Native Dog Wellness

Amy and her team at NDW are wonderful!
I’ve been a client of Amy’s for 2 years now and Tobie goes with her team 4 days a week. He goes with all of his dog friends to the park for an hour long play group. It’s great since he’s out with them close to 2 hours and comes home nice and tired (great for a golden retriever that’s still has puppy energy).
Amy successfully pares up the dogs to make sure they all get along in each play group. I always get a note or «report card» of how he was that day and what fun things they got to do at the park. They are all very reliable and I never have to worry about him the days he’s with Amy’s team and have complete trust in them… he gets so excited the minute he sees them pull up to pick him up at the house.
Amy is also a trainer at NEDTC where Tobie trains so she reinforces all his training… this has been a huge help with an adolescent golden. There was a period that Tobie wasn’t recalling well and Amy came up with a plan to help reinforce better behavior and get him back on track and within a few weeks he was recalling like a pro… other dog owners are so impressed when I take him to the park and he comes immediately over when called –tough for a golden at times when he’s in the middle of play. She also helped me train Tobie to be good off-​leash on hikes — something I never thought I’d be confident enough to do on my own with Tobie.
I would be lost without NDW and Amy’s team. They have been such a help for me and have definitely made me a better dog owner. They are absolutely the BEST!!!

Amy and her team are not only incredibly professional, but caring individuals who can read what a pup needs. My pup is very shy, yet Amy’s team has been able to gain her trust and affection (a difficult task). This team has been a reliable part of my pup’s life for four years, never once missing a playgroup and always adjusting to different life moments (health issues on the part of the pup, life issues on the part of the person). Amy and her team are serious about caring for dogs and make a serious contribution to the happiness of mine.

Amy and her crew have been walking my black lab, Jake, for the last few years. Jake has boundless energy and they somehow find a way to get him the exercise he demands. He is part of an «off leash» group that is tailored to dogs with similar needs, and I feel assured leaving the house everyday that Jake will be tired and happy after his time with NDW.
What separates NDW from other dog-​walking businesses is their limitless devotion to customer service. For most people, lives are hectic and schedules are constantly needing to be rearranged. Amy understands this reality and is always willing to work with changing schedules and accommodate me whenever possible. This brings a value to her service that you can’t put a price on.
I wholeheartedly endorse Amy and NDW without reservation.

What else is there to say about Amy and the NDW team? They are amazing. My dog Cider Doughnut and I have been clients now for 3+ years and I am just as confident today as I was when I hired them that my shy little pup is in the best hands possible.
As a local dog groomer I was lucky enough to be in a position to interact almost daily with all of the area dog walkers. And while I got to know some really nice folks who clearly love dogs, Amy stood out from the crowd by miles. The NDW team clearly loves their four legged charges, equally as important they know dogs, all the nuances of dog behavior and that makes all the difference.
Anyone can go to a park and throw a ball for a dog, but Amy and her walkers are so much more than that. They offer a level of care and a knowledge of dogs that surpasses anyone else I’ve met. It feels good to know that my pooch is hanging out with the best!
I should also add that Cider was rescued as a stray and understandably has some trust issues with new people. All of the NDW team have won her over, in fact she might sometimes get more excited to see Amy than she usually gets to see me. That to me just says it all.

Amy and NDW are awesome. Amy started taking our dog Homer when he was only 4 or 5 months old. He is a very peculiar dog and reacts with a huge smile to my wife and me and only a few other people. Amy is one of those people. He absolutely loves her and through a transitive relation we love Amy. She is positive, warm, professional, and knowledgeable. She has done a great job staffing NDW and all of the various employees have been great with Homer. Over the past 4 years he has made great friends, both human and canine, through NWD.
I would recommend Amy and her team to anyone with a dog in the Cambridge/​Somerville area.

I trust exactly 4 people on this planet with my pup when I can’t be there and Amy is one of them. Over protective dog mom? Yes (that’s an understatement)! What does this say about Native Dog Wellness? Everything!
My pup walks 3x a week with NDW and is out of the house for about 45 minutes each time. He’s paired up with other dogs that will walk well together and on the very rare occasion that the chemistry is off, Amy is on top of it and makes the necessary adjustments. They are remarkably reliable and have good communication skills — the walkers leave great notes telling me who he walked with, when and what went on. If something is ‘off’ with M., I hear about it right away. I trust them with access to my home and have never had any issues.
Amy is also a terrific trainer — we’ve had a lot of conversations about improving some behaviors as well as attending her classes at NEDTC. I feel that everybody on her team is consistent in their approach to my dog, which also helps with long term good behavior.
I have NO idea what that one negative review is all about — my pup and I have had nothing but an absolutely positive experience with Amy and her team!

I’m the co-​Training Director of New England Dog Training Club. I’ve had the privilege of working with and knowing Amy 8 years + outside of Native Dog Wellness.
Amy also worked her massage skills on my ailing, arthritic dog in her final year of life. She really helped Sadie feel better, and did so with the professionalism and compassion I’ve known from Amy in the last 8 years.
As a dog trainer in this area, I send clients to dog walkers, play groups and day cares that I personally know, and believe that my clients would be happy with their services. Native Dog Wellness is one of the few services in the area that I recommend without hesitation. I know Amy’s skill set is unique and well suited to help clients in the Somerville area. She is tactful, respectful, and understanding. Plus, she knows dogs, which is a BIG plus :)