1. RFRD Academy

    1. RFRD Academy

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    San Jose, CA

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    Services - RFRD Academy

    Dog boarding and training

    Private dog training

    Pet boarding

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    Dog with his best friend
    Caroline T.

    This is a long overdue review! We highly recommend RFRD if you have a dog that is hard to manage. Our dog was such a challenge for us because he was so anxious about what seemed like everything. And his anxiety would escalate immediately to aggression with people, other dogs, and even us as his family. We had seen a veterinary behaviorist but she had nothing that worked and wanted to prescribe all kinds of medication. RFRD to the rescue! Unlike some other dogs, ours seemed to need a bit more work. He had an 11 week board and train program. It took a long time because it took him a long time to acclimate. But Daniel and the team stuck with him, built trust, and taught him how to stay focused which helped him manage his anxiety and aggression in stressful circumstances (which for him was most things). They also trained us for a couple of weeks so that we could continue the training at home to maintain the much better behavior. It has been almost 2 years since his training. While we sometimes need to go back for brush up sessions to remind us of how to manage certain situations, we are all much more relaxed at home and in public settings. And their boarding is great too! Now that they know his temperament and know how he was trained, he continues to get his training reinforced when he boards. We know he will be taken care of well and will be in a safe environment.

    Blue
    Shelley B.

    Not only did RFRD train my best friend Blue to travel and adapt to any environment, but they saved his quality of life by helping find the prefect diet. My pittie suffered from severe food allergies and lost most of his top coat and weight in a matter of weeks. RFRD stepped up and developed a diet and treatment to restore Blue's healthy coat and weight. Three years later Blue couldn't be any more healthy, happy, and disciplined. Thanks RFRD, I should have done this review years ago!

    RFRD celebrated Billie on her birthday when we couldn't!! So sweet!!

    If you are on the fence about putting your pup in boarding school, this is your sign to do it. My partner and I are first time dog parents to our sweet, high energy Golden Retriever girl, Billie. We were met with a lot of challenges when training her in the beginning. You think reading everything online or watching YouTube videos will help you figure it out, but we were oh so wrong. We went from not being able to take her anywhere to now taking her everywhere. We were skeptical about how long the boarding program was - we didn't want to be away from her for so long. But we realized in order for RFRD to really bond with Billie and learn which learning styles work for her, it was important to have that much time with her. Not only was she learning, but as dog parents we had a lot to learn also. The patience and time in training is so necessary for Billie and us to be successful. If you are concerned about your dog not recognizing you after being away for so long or losing your connection (because I was very worried about this), do not fear - they will remember you and love you even more when you reunite. The issues we wanted to address when we decided to board Billie included: - Leash pulling - which she no longer does. We have been able to go on nice, long walks with Billie vs. before when it was a nightmare. - Resource guarding for food - she used to growl when we would get close to her while she was eating, but she has now learned to trust us. - Nipping - Billie was a super nippy puppy. She does still do it here and there, but she definitely understands the "no" command more than before. Working with David & Lis has been such a pleasure. David is always quick to respond if we have any questions (which you will have after the boarding program is done). He never makes us feel like we're messing up as new dog parents, which we used to always feel. He explains everything so well to make it easy for us to understand - we always appreciated the analogies to human relationships. Since Billie knows the staff very well, it has made it easier to board her when we have to go on trips/vacations. They are amazing at sending videos and photos while you are away. Overall, the boarding program has allowed us to better communicate and understand our pup. It's important to keep in mind that the work continues after the program ends, but we thank RFRD for setting up the foundation for Billie. We feel incredibly lucky to have RFRD by our sides as we navigate this journey with our Billie. THANK YOU SO MUCH to the Academy.

    Thank you RFRD Academy. Look how well behaved they are.
    MaiAnh N.

    This academy does not get enough credit that they deserve. The amount of dedication, professionalism and trust is what I have experienced here with all of my fur babies. ( training, boarding, advices & etc ) David and his staff GENUINELY cares for all the fur babies that train & boards with them. To top it off, they even offer a nutrition plan which made my life a whole lot easier because it is customized to each of my fur babies. If you haven't switched your fur babies to RAW FOOD, then you should contact them asap.

    Team Bonding event with RFRD squad
    Tiffany T.

    This review is a long time coming. Came to RFRD initially for their board and train service back in October 2020 as our corgi had major reactivity. He went in at 8 months old. We had no idea what we were getting into as the business only had a few reviews at the time and my partner's barber recommended this business. A guy and his barber...am I right? The loyalty is real lol The day we had our initial consultation, I was at my wits end. A month later, his obedience was top notch and was shown that he could be around their demo dogs without wanting to lunge at them. We even hopped on the raw food train with them which has been game changer. David and Daniel along with the whole team have been a godsend. They still to this day help us out when we need a tune up which we greatly appreciate! We consider them family now. The hardest part of board and train, besides being away from your pet, would be the transition back home. It's a learning process and it has definitely tested our household. The team never gave up on us and we always felt like they were in our corner to support us in difficult times. Thank you RFRD team for all that you do!

    Best team!
    Lisa H.

    Do not think twice and get your dog trained at the very best! We were worried about leaving Moo Moo for 5 weeks, but it was the best decision.... EVER! Our dog is more obedient with structure: heel, down, sit, and place. We have the right commands to continue at home. The staff (Wow) especially the owners and trainers have treated us like family and took amazing care of our dog. They sent videos of progression and at home care process. The communication is clear and responsive. We will continue to share this with friends and family that RFRD Academy is a great, clean, structure place for your dog training. Most importantly, Moo Moo's main trainer Brizza! You've answered all our questions with patiences. You made a difference in our dog and family. Thank you so much for everything!

    Our pup holding "seats" while I get a good picture of him.
    Jacky D.

    We have a 6 month old Belgian Malinois and our trainer is Kim from RFRD Academy. Kim is seriously the most amazing trainer. She has a great personality and her knowledge is unmatched. Kim encourages you to be a good pet owner and teaches in such a graceful manner. She doesn't make you feel bad for not knowing things. She is always available when we need her for questions and is willing to send links or videos. We have worked with Kim for 4 sessions now and since, have recommended her services to two other new pet owners. Our friends are as in love with her abilities and performance of her job as my husband and I are. If you are looking for a trainer, we 100000% recommend Kim from RFRD. We trust her and her word.

    Henry & Nova  Board & Train (Feb-Mar 2021)

    We love RFRD! They improved our pet's lives so much! We put Henry (10 yr old toy poodle) and Nova (7 month GSD pandemic puppy) in Board & Train from February-March 2021 Nova already had basic obedience, agility, and crate training but we wanted to make sure he wouldn't develop separation anxiety from us working from home his whole life. We also wanted him to learn how to be more calm around our other pets. Henry was rescued later in his life and had spent his first few years as a backyard dog. He didn't have any training or confidence. He was extremely timid and anxious (we had even been advised to put him on anxiety meds). He had HORRIBLE separation anxiety (peeing, throwing up, shaking when left alone) and he would shut down on walks when loud cars or strong winds came. We were so impressed with our dogs after board and train! Especially with Henry! He was sooo confident and energetic during training and walks! He also learned place command and got crate trained, which helped with his separation anxiety! Nova's obedience got a lot more cleaned up and he got better at not getting excited by distractions. We are still working on these things every day (David, Daniel, and Shawna emphasize that training is a life long process) but we are so happy that we can all live peacefully at home and also take the boys on so many adventures! Shawna was always so responsive and sent us pictures and videos when we were missing our pups. She and the team also continued to respond to our questions and concerns long after our boys came home from B&T. Our dogs also LOVE their food and have shown amazing improvement in their digestion and stools Henry's energy levels since changing to their food have also improved so much. The only area of improvement/ heads up we have is Henry's eyes got pretty gunked up and his hair got pretty matted during B&T. (We don't blame RFRD though because he's always been a nightmare to groom). It helped the second time he went for boarding that we got him groomed at his regular groomer before we dropped him off They also allowed us to rent a ruffland crate to keep Nova safe during our road trip our Lake Tahoe trip when we couldn't get a hold of one! When we noticed Henry getting anxious again, David took him back for a couple days to help us figure out what was going on. They really have amazing customer service! Overall we loved our experience with RFRD! Thanks so much!

    Graduation day!

    Their Board and Train program was the best decision we made for our rescue dog. Our dog has always been scared and anxious. We did our best on our own to help her come out of her shell, but realized we needed professional help. Through a recommendation, we found this place. We were a little intimidated at first, but once we worked with the trainers we immediately could tell they were extremely knowledgeable and genuinely cared about the well being and most importantly, the psychological aspect of our fur baby. They are equipped in training canines from all sorts of backgrounds and cater their sessions based on what each dog needs. Our dog, in this particular case, took longer than usual to come out of her shell. They never pushed her and once she started gaining more confidence, she blossomed. The best part about this was the at-home training. Our trainer was available for any help we needed and checked in with us often. We learned so much about ourselves and how to best handle our dog. Now, when we introduce our dog to new situations we read her body language and know how to guide her to think on her own and rely on her training. We're thankful to the trainers and staff for teaching us how to be better dog owners and helping our dog be more confident. We know that as she processes new and previously scary situations, our dog is building confidence. This ability to work through situations and not resort to fear means our dog will live a better life going forward.

    Breann Y.

    David and his team are truly one of a kind. They really care about the dogs. They are bluntly honest but kind an compassionate. I don't leave with out a good laugh. I appreciate the time and effort they put in to help dogs. As a rescue we have sent several dogs to David that we thought had no return and he has made plans to help them be successful! Photos below are of a 4 year old dog that has NEVER been on a leash or been touched by human he was totally feral an fearful.

    Truly amazing training! My Lab Cooper and I just finished a 5 week training course and wow! We both have learned so much. Coop was very scared of people and dogs and lacked confidence, he became very reactive towards other dogs and I didn't how to manage it. Coming to RFRD has changed mine and Coops life for the better.I gained so much knowledge here and learned why Coop was so scared and what I had to do to help him overcome all his fears. They really take the time to learn about your dog and come up with a training course that's good for your pet. They give you homework to practice with your pet and it has helped me have a better relationship with Coop. We both have gained so much confidence. Coop and I will take all this information we know and continue to train. All the trainers are very knowledgeable and really care for your pet which made me very happy. Everyone there is very nice and very helpful.I cannot thank them enough for all the help! I definitely recommend checking them out!

    JM G.

    David and his team of trainers are excellent at what they do. They train dogs exceptionally well. We put our Schnauzer puppy, Tiger, through the 4 week board and training program and it was well worth it! Tiger now has a great foundation of training that we can build upon. He listens to all our commands and is eager to continue to learn. Before the program, we didn't know how to work with Tiger effectively but the RFRD team taught us how to work with our pup and set us up for success. The sessions at the end of the program were retraining us, the owners, how to work with Tiger. Each session, we became more confident that we could give Tiger what he needs, positive engagement and work. Thanks so much to everyone at RFRD Academy! You all did an excellent job with Tiger! Tiger, my wife and I are forever grateful!

    Louie the Belgian Malinois waiting patiently for the next toss

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - RFRD Academy

    Do you do board and train? Do you use shock collars or prong collars? I have a super good boy who doesn't have a mean bone in his body. But he's 7 months and 120 lbs and his recall is slow and he's starting to pull on walks.

    Hi Jennifer, they do Board & Train. My doberman has been working with them for awhile now. He not only pulled but was extremely dog aggressive. He's calmed way down and everyone can walk him now. They don't use prong collars and sometimes… 

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - RFRD Academy

    With David's help Samedi is now well-conditioned to work with us to enhance our life experience together.

    Mentioned in 27 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    My dogs Maurice and Gordo seem to really enjoy being here! They walk right into the doors and they…read morecome running out very happy. It's been a few days only using their boarding and daycare services and so far so good. It's also affordable and very close to my house. We'll be back for sure!

    I really wanted Red Rover Daycare to work out because their package pricing is much more affordable…read morethan Wag Hotels, and I'm on a budget. I do want to mention that the staff was friendly on each of my accounts. I went in hopeful--the tour was a nice gesture, and I appreciated that they offer cameras for monitoring. Unfortunately, the week I brought my dog in, the cameras were down due to Wi-Fi issues, which I understand can happen. However, my concerns started after the first day. When I picked Maui up, he urgently needed to go poo. After we got home (about a 45-minute drive), he drank almost an entire bowl of water. This made me question whether he was being given enough water or regular opportunities to relieve himself during the day. The same thing happened the second day. When I picked him up, he immediately drank water from a bowl they had outside immediately and had an extremely long pee--lasting over a minute--which again made me feel like he wasn't being let out frequently enough. On top of that, I noticed a very unpleasant smell coming from him in the car. When I checked, there were stains on his chin and belly that smelled far worse than urine. This raised concerns about cleanliness, either in the kennels or play areas (which were not included in the tour). I truly wanted this to be a good, budget-friendly option, but based on my experience, I would rather pay more elsewhere to ensure my dog is properly cared for. Saving money isn't worth compromising my pet's well-being.

    Lori Hamilton Dog Training

    Lori Hamilton Dog Training

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    I hardly ever leave reviews, but I want to give hope to anyone who is struggling with their dog and…read morefeeling frustrated and helpless. The first year with my golden retriever, Luka, was extremely hard. He was a mouthy dog who had zero boundaries at home or outside. He would get excited or frustrated and grab/bite onto my shoes or clothes daily. Walking him became an impossible task because he was extremely dog-reactive, and he dragged me a couple of times while trying to chase another dog. Walking him also became a two-person job, with someone always on the lookout for other dogs so we could turn the other way. He also began to resource guard and snapped at my dad twice.. I had already spent thousands on another trainer and didn't have much success. I began to feel like this was just what life with Luka would be like forever. It got to the point where I felt scared of him, and the life I was giving him out of that fear wasn't fair to him. So I decided to try and get help one last time. I found Lori's page and after reading the reviews I became hopeful again. I took Luka in for an evaluation, and Lori recommended their board-and-train program. I can't thank Chelsea and Lori enough for everything they've done. I've learned so much about Luka, how to manage different situations, and how to better understand his behavior. We had training lessons throughout his board-and-train stay and afterward, because we are the ones who need most of the training! Chelsea did an amazing job with Luka. At home, Luka is unrecognizable in the best way. We can actually go on adventures outside without being terrified that we won't be able to handle him. Those who knew Luka before his stay and see him now always comment on how well he is doing. I cannot recommend Lori Hamilton's Dog training enough to anyone who feels like they've tried everything and is feeling discouraged. I am so thankful because it finally feels like Luka and I can start living life and enjoying everything around us.

    Lori helped transform our 1.5-year-old golden retriever Ruben from an 87# spirited, jumping, land…read moreshark to a calm, obedient family member. He was an anxious, leash pulling, cat chasing, chewing, biting and jumping-- hiding inside an adorable shell. We started in Lori's group class, then did private one on one training with her and ultimately 4 weeks of board and train at her facility. She trained us and trained him and ultimately transformed life at home. Our 3 cats are now able to be in the same room as him. Our visitors no longer have him standing up on their chest in exuberant greeting. We can relax and have dinner without Ruben trying to eat our feet or running zoomies around the room. We can walk him without having our arms ripped out of our sockets. He is calm around other dogs. He is crate trained and easily goes to sleep at night. He has his own treadmill and works out twice a day, in addition to our daily walks. We been to Pack walks with Lori and 15 other dogs, all walking obediently through the Pruneyard shopping center. The dogs get to work on socialization and good manners on these field trips. Lori came to our house and we staged a meal with a visitor. It really helped us learn how to keep him on his best behavior during meal time with a guest!!! Our first year with Ruben was really tough, he was not the mellow golden retriever we anticipated. Lori's teaching changed everything. She provided the methods and the tools to help us have the best outcome and a relaxed home life with our beautiful dog; more than we ever expected!!!

    Furrtropolis

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    The Furrtopolis team is amazing! They treated Katie like a princess for her spa day, they were very…read moregentle and treated Katie with care. It is very easy to schedule an appointment with them and the team is very kind and friendly., They make sure to answer any questions and address any concerns that you have to ensure that your furbaby is safe and cared for. I would recommend Furrtropolis for grooming and to check them out as they offer many other services for your dogs!

    Extension of my previous review because it was off putting that this business would prefer to…read moredeflect than accept feedback. 1. Regarding my pup contracting Giardia--I already stated in my original review that I understand parasites are common and my puppy was probably more susceptible, so I wasn't placing blame on the facility. Just a warning that these things happen. However I would like to point out that my dog did not go anywhere else besides home and their facility (since theyre insinuating that it could've been contracted elsewhere). Additionally, the fact that Furrtropolis requires a negative fecal test every 6 months is a warning in itself that any dog could be carrying a parasite between that time, so this requirement isn't full proof. This is just the nature of daycares and boarding facilities, and it wasn't the sole reason I decided we wouldn't be returning. 2. Regarding kennel cough--again just spreading the warning of what my dog experienced coming back from the facility. I'm fully aware they don't have control over the health of every dog that enters. 3. Records show that we were in contact, because as I stated in my review, I would have to continously badger the staff in order to get any updates. Yes, responses were prompt but that wasn't the issue. It was getting updates to begin with, without me having to reach out on the 4th day of boarding to ask how things went. I've seen other boarding places have cameras or provide daily updates (on meals, training sessions, nap time, etc)--totally fine if this isn't one of those places and you're a dog parent that doesn't mind. It's just not for me. *I also want to clarify that I directly expressed to the staff multiple times of wanting more communication/updates and it not being met before I came to yelp* 4. This just further proves my point on the poor communication from this facility, the fact that I wasn't made aware my pup might have had a decrease in appetite or activity level is serious alarm bells. Both of those things would indicate to me that something is off since my dog normally has endless energy and a black hole for a stomach. At the very least, a simple update that my dog just finished his additional 1:1 training session/1:1 play session that I paid extra for would've been nice. My dog is the love of my life and I'm sure other pet parents feel the same. It's important for me to share my experiences to provide insight for others and so the business can improve for others.

    Furry Friends Pet Sitting Services

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    There aren't many trusted rabbit sitters in the area considering the area has far more dog and cat…read moreowners (I get it as we also have a dog and cat ourselves!) Our rabbit is very important to us so I set out to find the best possible pet sitter in the area for peace of mind, that was when I stumbled upon Furry Friends Pet sitting. We boarded our beloved senior rabbit (who is a very sassy bun) for 11 days as we had to leave for an overseas trip. Barbara is very great at communication from the first contact all throughout the duration of rabbit boarding. Questions are specific as in which veggies are most preferred, hay preference, vaccine and vet information. They also provided an enclosure with toys and hidey spots so all we had to do was drop our bun off in a carrier. She would send daily videos and photos along with detailed updates (like how she would lounge all day and snack on her hay and list the veggies she was fed). Barbara shows a lot of experience as she has a variety of veggies as well as regularly cleaning out the water bowl and tidying the enclosure. She would also spend time petting and changing up the toys and tunnels as well. Receiving texts on our bun was something I looked forward to during our trip as I would see how relaxed and comfortable she was! If you are looking for an experienced rabbit sitter in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to inquire here! Thank you so much for watching our bun! Photos below are from Barbara's daily updates.

    Just wanted to say that Furry Friends Pet Sitting far exceeded all expectations and they were the…read morebest with our two cats Willow and Weasley. It is always hard for my husband and I to leave our cats when we travel, but what made it easier is knowing they were in the best hands with Barbara and Cassandra. We have unfortunately moved out of town, but you should definitely check them out for your pet sitting needs if you are in their area.

    RFRD Academy - pet_training - Updated July 2026

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