I've been taking my cat to this business for the past 3 years. They do an outstanding job of nail trimming which I can't do myself. I'm 91 years old and today it would have been difficult for me to put the cat on my walker and take her into the building because of the snow. I called from the parking lot and John came out and took the cat inside to do her nails. I was extremely grateful for the extra service provided. Thank you so much. read more

We've been utilizing John's kenneling services for probably over 10 years now. When we have picked up the dogs, they are always well and happy to see us. Also the prices are very competitive and the facility is local to where I live. He has also been happy to do last minute accommodations when i have had to do that. It is not a fancy dog hotel nor are there a bunch of bells and whistles but John is attentive, professional and calm which is a good quality to have when working around dogs. He also offers other services like dog walks during boarding and grooming. When i come to pick up or drop off I see him working the grounds or busy in the kennels. His home is right on the property which is nice. Our latest dog was not well socialized at first and not great with men but has had no issues with him, although jokes about his barking (which is very true). Some things to keep in mind...make sure to offer specific instructions (and write down) if your dog has special needs like feeding times, medication, etc. Also take note of the hours. One day and on weekends he closes earlier than normal. (Sunday's pick up is only an hour long). Finally if your dog goes to the bathroom on the property and you don't have a bag, let John know where it is and he'll gladly pick it up for you. I will happily continue to keep boarding my pets here. read more

We have been taking our dogs to John for about 40 years. Always good care and grooming.

My dog had stayed a few years back I was satisfied with her stay this time was different ,both dogs were extremely thirsty, and smelled very bad, like they have never smelled, they were groomed a week before? other issues like whining and stressed I figured due to all dogs barking, they calmed next day, changed 2 extra days realized 1 day went back in was refunded for 1 day the other 60 I called no call back also requested nail trim wasn't done but was told it was I have recommend this place in the past will not feeling like I would again read more

Toenail Tuesday! Quick cat nail trim. So grateful he does this service. Trimming Dandelion's nails used to be so stressful. Now I just bring her in and it's done in a few moments. read more

Apolda Kennels - Happy cat and cat mom - Pet Groomers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

We have been taking our Penny here for 3 years. Always exceptional! Got Penny all the extras this time, bath, nails etc. She's home happy and fluffy! Highly recommend!!! read more

It is with a heavy heart that we had to put our dog down the day after picking him up from Apolda Kennels. While Apolda is not directly responsible for his death it was evident that they had not paid any attention to him. When we left our dog with Apolda for a week we mentioned that he has been struggling to eat and informed him of some tricks we have been using. When we picked him up, it was pretty clear that he hadn't eaten all week. He was down multiple pounds and couldn't even lift his head up.. We're not surprised by this. However, we were surprised that we didn't even receive a phone call while our dog was on his deathbed. Unfortunately, he spent his last week on this planet hungry, alone and most likely scared. To be honest, our dog had grown old and it came as no surprise that it was his time to go, he had medical issue's & age was not working in his favor. Knowing that he spent his last days in the care of people who let him go hungry without informing us is the reason I implore you to find somewhere else. read more

Trying to support local businesses and first time here for nail trim as I go to petsmart every three weeks and just found this place. Left with my dog bleeding from all four paws and guy says ' I should do this more often'. Practice in someone else's dog, not mine. Stay away from this place to save your dogs life. read more

I have been very happy with Apolda Kennels and strongly encourage anyone looking for a kennel in the western suburbs to consider Apolda. I live in Geneva and takes me about 15 minutes to get there. The appearance of Apolda is not the sellling point as the building is pretty mundane. The owner, John, lives in a home on New York St. and the kennel is in his back yard which is a very large lot. He is very friendly and helpful and I believe he practices bagpipes during the day while with the dogs. This is the third kennel we have used and the first in this area (the other two were in Columbus, oH). When my dog went into the last two kennels he always looked very nervous and would shiver uncontrolably (one of these was "Pet Palace" which was double what Apolda charges). He is pretty neurotic by nature as it is so I never really thought too much of it and it is natural that he is uncomfortable around strangers. When we first went to Apolda our dog exhibited the same behavior but after two or three times I noticed his a change. He is now at the point that he wags his tale and doesn't look frightened at all when we leave him off. John said the he and our dog have a special connection and I believe it. I never worry about our dog when he is there. We always get a shampoo and nail trim when we pick up our dog. The price is very reasonable and it also allows us to pick him up after the normal pick up deadline without paying an extra fee. read more

Apolda Kennels - Pet Groomers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

Horrible place. I took my dog to get his nails cut. Everything was good until the man took my dog to the back room and began to try to throw my dog on the table and when my dog fell off he began to try to put my dog back on the table by hanging him from the leash that he put on him that tightens when being pulled, choking my dog. He continued to try meanwhile he had my dog hanging I ran in and said he's choking him and he responded with "well he has to be on the table". After that he said i could try to put him on there which i did by picking up my dog correctly. After that he told me i needed to hook my dog up from the hook hanging above. The table which my dog was on moved up and down, so he began to move it up and once it was high enough to be hooked i hooked it on(it barley was high enough to be hooked on). Once my dog was hooked, he began to lower the table and turn around. I then tried to pick my dog up because he was starting to hang and began choking and i asked the man what he was doing and to stop because he's choking him, and he acted like he didnt hear me and was rummaging through his tools. I then lifted up my dog and barely managed to be able to unhook the leash and start to head out, meanwhile he acted like nothing was wrong and asked if i wanted my other dogs nails cut too. I could not believe this experience and can not imagine how he treats other dogs when he's alone with them. read more

We've been going to Apolda Kennels since 2002. John is so good with our 2 dogs, Indy and Cesar. They don't freak out and stay calm during nail clippings and grooming. We board them every year and believe they are in good hands. All services at Apolda are reasonable and we don't have to worry about how they are doing while we are on vacation. Peace of mind for our furkids is number 1 and that is why we use Apolda! Thanks John! Cor and Mike read more

Apolda Kennels - Our Cesar! - Pet Groomers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

10/10 would come back here. I need to get my cats nails cut because I don't believe in declawing and honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I have been trying groomers all around the area and either they stop grooming cats or I don't care for the way my cat is treated. This groomer is amazing, super reasonable prices and extremely knowledgeable. I felt very comfortable with the handling of my kitty and the office kitty. He was not thrown off by my cats very... vocal attitude... which has thrown off groomers before. He took the time to talk to me and even teach me facts about my cat I was unaware of. Overall I will be taking my kitties back here, it was a wonderful experience. read more

We had a great experience this past week while we were on our vacation. Apolda kept our pup for 4 days and we received daily text updates of how he was doing along the way. The place was older but clean, and they offer grooming, and even groomed our dog before we picked him up on the last day. We liked the outdoor/indoor option and paid the additional couple of bucks to have individual walks throughout the day. They've been in business for many, many years. I don't know what the other yelp reviewers were talking about with the nature of the boarding facilities. We will use them again! read more

I'm not sure how anyone can give this place a good review, maybe back in the day when it opened they cared about what they did here but I have to say NOW... no way...don't board your dog here. I have two experiences with Apolda I would like to share with you: First they board dogs here from various rescues. I dropped off a dog I transported from a high kill shelter, a sweet beautiful Pit Bull names Ramone, the family lost their jobs and could no longer care for him.The shelter was overloaded and he was slated to be killed. He was saved by a rescue and subsequently brought here for boarding till he got adopted. He was a sweet 55 lbs dog when I brought him here, when I came back 5 months later, to pick him up, he was extremely thin, his skin and coat were in horrible condition and he was very aggressive from being left in a kennel all day. Look at some of their long term boarders...they are in "crappy physical condition". They feed them dirt cheap food and never socialize them with other animals. It's terrible who would board dogs here long term for a rescue? Second, I recommended this place to my neighbor early in my transporting dogs days here. She reported back to me after leaving her dog here for 7 days, he came back dirty, weak and very depressed. When I asked her to elaborate, she said "don't recommend this place anymore" I'm not sure if they just get tossed in a large kennel, food tossed in a bowl and that's it. But I'd recommend going to a doggy daycare place first so your animal can be social and run around during the day and kenneled only at night when they sleep. Don't let the big yard fool you...they never get out to use it. The owner is very nice and it's dirt cheap because he does nothing to improve the facility for the animals and doesn't hire any staff. I think our pets deserve better....I have found two other places I can recommend. read more

Jon is the best! I have been bringing my malamutes here for years now. With 2 big dogs comes a lot of work and Jon always does an amazing job. Prices are not comparable anywhere else. Five stars! read more

I've been taking my dog there for grooming for a few years now and have been quite happy with the service John provides. I have a 100 pound bully who is almost impossible to bath at home. I went to Apolda Kennels because it has been in our Aurora community for years now and I like to support local business when I can. Benny always is eager to come back home and we are happy to receive him nice and clean and we have never had any complaints from John. I'm seeing some of the other reviews on boarding and for that I can not speak on but whenever I go out of town my dog stops eating on his own and gets depressed. I don't necessarily think it's the Kennels fault for dogs not eating. It's also a service that has upcharge features, for extra walks, individual play time, etc., which can get very pricey and I can see people hoping that those services are included with boarding. I would recommend a dog sitter in home, when possible, to not stress your dogs out more by your absence. read more

I brought my 2 dogs here on short notice and they were able to accommodate them both for a 5 night stay over the Thanksgiving holiday. They also offer grooming services, so I had their nails trimmed as well. Dogs came back happy and healthy. No issues. I wasn't expecting a doggy daycare/spa experience, so I wasn't let down. I also paid a quarter of what PetSmart would have charged for just one of my dogs. I will definitely use them again when the need arises. Staff: Ultra-friendly. Facilities: Clean, warm. Easy drop off & pickup. read more

If you care for your dog don't go there! I have put my happy and hallthy dog for 10 days there and got a bone skinny, weak, filthy and depressed dog..I saw his look when I first saw him..so sad..I cried on my way home for doing this to him with my own hands. .it took me almost an hour to clean him. After that he ate like it's his first meal for many days. .he slept for the rest of the day. .on our walk on the evening I saw that he was dairies very hard..what a poor place. .I beg you, if you love your dog as your family member do not go there. Please. Its a bad place. read more

The owner is very nice, but the place is like the Gulag. We would not use them again. Though they have an enormous outdoor space, the dogs do not spend any time there. Also, there is no socialization. If you spend about 5$ more a night you can get a really nice kennel that allows dogs to "play" together. read more

John takes great care of our dog. Our dog is now old and not ver social, but since the beginning he feels safe around John. We moved a couple of years ago from Aurora, and we still drive to John 's kennel when we need boarding or grooming. We recommend Apolda Kennels. read more

I don't know what these other folks expect a kennel to be like! Of course it has concrete floors!! If you want the Ritz, you will need to pay $50 or more a day! I work with a dog rescue and we have had many dogs at Apolda. If we want to save a dog from euthanasia and we have no foster home available, we send the dog to Apolda. Some dogs are there several months and quite honestly, they have come out looking better than when they went in. True, some dogs don't do well kenneled because of stress or anxiety and this may be why a dog comes out thinner than when it went in. All in all, I think they take very good care of the dogs in their charge. read more

Love John and Apolda Kennels. Have been a customer for years and am thankful for their excellent, professional and personal care. Wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

I was traumatized! I told the man trimming the nails my dog is old and had a bad hip, but he pulled him by the collar and dragged him on the table my dogged shaked the whole time. I feel so guilty taking him there to get a cheap nail trim. read more

Very disappointed. Called ahead to make sure they were comfortable with pit bulls for just a nail trim. He said of course. When we brought our two dogs in he dragged them back not even trying to make the dogs comfortable put them on the table the leash was so tight they were hacking because they couldn't breathe. Then I seen a paper towel covered in blood thrown. My dog came out said he was too wild & his back nails were too short. Yes they were too short because they were cut too short then he said he couldn't do his front ones. Next dog was taken back making the same sound like he couldn't breathe. My husband went back to loosen the leash the owner then said watch out he'll bite. No he couldn't breathe. Only did his back nails too because he was "too wild." Once he came out we asked him if he had anything to stop the bleeding on our dogs nail because it was GUSHING blood. He didn't seem to care that this happened & we didn't hear one apology from him. He told us we need to cut their nails at home. My dogs have never had an issue with nails ever. If I could give these place 0 stars I would. I would never recommend this business to anyone after what we experienced. read more

I have been taking my dog to Apolda for many years now. I tried a few others, and they were either too expensive (luxurious) or downright scary but cheap. I like taking my dog to Apolda for several reasons. The prices are right, it's very close to where I live, and I like supporting family-run businesses, especially those like Apolda. The main thing, however, is that my dog loves the place. I rarely take him anywhere by car. Usually, it's to Apolda. If I mention the word "car," my dog goes ape, barking at me until I get him in the car and on his way. He is always very excited once we arrive---it's as if he's the one going on vacation. When I pick him up, he readjusts to home life very quickly, even after some long stays at Apolda. He is usually pretty tired---as I said, it's as if he's been on vacation. I'm very happy with Apolda. I'm glad they're there. I will continue to take my dog there whenever I need a place for him. read more

I had a wonderful experience with this kennel. The owner was very nice and accommodated me dropping my dog off after hours. When I arrived I was happy to see how clean and spacious it was. When I picked my pet up he was happy, clean and ready to go. I recommend Apolda kennels to anyone in need of a groomer or boarding! read more

John is very caring and knowledge with a practical approach. Our dogs had never been kenneled since the day we took them from the shelter but after a park outing, they were eager to return. When our older dog became ill, John went out of his way to keep me informed and to find a vet (we are new to the area) that would treat him without costing me a second mortgage. Don't expect a fancy resort where dogs are treated like the royal children, do expect solid and reliable care. We also had both dogs bathed before we picked them up and they looked fantastic. read more

We have boarded our dog there a couple of times and we are happy. The folks are friendly and the cost is reasonable. Our dog appeared to have well been taken care of. The kennel seems clean and safe. It does smell a little like a kennel but no worse than any chain store pet area or vet's waiting room I have read a few reviews with references to "cells" and "The Gulag" which may have been a bit over the top. Since the accommodations are for our pet and not our children we have been satisfied with the services. And our dog is always happy to see us so hey, maybe Aushwitz makes the heart grow fonder... read more

If you are considering hoteling your dog here, please request to see the actual pen he / she will be housed and ask when and where your dog will be allowed to be outside in grass. I was shocked to see the disgusting concrete cells the dogs stay in and angry when I learned the dogs are not allowed to run around in any grass area or play with other dogs. They only have a tiny concrete exterior space attached to the dog's cell where they can go outside and do their business. read more

I've been using Apolda for the past year and couldn't be happier with the care my dog is getting! He's an older dog, so I'm very careful with who I leave him with. He comes back from his stay clean and happy. read more

just to prewarn everybody...took my dogs for a nail trim and he cut my dogs paw. I questioned him on it and apparently he didnt hear me. Now 5 hours later every time shw walks there is blood on the floor from the cut. he was very short with me on the phone when i couldnt find the place trying to get me to turn around and go another way when there was an easier way from where i was read more

After getting our dog groomed at Apolda, we decided to give John a try and have him watch our dog while we went on vacation. John took great care of our dog! In fact, we know he had such a great time that our dog came home and pretty much slept for 24 hours when he returned. If you're looking for a PetSmart type atmosphere you're not going to get it. But, what good are those super new/clean facilities if the people there are some minimum wage retail employees? John has many years experience and it shows. He communicated with us daily to let us know how he was doing. 5 Star recommendation and we will take our dog back to Apolda every time we need someone to watch him. read more

I have been boarding my St. Berdoodle at this kennel for years, as well as having him groomed here. In fact, I have taken my dog to expensive groomers that have charged an arm and a leg and not done half as good of a job of grooming as Apolda Kennels does. Also, the kennel is clean and well maintained. The owner, John McGill is very friendly and helpful and eager to provide helpful information and tips on keeping your dog healthy and well behaved. I have also been able to call at the last minute to have my dog boarded. The location is convenient and easily accessible. I highly recommend Apolda Kennels and will continue to board my dog there. read more

I've used Apolda Kennels for ten years, I have nothing but great things to say about the business. I've used them last minute so many times! My poodle, Mrs. Moppy, stays here whenever we leave town. It's pretty cheap too. The business has been there, for years and years. That says something. read more

We have been using Apolda for a year know and have had nothing but great experiences! John and his staff are great and really love the dogs. The dogs are very comfortable there and always are in great spirits when we go to get them! We have had some not great experiences with other kennels so it is such a relief to know that our dogs are in great hands! I would definitely recommend Apolda to anyone who needs to board their dogs. read more

We have taken our dogs here for several years for nail trims. They are very quick and reasonably priced. John is a very nice guy and remembers the dogs when they come in. read more

I've boarded all my dogs at Apolda Kennels because I know John and is staff do a great job taking care of my dogs. I have been going to Apolda for about 20 years. They also do a good job grooming dogs. John is a great owner and handles my dogs very well. All and all a great experience!! read more

I highly recommended this place. I have been taking my mini golden doodle and boxer here for over 3 years for grooming and boarding and have always had a great experience. The owner does a great job on my mini golden doodles hair. He also takes the time to work on the animals ears and make sure they are really neat and clean. My animals love to go here for boarding as well. As soon as we arrive, they run straight for the front door and once inside, lay down and wag their tails. They are also happy and perky when I pick them up after I have been out of town. So since my animals always seem happy there, I highly recommend this place and will continue to go there for years to come. read more

The owner is nice and helpful. I have been a customer for 4yrs. They do a terrific job grooming my three dogs and I have referred friends.

Apparently Jennifer is not very familiar with what gulags actually are. I have had good experience with Apolda. When we moved to the area, I was worried about finding another kennel that had what I wanted (indoor/outdoor runs, AC) and that I could trust. I've had previous bad experience with kennels where my dogs have come back acting weird/drugged. This has never happened at Apolda and my dogs actually like going there. In response to "Jennifer", no, it's not a pampered palace, but fancy promises are not always better. One time I boarded my dog at a place where a "dog limo" came and picked them up. When they brought them back, my lab was so wacked out he tried to jump on the hood of the car (he is arthritic and has to be helped into my own car!) It was completely out of character. Also, many places do not have an outdoor space and dogs are left at the mercy of whoever to let them out for bathroom breaks. As a high school teacher, I also learned from one of my students who worked at different kennel that dogs do not always get the "extra play time" you pay for. That was an eye opener. So, as for Apolda, the outdoor space, peaceful backyard feel, and customer service has been key for my dogs. I bring my own dog beds, give them a bath when they get home, and know that Ken will take good care of my dogs while I'm away. read more