About Shady Mountain Pet Retreat

What they do

Shady Mountain Pet Retreat has been running since 2005. It is primarily a boarding facility – the site describes large indoor/outdoor suites with community play yards, a log exterior blending with the Virginia mountainside it is nestled in, and staff on site 24 hours a day – with training built alongside it.

Training is offered in person and virtually. The **virtual lessons** are described in some detail: weekly or twice-weekly hourly sessions by phone or computer, going over current concerns and behavior issues while working on obedience training and behavior modification. The business recommends this route specifically for dogs younger than three months, very shy dogs, owners with personal health concerns, and anyone living too far away for in-person work, on the reasoning that "Many young puppies or shy dogs cannot learn well when suddenly in a new environment." Program length and pricing are set by phone.

Private lessons remain available to two groups the facility will not board: unneutered male dogs over eight months of age, and aggressive dogs.

Method

The site states its position plainly. It rejects e-collars outright, and says of what it does instead: "We proudly produce happy, well-adjusted pets, who perform with a smile and wagging tail, via positive reinforcement methods."

Who runs it

Miriam Fields-Babineau, listed as CEO, president, trainer, writer and dog product designer. Her own account: she has authored dozens of books on dog breeds, care and training, including "Click and Easy: Clicker Training for Dogs," "Training Mixed Breed Dogs," "ABCs of Positive Dog Training" and, most recently, "Doodle Dogs for Dummies." A puppy training title written in association with Bardi McLennan received an award of excellence from the Dog Writers Association in 2011. She has worked in the production industry since 1983, providing trained animals of several species for movies, television, commercials and print ads, and also trains cats.

Credentials

Ask which certifications are held. Several credential marks appear on the site as badge images; ask what they stand for.

Practical detail

Amherst, Virginia, positioned in its own copy between Charlottesville and Lynchburg. The entry requirements are the strictest in this metro and are published at length: hard copies of negative antigen fecal tests covering giardia and coccidia, all required vaccinations including leptospirosis and bordetella, current heartworm and flea preventatives, and a ten-day home quarantine for any dog that regularly attends doggie daycare. Testing is recommended two weeks before arrival because treatment can take ten days. Dogs showing any sign of parasites are not allowed out of their vehicles. Because the play yards are stone dust with some gravel mixed in, dogs that eat rocks or other inappropriate objects cannot be accepted, and dogs often play together unobserved so that they get maximum exercise – something the facility asks owners to be comfortable with in advance.