I have had my dog at two other dog daycares, before bringing her to Raising Canine. I left one business because the location was closing and the other I stopped taking my dog there as she didn't seem happy and strongly resisted going into that former dog daycare. Raising Canine is far superior to the other two sites I was at with respect to a clean facility, access to the outdoors, patient and kind groomer services, good supervision and mix of dogs, and the attentiveness from the friendly and enthusiastic truly "dog loving" staff! I have been bringing my dog there since they opened (more than five years) on a twice weekly basis, and I (and my dog) could not be happier. I have been aware of the issues of the neighbouring business complaining about the dogs barking, but though my dog does sometimes bark, she is so happy and engaged with the staff and other dogs she rarely barks. It is unfortunate for people who own dogs that do like to bark that this place may not be able to accommodate them, but I know the staff has been very helpful with my dog's issues (like not enjoying being groomed). My dog practically pulls my arm off to get into the daycare when I drop her off. She is very happy and tired at the end of the day, and I am so grateful (as she is a very energetic border collie mix) that she is engaged and cared for on my longer work days. I have never had any issues with the staff - they have always been attentive and kind. I have taken some of the dog classes with the owner and found her program to be very informative, positive and effective for my dog. In my experience of more than four years at this place, I think Raising Canine runs an excellent daycare for dogs and their owners. (And I have very high standards for my dog!) read more

We never thought we would take any of my rescued dogs to a Daycare and low and behold here we are regular attendees at Raising Canines. The owner and staff walked me through my separation anxiety and our big old guy is well integrated into this caring and active daycare. The staff "know" the dogs and apply exceptional dog training techniques. Sure , they have bad days as sometimes they must have the feeling that they are dealing with a group of first time socializing two year olds. The staff are patient with new dogs and work hard to ensure they are happy and safe. They play with the dogs and when a dog is having a bad day, they know when to give the family pet some space. Sometimes they must call the owner as the pet is just not adjusting and the concept of daycare is just not working for the dog or the other dogs. That is responsible dog daycare management. We are all emotional about our family pets and when behavioral issues exist we need to attend to them. We as owners, also, need to understand that some situation are not appropriate for their dog. Dogs a have individualistic behaviors and needs. I seek the staff recommendation as to how my guy is doing and if he is having a bad day then I want them to call me as I would with my kids at school. My dog is my responsibility. I am forever grateful to Velvet and staff for their exceptional care of my dog and I will not consider taking my dog anywhere else. read more

The staff here are super nice and genuine. Being that this was my first day care experience since getting my dog 4 months ago, at first I wasn't confident that they would have the skills needed to handle my 55lb high energy rescue dog who is very shy and skittish with strangers, but they were so patient and kind, it didn't take her much time to warm up to them and let loose. The facility is not the biggest I've seen but also not the smallest and I don't feel like they over-pack it with dogs. I was pretty impressed with the outdoor space - hard to find that in a doggy day care in the city - they have sectioned off areas for play groups and they have artificial grass to keep it clean. It's really is SUPER clean inside and out. My dog always comes home tired and happy... The owner, Velvetanne, is the sweetest woman who is always happy to chat about your dog. The only downside is the price point is a bit higher than most of the other day cares I've checked out and I wish they closed at 7pm because I have to rush here from work in the south, but for now it's worth to me to take my dog here. Highly recommend this place!! Last note: I have read the previous reviews. My dog rarely barks so this is not an issue for me whatsoever. read more

Awesome dog daycare. Excellent training classes, and convenient grooming service. All the staff at Raising Canine are wonderful: enthusiastic, dog lovers, caring. They consistently go above and beyond. I've recommended Raising Canine to two colleagues and their pooches, and they too are thrilled with the service and staff. Velvet and her amazing staff have been caring for our Odin since he was a young Bernese Mountain Dog of 6-7 months, and he still goes to daycare regularly 2-3 times per week. Odin is a high energy goof ball who brings his unique exuberance to Raising Canine each time. Our family can go about our daily commitments knowing that Odin is in good care, and not getting into mischief at home. This is a huge relief. As well, he is well socialized and pretty tired after a day of frolicking with his furry friends. Were it not for Raising Canine, as well as Velvet and her staff, we might have considered returning Odin to the breeder as he was such a naughty fellow. Thank you Velvet and the girls at RC. You all rock! Odin and family love you. read more

My Sheltie has been going to Raising Canine since she has been a puppy. She is now 4 years old and we have never had a single issue. When we are dropping her off she gets excited in the car before we are even there. We take her at least once a week and she always comes home happy and tuckered out. When the family has to go on holidays, we trust Raising Canine so much that we have Velvet take care of her while we are gone. Raising Canine makes sure to provide a quality experience for your dog. We also take her to the socialization classes on saturdays. This is a great way for our girl to social and play for an hour, aswell as an opportunity for dog owners to converse. I do not have a bad thing to say about this business and would reccomend any friends or family to bring their dog to this company. Do not allow 2 bitter people scew your perception of this amazing facility! 5 stars and 2 thumbs up from me! read more

I have been taking my dog Maya to Raising Canine since it opened and have always been pleased by the service there. The staff are professional and knowledgeable about dogs, conscious of safety and really enjoy the work that they do. The owner, Velvetanne Madro is a fabulous trainer, and that is reflected in the quality of care. Maya is always happy to go and is equally happy when I pick her up again. She has numerous buddies that she hangs out with there, and I get lots of fun reports of their antics. Check out their Facebook page for pictures of the facility and the dogs; the outdoor space that Raising Canine has is a big plus for me. It's really a comfort knowing that I have a safe place for Maya to go during the day where she is well cared for and has fun. Thanks to all the Raising Canine staff for making Raising Canine a great place for Maya and all the other dogs. read more

We take our dog there about once a week and have never had a problem. She gets so excited when we arrive that she actually jumps the counter to get in! Considering she is a very calm dog, they must be doing something right for her to get that excited. I can understand somewhat the noise/barking issues the previous reviewer had, but we've taken great care to discourage unnecessary barking so she is exceptionally quiet (at 7 months old). Her breed is actually quite prone to barking and separation anxiety, but for anyone who wishes to board their dog, it is critical to check these behaviours. I especially like that the dogs have access to real grass, outdoor pools and sunlight, and are not kept indoors for the entire stay. I also appreciate that I can provide my own food and treats; some kennels/dog daycares actually charge for this service. Overall, I really couldn't be happier. read more

Every so often you stumble upon a hidden gem. This is the case with "raising canine". The owners genuinely cared for my little guy. They go well out of their way to ensure quality and superior customer satisfaction. The groomers are wonderful. The staff is incredible. The environment was absolutely fantastic. No wonder this place is always full of beautiful dogs! To most of us dog lovers, our pets are more than just pets. They are our family. We consider them our best friends. This is why I choose raising canine as a daycare for my little guy. This is his perfect home away from home for him and many others. In addition, I saw the two negative comments that were left here. I feel sad that those people found the need to try and exploit something great. In the end the cream seems to rise to the top! Raising canine is a full 5/5 for me. Keep it up! read more

We are so lucky and grateful to have found a good quality doggie daycare! Not only are the staff courteous to owners but their passion for their job and dogs is "top dog". Our dog Hogan has a seizure disorder and we were nervous leaving him with strangers when he had medicine to be taking and rescue medicine in case of a seizure. Every staff member there has made sure to know exactly what needs to be done for him and we feel very confident and relieved we have found such an excellent daycare for him. We absolutely love all the attention and play time Hogan gets and the daily reports of who he plays with. The staff knows all dogs by name and treats them incredibly well. They are also good at knowing when Hogan needs down time if he's looking tuckered out. We would recommend this place to anyone looking for a safe, fun and reliable doggie daycare! read more

I love this place! The owner genuinely loves the dogs, as do her staff. Their methods of training are with positive reinforcement. If there is an issue, as there was when my dog was sick while there, she and/or her staff were really honest and truly concerned. I appreciated that so much. My senior dog went for her first grooming today at Raising Canine. She is very difficult and has not been socialized with other dogs. The groomer did an amazing job. Our sweet girl has never looked so good!! I'm sure she was a challenge, as our previous groomer always had difficulty managing her, but Erin, the groomer, came highly recommended as being very sensitive to the individual dog's temperament, and I am very pleased with the result. Definitely would recommend this daycare, whether it is for daycare, obedience classes or grooming. read more

Our little guy Hank is an American Cocker Spaniel. Two years ago, we discovered Raising Canine and owner, Valvetanne Madro. She and her staff proved to be dedicated and wonderful animal lovers. Her knowledge of dog behaviour is unsurpassed. Hank attends "Doggy Daycare" at least 2 times a week and is always eager to get in there to play. When I pick him up, he is tired and very happy. I have never had an issue with the staff or the owner. Hank sometimes barks, but it has not been an issue as a previous customer has said. I would recommend Raising Canine highly. Valvetanne is very approachable and will spend a lot of time with you talking about her favorite subject; your dog. read more

Raising Canine is absolutely wonderful! We have been taking our Springer spaniel puppy to raising canine since he was 5 months old. Spartan plays all day and is completely tired out when he gets home. The moment he gets in the car he falls asleep! He doesn't bark at all and is completely happy and can't wait to get into the car to go to daycare! What I like the best is that I don't have to worry about him because of the very knowledgeable and friendly staff who really care about the dogs. They are constantly paying attention to the dogs and don't leave them like other day cares. Velvet has a great team and would recommend this daycare and their dog training classes anytime! read more

Raising Canine has been a great place for our dog! The staff is friendly and courteous, willing to go the extra mile for their clients. Last week a scheduling miscue between my wife and me left our dog at the shop well past closing. Velvet was great, don't worry about it I'll take him home and you can pick him up there! Great Move! Stan being a puppy has barked on occasion while there. We were asked to buy a barking collar (spay type), which has come in useful at home as well, and we have not had any further issues. It just wasn't an big deal. Their facility is clean and convenient; I would recommend Velvet and Raising Canine to anyone! read more

We got a Boston Terrier puppy and wanted to put her in puppy school as soon as she got her 2nd shots. We did our research and I thought Raising Canine had a great program (and a great price). The instructor, Velvet, was such a wonderful teacher and my partner and I were amazed with the way our puppy responded to her. My puppy learnt so much in that 6 weeks! Velvet truly set us up for success. It was also great to socialize with other puppy parents. The class size was small (around 7) which was also ver appreciated. We are now enrolling our puppy in 2 more classes with Velvet throughout the next year. I would definitely recommend! read more

We've taken our four legged fur-baby to Raising Canine for the past 1.5 years. The staff has always been professional and knowledgeable about what he did during the day. They treat him like I would. He gets lots of treats and play time when he's there. The facility is close to our home and provides an outdoor play area, which is uniqe. If there is are any concerns that the staff had about the health of my pet, I always have recieved a phone call and they always monitor him and give him any extra love that he may require that day. I can not say enough about this business and the professional services that they provide. read more

I have been taking my Australian Shepherd dog to this daycare off and on since they opened. and I have a lot of trust in the employees and the owner. They really get to know your dog and give personalized attention as much as possible. I also love how they post pictures and videos of the dogs on Facebook. All of the dogs seem to get along so well and play together. I never have to encourage Ditz to go in to Raising Canine, she's just so anxious to get in there to play and comes home tired and happy. They also do an awesome job on grooming my dog and I know she can be a challenge. Thank you, Raising Canine. read more

I have trained my puppy not to bark this place is PERFECT!!! Annie is westie chihuahua cross and I live on a busy corner lot where lots of dogs go by-- she would have driven both of us barking mad. I trained her at six months not to bark when she started to alert I would thank her and give her a belly rub. Within a day Annie caught on and would only give out a woof. She does her job, gets rewarded, and I have my sanity. Annie loves going and plays herself out with all of the littles. Staff, volunteers, groomer are fabulous. Velvetanne has built a great team that provides a custom niche service read more

Our mini-schnauzer, Maple has been a regular client at Raising Canine for over two years. The staff welcome her every morning with an enthusiastic "good morning Maple!" And from that point on I know she is in good hands. She gets hours of playtime, cuddles and attention. Velvet and her staff are top notch and pay careful attention to our girl and the other dogs. Raising Canine has been a lifesaver as it affords my husband I to work during the day and feel guilt free as we know Maple is well cared for. She loves Raising and so do we! read more

If your dog barks, they consider your dog a disruption. Raising Canine don't seem to care that your well behaved 8 year old lab is starting to go deaf and that might be the reason for more barks than usual. My girl has been going to Raising Canine for over 5+ years and Raising Canine is not the same as it used to be. There are way better places in the city than this place. Super disappointed in you, Velvetanne. Disgraceful. You should change your mission statement, it's not even close to accurate. read more