Client Testimonials
Emily Thompson
18:31 17 Aug 22
Janet has been wonderful to work with on socializing and training our puppy. He got very sick while he was staying with her and we were away on vacation. Janet nursed him back to health, buying and cooking him a special diet. We are so... grateful to have someone like Janet, that we can trust. It’s been invaluable to have her expertise to rely on while our puppy transitions from adoption to our family.read more
Irina Golovanich
19:32 26 Jul 22
High, high, high recommend for Janet and Pawz for Health. I got Milo when he was about 11 weeks old and needed guidance on how to train him so we both could have a good start/build a good foundation. Janet is very knowledgeable and... accommodating, Milo took to her right away. He spent 1 week at PFH Puppy Camp. Janet would send video updates and was responsive to any e-mails/questions. Milo had a blast, made new puppy friends, and learned a lot of skills quickly, which have been easy to continue with once he came back home since Janet provided us with a schedule, tips, and advice before and after camp.I would have Milo do another week with Janet in a heartbeat.read more
Janet Oquendo CPDT-KA / ADBC
01:57 19 Jul 22
I am the owner of Pawz for health. Thank you for reading my reviews! For some reason Google is not posting all the wonderful client reviews! I hope you are able to see the positive experience the clients have has from the few reviews... Google have allowed through! I look forward to being able to be of assistance to you and your dog or puppy!read more
Rebecca Sturtevant
14:56 16 Jul 22
Janet is wonderful and so easy to work with. After meeting with Janet for our consultation, we decided that the board and socialization camp was the right fit for my puppy, Addie.Going into it, Addie was fearful and lacking confidence,... but after two weeks with Janet, she has gained so much confidence and really enjoys playing with other puppies.Since being home, you can just see the confidence in Addie in the way she walks outside, explores things that she would have avoided before, and in her interactions with other dogs.Before, she would stand frozen next to me when we’d take walks outside. And now, you can tell that she’s thinking about engaging with other dogs right away instead of running away from them, hiding or freezing. She even let a puppy she didn’t know very well play with her after a few minutes of interaction recently! She is continuing to build up her confidence, but she would not have gotten to where she is today without Janet.I would definitely use Janet again. I cannot thank her enough in helping Addie gain confidence and learn how to engage (and enjoy) playing with other dogs.read more
Sally Ryan
13:55 08 Jul 22
We sent our 9 week old standard Bernadoodle to Janet for her two week socialize and train program -- and we couldn't have been more pleased. When our puppy came home he was no longer nipping, could walk w/o issue on his leash, did well in... his crate (after 2 days of acclimating to home) and was just a happier, more relaxed little guy. Janet was easy to work with and kept us updated throughout the process. We drove 3 hours to reach her and she is absolutely worth the trip!read more
Donna Butler
01:03 28 Jun 22
I can't say enough about Janet! She was literally a lifesaver for my puppy Rex and me. I've owned dogs but never a puppy, so I wasn't as prepared as I thought. Potty training, puppy biting, leash walking, separation anxiety ...all puppy... issues we were experience. With my first my first consultation with Janet -- she immediately made a positive impact. She guided me through some basics about puppies ... I felt so bad but she immediately reassured me and motivated me! The scheduled she sent me was awesome and got me and Rex on track the very same day, and I was so happy to have help. I invested in the 2-week puppy board and train. I was a bit nervous and missed my little guy. The first day report had me very stressed but OMG! My little guy made such progress in just the first couple of days! He's been home 4 days now and it's night and day! He's still a puppy, but we're both trying really hard, and we're relaxed and confident -- we're on the right track together. And Janet has made herself available and checked in on us too. I highly recommend Janet .. and would suggest a consultation with her BEFORE you even bring your fur baby home. You won't regret it -- this is a worthwhile investment for the well-being of this awesome pet who will be with you for a long time. Thanks Janet!!read more
Kristin Turner
16:29 19 Jun 22
I found Janet through a combination of Google searches and referrals. I was looking for someone to help me train my 9-week old pandemic puppy since I was a first time owner. I was not disappointed!Always the professional, Janet was... always on-time, attentive and compassionate with her guidance and advice. She maintains the perfect balance between being firm and gentle/loving. Janet helped, and continues to help, me navigate my dog’s developmental milestones (as he’s now 1.5yrs old!) and has established a framework for my dog to be a well-adjusted and deeply loved member of our family.Janet is more than just a short-term trainer, she is a long-term resource for bringing out the best in your dog. Great investment!read more
Will Remik
18:59 18 May 22
Janet has been a godsend during the process of training my new puppy. When I first got my puppy, I thought I knew everything and training would be a breeze... but I was wrong. After a few weeks, I decided to organize some training times... with Janet to try and understand how to best work with my pup. She takes a great approach to training, listens to what issues you feel like you're having, and teaches you how to address them. There was not a question that I had which she didn't know how to answer and address.We had a total of four training sessions in addition to the first consultation and I feel like I have a completely new puppy. I highly highly highly recommend Janet!EDIT: After reading some of the other reviews, I just wanted to add that Janet was always incredibly responsive to any messaged I had for her. Outside of scheduling appointments, I texted Janet a few times to show her the progress of my puppy and she always responded quickly, even though that was not an agreed upon service. Janet is amazing with communication and very flexible with scheduling!read more
Erica Moriggia
01:50 28 Apr 22
We adopted our beautiful girl Kali at 15 weeks. She was under socialized, extremely anxious, and ridden with separation anxiety! We didn't feel we could tackle these issues alone, as we have limited access to puppies her age in our... area.We found Janet at Pawz for Health after a lot of searching and loved the natural, positive reinforcement approach to training and behavior. Everywhere else we saw uses e-collars and promises not to shock your dog...which we found unrealistic. We love our puppy's personality, individuality, and spirit, and we didn't want her to be scared into submission.Kali spent 9 days with Janet, and we received updates and videos regularly documenting her progress! Our girl went from shrieking her head off in the crate to settling for enforced naps for 4 hours at a time. She has no accidents inside, enjoys playtime to the fullest, and has puppy play-dates with another dog her age who she now knows how to interact with. Furthermore, Janet provided us with a ton of dietary and behavioral info, as well as some natural remedies and supplements.Thank you so much Janet for giving us the best tools for success with our amazing girl Kali!read more
Christina Granville
15:17 27 Apr 22
Paws for Health is a hidden gem in Silver Springs Maryland. My partner and I were at our wits end with our new puppy and then we found Janet! Janet is the true definition of unconditional love with highly effective training methods. Our... puppy completed the socialization camp and had the time of his dog on life lol. We still schedule 1 to 1 training sessions with Janet to continuously learn more about our pup. Janet is an amazing trainer and will guide you on the right path with your pet. You will be very satisfied!read more
Shante Buchanan
16:55 23 Apr 22
I originally sent my puppy to Janet for socialization and house breaking as he was a very timid pup at 12 1/2 weeks. Dash has never been socialized and and it concerned me as he was extremely scared of other dogs. Janet turned it all... around!!!!! After a few days Dash became extremely playful and had alot more structure, as I struggled to housebreak him, Janet assisted in so many ways. I decided to go with the 2 week program after the first week of progress that I saw out of my pup. I would Recommend anyone to Janet that don’t think it can happen or see no hope because she will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Janet Is attentive, responsive and she cares. I even followed up with Janet once I picked my pup up and she did not hesitate to provide me with the answers and feedback that I needed, she even recommended places and things my pup could benefit from after her camp. I would recommend Janet to all the puppy owners actually I wish she had a puppy daycare :), I would surely send Dash back. I felt so at ease while Dash was in her possession.read more
Caleb Calhoun
17:52 15 Apr 22
My wife and I have a lab/blue heeler mix puppy. When we first got him, he had no idea how to act with other dogs, we couldn't put him in his crate without him barking through the night, and he absolutely refused to walk with us.We did... the five training sessions plus the socialization camp with Pawz for Health. Since then, we've had almost no issues with him going in his crate (he sleeps through the night no problem), he's very well-behaved around puppies and adult dogs alike, and while walking is still a bit of a work in progress, he's much more confident now. We used to not be able to leave the property, and now he'll walk 4-5 blocks at a time, and the distance is increasing.I would definitely recommend Pawz for Health to anybody with a new puppy. It's been very helpful to us.read more
Bonnie Weaver
02:11 14 Apr 22
We had a wonderful experience with Pawz for Health Puppy Camp. After a week at the camp, our puppy Maddy came back much calmer, with less (or really no) biting and more attentive to our instruction. Janet Oquendo is truly amazing with the... dogs and we would recommend her training and puppy camp to anyone with a new dog. Honestly, I think it should be required for new dog owners! Dogs and their owners would be happy for life.read more
Steph Sforza
17:11 04 Apr 22
Janet was very knowledgeable & helpful even with things not directly covered in the puppy board and training. I liked her corrected me so I was a more effective owner. Janet did a good job of explaining other ways of doing things when... they didn't respond to the original way of doing it. She is awesome and wonderfully patient. Everything was fabulous! I would highly recommend her as a very knowledgeable and good instructor. Awesome trainer, made it very personal to my dog, Jett. Loved the extra time she spent with our questions and all the hands on practice. I have already recommended Janet to some of my friends who have dogs.read more
mj sawyer
14:27 01 Apr 22
We adopted a 2 1/2 year old beagle, dachshund mix from our local shelter. She was quite a handful. She would either be running full blast or be sleeping, no in between. I have had many dogs in my life but nothing prepared me for this dog.... I contacted Janet to help me settle her down. After just a few weeks of working with Janet, Luna started being able to walk gently and to settle herself down. Luna has become a much calmer and relaxed dog. Janet was extremely patient, clear and supportive throughout the whole process. I strongly recommend her!read more
Cristina Contreras
19:32 18 Mar 22
We began working with Janet after our Australian Shepherd mix was extremely aggressive with visitors (snarling, snapping, etc). Our boy is a very anxious dog who had a number of issues we wanted to address. 1) Decrease aggression when new... people visit the house, 2) stop leash pulling and reactiveness on walks, and 3) decrease anxiety around children.Janet helped us address every single one of those points! It’s like he’s a brand new dog — walking him is so much more enjoyable and we can have people over without the fear of negative behavior. She equipped us with the tools to handle any of his problems. I couldn’t recommend her services enough!!Not only was Janet extremely intelligent and had answers to every one of our (many) questions, but she also worked so well with him. He definitely fell in love with her!read more
Stacie Taitague
21:11 01 Mar 22
I waited several months (about 5 months) to post this review so I could hopefully paint a full picture of the long term success we’ve experienced working with Janet.As soon as my Husband and I decided to get another puppy, we immediately... reached out to Janet with Pawz for Health and she helped us even before discussing a training plan. She gave us advice on how to introduce our (at the time) 1 year-old Frenchie to our new puppy Pepper (at the time 8 weeks old). We corresponded with her over the next few weeks and gave us tips to work on Pepper’s housebreaking, crate training, and suggested puppy socials in the area.We started bringing Pepper to a few puppy socialization classes and immediately noticed she needed to work on her confidence. It was hard to make true headway since the socialization classes were only 45 minutes and the instructors were very cautious with puppies interacting, only letting a pair play together at a time. We knew Pepper needed to be in a more immersive setting to build socialization skills and confidence early on so we opted to move forward with Janet’s board and socialization program.After Janet completed an hour assessment of Pepper (give or take on the exact time), we opted to enroll our then 11 week old Pepper in her two week board and socialization program (also opted for loose leash walking training). Janet not only observed Pepper’s behavior but really spent time talking to us to find out what kind of dog we want in our home. Along with socialization, we wanted Janet to help us with her puppy biting (she was like a little raptor), settling in her crate (she was a whiner), potential resource guarding, jumping, and loose leash walking. Even during the assessment, she noticed her nails were a bit long (again, another area we were striking out in) so she took care of those for us.After two weeks… JANET WORKED HER MAGIC! Note that all of our concerns are now in the past tense. Janet would send videos and emails to give us transparent updates. If Pepper wasn’t interacting with the dogs, she let us know, if she was guarding a stick or eating grass, she put it out there. More importantly, Janet shared the progress and showed us the breakthroughs in her behavior/training. When we picked up Pepper, Janet discussed her observations, reviewed the concerns we brought up, and taught us how to positively reinforce the behaviors we want Pepper to have. Pepper’s puppy biting transitioned to some appropriate mouthing (during teething) and now rarely occurs. Pepper loose leash walks extremely well and is eager to go on walks when she used to be a "heel digger".Even 5 months after Pepper's time with Janet, she enjoys resting in her crate (even choosing her crate on her own), plays (appropriately) with other dogs at daycare, and overall, is an absolutely great dog. Don’t get me wrong, we make it a priority to train and reinforce what we’ve learned from Janet but everyday it gets easier and feels like less work.Janet has truly given us the foundation to raise a loving, fun, and obedient puppy. Her methodologies and practices of positive reinforcement training are extremely effective and easy to incorporate in your everyday routines. I cannot praise Janet and Pawz for Health enough for her expertise, knowledge, and assistance. She truly makes it a point to not just “train your dog” but to educate and provide you the tools to have a happy and healthy relationship with your dog.read more
Michael Ng
22:29 22 Jan 22
Janet is a consummate professional, an incredible supporter, and a true dog and puppy expert. We worked with her over several weeks to train our ten week old puppy, Ella. When we brought Ella home from her foster home, she was a scaredy... cat and a ball of energy all at once, not potty trained, and desperately in need of structure. Fast forward. Shes now a 6 month old and an incredibly well behaved puppy. She sits, stays, plays with other dogs and humans alike, walks on loose leash, has great recall, and is generally calm and comfortable both in our home and in others homes. Janets methods, expertise, and strong communication skills were the huge driver in delivering these results. Almost as important as her training methods, she was a wonderful support to my wife and I as new dog owners. She was both our advisor and our supporter, and we recommend her to anyone looking for a dog or puppy trainer.read more
Max Tropin
06:36 14 Jan 22
First, I am writing this several weeks after having picked up my pup.Our Aussie pup Echo was 13 weeks old when attending the 7 Day Puppy Board and Train. I had not crate trained her from when I brought her home and her nipping was a bit... excessive (my poor socks). During walks she would want to sit down more than walk. She would also bite her own leash and not let go.Janet was very thorough in wanting to meet and see Echo for herself before allowing her to join the program. She took her time in explaining the process and answering all of my questions. She was very clear about what is realistic and the importance of reinforcing what is learned over the 7 days for continued success.The week felt long without Echo but Janet kept me updated with videos on fun and training progress. After one week I picked up my pup and I could instantly sense the maturity after being with her peers. For those who may be concerned about rough play between dogs, my pup did not have a scratch and was wagging her tail the entire time.She is still her playful self but the nipping of my feet, socks and pants have completely stopped. I'm amazed at how spending time with other pups and learning to use her bite appropriately has made a difference. She walks very well on the leash now and does not bite it. If she gets too excited she may bite it for a moment, all I have to say is drop it and she will let go.I think my favorite command is "stay." I am able to have Echo sit and stay with her food bowl several feet in front of her. She will not approach it until I allow her to. Janet has reached out to check up and offer advice during the transition back home.When I get my next puppy I will be bringing her back to Janet for another board and train. Thank you again!read more
Barbara Shortridge
17:02 12 Jan 22
Our rescue puppy, Tucker, was super shy and afraid when we got him. He had no socialization and lacked confidence. We took him to Janet at Pawz for Health for the two week training/socialization. We are very pleased with the results. ... Tucker is now a happy, confident puppy and loves meeting new people and four legged friends! He’s eager to learn! We would definitely recommend Janet at Pawz for Health.read more
Priya Raghavan
01:04 08 Dec 21
Our dog Bo is very leash reactive. We have been working on it for a while, but it just wasn’t getting any better. If anything, it was getting worse. It had gotten to the point where every walk was stressful. We wanted a trainer who was... well versed in reactive dogs and one who focused on positive training. We starting working with Janet and after 3 sessions we were able to actually sit at a cafe with a dog sitting across from us without a reaction! It was honestly such a happy moment for us. We have a very long way to go with him, but it has been such a relief to see progress.read more
Steve Bulthuis
00:50 01 Dec 21
Janet came highly recommended as a critical part of our new life with Finn, and we are more than happy to pass along that recommendation to absolutely anyone reading this. We are grateful to Janet for so many things, but among the most... important pieces of wisdom she imparted to us was how to understand our dog's way of looking at the world and how to train him (and us) accordingly. Whether it was puppy socialization camp (invaluable, especially during COVID), or tips and strategies to deal with jumping, biting/mouthing, leash-walking, basic commands, and how to calibrate interactions with the dog based on what he needs from us, her succinct and understanding style helped these first-time dog parents start this journey off on the right foot.Finn is now five months old and we have seen massive improvements in jumping, leash-walking, mouthing, and, probably most importantly, we are comfortable with his being around people who are ambivalent or unsure around dogs. This has been solely because Janet helped us set behavioral parameters for how he interacts with humans, and for that we are immensely grateful. We wholeheartedly recommend Janet's services and will keep her at the top of mind for anything that comes up as Finn grows up.read more
Dalton Galke
22:41 22 Nov 21
Janet was an amazing dog trainer! Our dog Apollo didn't have any extreme behavioral issues, but he had a lot of nuisance behaviors, like jumping on guests, playing with our decorative throw pillows, and generally being difficult to... control. We opted for a four session program and the difference we saw in Apollo was night and day. Janet taught my husband and I how to modify our interactions with Apollo so that he knows that we are the ones in charge and that we make the rules. I can confidently say how that as much as I loved my dog before, I have an even better relationship with him since we finished our training and I have learned valuable skills that I will be able to take with me for any future pets I have as well.I want to talk about the cost of training because at first, it gave us a bit of sticker shock. That being said, it quickly became clear that Janet is unquestionably professional and experienced and I will go to my grave swearing that this program was worth every penny and that for the value we got out of our training sessions the cost was extremely competitive. I cannot recommend Pawz for Health enough and if my family needs dog behavioral services in the future, we will be exclusively using Janet.read more
Val I
23:47 10 Nov 21
My boyfriend and I are first time puppy owners and at first we thought we could handle training ourselves. We live in an apartment so crate training was a nightmare because he was constantly howling and barking, we would let him out... because we were scared of our neighbors complaining. things went downhill from there. without crate training, potty training became very difficult. he realized that barking was a good way to get what he wanted and was constantly barking at us to get up in the morning, barking at the counter for treats, barking for literally no reason other than he wanted us to stop what we were doing and pay attention to him right then and there. He became very dominant and aggressive over food so we decided we needed professional help. Pawz For Health had great reviews so I contacted Janet and set up an in-person meeting. She was very knowledgeable and gave me a ton of great tips. We decided to hire her for the two week puppy training camp after that meeting. From the date of the consult to the day we dropped him off, it was about two weeks. during that time we used the tips that Janet gave us during the consult and were actually able to get him to stop growling at us if we approached during meal time. Once we dropped him off, Janet was very responsive every time we asked for an update and sent us photos and videos. we picked him up a few days ago and he’s a different dog . for one, he is completely crate trained. this was impossible for us before and has made a huge difference in our lives in just a couple days (we can finally leave the house without someone there watching him or fear of him barking constantly). second of all, his leash walking is so much better. he walks calmly next to us now. no more puppy temper tantrums of sitting down and refusing to move, pulling every which way, jumping on strangers, etc. those seem like very basic things but they make a whole world of difference, trust me. just these two changes have made our lives so much easier. additionally, he now sits patiently and waits for us to open doors, but his food bowl down, etc. before, he’d dash out the door at full speed or bark at us to hurry up with his food bowl. he has not exhibited any of that since we picked him up. he’s much calmer and independent, he no longer demands constant attention from us. every now and then it seems like hes “testing” us to see what he can get away with (Janet mentioned that he may try some of his old behaviors again once he’s back with us), but we correct him and he immediately stops. before, he was so defiant that nothing would work. now a stern “no” or “quiet” and he’s back to behaving. Since we’ve picked him up, janet has checked in with us and has been responsive when we ask her for advice on how to respond to some of these “tests.” training with Pawz for Health was worth every penny and if we ever get another pup, we’ll send him here as well. thank you so much, janet! you’ve made our lives with our Sunny boy so much more manageable and enjoyable.read more
sayaraine
22:00 20 Oct 21
Janet is awesome. She came highly recommend for us and our new puppy Rufus! Our nippy, wild puppy came back trained and while still a pup of course, Janet gave us MANY tools so we could practice. Her approach is simple yet so thoughtful.... She teaches us to be in charge. Janet only uses positive reinforcement. She reminds us to praise our puppy with love when he is good not only point out his naughty behavior. Im so so very impressed.read more
Allen Bickel
19:59 07 Oct 21
Janet is nothing short of amazing. A true dog whisperer. Our Dustin was just about a year old Wheaten Terrier and we had come to the end of the line with the chewing and destruction and overall lack of behaving. Unbeknownst to us it was us... who needed the behavior modification as everything we did seemed to encourage his behavior. With Janet's help we have a new dog that behaves himself and is a joyful family member. I cannot speak highly enough for Janet and her methods.Best Allen B. - Dustin's Fatherread more
Brian Roach
23:17 06 Oct 21
We recently adopted a very young puppy, after previously having an older and pretty mellow dog, so this has been a big change. Janet has been a huge help for us. We did 3 training sessions with her, and I wish we could do more (and of... course we might!). She has a great way with dog, and is clearly a natural "pack leader." A lot of the advice she gave us was so obvious and made so much sense, but it wasn't things we'd have thought of at all!We pitched to her the idea of moving in with us until our dog was about one, but I don't think she was willing to do that! :)I would recommend her whole heartedly and completely!read more
Michael Mitchell
01:11 15 Jul 21
Janet was amazing! Lucky was mouthy, jumped on strangers, and very active. One week with Janet, her older dogs, the puppies, and her parrots; Lucky was a new puppy. Initially, he was somewhat high strung the first day home. I guess it... was from being carefree and playing with his friends for most of the day. After the first day home he was very calm and poised. We were in awe with the new Lucky. All of our issues prior to his socialization had been addressed. We can't thank Janet enough. I jokingly called her the Dog Whisperer of Maryland during our first telephone conversation. Now, there may be some truth to that statement.read more
Alex Kosisky
13:20 14 Jul 21
Janet has been amazing! She is so knowledgeable and understanding and her advice and suggestions WORK. Janet is truly an expert on dog behavior and has helped my rescue beagle in many ways. From leash walking to item possession, to... training basic obedience, Janet is just wonderful to work with. Janet will also empower you in how you can build a closer bond with your dog. Highly recommend her!read more
Kelli Johnson
17:10 26 Jun 21
I’m convinced that Janet is the local Dog Whisperer! In February, I adopted two puppies, Biggie and Scrappy, who are littermates. When I adopted them, they were 3 lbs and 2 lbs, but my boys grew and grew… today they are each over 30 lbs... and they are only six months, so they are still growing. Not only are they bigger than I anticipated, they are also STRONG and extremely anxious to the point of being panic-stricken at times. My dogs would DRAG me on our walks, pulling so hard on the leash that they would choke themselves, so I gave up on walking them. This made house training basically impossible. They hated their crates, and their behavior was embarrassing and stressful when I had guests in my home. I am sad to say that I was on the verge of taking them back to the rescue when I LUCKILY discovered Janet and her 7-day Stay and Train program.I dropped Biggie and Scrappy off on a Tuesday. Janet told me the boys were extremely anxious and nearly panicking when she took them for their first walk. She joked that she burned 1000 calories trying to walk them! But by Wednesday morning, Janet sent me a video of Biggie walking calmly on the leash. I don't know how she made that kind of progress in 24 hours, but believe me it was nearly miraculous. Over the course of the week, Janet regularly checked in, sending me updates and videos of their progress. After the week went by, I went to pick them up, and they were different dogs! I was dumbfounded. We had some challenges their first day home as they readjusted to my house, but by mid-day their second day home, they were angels! I cannot believe how much progress my boys made in one week! I don’t know how Janet gets the results that she does, and I won’t ask her secrets. I’ll just say that I’m eternally grateful for her skills and knowledge. If your puppy is a “problem child”, I promise you that Janet can get them together! Trust me on that. If she can help my boys in such a short amount of time, she can help any dog. She is worth every penny and we look forward to more training sessions with her in the future!read more
Christian Clansky
16:23 23 Jun 21
As overwhelmed new dog parents, we searched high and low for a trainer who could help us give our 14 week-old puppy a strong and positively reinforced training foundation -- and help us make sense of the tremendous amount of training... advice floating around. Janet gave us confidence about the proper training methods and made a remarkable amount of progress with the pup in just two weeks of board-and-train. He's calmer in his crate, walks so much better on leash, and has curbed most of his nipping. And, Janet has been diligent about following up on progress. We highly recommend Pawz for Health!read more
Michelle Graham
16:43 22 Jun 21
I knew from experience that puppies are challenging but I didn't realize how much more of a challenge it would be during a pandemic. I couldn't find in-person puppy classes or playdates to social our new pup and she was quickly picking up... troublesome habits playing with our 2 large dogs. Janet (who helped with the big boys) offered a spot in her overnight camp. Just one week and what a difference! Charleigh socialized with other pups her size to learn some manners :). At Paws for Health, she enjoyed plenty of room to run and play outside AND received much needed potty training reinforcement! We've used a number of trainers over the years. Janet is hands down the best!!read more
Audrey Vorhees
18:05 11 Jun 21
Janet was a phenomenal trainer, who worked wonders with my extremely anxious, large breed dog who was exhibiting signs of aggression with strangers and in new environments. She taught me ways to slowly build up his confidence, to establish... a "safe space" for him in the house in the form of his crate, to establish good walking manners, and to generally improve our relationship dynamic with one another. After a four week session, Louie is so much more confident and happy, and i'm sure I will only continue to see improvement in the future as I continue to use the exercises Janet taught us! Cannot recommend any more highly.read more
Kaya Suner
17:57 03 Jun 21
Janet was great! I recently got a 12 week old lab mix puppy named Mac. He’s super great and well behaved but we had trouble getting him to potty outside. We contacted Janet and she was able to make things work with my tough schedule and I... actually dropped him off for her board and socialization camp the same day! Immediately upon arrival he went into her yard, played with her puppies (who he loved) and went and pooped all in just 5 minutes of my consultation with Janet. That was the first time I had ever seen him use the potty outside. I was amazed, it was like she had some sort of magic power. After I left, she continued to send me updates throughout the week on how he was doing along with videos and other information. When I picked him up, he was the same old dog I loved, but he was 99% housebroken! It was incredible. In the 3 days I’ve had him back he’s only had two accidents inside (one was right when he got back, probably just excited). Normally he would have accidents inside throughout the day before we dropped him off. He is completely transformed, loves his crate, and knows to potty outside. Not only that, but Janet actually helped me with figuring out what food he should be on as well as pointing out issues to bring up with my vet. She also bathed him before I picked him up. She continues to answer my questions even though I’ve already picked Mac up. Although the price can seem hefty, it’s completely worth it.Thank you so much from me and Mac 🙂read more
Jin Kim
17:20 03 Jun 21
Janet is great and she genuinely cares for the dog and the owner. The experience was very comforting for me as a first-time dog owner raising a pandemic pup! I really can't put a price on the peace of mind that I walked away with. I had a... lot of anxieties, but Janet really gave me the tools and skills to teach and train my pup. Her methods are extremely intuitive and I can confirm that Moby is a lot more disciplined, calm, and generally less anxious after his training sessions and puppy boarding with Janet. Highly recommend!read more
Kyle Pfister
01:01 06 May 21
Thanks to Janet, these sweet girls are very well behaved and responding amazingly to their crates. Before they were dropped off for the puppy socialization they were quite wild and it did not seem like having a sleep filled night was in... the future, but it was an amazing turn around! She has been responsive during their time there and even afterwards in helping them settle down in their new home. Janet is a gem of a person and any dog who stays with her is lucky.read more
Stacie Taitague
20:19 27 Apr 21
Like many new puppy/dog parents, trying to sift through all of the information online and what your family/friends tell you can be overwhelming. At the end of the day, it comes down to seeing results first hand and ultimately, reaping the... benefits of receiving excellent training. Janet (Pawz for Health) more than deserves her nearly perfect rating on Google Reviews and I’m sure each person who has written one wishes they could sing her praises even more.Prior to receiving training from Janet, our (at the time) 6 month old French Bulldog Andre had completed the GoodPup 101 online training and then a 3 week board and train program. I’m not knocking those programs because yes, Andre honed in on the fundamentals (sit, down, name recall, etc). However, he still displayed signs of reactivity/anxiety when around dogs he was not familiar with and leash walking needed a lot of work. My husband and I sought additional training not because Andre is a terror but because we felt we needed training as his owners. Are we being too soft? Too harsh? How long should a training session be? Why does he not always listen? How long should we try this method before we try something else?MAGICIAN! That's what I called Janet just after our behavioral consult. During our consultation, we covered a general history of Andre, previous training, socialization, our concerns, etc, and Janet provided us a lot of information on the behavior of dogs, her methodologies, and how she trains. She immediately gave us tips on getting Andre to settle while WFH and that was before we even committed to a training program.Though it might not be the norm, the following day, Janet gave us a detailed (and personalized) training program to hopefully receive the best training results. For us, it was a no brainer to move forward but if you don’t think it’s for you, she didn’t push us to commit to anything. We opted for 4 at home training sessions and I will say, lock your dates in ASAP since she is in demand (and for good reason).I don’t want to go into too much detail as far as what the training covered but I will say that her presence was immediately noticed and acknowledged by our dog (and us) and results were almost immediate. I will say this, this training is just as much for the dog owner as it is for the dog. Janet is going to show you and give you the tools to shape your dog into having positive behaviors but don’t forget, it’s your consistency. If you’re committed to following what Janet teaches you then you’ll reap the benefits of having a dog that has more confidence and you’ll also develop a stronger relationship through the process.read more
Sean Pears
13:42 25 Mar 21
We were having some issues with our puppy Safi pulling on her leash. After our sessions with Pawz for Health, she was transformed! I was really wonderfully impressed with how effective the training was, and Janet is also a pleasure to work... with.read more
Sara Pranio
13:38 23 Feb 21
We adopted a rescue puppy and two weeks in were feeling very overwhelmed with crate training. Our puppy was waking several times a night and we were all exhausted. After reading reviews and calling around, we decided to do a one-hour... consultation with Pawz for Health, and it literally changed our whole perspective. Janet came to our house and gave us direct feedback about our puppy set up, routine, and food. She told us exactly what we needed to do differently. We followed her advice that very night, and puppy went from waking every two hours, to just once a night, to sleeping through the night one week later. Literally overnight, Janet made having a puppy fun and gave us back our sleep so that we could enjoy our new family member. Janet followed up with an excellent training plan and we look forward to working with her again soon. We would absolutely recommend Janet to anyone struggling with puppyhood!read more
Krish Penumarty
23:51 22 Jan 21
My fiance and I are extremely happy with Janet and her board and socialize program! I spent over a month talking with multiple different dog training services and ultimately picked Janet because of her training methodologies. Stella didn't... get a chance to really socialize with other puppies during Covid and had some pretty bad anxiety. (Make sure you socialize as early as possible!) We were very nervous at first, but Janet made us feel at ease and we saw a completely different puppy after just one week! Janet sent over videos as well early on where she was very shy with other dogs initially but within a couple days she started playing with other dogs and was just super happy in the videos. She also gained a lot of confidence. Her biting was a big issue for us and that dropped about 90% and we understand we need to continue training her not to bite and it's been getting better over time. She is also much better on her leash and listens to commands a lot more. Overall we are so happy with our decision to choose Janet as our trainer!read more
S K
14:37 29 Aug 20
We are so happy that Janet is Yoshi's trainer. She has made it easier for us to communicate with our brand new puppy. We are first time dog parents. It was especially helpful that Janet worked with our kids to learn how to manage our... new pet and stop unwanted behaviors. Her system of crate training and getting the dog to enjoy his crate was very effective, and we feel like because he is crate trained, we have our lives back!!:)read more
Ross Wixon
02:46 22 Jul 20
We had quite a series of setbacks when we brought home our rescue dog, Freya, last October. She demonstrated some leash reactivity, particularly to dogs, but she also needed a major knee surgery that meant we couldn't work on the issue for... months — and to cap it off, she's an incredibly strong girl who can lunge after anything she wants, even with only three good legs. By the time we were able to work with her, she could not walk within 40 feet of a dog without barking and lunging.Janet's work with Freya, and with us, was great. We had a long way to go once she was cleared for activity, and Janet gave us practical exercises that not only made a difference for Freya's behavior, but also gave us confidence as owners/handlers. We now have much more control over Freya on walks, and with the strategies Janet taught us we can go by dogs across the street without issue. Freya is much more comfortable with us and in general on walks outside.read more
Hannah Clark
00:01 25 May 20
We aren’t even finished with our training process yet and have seen an IMPRESSIVE difference in the behavior of our rescue, Stella. Janet goes above and beyond to train Stella as an individual which a lot of other trainers don’t tend to... do. You can really tell how passionate she is about her career. We were having some issues with Stella being fearful of a visitor this weekend, I reached out to Janet and she was quick to respond, caring, and truly cared about Stella’s well-being even though it was a holiday weekend. I cannot wait to see the outcome of Stella’s behavior after the sessions are done because she is SO DIFFERENT in just 2 sessions! We were in a position where we didn’t know what to do anymore with her behavior and it was causing us owners so much anxiety. Rescuing a dog can be a lot of work but it’s so rewarding and I can’t thank Janet enough for believing in our girl!read more
Rebeca Cruz
20:28 19 May 20
I write this review with a heavy heart, I read all the wonderful reviews and had high hopes for this business. Unfortunately, I have not had the best experience. I constantly had to follow up with the owner over email, she is not very... responsive. Finally, we were able to get a time scheduled for her to visit with my dog and then canceled on the very hour she was supposed to arrive. I do understand her reasoning, as it was too far for her but I would have appreciated if she would have looked up our address prior to the scheduled visit, even that very morning would have sufficed as she had our address many days in advance. Canceling at the very last minute is just very unprofessional, especially when we all rescheduled our day to accommodate this time as this was an important matter for us as a family.read more
Christopher Grassi
16:11 02 May 20
My wife and I rescued an adult golden retriever that had many issues with anxiety and obedience that had us feeling very overwhelmed. He had lived on a farm for 5 years with little to no manners or concept of living in a home and had us... almost feeling hopeless. We spent hours searching for the right trainer and we were so pleased that we chose Janet.Over 6 weeks, Janet mentored us and provided a terrific insight into understanding how dogs think and how they need to be led to achieve successful training. Her approach is holistic, taking into account the dogs health, diet, and history, and she provides a custom tailored plan for you and your dog. By the end of our training, our dog who didn’t even know how to sit and would pull your arm off on a leash, was behaving terrifically and gaining us compliments from strangers on his manners.If you are feeling like we were, look no further than Janet. She brings so much more to the table than your typical trainer and her pricing is very fair and competitive with everyone else in DMVread more
Emily Wong
14:53 02 Apr 20
Janet is amazing. I recently brought home my first puppy (9 weeks old), and I thought I knew what to expect, but was quickly overwhelmed. I live in an apartment, so trying to leash and potty train at the same time was difficult, and she... was constantly biting my hands and feet with her razor sharp puppy teeth. She went to Janet for her two week board and train program, and she came home much more calm, confident, and has nearly mastered potty training. And no more biting! Janet even drove into DC to teach me how to reinforce her training at home and gave me tips on continuing her leash training and learning to go down stairs. Her two week program was money well spent and has made life with a puppy so much more enjoyable.read more
Sabrina t
00:17 02 Mar 20
Janet was wonderful to work with! We were at a loss trying to train our first puppy, Ella. Before taking her to Janet's two week puppy board and train, Ella was impossible to walk on a leash, had trouble listening to commands, and... struggled to calm down around other dogs and people. During her two weeks away, we were updated on how she was doing and received videos on her progress. Now our puppy walks like a dream on the leash and knows how to calm herself down. Janet still answers any questions we have and responds very quickly. Highly recommend!read more
Angela Lee
20:02 21 Jan 20
Janet is incredible! Highly, highly recommend! This was the best money we spent on our puppy. We worked with Janet to potty train and socialize our (at the time) 3-month old puppy. Our puppy was abandoned by her previous owner and... under-socialized. As a result, she was fearful of many things, including being outside. Her fear of the outdoors and having to transition from going to the bathroom on pee pads indoors (which we realize now was our mistake) to going to the bathroom outside made potty training very difficult. We sent our puppy to Janet's house for a 1-week puppy board and socialization program. When we picked up our puppy, she had gained a LOT of confidence and was going to the bathroom outside consistently. She no longer seems scared of being outside or the many other things she used to be scared of, including other puppies/dogs. In fact, every time she sees a dog now, she starts wagging her tail and confidently approaches them. On top of everything, Janet taught us about proper dog nutrition and gave us some other guidance and training tips as well. Everything Janet has suggested worked for us! Our puppy has continued to grow to be more confident and well-adjusted every day, and we cannot be more grateful to Janet for having put her on this path.read more
Ryan Lavery
01:20 13 Dec 19
We worked with Janet to train and socialize our puppy over a two week boarded training program at her home. Janet was a joy to work with, helped us learn how to speak and think like a dog, listened carefully to incorporate our training... goals into her program and was extremely accommodating before, during and after our training program - she allowed us to stop by for visits with our pup during the program and went above and beyond in debriefing and answering our questions about training and transferring skills to different situations and environments - including a home visit check-up a week after the program, in which she taught us the basics we could incorporate into home training to help our puppy learn new skills beyond what she learned during the program. Not only did our puppy come home with a new skill set (name recognition, crate training, sit-stays and down-stays, heeled leash walking, iron-clad potty training) and a stronger sense of self-confidence, we also learned how to be better dog parents along the way. We can't recommend Pawz for Health highly enough - we consider Janet our "go to" resource when it comes to any and all of our puppy and dog training and behavior needs. We looked into many options when considering training in the DC area for our puppy, and we can confidently say that Janet was the only trainer who we felt would love our puppy like we did while also delivering quality and effective positive reinforcement training for our dogs and us, as owners!read more
Mara and Dave Cumming
11:56 02 Nov 19
Highly recommended. Janet is a talented trainer with years of expertise, and it shows -- she is a pleasure to work with! She had our puppy walking at our side in no time, as well as helping us with a variety of other issues, from... interacting more calmly with the children to not jumping on the table. Janet is really good at teaching skills that we now use every day. We look forward to working with her again.read more
Kate Senehi
18:25 14 Jul 19
We had an excellent dog training experience with a trainer from this company. We were at our wits end with a 3 year old rescue chocolate lab that was so reactive with other dogs, we were unable to take her out for walks. In only a few... lessons (and lots of practice), we were able to learn training techniques which enable us to take her for a lovely stroll through the neighborhood. Our pup is much happier and so are we.read more
S Hunt
20:04 10 Mar 19
We learned so much from Janet! When we adopted Sushi she was about three years old, knew no commands, and was very fearful. After having her for almost 3 months with no progress, we contacted Janet. After several sessions with Janet,... Sushi was visibly much happier and relaxed, and could even sit and lie down! Janet taught us how to work with Sushi, who continues to improve every day. It was a pleasure working with Janet, for us and for Sushi!!read more
