TLDR Beverly's reactive dog training services didn't turn out like I thought they would. She said…read moreit'd be personalized, but this was the most cookie-cutter training I could've gotten. Most of the training is self-driven based on old articles and videos you can find on her website that she compiles into emails and tells you to perfect before meeting again. Yelp reviews seemed more aligned with my experience than Google fyi. ----- Even though Beverly was on TV before, she wasn't friendly like you'd expect from a "celebrity" trainer. I thought maybe her experience made up for it. But what she said her training would be like and what it was like were totally different. The biggest difference between my expectations and reality was that she effectively refuses to meet unless your dog has 100% perfected the homework from the previous lesson (which she doesn't really practice with you). This condition was never mentioned in the contract or in the consultation. Further, to get a repeat training of the first lesson, it took us 6 months of negotiating and literally hundreds of hours of self-driven training (I even sent her proof of our efforts and she didn't care). Another important thing to note for anyone else with reactive dogs is that Beverly did not ever see what our dog was like in the "real world". Our one and only in-person training was in her garage, so she only saw our dog "calm". She also never demonstrated how to do things correctly in-person and all of her feedback on our technique came from her watching very short videos we sent her. In-person session was mainly theory (see Yelp reviews for others calling this out). There was at most 10 minutes of practical training in the first lesson and none of it was related to addressing problems like reactivity that might make the homework tricky. So, there was never a good feedback loop to help us succeed. This was a major problem when we tried to do her homework. We literally spent 6 MONTHS trying to complete the part of the FIRST homework that required our reactive dog to lay down calmly in public spaces in less than 30s (this time requirement was emphasized on several calls, not an exaggeration). Over those 6 months, we had 2 feedback sessions virtually, but she continued to threaten to "fire us" if we tried to book an in-person session. In that time, she never proactively reached out to check in, even as months went by and she knew we were struggling. After 7 months, when I asked for more structured help (for a 3rd time) or my money back, she acted like I was asking for magic (her words). In the end, I was done with it. Beverly was not helpful and it felt like anytime we wanted her help it was inconvenient for her. The only two positive things I will giver her were: 1.) She was quick and responsive; however her replies were often rude, unfiltered and lacking the nuance we needed. If her communication was better, maybe her virtual-forward style could work, but that would require a lot of work on her end. And 2.) She invited us to a free group training session so we could get in-person help, but we were getting married that weekend, so we couldn't attend. She said she'd have more of those events, but she never told us about others. Next, Beverly's refund rules were crazy --she charged $395 fee for texts and emails, $395 fee for what was effectively a sales call and another $100 fee for re-reading our messages to calculate the refund among other fees. We completed less than 20% of the package we bought, but were charged over 50%. Thankfully, her prices were so high that the refund was enough to still get a trainer who is willing to meet with us regularly, as we requested from her. Speaking of which, before you sign the contract, ask her why she has a clause in it preventing people from posting bad reviews...most people wouldn't need that...

After seeing Beverly's reply. I do want to say that at the time of service, I was not unhappy with…read morethe training Beverly provided. I was also naive and didn't know what to expect from a dog training session as it was our first time hiring a private trainer. She was indeed very responsive both by email and by text and was gracious enough to help my fiance reschedule our lesson so he can propose to me. With that said, this is a hindsight review after having trained with other trainers. The first is the high rate Beverly charged. Looking back we paid over $3k for 6 sessions with 2 dogs. This is not six sessions per dog, this is a combined six ONE HOUR sessions with both dogs present. Which means if she had focused on each dog equally, we paid about $1500 for 3 hours of lessons with her for each dog (that's a rate of $500/hour). Compare that to other trainers who offer five sessions for $750 for each dog. We didn't think that her lessons were way better or more valuable at $500/hour than compared to other trainers at $150/hour. It is true that Beverly did instruct us to practice with our dog around dog parks, but this didn't quite translate over to walks itself. Maybe we didn't follow her methodology closely enough, but at the end of the day, another trainer was able to teach us successfully. I'm sure Beverly's methods work for many dogs and many owners, but it did not work out for us. It certainly wasn't worth the $3k we spent for roughly 6 hours of private instruction and a couple group sessions. Our current trainer is also very responsive and supportive via email/text/calls. He is also great about rescheduling. He has also met us at a park twice to show us how to manage our dog's reactivity in a real life scenarios. These are all baseline expectations I have for hiring a dog trainer now. We were not getting premier service at the $500/hour rate. Beverly didn't go out of her way to check in with us in between our sessions or after our sessions have ended nor did she extend support in any way after. Again, we were not unhappy at the time of service because it was our first time hiring a private trainer. It was only after we worked with other trainers that we realized we didn't get our money's worth in training with Beverly. Thank you Beverly for everything you have done for us, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend you to other struggling dog owners, many of whom may only be able to afford hiring a trainer once. I am also sorry that this review came at such an inopportune time.

If you're looking to get better at being a dog parent, Gimme. Paw is the right place to go! Daven…read morewill train YOU to develop a better relationship with your dog, and in turn, train your dog. Now, I have worked with and spoken to a number of dog trainers in my day, and have narrowed down my criteria of a good dog trainer to be: 1) one who listens, 2) one who respects your relationship with your dog, 3) one who is clear and concise 4) one who will give you the tools to better train your dog 5) one who is a dog person! Daven easily fits all my criteria! My pup and I attended a group leash walking workshop with 3 other pups and puprents and oh boy did the hour fly by pretty quickly. Not only was it a great learning experience, but it was also a lot of fun! I was surprised how exhausted my pup was after the class. I am definitely looking forward to future classes! All in all, training a pup can be stressful, but having the right tools to do so makes it much more easy and fun. Gimme. Paw is the right place for that experience!

We had the pleasure of attending Daven's leash walking class for our 4 month old Maltipoo, Lester!…read moreThe class was small with 3 other dogs, so it wasn't overwhelming, and he was able to give us a lot of individual attention. Daven broke leash walking down into multiple steps, which made it simple for us and for Lester to follow along. Prior to the training session, Daven even made sure to ask about food allergies. Since we've been keeping Lester on a beef-only diet to identify what he's allergic to, Daven brought him freeze dried beef liver treats. Lester, our little food monster, LOVED them and couldn't get enough The afternoon of, we took Lester out on his walk and we noticed major improvements There was minimal tugging and lunging, and he was super attentive! Thanks so much, Daven!! It was awesome to be able to see improvements so quickly!

Rachel is fantastic. If you're looking for a dog walker that loves your dog as much as you do,…read moreshe's the one. She's also committed not just to exercising your dog, but also cultivating good dog citizens through training and giving dogs the particular experience they need to thrive. She understands dogs and packs and gives each one what it needs. Sign up with Wag Along quick, b/c pretty soon I'm sure she'll be booked solid. We feel lucky to be working with her.

We feel so lucky to have found Rachel and Wagalong. She brings so much fun, integrity, skill,…read morewarmth, and big-heartedness to the dogs in her care. We boarded our puppy with her for 5 days and felt so confident and happy to know she was with Rachel (and Smitty, Rachel's dog). Not only does she take great care of the dogs, she takes care of the owners with her excellent communication. While we were away, we were treated to multiple photos of our pup on outings and in play, and even in deep happy sleep, after so much excitement. Our puppy has also joined Rachel's dog walking groups, during which we also enjoyed receiving photos of our dog in play. You and your dog will be very happy!

Sami is an awesome cat Auntie. She's been our repeat pet-sitter for years now and well worth her…read moremore than fair rates. When we're away she spoils Mortimer with the right amount of affection, play, care, and company. And most importantly, Mortimer is always happy to see her! Sami is simply a sweet human and a natural with the kitties. We never worry about our cat or apartment when we're away because she cares for them like her own. Her attention to details like specific dietary needs, treat times, administering meds, and favorite toys are on point. I highly recommend Sami to any kitty parent looking for an experienced and trustworthy sitter for cats of all ages. She's fantastic!

Sami was great, we asked her to step in and manage our house, cat, and two backyard rabbits for a…read moreweek and she was incredibly professional and handled everything with ease. Our cat took to her immediately. I'd happily recommend her to my friends and hope to book her services for upcoming travel dates!

Shelley and Bright Lights have been a huge help to me and my dog, Blue. When we first adopted Blue,…read morehe was herding and mouthing everyone in the house, and getting destructive. After Shelley's initial 90 minute visit, we had not only basic obedience lessons, but also guidance for how to help Blue feel more calm & comfortable at home, catered to his (often high maintenance) personality. Within a few weeks we were seeing great improvement, and felt we had a clear approach. I asked Shelley to return to work on Recall so we could stay safe at the dog park. Blue was THRILLED to see Shelley again and was totally glued to her. Within minutes of our training plan, he was sprinting over to us, even when distracted. A week later we had a followup with Shelley in the dog park to make sure it stuck (it did!). I'm excited to keep his training up and I'm grateful for the guidance, encouragement, and feedback Shelley provided along the way. If any other behavior issues crop up, there's no other trainer I'll be using other than Bright Lights.

Shelley took care of our dog for 5 years across a number of settings including training, daily…read moregroup walks and overnight boarding. She is absolutely fantastic. Five years ago we were first-time dog owners in a new city with a traumatized, anxious dog who was too afraid to the leave the apartment. We were completely overwhelmed. With Shelley's dedicated help over many years our dog became the perfect, beloved pooch she is today. She can't walk down the street now without eliciting smiles and comments on how well-behaved she is and how nicely she walks, and so much of that is thanks to Shelley. Shelley was infinitely patient, and our dog really connected with her calm and engaging demeanor. She used exclusively positive reinforcement methods, which we really appreciated. As our dog grew with 1:1 training, Shelley brought her into her daily group walks and we could not have been more pleased. She was extremely reliable and trustworthy, and she always took care to drop our dog back home happy, tired and with cleaned paws. We took great comfort in knowing our dog was out with Shelley every day having fun with her friends on the beach (Baker beach, Ft Funston, Golden Gate, Presidio...they went all over), and Shelly would frequently send us the most amazing pictures of their adventures together. As for boarding, leaving your dog with someone else is never an easy thing (whether it's just for a couple hours or even a week while you're away), but we never had any concerns about Shelley, as we were 100% confident that our dog was well-cared for in her own home while we were away. For almost 5 years Shelley loved and cared for our dog like her own, and it really meant the world to us. It is no exaggeration to say we seriously reconsidered moving as we were afraid Shelley would not come to our new neighborhood across town. We cannot recommend Shelley any more highly, and your dog would would be extremely lucky to get to work with her!

From the first picture sent, I knew sage was mine. Got Frenchie ensured we got her with a care…read morepackage, her akc papers, and tips on how to care for her. She's been the best thing to happen to my family and I. I did do research of my own about frenchies, and their health care plan, and my main concern was her breathing problems. A lot of people who breed frenchies cross breed making their snouts/faces flatter! However, got frenchie breeds their frenchies well and sage's breathing is better than every frenchie I have seen thus far. Definitely looking into buying a boy so our sage can have a friend/little brother to mess around with. Thank you got frenchie

We had the pleasure of meeting the GotFrenchie family at Tilted Mash in Elk Grove a couple years…read moreago. We have dog sat for one of their studs, Gouda. Every single puppy we have been around (easily 15+) has been absolutely gorgeous! Momma pups and poppa pups are all in great health and they are raised in a family setting, which we absolutely adore! The GotFrenchie family is very trustworthy and they have some of the most beautiful French Bulldogs we have ever seen.

I have had seven rescue pups over my life time so far, and have experienced a variety of different…read moretrainers and training styles. Aryn is by far the smartest, most skilled, most patient and is the best problem solver. She is not simply a trainer, she fully understands dog behaviors, their body language and is completely in tune with any dog she trains, but most importantly, she is completely in tune with the person she is helping. She communicates very clearly and is very patient and professional. She makes sure that you understand what you need to do to have a better relationship with your dog and she is there every step of the way. She makes training very fun. Aryn is also exceptional in that she and her dogs compete in the top levels of a variety of dog sports. Not only did my current rescue, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (aka Pitt Bull), and I do some obedience training with Aryn, but we are continuing to work on agility skills with her and she introduced us to the sport of nose work which we are loving as well. My sweet pup LOVES Aryn and so do I - if I could give her a higher rating than 5 stars I would. She has my highest recommendation!

Aryn is amazing! We met her when our newly adopted Australian Cattle Dog (Blue) ran away after we…read morehad only had him for 3 days. Aryn saw our post on social media and reached out and for the 7 days he was lost, she gave us constant support and encouragement, as well as nuggets of wisdom, to help us find him. Now that he is home, we have started training with Aryn and she is amazing! She is so patient and knowledgable and after only 20 minutes with Blue knew exactly what steps we need to take to make him more confident and comfortable and was able to quickly start teaching us how we can be the best dog parents we can be. We are so excited to work with Aryn more and highly recommend her.

It's been over a year now, so thought I'd do a quick update: we still use Jill & in that time, have…read morebumped Smokey up to 4 walks/week. He always comes home happy & EXHAUSTED! Sometimes he even falls asleep in the hall by my feet when I'm chatting with Jill for a few minutes before she leaves. And of course, when we go on vacation, there's only one person Smokey stays with & that's Jill! As others have noted, Jill is super knowledgeable when it comes to providing advice or ideas on behavior. She also can be super flexible if you need her to take your pup for a full day or add him to a different day. But best of all: we just love how much she loves our Smokey. If you're an owner that loves your pup & wants him in the very best of hands when you're at work or on vacation, then call Jill!

Jill came on good recommendation from a friend, but even though I was in over my head with a newly…read moreadopted dog, I interviewed a few dog walkers. Jill impressed me at the first meeting by being very professional, knowledgeable and flexible. I adopted Mabel on a Friday, Jill was over to meet her by Sunday, and was walking her on Monday. Jill knew that Mabel had little training, but was willing to supplement the obedience lessons we were working on. She was also a great resource for me as a new dog owner; providing tips, answers to my silly questions, and suggestions for additional training. Having someone come into my home and take the dog I so quickly fell in love with while I was at work all day was so hard the first couple of weeks! Having someone I trusted made all the difference in getting through the day. I also quickly learned how important it is to have a well exercised dog. I walk Mabel in the morning and evening, but she has a ton of energy and I credit her daily walks with Jill for keeping her early obedience and routine on track. And a tired dog, is a good dog! Jill encouraged me to come along with the pack a couple of times, and it was so fun to see her and all of the other dog walkers at Fort Funston in action. She clearly has a deep love for dogs, is responsible, and well respected amongst her dog walking colleagues. Jill has been walking and dog sitting for us for just over a year and I don't know what we'd do without her!