I really wish I could give a five star rating here. I went on-line and filled out an application, answered ALL the questions, as instructed to do so. I waited almost one week, with no response. So I decided to call. Shura, I guess the owner answered, we had such a great conversation about my puppy, and what I was looking for. She instructed me to once again fill out the application and answer all the questions, which I did. Another week went by, then two, NO RESPONSE. I even emailed again, NO RESPONSE. Very unprofessional and apparent that Shura has enough business and clearly is NOT interested in working with new clients. The best way to handle this would simply be to tell inquiring parties that "we," the company is not taking on any new clients. VERY frustrating and VERY sad. read more

I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to write this review... maybe because B2B so quickly became like the most helpful dog-lover in the family that I've almost taken them for granted! Maybe because I love B2B so much that I can't find the right words! But I'll try... Our dog, Ajuni, has been going to B2B for almost 5 years now, since she was a 6 month old puppy. She's a bit of a nervous-nelly, and I'm positive B2B has made her a more confident and well-balanced pup. Ajuni is absolutely ECSTATIC when Jason arrives to pick her up, and when she returns home she's plum-tuckered-out by all of her adventures. We loved B2B before, but now that they've added the extra ranch space where Ajuni can run like the wild child she is, it's a perfect match. Scheduling is always easy, flexible and reliable, and they also offer overnight boarding, which we've happily used many times. B2B has been a God send for us. They give our dog, and all of the dogs, so much love and care, and we are forever grateful. Obviously I highly recommend! read more

"wake up," said my dog. "we have to talk." i pried open one eye to peek at her. "what's up, weiner dog?" i asked. "i'm leaving home," she said. i bolted upright. "after all we've done for you? where are you going?" "i'm moving to bark to basics," announced josie weiner dog. "shura takes much better care of me than you do. she lets me run around her house all day, she has a giant astro-turfed backyard that she installed just for spoiled puppies like myself and she and her fabulous professional trained staff play with me all day long. i get treats and pats and i can do whatever i want. i go on super fun outings, chill with my awesome doggie friends and receive endless love and attention. and YOU went and had a baby who sits on me." mmmm..... good point. maybe i should start sending my dog more than one day a week. "you're just saying that so you can attend yappy hour on friday nights and get free booze from shura while i have the time of my life," she retorted. true. and so, i have been outsmarted by my dog......again. read more

Great care for our dog. Shura is helping us while our dog is still a puppy and I couldn't have found a better place. She is so excited to see Shura and Brooke, she plays a bunch, comes home tired and we feel comfortable that our dog is receiving a treatment we would want her to. The only hard part is when I feel that our dog would prefer to be there than with me. read more

Called and left messages twice, didn't get any return call. Wanted to get more information on rates and schedule. You're highly recommended by a neighbor dog owner that uses your service. Looking forward to hear from you soon. read more

Bark to Basics helped me so much with my hyper pup! I hired Rachelle as Kai's trainer. She was great! Kai learned so much so fast. So did I! She had a wealth of knowledge. Great company! read more

Bark to Basics - Love Bark to Basics! Rachelle was an awesome trainer! Kai caught a n so quickly she was that good! Great company! - Pet Services Near Me

I thought I was THE crazy dog person. And then I met Shura....You just don't understand the amount of details Shura put into the daycare facility until you see it. Everything there is about the dogs. Whenever there is a holiday, Shura spoils them like there is no tomorrow. For example, this is what we (and all clients) got for Christmas: treat jar with pups names engraved on it, tuna biscuit mix, cookie cutters, dog design apron, toys, Christmas bandannas, chocolate (for us), and bottles of "Pinot More" with the pups names and pictures on them. Talk about going above and beyond! And crazy!!! Sophie and Lulu love it there. They are happy pups when I pick them up and promptly fall asleep in the car as they are exhausted from having a grand time. Other than play time at the house, they also get to go out for walks at great places like Stern Grove. I can tell that both pups just adore folks there. Sophie pees everywhere (she still happy pees) whenever she sees Shura. And my shy little Lulu goes nuts whenever we run into Elena. I cannot say enough good things about Bark to Basics. There are very few people I trust to leave the pups with. I won't even leave them with my closest friends. I highly recommend Shura for anyone looking for daycare for their wee ones. Not only is this a great facility and has the best folks, it's also one of the best priced daycare around. read more

Like what else can I say?! Shura is just so AWESOME in every way be it w/the canines & with their owners! Through the past 1 1/2 years, Shura has been one of the most thoughtful, giving and understanding people when it comes to pet issues & human issues. Where are you going to find a doggie daycare provider that truly cares about dog & owner? NO WHERE! She's become a trusted friend to both me & the little monsters. They know when it's Friday because I could feel the excitement Romee & Violette have in the morning! Oh how I wish I was them having fun & playing all day & learning new things from Ms. Shura! read more

Roscoe *hearts* Shura and everyone at Bark to Basics. Why do you ask? Because he has all day non-stop fun (of course there's nappy time) and he gets to play with all his squishy faced friends and go on a walk. When Roscoe gets home, he tells me how much fun he's had all day and then passes out for the rest of the night. http://static.px.yelp.com/photo/nbRypB48IK-SgQnhFDgc6A/l Shura's Yappy Hour rocks!!! We *heart* Shura!!! read more

I can't believe it's been a YEAR since Mochi started going to Bark to Basics! Time really does fly... Shura and the staff deal with all of Mochi's quirks with so much patience and I just can't thank her enough for providing such a safe, clean, wonderful place for Mo to play! We've loved it since day one and I can't imagine bringing her anywhere else. The entire staff goes out of their way to help and they're all just such good people. Over the course of the past year, we learned that Mochi doesn't do too well in the car with lots of other dogs - at the expense of Shura's car...eeks! - so I must thank Alana personally for making a special stop at my apartment (3 days a week!) to pick Mochi up! Alana would stop by my place on her way to work so that Mochi wouldn't have to be in the car for a long time and so she could be situated and comfortable at daycare before all the other little dogs came! It's just the kinda thing they do at Bark to Basics (: Ps. Shura: Mochi pooped in your garage today when I was dropping her off :( I cleaned it up, of course, but just thought we should say sorry. She just got so damn excited to get to daycare and, well...you know. *sigh* Do you see what Shura has to deal with? She really deserves like 200 stars instead of the measly 5 that we're allowed to give! read more

This is my super overdue review. I am soo lucky to have found Shura and her awesome team. I have no idea where I'll be without all her help. When my baby graduated from her puppy daycare to adult daycare I was in total denial. Thanks to SF Puppy Prep, I found Shura. She was their one and only recommendation for my girl. When I met Shura for the first time, I thought she was the crazy dog lady. I mean crazy. Who has mural walls of a doggie classroom??? In the past 5 months, my girl is getting more and more confident. She is still the floppy dog, but she is getting much better. (If you ever see her, she's the dog that plays dead on the sidewalk whenever she see's another dog) She is also doing 1000% better on a leash. She use to pull and get so distracted, but she checks in with me and keeps to my side. Shura has been super accommodating to my last minute request to board her. I feel guilty for calling her: "Do you mind watching Mocha tonight?? I have a party that I forgot to a doggie sitter for?" "Any way you can take Mocha everyday this week?" She has never said no or made me feel guilty. I love how Lloyd comes by our house to pick her up. The few times I was at home when Lloyd came by, Mocha would run to the door when the downstairs gate open and would sit patiently until he came up. She then shakes her whole body in excitement for a full day of fun. When she comes home, she is pooped. A tired dog is happy dog. I am so happy that Mocha is with them. And Mocha is so happy she's at Bark To Basics. Shura and her team has a magic touch. read more

We're THOSE people about the pug. Henry Kissinger is the baby for old folks who didn't want kids. He has a bed in every room, about 50 toys scattered around the house, and is never by himself for more than a couple of hours at a time. He sleeps under the covers in Mom's arms. Dad won't allow any of the bones he gets after his bath to be thrown away because "it'll give him a complex!" So it looks like a New Orleans graveyard in our apartment. He has a blog and three Huge orange monkey toys, because one is just never enough. When Dad's in town, he goes to see the folks at Bark to Basics two days a week. They ring the bell and he's down the stairs like a shot, no looking back, no "see ya later Dad." He becomes a puddle of pug goo when they appear, and on the days they don't come he sits at the top of the stairs pining. When Dad travels for weeks at a time, HK's at B2B 5 days a week with some weekend overnights, and the fact that we NEVER worry about how he's doing, and know that he's having the time of his life, is something that we'll be thankful to Shura for forever. Animals never are with us for long enough, and the only way I can deal with knowing that he's going to head off someday is to try to make every single moment of his life be as happy as possible. Shura and B2B, we love you dearly for making our dude as happy as we want him to be, and for being with him from the beginning as an extension of his family. Any dog would be so lucky to have you in his or her doggie life. read more

I have to echo the other reviewers. Shura and her team are A.mazing. Capital A for sure. My dog gets more excited to see her and her team than me and my husband. If that isn't a sign your dog loves B2B, then I don't know what other proof you need. It makes me jealous but I know how happy he is when he's with them so I don't care! If you have a small dog that needs some company once a week, you won't regret taking them here. Her team is wonderful, Shura is outstanding and I can tell he loves all of them. It's been 3 years for Benny and we couldn't be happier. read more

Six months later, this is the good-bye letter we sent to Shura and her team: Shura, hi. So we have just set the move date from our home in SF to a small house in Menlo Park. Unfortunately we will be way out of B2B range. We will miss you! I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful help you have provided Luke and me. Helping us connect with a great vet. Helping me fly with Luke safely (without that weird drug that Pets Unlimited gave me). Helping us find a vet we could trust for Luke's cherry eye surgery. Helping me figure out Kongs for Luke. Hooking us up with a great pet boarding situation (Jesse). AND ALL OF THE MILLIONS of day-to-day loving things you did for us. Finding you was such a gift for us and I can't imagine what it would have been like without you. Please accept our DEEPEST THANK YOUs. We really do love you and are so grateful to you. Thank you for taking such good care of my baby. read more

I have been invited as a guest to visit bark to basics on a couple of occasions. The other reviewers are correct, the facilities are like Disneyland on crack for small pups. Wait, its like Disneyland for me too! There are many cute happy little dogs, Lots of toys and activities for the dogs. Its amazing how very clean the space is. Not surprising, just amazing. I have one small dog and find it challenging to keep my back yard clean. Shura is funny and entertaining, and extremely crafty and clever with her decor and doggie treats as well as people treats. The other doggie parents are all so nice, they are like a big family. I wish I could take my mutt to Bark to Basics a few times a week. She could certainly use the professional training. (and then some) Perhaps some time in the future. Meanwhile, bravo bark to basics. read more

BEYOND 5-Star Service! This is long overdue but here is my review on B2B: We were lucky enough to find Shura and the B2B team and have our little nugget accepted to join them full time Monday-Friday as a daycare attendee. Our 'baby' has been with them for over a year - and still going strong! The Bark to Basics staff are an amazing group of people (all of which I believe are SF SPCA certified trainers) with extensive experience with dogs in training, counseling, and safety. Besides the exclusivity of being a small dog only (under 20 lbs.) daycare service, they provide additional perks such as individualized training, beach walks, and a swimming pool at the daycare facility - OK, I am jealous! We interviewed many daycare services and none compared to Bark to Basics. We felt the services offered, the comfort of knowing that our dog would be with other small dogs ONLY, and the safety of having our precious one with knowledgeable staff who are highly trained left us without hesitation of where she would go. Given we work long hours and needed to drop our pup off early we knew she would need to be somewhere that she felt was like her second home and indeed it is! I also wanted to mention, we travel, and when we do, we know that our dog will be left in excellent hands. The final 'topper' to this is the Monthly Yappy Hours where a lot of the pups parents come to enjoy and meet other parents and see the other ones frolic around! We love you guys! Need I say more? read more

Bark to Basics - Ah, the life! POOL TIME with my friend! Coco + Crackers - Pet Services Near Me

Is your dog tiny? Does it like to have fun? Are they "The Baby" Then you need to talk to Shura! Your pup will get to play his/her little heart in a safe, clean ,well supervised environment with loving staff. You go to work and the dog goes to Shura's and everyone is happy. read more

Our dog loves going to daycare here. She is able to socialize with dogs her size and comes home tired and happy. John picks her up and drops her off at home and even gives our other pup, who stays home, lots of love. Although we haven't used the boarding service I would feel totally comfortable leaving our dog with Shura overnight. The facility has a amazing back yard for the dogs to play in and they even take the dogs to a large fenced in property for playtime. I love that they post picture daily on their Facebook page so you can see how your dog is doing and who they have made friends with. I would highly recommend their services. read more

Due to my big paws and small keyboard, I'm going to have My fur mom type up my review: This place rocks! Shura is the kindest and warmest person ever! She gives the best hugs. I get picked up everyday in the mornings by Jess and get dropped off by a number of people (Samantha and etc.) I can't quite remember because I'm always sleeping in the car ride. I play all day in school With other dogs who are really sociable. Some of which are also graduates from smartypup! So it's a school reunion everyday! Everyone (hoomans included) play with us and let's us take naps. We need it otherwise we will drive our fur parents crazy. When I get home all I want to do is sleep cause I'm so tired from all the fun I've had at school! Each day I wait at the door because I know it's time for Jess/John/Sam to pick me up! Can't wait as it's a school day tomorrow! Little P. read more

My little pup Beatrix has been going to Bark to Basics since January and she has only had the most wonderful experiences at this daycare. It's her home away from home and the one place I trust with my little girl. Shura and her fantastic team are absolutely wonderful! I can't say enough good things about them but a few would be: they're knowledgeable, professional, caring, and most importantly, FUN! Each morning when I drop her off, Bea is literally running to Shura or a member of her team because she's so happy to be there. When I pick her up and bring her home, Bea is tired and ready to cuddle. Not only do I trust Shura and her awesome crew with my Bea while I'm at work, but when I go out of town, I know she'll be safe and cared for when I board her with them. 5 stars isn't enough stars to give them. :) read more

Bark to Basics is a little slice of tiny-dog heaven, with all the cutest pups in one place. I wish I were under 20 pounds so I could go here! Even my dog is twice as big as she'd let in... Bummer. There is no better, more experienced or gentler set of hands than Shura's! read more

love love love these guys. so appreciate of all the care they have given my little furry neurotic fellow through the years. they do overnight care too, the staff will take your pup home and treat them as one of their own. LOVE. read more

Shura and her crew at Bark-to-Basics is God's gift to anyone with a small dog in the city. She was referred to me by the SPCA & Perfect Paws Puppy School after my yorkie completed classes at both establishments. He's been with her ever since about 4 yrs ago. Toto goes nuts with excitement as we approach the day care. I'm afraid he might crash thru the car window trying to escape to get to school that much sooner. I can not say enuf great things about Shura. When it comes to dogs, my trust in her is absolute. Saying that the school is completely devoted to the dogs (inside & out) is an understatement. Her doggies are completely pampered. She also puts on a great yappie-hour every month for the doggies' human friends and send elaborate xmas gifts for the dogs every year. I feel good about dropping Toto off to her for day care and for boarding. She kinda puts me to shame cuz I don't do as a good a job with my kids. If only she were open on wkends & holidays my life would be complete! As for the cost, it seems to be below going rate. My kids are in private schools and I feel like the tuition at Bark-To-Basics is the only money well spent. read more

Just an update: we are still happy customers! I have since met other wonderful people who work with Bark to Basics and wanted to give a thumbs up to all of them; thank you! Recently I was away for three weeks and my pup stayed with Malena and Kevin (with Bark to Basics). They were incredible!! I actually had nightmares while I was away that Sophie was attacking their poor kitty. Malena left me messages that all was going well. Whew. When she dropped my pup back off after that long time away, she was happy, healthy, and even better-behaved. When Malena left after dropping her off, Sophiedog let out one little whine by the door, so I knew that she loved her home for three weeks. (But the whine wasn't too big that I thought I had been replaced :) And it even sounds like Malena and Kevin really enjoyed having Sophie with them. Love love love Bark to Basics!! They definitely go above and beyond what you would expect. Truly. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Bark to Basics. My baby girl, Sasha, gets SO excited whenever she hears the door open and Jonathon is waiting for her to take her in the car and go to daycare. They treat Sasha like the queen B she is :) Shura and her team are so amazing, so caring, so warm, so knowledgeable, just great people all around. I trust B2B 110% with my baby girl. Sasha comes home smelling yummy, with new toys, and a happy smile on her little crooked mouth! Jonathon is so amazing and even entertains my neurosis' by giving me an update on Sasha every time she is at daycare and even sends personalized photos to me and will text me if he is running behind schedule, so I don't worry :) He truly is amazing and we appreciate him more than words! Thanks B2B for taking such good care of our baby! read more

Truly fantastic group!! I love everything about Bark to Basics. Highly recommended!

We've been taking our corgi to Bark to Basics for 4 years. Bark to Basics is a great daycare facility for small dogs in San Francisco. The owner, Shura is great at handling and caring for dogs. The entire team at Bark to Basics is passionate about dogs and their well-being. The best part is our corgi comes back home super chilled out, tired, and snuggly after a full day of fun activity there. If you don't have the time to take your dog out on daily walks during the week OR if you think your dog can use some companionship with other dogs, I think Bark to Basics is the perfect place for your small pooch. read more

Our dog Sadie has been going to bark to basics for a few months now and I could not be more pleased with Shura and her team. They are all huge dog lovers and are dedicated to each and every dog as if they are their own. Sadie comes home every day happy and well socialized. Shura is also extremely accomodating to boarding Sadie or finding someone to take care of Sadie while we are out of town. My fiance and I work full time and I know that we could not have the joy of our pup in our lives without the help of Shura! I really could not say enough good things about bark to basics. I can be an extremely protective dog parent and I know that Bark to Basics is the best for Sadie! read more

Shura and her wonderful dog-loving trainers at Bark to Basics are the BEST! They have been taking care of my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Arabella, for 8 years. Shura not only provides a friendly and clean environment, but her doggie daycare gives my only-child dog excellent socialization and much needed exercise. Shura takes care of dogs like people where they have the run of a safe home environment and secure yard. Her "Little Doggie Daycare" sometimes has a carload of Cavaliers ready for their daily adventure. Shura is also a certified trainer - which shows - because every time my dog boards overnight with her or her staff, the dog comes back better behaved than before! WE LOVE YOU SHURA!!! You are truly amazing - as are Vicki, Lloyd and everyone on your team!!! read more

I can't begin to express my sadness that we are moving from Shura's doggie zone. We haven't broken the new to Bean yet. He'd just end up moping around the apartment, looking depressed and pathetic. The last time I brought him over to Shura's, he literally was trying to jump over the little gate to get to his friends. We will make sure that Bean still has the occasional visits to hang out with the Bark to Basics crew. I think it would be cruel to cut him off from his buddies completely! I don't expect to find a daycare place as wonderful as Bark to Basics in the new neighborhood but if it can be even half as caring, fun, and easygoing, I will be happy. Thank you Shura! read more

As a veterinarian and dog owner, I am so sad that I no longer work on the Bark To Basics pick-up route. My teacup Irish Wolfhound has absolutely lived for every Monday when Lloyed picked him up at my office and took him to play with his buddies. Shura and her wonderful, well-qualified staff have a great thing going- with APDT certified trainers and experienced dog handlers on site and a fun facility, I have always felt secure about my dog's well being. Whenever Shura has called me with a pet health concerns , it has been very evident to me by her questions that she has excellent judgement. The quality of care you will find here is hard to beat ! read more

Update. I fear my dog will leave me. If he isn't home I know he stayed behind with Shuras group.

Bring your little furry family member to Bark to Basics. It's a fun environment for them and best of all it's a safe environment. When your dog goes there he/she is treated like family by staff and owner Shura. If people ask me if I know a good, safe and fun doggie daycare for little dogs, I always tell them to check out Bark to Basics. read more

Shura was boarding my dog and noticed symptoms of a disease common to the breed. My dog ended up having the neurological disease. If it wasn't for Shura, I never would have suspected it. I will never be able to thank her enough. read more

Our puppy, a Puggle, loves Bark to Basics and we couldn't be happier with his care. Shura and her team are such professionals. We live nearby and on weekends our puppy runs to her house and waits hopefully for someone to come out and get him so he can play with his friends. He gets lots of exercise and play time and is such a happy pup! read more

This is the BEST place for any small dog. My Cavalier King Charles LOVES Shura and her sweet set up in San Francisco. Its literally doggy disney land. Shura will pick up and drop off your dog and you know that your dog is having way more fun than you are as you trek off to work. My dog Clover freaks out with excitement every time she sees Shura's car pull up to bring her to day care. I only wish that at the end of the day my dog could talk about what fun she had. No other day care compares, this is THE BEST! read more

At the risk of sounding like a copy...er....cat, let me echo all the other positive comments about Bark to Basics. Our beagle started coming to this daycare at around 4 months old. Although he's an easygoing kind of dog, he was a rescue, and had not experienced the level of socialization a puppy his age should have gotten. After a ridiculous experience at a larger daycare operation in the city, we turned to Shura and Bark to Basics. Cut to five happy years later and Percy is still attending with no plans to ever "graduate." Shura and her staff are simply the best, most loving and caring people. She runs a clean, well-maintained and FUN environment where all the pups are treated like royalty. Oh, and for the humans, her monthly Yappy Hours are a blast! Hooray for Shura! Hooray for Bark to Basics! read more

Shura and her team are amazing. Our Italian Greyhound was always afraid of other day care spots until we found Bark to Basics (B2B). He now is excited when we leave in the morning as he knows soon enough the B2B team will be picking him up to bring him to his favorite place. Everyone who works there is caring and knowledgable (I believe most are dog trainers) so you know your dog is getting treated greatly and will also come home much better behaved. Their boarding services are also great, as your dog does not go into any kennel and just becomes a dog at Shura or another trainer's house for as long as you are gone (and gets more attention than they probably would have gotten if you were there). In summary; great people, great service, extremely convenient and we couldn't be more satisfied with everything that Shura and her team do for our highly complex little man... read more

Bark to Basics is our pup Colby's favorite place to be! He was a rescue dog and the last in his litter to be born so he had some anxiety issues. We did our best to socialize him through puppy socials and classes but it wasn't until he started B2B that we started seeing a significant change. He loves to play with every dog now, regardless of size, and although he is still a little shy around people, has shown incredible improvement. We feel really lucky that we have someone like Shura and her trainers, especially Sylvia, watching over our pup when we can't. Thanks B2B! read more

I have been meaning to write this review for some time, but I really must commend Shura and her team of absolutely amazing and loving small dog trainers, for how well they care for the love of my life, Simba. He cannot wait for that "schoolbus" in the morning and bounds down the steps into the arms of Shura, Sylvia, Jeff or Tracy with not one look back at Mommy - "see ya!" When he returns home he could not be more happy and energized - it is such a happy moment for me to know he had such fun at Bark to Basics that day. I have relied on Shura and her team to advise me on many occassions regards my shih tzu boy, all of which has been incredibly helpful. Simba is so lucky to call this his daycare and from his happy responses intends to be a "lifer"! read more