Shady Mountain Pet Retreat

For more than three decades, I have been a successful professional trainer who has trained thousands of dogs and their humans. My training approach centers on positive reinforcement and I steer clear of any aversive tools like e-collars, prongs, and choke chains. I am also an award-winning author with 46 books on pet care, some of which have topped best-seller lists. My area of expertise extends to creating humane dog training tools, distributed globally. I possess the ability to interpret dog behavior, much like people read a book, which allows for instant understanding of training requirements. It is essential to note that I do not use aversive methods in my balanced training regimen as they are unnecessary for the training process.

Located in the mountains of Western and Central Virginia, Shady Mountain Pet Retreat is a luxurious, exclusive boarding and training facility. Our pets visit us to escape the monotony of their everyday lives while learning at the same time. Our guests reside in temperature-controlled suites complete with raised beds, windows, doggy doors with private access to their own courtyard. Alongside this, our facility offers an array of amenities like large play yards, wading pools, climbing equipment, a fort over three stories high, hiking trails, and an agility training yard, among others. Our retreat also possesses a K9 therapy and conditioning pool. The training services available at our retreat, which range from on and off obedience lessons to great hiking companion training, therapy dog training, and media production animal training, aim to create obedient pets with good behavior. We also offer private lessons, which can be scheduled on request.

The retreat is owned and operated by a professional animal behaviorist and trainer with 46 published pet books, several of which have topped the best-seller lists. We pride ourselves on ensuring that our guests return home happy, healthy, and exhausted.