Dog Gone Smart has been serving generations of pet lovers in our area for over 30 years and pride ourselves on being a family, not a franchise! Our dedicated professional staff will take care of all your dog's needs to make Dog Gone Smart a loving, safe, fun and happy home away from home for your dog!
Training & services
Training goals
Obedience training
Socialization
How training happens
Board and train
Dog age
Puppies
Additional services
Boarding
Daycare
Dog walking
Grooming
Other listed services
View 4 additional details
Dog sitting (in-home)
Other pet sitting (in-home)
Dog Hikes
Dog Swims
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Questions & answers
From Google
What people have asked about this business.
What are the requirements and costs for overnight pet boarding for a medium-large breed dog?
For overnight pet boarding of a medium-large breed dog, certain requirements and costs apply. Every pet must undergo an evaluation to determine the right playgroup before boarding. Health requirements also need to be met, such as ensuring your dog's vaccinations for DHPP, Rabies, and Bordetella are up-to-date. As for the pricing, the boarding cost for a medium-large breed dog is $75 per night under the Standard Accommodations option. Additional activities like personal walks or swim sessions can be arranged if desired.
What kind of training methods do you use for aggressive dog training, and how are they tailored to address specific behavioral issues?
For aggressive dog training, our center uses a mix of understanding natural canine instincts and positive motivational methods. This means we focus on how dogs think and behave naturally and use rewards and encouragement to guide them to better behavior. Each training session is tailored to address specific issues, like aggression. We start with one-on-one lessons to get to the root of the problem, whether it's fear or resource guarding. This personalized approach helps create a calm and predictable environment at home, making life better for both dogs and their families.
Can you tell me more about the one-on-one dog training sessions and how they can help improve my dog's obedience and behavior?
One-on-one dog training sessions are designed to help improve your dog's obedience and behavior by focusing on positive bonding between you and your pet. These private lessons can either take place in your home or at the training facility, which makes them really convenient for busy pet owners. The sessions are personalized and can address general manners, obedience, or more specific behavioral issues like fear, separation anxiety, or reactivity. By combining natural canine instincts with positive reinforcement tactics, these sessions aim to promote predictable behavior and a calm household environment. You can reserve a lesson online or contact the training team directly to decide the best way forward for you and your dog. Each session costs $175, providing an effective option for tackling behavioral challenges.
What specific services do you offer for puppy training that can help socialize my young dog and build good habits early on?
We offer several specific services designed to help your puppy socialize and build good habits. One popular program is our Puppy Swim sessions available for dogs aged eight weeks to a year. These sessions let your puppy gain confidence in the water in a safe setting. We also have comprehensive puppy programs that focus on understanding canine behavior, helping your pup develop good manners and positive behavior early on. Through structured training and group activities like playtimes and hikes, puppies can interact with other dogs in a healthy way, learning essential socialization skills. All services are managed by experienced professionals who ensure a fun, safe environment tailored to puppy development.
Do you offer dog daycare services where my pup can interact and play in a safe environment?
Yes, we offer dog daycare services where your pup can safely interact and play. Our specialized daycare program provides a fun and active day for dogs, with plenty of exercise and socialization under the careful supervision of experienced professionals. It’s a great way for your dog to enjoy engaging in playtime while staying safe and well-cared for.
What does your specialized puppy training program involve and how can it help improve my puppy's obedience and behavior?
Our specialized puppy training program helps your puppy learn good behavior and obedience in a fun and positive way. We use natural canine instincts along with motivational methods to teach your puppy how to listen and behave well. This is great for building a strong bond between you and your pup right from the start. Our trainers guide you through common issues like manners, obedience, and things like separation anxiety. It’s all about helping your puppy grow into a happy, well-behaved dog that fits in perfectly with your family. You can even enjoy one-on-one lessons at home or at our center to make sure the training fits your needs.
Is there any flexibility with the dog daycare drop-off and pick-up times to accommodate a busy work schedule?
The dog daycare provides open-door policies with flexible drop-off and pick-up times during the mornings and mid-day. This setup is designed to accommodate a variety of schedules, making it easier for busy pet owners to fit daycare into their day without too much hassle. Additionally, there’s a convenient curbside valet service to help with drop-offs and pickups, which can be coordinated through their text-only number.
I'm looking for a place to bring my dog swimming on the weekends. He is a Plott Hound mix 100 pound. He needs to loose weight I've heard swimming is good for dogs that are overweight. Could stay with him and can I get in the pool with him??
The weekend swimming option for dogs over 100 pounds, like a Plott Hound mix, isn’t available because in the described services, Puppy Swim sessions are specifically designed for younger pups aged eight weeks to one year. These sessions are scheduled during the weekdays, from Monday through Friday at 10 AM. If you're interested in weekend options, consider checking with local facilities that offer weekend swimming sessions or consulting your vet for exercise alternatives to help your dog lose weight safely.
5/5We’ve had the opposite experience with the pool than another reviewer. No one has ever thrown our dogs into the pool, and we haven’t found it unsafe at all. It’s been excellent. We started swimming as a therapeutical activity for one of our dogs with back issues and he’s noticeab…Read full reviewClose full review
We’ve had the opposite experience with the pool than another reviewer. No one has ever thrown our dogs into the pool, and we haven’t found it unsafe at all. It’s been excellent. We started swimming as a therapeutical activity for one of our dogs with back issues and he’s noticeably improving.
We’ve had great experiences over the many years we’ve used DGS. They are very knowledgeable, friendly and most of all trustworthy.
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Amy Reid
5/5
The staff who watch the dogs have a friendly loving attitude!
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Evan Brookshire
5/5
My English bulldog loves this place. They treat him like family there! We highly recommend this place. I wouldn’t send my dog anywhere else. Definitely worth checking out if looking for a dog day care.
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Erik
1/5We went for the pool because our normal swimming places are frozen, would not go back because the pool is not safe or accessible to older dogs or dogs with injuries. Safer long term to go to swimming areas with ramped access.
Folk were friendly but either lacking training or inex…Read full reviewClose full review
We went for the pool because our normal swimming places are frozen, would not go back because the pool is not safe or accessible to older dogs or dogs with injuries. Safer long term to go to swimming areas with ramped access.
Folk were friendly but either lacking training or inexperienced with dogs and a bit disorganized.
The pool looked good for humans but was not designed for dogs with a single very steep set of corner stairs and high walls making strains on exit more likely if the dog is strong enough to haul themselves out.
We gave specific instructions to them that our dog loved the water, was very comfortable swimming, was well trained, knew a list of commands, is slow to build/quick to lose trust from past trauma, and that we didn't want anyone to pick him up or force him into the pool.
First thing they did was pick him up and toss him into the pool where he panicked and couldn't get out because they held him and then because of the poor pool design.
Fortunately, the employee stepped back when I asked so I could rebuild trust via smaller steps, using his commands, establishing a routine, and lots of rewards. By the end of the half hour appointment he was comfortable putting all four feet on the narrow top step of the pool but not getting all the way in the pool with the employee waiting in the water. We went home and he went straight to the bath tub and climbed in asking for a bath.
We briefly saw one of the day care areas, the floor was mostly hidden because there were so many dogs, the one person in there had to move slowly or they would've stepped on one.
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Jen Tor
5/5
We're from Stamford and we have plenty of options in our side of town for dog sitting but we know quality and care of our furbabies. We've tried them all and our furbabies love DGS and so do we. We would highly recommend.
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.
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