Pepper, our 6 year old, female, 80lb. bullmastiff mix, had been suffering from severe anxiety for a few years.  This was due mostly to a lack of socialization, which led to aggression and misbehavior when she was around other dogs as well as people she did not really know, including family members that were not around her a lot. When playing with children that she knew she would get anxiety and often remove herself from them, becoming aggressive if followed. After a few years of trying to help Pepper on our own, without success, we decided to seek professional help. We heard about Lauren at PAWS'itive Pals from our vet at Best Friends Animal Clinic. I decided to stop by one morning to check it out. Lauren was very friendly and invited me to come hangout in the pen with her and the dogs for a bit. I was very impressed at her ability to command 10+ dogs all at the same time. After seeing Lauren in action, and with her confidence that she could help, we decided to enroll Pepper in behavioral management.  The first day did not go well at all. Pepper was so fearful that she would not let anyone near her without showing aggression toward them. Even one on one with treats! She was also refusing to drink any water and due to this I returned after only a few hours to pick her up. It was very discouraging. The second session Lauren had me stay and try to help integrate Pepper. With Lauren's instructions we got Pepper a little calmer but were still unsuccessful. Things were feeling hopeless. It was at this point that we introduced Daisy, Peppers litter-mate and the only other dog she would interact with. Lauren thought that she could use Daisy to show Pepper how to interact with other dogs. It worked so well that it only took 2 or 3 classes and Pepper was in with the other dogs running around and loving every minute of it. Still with the muzzle at that point, but it wasn't long before the muzzle was no longer necessary. We are so proud of how far she has come in such a short time!  Pepper now goes two times a week to the day time socialization class and loves it!  When we are gathering her leash in the morning we ask her "ready to go see your pals?" and she gets so excited she runs to the front door ready to go. Most days when it's hot out Lauren will make a mud puddle for Pepper to play in as it's one of her favorite things to do. She comes back home dirty and exhausted from all the fun.   PAWS'itive Pals has been the best place I have ever found for someone that cares about the wellbeing of their K9 companion. The owner, Lauren, truly knows how to speak to the dogs and has a very close connection to them. I would highly recommended her to anyone that's looking for help in training, socializing, or behavioral management. Join the Pal Pack, you will not be disappointed. read more

I have used Paws'itive Pals for several services: overnight boarding, daycare, and training sessions with Lauren. I have tried several local kennels for over night boarding of our German Shepherd, Merlin, and Paws'itive Pals is BY FAR the best. My dog is treated like a member of their family. During the day he runs with the pack, playing in the NID and pools, chasing balls, and at night he snuggles in their house, on their bed or his dog bed. When I'm away from him, seeing the photos of him frolicking in the yard is such a joy. Scroll through the Paws'itive Pals photos and you will find Merlin tagged in a few. He also goes there for daycare. The minute we pull into the driveway, Merlin wants out of the car. He knows he's in for a day of fun and is eager to get running with the pack. One thing I like about Paws'itive Pals is how Lauren and Rick carefully integrate a new dog into the pack by giving the new dog the run of the yard then bringing out one or two dogs at a time to see how they get along. The dogs are well supervised all the time and skirmishes, when they happen, are handled. My dog comes home from daycare exhausted and usually sleeps most of the next day. Lauren has helped me and Merlin overcome some stubborn problems I was having with him. He was a crazy barker if someone was at the door. With Lauren's help, he now barks, then on my command, comes and stands by me. The other problem I was having was with ball retrieval. He loves to fetch but he would not return the ball anywhere near me. After a LOT of homework and baby step stages, now he is doing better with this. I highly recommend Lauren as a trainer. Your dog learns from you so she train you how to work with your dog. She is, however, very strict about doing your homework. Do the homework she assigns you and you won't believe how fast the behavior can be changed! Thats the conclusion of the review for the services I have paid for from Paw'sitive Pals. But I have more information about them. They care about your dog. Throughout the day as they play and pet and cuddle with your dog, they are scanning for problems. If they notice an injury or problem, they will discuss it with you, along with making recommendations about care and vets in the area. They often have a dog or two that has had training issues and has been surrendered to them for rehabilitation. These dogs are usually available for adoption once they have gone through intensive retraining. I drive by and drop by the business all the time. I've always been welcome and I have seen nothing but joyful dogs happily playing. read more

We started working with Lauren a year ago when we brought home our 10lb terrier rescue. I was adamant about giving our small dog proper training so we would have a well-behaved canine citizen. Oliver was terrified and shaking around the larger dogs when we first brought him to the facility. But with Lauren's training and the help of the entire dog pack, Oliver has become a wonderfully confident dog and plays with dogs of all sizes! We were diligent in our homework during our six week training class and Oliver passed with flying colors. We drop him off about once a week for Daytime Socialization Class (DSC), aka doggy daycare, because he loves Lauren and the pack so much. It keeps him well-socialized and burns off some of the terrier energy! Lauren's facility is large and clean, right off the road and next to a vet's office. Her employees are wonderful and I never worry when I drop Oliver off. He comes home happy and exhausted every time! I love that Lauren reinforces basic obedience throughout the day with the pack and closely monitors everyone's behavior. When we had to leave town and couldn't take our pup, there was no doubt that Pawsitive Pals was the best place to leave him. Lauren's Pawdocks are spacious and clean and resemble a home interior, not a wire dog run. He gets to interact with other dogs and be inside or outside as he wishes. A stress-free experience for him! We're so thankful to have Lauren! We're adopting another dog and look forward to continuing our education in dog training with Lauren. She's a wonderful resource for our community and an advocate for all dogs. Oliver says two paws up! PS. She also hosts Rattlesnake Avoidance Training at her facility in the spring - a much needed service in our area! We hike with Oliver off-leash so it was extremely important to us that he recognize and avoid snakes. Sure enough we ran across one on a family hike and Oliver stayed well-away! read more

A month ago I was torn about my next steps with my rescue dog. My 20 month old border collie/kelpie mix, who i've had since he was 4 months old - Oso - was bitten by another dog back in January and since developed leash aggression and began majorly resource guarding. I couldn't trust him around other dogs, and had to plan my walks with him during quiet times when we wouldn't see other dogs. We've been to Lauren at Paws'itive Pals just FOUR times, and today he had his muzzle off, and was confident and happy with a pack of 15 or so dogs, playing ball around them. He didn't resource guard me or the balls, he let other dogs play too and say hi to me. He is a happier, more confident dog, and his quick progress has blown my mind. Lauren and her assistants are SO committed to their cause, and her methods are loving and effective. Beyond what she's done for Oso, she's taught me better management methods so I can continue his training at home, and given me more confidence in being around other dogs too. I've seen 3 other trainers before Lauren but not one has been able to gift us what she has in such a short amount of time - we are more bonded, both more happy and confident, my dog isn't as scared anymore, and I have more freedom in my life to have fun with my dog instead of being concerned for him. I couldn't recommend Paws'itive Pals more highly - we'll be longtime visitors to the daytime socialization classes! read more

Lauren is awesome! I have two dog's one bluetick hound the other a cane corso mastiff. I haven't been able to take a vacation for almost 5 years because of my mastiffs severe separation anxiety and he does not like other people besides myself and my family. Within the first visit Lauren was already integrating herself with him and had me do some at home exercises. The second visit she was able to handle him without him trying to eat her which I thought would be impossible. Two more visits and they we're ready to be left for our week long vacation. Her boarding facility is like a dog apartment no cages they can go outside to their private fenced yard or stay in side in the heated or cooled huge quarters. My dogs definitely missed me and refused to eat their dry food I brought for them. Lauren bought a case of wet food for them which she would'nt let me pay for so they didn't starve. My hound got to go into the dog park and play with the other dogs while my mastiff watched from the other side of fence (couldn't be trusted just yet around the other dog's but did great watching from other side which was unbelievable if you knew this dog).It's great knowing I have someone like her to be able to watch our four legged family when we have to leave town. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone for boarding or training in her huge dog park with a pack of other dogs in training. read more

I adopted Buddy, a 16 month old Belgian Malinois from Lauren at PAWS'itive Pals and it was the best decision of my life. A close friend of mine sent me a picture & video of Buddy informing me he was looking for a permanent home. He is a beautiful dog but I was skeptical to adopt him for various reasons. The main issue being I wasn't sure if I was ready for such a high drive working type dog. I still decided to meet Buddy and bring him home for a few hours to see how it would go. From the moment I loaded Buddy into my truck and brought him home he has been nothing short of spectacular. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have not had to correct any unwanted behavior after a month of having Buddy with me. All the corrections were made and instilled by Lauren and her people. All the positive things you can say about a basically trained 16 month old pup can be said about Buddy. No leash pulling, amazing recall, gentle with children, compatible with dogs & cats, etc. His training at PP provided a seamless integration into my life and the pack we have at home. He is definitely a handful and needs a lot from me, but even when his motor is running at 100% he is able to focus on me when given commands. If I do my part for Buddy he does his best for me and the training he received from Lauren has made him a pure joy to live with. read more

I would like to share my experience with Lauren and her team. They are absolutely AMAZING!! Not only did she train my 2 year old German Shepard, she changed our lives. I took him to 2 other trainers and a board/train here in Penn Valley and absolutely no change in his problem behavior. He actually came back worse and the trainer referred me to a trainer in Yuba City. He came back aggressive towards other dogs and I could no longer walk him. Within 2 days of the socializing class my pup was no longer wearing a muzzle, so laying very well with all the other dogs. I then put him though her obedience class. He graduated and off lead test down town!! My pup is absolutely a joy and I able to take him with me everywhere! I ended up going on a vacation so I had to leave our old dog with her. She is set in her ways, hated all other dogs, barked fir no reason! The most annoying dog...but she's my special needs daughters dog. I've tried everything for 10 years to change her behavior. I picked her up my amazement she no longer barks all day long for no reason! The first day she was off her muzzle and started interacting with other dogs. By the time I picked them up she was playing with the pack! I strongly recommend Lauren and her team! Lauren has a gift she has shared with her team! I can't tell you how pleasant my house is!! read more

I have 2 year old German Shepherd Reinhardt that's extremely protective of his family, it would present as aggression when walking or when we had people over to the house. We brought him to PAWS'itive Pals after working with two other trainers because the problem was growing and we couldn't take him out on the trail anymore. PAWS'itive Pals is a truly unique facility with custom built areas for slow desensitization of anxious dogs. We're about 3 months in with weekly socialization classes and basic obedience with Lauren, as well as some extracurricular work and we're seeing significant improvement. Lauren identified Reinhardt's confidence problem and how I was exacerbating it. After a couple of hard talks with Lauren both of us have the training we needed to be successful. I hosted a holiday party recently and Reinhardt was able to play with our guests instead of lashing out from anxiety! Reinhardt has never been happier, he can appropriately play with other dogs and people, which is what he always wanted. It beings me so much relief to see the behaviors blocking him from living a fulfilled life dissolve. Not only do I offer a positive review, but a heartfelt thank you to Lauren for the work she does and the impact she's had on my life. read more

Our baby boy, Ragnar(6 month old black lab) is in his 4th week of obedience training and he has already developed into a completely different dog. As all puppies are, he was rambunctious(but still has LOTS of spunk to him ;)), hyper, had a hard time containing his excitement, and didn't know boundaries with other dogs. I was nervous to take him out in public, to the dog park, etc. I wish I could reiterate this to every new puppy parent, or any age dog Mom/Dad because Lauren has helped us immensely and we are so grateful that we found her. Ragnar is able to meet new dogs calmly and has learned to take control of his anxiety in new and overwhelming situations and we aren't even finished with the classes! She also offers a drop-off like class Monday- Friday, in which I take FULL advantage of. When dropping him off at the socialization class (best puppy playground ever) he is able to play and run for 10 hours straight with all his furry friends! He's made life-long friends and loves Lauren so much. Lauren loves him and all other doggies like their her own. He comes home tired, happy, and excited to see his friends the very next day! Thank you, Lauren and PAWS'itive Pals. read more

Pawsitive Pals is such a great place! Started boarding my two little ones (Havanese and Havanese Shih Zhu mix) last fall when away on trips. They have come home happy and exhausted each time. The cool thing is that you can also have your dogs go through socialization training while they're being boarded, if your dogs have any behavioral problems. I have a very shy little one (13 pounds) that was afraid all dogs except her sister (loves cats though...‍). Lauren, who is the owner has been helping her get used to being around other dogs without freaking out. We have a ways to go, but we're making progress! My other dog was kind of snippy around other dogs (probably being protective of her shy little sister) but has settled down and now runs and plays with the big guys, without a problem. I was a little concerned that there were more big dogs than little ones when I first went to Pawsitve Pals, but Lauren evaluates each dog before allowing them into the pack and is in control! The dogs love her and really listen to her. I have been able to leave my dogs without worrying about their safety or well being. Truly a great place for dogs of all sizes! read more

While I plan to write a much more detailed review, wanted to drop a quick recommendation. I cannot say enough great things about Lauren Claire Hayes and PAWS'itive pals. During a vacation I left 2 foster dogs in Lauren's care. I have now doubt that if left anywhere else, one would not be with us today. Due to Lauren's intuition, love and care our girl is still with us and healthy. Lauren went above and beyond to see that our girl got everything she needed, got the appropriate medical she needed, stayed in touch while we were out of the country and well, was just amazing! I just can't thank her enough for all she did while we were gone and our girl thanks her so much as well!! If anyone has any questions I can answer please do not hesitate to contact me. I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know Lauren and I encourage everyone to give her a try whether for boarding or training. She and PAWS'tive pals are amazing and I have total confidence in them! read more

Seriously life changing!!! I have a german shepherd/husky who used to be terrifed around other dogs, pulled on the leash relentlessly, and just didnt listen. After Daytime Socialization and Basic Obedience he is a different dog. He loves to play with any dog he meets and he is so good on the leash. I really appreciate that the final obedience test is a walk through downtown gv. To me, this was what set Laurens training apart from other local trainers, the guarantee that your dog will be able to walk in town and listen to you. In our test Ash was able to stay and even come to me in busy downtown. This training has grown my dogs bond and trust with me so much. I now dont have to worry about being pulled around by my dog in town when hes full grown. I love how positive reinforcement has put our relationship first and motivated my dog to listen. Thank you Lauren for loving dogs so much and helping us to have another awesome dog citizen! read more

I have been a client of Paws'itive Pals Dog Training for at least 3-1/2 years and Lauren Hayes has been our go-to dog expert the whole time. I used to take our young Black/white Springer Spaniel, Ruby Begonia to Dog Socialization time, what I call Doggy Day Care, which is superb for socialization of your dog, exercise with a carefully integrated group of dogs under constant supervision by Lauren and her trained assistant. Now that she has been in her Grass Valley location, we have added our young liver/white Springer Spaniel, Henry Higgins. Lauren took him home with her when we first picked him up from the breeder. She kept him for three weeks, and when he came home with us, he was TRAINED! Sit, stay, down, wait, let's go, house trained, leash comfortable, car comfortable, as in light years ahead of where we would have been. We love Lauren and her business, and even more importantly, our dogs love her! read more

We are so ecstatic to have found PAWS'itive Pals. My husband and I moved to Grass Valley 4 years ago with our two "girls". We had not taken a vacation because we could not find an appropriate place for our two furry children. Through Nevada County PEEPS we found PAWS'itive Pals! We are so blessed to have met Lauren and Rick. They are the epitome of dog lovers. They treat their clients with respect, understanding and cherished our two dogs as if they were their own. Meadow and Abby spent 9 wonderful, fun filled days with Lauren and Rick and the pal pack. They have become better and more socialized dogs because of Lauren and Rick. We would never take our dogs to a kennel so finding PAWS'itive Pals was truly a blessing and they can't wait to come back. While we were on vacation Lauren sent pictures of our Meadow and Abby so we could see how much fun they were having. Thank you Lauren and Rick! read more

We have 2 Great Danes who have both been in training with Pawsitive pals. Our oldest Pippin was getting out of hand and too difficult for me to manage and Lauren was able to help us work with him and get him to calm down. He's now a whole different dog, I am planning on putting him through service dog training. Merry our little one came to us very timid and refused to potty train. Nothing we did worked, we sent her for a week to Pawsitive pals and not only did she get potty trained she got proper socialization. Merry now let's us know when she needs to potty and hasn't had any accidents in the house. I recommend Pawsitive pals to anyone and everyone. They really help you have a good relationship with your dog so they want to do good there is absolutely no negative punishments at all ever! Our two babies will continue to go to Pawsitive pals long after their training for doggy day care and kenneling. read more

Thank you Lauren and the Paws'itive Pal dog-training team! You are ALL Amazing! My dog and I went through Obedience 1. I highly recommend this class to get the basic commands across to your pal. If you have a highly social and active companion, the daily socialization sessions; two time slots available per day, also full days that Paws'itive Pals offers provide the perfect antidote. It is so fun to see all the familiar Pal Pack happy faces greet my dog (both furry and human) when I drop her off for social interaction and play. We both look so forward to it. It is so nice to feel at ease knowing your best friend is safe and having fun during your temporary separation. The team members are constantly in-check with individual behavior, they play and interact with all the dogs, so it's like back in school training and maintaining appropriate behavior and house rules. We absolutely love this place! read more

Our pup, Xena, has been going to daycare here regularly (with the occasional overnight) for many months now. Xena is our baby and we trust Rick and Lauren to take great care of her when we're at work or away. Her happiness and health is very important to us and she is very happy in the company of them and the other dogs. I used to worry about Xena being lonely and bored all day and I also worried about her safety. At Pawsitive Pals, I've never once felt like I had to worry about anything, which is such a relief. One of my favorite things they do is update their Facebook page throughout the day so we can see what our pup is up to while we slave away at the office. I recommend you just stop by and see for yourself how happy and well cared for the dogs are. I'm writing this as Xena sits next to me sleeping peacefully after a fun day of playing hard here. read more

I contacted Lauren when my dog growled at my son when she was chewing on her bone and he ran by. Lauren came over and within 1 visit there was a change in our relationship with Diamond. Lauren showed us how to be the dominant humans, and Diamond how to be submissive. She worked with my son and us. It took literally a few sessions to get the control back with Diamond. She taught Ryder how to stand above Diamond and to never be below as they are close to the same height. She didn't just train Diamond, she trained us how to be authoritative humans and to put Diamond in her place. Diamond now does the stairs one by one. She walks behind us. She doesn't barge the door to go outside. She waits for us to let her outside. We learned it not the pet that needs to be trained, it's the humans too!! I highly recommend Pawsitive Pals. read more

I wish I had the words, Lauren and her team are amazing people. My red heeler and I took Lauren's obedience class and I have a dog I can trust to recall in all situations and be on her best behavior even in chaotic situations. The socialization that I'm able to get my dog on days where she can't be with me really helps her get out that energy and have that interaction she needs. The events such as the dog mob in down town grass valley, or graduation day from the obedience class are extremely fun and interactive it's nice to meet other dog parents while enjoying down town. So grateful to have chosen Lauren and her team to help with our 4 legged children, and will absolutely continue to attend day time socialization and obedience training in the future with any dogs we add to our personal pack. read more