Today I picked up my 3 year old golden retriever mix from Baywood Kennels, and had to come here and write a review. I'm sure you don't have to guess from my 5 star rating that I was pleased.
Delilah is a rescue dog, and the only "child" that my husband and I have. She is very loved and spoiled and I give her only the best of everything. My husband and I don't travel often and when we do, I always fret about who is going to take care of the dog, as she is not always easy to handle. As a rescue, she came with baggage, and is at times very timid and at other times aggressive towards other dogs. Still, she is a wonderful pet and I miss her terribly when I am away from her.
The kennel we were using was great but is a distance away and we were looking for something closer. Google brought me to Baywood. When I called to ask some questions, I spoke with Brandon, who was able to answer all of my questions completely and left me feeling confident that even with Delilah's history, they would be able to handle her. I was told she would get a free daycare day before her stay and that she could be off leash with other dogs. I met that thought some caution, but it has always been my hope that Delilah could be friendly with other dogs- so it was worth a shot!
When I dropped her off for her "trial run", Brandon remembered talking to me and had me take Delilah's leash and collar home, using just a lead with her- as gently as possible. I could tell just from talking to him that he really loved animals and had a kindness about him that made me feel comfortable leaving her. When I came back hours later, I got to witness her in the backyard, offleash, in a run with 5-6 other dogs, happy as can be. In that moment it was like I was looking at another dog, so happy to see her socializing, and though it may not mean her behaviors will change 180 degrees, its a step in the right direction!
Today we picked her up from her 3 day stay and found that she again did well with other dogs. Brandon was always there to greet us and was so responsible throughout the whole transaction. Having a fenced in large run for the dogs I felt was a huge asset to their kennel in that the dogs get to be outside for up to 5 hours a day, always supervised. The kennel is clean and in a country setting as well as very reasonably priced. We had her groomed as well so she came home smelling fresh and clean, and for a timid/aggressive dog, they did a wonderful job. Seeing her after 3 days, she seemed well adjusted and unstressed as she has in the past. In the end, I was able to have trust in the kennel, knowing that "my baby" was in great hands rather than worrying about her the whole time I was gone. You can believe that she will be going back there for daycare at least once a week and for any getaways we have in the future. If you have an animal who you love that you want to have the best tender loving care, even when you can't be the one to give it to them, call Baywood Kennels! read more