventually he'd respond to me calling his name and waving a treat. Despite this, he completed the exercises neatly and completely, of which a word of praise was never said to us. In general, I felt completely ignored by the instructor, who seemed to focus on 4 dogs in particular (there were 9 in the room, since there was also a makeup student there). Eventually, she asked us to move to the other room, where we could still listen and practice, but ultimately, it wasn't effective for us, since my dog can perform the exercises perfectly every time without the distractions. By the end of the class, I was entirely frustrated, not with my dog. I know his limitations and we're attempting to work on them. I was frustrated that not once was a suggestion given to me on how to get him to listen and not once was a word of praise spoken over the fact that he could do all the exercises. I talked to the instructor after and she asked me if it was aggression. I frustratingly explained, having given my dog's restrictions and problem-areas at the beginning of class, that no it was not aggression, merely badly directed energy. She said, sounding rather reluctant, I could come the next week with higher-value treats, but she wasn't sure it would help. I asked what else I could do. She suggested private coaching and, at my confused prompting, explained that they could bring in a neutral dog who could possibly help with the reactivity. And she did tell me that the money from the class could be applied to the lessons. Though not to her face, I intend to decline, having been thoroughly frustrated and embarrassed enough. The last thing the instructor mentioned before we left was to ask me how old he was (another fact that I'd mentioned at the beginning of class (I understand not remembering all of the details for 9 dogs, but remembering some of them would have been nice)). I replied, 9 months, and she told me that this was probably "just who he was" and it wasn't like that he was "going to change" and that "I just just accept who he is". Firstly, this was advice I never expected to hear. Everything I'd heard about Riverdog is that they will find a way to work with you to help improve your dog's obedience and your relationship with him. Secondly, reading through all the paperwork, it confirmed my own beliefs, which states that for 9-18 months dogs, they "are more pushy and vocal" and "the search for boundaries and leadership is in high gear". Their own paperwork says that at 9 months, a dog is still a puppy and still developing. And, it certainly doesn't help that my breed develops slowly (though, that isn't something I'd expect the trainer to know about an obscure breed). Being told that my dog, who is barely more than a puppy, was likely not to change, even with training, was the final straw. To be completely fair, the instructor was kind and wanted to be helpful. However the lack of acknowledgement for what we did accomplish, came off to me as being ignored. When she did speak to me, she was rushed because she was in between classes., but still, I honestly don't think I was given the best advice. I wasn't given anything I could try at home/on walks to make progress. I wasn't told to try their Reactive Dog classes (which in retrospect would have probably been a better bet (but having never had him in another room with 8 dogs I couldn't have known)). Bottom line: good program, bad experience. read more

Maybe Riverdog should stick to Canine Classes & NOT grooming. We've had 7 encounters w/ their grooming department: The first being a wash & brush-out which was wonderful. The second was a simple brush-out and the third was a wash & brush-out. All three experiences were good. Our dog came back looking & feeling great. The fourth incident wasn't so great..... When my husband dropped off the dog he was reluctant to go back w/ the groomer and decided to lay down and not get up. This is a maneuver we call the "Peaceful Protester" and its something he pulls when we're at the vet too. It was late in the afternoon and the groomer seemed irritated & less than amused w/ his behavior. Less than 30 minutes later I got a call saying we needed to come & pick him up because he was nipping at the groomer & she didn't feel comfortable continuing. I picked him up. The 5th, 6th & 7th time we "attempted" to get our dog washed & brushed-out. ALL THREE TIMES they called and cancelled the appointment within 1 hour of the scheduled time. 1 hour - seriously? My husband was surprised when I made the last appointment - I told him I wanted to give them one more chance. But sure enough.... After I got myself, our 2 year old, our 6 month old and the dog all ready to go I heard my cell ringing from the bottom of my diaper bag. I fished it out (it was 10:27am and we had an 11am appointment) and was told that the correct person wasn't scheduled to work today so they needed to cancel, but there's a great place in Bellevue where I could take my dog instead. I politely told the woman that this was the 3rd time they'd cancelled on me (all within 1 hour of the scheduled appointment) and if they didn't want my business they should just say so and stop wasting my time & acting in such an unprofessional manner. More important than wasting my time is my poor dog..... I've been getting screwed around by Riverdogs for over 6 weeks now trying to get an appointment with them. He's now LONG over-due for a grooming. Bottom Line.... Be Professional. Don't Waste People's Time. read more

I took my dog to the basic obedience class every Saturday. He was extremely shy at first but slowly opened up. I was the one in the class constantly embarrassed because my dog didn't do anything for the first few sessions except cower in fear. That changed after awhile, he improved and eventually got him to do a couple of tricks toward the end of the classes. Yey. At first I was afraid of feeling like I wasted money because the first few sessions were awkward for him but I was really happy to learn that YOU CAN RETAKE THE ENTIRE CLASS AGAIN ONCE, FOR FREE! Isn't that awesome? Getting your money's worth. I'm glad I went with Riverdog. If you have a shy puppy, I regretted not taking him to the very first class (they also have a puppy play date class too for $5 called puppy party) so you might want to look into that. read more

I brought my puppy to Puppy Play Time on July 3rd and was startled to see that even tho they claim to adhere to CDC guidelines to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 while in their building this was not the case at all. It was so crowded that it was impossible to keep a safe 6 feet away from other people and there was zero fresh air in the closed room. They told me later they do not limit the number of participants in the session. Everyone gets in that wants in. This includes whole families of 5 which doesn't make sense if a business is serious about social distancing nor is it necessary for the puppy play time. While masks were worn, staff didn't seem to care if they were actually covering both the mouth and nose of the dog owners. I felt very unsafe and uncomfortable and will not be back. I know others who feel the same way. I recommend they limit the number of people in the space and post a sign asking people to cover their nose and mouth with their mask. The social distancing problem could easily be solved and no revenue lost if only one person was allowed in per puppy. Please consider this safety measure. I would very much like to return. Thank you. read more

My pup had his first day of doggie daycare at Riverdog recently and I was really impressed with their facility and their obvious love and compassion for dogs. During doggie daycare (Day C.A.M.P. as they call it) your dog rotates between paytime and rest time. They certainly did a good job with the play time because my dog was really tired after his day of fun. It's a little pricy compared to some other dog daycares in the area but I think it's worth it because instead of my dog sitting at home alone all day he can play and interact with other dogs and people in a really safe and clean environment. They even give you a report card at the end of the day that tells you how he did, what dogs he played with, and other fun stuff. Will definitley be bringing my dog back sometime soon. read more

We started taking our Weimaraner, Miller, to day camp after we put down Simon, our older Weimaraner. We wanted Miller to be more active and social with other dogs while we are gone during the day. He was overwhelmed at first and then they suggested we try Senior Day Camp since Miller is 7. We have taken him to Senior Day Camp 3 times now and he is loving it. He has discovered he like puzzles and he gets great report cards. The staff is amazing as well. I drop him off and don't have to worry about the care he is getting. We took Miller through Basic Obedience here when he was a puppy and were lucky to have Denise, the owner, as our trainer. She is truly amazing and sold me on anything they do at Riverdog. I love the ability to have a drop in basis as well since we don't need camp everyday. read more

my dog Jasper has been going to Riverdog for over 3 years and I can't say enough good things about the training philosophy and wonderful staff. Jasper first did the Training CAMP Intensive and has been attending weekly Training CAMP Refresher Days ever since. When I get close to Riverdog Jasper can sense it and gets very excited wanting out of the car asap. When I bring him inside he happily runs back with the greeter and doesn't look back. It's the ONLY time Jasper doesn't mind being away from me. I love getting report cards letting me know what he worked on that day, if he went on any field trips, and what other pups he played with. I wouldn't trust my dog anywhere but here! read more

I love this place! My 15 week old golden retriever just finished puppy pre-school and is signed up for the puppy 101 course starting in a few weeks. Lauren was great! She helped us to understand how our puppy thinks, and how to motivate him to learn commands. I'm very excited to continue his training at Riverdog, and I will continue to recommend them to friends and family. read more

I just want to give a big thumbs up to the Riverdog facility and staff. We have had our pup there for 6 months now, at training classes, day camp and puppy playtime. All the options have been wonderful, highly recommend using this facility. They emphasize training and control of your dog, and teaching them how to be polite as well as showing owners how to be responsible dog owners! I like that at the playtime dogs are let off leash in a controlled manner, and breaks are called throughout. The staff also supervises dogs closely, so that dog temperaments are matched, separating dogs if necessary. This is so much better than a dog park! My dog LOVES day camp, and I know they work with him throughout the day in addition to playing with other dogs. He is tired out when he comes home! Great tips and tools from the instructors at all the classes also. Thanks Riverdog you do a great job with our much loved dogs! read more

Phoebe and I love Riverdog. Best place in Puget Sound for your dog. I have been to classes and Phoebe goes to day camp. She gets to hang with her BFFs and when I pick her up I get a report card. Take your dog to Riverdog. You and your pup will be very happy! read more

When my dog was new to me, and I to him, his behavior was impossible. He attended day care at Riverdog. He learned to meet and play with other dogs as well as how safe it was to nap in a crate. At the time he gave no indication of liking it, and was always eager to see me and escape! Eventually I gave up, and continued exposing him to many different parks and venues. He is now eleven, very healthy, very socially great. He trained to become a pet therapy dog. We go everywhere together, including schools, nursing homes, stores, and friend's homes. I have recommended Riverdog to so many people new to dogs, because the experience is so positive and the trainers are amazingly great - so helpful to the new dog and owner alike. Ask as many questions as you can - both you and your dog will benefit greatly. read more