I have been working with Doggy Llama's trainer Vero Chavez Rojo for almost a year and she is…read moreoutstanding! Archie, my big rescue shepherd lab mix, is a sweet heart, however, he had a really hard first year of his life and I needed a lot of help with his sensitivity and reactivity. I tried several trainers and Vero's special touch has done the trick! What is special/unique about Vero: - Vero is very knowledgeable about all things dog-related and really takes the time to understand what is going on specifically for you and your dog - She is very kind and practical with her training and makes it simple so that it's easy to follow and be consistent - Vero is encouraging and supportive to help me feel more confident in what I am doing with Archie which is as important as anything else - Vero follows up and is very curious about how things are going and is eager to work with me to adjust as needed - She cares about the whole dog (and person : ) and helps to figure out what is going on health-wise since it is likely contributing to behaviors - We have been able to address a number of things with Vero that I was not able to make much progress on with other trainers - Vero continues to build on what we have learned whereas with other trainers I felt we kept working on the same thing and/or often regressed without much continual progress - Vero is very positive and clear in her communication which is incredibly helpful along the way

I have a parrot and contacted several pet sitting companies looking for someone with bird…read moreexperience. Doggy Lama was the only company that responded that they had staff experienced with birds. Dani came by to meet my bird before my trip and did a wonderful job taking the time to get to know her and understand her needs. Unfortunately, my travel plans changed and I ended up not needing pet sitting services this summer. Even so, I wanted to leave a review because I was so impressed with the company. They were responsive, professional, and genuinely seemed to care about both their clients and their pets. Communication was excellent, and their website made scheduling and payment incredibly easy.

I'm so pleased to be able to update this review from 2010. How time flies!…read more Our dear Penny whom Shasta helped us with back then passed away in 2015. We started working with Shasta again in 2017 when we got our new pup, a border collie rescue. He came to us emaciated and poorly socialized, needing love and positive experiences to bring him out of his shell. Shasta gave us much-needed training advice, and from there her staff started walking Hugo on group walks, which he's done once a week since 2018. He enjoys these walks so much; they provide wonderful socialization experiences. All the treats and training in the world can get a dog so far, but a strong adult with a great pack really helps with confidence-building and calm. Hugo walks with Toni, who send us pictures of him each week with his crew. I can tell that Hugo is happy with Toni and his pack: as we release him to the car (to maintain social distancing), our pup who usually does not like to leave my side will happy run down the stairs to greet him and hop in the car! Shasta also runs Puptown for boarding. We've only needed this service once, but having been in there and knowing Shasta for so many years, I know that this would be a great resource as well. It has been a pleasure seeing Shasta grow this business for over a decade, and watch it continue to provide the same excellent service it did in the beginning. If you need training support, especially with difficult dogs, a weekly walking group, or more, Bow Wow is a great choice. Review from 2010 I love Shasta. She has walked our dog for well over a year. She been amazing. We have worked with four dog walking companies, and Shasta is a cut above. As a handler, Shasta knows dogs and dog behavior. We switched to her when we were having some behavioral problems with our dog at home, especially after walks. Shasta worked closely with Penny and we've seen huge improvements in her behavior. Last year our dog needed surgery; Shasta worked with us on her rehab, and continues to be conservative with her play to ensure that she stays strong. As a business person, Shasta has been great. She handled our initial interview, paperwork, and invoicing professionally. We LOVE her daily dog walk "reports"--these little report cards let us know how our dog was feeling, what she did, and (sorry for the detail) even if and how she pooped! Who could ask for more? Our dog loves Shasta, responds well to her, and behaves well at home after a walk with her. That's what matters most.

This crew... where do I start? Shasta and her team have been walking our dogs since they were…read moremonths old. Now they're in their twilight years, we still feel the same. They are a wonderful team that treats these dogs like their furry children. Shasta and her team have been awesome, helping to transform these loving, high energy dogs to obedient and happily exercised ones. One of our dogs is socially awkward -- he's gotten kicked out of almost every doggy day care in the East Bay. o_O The off-leash hikes are must haves for them and our backyard - you should've seen what these two did before we hired Bow Wow Ventures! They're worth every penny. I'm not kidding when I say our dogs love them. When they hear the truck coming, they're raring to go. And they're the only ones we call when we need to board them. I cannot recommend them enough.

We took our 3 month old kitten here while we when to Tahoe…read more Let me just tell you, the facility is top notch. Super impressive operation. The owner Pam is super professional and sent us daily updates of our kitty. This is definitely going to be the place we used to board our pets.

I would highly recommend Critter Pet Care to any pet guardian/owner (even guinea pigs!) Their love…read moreof all animals shows from the lush inside arrangements where cats and dogs stay (separately, of course) to updating the yard with new astroturf for dogs to have more fun playing outside. I am sure my dog would agree as shown by him literally starting to whine with anticipation when we get close to the freeway exit. Pam has also been incredibly helpful and understanding while I continue to learn how to raise my very first dog. I also consider her a bit of a cat saint for all the cats she has helped.

I used Earth Girl Dog Walker for years for boarding and walking services. My dog was well taken…read morecare of. Reliable, timely and expert services. My old dog was picked up from our home went on many different walking adventures. I could go out of town with ease knowing that she was boarded in good hands; plus got to play with other dogs. My dog passed from health problems, but if I bring another dog into the family, will definitely use Earth Girl services.

Kira has been walking and boarding my two pups for going on two years and they absolutely adore…read moreher. My lab is older and when we adopted her she was obese and completely untrained, she's now a perfect weight with great recall and couldn't be happier. My other dog is shy and mopes whenever we have to board her, so Kira gives her extra snuggles and treats whenever she's with her. I've honestly never met anyone with a more sincere love of dogs and it really shows in the way she cares for her pack. She's very careful with the dogs she takes into her group, making sure every pup's temperaments are a good fit and they go on amazing adventures all over the east bay.

Our 2 1/2 year old Bernie doodle loves her weekly "dog pack" walks/hikes with Paul and pups. It has…read morebeen a game changer in releasing some of the boundless energy she has. Thanks to the Natural Dog and Paul and Nora!

When we were faced with the possibility of boarding our lab for over a week at one of the big…read morenearby facilities, I was determined to find a better alternative. I wanted somewhere she could feel cozy (not stuck in a kennel for most of the day!) and get plenty of loving attention and exercise. After a few lackluster interviews with sitters I found on our town's facebook group, I got a recommendation for the Natural dog. I was immediately drawn by their pictures of their pack on hikes in hills and appreciated the quick, thorough response I got to my inquiry. We scheduled a trial night to make sure our girl would be a good fit for an extended stay (we loved that they did this check) and I could tell right away from seeing Paul interact with her that she was going to be in good hands - he is definitely a bit of a dog whisperer. While we were away, we got daily photo updates of her living her best life, exploring the trails and snuggling on the couch. It gave us so much peace of mind knowing she was happy and well cared for. We've already booked two return visits :)

Lisbeth is wonderful with our very shy dog. We used her for basic training skills as well as having…read moreher check on our dog while we were out of town. Our dog loves when Lisbeth comes over! We learned a lot about basic training and really enjoyed our sessions

My dog, Bo, and I were walking home one day and Bo would not let me continue to walk because she…read morewas so entranced by seeing Lisbeth working on a small obstacle course with another dog. When my dog pulled me across the street to meet Lisbeth, I learned that she took dogs out for group walks, which was serendipitous for us because I'd just been thinking about looking for someone. The following week, Lisbeth came over to pick up a copy of my keys and since then, she's been picking Bo up twice a week. Lisbeth is trustworthy, reliable, and Bo absolutely loves her. The walks have been a great way for my dog to socialize and the twice-weekly walks have been so helpful as I've returned to work since the pandemic. After two years of being home with her almost all the time, she is finally able to spend more time on her own thanks to Lisbeth's help. Thanks, Lisbeth! So glad we met you!

Hands down, Christi is the best dog walker in the East Bay. She is a first a dog lover, who is…read moreconscientious, organized, and thoughtful. Her pack walks exhaust the dogs while being safe and exciting for them. Her dog sitting sets my mind at ease as she knows dogs, her level head and knowledge ensure peace of mind while we are away.

this is also a long overdue review, I have used BARK AROUND THE BLOCK for many years. and…read more her staff are excellent. my dog; Rommel, a French bulldog he absolutely loves walking with her. She socializes the dogs with the group walks offered in the afternoons or morning walk. during the ongoing months The scheduling and communication is excellent ! My dog has improved greatly in all aspects of his socialization as well as his obedienc. Believe it or not for his breed he is so chill now. He loves his group walks! The trails are varied which is fabulous and keeps it interesting for the dogs. I have been extremely pleased with the excellent level of service provided by Bark Around the Block She is deserving of the Best Dog Walker of Alameda for the consecutive years, it has been awarded to her Company!

Aaron has been helping my family with Stella for a while now. First, when Stella was a young puppy…read moreAaron's dog pack walks were the only thing that would tire her out all day. It was such a key service during a time I was quite busy at work. Then I moved overseas & my mother had Stella for 1 year & without Aaron , I don't think my mom could've handled taking care of Stella. As a result of Aaron's services, it made the entire situation so much easier as Stella would be so tired at the end of the day. Thank you Aaron

Aaron has been walking our dog Turlock for a few years now. He was referred to us by a neighbor…read morewhose dog has been with Aaron for even longer. Aaron is the most reliable dog walker we've ever had, and he is so very good with all types of dog personalities. Our dog needs structure first, then his love and adoration is sealed. He has found his alpha in Aaron! He loves Aaron so much and looks forward to his pack walks with his buddies, eagerly sitting at the door in his harness waiting for Aaron to pick him up. He comes home happy and tired - which is perfect for a lab! We wholeheartedly recommend Aaron Uplinger at Dog About Town for your furry friend. Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions - happy to talk all things Dog About Town.

We had the best experience with East Bay Dog Walkers and our walker, Tracy! We (especially our…read moregolden retriever!) just love her. Truly devastated that we're moving across the Bay and can't bring her with us.

I used East Bay Dog Walkers for overnight in-house stay during a trip to Europe. It was a great…read moreexperience- professional and competent. My senior dog and house were well cared for. Highly recommend!

Cat is AMAZING!!!!!!! One of the most thoughtful and skilled pros I have come across period (and I…read moream fellow Dog Walker/Sitter Pro). She is so pure of heart and so authentic and honest and trustworthy. She also has soooo much talent when it comes to managing Big Big Doggos with hearts of Gold. I am grateful to have her in my network of dog pro friends. Her quality of service is absolutely unmatched. She has so much patience----she even goes thru an intricate multiple step greeting/pick up process with each dog to slow them down and work on their over stimulation/joy at pick up etc. I am tickled to observe her flourish and grow with every passing year. If you are lucky enough to call Cat/RedWood Trails your dog walker you are in Great hands.

Saw Cat at Point Isabel with a group of dogs. Cat was in-charge and all the dogs in her group…read morefollowed Cat. Cat knows her stuff... My Rotty got along with all of Cat's dogs...