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.

We just recently hired Scott to work with us and the pooch we rescued in January. Our dog is a…read moreHusky mix, and is a little over 4 years old. While basically a good dog in many respects, Riggins displays anxiety and shuts down during walks, which manifested in his past as fear aggression. This is not something we had dealt with with our previous pets, and knew that we needed to ensure against any kind of dangerous situation. We understood when we adopted Riggins we'd need to work with him on these ingrained bad habits. Shortly after we adopted him, we tried out group training sessions. It was clear the group training was for working on basic stuff, a lot of which our dog already knew. We felt the best option was to go with 1-1 training. And so glad we did. It was worth every penny. Scott gave us the tools to work with Riggins, as well as manage our expectations and learn how to deal with a variety of situations. We signed up for five training sessions with Scott, and as others mentioned in their reviews, the training started as soon as Scott entered the house. He made an immediate connection with Riggins and so amazing to see how the dog just snapped to attention for him. Such a great talent to have. Basically Scott told us we need to completely reprogram our dog. We're continuing to work on that, and probably will for the foreseeable future. But there's been a definite improvement in the way we deal with Riggins, and I see daily 'baby step' progress on walks. We've also been bike riding with Riggins, which he seems to enjoy and is great at draining his energy. The bike rides also ensure that the dog is following me, I'm in the lead and have control over the situation. So thanks to Scott for his help. We may well call him again for a tune-up, but for right now, we're putting his recommendations in place and are seeing a difference.

My fiance and I are new dog owners. We had only been relying on online puppy training videos to…read morehouse break our 8 week old goldendoodle pup, but still needed some more in-person guidance. I researched many different dog trainers in my area and ultimately decided to contact Scott. We first spoke over the phone to see if the training would be a good fit. He asked me what my goals were and then explained what his style of training was. We booked a double day session for 2 hours and it was intense, but so helpful, educational, and so rewarding! Our puppy's nipping has really lessened and she definitely is paying more attention than before. Scott taught us various ways to walk a dog and the importance of keeping them safe in different environments. He also gave us great insight on the dogs' point of view which really helped us understand our puppy's behavior more. Scott made sure my fiance and I were highly involved with the training and it helped boost our confidence for when we'd continue training our puppy on our own. Although the training already made a big difference, Scott also reminded us that our puppy is still so young and that we need to remain realistic and patient. The reassurance, constructive criticism, and encouragement created a very positive environment for the session. I am overall very impressed! Thank you so much, Scott!

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

My experience with Lara and Shera was unfortunately not a good one…read more Lara, our assigned trainer, presented me with a prong collar at the initial assessment for our 35lb basset hound and told me that this was an "essential training tool" that is "very common". We found out later that this was not true - in fact, most people were horrified that we had allowed our dog to be trained this way. I'll front this by saying my husband and I did not do a whole lot of research on different training methods beforehand and are first-time dog owners, but looking back, we really wish we had pushed back on this. The combination of the collar and Lara's request to withhold all dry food except in training turned our formerly sweet and scared dog into an aggressive food guarder who was still scared to go on walks, but now growled and snapped at our cats. After 4 sessions, we consulted a behaviorist and told Lara and Shera we would be switching to another trainer on their recommendation. We received very defensive emails from both of them about the impropriety of seeing a behaviorist without their knowledge(!), but Shera agreed to refund our remaining sessions. When we still hadn't received a check five weeks later, I sent a follow-up and got back a reply complaining about my "combative" attitude (though she did then promptly issue a refund through PayPal.). Grateful to finally be done with them.

Shera at Pawfect Pups is the best!…read more We started training sessions for our dog Maggie when she was just 3 months old. I thought it was too early, but my husband convinced me that the earlier the better and he was right! We did a lot of research on yelp and other sources. The reviews we read about Pawfect Pups made us feel like there was something different about Pawfect Pups. Shera did such a great job addressing our problem areas at each session and worked with all of us to teach Maggie commands. Before we started, Maggie was a pretty stubborn little puppy and she was biting on pant legs, socks, blankets, and even my hair, snatching up any food that was dropped on the floor. Shera helped us work with Maggie to fix those habits and even taught us a variety of commands. Each session was focused on Maggie's concerns. I never felt like she was following a curriculum. Everything was very customized for our pup. We also really liked that we were an active part of each training session. People always compliment us on how well behaved Maggie is. My husband and I tell each other over and over again that finding Pawfect Pups was the best thing. Thanks Shera!

I am so happy I found Sit!Stay!360!, Leighann is so wonderful. I just got my 8 week old puppy a few…read moredays ago, and I worried about him being home in a crate during the work day. All my worries we put aside when I got the best pictures of my puppy playing. It is so great that Leighann incorporates training with activity, so I am not stressed about him learning any bad habits. I would highly recommend her company to anyone!

Sit!stay!360 helped not only train our extremely energetic pit bull, but also trained my wife and…read moreI. Our little girl is a lot better with not jumping on visitors and no longer pulling my wife around the neighborhood like a sled!

Can't rate on the grooming, but the dog walking service is excellent. We have a stubborn old…read moreBernese Mountain Dog that gets extremely offended when we go out of town without him. All of the Woofie's sitters are so good with him and don't take it personally that he is always grumpy They bring in packages, feed the Betta fish, and even helped me out with an Elf on the Shelf once and saved Christmas

First time customer, Scheduled an appointment for them to come to our home between 10-12. We called…read moreat 12:15 to get an ETA and they said they would not be coming because the groomer was sick. Extremely unprofessional to not let us know this first thing in the morning as we scheduled the day around this to be home. Understand if someone is sick, don't understand the no communication.

Olde Towne Pet Resort is a great place for dog daycare. The staff is very helpful and always takes…read moregood care of my dog. He's been going there for daycare for some time now, and he's also been groomed and gone swimming there, all great experiences. To date, I'd definitely recommend them.

Three years ago I raved about Olde Towne Pet Resort to every dog owner I knew. Now I wouldn't board…read morea houseplant here. Great to horrible, entirely self-inflicted. Every booking, every pet, every time: more signatures and "agreements" than a mortgage closing. Somewhere there's a lawyer who's never met a dog and decided the real threat to this business is the guy who's paid them loyally for three years. You carefully fill out the entire grooming form online, pick every option -- then show up and they shove a paper copy across the counter to sign the exact same thing again. And after all that paperwork, they still claim they don't have the phone number they've had on file for three years and called me on before. Let's put this in perspective. I can order dinner to my door in two taps -- Reorder, Apple Pay, done. A stranger drives hot food across town on the strength of my thumbprint. But dropping off dogs these people have known for three years apparently requires a signing ceremony and a fresh liability waiver every single visit. In 2026, that's not caution. That's a business that's forgotten how to trust its own customers. And then there's the membership -- the crown jewel of contempt. They took a system that worked and actively torched it. Gone are the daycare credit packs: fair, flexible, buy-what-you-need, the way a business treats people it respects. In their place, a pricier monthly "membership" that auto-drafts your card whether your dog walks through the door or not, with no rollover for the days you paid for and never used. Read that again: you pay, they keep it, your dog gets nothing, and they call it a perk. It's not a membership -- it's a standing withdrawal from your bank account with a bow on it. It punishes the exact people who kept this place in business: the regulars whose lives don't run on a fixed weekly schedule. Some months my dogs come once, some months five times, because that's how actual life works -- and this program is built to make sure I lose either way. It doesn't serve pets. It doesn't serve owners. It serves a spreadsheet, and it treats every loyal customer as a recurring charge to be maximized rather than a person to be valued. It is, top to bottom, the most openly hostile "loyalty" scheme I've ever been asked to fund. When customers spend more time signing forms and fighting your billing than petting their dogs, you're not a pet resort -- you're a law firm with a kennel attached. Take your pets somewhere that still remembers what the word "customer" means.

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

Mark is the best trainer we have ever used! Head and shoulders above the rest! We have more than…read moreone dog and he has improved everything about them. He essentially teaches us ( the owners techniques) that dogs as pack animals, understand. Within literally a few minutes of his visits our guys were totally different. I unconditionally recommend Mark. He is smart, kind and very professional. He delivered what our dongs needed and more. Worth every penny and more! The best there is out there!

First a little back story. 13.5 years ago we came home with Oscar and Tony. They are brothers…read more(JRT). They had never been apart until February when poor Oscar passed away from lymphoma. Brought home Dudley around a month ago. Dudley is now 8 month. Dudley and Tony seem to tolerate each other out side and on walks but can't be left alone inside as they will go at it which is initiated by Dudley most times but not always. As mentioned Tony is almost 14 and has some hearing and sight loss but certainly can get around. Presently we keep them separated by either room or put Dudley in his create ( he is totally crate trained and sleeps in it). Yesterday we had Mark from Bark Buster. For the first hour he went over with us how a dog thinks and reacts. He then proceeded to teach us some tools to help the dogs better understand who in charge. For Dudley the responds was basically instant he immediately started to responds and listen and IMO he is already 75 percent near where he needs to be. Tony still needs work but he is definitely obeying more. What Mark has achieved in one day is unbelievable and this is all done without scolding or treats. I was very concern before Mark came this wasn't resolvable. I see it will take time but certainly will be resolved . I can't say enough how awesome Mark is.

Just toured giving tree today as my dog got evaluated. Evaluation comes with a free half day of…read moredaycare. Monday through Friday they're open 7am to 7pm. Weekends are currently 8am to 5pm, although they are looking to extend hours to 6pm. Nap time every day is 12-2pm. It's a 12,000+ square foot facility (it used to be the Future Business Leaders of America building) near reston towne center. They started just 5 weeks ago with 5 dogs, and today my dog became #70! While my dog was getting evaluated, the owner, Yong, gave me a tour of the whole place. They have multiple different rooms based on size of dog. They also have an agility training room. They use the GingrApp online portal for booking and records management. Floors are an epoxy resin for easy cleanup and also grip for the dogs' paws. The only downside is that they don't have live feeds for you to watch your dog, and I love spying on my pup while I'm working. Also, while they do have an outdoor space that's a half acre, it won't be open until they get their permit to build a 6' wall (at the moment it's just a decorative boundary-type brick wall that's like 1.5' tall). So for right now it is indoors only, with an outdoor area for potty breaks only. They have referral bonuses at the moment. If you are the referred, you get a free half day(?) of daycare. If you are the referrer, you get a free forest walk. The "comfort" boarding option is just a standard wire crate. Forest view is a kennel with an outside view. Presidential suite is an 8x8 room with a tv that up ur dog can watch. All boarding comes with daycare. I can't remember if it was just the presidential suite or if it's all of them, but it also comes with 2 forest walks. The "day camp" options you see in the menu are add ons to the regular daycare day. They do also offer cat boarding. It's a room with cat trees and cat condos for them to hang out in. Large and clean and friendly facility. They also offer grooming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I think I'll be adding Giving Tree to my rotation of daycares!

My dog is the happiest when he is at giving tree. I love…read morethat they are communicating and sending pics of what is doing during his stay. This daycare will always be our go to spot :)