Dog Trainer Houston Action Dogs USA

Ive been bringing my dog here for about 6 months and I've never had any issues. The grooming is great and the day boarding is great. It's cheap too! You can drop your dog off for day boarding from 7am to 630pm and it only costs about $20!! So what is that? less than $2 an hour?? Try finding a babysitter for your actual child that's that cheap!! the groomer is great, my dog has a mohawk and she cuts it perfect every time. The service from the staff are all great, and now when I walk in, everyone knows me and my dog by name. This place is very accomodating as well. I can usually make same day appointments for grooming, I've never been turned away. Yes, the place does have an odor when you walk in, but with all these dogs everywhere, who wouldn't expect it? Not sure about the bad reviews on here, but for me, I've personally not had any issues. This place is great and always has been and I will continue to bring my dog here and highly recommend this place to others. more

My 14-yr old beagle and 12-yr old mini-schnauzer had never been boarded; I was a basket-case when I had to board them for 41/2 days. more

I almost wish there were away to award negative stars on this review. I would seriously think twice about bringing your dog here if I were you. Number 1, no matter what anyone tells you up front your dog will not receive the supervision or care that you are promised. This facility has a constant turn-over of staff so that by the time someone could possibly get to know your animal or how to properly care for them they will have been fired or quit. Despite what their receptionists say to you the staff are not trained as thoroughly as you are led to believe. Urban Tails spends more money and time training other facilities' staff members than their own. Secondly If you are fortunate enough to have the same person hand over your pet as the one you delivered him to you can be sure you will not be able to receive any info on your animal from them. More often than not the answer heard is ""I do not know"" or ""I was not involved with your animal particularly"". It always seems that whoever was taking care of your animal has just left or is not in for that day. The facility does have an interesting feature in that they have web cams set up so you can watch the animals playing on daycare. However if you happen to be running a computer and watch on these low resolution wonders all you will see is your dogs pretty much doing whatever they would like on an extremely urine saturated floor while a staff member lounges on top of cages. The few times I have gone into the back to use the restroom all I was greeted to was dogs clamoring on the fence while staff members yell at the top of their lungs. Now all that being said if you are the audacious type like me and would like to speak to someone in charge about your concerns you will undoubtedly be met by the owner not being in and a referral to speak with the manager Nancy. When you finally get through to Nancy you will be met with hostile indifference and/or ignorance of either your dogs issues or even the fact that he was in the building. My honest opinion of this place is they are way better at selling themselves (ie; lying) than they are at actually providing dog care. And don't even get me started on the odor or overall cleanliness of this facility. AVOID!!!!!!!!!!! more

I came to you with a list of specific issues I was having with my 7 month old standard poodle, Penny. Top of the list was that Penny be comfortable with me in a cafe setting where I could have coffee or a bite to eat. I had given Penny some early training lessons and she knew the basics of stay, sit, come. more

I just wanted you to know that something you taught during the class really helped with a problem I have been unable to solve. When I walk my dogs together - or even one of them alone - and one of them sees another dog walking on the other side of the street, she goes nuts more

He is either a full-fledged GENIUS?.or a dog in people?s clothing! Ella, my sweet Boxer rescue, was so obstreperous that I thought I?d have to find another home for her. In desperation, I contacted Caryl. In ONE SESSION, He taught ME how to communicate with and handle my monster. Ella is becoming a wonderful, well-behaved dog?.and she is obviously enjoying our training sessions. I am very excited and plan to continue with our work. more

just wanted to take a moment to properly thank you. Before you came to my rescue, I was at my wit's end. My darling little fluff ball of a puppy was turning in to a huge fluffy beast with really big teeth and a propensity to use them. more

Your facility at Action Dogs USA is absolutely beautiful and we would recommend you to anyone that needs help turning their family dog into the dog of their dream. more

After the first visit, Molly was a changed dog. No more jumping and stealing food. Amazing. more

We are so happy with what we've accomplished. Finally, something that works with Bingo. more

The first time we boarded our dog here, August 2010, we thought the place was okay. Our dog seemed happy enough. However, the last two times, Christmas 2010 and February 2011, things seemed to have changed somewhat. Our dog was hesitant and ears down, as if in fear. The February boarding was worse. Our dog had what I can only describe as a feral look on her face and very unsure, with ears down again. The reception area reeked of stale urine, making my eyes smart. What it was actually like back where the dogs are kept, I'd hate to think. The dog blanket we leave is returned is such a smelly, gross state it's as if it hasn't been washed for years! Our dog shall not be returning here again. more

If you care about your pet, do not take them here. As one of the reviews states below, we also tried to give Urban the benefit of the doubt by boarding our beloved dog there not once, but twice. The first time he came back with a parasite that the vet informed us was from contaminated drinking water. SICK. Giving Urban the benefit of the doubt, we boarded him there for our next 4-day vacation. Hidden costs is an understatement. They flat out lied to my husband and told him they had ""nothing on file"" for his reservation, and had him book another. They have no double charged us for two reservations and are shrugging their shoulders as if they are helpless. (We were charged $380 for 4 nights for one 8 lb morkie). While I can handle the money - that isn't even where I fault this dilapidated property the most. It's the fact that we cannot even bring his bed inside because it is reeks of urine and is wet. For a ""luxury"" boarding facility, it seems as though I actually just paid for my dog to be affirmatively mistreated while we were gone. I am furious. I would AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS, honestly. more

I would like to point out that none of the reviews on this site are up to date for Urban Tails so please read this with the understanding that YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF! I took my beloved pet there only a few times before I realized the crooks that were running this facility. Not only are there hidden costs everywhere but your pet is not being looked after to the extent that you are told. For example, my little pup has extreme anxiety and while I was so excited to be told that they would get playtimes and activities, being given a bed full of urine and a sopping wet dog upon pick up makes me believe he was neglected and this became a reoccurring experience. No report cards were given and when I asked about the state of all of the belongings no one had an answer. I was assured that each member of the staff is trained, but it seemed like every time I was in there and asked for someone I became familiar with they ""were no longer with the company"" and there was a new face taking my darling. I even asked the front receptionist how long some of the people had been there and they confidently said ""they just started"" - how can you tell me that this company invests any kind of time into their employees if they are constantly ""no longer with the company""? A free bath and a bs answer as to why all of these things have happened does not make up for the fact that I have spent well over $2000! I would like to know what they are spending their profits on, the inside stinks of urine, the walls are falling apart and the ceiling is covered with brown water spots- the people handling the dogs look like they could clean up a bit as well. It is very easy to inform people of the information you want them to know which is what they have done with me so I am taking it upon myself to inform prospective clients to LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE, you will be dissatisfied and will spend well over what is a ""fair"" price, especially since they are neglecting your pet. On a good note, my dog did enjoy the other dogs there, but they are animals after all and thankfully they can be oblivious to a rip-off when it is looking them square in the face. Urban Tails should be closed or at the very least? reported. more

A great place to bring your dog. I have brought mine there several times. He loves it. The staff are very well trained in all aspects of dog knowledge. Feel very good bringing my dog to Urban Tails. You can also take a tour any time during business hours. That is a plus... It's funny how when someone has something bad to say about Urban Tails they can't even put their real name. Makes you wonder..... Pros: Very experienced staff more

As the owner of two ""high maintenance"" dogs (one acquired after the first one passed away), Urban Tails is such an asset to my life. I've been a weekly regular there for 3 years now. The staff there has taken the time to learn about the special needs of each of my dogs and accommodate those needs with a smile, rather than an objection. My current dog always looks forward to going to visit her friends (two and four legged) there. The staff greets us by name when we arrive and are essentially extended members of the ""pack"" (to use dog-speak). The cage-free boarding and doggy-cam that allows us to keep an eye on our dog while we traveling allows us to rest easy at night when we are away. The location can't be beat--right on the edge of downtown, easy access to and from Hwy 59--makes it so easy to drop by on my way to and from work. I've never used grooming services there, but I have taken dog obedience training there and am pleased to report that their love of pets is reflected in their training classes--positive reinforcement techinques are used, not negative reinforcement and the small size of the classes insures you and your pet get the attention you need. Yes, there's a slight odor, but at a doggy day-care facility, do you expect for it to smell like a pot-pourri shop? Personally, I'd prefer the knowledge that all who work there care so much about the pets that they are taking care of. Pros: cage-free boarding, very attentive and knowledgable staff more

My dogs haven't boarded here, but I've been taking my two golden retrievers to the Bow Wow Beach Club, an indoor dog park at Urban Tails, and although the hours have been cut back recently due to lack of attendance, and i've not been able to come often anymore, we had a terrific experience there. It is as clean as it can possibly be. My dogs enjoyed the pool and the special attention they've always had from the staff. I've gotten great advice about training and nutrition and socialization. Pros: Knowledgeable personnel; great beach club Cons: Beach Club hours don't fit my schedule anymore. more

As one of the owners of Urban Tails we want to assure Houston pet owners that high quality pet care is our focus and priority. We are actively involved in the daily operations of our business and the pet care industry through the Pet Care Services trade association. We are always available to our clients and are disappointed that the reviewers did not ask to speak to us about their concerns. We take seriously all feedback from customers and use this information to improve our services and staff training programs. We are happy to provide references to clients that have had issues, but continue to use our services. Pets boarding with us have detailed records kept on eating and eliminations and we do provide pets with items that are brought from home and services that they purchase. We staff our facility 24/7 and train staff to monitor all pets for health and minimizing stress. With an indoor facility odors are a challenge, however, we continually work on improving our cleaning procedures and try new products; we recently installed a central wet/vac system that has helped tremendously. We do follow accepted industry cleaning and disinfecting standards and the health record of pets attending our facility is excellent. Our focus is to provide a safe and fun facility for pets to board, groom, train and attend daycare. We have been in business since 1999 with many long-term satisified customers. We ask that you stop by for a tour and make up your own mind on whether Urban Tails is a good fit for you and your pets. Houston pet owners are very fortunate to have many good pet facilities available. If you do not choose Urban Tails, please choose a member of Pet Care Services Association (fka ABKA) as only members agree to abide by a Code of Ethics, Pet Bill of Rights, and industry standards and practices. Pros: 24/7 staffing, indoor pool, extended pick-up hours available more

I have taken my dog in a few times for boarding and have decided to stop taking her there due to the smell. She comes back smelling like urine. Overall, this place has a problem with hygiene, which is a shame because the staff and owners seem like great people. more

I wasn't going to go to this place after reading the reviews on yahoo local, but my neighbor's Yorkie was SO cute I had to ask her where she took him to get groomed. Well, it smells like urine a bit inside, but I'm sure the smell is partially due to the huge bones they sell too. The groomer did a very good job. Exactly as I told her. I was afraid she would forget since I have 2 Yorkies and they have to be cut differently, and she wasn't writing it down. To my surprise, they came out perfect and content. Usually, one of them is SHAKING like crazy. I've usually never gone back to groomers after the first time because I'm so picky and spoil my dogs, but I like this place for grooming Pros: Nice to the dogs, lots of parking Cons: Smells like urine more

Our dog knows when we're blocks away, and can't wait to get out of the car when we get there! We use the day care, boarding and grooming facilities, and have always found the staff helpful and attentive. It's like ""Cheers"" for our dog - everybody knows her name. As to the other review - I think it's normal for your dog to be a little out of sorts after having spent a few days in a new place - especially one that's essentially an indoor dog park. more