Dog's Play

Adopted my dog here & they have been nothing short of amazing! Meet & greet was great - I could tell they really cared about seeing if we were a good match. They even offered to bring him to an obedience class so I could see him in another environment and train with him before deciding to adopt. This is my first time adopting a stray and they have been basically on call consultants to help me through the process. Thank you all! Highly recommend💖 Can't wait to see him learn and grow through weekly obedience training!

My dog Frances -- a challenging little live wire -- has been going to Dog's Play for boarding, training and day care, and we've taken training classes with Julie and Keith. We've seen a huge improvement in reactivity and in her general confidence thanks to the caring and knowledgeable people there. They have a love and understanding of all dogs, even the quirky ones, which gives me confidence that she's getting everything she needs. They are also great communicators with the humans, which I appreciate. She returns home happy, healthy, and better than before! Love this place!!

Julie and the team at Dog’s Play have been a game-changer for our “way too smart” poodle puppy, Sassy. Julie uses positive reinforcement methods that have helped us work through several problem behaviors, all while building real trust and teamwork between Sassy and her humans. Her puppy training classes have been genuinely fun, and they’ve sharpened both our skills and Sassy’s. As a one-pup household, day camp & train and board & train have been huge for us too — not just for the days we need off or are traveling, but because they give Sassy a chance to socialize and play with other dogs. She comes home tired, happy, and consistently better behaved since we started. Best of all, she’s always happy to see Julie and the rest of the team, greeting everyone with a wagging tail. It says a lot when your dog is genuinely excited to go somewhere for training.

I cannot begin to describe how beautiful it is to behold Julie Hughes' relationship with dogs. She understands them and loves them and respects them for who they are. Julie uses positive reinforcement and gentle redirection to train the animals under her care, and both trainer and dog seem to genuinely enjoy every minute of it! The mutual trust that evolves from this care is evident to all. My husband and I initially attended training with Julie and Keith Nichols on Saturday mornings at Magnolia Parke. We have four dogs, and although they are all seniors (some with very limited mobility), Julie took time to work with each of our babies AND to let us know when she thought they needed to rest. Somehow, our most mobile dog, who was 11 years old at the time, even managed to pass his Canine Good Citizenship test, thus proving that an old dog CAN learn new tricks when he works with great instructors! I have never seen Julie become upset or frustrated despite witnessing her interact with/help MANY reactive dogs. Her calming presence is contagious to pet owners who might otherwise panic, get embarrassed, or feel guilty when their dog "misbehaves" -- instead, the owners are encouraged to give themselves and their pet grace, reminded that mistakes will happen, and encouraged to just keep trying. My husband and I were so impressed with Julie and Keith's skill, passion, and technique with animals that after our own dogs had "graduated" from training, we decided to volunteer with Dog's Play to help enrich the lives of other pups. We now assist with some of Julie's fosters (because, yes, in addition to running a business, providing training, and managing a boarding facility, Julie also makes a point to save at-risk dogs from the shelter or other bad situations). We socialize them and participate in training, as appropriate -- and it is truly rewarding. In addition to being great at what they do (this is obviously a calling for each of them vs. being just a "job") -- Julie and Keith are two extraordinarily kind and caring human beings. So rest assured, you AND your dog(s) will be in great hands with Dog's Play!