If you want a recommendation of where NOT to take your dog, this is the place. The staff is rude, unprofessional and has no idea how to groom a curly haired dog. Their solution - ignore specific instructions given by the client, shave the dog completely to the point where our dog was unrecognizable and traumatized, lie that the dog was matted and blame the owner for not taking care of our dog???? When explained the reason behind our specific requests, the owner, Elizabeth, was obnoxious, rude and extremely insulting. I would give this dump zero stars if that was an option. Never ever going back there again! read more

I have been to Bark Avenue about 3 times, mainly because it is close and we have been able to schedule last minute appointments. While the first time was okay, the workers have always been rude and it feels like a pound. The past two times my dog has come back extremely uneven. I personally am okay if my dog comes out "ugly" as long as she is comfortable, clean, and brushed. She came back with some areas shaved to her skin and other places untouched. read more

Bark Avenue - Pet Sitting Near Me - Cresskill, New Jersey

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When Best of Breed in Tenafly--where we had been having our dogs groomed for many years with excellent results--closed recently, we needed to find another groomer and decided to try Bark Avenue which was close by. I asked for a short cut and the result was terrible. As you can see in the photos, a lot of long hairs were left all over, the ears were uneven and the cut was uneven all over. To add insult to injury, the charge of $80 (for a relatively small, 20 lbs.) dog was considerably high than we ever paid at Best of Breed. We will not be going back. read more

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We were recommended by our good friend and veterinarian, and couldn't be happier! Our Maxie looks so handsome; the staff were pleasant, attentive and responsive. Looking forward to many more great cuts in the future!! read more

We've taken Perri here for many years. We just came back from a weekend and she was groomed as well. The staff loves her and takes great care of her. They said she was a good girl and she tried to eat around her medicine, but they made sure took it . Thx Elizabeth read more

The best doggie day care I have found. My dog suffers from separation anxiety and could not survive without this place. The dogs are all well adjusted and cared for my the staff to an amazing degree. The dogs have the choice to play outside in the yard, in the play room or hang out inside with the caretakers and groomers. The dogs are also given walks over the course of the day, which gives them individual time. The staff cares so much for their charges that each dog is provided with their own personal favorite treats. Each holiday is celebrated with all the pets. There are video cameras which allow you to view your dog over the course of the dog (PC only). Since my dog is a boxer she does not need grooming, but if she gets a little muddy in the yard she will never come home a mess. When they have been asked to wash her, the result has been beautiful. Each dog is cared for as if they are a member of the family. I could not asked for a better place for my little girl. Check it out at www.barkavenuenj.com read more

I will NEVER bring my dog to this awful place again! The owner is extremely rude. Do not dare question what they do such as - do they give the dog enough water and take him outside regularly? Day care is a joke! Just stick the dog in a tiny room and leave him with no stimulation whatsoever. Then put him in a crate and accuse him of bad behavior. DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG HERE! If I could give zero stars I would. In her extreme arrogance the owner rated my review as "funny." No wonder there are so many negative reviews. She should be concerned about losing business due to her poor customer service and lousy doggy day care. I am so glad I stopped bringing my dog to this place. Found a wonderful dog sitter who actually spends time with my puppy and is pleasant! What a concept!!! read more

Place your dog here 'at your own risk'. As a first time dog owner and first time needing to board him overnight, the staff, I can say, was kind. However the owner Elizabeth was not; she displayed horrible customer service. She clearly doesn't need any loyal customers. It appears my IG was taken care of but unfortunately I will not be giving this establishment any further business, thanks to the rude owner. read more

We love bark ave for our 2 dogs. It's the only place I trust to take care of them, and know exactly what they need. They always arrive and want to go right inside and come home happy and tired. Thank you bark ave for loving our babies. read more

I have a 9 month old chocolate lab and I needed to find a good doggie day care for her. Our lab is like a member of our family and we had never used day care or a kennel service before (we previously had a black lab for 13 1/2 years). We visited Bark Avenue to check out the facility and I was able to talk with a number of dog owners who use Bark Avenue for daycare. Every person I talked with couldn't say enough about how happy they (and their dogs) were with Bark Avenue. We have now been using Bark Avenue for several weeks and are VERY happy with the service. The owner, manager and staff at Bark Avenue are great - you can tell they know and love all of the dogs. We get a big hello every morning. And while my dog can't talk you can tell she loves going to Bark Avenue day care every day to play with her new friends. In the morning she sits by the door patiently waiting until it's time to go - and she is tail wagging happy all the way. At the end of the day I get back a very happy, content and tired lab. If you are looking for a safe and loving environment for doggie day care I highly recommend Bark Avenue. The staff makes all the difference. read more

The staff is rude. The grooming not very good. Left my dog with a lumpy bunch of hair on her back. Not going back.

Worst place ever. I will never go back there. Nasty, uninformed workers. I brought my dog there for first time to be groomed and didn't even recognize her when I went to pick her up 6 hours later. Did they even think about how she would go to the bathroom in that time? They shaved her right to her skin despite the fact that she was NOT matted. WITH "20 dogs waiting", as the receptionist told me on the phone, they obviously didn't want to take the time to brush her. Very over booked and don't believe first come first served: NOT TRUE. Brought my dog at 8am, wasn't able to pick her up until 2:30pm. Overall: rush job, bad haircut, nasty workers. Don't waste your time or money. Find a different groomer. read more

DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG HERE I had a 5 pound maltese that my family took to Bark Avenue when we couldn't get an appointment at our regular groomer. Each time we brought him to Bark Avenue, he showed signs of physical abuse after returning home. He would cower away from everyone and not leave his bed for weeks. The last time we brought him, he came home coughing. We figured he caught kennel cough from Bark Ave but the vet said that his larynx was crushed. I'm not sure why the groomers felt the need to physically restrain my dog, leaving with a serious injury that eventually killed him as he was only 5 pounds and very cooperative at the groomer. Multiple reviewers spoke about them 'literally dragging' their dogs right in front of them, I can't imagine what they do once the owners leave. read more

HORRIBLE experience. I brought my 5 month old border collie here to be groomed. I should have known better than to leave our puppy in their care, b/c upon arrival they literally dragged him in the back by his leash. Approx 2 hours later we were called to pick him up b/c he was uncontrollable and couldn't be dried. This was strange b./c he had been groomed several times prior at another location without a problem. When we picked him up he was beyond stressed and since then he has TERRIFIED of anything having to do with grooming or taking a bath. This experience has left my poor dog completely traumatized!!! DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG HERE!! read more

Awful service. We were slightly late for a grooming appointment and were turned away. We were told that it had been given to someone else. After 10 minutes! Even a B-level restaurant will give you 15 minutes! They were dismissive, caring little about customer service. No apology about their policy. Just plain nasty. The place was over crowded with barking dogs and seemed chaotic. The items for sale are over-priced and the help there are all in high school with no knowledge of animal care. I was told not to go here by many people, but it was local and easy. Obviously I should have listened. Dogs barking in their cages, being ignored. After the unprofessional owner was so nasty, personally insulting me, I will never be returning. Do not go here!!! read more

This place is disgusting facility and runs like a grooming dump!!!!! To think I was going to possible board my dog here. I brought my Yorkie in for first time visit today for a trial of daycare. When I walked in no one was friendly to my dog or say hi to him as they were to all the other dogs who walked through the door. It's like my dog was an obstacle in their way. They took bailey put him in a cage with his retractable attached with his Leash attach to him and his coat on for about 20 minutes. I was trying to ask this the groomers questions about the facility the play area and boarding rooms. The girl there huff at me saying they are short staffed and they have no one to help me. I said who's watching the dogs you have and she said oh we have someone walk around every 30 minutes. I asked to see the facility since I was considering boarding him there next week and possible the week after. She rolled her eyes. I said look I am not boarding my dog here unless I see this facility. Would u leave your dog without doing that??? I asked her. After ten minutes, She then had some guy who's been there a month show me around it was smelly dark mostly broken down house. The dogs shared all of three rooms they have with one being for the owners dogs always has that room. I said where will my dog have his own room and have a place to play with other small dogs?? No answer. Just saying the owner isn't here. I stated to her I called specifically on the phone and asked for the owner or someone in charge to show me around as I was a first time customer. She kept saying owner isn't here. After , having a two minute rush through the place looked like a dog mill like you see on TV about puppy mills. I felt ill in my stomach I went inside the area they had my dog caged and said give him to this place is not for us. I said this is unprofessional!!!! To think they leave he dogs unattended at all is insane. She said we don't have the time or the coverage stand there and watch them. We have cameras upfront. I said , yea but you and this other girl are back here grooming. Who's watching your lovely cameras? Your in this room grooming! The first sign of disorganization was my dogs medical records I emailed her twice my vet vaccinations claims she didn't have it. The dark haired girl, never told me her name, states you will need to come back with papers I said I just drove 30 minutes. I showed her the emails I sent she then said oh maybe it's somewhere else. Then she finds it. STAY AWAY if you want your dog to be safe. read more

Made a terrible mistake bringing my puppy here. I had a fluffy golden doodle who got a little knotty, so we took her to this groomer. We were told she was matted in some places and that she would have to be slightly shaved, which we expected. What actually happened, however, was animal cruelty. They shaved my puppy completely down to her bare skin- they shaved more than necessary. They also injured her ears in the process and left her scabbed and bruised. She was totally naked, horrified, and traumatized from the experience- as were we. Never coming here again. read more

Really wonderful dog grooming reasonably priced. I brought my 12 year old dog there to be groomed for the first time in his life last week (he got skunked!). He was absolutely trembling when he went in and happy/tail wagging when he left. Very pleasant staff who seem to genuinely care about the dogs. I love the doggie report card! read more

Terrible Service. The people are rude. Do not take your dog here. They are horrible to customers. I would not trust them to take care of my pet. read more

My medium-sized dog, who I adopted from a shelter, has issues that predate me. Although he likes being brushed, I can only use a very soft brush on him before he becomes growly. As a result, he winds up with knots & mats in his hair, that are impossible for me to brush out. He's a mess when I drop him off & gorgeous when I pick him up. He loves going there. I have boarded him at Bark Avenue, several times & have had no issues. My dog is always happy going there & happy when I pick him up. It's not a fancy place, but the staff have always been friendly to me & my dog. They have a doggy cam, which I have been able to log into, to see what he's up to. I've been going to them for the past 2 years & will be boarding my dog there again next month. read more

It's sad to see bad reviews. I have always liked this place. My dogs are groomed well and taken care of. Sometimes it's hard for the owner to be super courteous when there are so many dogs barking at the top of their lungs, phones ringing, and a lot of work to do. I am still a customer and will continue to be. read more

Love Elizabeth and staff. Been going over 10 years with parents dogs, my dogs and families. Always - and I mean Always greeted with hug and kiss no matter how busy!!! My puppies are hugged and kissed by Ms. Elizabeth personally and look and smell so beautiful, adorable and happy when they are picked up. Would definitely recommend highly. Love it!!! With all my heart read more

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. If you love your dog, don't bring them here. They completely have no idea what they are doing and did the complete opposite of what we asked. They shaved our dog!!!!! And he has been stressed since he's been home. He was been pacing back and forth and now his ear twitches when it never has before. When we picked him up, he was beyond stressed out and couldn't calm down. These people are so disrespectful and I truly have no idea how they are in business. Disgusting, they did exactly what we told them not to do. Never bringing him here again!!!!! read more

I was few minutes late and was rudely told to go away. Dogs barking in small cages and place completely chaotic. They didn't call me, nor apologized. I do not understand how people leave their dogs there. read more

My dogs love it there! They come back, happy, exhausted from playing and looking great! Everyone is so nice - that's why I continue to freckles in from Manhattan! read more

To say this place is the worst wouldn't even begin to do it justice. After years of being groomed by a competent private professional who recently retired due to health reasons, I took my golden doodle to Bark Avenue a week ago to be groomed. When I dropped "Buddy" off, the owner (Elizabeth Kumar) and another employee checked him in and Ms. Kumar made a casual comment that he appeared knotty and she would "have to go a little short." I understood this as his haircuts had traditionally been on the short side. When my son picked up Buddy and brought him home, he was almost unrecognizable. Ms. Kumar and her crew had shaved him down virtually to his skin (face, body, tail, ears...everything). On one side of his neck, there was even a small nick in his skin. There was absolutely no care or time spent on Buddy. The "shave job" could not have taken more than a few minutes. I have had dogs for a total of 27 years and have never had an experience with a groomer close to this. When I spoke to Ms. Kumar the next business day and demanded a refund due to her cruel and incompetent treatment of Buddy, she informed me that he had knots all the way down to his skin and was in great pain, that she had told me she would be shaving him, neither of which were true. And then, to top it off, she informed me that my family and I were animal abusers and that if we hadn't abused our dog by neglect, she wouldn't have had to shave him. Buddy is eight (8) years old and is the happiest, most well adjusted dog you will ever meet. He is many things but abused and in pain he is not. Although he is brushed, he does get knotty at times due to his long curly hair which is why we take him to a professional groomer regularly. Unfortunately Bark Avenue is anything but. Ms. Kumar and her team at Bark Avenue are rude and incompetent and exhibited an incredible lack of customer service. THEY ARE TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. As I finished this review, I noticed that another golden doodle posted an almost identical review on August 8th. Not surprising. read more

My golden retriever Hank loves Bark Avenue. I bring him there for both grooming and boarding. He always comes home happy and exhausted. Prior to Hank, Bear our Alaskan Malamute was groomed by them for 12 years. They took great care of Bear too. Elizabeth loves animals and it shows in her care for them. read more

Our dogs LOVE coming here to be groomed. They do an excellent job and are very compassionate. Elizabeth was amazing with our older dog and our other dog who had allergies and vision problems. Our other two small dogs also come for grooming and come home looking great. Highly recommend! read more

My dog is so happy to go to Bark Avenue. He is treated with kindness and respect. I check on the camera from home to see how he is doing all the time. I like them because their motto is to always treat the dogs kindness. I have had bad experiences with other groomers. They cut my dog and I was so upset but this groomer(owner) did a magnificent job. read more