Our entire family trusted this business with our dogs for years. This complaint is not about a minor scratch or veterinary bills. It is about the care Whiskey received. In their BBB response, they claimed they contacted "our veterinarian." That is false. They do not know who our veterinarian is, and our veterinary office confirmed they were never contacted. The real issues remain unchanged: they admitted they failed to feed Whiskey as instructed, admitted they overbooked the holiday weekend and kept dogs in kennels on a rotating schedule, and failed to tell us our dog had been injured while in their care. Rather than addressing those issues, they chose to deflect. Our family no longer uses this facility, and we believe other pet owners should be aware of our experience. read more

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If you're looking for a dog daycare and boarding facility that truly treats your dog like family, I can't recommend Barks N Rec enough! My male Basset Hound has been attending daycare for the past 3 1/2 years and has also stayed for numerous overnight boarding visits. As a first-time dog parent using daycare and boarding services, I was incredibly nervous and apprehensive. I had so many questions and concerns. When I called Barks N Rec, Debbie invited me in for a tour and spent so much time answering my questions and putting my mind completely at ease. Her kindness and genuine love for the dogs were evident from the very beginning. Our pup came in for his Discovery Day, and honestly, he had so much fun that he didn't want to leave! That was all the reassurance I needed. To say they take exceptional care of every dog is an understatement. Every dog's individual personality and needs are taken into consideration each and every day. At one point, our pup needed special accommodations and separation from the other dogs after a minor procedure. Without hesitation, Debbie, Val, and the entire staff made sure he received the extra attention, exercise, love, and care he needed while he recovered. Knowing he was in such compassionate hands meant everything to us. One of my favorite features is the ability to check the live pup cameras throughout the day. I love being able to see who he's hanging out with and catch him having fun with his friends. And don't even get me started on Woof Woof Wednesdays! They are absolutely adorable. From puppuccinos and dog-themed arts and crafts to water play and other fun enrichment activities, there's always something exciting happening. Val, the manager, pours her heart into creating engaging experiences for the dogs while also giving pet parents the sweetest keepsakes to take home. The entire team at Barks N Rec genuinely loves what they do, and it shows in everything they do. Their professionalism, communication, compassion, and dedication are second to none. I leave my dog there with complete peace of mind, knowing he's safe, happy, loved, and having the best day ever. Thank you, Debbie, Val, and the entire Barks N Rec family, for taking such incredible care of our boy over the past three and a half years. We are so grateful for all of you! read more

Barks N' Rec - Thanks Barks n Rec for always loving me - Pet Boarding Near Me - Agoura Hills, California

I never intended to leave a negative review because I genuinely wanted to give this business the chance to make things right. Unfortunately, after everything that happened, I feel other pet owners should know about my experience. Months before boarding my dog, I watched employees through the daycare cameras bring their own food into the play area. Food should never be inside a dog play area. Several dogs naturally jumped up trying to get to it. Instead of preventing the situation, employees repeatedly pushed the dogs away. Because my dog was still a puppy and more energetic, they eventually kenneled him for an extended period, even though I had paid for open play. I spoke with the owner afterward, who was kind and assured me they would make it right. Since I was about to have my baby and planned to board him there while I was in the hospital, she promised he would be well cared for. When I gave birth, my dog stayed there for six days. I packed his bed, blanket, toys, kibble, fresh chicken for every meal, treats, and left detailed feeding instructions. When my mom picked him up, he had a gash on his neck that later became infected and required a vet visit. A few days later, we unpacked his belongings and discovered the entire bag of chicken and both containers of treats were still sealed and untouched. None of his feeding instructions had been followed. When I finally had the chance to call after recovering from childbirth, I was told they had overbooked during his stay and admitted they hadn't followed his feeding instructions because they weren't paying close enough attention to his care. Despite admitting this, there was very little accountability, no meaningful apology, and no offer to refund or compensate us. Instead, I later received a text saying I was banned from the facility because they couldn't meet the expectations I had for my dog's care. They even texted my sister afterward to let her know she was still welcome to bring her dogs. I paid a lot of money expecting my dog to be properly cared for. Instead, he came home injured, his care instructions weren't followed, the facility admitted they were overbooked, and I was banned simply for raising legitimate concerns. I cannot recommend this business to anyone looking for reliable, attentive care for their pets. read more

Barks N' Rec is absolutely amazing. It's clean, well organized, and the volunteers get the dogs out of their kennels several times a day. Everyone one is knowledgeable & professional. I love that they are always on top of your dogs, diet, health, meds. & even their poop habits. Staff & volunteers are so caring & affectionate toward the dogs. This is definitely a 5 star Doggie Hotel, & the best place I have found for my dog, in many years. Highly recommend this to any dog owner, who is concerned about their dog's care when away. read more

Thankful we found this place. We adopted 2 terriers from the shelter a year ago and they were very traumatized by a hoarding situation for 4 years with severe neglect. All the staff at Bark n rec have helped us tremendously.. I cannot say enough.my dogs are not easy but these ladies are amazing. Rebecca did training and socializing while we traveled for 2 weeks and she's a miracle worker and really cares. read more

Very accomodating with all breeds including those with special needs. If boarding your best friend will have a spacious room. Indoor/outdoor yards are great and owners gain access to view cameras while dog is visiting. Hands down no competiton and I can't recommend Barks 'n' rec enough. The front desk has great personality and the best customer service. read more

Gabrielle was very nice to help and I hope my dog Daisy will have a good time Thank you read more

My dogs got extremely sick after staying at Barks N Rec. One had parasite-like symptoms and the other had bad sneezing. Both were lethargic and it's clear they didn't receive proper care. I do not recommend this facility for dog boarding. read more

This is like a resort for dogs...Nina and her team are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Nina is so patient, like a dog-whisperer, and took great care of my best buddy. BIG THANKS TO BARKS N'REC! read more

I am so glad that I found Barks N' Rec. I had been in search for a more boutique type of daycare in the area given that I had a feeling one of my dogs was not being set up for success at her former daycare (she is easily overwhelmed by overly enthusiastic dogs that are allowed to charge at her). Skye is now thriving at Barks N' Rec and loving the attention and safe level of activity (which I can see via their webcams!). Nani is also getting her fair share of attention :). Thanks Barks N' Rec! read more

My husband found this GEM of a place after we had a negative experience with K9's Only in Tarzana (see my review on their Yelp page if you'd like.) First some background information: At our previous go-to boarding facility (K9's Only) we were told that Beau had some non-social dog tendencies upon his initial assessment and that it was better for him if he were let out in the yard by himself (with a staff member) instead of with the large dog groups. We agreed because we thought this is what was best for our dog and the other dogs. Forward 4 years, and enter Barks N' Rec. This is a very professional, well-organized, clean, friendly, and customer focused (both human and animal) establishment. When I first called I spoke to the manager, Julie. Wow, what a woman. She told us that due to the Memorial Day holiday, they were not open for daycare but that we could drop off Beau for boarding (which is what we needed anyway). She e-mailed me the link where I could create an account and add both my information and Beau's (name, address, emergency contact, credit card info, age, breed, vaccination expiration dates, etc.) This sped up the registration process once we arrived on site. Upon arrival Julie greeted us in the same kind and enthusiastic way she did on the phone. She took Beau into the yard while we finished our registration and she made copies of his vaccination records. Then she offered us a tour of the grounds. She showed us where Beau would be kept in a good sized kennel (I forget the exact dimensions but it's big enough for him to walk around, stand, turn around, lay and so on), the grooming area, the kitchen and laundry area and the yards (they have three: small dog, medium dog, and large dog). We explained that at our previous boarding facility Beau was always kept away from other dogs due to the recommendation of the trainer who had assessed him. Julie understood but asked if we would give them permission to do their own assessment. She explained that all the staff there have the ability to handle all kinds of dogs and that they would try and MATCH him with dogs with similar play styles. I was really excited about their level of care and dedication so my husband and I agreed to let them try. Off the top of her head Julie had already thought of two dogs that Beau would potentially get along with and explained that their play styles would likely be similar. We left feeling happy, relieved, and confident that Beau was in very good hands. JULIE AND STAFF WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND! The next day Julie called us to tell us that Beau was having a blast. She assured us that Beau is a very sweet and playful dog who LOVES other dogs. She expressed some confusion about why he had been deemed non-social, but that regardless, he was doing great. Julie even had the owner, Debbie, send us a video of Beau playing with one other dog; they were getting along phenomenally (chasing each other, jumping around etc.) After the assessment they had Beau join all of the other big dogs in the play yard. The yards are equipped with video cameras, so from our destination we could open the app and watch Beau playing and interacting with other dogs. My husband and I were SO HAPPY and stunned at how well he was doing. Beau does well with our family and friends' dogs but we never felt comfortable leaving him in a large group (especially after K9's Only assessment.) I would occasionally log on to check on Beau and at one point I noticed he was tired and trying to relax away from other dogs. There was one dog who still really wanted to play and kept following Beau around. A staff member IMMEDIATELY noticed this, went over to Beau to pet him while keeping the other dog away until he/she gave up on Beau and left him alone. THIS is the type of focused, hands on care anyone could want for their dog when away. The staff are trained and knowledgeable individuals who can read dogs and take their queues. Upon pick-up I mentioned what I had observed on the camera and how appreciative we were of the care they take. Again, Julie kindly explained that yes, sometimes dogs get tired and there is ALWAYS someone in the yard with them to make sure everyone is safe and having a good time. She mentioned that when Beau was really tired, they would take him back to his kennel and when rested, would bring him back to the yard. WOW. Beau was only there one night and yet they made sure he had the best experience possible. Beau was tired in the best way after playing all day with his new pals. I could keep singing their praises but I fear my review would go on too long. But if you are looking for a personal, professional, and tailored level of care, you need look no further than Barks N' Rec. What an amazing, life changing experience for my dog and for my husband and me. We now have a place we can trust to drop off our dog for daycare and boarding. The staff are amazing and we are so thankful. read more

We had to find a safe place to board our senior, mostly deaf, kind of blind dog over the Christmas holiday. I heard about Barks n Rec from a friend and decided to try them out. What a wonderful experience we had! They had us come in for a "meet and greet" so they could assess our dog's behavior (he usually does not like other dogs). We left him for three hours and got to watch on the pet cam as the staff introduced him to other dogs. He appeared to adjust nicely! When we brought him for the actual boarding week, we felt confident that he would be well loved... and we got to check in on him via pet cam whenever we wished! Our dog came home happy and seemed to be less stressed than after other boarding experiences. I know the staff gave him lots of private walks and attention and I am so grateful! We have found our new boarding facility!! Thank you to Debbie and staff for your kindness!! read more

I adopted a puppy recently and he is super active. I took him to Barks N Rec so he could release some of his energy and, at the same time, enjoy the companion of other dogs. At first, I was told he was timid but then he just played and played. Just what I needed while my 9 year old dog and I ran a few errands. My puppy will definitely be going back for more playtime there. I feel that everyone at Barks N Rec is professional and no one tried to upsell me on anything. That is one of the several reasons why I am looking forward to taking my precious little one back to this fabulous place! read more

They DO NOT separate big dogs and little dogs. I entrusted these people with my dog, whom you will know are as family, and my dog came home sick! They are not taking responsibility. This is terrible, I do not agree with businesses that are not taking animals correctly. If you know what's good for your dog don't come here read more

I am so glad I found this place! As a new dog owner I was nervous leaving my sweet baby with just anyone. But Debbie, Julie & staff are the best & have made me feel so comfortable taking my fur baby there ! Julie has been sure to answer all my questions so promptly. Today is the 2nd day I dropped off my Lola & she loves it. We will be going on a family trip soon & Lola will be boarding there & I am so confident she is in great hands & well takin care of. & being able to watch her through the doggy cams whenever she is there makes me feel so much more at ease. Bark N Rec you guys rock!! read more

Barks N' Rec - Lola ready for some doggie fun - Pet Boarding Near Me - Agoura Hills, California

Our pup, Kali, loves coming here! We were regulars back when this place was Camp Bow Wow and were initially sad to see it go because our dog loved it so much. The new owner has made great improvements and has continued the Camp Bow Wow level of service and our dog is still so happy! We really love the ability to be able to watch her as she plays via their cameras. So glad this is still available! Every time we pick her up, she's exhausted and looks like she had a blast. Excited for all the upcoming changes and to support a local business. Thanks!! read more

They are a new company and are learning the process daily. There is alot to learn in this business about dog behavior and control. read more

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Be wary of Barks N Rec. My grandmother entrusted them with her 5 pound dog while she was on vacation. The live cams prove they don't separate small and large dogs despite saying otherwise, and there is no nighttime supervision. Two days after she dropped her dog off, she suspiciously passed away at Barks N Rec despite a perfect report from the vet a month before. Furthermore, when my grandmother went to pick up her dog's things, they had misplaced her collar and tags and included items that didn't even belong to her, showing a real lack of care during a difficult situation. My grandmother has reached out to the owner of Barks N Rec several times and received no reply. read more

This review is long long overdue. I started coming here in March or April of 2021 with our new puppy. It was covid quarantine and I wanted to be sure he was socialized. I brought him in for drop off day care a couple times a week. He was still pretty small and only a few months old, so my main concern was him getting hurt. The first day, I was given a tour of the facility. There are three yards, a kennel room and the front desk entry area. The dogs are assigned the yard according to size and temperament. There's little hammock beds in the shade for the tired, old dogs. There's some climbing equipment, sometimes a pool when hot & plenty of shade. I eventually kenneled him and was shown where he would sleep & the schedule etc. Being the crazy person that I am, I brought his "house" and toys, blankets etc. They had no problem accommodating my crazy That's the real gem of this place... the owner. Debbie truly loves the dogs. She is on-site, involved and staffs the place with people who also love dogs. I have heard of local competing places with more glitz or that are larger and I am not swayed. Ive also heard of those places not being able to oversee the large yards & mixing of dog temperaments which leads to problems. We drive up to B & R and Schmoo can barely contain his excitement. I drop him off and drive away with peace of mind. He's always safe!, happy and tired at pick up. Thank you so so much, Debbie and friends at B & R. We are so grateful for you - Erika & Schmoo read more

My mom had her dogs stay here for 2 nights after a friend recommended it. We all thought it was a cute name and we're excited for the live video feature. So once we made it out of town she wanted to check up on her dogs. Unfortunately, we witnessed her elderly 16 year old dog being repeatedly gang humped by a bulldog and then limping away while the caretaker was texting or watching TikTok's. Her younger 3 year old dog was hiding in the corner away from the much larger and aggressive dogs. My mom decided to call and ask to have them separated from the larger dogs but they said it's based on 'temperament' and not the actual size of the dog. I would say that's unwise as animals can be unpredictable. When we picked them up we were happy to see that they had cleaned her elderly dogs eyes but he also had a tight string wrapped around his neck for some reason. There was no warm welcome back or anything, they lost the dogs medication, and they were both dehydrated. Then a day later they both got very sick. Unacceptable. Dogs are a part of people's family and they shouldn't be treated like trash. read more

I left my senior citizen rescue baby and the experience was wonderful. He came out so happy and relaxed I couldn't be happier. The staff is friendly, caring, professional and helpful. Above all they are so honest and open. I adore my funny old fur guy and it made my mini vacation worry free. Give your babies a great experience! Regards, Rita McCaffrey read more

Great place to take your dog! It was the first time to board my 1 year old Lab and they made me feel extremely comfortable. They let me bring him in a few days before to adjust to the setting. Also, they were happy to answer all questions and were very flexible with pick up and drop off time. Overall they made me feel like they put the dogs first as their top priority. Rusty says thank you and looks forward to going back. read more

I would give this place 0 stars. This is a terrible dog boarding facility. I thought it was suspicious there are only 20 reviews in 3 years and they're all 5 star. Unfortunately I had my two dogs stay there. My senior 16 year old dog was supposed to be with only small dogs. Instead they put small dogs with big dogs they said based on their temperament, which is completely irresponsible. When I saw my 16 year old dog on the webcam being jumped on and humped by two big dogs I was horrified. There was a woman in the room on her phone not paying any attention. I called them and told them to take my dog out of the room immediately. The accommodations for the dogs are subpar and not acceptable. They even charged me an extra 70 dollars for picking them up an hour late because my flight was delayed and also lost my dogs expensive eye medication. When I brought them home they were both very dehydrated and drank a bowl of water immediately. They are also now both sick. One with bad diarrhea and my older one with a bad cough and congestion. Both dogs were exhausted and traumatized. Barks n rec should be shut down. If you want your dog traumatized, dehydrated and sick this is the place for you. read more

My Joey drags me to the door every time. I don't think there could be a more convincing review than for a golden retriever to be so excited to "get in there" and play! They are accommodating to my schedule, available for a last minute day care or overnight. And, when I come to pick up my boy he is safe and happy.Thanks for playing with my pup and taking such good care of him, when I need to be away. read more

i have an anxious husky that we saved and wanted to check him in for a weekend, its a safety issue, i understand, which is why we called in advance to make sure it was ok and made sure that they could take him, and they promised they could, but an hour later they called telling to take him back, as a business that handles dogs id assume they would have precautions for aggressive dogs, especially after calling and checking first and them promising they could take him for the weekend but it seems if your dog is anything but perfect or a pound dog , they could care less about them, side note: it was kind of strange to see such petite people working with such large breeds, i get you like dogs, but one pull of a big dog and they would get seriously hurt, so really anything over a bulldog would be a liability , and tbh i wouldn't really want them to be taking care of my other dogs who are not aggressive at all, but a larger breed also i guess this place is good if u have a smaller pup, that wasnt in the pound, or might have any type of issue, but don't expect them to take your animals even when they said they would, one star though read more

OMG! Our two dogs who loved going to Camp Bow Wow pulled me in to their first day to Barks n Rec. Deb the new owner is so welcoming. The staff, amazing. Looking forward to the planned enhancements for our peace of mind when we leave our boys there for boarding. I'm so happy the owner of Camp Bow Wow found Deb to carry on this convenient location. We're looking forward to the new indoor and outdoor play yards too. All the best Bsrks n Rec!! read more

Our 90 lb puppy loves Barks N' Rec and everybody there loves him! We send him there regularly for daycare and have boarded him there as well, and it's always a relief to know he's in such good hands. Everyone who works at the front desk is always warm and enthusiastic and Debbie is great. I'm looking forward to seeing the remodel! read more

Such an amazing place with loving and caring staff who truly care about the well being of our furry family members. I recommend with place x1000. read more

Needed to board our 9 mos old Bernedoodle, Benny & the Jets, over Thanksgiving and selected Barks N' Rec based on reviews and recommendations. Staff was friendly and loving to our puppy, and helped to make him feel secure in his first stay away from us. Toured the facility, which was clean and safe and provides both indoor and outdoor play areas for the dogs, which can be viewed via webcam. Many thanks. read more

I can't believe I didn't know about this place until now! Seriously this is heaven on earth! I left both my puppies for the holiday weekend and they took such good care of them. The service is exceptional, the owner Debbie is amazing, felt right at home with them. Definitely recommend for all your doggie day care & boarding needs! read more

What a wonderful experience!! Everyone that works here treated our dog as if he were their own. Our family truly felt comfortable boarding our dog here as we knew he was in good hands and well loved. My kids were not comfortable with the idea of leaving their puppy for a few days and Julie went above and beyond to make my kids felt comfortable with the whole situation. Our beloved Frankie will definitely be going back. Strongly recommend them! read more

This place is awesome. They have taken great care of our dogs. They do a great job evaluating each dogs needs and making sure they get individual attention. Highly recommend! read more

Dani is awesome! She gave great feedback about how to help my high-strung Springer Spaniel and was super helpful. I recommend this wonderful camp! read more