We left our 2 male GSD's here last summer for a week, ages 2 and almost 12. Every time I stopped by to see them they were happy and where they stayed was surprisingly cool, especially for how hot it was end of July. Most times I stopped by, Dave was out walking dogs and I could see how much my dogs liked him when I was there. They're large, male, no nonsense and very expressive, and they were genuinely happy and content there and I didn't have to worry about them. My only complaint would be that they really stunk on the ride home and we immediately took them for baths. This is a reasonably priced, lack of frills place, but I know when my guys are happy and well taken care of and that's what matters. We will be back! read more

I have brought all our dogs over the years to stay with Dave. They have ALL loved him! They are happy to see him and he always takes them for a walk right away. I never have to worry about my dog. I know they are happy, well cared for and safe. They come home tired and calm after their stay. He takes them for 3 walks a day and my dogs love it! I now have two wild, big puppies and Dave handles them great. They LOVE Dave as much as we do. When I came to get my dogs after last weekend there, of course they were happy to see me, but they also made sure to say "good bye" to Dave. Dave gave me great advise on how to train my Hannah to not pull so much on a lead. She is strong! My Howie is not very people "friendly" especially with men-no such concerns with Dave. He is part of the family. It saddens me to read the terrible reviews some have left. Dave can be a quiet guy, but I know he loves dogs and that my dogs get the best care with him. I have been to spotless kennels-I will not name them-but they were harsh, inpatient with my dogs and did not give them water in the kennel. My dogs RAN desperately shaking to the car and drank a full big bowl of water when we got home. Never again. It may be going an hour out of my way, but Dave wins hands down! See his kind heart people. read more

Door County Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

We took our lovely Bailey here. Coming in, she was completely out of her element and barked at the owner as loud as she could. She did not want to go into her kennel! With a heavy heart, I decided to give it a try for one night. The next day we came pretty much as soon as they opened. Immediately I could tell that she had warmed up to the owner as she was no longer barking and was giving him friendly nudges. We took her for a walk and returned. This time she happily went into her kennel, which was a huge relief. She was not sad that we had left for another day. The next day, when we came to pick her up, Dave immediately told us that she had complete change of heart and that she was as sweet (to him) as can be. And I could tell that she was treated nicely and that she was happy there. But still even more happy to go home :-) Dave is constantly walking around the property with "his" dogs, which is exactly what Bailey needed. I give Dave and his kennel 5/5 stars! We will make sure he has our business again, should we come back to Door County! read more

Whoa after reading the bad reviews I was leery, but we boarded our 9 yo lab Georgie here last summer anyway. Good grief people-No Dave doesn't fall all over you scattering rose petals and offering you lemonade. He was a nice person who took our dog on many walks around the property with another girl dog "because they really liked each other." (How sweet is that!?") We showed up one day for a visit and our dog Georgie went nuts running around with us, but when we headed back to the barn/Dave, Georgie ran to him jumping, licking and loving him up and paid no attention to us. Perfect. That's what matters. We are reserved for this summer and can't wait. read more

Dave really loves dogs! We left our two small terrier mixes in his care for 4 days while we went on a vacation. He greeted them warmly, walked them every day no matter the weather (it snowed!) and was excellent about ensuring our elder dog got her meds on time, every day. Very, very pleased at the care they received with him! read more

If you care about your pet, don't bring them here. What I mistook for David's mellow and easy going nature, appears to be plain old negligence. The day before dropping off, my dog was healthy and playing ball like a maniac. After a 5 day stay at Door County Kennels and over $1,200 in vet bills following her stay, my dog is likely going to pass in the next few days. I called to check in on my dog during her five day stay to make sure she was eating and taking her medication. David unenthusiastically responded with a short, "yep, she ate her breakfast" without offering much more. When I picked up my dog on the final day she looked gaunt, sickly and smelled. When asked how she did, only then did David mention that she'd thrown up the past two days and wasn't eating. Frustrated and disheartened, I paid and got the hell out of his depressing kennel. The next day I took my dog to the vet. She was severely dehydrated, had a respiratory infection and her intestinal track was a mess. Here we are three weeks later and my dog is likely going to die in the next few days. She can't even stand on her own. Keep in mind that my dog just turned 10, but she was living her best life and super active literally the day before her stay. Again, if you care about your pet at all. Find someone else. This dude is just collecting money with little regard for your pet's heath or well being. read more

Some of these reviews crack me up. I am taking my dog to Dave to watch this week while I am enjoying my annual trip to DC and I will have to remind him to roll out the red carpet for y'all! I get it, you love your dog and want him or her to be in the best hands. I do too, which is why I've been leaving him in the care of Dave everytime I go to DC for years. Yes, he might not be the best people person, but that's not what I am paying him for. He's a shy, sweet guy who loves animals and my dog always excitedly runs toward him when we arrive. I can tell when my dog is uncomfortable, but he never is with Dave. Dave takes the dogs for long walks and tells me about the dogs he interacted with when I go back to pick him up. I'm from a city so I know there are many more fancier places available, but none that will provide my dog with the love, attention, and exercise that he gets with Dave. read more

Perfect drop off for our 10 year old beagle so we could go and enjoy a day in door county. No frills but just a safe place to keep our dog and have her cared for. read more

My husband and I chose this place to board our pup since it is the only kennel North of Sturgeon Bay. We wanted to be able to take him for the day if we wanted but we also wanted to enjoy our trip and be able to do what we wanted at night. The kennel is on a big farm so I thought it was be great for our dog to have a nice big area to explore and the website says that they are walked 3 times daily. Upon meeting the owner Dave, we felt a little uneasy. Maybe it was because this was the first time we were boarding our dog and maybe it was because we just had a weird feeling about this place. Dave wasn't very friendly and didn't show much interest in our dog so we left him there just feeling uneasy. Every time we went to pick our dog up, he was really upset and went to the bathroom outside immediately. This made us wonder how well he was taken care of if he had to go to the bathroom so badly. He is a 50+ pound dog so he can hold it for a long time. This made us question the "3 daily walks" statement on their website. My husband and I even contemplated leaving a night early since we didn't want to bring him back here. It was a little over $20/night - definitely cheaper than other places but the seemly lack of care and the uneasy feelings we got were enough for us to not go back here ever again. read more

Door County Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

I debated whether or not I should leave a review because Dave is very highly regarded by some of his customers and in the Door County community. Many people told us how wonderful he was and how long he had been in business (17 years). As a new puppy owner, and a first time dog owner I thought I was overreacting and had too high of expectations when I arrived. The kennel does not leave the best first impression as it is dark and dirty when you first enter and the kennels felt more like a prison. I'm not sure how often our dog was let out in the 3.5 days he was there as his entire bed we brought was soaked in pee. Our dog even smelled like pee by the last day. The flexibility he provides is beneficial as far as being able to come and go and he allowed my entire family to come and spend time with our dog at his property, but even despite that, I'd be hesitant to recommend this kennel to others. Like other reviewers, my dog is very well cared for and a member of our family so leaving him here made me uncomfortable. read more

Dave was very accommodating to us for our daycare needs of our GSDs.. Our pups were placed together which relieved stress on them and us. Although they have been boarded a few times while we vacationed elsewhere to come home to stressed out dogs it was great to just drop them off for the day to enjoy Door County. Thanks Dave ! read more

Door County Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

I felt the need to update my review because of the obvious reaction to my review (see filtered reviews). Look, I'm not trying to put the guy out of business or anything, but I have to stand by my review. I have taken my dogs to several dog kennels in city AND rural areas. I know most rural kennels are fenced enclosures. I have no problem with that and I'm thrilled when they are heated and indoors. It still doesn't change the fact that my dogs didn't seem to enjoy their stay as much as other places. I think the pricing is totally reasonable for what they provide. He let us tour the kennel area and it was clean. I liked that we could take them off-site for hikes. However, when you are on vacation and worried about your dog, it's just not a positive experience. read more

We are again boarding Ollie with David! He is great with him and we have every confidence that Ollie is happy and safe at Door County Kennels! We will be visiting Door County two more times this year and Ollie will be staying with David at Door County Kennels! read more

Full disclosure; I am a nut, our dogs are considered part of the family and not pets. After seeing the picturesque farmland landscape on the website I thought we'd be dropping our boys of at a bright, fun, happy place where they would play with other dogs while we did our kayaking trip. Instead, we walked into a cold, dark, and depressing kennel. It felt as if we were dropping them off at the humane society. Dave greeted us with big headphones on. He was nice enough to our dogs, led them back to the concrete runs and gave them a fresh bowl of water. I guess I didn't do enough of my own research because I left feeling guilty that we dropped them off there. The website says that they get three walks in. It's $10 per dog pet day and came to be $21.10 with tax. We only left them for 5 hours and that was enough for us. If you're looking for a quick pet sitter while you're out doing activities you could bring them here. Otherwise, I could not leave ours there overnight or for the duration of our stay, but again that's probably just us. read more

Dave was great. The kennels are clean and the grounds are beautiful. Or dog is a bit sensitive but a mid week check up revealed she was actually really happy there and very friendly with Dave. We will definitely be boarding here on our next trip up. I would also urge people to read the filtered reviews. read more

We boarded two dogs for 2 nights at Door County Kennels. As soon as I walked in the kennel (barn) I had this bad feeling - everything in my being said don't leave them here. Don't be fooled by the quaint farm setting - it's nothing like the inside which smells nasty and is filthy. I should have trusted my instincts and left, but 2 days later we picked up our dogs. As we drove home I had to roll down the windows the dogs smelled so bad. The baths they had before their boarding was a waste of time. Within 10-15 minutes one of the dogs threw-up undigested (multi-colored) dog food in the car. Our dog never gets carsick and the multi-colored kibble he threw-up was NOT the dog food we provided Door County Kennels to feed our dogs. It gets worse. Once at home both dogs were given baths and later that evening the same dog who threw-up had unbelievable diarrhea with blood splatter all over the house. Our home looked like a scene from 'Dexter.!' The second dog also suffered from diarrhea, minus the blood. Neither dog would eat their dog food, take a treat or drink water the next day. I finally cooked a small amount of chicken and mixed it with white rice and after some coaxing they both ate small amounts. The diarrhea continued. NINE days after boarding them we turned a corner and they began to eat their dog food and drink water again. Their stools slowly began to be solid/normal. Neither of our dogs have ever been sick before boarding them at Door County Kennels. And neither will ever be boarded at Door County Kennels again. read more

We have been boarding our dogs for years at Door County Kennel and have always felt that Dave does a fantastic job. I am a little shocked at the other reviews and really feel that our dogs have had wonderful care. We bring the dogs up two times per year since the opening of the kennel and each time I am a little embarrassed that our older German Wirehair (82#) is so excited to see Dave that she nearly knocks him over! He is great about letting us come over as many times during the week as we want to get the dogs out to take them hiking through the parks. As far as the ear protectors....give me a break!!! It is loud in ANY kennel and as a medical person I am glad to see that he is protecting his hearing. The reason I know the dogs are taken out several times per day is because when we get home we have virtually no problems with the dogs going to the bathroom in the house like we have had at other kennels where they obviously were not taken out enough. The kennel is a barn that has been converted and no, it is not plush like some of the kennels in the big cities but it is absolutely spotless and I never have concerns about hygiene. I wish that Door County Kennel was closer to our home so we could have Dave care for the girls every time we travel!!! read more

After our experience with this "kennel," it can better be described as a filthy third world prison. Please do not leave your dogs here. From the outside, it has that classic Wisconsin charm of being a big red barn. The owner David seemed nice enough over the phone. When my husband and I arrived, we quickly realized that he takes care of ALL dogs and does not appear to have any sort of staff. The barn was dark, damp and smelly. He put noise canceling headphones on before he brought the dogs back to their cage, and we followed to see where they would be staying. I was horrified. Every dog we passed was barking with loud desperation and distress. There were puddles of pee in their cages. He threw our dogs bedding in their kennel and had no interaction with them whatsoever. As we were driving away, I got a pit in my stomach and instinctively knew that our dogs were not in good hands. My older dog is 13 and 6 pounds, and I did not want to find out the hard way that we made the wrong choice by leaving him there. Thankfully, we made some frantic phone calls and found a room that would accept dogs, on the same property as the non-dog friendly cabin we had reserved originally. We turned back around and picked up our dogs back up about 45 mins after we had dropped them off. The strange thing is, David looked at us blankly when we arrived again and asked which dogs were ours, after we were literally JUST THERE. My older dog's prescription dog food was left out (after we told him it needed to be refrigerated). All 15-20 dog's belongings and food were thrown into a messy unorganized room. If he didn't remember who we were, or that our dog's food needed refrigeration, how in the world does he remember which food belongs to which dog? And how does he walk them all 4x per day all by himself? Dogs are obviously neglected and in an unsanitary stressful environment there. This operation needs to be shut down. read more

As a dog owner, there is nothing more assuring than when your pup runs up wagging her tail when she sees the kennel guy. In this case it is Dave. Thanks Dave for making my time away from Lola stress free! And she alway smells clean and fresh when she gets in the truck. read more

We read all the wonderful reviews for Door County Kennels which lead us to believe this was a great place to leave your dog but it was very disappointing when we actually got to view the condition of this kennel. It was not at all what we expected it was dirty, dark and smelly. We hesitantly left our dog but it bothered us so much it ruined our day trip for we had to go back and pick her up after 2 hours we had planned on staying much longer. As far as the owner is concerned, Dave was polite but then why wouldn't he be for we are giving him our business. It was a bad experience for us for we expect a facility to be clean, light and airy for our dog and next time we will make sure it is. read more

Pros: Price is better than most other places. The amount of space was decent. Our dogs were put in a 3 x 12 kennel. They are small and were able to run around. Cons: Our dogs were not greeted and like other reviewers we had an uneasy feeling as well. It is never easy to leave your dog, and I will admit, I usually do worse than my dogs when I leave. This time I could tell they were very very upset when I came back to visit them. I went to take them back and they were acting like I have never seen before. It is very loud inside. We just had a feeling that the owner was not interested in the well-being of our dogs. We will not return. read more

We have been bringing our BELOVED furry-family pal there for 5 years and every time we go our dog is yelping to get out of the car and when we open the door she makes a bee-line when she sees "Mr. David" the owner. He makes notes about when to feed her and he places all her beds and blankets in her run and she hops in immediately. We are able to pick her up everyday and take her with us for our day of activities and when we return she can't wait to get out of the car to run to "Mr. David". I have read some negative reviews here and I can only say OUR experiences are very different from those reviews. read more

Another successful trip to Door County this year included the safe haven for my favorite four-legged friend. The kennel allows me to bring my dog with on vacation which I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. As always, Dave is friendly and my dog (and my neighbor's dog as well since we are traveling together) is always happy to see him. It's easy every day to swing by in the morning to pick-up both dogs up for a fun day at the beach. With special arrangements made ahead of time, we pick one night of the week to keep the dogs with us later for additional time with family. The kennel is clean and my dog appears to be comfortable there. I bring my dog's pillow for his own comfort and provide familiar space. Dave takes the dogs for several long walks a day while he is there. I opt for an end-of-the-week bath before I pick-up my dog for the trip home. read more

Dave was very nice. He was attentive and had a good sense of humor. As soon as we drove up he came out of his house (he lives on-site) and met us before we even got out of the car. We could come by between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM and pick up our dog anytime we wanted. Not too many kennels offer this type of service and it worked out great for us, since our dog loves the beach, we picked her up in the morning and dropped her off around 5:30 or 6:00 PM. I would recommend this kennel to anyone. The flexibility to pick up and drop off your dog throughout the day really worked out well for us. read more

Just got back from several days in Door County for a wedding and wanted to have our two labs looked after for just one night. Dave was very organized and cordial and made sure we had our vaccinations in order and to know how to reach us for an emergency. I think he is just more of a quiet person. I think we surprised him because we arrived at 7 am and as we drove in he was already walking two other dogs. He then said we could take them into his fields to run because he had not yet given them their morning walk. We were very satisfied and would use them again if we should go back up there. Barb and Jim Hudson, WI read more

Geez people. They are DOGS! I love my dog immensely, but he is a dog. They don't speak our same language and you have to stop putting human emotions on them. That being said, we've used it before and are going again. You are right that Dave isn't "Mr. Personality" but he owns a DOG KENNEL, not a hair salon or a tavern. Dogs don't talk so Dave doesn't have to, either. It's clean, it's warm or cool depending on the season, and the dog lays around sleeping. Isn't that what they do at home when we're not there? So your choices are to pay top dollar for an in-home dog nanny, stay at a hotel that allows dogs then you have to worry about bad doggies all day and you can't enjoy your glass of wine, or let him sleep in a place such as this and pick him up during the day and take him to the park.... It's a perfect place for dogs. Maybe not people, but its not a hotel. Dave is great. read more

Our dog was very happy when we picked him up from his stay. He had a bath and was clean. I would recommend them. Thank you Dave.

Dave the owner was nice, the place was clean, and we could come get our dog and take him to the dog beach anytime we wanted. It worked out great for us! read more

Dates of Stay Aug 10-15, 2016 Protective German Shepherd Can't say enough about how much I appreciated Dave boarding our dog while we enjoyed our RV vacation. Our dog is a good boy, but not extremely social, so trying to RV with him at some of the campgrounds was not what we considered relaxing ... I did a last minute search, found Door County Kennels. Upon speaking with Dave, he was very accomadating in my request that I be able to visit several time a day and be the one to walk my dog. Although Dave walks every dog several times a day, I thought it best if I were the one handling my dog. He had no problem with me popping in (without an appointment) to visit ( and EVERY time I did, he was out walking dogs, just like he says he does.) The kennel is clean, affordably priced, Dave lives on site and takes impeccable care of the grounds. A very charming place, it is a dairy farm converted into kennels. Please don't let some of the lesser star reviews influence your decision, please read all the reviews. I'd recommend Door County Kennels to anyone, Dave is the sole owner and operator of his facility. I'd much rather deal with a business owner that is accountable than a larger operation full of staff that has no real vested interest in the business or the dogs they care for. The kennels are clean,efficient, temperature controlled, and not cluttered with frilly excess of pictures and cute trinkets (it's a kennel, dogs don't care about decoration). We will board our dog(s) here every time we vacation in Door County. read more

We just recently boarded our two Miniature Schnauzers with Dave and were quite impressed. He was friendly and our dogs liked him right away.The facility was clean and the two times we visited, Dave was walking dogs on his property, which was beautiful with plenty of pathways. We were able to visit them anytime we wanted and had a great time walking them ourselves on his property. Both our dogs seemed quite happy there. We loved the idea of bringing them with us to Door County and being able to see them. We would definitely recommend this kennel. read more

We have boarded our two dogs here mutliple times over the past few years. Dave is always very accomodating with our requests or pick up times, etc. As for the claims of it being like a shelter...hello, they are dogs. Do you expect him to have carpeting that he needs to clean? Come on. And for the headphones, dogs bark a lot when they are not at home. If you worked there, I am sure you would wear ear protection as well. His prices are very reasonable. A great place to board your dogs. read more

I read each of these reviews and there were parts from each I agreed with... We also chose to bring our black lab to Door County with us for a family reunion. We could pick her up from Dave during the day and bring her back, which allowed us to have her with us for water activities and hiking. Because our lab has only ever had one boarder, at first I was hesitant to leave her; the grounds were beautiful but the kennel seemed a little dark and dank. But I realized by day 2 that those were my first reactions! My dog ended up really adjusting well. Dave was able to give me full reports about how she handled her walks with him. I found him to be kind, attentive and trustworthy. Sadie ended up handling this new situation well, and in fact, I started appreciating the inside kennel better as well! I would recommend this kennel and suggest you give it a day or two to grow on you- Dave is a really kind and animal-oriented person, and we were very pleased with the experience. read more

We have been taking our dog to Dave @ DC Kennels for a couple years now. First, 3 walks a day is what every dog needs! Secondly, the hours are extremely flexible (7-7 everyday). Thirdly, price is very reasonable. Lastly, and most important, Dave is a true animal person at heart. If you are looking for a posh doggie hotel, this is not for you. If you want to leave your dog in great hands where they will be well cared for, then I would highly recommend DC Kennels. read more

We have used this kennel for 7 years and have always had a nice experience. Certainly our dog would prefer to spend his nights with us but Dave is very accommodating about pick-ups and drop-offs. The individual cages are quite large for the dogs. And it's worth getting the dog bathed before our final pick-up of the week which removes all of the sand & dirt! read more

We have been boarding our dogs there since before David took over. They run into the kennel everytime - something they wouldn't do if they didn't like going there. David has always shown great care for our two dogs. We highly recommend Door County Kennels. read more

I'm sorry but dropping off our dog we felt okay (ish). But once we came back only after being gone for 3 days it was like he hadn't seen us in years he was crying and wouldn't let go of us. Another person who was picking up their dog at the same time was also crying and running from the owner. The kennel didn't look heated like he said. It was in a barn and it was during the November. I don't think he really paid much of any attention to our dog or any of the others. He claims he takes them all for 3 walks a day. I would maybe believe that if there were more people present.... helping this guy out. This will be the last time we take our dog there. We just really got a bad feeling about this place. He said he bought it from previous kennel owners- which makes me think HE HAS NO EXPERIENCE! Even though the price is reasonable it's really not worth the worrying. read more

I have been bringing my dog to Door County Kennels for years now and have had a great experience every time. My dog is always happy to see David, never becomes fearful when we arrive, and makes himself right at home. I was disappointed to see some of the negative comments on previous reviews because I think some people don't understand that their behavior significantly affects that of their dog - if you are anxious about your trip, the car ride, leaving your dog behind, etc. then they will be too! They won't understand those reasons, though, and may associate that feeling with arriving at the kennel. In addition, some dogs are simply more nervous than others. David's calm demeanor is truly the ideal way for my dog to feel comfortable as I leave. Hyping up a dog with lots of love and attention is great, but when you are about to turn around and leave it can greatly contribute to separation anxiety. David has always allowed me to take my dog all around his property and even go back to get him out of the kennel myself. The concrete floors mean that cleaning can be done easily and thoroughly which is a huge comfort. And the headphones - great idea! I have worked in kennels before and trust me, you would want to save your hearing too. Overall, I have been more than satisfied with this place. David has the perfect personality for someone who cares for dogs, especially since they are in a completely new environment and are away from their owners. I have arrived during all hours of the day, and many times waited as he comes back from walking the dogs. His flexibility with my plans (whether or not I want to take my dog for the day, for the night, etc.) is something that is hard to find in many kennels. He even gives my dog a bath before sending him home. He is the reason I can enjoy my Door County vacation knowing that my dog is safe and happy. Thanks David! read more