Maybe being closed will teach Kara the "manager" not to lie and cheat people to try to get ahead in life. She drinks on the job and never shows up to work. Can't keep anything consistent and was always out of cleaning supplies. I am so glad I quit and don't have to deal with her anymore. For anyone that reads this whatever Kara says about me I don't care. All I want is people to know the truth and not get scammed by 10 lbs of makeup and a sob story. read more

My dog was at Charlie's Doghouse in Crystal Lake for 6 days. It was my first time boarding him ever, and I did a lot of research of where I would send him because I was so nervous. Charlie's DH seemed like it had great reviews, he spent a day there and had fun passing his temperament test, and they offered a cage-free option for overnights which I 100% needed for my dog. I almost didn't go through with boarding him, I tried to find several people to stay at my home for the week, but with scheduling it didn't work out, so I went with Charlie's. I only agreed after an employee promised me that he would make sure the other employees knew how nervous I was and that they would communicate pictures and updates throughout the week as they could. I left on a Friday, I didn't hear from them all weekend. The male employee was the only one to send me pictures and some news about him after the weekend since he wasn't working that weekend, but he said he heard it was busy. I finally got a text from the manager late the last night of his stay regarding a "small scratch" she noticed. Upon picking him up, this was NOT a small and I noticed several other spots along his neck that were raised, felt like bites, and that worried me. The employee also told me that my dog got sick one night, but no one told me this during his stay? I took him to the vet this morning because I was so concerned with the bites, they had to shave his neck region, and we were SHOCKED! Please tell me this is "a small scratch".... Terrifying and I'm so sad I sent my dog here, and he went through that. His neck is shaved, he has marks all over, he's on an ointment, and an oral antibiotic. How did this go "unnoticed"? Wasn't there blood? He has short hair, most of it white in that region. I asked, the employee "doesn't know" if there was blood. Each employee I've spoken to has a different day they "noticed" the "small scratch". There had to have been blood and someone had to have seen this! Why wasn't I contacted WHEN THIS HAPPENED and WHY WASN'T HE TAKEN TO THE VET THEN? Someone is lying or this place was understaffed and unsupervised. As a rescue dog, he already has a very traumatic past, so I am exceptionally sad this happened to him and wouldn't want this happening to another dog. What if my dog was a smaller, weaker breed? Another dog could have been killed, luckily my dog wasn't! Update- I did speak to the owner on the phone this morning after the vet. She was crying and disgusted with what happen- she said she's going to try to look through video footage, but it erases every few days, but she's trying to figure out who is to blame. She said she felt very bad and was very apologetic because she said this is her dream job, and she just wants the dogs to be safe. She seemed sincerely very sorry, so while this was very bad, and I wouldn't want to send my dog back, it also sounds like it's not normal for this place. Idk... She's paying for the vet bill and the 6 day stay not that it will help my dog, but I am thankful he will be okay. I will update this in a week if the vet bill reimbursement check is sent, she has already reimbursed my dog's stay as promised. I wouldn't wish this on any dog. read more

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I'm having a hard time understanding all the positive reviews on Facebook. Last time my dog came home with kennel cough. This time I had to pick my dog up in complete darkness because there were no outside lights turned on and no street lights provide any coverage. In fact the outside of this place looks very run down with parking and instruction signs in dilapidated state. Printer must be from the 1900's as it cannot print double-sided. I just get the impression there is not enough re-investment taking place. Not only that but my dog had a limp in the morning, so I'm not sure if it was bitten or sore for some other reason. I think it is time for me to find another boarding facility. read more

This is the first time we had used Charlies Dog house for the grooming of our two dogs. Not only did they do great job of it, the staff was amazing. All of the staff Is so nice to work with. We will definitely be back.. read more

This place came highly recommended to us by some close friends so we were excited to check it out. We left or dog there in the day care for a day as an orientation. When we came to pick her up they gave us a walk through. The first thing we noticed was that her head was wet. The second thing we noticed was each employee carried a spray bottle and sprayed the dogs as a discipline tactic. I can get behind that punishment if it's warranted. But a dog who simply barks *because that's what dogs do* should not be sprayed in the head. The facility is really nice but we ultimately decided that Charlie's Sprayhouse was not the place we wanted to leave our dog. read more

My dog loves this place! Very clean, professional, great price, and two options for boarding (cage free or kennel)

Tomorrow morning we get to pick up our precious dog after being away on vacation. I'm taking this opportunity to publicly thank the entire staff at Charlie's doghouse for being such a hardworking & kind group of people! This is Lolly's home away from home which makes leaving her much easier. In the past 6 years, I have never been unhappy with our experience. All of us trust that our fur princess is in good hands and we are so grateful!!! read more

Charlie's is the best! My dog Butkus loves going to daycare! He is so happy when he gets there and is exhausted when he gets home from all the playing. We have used Charlie's for boarding, daycare, and grooming with Taylor is top notch! We love our Charlie's family! read more

I'm so happy I found Charlie's Doghouse! The staff is friendly and the facility seemed clean and smelled fresh! That may sound weird but that's something that freaked me out about other groomers. They did a great job on my 3 dogs and they seemed very happy and not nervous as a result. Charlie's is my new go-to groomer! read more

Our dog absolutely loves Charlie's doghouse. He was a stray /shelter dog when we adopted him. He was very fearful and timid of everything and everyone. He has warmed up to all the dogs and the staff here so quickly. They aren't just staff,either. They truly love these dogs. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. Our dog only comes here once or sometimes twice a week, but he is just thrilled as soon as we pull in the parking lot. It doesn't even have any sort of an animal smell as you walk in and the staff always greats you very quickly. We have brought our dog Sniper here for an overnight or two and we wouldn't hesitate to board him that - we actually will be this week. They let him play with all of the other dogs during the day and he sleeps in a comfortable place at night. read more

Taylor did an excellent job grooming our dog Ruby who has anxiety issues. Not only was our dog at ease when we picked her up she looked better then she had in quite some time. We had been going to another groomer in the area but it was a loud, high energy and she didn't always look the best after her time with them. Thank you Charlie's Doghouse! read more

I highly recommend Charlie's Doghouse for daycare and boarding! I called to check on my dogs while they were boarding this weekend and was very happy to hear about who they were playing with and how they were doing, it definitely made me happy to hear my pups were doing good! The staff is very friendly and were very attentive when I gave them instructions for the dogs overnight stay. The facility is clean and looks really nice, which you don't always find with doggie daycares. You can tell the staff loves what they do and I would trust my dogs to stay with them anytime :) read more

We take our dog to Charlie's house several times per month for daycare and a few times per year for boarding. He always comes home super tired so we know he has lots of fun! We highly recommended Charlie's House! read more

Do not take your dog to this place!! Our family friend took their dog there and was attacked by another dog! The person that was "watching" the dog said it happen to quick to get over to the dogs to stop it. Which is understandable these things happen and being a victim of a dog attack I know first hand. THIS is were the issues comes: The person watching the dog told them she saw it happen, but the owner told us nobody saw it happen. So there is a lie. Also the owner would not release any of the info on the dog that attacked the family's dog. Wait we thought nobody saw this, but you know which dog the family wanted the info on. Another Lie! They family are big pet people and they don't want to put the dog down or anything, they just want to know if the dog is up to date with shots and what have you. Also if they are going to not allow that dog back, I mean crap he sounds aggressive. Also They then kept telling the family it is nothing bad and it is just a scratch.... False! Two trips to the vet to clean and dress the wounds sounds more than a scratch. The last and final issue is that the owner did not say sorry and basically wiped her hands clean and wants nothing to do with this. Great business ethics!! read more

I love this place sooo much. They take such good care of my dogs. I have used every service they offer there and has been a great experience every time. Keep up the great work! read more

I have been taking my dogs, Tex and Tully here for a few months now. The facility is very clean. The staff is very friendly and I trust that they take excellent care of my babies. You have the option of cage free boarding or suite boarding. I would highly recommend! read more

We have used Charlies Doghouse several times now, and it is such a great place to board your dog. We take at least one 2- week vacation each year and our 5 year old maltese-shih tzu does really well here. I am always anxious to leave him, but I know when I return from our trip, Charlie will have had a great stay. Friendly staff, clean and you know that they all really enjoy what they do! read more

I have used Charlie's Doghouse several times for boarding and my 2 dogs love coming here. The staff is incredible - you can tell they love spending times with the dogs. The facility is clean and the dogs have fun. My dogs sleep together at home so it was really helpful that they allowed them to be together while I am away. A++ read more

This place is amazing! The girls that work there are cute, fun and most importantly good with the dogs. Kara the owner is extremely knowledgeable and kind. She knows how to run an exceptional establishment. My lab Beau can hardly wait for me to open the door he gets so excited when he knows where he's going! For Beau this is hands down the best form of exercise and play all wrapped into one fantastic place! Thank you, Charlie's!!!!!!! read more

Charlie's has watched my active Border Collie for about a year now. The staff has always shown me the utmost friendliness and my dog Pearl a caring environment. Pearl used to hate getting in the car, but now jumps in easily, knowing she gets to see her friends at Charlie's. The staff there works with me to reinforce Pearl's training, helping her understand that she can't get away with jumping on people, even when I'm not watching! I can't say enough about the quality, cleanliness, and wonderful staff at Charlie's. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

My dog went for his first daycare and seemed like he loved it. I was able to call the daycare and ask how he was doing and I got a straight answer. Very nice staff as well. read more

My pups love playing with their friends at Charlie's! Everyone is so friendly, they have fun holiday events for the dogs too.

I have been going to Charlie's for about 2 years now and they are AMAZING! The staff is wonderful, flexible and do a great job letting me know about Hallie's day. I use Charlie's for boarding on occasion and also take my dog there at least 3 times a week and have for months. read more

I am visiting from out of town for the holidays and found Charlie's Doghouse online. I called several times with questions and date/ time changes as my schedule changed. Every time I called, the staff member was polite, professional and friendly. When we dropped the dogs off, they were able to accommodate our need to go from daycare to overnight boarding. I love the idea of crateless boarding! They took the time to introduce my girls to all of the other dogs to make sure everything would be the perfect fit. They were definitely more thorough than any other daycare/kennel I've been to. When we got the all-clear after the temperament test, Kara gave us a tour. The facility was clean and didn't smell like many kennels can. I loved the staff:dog ratio and I knew my girls were in good hands. Thanks to the staff at Charlie's for being so accommodating to an out-of-towner. My dogs are my kids and I'm very particular. I didn't have to compromise here! I will definitely be back next time I'm in town. read more

Our dog LOVES going to Charlie's! He knows when we pull in the parking lot. The employees are genuinely sweet and love dogs. It's evident that they're working there because they love what they do. It's very clean and even smells nice :) I did a lot of research before selecting a daycare for our goldendoodle. We can't thank Charlie's enough for taking such good care of our sweet boy! read more

We have been taking our dog, Jager, to Charlies for almost a year now. The facility is sparkling clean, and the staff is as friendly and loving as can be. Jager is always excited to spend time at Charlies, his "home away from home" read more

Very impressed with Charlie's Doghouse. Very caring staff who love what they do. I am happy knowing when I leave my puppy he is in great hands. I highly recommend the home away from home. read more

We moved to Crystal Lake from Chicago, and we were having a hard time finding a daycare facility in the suburbs that could compare to what we had in the city. Then we found Charlie's Doghouse! Not only are all of the staff extremely friendly and knowledgeable, I also appreciate that they do not allow dogs to stay with them until they've had a day visit to make sure the dog has the disposition to be in an open play area with other dogs. This made me feel so confident leaving our pup there for long stays while we were on vacation. She gets excited when we pull into the parking lot, and always comes home happy. And when I pick up they always share a little story of her stay, and what dogs she really got along with. Also - not sure if other dog parents are as obsessed with this as I am. But whenever I would pick her up from other doggie daycares, she would come home extremely thirsty, which would make me worried she wasn't getting enough water at the daycare. But when she comes home from Charlie's Doghouse, her first instinct when she gets home is to take a nap - not run to her water bowl. Which is proof to me that they always have staff there watching and making sure the dogs are getting what they need while they're there. read more