Dog Sitters in Old Gilroy, CA

A Happy Pet Tail is the only place I trust to care for my dog. I did the board and train program with A Happy Pet Tail and Akina K9 and would highly recommend it. My dog came home with foundational skills that allowed us to move on to more complicated training that I hadn't been able to do with previous pets. Suzana is always available to answer questions and coordinate stays. There is something very comforting about a responsive business when it comes to taking care of your fur baby. I could not recommend this company more!

“Happy Training! Play with your Dog!” Rich and Suzana’s hard work and dedication to you as their clients is unmatched from my experiences with various other places. Not only did I learn how to train a dog properly, I learned how to handle two dogs with two separate learning methods. I came in with my cousin and her two dogs, my cousin has difficulty hearing so I was there as a note taker and a second handler for their sessions from start to end. One dog was more prey driven and her other dog was more food oriented, learning two different methods was mind blowing at first but once you retain the information and start seeing the small details, it’s those small steps that set you and your dog up for success. Seeing the difference in the dogs behavior from the beginning of this year to nearly the end of this year has been nothing short of incredible. Putting in the time and effort in the right direction with the best methods of training instead of a generalized approach is what makes the difference in results. Rich is attentive to your dog and thinks on the spot, he also shares other techniques and sees if your dog is more receptive towards that approach and continues on doing so every single session. Being in those sessions and assisting handling the dogs training at home opened my eyes as a fellow owner about the actual responsibilities of owning a furry friend. Looking back at my younger self who begged for a dog(s), the things I was taught about training a dog were not accurate at all. So being able to get the proper education on how to handle the doggos was one of the best parts of my life so far this year. I’ve also grown as a person and have come out of my shell a bit more and socialized better with Rich, Suzana, and fellow dog owners. I can’t thank Rich, Suzana, Devin, and Mana enough for helping my cousin and I,her dogs, and helping us connect with a dog community that is so supportive of each other and uplifts one another. I also really recommend going to group classes (once approved) before your sessions are done because it’s perfect to get more insight on how to help your dog in new environments and being around other dogs as well as understanding how to do certain commands that are issued during the group class. It’s also really inspiring to see other owners with their dogs and knowing that one day, slowly but surely you’ll be able to do advanced commands like them. If you’re reading this and doubting it, the fact that you’re doing the training and putting in the work, it’ll only be a matter of time before you realize how far you have come. The first day of Group Class will definitely test everything you have learned but Rich is there to help and give advice. But don’t feel discouraged because it shows that he is attentive enough to all clients present and it gives you more insight on what you can do at the moment and what you can go over during your sessions. I highly suggest looking at the whiteboard after each session and asking questions about anything there that interests you and see if your dog is at a stage where those commands might be possible. If you’re still hesitant about choosing this place, schedule a consultation at least and experience it for yourself.

I have been procrastinating about my review of AkinaK9/AHappyPetTail not because it’s bad but because there is so much good that I really don’t know how to be succinct enough to capture one’s attention to how great a trainer Rich is. We adopted our dog Indy from GGLR 3 years ago and he was 4 at the time and had failed the program ‘Dogs for Diabetes’ but he came with a foundation of commands. He has this incredible personality that is smart, lovable and goofy but he has an underlying aggression that is a real liability. I used to say he was bi-polar but now refer to him as Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. For 2 years we tried many different methods but were never able to work through the aggression. Indy had a bad confrontation with our daughter’s boyfriend’s dog which prompted us to realize we needed to try something different and she convinced me to work with Rich. This was the trainer she had at CaliK9 many years ago that she was extremely impressed with. We started a 12 private session program right after Christmas 2023 and what a program it has been. Rich has this incredible level of patience like no other and I’m not referring to working with the dog but with the dog’s owner. Let’s face it, dog training is 90% about training the owner to be dedicated and consistent in working with their dog. A dog needs to trust their owner and working with them helps develop that trust. I have had dogs all my life and have never had such a hard time with training a dog until Rich helped me through the process with Indy. There was a long series of time to acclimating Indy and I to the E-Collar. I now can see why it takes so long as the E-collar should never be something the dog is afraid of. When I finally got to the ability to use the ‘NO’ command, OMG what a difference it has made. From that point Rich was able to bring other dogs into our training sessions and it finally gave me confidence that the aggression was something that could be dealt with. One quick side note…The BOX – this simple thing is the foundation of the training, and we have one at our front door, at work and at a weekend site. Indy loves to be sent to the box and always jumps on it with delight because he knows he’s going to get treats. He is very food motivated which is a big help in training. 😊 We are now doing the group sessions and I was pretty nervous at our 1st group but Rich was sensitive to this and kept an eye on us. Others in the group were pretty supportive and the comment was made “We’ve all been there” and it made me realize how fortunate Indy and I were to have started our dog training with AkinaK9/AHappyPetTail. All paws up to Rich, Suzana and Taren!

I emailed Suzana to set up the days for my dogs to stay there. I was in a bit of a time crunch due to my family emergency or I would have something set well in advance. Nonetheless, she gave me all the information to get them boarded and I sent everything back promptly. I thought we'd agreed on the dates and time for drop off and pick up so I messaged her that I was on my way, but she called me and told me I needed to wait for her approval before I dropped my dogs off. I read that due to covid I wasn't allowed inside, but upon arriving to the drop off spot, nobody was wearing masks. The person that greeted me didn't introduce themself and I proceeded to introduce myself and my babies. I drop them off with their food and left. The next day Tuesday) I called to check on them only because of the situation and to see if they ate. Nobody answered the phone so I sent a text message; the reply " they're fine, thanks." I called again on Thursday and again nobody answered. I sent a text message stating I would call back later. Again, I received a response "no issues, thanks." I started to worry, but I tried to relax because I was miles away and I couldn't get back to them if I wanted to. Saturday I called again to check on them and no answer so I sent a text message and asked how they were doing . The response "So sorry we missed your call we are with clients. No issues to report. Thanks!" I asked if they can send a picture; the response "We are with clients, I am sorry. " I didn't have a good feeling about all the things I experienced, so I called the police to make sure my dogs were still there and were being treated appropriately. Suzana called me and was very rude and unprofessional. She asked me if I called the cops and I confirmed I did because I wasn't sure what was going on then I started to worry about my dogs since I mever talked to anyone, the text replies were vague, and when I asked for pictures I was told no. She then said " I was just about to send you pictures before the cops showed up." My response "how convenient, you should have said that instead of "No, I'm sorry". She told me I had to come pick up my dogs because this is too much. I said I agree, but if it were that easy for me to come pick them up, I wouldn't have dropped them off. I also let her know I dont feel safe with my babies there with her anyway if she's going to treat me this way, I have no idea how she's treating them. I told her I'll make some calls to see if I can find someone; I did. I had a friend that was off work and able to care for my babies until I returned. I called Suzana back to let her know and asked for a refund for the remaining balance. She told me there aren't any refunds. I said " well, you will give me a refund because I'm not picking them up because I want to, I'm picking them up because you are a poor communicator and poor business owner. You should do the right thing and let's habdle this amicably and I'll be sure to never use your services again." She was reluctant, but provided me a refund after my babies were picked up. When my friend called her, my friend said she was pleasant and cool with her. I said, well that's good, she should have had the same tone with me but she didn't. I will never use this organization or its affiliates again for anything. I should never be left to feel that my babies are in danger or not being taken care of. I wasn't led to feel safe or assured in anyway and I take great care of my babies; I expected her to do the same since that's her business and I'm paying her to do so.

Boarded my 150lbs rottie mix here many times now. He has some issues with strangers, but luckily a trainer that he was familiar with from another facility now works here. They get along great, and the owners are always very responsive when I need to book.

Boarded my dog here for 5 days and it was an amazing experience! I always get nervous boarding my boy because of his reactive behavior but they have a behavioral boarding option and it made me feel much more at ease. Thank you for taking good care of our fur child!

Best dog trainer in the South Bay!

A happy place to be

Thank you!!!!

Our Journey loves Pooches, she goes two days a week and plays with all her doggy friends! We are told she is the hostess to all new comers, making them feel welcome and included!

My dog just loves going here, both for daycare and boarding. My new puppy has now been twice and she seems happy too. Great play time with Tara. Laura the owner is great and accommodating. My dogs always come home tired but happy.

I would not recommend A Pooch's Paradise facility for kenneling. Laura (the possible owner operator) was very abrasive and short during my two interactions with her. Her only interest seemed to be money, not our dogs' care. During our pick-up, I was not given any information about how the dogs did during their nearly 12-day stay. Did they eat or play well with other dogs? Zero info, and on top of that, both dogs smelled absolutely awful. Little scary knowing our two furry family members spent so much time in this lady's care. Proceed with caution with this facility.

Always a Great experience! My dog has been to daycare twice a week for many years... Love Laura and her right hand Tara... both are are amazing! The entire facility is spotless! I have recommended A Poochs' Paradise to numerous friends ... all have been very pleased. She does her best to accommodate special requests for drop off and pick up. Best of all.. Rosie is so excited when we pull up and enjoys her day immensely!!

We recently went on a trip and decided to check out A Pooch's Paradise as a home away from home for our 15 yo dog. I appreciate that Laura can be easily reached via text or phone and we set up a meet and greet. The facility was clean and well maintained. There is a large outside area where dogs of similar size and temperament can socialize under the watchful eye of a caretaker. And a separate area in an indoor area where each dog has their own secure sleeping area. We decided to board our dog with Laura, especially since we were impressed with the thoroughness and pertinence of the questions she asked about our dog. She got right to the point and listened to us. We would recommend A Pooch's Paradise to others. Thanks Laura!

I absolutely love my doggy daycare. My sweet lab retriever needs to run and play and be others to socialize and she can do all that in a safe environment at pooches paradise. The caregivers are very attentive and I leave there knowing she’s having a great time in good hands!

Can't wait to start my puppy class there on Tuesday. Friendly and highly recommended.

We’ve been boarding our boxer here for well over 2 years. Everyone is so professional, amazing with all dogs big and small. Super friendly, very responsive and accommodating and reasonably priced. We’ve boarded our baby 5-7 days at times for vacation and he always comes home happy, healthy and without signs of stress. We will he customers for life!

My 2 dogs love this place. Laura is phenomenal. She is always able to get the dogs in at last minute. Her staff is great with our dogs and we love the BIG property. Dogs always get plenty of exercise and socialization. I highly recommend Pooch’s Paradise.

Our Jake loves this place 100% He gets excited going in, super happy seeing Keira and Laura like family. He has a happy lully look and relaxed when home after a day or weekend there. Gets to socialize play outdoors and has chill out time too. Would absolutely recommend best dog care ever use.

I visit Belt Fed Kennel Supply about every 7-10 days to buy dog food for my 3 mastiffs. Mike and staff are always more than helpful with any questions I have. They offer a great variety of products as well as the knowledge about their products. 10/10 I would recommend to all family and friends with pets!

Best working dog store around! I used their embroidery service and they truly did not disappoint! They made my vision come to life and really took the time to help me brainstorm some ideas to make my logo look the best on my training vest! I’m so happy with the outcome and their customer service. I will be visiting again next time I’m in town!!

BELTFED offers Great training programs! I did his 1on1, 6 week program for my puppy and it helped out a lot! Not only did my puppy get trained but I also learned a lot while working with Mike. He’s very helpful and wants the best for pets/owners. He’s a great resource to have with any questions you want answered. I highly recommend checking his supply store and training programs out!

I just bought a Ruff Land Kennel from Belt Fed and Larry was so nice and helpful. He loaded it in my trunk and helped me get my reluctant puppy settled into the kennel. He even gave us a towel, since I forgot the kennel pad at home. Michael gave me some food information and no hard sell on buying the food, he really wanted me to learn and make a decision that is best for my pup. They have lots of quality products plus knowledgeable and nice people. Would definitely recommend them.

Finding dog gear, and quality dog gear that won’t fail is crucial. When I first walked into Beltfed I had thought it was just another quick store with food and treats. As I continued to explore I noticed that there was working dog stuff as well. I met Mike and his father and off the bat appreciated the professionalism, the good intentions, and quality knowledge on products and gear. Upon getting to know the team at beltfed, I have gone in for multiple working dog supplies: such as leashes, collars, ALM sleeves, ALM cuffs, clatter sticks, high quality kibble and raw foods, skin and coat and the list can go on. Mike is also open to feed back and will order items the dog community really needs. In addition to the high quality gear, I own a dog training business and require a place to clean my dogs. Belt fed has a nice self-washing tub, which a dryer, nice shampoo and a dryer. Additionally they have clean and ready to go towels for your dogs after they finish getting clean. They also ensure they don’t over book dogs or have any conflict with other dogs. Which is a huge worry of mine, especially when handling client dogs. Lastly, Mike and his wife Amy created apparel for my business including sweatshirts and high quality jackets with my company logo. They knocked it out of the park. Very impressed. I will continue to come here and support this business and encourage others who would like to stop by and see what they got, to do it. You won’t be disappointed.

Personal service;,nice selection of products; very accommodating; very friendly with good prices. Mike, the owner knows his business! Highly recommend supporting this local business

Mike and his team have great customer service. Fast response times, high quality custom orders, and an amazing selection for pets and working dog owners alike. Their range of services in endless. Highly recommend you make the trip over!

Excellent selection of equipment! Great customer service! My pup loves his new barrel tug!

Awesome local store with great assortment of proven dog food brands, and they carry premium raw food options as well (greentripe co). Knowledge passionate owner and staff- clean self service dog wash, variety of shots, dog supplies, and dog training! We will be back for training and supplies. Very impressed with their deep understanding of breeds and behavior. Highly recommend! Thanks Mike and team!

Great knowledgeable owner. If you know what you are looking for that regular feed stores and big name pet stores don’t have. this place has it all for the working dog, tugs, sleeves, muzzles, variety of correction tools, training supplies, supplements. did i mention they are an authorized dealer for ruff land they really have it all no need for online purchases go down to belt fed and check it out. They also have help with breeding services and supplements. This place is the real dog store for real dog people. They even have a wash station. This place has it all cannot recommended more i travel 25 miles and well worth it

Purr-fection Pet Care truly lives up to its name. I think our cats enjoy spending time with their "Aunt Julie" (Purrfection owner Julie Haas) so much that they wish we'd leave home more often! Julie is our trusted partner in pet care, giving our cats all the love, cuddles, and playtime (and of course, food, water and clean litter) that they need. We hate leaving our cats, but when we do we know that they're in good hands with Julie. And when we come home, we know we'll find a nice note from her, along with updates on how everything went, and fun photos as keepsakes of her TLC time with our cats.

We had Julie Haas take care of my cat and home when we were away for three weeks. We are 100% satisfied with her professional service and responsibility, and will definitely have her pet-sitting service again in the future.

When Akina K9 says that they can train any dog, it's 100% true. My family and I started taking our dogs to Akina K9 after we saw the incredible progress of some of his clients. We've had everything from Pitbulls to teacup chihuahuas and each has benefited from training here. For one of my dogs I did the board and train program and would highly recommend it. She came home with foundational skills that allowed us to move on to more complicated training that I haven't been able to do with previous pets. Rich is a saint. He is patient and answers any questions you have. And I have lots! He also makes himself available outside of class when I have a question about our homework. I could not recommend this company more!

Hands down best trainer in the bay area. Rich makes training your dog fun. He always finds a way to teach you on a level that you will understand and always welcomes questions. If you follow his direction and do your homework you WILL see results with your dog. His facility in Gilroy is private, clean, smells great and amazing AC! They also host boarding and board & train but they book up fast so call as soon as you know your travel dates. Overall one of the best experiences with my dog!

Training with Rich (Akina K9) has been the best thing to happen to my dog, Chico, and I. Rich has always been extremely patient, helpful, and professional. He explains his training so that everything makes sense to the dog handler. Training sessions and group classes are always fun and useful. I strongly recommend this service to any dog owners looking to fix unwanted behaviors and communicate effectively with their dog. Tell them Juan and Chico sent you.

Having known Rich for over a decade, I can attest to his dedication to continuous professional development. He is a master of his craft, and is able to make both high level and technical concepts easily understandable. There isn’t a behavior that he can’t demonstrate with his own dogs, or yours, on the spot. It says a lot when your dog gets excited to see him and work with him each session. Most importantly, the curriculum is tailored to the goals that you and your pup have in mind. Akina K9 is worth every penny, and is arguably the best investment you can make towards your dog, and your relationship with it.

Awesome teacher and staff that are willing to work with my complicated schedule, plus great environment! The training is worth every single penny. I understand my dogs better and that makes it easier for them to understand and listen to me. My dogs and I need more practice, but I finished the training feeling confident in handling my dogs. Thank you, Rich and Suzana!

I have had nothing but great experiences with Akina K9 and Ahappypettail. I took my energetic and feisty Jack Russell Terrier and wanted to be able to find a path for her energy and turn it into a positive outlet through training. Rich is not only very knowledgable about dog psychology and training techniques, he also is a natural teacher and genuinely cares about you and your dog's progress. He was able to explain the training techniques and theory behind them in an easy to understand way. Private classes are an excellent place to learn and group classes are very well organized and a great place to continue to work on training. Both me and my dog went through such a transformation during our time at Akina K9. Not only does Akina K9 provide a great space for your dog training needs, Ahappypettail also provides excellent board and train services.

My wife and I have been taking our pup, Hana to Rich at Akina K9 since January. Within 2-3 sessions we started to already see results in her behavior. Prior to the classes, Hana had high anxiety very skittish. After those few sessions, she started to have more confidence outside and started to warm up to friends and neighbors. Now in about our 5th month with Rich, Hana listens to commands in different environments, is now off leash at home, and a lot more confident than before. Rich was definitely able to unlock the potential Hana has and continues to help us achieve the goals we had at the start of our training. We highly recommend Rich and Akina K9's services and training methods. From behavior to protection training they got you covered and will help you achieve your goals for you and K9!

I would give Rich and his team 10 stars if I could. But, let me start by sharing a bit of my story. I brought home an abandoned puppy from the street, and as he grew, he began to show signs of territorial aggression, resource guarding, reactivity, and dominant behavior, which seriously disrupted our household. We’ve taken all precautions to prevent this, but it was almost like these behaviors were harbored within his genetics. It eventually became a safety concern, especially around strangers. He was always unfriendly, barking, and snapping at anyone he didn't know. This made it challenging to take him out or have new friends and family over. It felt like we were stuck, caring for a dog who might turn on us at any moment. At one point, I even considered rehoming him due to safety concerns towards my family. I had my doubts about dog training, thinking it might not work. But when we brought our dog to Rich, he conducted a thorough assessment, testing our dog's reactivity in various situations. Right then and there, it became clear that he was a trainer who knows exactly what he's doing, and most importantly, a trainer who genuinely cares about his clients' dogs. Fast forward to the end of Rich's training program, my dog has gone through an unbelievable transformation. He now behaves in ways I couldn't have imagined before. The quality of life for both my family and my dog has improved significantly, and I've never been happier. If you've ever had a reactive dog, you'll know it can be quite a rollercoaster. But I'm happy to say, life has become amazing after this training. We can now have guests over without stress, take him on walks, go out in public, and he's become a much friendlier dog. I finally feel like I have a normal dog doing normal dog things. Rich has always been responsive, answering my questions through text between sessions and providing thorough explanations when we talked on the phone. He's extremely patient, never making me feel dumb, since dog training can be hard to understand for a first time dog owner. It's clear that he genuinely cares about the dogs he trains and has an effective technique that makes communication between me and my dog clear and effective. If you find yourself in a situation similar to where I was just a couple of months ago, don't hesitate to take your dog to Akina K9. It was hands down the best decision I ever made. One more thing to note is that Rich offers boarding services for your dog, which is a huge relief when you need to go on vacation. I wouldn't trust anyone else besides Rich to take care of my dog while I'm away. He knows my dog well, and I can now enjoy vacations without any stress.

Want to build a strong bond and relationship with your dog and learn more about dog training/psychology/behavior? Then Akina K9 and a Happypettail is the place for you. I previously had training with my cockpoo and wanted to learn more and take it to the next level and taking him to Akina K9 was the best choice I made. Rich is an extremely knowledgable, explains clearly, works with you on your goals, and really cares about your dog! I enjoyed learning so much in private sessions, had fun in group classes with my dog, and did a board and train when I went on vacation. On vacation I knew my dogs were well cared for and trained thanks to Rich and the Akina K9 Team. PLEASE if your dog has any behavior issues, is reactive, want to build the next level relationship with your dog and most importantly if you want to understand and enrich your dogs life, Akina K9/ahappypettail is the TOP NOTCH PLACE to be!!

We did the 20 private sessions and initially I felt like this wouldnt be enough for me to see any results in my dog, but I was so wrong! Its amazing to see how much my girl improved in a span of almost a year. From shy and hesitant to confident! I felt like not only did attending these sessions build my dog’s confidence, but mine too! I learned so much like how to read her body language and this definitely helped me build a stronger relationship with her. Rich taught us many ways to make dog training fun for the both of us. I am a slow learner, but Rich patiently answered my questions and explained to me clearly what needs to be done. Even if I had questions outside of our sessions, he made time to answer them. Thank you to Suzana too for making the scheduling really easy! I always got an answer from her very quickly. After completing our private sessions, we started attending group classes. I was a bit concerned and nervous being surrounded with other dogs and their owners, but every class we attended has been such a pleasant experience. I felt very safe bringing my dog out and was inspired by other dog owners. Highly recommend Rich and his team if you want to see results in your dog’s behavior! :)

Chad is a great trainer. My stubborn Great Dane is Listening great. He really teaches people How to handle They're dog with Balanced training.

Always has a few classes going on. If you can’t get in, be sure to join a waitlist. The puppy class really helped with socializing.

I absolutely love the training with chad. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. I am always excited to train and the training has help molded Yondu in to a good boy.

Chad is an excellent teacher of the proper way to train a dog. I came in to his obedience training class with much trepidation because of my inexperience in and lack of understanding about dog training. Chad educated me and helped me get the results I want from my dog. My dog earned his certificate yesterday and I am very proud of him. I highly recommend Thriving Canine!

Chad is an entertaining, informative instructor, and being able to have puppy social time in addition to the more structured classes really helped my pup across the board. Highly recommended.

I’ve seen this guy train canines and it seems like he really knows what he is doing. He will teach the owners EXACTLY how to train their pets to behave and listen to commands when commands are given. There isn’t any place better to take your dog to train them.

Great trainer! Creative ways to train a dog! Definitely recommend the advance training after basic training! The advance training is when my dog started to get really good at recalls, leave it, sit, down and heel

We love taking our pups to Chad's class and our pup loves him! We learn so much from every class.

Best Dog Trainer ever...Chad you rock!

Great place. Thanks Chad for training our boy

Mecca is as great with humans as she is dogs! She has a welcoming and trusting demeanor and professionalism that lend to her skills of coordinating our changing plans while giving our pit bull the attention and love she deserves while we're away. Mecca's adaptability and skills at taking care of our dog in our home is appreciated and leaves us confident that our dog and home are safe in her hands. Mecca is awesome!

Personable, professional, trustworthy and loves your pets!! We have been using Mecca and her team for over a year and they have never let us down! They always followup after visits with photos and they are so sweet with our dogs. Highly recommended!

Mecca and her crew are absolutely wonderful! I received daily pictures and constant updates. We even had to coordinate an unexpected vet visit while we were gone and Mecca handled it beautifully - I didn’t have to worry about my fur babies for one moment.

Mecca has been taking care of my pups for over 3 years. My boys feel like they are home every time they see her. Whether we are at her house or ours I know they are safe and are in amazing hands! I would recommend her to anyone and everyone looking for someone to take care of their babies.

Mecca is hands down the most amazing pet sitter I have ever come in contact with. She is so helpful and makes sure you feel very comfortable while you're away. Whenever I leave town I know my fur babies are in the best care possible. Thank-you Mecca!!

Mecca has always loved animals. But she doesn't just do pet sitting! If you are going on a short or extended trip, she will spend time with your pets while you're away. She also does dog walking, as well.

Mecca is amazing! My dogs literally go straight to her house when they occasionally escape the yard. They LOVE her and so do I! HIGHLY recommend!

Mecca is the best and really cares for the animals that she sits and walks. I only use it for one service however I plan on using her for more.

Does a great job watching our dogs

Tried to charge $115 a night as if it were a Four Seasons Pet Resort.