Leading the Way has been a lifesaver for our family. Mel and Shannon are an amazing team, and I am…read moreso glad to have found them. My pup goes to doggy day care and leaps out of the car with excitement at every drop-off! She is socialized, exercised and happy, and it gives me incredible piece of mind. Thank you, Leading the Way!

Leading the Way is amazing! We've had two dogs over the years in their care. The first one was a…read morelow key senior, the second is a high energy puppy. Both dogs were/are comfortable and well cared for during daycare and overnight stays. Shannon and Mel have created a really special community space for dogs and their owners. Shannon's experience with training has been invaluable to us and our new puppy. She knows dogs more than any person we've ever met. They are kind, professional and engaged in our community. Plus, there's lots of laughs (very important with a puppy! ) If you need dog care, training or advice, Leading the Way is the place to go!

Amazing trainer!! She is so experienced, and deeply understands dogs. She gave me great practical…read moretips to train my rescue :) I love that she was able to tailor her training to approach my dog.

Essential Canine offers both indoors, outdoors, and private classes. I met Hitchcock…read moreserendipitously through her family, who still live in Forest Park, where I also reside. I was walking my vivacious puppy, Duke, and noticed that the woman passing by had a really calm dog, who happened to also be around Duke's age. The woman turned out to be Hitchcock's daughter; I mentioned I was looking for puppy training; and the rest is history! Duke and I first took private lessons with Hitchcock at our home, to learn the basics of loose-leash walking. The first couple of weeks after adopting Duke, I was about to go crazy, because he was such a puller while walking. Within the first lesson, I started to regain my sanity--and dignity! I knew Essential Canine was going to be my new best friend in training Duke to be a good little pup. Since then, we've taken multiple training sessions, both indoor and outdoors, with Essential Canine. I recommend graduating from private lessons at home, where there is less distraction, to basic obedience classes hosted in the training ring at Dave's Soda and Pet Food City in Agawam. Going to a foreign location to your dog increases distraction--shoppers, toys, new scents, and even Hitchcock's own dog--offer up new challenges to overcome. This summer, Duke and I also graduated from Essential Canine's Group Obedience Class, which takes place in the picturesque Hilltop Farm in Suffield, CT. We joined a class of similarly-aged puppies who were in need of group distraction, like us. Duke, per usual, was an energy ball, but Hitchcock gave me specific techniques for working with his high energy. "You've gotta be more exciting than everything else around" was one of the nuggets I've taken with me. If he's excited by the other dogs, I just act a buffoon and redirect his attention! I also learned that he's highly treat-motivated and will do just about anything for chicken or cheese. The thing that stands out about Essential Canine, and Hitchcock as a canine massage therapist and trainer, is that she really works to customize the training experience for each dog/human team.

We've been bringing our 2yr old lab here since they opened in Easthampton. He has so much fun…read moreplaying with other dogs, the wonderful staff, and he even runs on the treadmill! The location is super convenient as it's right off 91 and we're able to drop off/pickup before/after work. Pricing is reasonable and competitive with other daycares. Our dog is so tired after going that he has a hard time getting out of the car!

Meeting Erika McElvey, owner of Change Your Range, has been a game changer for our dog and our…read moreentire family. Our beloved 9-year old Boxer, Dewey, has a degenerative myelopathy, and Erika / Change Your Range has absolutely improved the quality of Dewey's life, through consulting, laser therapy, massage therapy, and special needs overnight care. We learned of Erika through Eddie's Wheels, then made an in-home consulting appointment, and went from there. During the warmer months, we put in to practice the hydrotherapy exercises Erika taught us when we have Dewey with us up at our summer Camp. Dewey goes to Erika for a monthly massage therapy session, and always comes away feeling better, younger, and more energized. For our occasional overnight needs, Erika provides unsurpassed professional and loving care. Thank you Erika, for helping provide Dewey with a meaningful and better quality of life during his senior years. Dewey is pain-free, and happy!

Sandy Meadow Farm is the very best! Missy Kielbasa uses only positive reinforcement and guides the…read moredog owner/handler along the route of training and managing your dog. The information is plentiful and presented in a clear and understandable way. There is scaffolding for the dogs, learning steps toward success. It's clean, bright, and so worth the time and energy to go and train yourself and your dog to be a great team!

We have taken a total of five classes with Missy Kielbasa with both of our dogs. As a veteran…read moreteacher of 30 years, I know how hard it is to make every class fresh and a useful learning experience. Over the years, I continue to be impressed with Missy's enthusiasm for what she does. She just loves teaching people about dog behavior, and it shows in every class. Also, she is incredibly helpful with any questions one might have about a dog. She asks questions, makes a thoughtful suggestion, and then follows up the next week with a "how did that work out?" Other classes we have tried left us feeling unsatisfied as the trainers didn't have the level of commitment and enthusiasm that a good teacher needs. Another thing is that, during class, Missy will notice something I am doing and bring it to my attention. It is amazing what a difference changing a simple behavior on the owner's part can make in the dog's. I have no hesitation in recommending Missy for any class, from puppy kindergarten to advanced training.

LEDR Dog Training's Laura DeMaio Roy is not only a gifted and talented trainer of all dog breeds,…read moreshe is FUN to work with, and the nicest person you could ever meet. She can address any dog training need thrown at her, whether it's behavior challenges at home or taking tricks to the next level. Highly recommended!

From the owner: Set your puppy up for success: customized training, faster results, on your schedule!…read more LEDR Dog Training provides reward-based in-home dog training customized to meet the needs of your family. Training is fun, empowering, and most importantly, effective! LEDR Dog Training specializes in starting puppies, high energy dogs, functional obedience, problem solving, home behavior, and trick training.

Great experience for us with our two dogs. It has taken some time, but we have been able to…read morecorrect many behaviors with Ashley's help. She taught us the proper way to use collars safely as well as other equipment for our walks. With her help we have learned to become the alpha in the household. Their reactivity is so much better now. I can feel confident I can control them in any situation.

Ashley is such an amazing trainer. She is so knowledgeable and really shows her passion for dogs…read morethrough her sessions. She knew exactly how to help me and my 3 year old Shiba Inu to address his resource guarding and reactivity. Ashley helped me to understand the different tools to use & how to implement them effectively and safely. I have seen such tremendous progress after our 6 sessions, and I am so grateful for the work she did with us. She told me the first day I met her that she would help us and that we would fix the issues. She gave me hope when so many other trainers turned me away just based off his breed. I 100% support and recommend her services!

Nice place. I enrolled my dog in puppy classes. It was once a week for 5 weeks. I learned a lot in…read morethere. The instructor was fun and always answered any questions we had. I would like to see other classes be offered here as well and maybe more class time options.

Because of a sudden medical Issue with my dog and an injury I sustained, I requested a transfer to…read moreanother class. Yes, I am aware of the change/cancel policy and how the trainers are compensated but a small business should be service-oriented and flexible. I wasn't asking for a favor due to something frivolous. I've offered to work out a financial arrangement. Even large corporations allow for life events. Airlines charge change fees. Not only is the owner unwilling to accommodate unexpected issues but she is completely non-responsive. There is no phone and emails for the most part go unanswered. I've taken a few of my dogs to this facility previously and the trainers have been excellent. Sadly, when I've mentioned my current situation to a few friends, they have had similar issues. Guess I will lose the entire fee. My dog may not have learned much but I have. I will never go there nor recommend Animal Alliances. I generally don't write these things unless I have had an excellent experience and I love to share positive stories. But unfortunately, I felt it necessary to warn others. Which makes me sad because I'd love to work with some of the trainers again.