First of all: Courtney is an incredible person. Secondly, her empathy, intuition, and knowledge…read morehave been life-changing for our special needs blue heeler, Clementine. Clem is half blind & deaf, though this isn't the reason we initially contacted Courtney. At the time, we had adopted a beautiful boxer-pit mix, Juniper, to have as Clementine's companion. We adopted her from the Washington County animal shelter, and she was in bad condition, having 6-10 months of trauma in the first part of her life (we think she was bait in dog fights). She had to have emergency surgery, and after a few months, we decided we needed some professional help due to Juniper's reactivity with Clementine. With Courtney's guidance, we learned that our 2 dogs do not speak the same language. Courtney was initially willing to help us and our dogs learn and respect one another's languages. Over time, though, Juniper ended up attacking Clementine, and Courtney was with us every step of the way. She truly cares about the people and animals she works with. She immediately came up with a plan so we could figure out re-homing Juniper while keeping the two dogs separated in our home. She even searched for foster homes with us, and worked with the foster parent Juniper lived with for about a month until we found her forever home. Courtney is the best dog trainer I have ever met. Her compassion goes above and beyond, and her expertise is so valuable. I learn something new at every session! When I refer to her in conversation, I call her our "Dog Therapist", because she truly is. She can sense things about our dog that we don't even sense, in the smallest amount of time. If you're on the fence about hiring or consulting with Courtney, jump off and call her immediately! ‍‍

Courtney and Austin completely transformed my reactive, high energy, and sometimes anxious dog…read more They taught Barky and I both the skills we needed to make him a confident and gentle member of our family, and the perfect hiking buddy!

We have nothing but nice things to say about Debbie & her staff at Bigger Brain. Our Shepherd…read morecan't wait to get out of the car when we arrive & he is in no hurry to leave there. It is so nice to know the third member of our family is so well cared for. We never worry when we leave him there. Archer let's us that he is happy to be there. Hats off to Debbie. We couldn't be happier. Thank you so much.

I am VERY particular about where my dog boards. The Bigger Brain exceeded my expectations. They…read morewere very accommodating and my dog had a blast! I'll definitely board her here again!

Wonderful people to help you with your next puppy. Super…read morewell bred dogs. Austin's put their Shepherds first. My family has been welcoming Austin's GSD's into our family for seven years. We now have 3. We couldn't be happier with our breeder choice.

Had a great experience with Judy and Kevin at Austin's German Shepherds! We brought home our happy,…read morehealthy little guy just over a week ago and couldn't be more in love with him! Communication was great and Judy and Kevin were super easy to work with!

Where do we begin with providing a proper client review of such a WONDERFUL and WELCOMING…read morehome-away-from-home for your beloved furry family members, and where you will be a returning client? Is it with the: 1) CARING and KNOWLEDGEABLE client/pet-oriented family Team; or, 2) WELCOMING and INDIVIDUAL luxury boarding suites and adjacent fenced exercise areas; or 3) CALMING and RELAXING clean air environment and walking trails set in the Blue Ridge Mountain region????? As "parents" of two shelter-rescue Rottweilers [Cola (f) and Moose (m)], in early 2024 we were in need of the "purrfect" boarding team and environment as we prepared for an March/April trip to Europe. Significant considerations included the facts that neither pet was very social, nor had ever been apart from us or away from home. To say we had anxiety about this issue is an understatement; but then, we found Miriam and her family-based team at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat in Amherst, VA. Our initial engagement was so successful we returned recently for 2 weeks in October when we attended a family wedding. Below is our attempt to inform accordingly so you may also experience such joy...... Firstly, the TEAM: No business can operate to its highest degree of precision absent having the highest caliber TEAM to execute flawlessly and achieve such performance. Factor into the pet-boarding business equation is the fact that our pets are beloved family members and we strive to entrust their training and care to the most qualified and caring professionals of integrity in the safest environment. Have no concerns on this front, as Miriam and her family are the highest caliber cohesive TEAM who exceed client (and furry guest) expectations. From the moment we engaged with Miriam, we knew we made the purrfect choice. Miriam listened to us and understood our concerns, and suggested an initial meet and greet with Cola and Moose. We eagerly made the 2-hour drive from Mineral, VA to meet Miriam, who is a well-accomplished author and expert in the field of animal behavior, training and care; and her clients and their pets are the direct beneficiaries. I stress the fact Miriam listened to our concerns and provided insightful information facilitating our collective best-informed decision to entrust Cola and Moose with her for a 1-month board and train period during our upcoming trip. I assure you that we did not have any guilt-based regrets as we departed on drop-off day of either of our two visits to date (March/April and then October). You can trust that Miriam sincerely wants you and your pet(s) to be happy, comfortable and free of any stress, emphasizing her positive reinforcement approach which serves as the corner stone of Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. You can even follow your pet's daily adventures through various updates Miriam posts thoughtfully on social media and her website: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Secondly (but equally), the BOARDING SUITES/EXERCISE AREAS: Discard any concerns you may have that you will find institutional-style stress creating chain link fence-type boarding "cages" or rooms at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. Rather, at Shady Mountain your family member will reside in a very comfortable, climate-controlled individualized roomy suite, separated by solid walls from neighboring guests. A raised off-the-floor style pet bed is a plus to afford more comfort while resting. The suite doors have a full length glass window (with drop blind as needed) so residents can watch the daily "office" activities, and a rear-exit pet door leading out to the fenced in exercise area. Each guest enjoys their own supply storage cubby which facilitates the management of feedings, etc. External fenced in exercise areas are divided into separate sections which permits greater staff flexibility for training, etc. See website for all the other possibilities for your pet's stay: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Lastly (but equally), the clean air mountain ENVIRONMENT and WALKING TRAILS: As you ascend Shady Mountain to reach the Retreat, you will be filled with a calming and serene sense, taking in the peaceful natural Amherst, VA environment. Cola and Moose love taking in all the smells of nature as we drive up the mountain. Peaceful and calming are the words we would use to describe this environment. If pet appropriate, Miriam's team can take your loved-one on nature walks through trails in the surrounding landscape, with the potential to see deer and other varieties of wildlife. Cola and Moose told us they so enjoyed these nature walks on their most recent visit. We conclude our review by recommending, with the highest regards, the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat, Miriam and her team. At the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat all three elements of knowledgeable and caring people, well-apportioned boarding/training facilities and a serene environment combine to provide the most wonderful and trusting of experiences. Thank you!!

As someone who's worked in canine behavior and training for years, finding a place I will entrust…read morewith my dogs is no easy feat. Now that I've found Shady Mountain I may never leave Virginia. Miriam is the real deal. Besides l the numerous books she's published on dog behavior and training the facility is perfect. It's set up impeccably, has appropriately strict health screening for entry and the services on site are too notch. I left my dogs for their first stay and walked away with ease and comfort knowing they are in the best of hands. It's worth every penny and then some.

Hope was fantastic, and helped us understand why our dog was behaving poorly (9 month old lab…read morepuppy) and primarily taught us how to behave and train him.

My husband and I were very disappointed. Absolute waste of money and time. There's a reason they…read moredon't offer refunds. Poorly trained staff that are really just hobbyists with little to no understanding of dog behavior and training. Go literally anywhere else.

This place is much more than doggy day care. My friend has a horse (okay really large dog) that is…read morebeing trained as a special needs dog. This facility has spacious grounds to allow dogs to roam outside. There is also inside space. When dogs are being trained to assist, they are taken out in public to get used to every day situations. There are various packages you can purchase for your pet. Training sessions cost more. My friend's dog recognizes the building. He is happy just seeing it. When you pick up your pet, a staff member brings your dog out on a leash and greets you.

We started taking our Great Pyrenees/Central Asian Shepherd mix to socialization and training…read moreclasses when she was a puppy about 11 months ago. We wouldn't have been nearly as successful with raising a well-behaved dog without positive paws! Our dog loves it there and it's great knowing she's in good hands while we're at work.

What a great kennel! We boarded our dog for a few days and she was having some health issues. The…read moreowner, Jo was fantastic! The kennel is bright, airy and very clean. Jo is well organized and obviously loves dogs. We highly recommend this kennel.

We moved to Lexington about 6 months ago and were looking for a place to board our 10 year-old…read morerescue Sheltie, Rigby. Jo and Anything is PAWSable is the perfect solution. Recommended by our neighbors, it's close to where we live, very clean, offers grooming (by appointment), provides personalized care and is reasonably priced. Jo is wonderful with her guests and knows them all by name. We know we can leave Rigby in her care and that he will be safely and lovingly looked after.

Tricia with CVCA is fantastic! I've quickly seen a change in my dog after working with Tricia. My…read morepup is becoming much calmer when seeing other dogs on our walks. I'm a dog-walker so I'm familiar with dog behavior. Tricia sees the tiniest cues that I miss. These tiny cues make all the difference!

TL;DR: HIRE HER. She's AMAZING…read more Our little beagle was rescued from a puppy mill that was raising him sell to a lab. The mill was shut down due to animal abuse. Since our pup had spent his entire life living in a kennel (and didn't know about grass, cars, walks, toys, peanut butter--anything!), we had our work cut out for us. And we're first-time dog owners, to boot. Tricia was recommended to us after I posted on a community Reddit page. She promised to be our one-stop shop for dog help, and she's more than lived up to her promise. Not only did she help us potty-train our one-year-old pup and teach him basic commands, but she's helped us with everything from figuring out doggy daycare, grooming, pet supplies, etc. We see her once a week at our house or at a public place and also answers tons of questions from us via text/email in between sessions. Not only is Tricia great with our pup (he ADORES her), but she's great with us, too. She's super professional and prompt, and is helping us gain confidence as new dog owners. I'd highly recommend her to anyone (and have already recommended her to several friends!).