Jackie, the owner of "Paws on The Leash" , an in-home pet boarding and sitting service, is our…read morelocal treasure in the Clarksburg and Frederick area. And we do mean .....treasure. She is clearly a devoted and sincere pet lover, who provides lots of exercise, playtime, and quiet time for the pets left in her care, in a loving, caring, and well-organized atmosphere. Pictures tell the story.... and we do appreciate when Jackie sends us pictures of how our Labrador, Casey, is doing when we're away....whether he's playing with other dogs, running in the park, or snoozing after dinner on his bed. Casey has been cared for by Jackie for the last 2 years, and he "says" it best. When we drop him off for a short or longer stay, his tail begins wagging before the front door opens......and he DOESN'T LOOK BACK as Jackie welcomes him in and he runs to the basket of toys set near the door......knowing that a trip to the dog park is always on the agenda, too. Dissed by our own dog! Finally, this winter we had a family emergency that required that we find care for Casey on very short notice....within an hour. Jackie offered and then made arrangements and changes to her weekend schedule to be able to take Casey on immediately....for the weekend. How could we not give this wonderful lady 5++ stars for her kindness and professional service, both to pets and their owners?

Paws On The Leash has exceeded all of my expectations of someone who cares for my puppy and my cat…read more I would recommend Jackie to anyone who wants a company who cares just as much about your pets as she does her own. During out consultation, she spent the time to tell me how to set up crates and potty train my pup. I was completely overwhelmed with my new 11-week old puppy, and her advice was spot-on. Between her advice and dog walking, he has turned into a well-trained puppy. Jackie makes sure I understand any commands that she's working on with him (and vice versa) so we can both enforce his training. This has helped him pick up basic commands a lot faster. It's a great feeling to come home one day and your puppy finally understands sit when he didn't get it that morning. I've used this company for both dog walking and overnight stays. People (lovingly) tell me that I'm a helicopter doggy mom, and I trust Jackie 100% with both of my munchkins. Typically the best part of my work day is getting pictures of my pup or a funny story about something he did that day. Jackie has continually provided exceptional service for both my pup and cat. She is great with them, and continues to give great advice. She works my puppy hard to get out his energy during the day. Anyone who has a long day commuting and working appreciates coming home to a puppy who only needs a short walk and some playing. I am very fortunate to have found Paws On The Leash. I would recommend them in a heart beat to anyone who is looking for a business that always goes above and beyond what is typically provided.

Kelia was the most amazing trainer for me and my dog. He was an anxious, dog reactive guy, and it…read moreaffected every part of how and when we interacted with the world. Since he's worked with her over the five-week training period, he's made a complete 180. Now we're able to walk around the city and not have him bark at every dog we see on the street. I want to point out that because my dog is innately anxious, it affects his physical state too with eating and other issues. Kelia shared that she used to be a vet tech and made me feel the most comfortable and confident with helping me set up a plan for when he might have an episode due to the transition and what all would take place to ensure he would be okay, loved, and healthy. Long story short, she cared for him for the days he was struggling, kept me updated, and he came out of it because she was purposeful, knowledgeable, and more than capable to handle the situation. I can't recommend Kelia enough for anyone seeking support and/or confidence in how they can better work with, love, and respect their dog. Bonus, she's genuinely such a joy of a human being!

Our family highly recommends Controlled K9! We adopted our boy Mortimer last year after he had been…read moreliving as a stray, and we were really struggling when he came home with basic manners, reactivity, and having him settle in with our other dog. We ended up sending both of our boys for a six-week board and train with Kelia. It seemed to only make sense to send both dogs so they would have the same baseline training. Kelia was amazing! She kept us informed just about every day with videos and texts so we could see that the boys were happy and making progress. When Kelia brought the boys home, she spent a few hours with us, showing all the commands and techniques that she taught them, so we had a seamless transition. The "place" command alone has been lifechanging. (Although as you can see in the picture, they sometimes refuse to use separate mats, LOL.) We use the command before we feed them, initially when guests come by, and when we just need them to settle down a bit. It has reduced the stress and chaos in our house tenfold, and we actually can see the boys relax when they know they have a place to go and chill out. Kelia also gave us the tools to make leash walking and general obedience so much more successful. There are a lot of options out there for training. What set Controlled K9 apart for us was (1) our boys lived with Kelia, her family, and her dogs during training - they were not staying in a kennel and were in a real-life, loving environment, and (2) the promise of lifetime, free follow-up support. The boys have been home now for about 3 months. The training has stuck, and we feel like we really have the tools we need to make life pleasant for all of us, including the boys. Kelia has also proactively checked in to make sure things are going well, provided tips on the best way to reinforce training, and has responded quickly when we have follow-up questions, including offering a visit. Over three months later, we are still completely satisfied with the training and support provided by Controlled K9 and Kelia, and we would use them again in a heartbeat.

Strangers always comment on how well-trained my dog is and friends always ask me to train their…read moredogs for them. The truth is that a well-trained dog is just as much about training the handler as the dog. My family has taken 5 dogs through Dog Sense, 3 all the way through Advanced Obedience, and our dogs were taught to follow US instead of us chasing after them. My mother took our first family dog there and when my sister and I returned with our dogs, some of the same experienced trainers were still there 19 years later, a testament to their years of experience. Don't waste your money on the pet store classes, Dog Sense is the place to go in Montgomery County. A well-behaved dog is a real gem to have around!

l like it a lot because they attend to my puppy promptly and do keep him caged like in other places…read more they are very professional

Beth came to our house initially a few years ago for a private consult to help with my…read morereactive/fearful Aussie. She was incredibly compassionate and knowledgable. Foremost she is a certified positive trainer. I was most impressed by how she looked at every detail- my dog, me, my husband. the house, neighborhood etc so she could really drill down and create a plan for us. SO much better than reading a book and trying to apply theory when just starting out. (books are good too but I like a teacher) Beth suggested we could benefit from her Reactive Dog Class and it changed our lives and that is no exaggeration. It was an hour drive and 100% worth it. Boots on the ground, in a group setting with one on one help. Not at all easy to find reactive dog classes like hers! First you have an awesome experienced trainer, her team is fantastic, a safe outdoor location where you can learn in real time the ways to help your dog (and you) feel more confident bc you have been there with Beth (Fiona and trusted helpers are great) with other dogs and owners. You get to see their improvements too. Anyway, I took the class 4 times maybe. While so many times isn't necessary I loved the structure. Don't hesitate to contact Beth.

Olivia Bainter gets the highest superlatives for kindness, caring, warmth, knowledge, and teaching…read morenot only for Skipper, our eight month old dog, but also for my wife and me. Someone well versed in Pat Miller's Positive Reinforcement Method already recommended Olivia as not only being knowledgeable, but also warm and empathetic. The person who made this recommendation was right. If you are looking for a fabulous trainer, and with whom you and your dog will have a lot of fun, Olivia at Unleashed Joy belongs at the top of your list. My wife agrees. And Skipper agrees!

Ridgeside helped fix a problem rescue more than two years ago. They've been a home away from home…read morefor my fur babies ever since.

Archie went to camp with Gina for three weeks and came home a different dog. I'm still a little…read moreamazed. He's a five-pound chihuahua who shakes when someone new walks in the room and basically lived on my lap or behind my knees. I'd worried a trainer would either give up on him or scare him worse, but from the very first day Gina put so much thought into making him feel safe. She texted that afternoon to say he'd already jumped into her daughter's arms. When he barely ate the first couple days and I got worried, she talked me through it and told me he'd come around, which he did. She took him on long walks around the park and the neighborhood to burn off his nerves before she ever asked anything of him. His crate became his safe spot at her house, a familiar place that was all his in the middle of a busy home with other dogs and parrots and training going on. And she started him on tiny, predictable rules, sitting before a door, coming when called, so he always had something he understood to hold onto in a new situation. She explained that for an anxious dog, knowing what to expect is half the battle. She also refused to pick him up every time he got scared, and warned me that part would be harder for me than for him. She was right. Somewhere around the second week he started smiling in the photos. He was hanging out with her little dogs and her family, going on field trips to the park and coffee shops, staying on his place while she walked away, heeling next to her. He knows sit, place, heel and here now, and he does them for me too. The turnover at my apartment took a couple hours and it was real work. She sat me down and explained everything before we ever touched the dog, then had me practice with Archie while she corrected what I was doing wrong. She's kept sending reminders and answering my questions since, including a few dumb ones about shampoo and brushes. Here's the part I still can't get over. We went to a party a couple weeks after he got home, which is a huge deal for Archie. He sat on other people's laps. He licked hands. He barely cowered. Six weeks ago he would have spent the whole night shaking under my chair. Everyone at the party noticed and commented on the change in his demeanor. I was a proud mama that day! If your dog is the anxious type, the one who hides, trembles, won't eat around strangers, or has to be carried everywhere, I really want you to hear this. A lot of trainers are set up for big confident dogs and don't know what to do with a scared little one. Gina does. She never rushed him, never forced him, and never made me feel silly for babying him all these years. She reads a nervous dog and meets them where they are, then slowly builds them up until they can handle the world on their own. That's exactly what Archie needed. I honestly feel like Gina is just getting started with him, and I'm already thinking of when I can work with her again. If you have a tiny, anxious dog and you're on the fence, go with Gina. Archie is a different dog and so am I. Thank you again for everything you did for him, and for me. Archie sends smooches. Sheri

Excellent training facility. The trainer Emily worked her magic with our very active, energetic,…read moreand stubborn 8 month old puppy, Whiskey. Emily was very patient and persistent in working with Whiskey. She was very helpful and providing suggestions for us as well. Very helpful! He graduated and will now join their group training classes for the next year. Madison and the other front desk assistants are fabulous. Very welcoming and always ready to help with scheduling. Thank you!

Best, most effective dog training we've ever experienced! The staff are all excellent, caring and…read moreexperienced. We HIGHLY recommend their services.

Scott, and the rest of the team at K9 Camp, is awesome. They obviously love dogs and make taking…read morecare of them their number one priority. My puppy was evaluated there twice and she clearly was not ready to be in camp with other dogs (just too shy) and I really appreciated that Scott didn't try to push things to make it work before my puppy was ready. I look forward to trying again when she's a bit more mature!

From the owner: K9 Camp is proud to say we are a crate free facility! We understand your passion for your dog…read morebecause we share the same values and our personal pets are not pets, they are members of our family! We want our customers to know their dogs are in capable hands and receiving the same love and attention with us as they do at home.

Excellent trainer with an unbelievable knowledge of canine behavior as well as who's who in the dog…read moretraining world.

I sent my two year old pit bull mix, Layla, to the two week Board and Train program with Amhursh K9…read morefor extreme reactivity issues and I cannot say enough about how thrilled I am with the results of the program. I had all but reached my wit's end in trying to address Layla's problem behaviors on my own. Annemarie came to our home to evaluate Layla to ensure that she would be a good fit for the Board and Train program. Layla's reactivity issues were a big source of stress in my life, and I was worried that she might have grown into an aggressive dog. Daily walks around the neighborhood and hosting guests at our home were daunting because Layla would drop her otherwise sweet, cuddly demeanor to bark and lunge at people, dogs, and really just about anything that moved. Annemarie assured me that Layla was in fact a great-tempered dog and was simply lacking confidence and structure in her life. Because Layla is a pit bull mix, I am extremely picky about who I trust with my dog, but Annemarie expressed that she has ample experience with the breed. Her confidence in Layla's ability to learn correct and acceptable behavior really put me at ease. After Layla completed the training program, Annemarie brought her back to our home for an extensive lesson on her new commands, proper reinforcement and correction, etc. It was immediately evident that Layla was a "different" dog in the way that she carried herself. Instead of constantly scanning her environment for things to bark/lunge at, Layla was focused and calm. She walks beautifully on a loose leash and is respectful of people's boundaries (before training, Layla always had to be the CENTER of attention. Everywhere. All of the time.) Not only did Annemarie assist in Layla's confidence building, but Layla's progress has helped me feel more confident handling her - a self-perpetuating cycle. As it turns out, while I was worried that I might have created an aggressive dog, Annemarie was able to show me that Layla isn't an aggressive dog at all, but an extremely sensitive and emotional one. Amhursh K9 didn't just train my dog, they educated me on how to better understand my dog. I have a completely new relationship with Layla, and I am so extremely grateful for the results of the training. We are now talking about taking Layla on a trip to Petsmart - something I previously never dreamed of being possible. Amhursh K9 also offers boarding services, so I now also have a place I feel comfortable sending Layla to stay anytime I need to travel out of town. If it isn't already evident, I really cannot say enough good things about Annemarie and Amhursh K9.

3?dog farm is amazing. My pet Ziggy loves it so much he drags me to my truck to take him there. All…read morethe staff are so friendly and they show their love for the dogs. It is truly amazing. I watch him join the pack and run all over.

This is like Disney World for dogs! My dog gets so excited to go there. He wiggles and cries as we…read moreget closer. He comes home happy and tired! Love this place

Dr. Zolkiewicz is the best vet I've ever taken my furbabies to! Everyone at Green Valley Animal…read moreHospital is so friendly and caring, and even though they take their time with each of their clients, I never have to wait long to be seen which is important when you have an anxious or energetic pet with you! Their hours are great for my 9-5 work schedule. We recently had to say good bye to our first furbaby after 12 wonderful years together, and Dr. Zolkiewicz was so sweet throughout the months of treatment and then the day of. As much as I dreaded that moment, it could not have been easier thanks to everyone at Green Valley Animal Hospital.

Felt they took advantage of my 18 year old as far as upselling and costs. I called ahead and…read moregathered information. Still, an entirely different experience once she arrived.