At first we were super stoked to find this ranch, where our dog could run and play with others. We rescued our bull terrier mix last November from the local SB shelter. We set up a play date knowing we were unsure how he would do (not really knowing his history or past experiences). We visited the ranch on a few play dates before we decided to leave him there while we traveled for a week on vacation. The day play dates were perfect for our rescue dog. He'd come home tired and exhausted, not to mention well exercised. He was always excited to go back. We did learn, after our first play date- that he cannot be run with other dogs- as he gets too excited and starts to push his weight around, causing some annoyances for other dogs. That being said- the ranch was willing to work with him and stated they wouldn't run him in a group setting, yet instead run him in a horse pin up the road. We were stoked they were willing to make the extra effort and work with him. So the time came for us to leave him for a week while we traveled on vacation. We were out of cell range for the week, but had left phone numbers where we could be reached on a landline phone. Not once did we receive a phone call. The night before our return, we were able to find cell service and texted the ranch about what time we were planning on picking up our dog. At that time they stated he had been in a little scuffle, but it was nothing big, not to worry, and asked if we wanted them to bathe him (an extra $25), to which we said no. The next afternoon, we arrived at the ranch to find our poor pooch pretty scraped up. They had just finished running him so he was exhausted. We gathered his food and felt like they were rushing us out- stating they had other dogs to run. So we got in the car and headed home. It wasn't until we arrived home and bathed him that we saw the extent of his injuries. He had 2 big scrapes on his ear, 5 good sized scrapes across his forehead, 2 deep cuts on his nose, 2 puncture wounds in his neck, and all his paws were bloodied and his nails has been pulled away from his pads. Not only were his wounds much worse than we expected- but they were full of dirt and grime. I felt like they didn't even bother to clean him up after he sustained these wounds. When we asked about what went down while we were gone, the owner kept changing her story, that he was actually in 2 fights, and that he went after one of her ranch dogs (that he yanked the leash out of her hand and attacked her dog). Yet- at pick up, nothing was said about any other dog being injured, yet they made it very clear- that had our dog injured another dog- that we would be responsible for any vet bills. Yet here our dog was totally battered and scarred and not once did they offer to pay for his vet bills. Nor did they bother to tend to his wounds. It has now been 3 weeks since we picked up our dog from Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch, and he still doesn't have any hair on his scrapes, one of his puncture wounds on his neck is still healing, and I'm pretty sure his black nose will be scarred forever with 2 nice pink stripes from the cuts his sustained. His feet, pads and nails have healed nicely, as we soaked them in epson salts twice daily followed by using paw conditioning cream. They totally over-ran him up there EVERY SINGLE DAY! We had stated at drop off he didn't need to be run every day, as he's used to neighborhood walks and bike rides. Overall I feel the ranch was negligent in watching our dog. Any owner would be disappointed if they arrived to pick up their dog and saw him in this poor condition. I would have only given them one star, but I settled on 2 since the single day play dates seemed to work well for us. The ranch was willing to work with him, knowing he was a rescue and we didn't know his history. The staff at the ranch seemed nice and caring, so perhaps this incident was just a mishap. They did rip up our check, and didn't charge us for his week long stay, but I still feel they should have taken better care of our dog. Would I recommend this place to my friends? No. Would we ever return to Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch? No. And we're super sad about it too, because in the beginning we thought we had hit the jack pot. read more

See all

Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch is a great-looking place with some flaws. If you take a look at their web site, you can see that it's an open-kennel design so your dog will get plenty of exercise and company. So far so good. The owners will also take the dogs out on ranch outings where they run alongside an ATV. A little bit scary. When we toured the place, our dog who was pretty small at the time, got his head basically run over by the ATV. I saw his head go under the wheel and I thought it was all over, but amazingly enough he just yelped and ran off--no damage. Even so, we decided not to authorize ranch outings during his week-long stay. The owners are friendly and accommodating--even if a bit forgetful--they had forgotten that they had nearly run over my dog. Oh well. Anyway, we dropped him off and came back a week later and he was fine, except for a number of nasty cuts and what looked like puncture wounds. I don't know if they had a particularly aggressive dog there or what, but he had a 2-inch cut on his side and several other deep punctures. I was expecting some cuts and scrapes because it is an unsupervised open kennel, and we did sign a waiver of rights that mentioned the possibility of cuts and scrapes, but I wasn't really expecting quite such big wounds. When we picked him up, there was a very nasty border collie who growled and bared his teeth at me. Not pleasant--maybe he was the problem. The owner told me that he was the on-site vet tech's ranch dog. I like the fact that there's an on-site vet tech, but I don't like the fact that she had such a nasty, unsocialized dog. Because of the ranch dog and the wounds, I don't think we'll take our dog back here. It's a shame--it's a really nice location and a great setup. Maybe they need to be a bit more particular about what dogs they accept. I think that would help. read more

I love this place!! It was recommended to me by a friend that takes her dog here too and I can see why! Upon arrival, Susie was great with sending me all the paper work i'll need and instructions on how to get there. I called her once I entered the ranch and her and her wonderful husband greeted me at the gate. I followed them down to the kennel and got the tour. There were quite a few dogs there but everyone got along great. Its a great large fenced in kennel with high walls. Which was great because my dog loves to jump fences! The barn was packed with cozy beds for the dogs to sleep on. There was even a male dog that wasn't fixed and she kept him in a secure pen just in case. Love to see they go the extra mile. After I got the tour we all jumped on the ATV and took a tour of the ranch while to dogs got to run next to us! My dog LOVED it! Was at the front of the pack and so happy to be running with all the other pups. She fit right in right away. After the beautiful tour of their property and the pups getting a good run I knew my dog was in good hands. They truly have a love for dogs and even their horses and other animals. Even while I was away Susie texted me a photo of my dog running with the pack and I could tell she was having a blast while I was away. It truly eased my mind! If you ever need a place to board your dog, please go here! Its extremely affordable and your dog will come home happy and exhausted form all the running and playing! Can't wait to come back! read more

I have read the negative reviews for this place and I can see how those things could have happened. However, MY personal experience was nothing short of amazing. It is long overdue but better late than never, me thinks. I had left my dog at this ranch once for over a week (I think it was 10 days if I recall correctly). When we got there, the owner gave us a quick tour of the property, including the ATV ride. I knew to expect this as I read it somewhere online before coming. There were dogs everywhere, some barking, some mellow. They all seemed to be happy to be there and as long as they're not aggressive, I don't care what they act like. I had no idea what to expect when we got on the ATV. I was very panicked and near certain Presley was going to get run over. He looked so lost/confused and kept trying to get closer to me. However, he figured it out quickly and ran along the ATV with the rest of the pack, smiling ear to ear. We didn't spend much time with intros and I'm completely fine with that. I didn't come here looking for good conversation. Admittedly, I was quite nervous leaving my baby in a strange place for so long. I'm a completely over-bearing, over-protective, paranoid doggy mother so I worry whenever he's out of my sight. I have boarded him many times before (although I try to take him everywhere I go) but he has never been away from me for more than a weekend. We are very bonded and whenever I leave him for any lengthy period of time (whether it is at a facility or with family), he loses his mind upon my return. He misses me a lot. This stay was the ONE exception. When I came back to pick him up, Presley barely even acknowledged my presence. He didn't seem to care that I was there and just kept running around with his buddies. I have NEVER seen him act like this. I knew immediately that this was a special place and he must have had the time of his life there. if I lived closer, this would be the place I would take any of my dogs and tell all my friends to take theirs. Seriously! read more

Our dogs loved it!!! Huge areas to run and great kennels that they could stay together and have plenty of room. Susie and her staff are fantastic and I felt so comfortable knowing my dogs were safe and having a blast. I highly recommend this place. You can't beat the price! Also, so fantastic to pick your dogs up and have them bathed. Super bonus!! read more

Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch - Rocky was so tired from all the fun he had at the ranch, he fell asleep on the way home!! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Goleta, California

This is THE place to safely leave your canine kids!!!! Susie is AMAZING! A free environment that is the happiest place on earth if you are a doggie! Love, compassion and care is what Susie and her team offer to your loved one! I took my 18 yr old Chihuahua there, he stayed for 3 days... didn't want to leave he was so happy! She really spent time with him, fed him his VERY intricate diet, loved on him and he was in tip top shape! The other pups that live there are very friendly, not aggressive towards timid little dogs and it's a very safe place for your "children". I highly recommend SDDR ! Thanks Susie, you are a blessing to me and my little man! read more

AMAZING!!! Susie and Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch have been a life saver for us! We bought a home in the Santa Barbara area and immediately after moving in, we found true love when we adopted a BEAUTIFUL shepherd from the County Animal Shelter. Our new dog was young, beautiful, athletic and a complete handful! When I say "handful" I mean really energetic and never able to be worn out! You really can't help who you fall in love with when you go to a shelter and for me, it was love at first sight! When we took our new (big) baby home; I promised to give her the best life ever! Yet... we had no farm... no sheep to herd... To compensate for lack of a big property and our dogs need for major exercise, we got our dog into extensive training courses with professional trainers and she learned the basics. After basic training we then began looking for dog 'activities' and fun for our NEVER ABLE TO BE EXHAUSTED doggy! That's how we came across the dude ranch! Simultaneously to adopting our dog, we started a major exterior remodel of our home that included days, weeks, MONTHS of workers going in and out of our home and also having numerous months with little or no backyard or fencing at all. Even though our yard is an ok size to have a dog, we had NO yard for her on an ongoing basis for weeks at a time and, with a dog that can easily run 35 miles per hour and run long distances... this just made our dog go nuts from pent up energy! We needed a place to take her occasionally and, that's how we began utilizing Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch regularly after finding other doggy 'camps' to be way too small or too impacted with dogs for our performance athlete! At Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch our dog had a HUGE, fully fenced enclosure where she could run and play and BE A DOG all day long!!! That was really key for me... the ranch gave my dog the "working dog ranch experience" that I wanted her to have despite our lack of a home with a ranch sized lot! This is a REAL working ranch so, that is what your dog will get here. Our dog is very SPOILED at home but, her true and instinctual dog-needs were to be outside and run at top speed, bark, jump and play! The first time I went to meet with Susie for a planned tour of her ranch, I just fell in love with the ranch property and Susie. Riding around on Susie's ATV with all the dogs was the best part of my day and a welcomed break from the office. Susie is friendly, fun and loves dogs so, I immediately felt comfortable with her and leaving my dog in her care. Susie and Sam's Doggy Dude ranch has been instrumental in 1) wearing out our dog that is filled with never ending energy 2) helping our dog making new dog friends and 3) helping us remodel our home, on an ongoing basis by providing play-day services for our dog. I have taken our dog to Sam's countless times and, it has by far, been the best money we have EVER spent on our dog. She always comes home exhausted and with a big smile! read more

Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch - Making new friends - Pet Sitting Near Me - Goleta, California

This place is incredible! Our beautiful Miss Kali LOVED it here and had such a wonderful time. From drop off to pick up and everything in between, Susie and her staff made us feel comfortable leaving our baby to romp and play and wear herself out! When we arrived, we got to do a test outing with Kali to see how she would do running beside the ATV and with the horses. We were nervous that she would get run over or kicked by a horse, but Susie was careful and Kali learned quickly from the other dogs what she was supposed to do, so by the end we were not worried at all! Susie then showed us the huge fenced-in play area and the sleeping areas - little fenced-in areas for feeding so the dogs don't fight over food and enclosed houses for them to sleep in safely. We were impressed. On Kali's first full day, Susie texted us pictures and a video of her running and playing and swimming - we were already satisfied! When we picked her up, Kali was excited to see us but then ran back over to the staff member who helped us and gave her tons of love - it was obvious that she had gotten to know this woman, had gotten plenty of love from her, and loved her back! Once we started driving home, Kali zonked out - she had played so hard! Do expect your dog to be a bit dirty when you pick her up - to us, only a sign that she had a good time! And we actually expected cuts and scrapes but she didn't really have any. I have no doubt that she was kept safe, happy, and healthy the entire time. Oh and the price! $35 for every 24 hours?! WAY cheaper than where we take her at home for so much more. The worst part? We don't live in the Santa Barbara area so we can't take her there every time we go out of town! Thank you Susie and staff! read more

See all

This is my favorite place!!! My rescues that are 11 and 10 years old stayed here this weekend and loved it. Hats off to the owners, who are true ranchers and lovers of the land. We really needed this, and the owners were there for us in a pinch. We felt very secure leaving our loved ones in their care. We received updates and some photos and just fell in love with the coastal property....quite a picturesque location. Susie - you are amazing!!! Anyone who needs a safe and friendly environment for their pets should visit here! Just north of Santa Barbara;). We will be back and are so thankful this place is here!! We also loved how the dogs have an acre and more to roam and explore (which our boys love), but for animals that might not be able - or inclined, they can stay in a safe space that is more private. read more

My aunt was displaced for more than 9 months as a result of the January 9 debris flow in Montecito. We were able to place her two dogs with a friend for some time, and then had to move them again. That is when we found Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch! Following is a statement from my aunt (she doesn't use email): "When we picked them up from Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch, I was overwhelmed by how good they looked and how happy they were. It was the perfect environment for my dogs--a paradise for dogs, if there ever was one! In just over two months, my babies muscled up, gained cooperating skills with all kinds of new dogs and developed emotionally...My love to Susie and Michelle and other staff for all they have done to care for my dogs!" Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch is FUN, SAFE, CLEAN and very WELL MANAGED. Thank you, Susie! read more

Our dog is a lab mix who LOVES to run. Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch is the perfect place for him. There is a large fenced in area for dogs to run around in as well as individual shelters for eating/sleeping. The dogs get daily outings around the ranch, which encompasses a huge property. Ask for a tour when you call--the view from the top of the hill cannot be beat and the looks on the dogs' faces show the shear joy they get from running! Susie and her staff are fun, caring, and fantastic with the dogs that are under their care. I know our dog looks forward to his stays at the ranch and our family feels good knowing that he is having fun and is well cared for. This is the perfect place for you if you are looking to give your dog something less depressing than being stuck in a typical boarding facility. The rates are reasonable, the dogs are happy. Great for the active dog who loves to run and enjoys frolicking with other dogs. Susie even sends us little videos during our dog's stay so we can vicariously enjoy watching him, for instance, leap into a large tub of water for a swim. :) We are so glad that we found Susie and the ranch! read more

WOW what a slice of doggy (and people!) heaven!!!! Our three year old English Springer loved the "pool" and the plethora of gophers and creatures to chase around :-). Susie's ATV tour is AMAZING!!!!! A highlight for our whole family the weekend we visited...one of SB's hidden gems. Thanks Susie and team, see you next time! read more

This place is an absolute NIGHTMARE! During our ATV the woman almost ran over my dog numerous times. When the dog jumped into the ATV she kept telling us to "KICK IT. It will learn!" The barn had numerouse dirty dog beds, the water bowls were disgusting, most of the dogs were OUT OF CONTROL! read more

EXTREMELY happy with the care and attention Grover got during his stay at the ranch. I cannot recommend it enough. Susie is extremely accommodating and went above and beyond to bring paperwork and contracts to us in our car -- we had a like, 2 minute maximum in handing off our dog to her at her front gate so we could make a wedding nearby. Susie is sweet and took photos and videos of Grover and updated us via text often. When she realized he wasn't much of an outside, run and play kind of dog, she brought him inside and took care of him there in her own house. I appreciated her sweet spirit, her sense of humor, her rates, and her communication about how Grover was doing. She also extended the pick up time for us by 1.5 hours so that we could enjoy the wedding. I highly recommend. read more

We boarded our small terrier at Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch for four nights and we are so happy we found this place. Susie is so great - she obviously has a passion for dogs and was so helpful to first-time boarders like us. The dogs have a main play area, and each have their own fenced-in dog house to sleep. Her prices were reasonable and she'll even pro-rate the cost by the hour. She surprised us by even sending photos and videos of our pup having a great time at the ranch! When my daughter and I picked up our dog, Susie took us for a ride in the ATV and our dog chased us around the property. We felt our dog was very well cared for and came back tired from all the fun at "camp." We will definitely use Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch again! read more

This is such an awesome place to bring your dog. I'm so glad I found it! There is a large outdoor area for the dogs to run & play and a warm area when it's cold. Each dog has their own dog house to sleep in at night that is insulated & well protected. My dog loved splashing around in the large tub. Susie is very kind & caring. She sent me videos of my dog having a good time. That put me at ease right away. She took us on an outing on the ranch the next day with her Atv which both my dog & Iloved! The dogs are able to run & get tons of exercise. Susie is extremely accommodating. We will definitely be back when we visit, I wish I lived closer we travel alot & I would love to have a place to leave my dog that was like this one!!! read more

Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch - My happy boy after a good run. - Pet Sitting Near Me - Goleta, California

I am from Sacramento but went to a wedding at El Capitan Canyon. El capitan referred me to Sam's and I am so happy that I found this place. Susie was great and I could tell that Baxter had an absolute blast on the ranch as he slept the entire 6.5 hours back to Sacramento and was still tired the next day. I wish we had a Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch here in Sacramento! I even had a blast with Susie riding her ATV to the top of the hill which had incredible views of the ocean. The dude ranch offered a large play yard for the pups as well as an indoor sleeping area with dog beds and heating lamps. If I am ever in that area again and need a place for Baxter to stay, I will for sure be calling Susie at Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch. She is so sweet and even emailed me to make sure that Baxter and I made it home safely. Thanks again for everything! Sincerely, Lindsey read more

I highly recommend Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch as they were literally a vacation and life saver for us! My wife and I had plans to be at El Capitan Canyon for New Year's Eve. But 30mins after dropping our dog Lola with a PetVacay.com person in Santa Barbara, we received a call from a stranger saying they'd found Lola running down the street! So within minutes of taking her, the DogVacay person allowed our dog to escape. So we rushed over to rescue our dog, but then quickly realized we were 3 hours from home with nowhere to take our dog (we pleaded with the resort but they wouldn't allow a dog under any circumstance). After several frantc phone calls, we came across Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch. Technically they were already closed for the New Year's holiday, but Susie answered the phone, listened to our situation and kindly said she'd stay late and make an exception for Lola. It goes without saying Susie was incredible and saved a potentially disastrous situation. Lola is incredible skiddish and scared in new situations, so Susie took extra special care with her meals and sending us constant updates throughout the trip to make sure both we and Lola were comfortable. I can not recommend Susie and Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch enough!! read more

I've been entrusting my two very active dogs to SDDR for many years and am so grateful that we have such an awesome resource in our community, a place where dogs can truly be dogs. This is the only place that I will ever have them stay when I leave town because I have 100% confidence that they will be exercised, socialized, cared for and loved to the maximum from the moment I drop them off. With the ranch, I know that whenever I leave town that my dogs will be on vacation too. They get so excited on the drive up, and when I pick them up they are fully satisfied every time (this equals that much more rest on the end of my trip too, as they are invariably worn out from having such a good time there). Susie (and Stacey) know more about dogs than anyone I know, and my dogs get customized care that takes into consideration everything about them (temperament, maturity, health concerns, diet needs, etc.). The ranch has also always been accommodating any time I've had a change in arrangements or plans. I seriously don't know what I would do without this place. read more

I know it goes without saying that most dogs aren't just a dog they are a family member, but not all pets are allowed on vacation with you. This doggie ranch is every dogs dream. A few weeks ago I took my 2 year old pup to the ranch, while I traveled down to San Diego for the weekend. I was apprehensive leaving her because I have never left her overnight before. With that being said I received several picture updates via text from the staff on how my dog was managing the ranch. I would like to think that my dog is most happy when she is with me, but she looked almost just as happy being on the ranch playing with other dogs. When the weekend ended and it was time for her to come back home with me she was exhausted and needed a vacation from her vacation. ;) I recommend this doggie ranch to anyone that needs to leave their furry family member with a fun, responsible, loving and adventurous dog sitter company!!! read more

Susie gave us a spontaneous tour of her ranch. She said she had just brought the dogs in from running in the open fields of the ranch. The boarding area has a house and fenced-in yard for each dog!! They even have a swimming pool for them. I am not a current dog owner but as a dog sitter and one who believes that dogs should have room to run and get first-class treatment, I was thrilled to be able to see the doggie dude ranch and the love Susie has for the dogs!! The quality of care is shown in how happy those dogs are. What a great place! I'm a little jealous of these dogs! read more

Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch is an exceptional establishment and my dog loves to go there! I frequently have to be out of town for work (at least once a month) and am so happy SDDR was recommended to me by a friend. It's a place I trust and love and that my dog is excited to go to. My dog has been going to SDDR for almost 2 years and always has a ball there. She goes on ranch runs, plays with other dogs and has a warm comfy kennel to sleep in on overnight visits. My dog has gone for play days, overnight visits and also week long stays. The owner Susie is a hoot and is always speedy to respond to my last min frantic emails and txt. She is always accommodating to me and my schedule which is very much appreciated! Stacey is amazing with my dog and loves her like one of her own, my dog is always so happy to see her! Sometimes I think my dog is torn to come home bc she loves being at the ranch so much. My dog is well cared for, tired and content when she comes home from SDDR. I highly recommend them if you are in need of a place for your pooch whether it be a short stay or a long one, they are the BEST! read more

Our family took a weekend vacation to El Capitan Canyon Resort over the Labor Day holiday. We were referred to Sam's Doggie Dude ranch by the camp resort for our 6 month old golden retriever. We were quite excited to give our pup his own little vacation along the pacific coast! I read through the reviews and arrived with a little anxiety given some of the things that were written about dogs limbs getting run over, dog bites, etc, but wanted to see for ourselves. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the owner, Susie, and several of her resident ranch dogs and led down a driveway to where the kennels and play yard are located. At first, we were still a bit nervous given that one of the ranch dogs that led the way down was missing a leg! The whole way down, we were thinking..."how did he lose his leg?" (Found out he was caught in a horse stampede, not an ATV!) We were also greeted by Susie's resident helper, Stacy, who stays in a mobile RV right next to the kennels so that there is 24 hour supervision over the dogs at all times. That put my mind at ease knowing that if there was any aggression with the animals, that it would be addressed. Susie does an assessment of the dogs temperament in order to determine if they will be safe to leave with the other dogs. She took us on a trial run where the family hopped in the ATV and rode up to the top of the hill (unobstructed ocean view on preserved land-breathtaking), and while we were nervous about our pup getting too close to the ATV because he wanted to be with us, we watched him do something we had never seen him do...RUN like a DOG! He was already having fun.....and getting super dirty....and eating horse manure (which Susie assured was fine), truly living the life of a dog. Over the course of his stay, Susie also updated us via text with photos of Kodee running the ranch with some other dogs. Susie had mentioned that we could return over the weekend and hike the ranch for $10 per adult and take Kodee with us so that he could walk with us off leash. Given that it was only two minutes up the road from our campsite, and wanting to see Kodee and check in, we decided to spend our first day hiking their property. Let me tell you, it was truly the highlight of our weekend. Susie was so very accommodating. She drove us all up (Kodee in tow with a few extra resident ranch dogs). She let our youngest, Blake, hop in her lap and "drive" the ATV. On our way up the hills, she shared some amazing history of the land, as it has been in the family since the late 1880's. At the top of the hill, we stopped at a 300 year old oak tree that was once used as a land mark for Indians along the coast. We were dropped up on the hilltop and Susie made sure we knew our way back down. We took our time as a family with our dog and got the most amazing pictures to last a lifetime of memories. We had so much joy watching our beloved golden (and children) run and explore with so much freedom, space and beauty. Pick up day: Be prepared for one DIRTY and exhausted dog! Kodee slept at home for about 2 days....as they told me he probably would. Pure exhaustion. We will definitely return to Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch, Kodee did well and got a lot of good socialization, exercise, and dog Livin' in! read more

We cannot be happier with SDDR. We had checked out another dog boarding place, and it just seemed so crowded and really no place to exercise, despite it being "cage free". A friend recommended this, so we took a tour and saw how awesome it was. I was nervous about leaving our new dog Shadow, a 1 yr old lab female, who is a rescue. Shadow is very shy with people, and I was afraid leaving her would be traummatic. Not the case! I got videos and pictures during our trip, and she was SO happy, running around with the others. Susie was great with communication, very organized, everything under control. It was nice not to have to worry during our vacation, or feel guilty that she was in a bad boarding situation. It was a really cool experience going on the tour of the property too; when do you get to go on a beautiful Gaviota coastal ranch property?! This is our go-to place, I'd be bummed if I had to take Shadow to some other place. read more

My dog had his second extended stay and it was a great experience. Susie and her staff went out of their way to make him feel secure, comfortable and cared for. Although my dog is an Aussie, he is in no way a ranch dog, as he prefers to snooze on our king sized bed, but living the Dude Ranch life for 2 weeks seemed to agree with him. I really appreciate having such a great alternative to a traditional kennel situation when we travel. read more

This review is long over due and just finally calmed down to write this. My first impression, great concept as far as dog kennels go, out in a farm. Had high hopes for this to be a great place, given the friendly owner named Susie who took me out for an ATV ride. What a disappointment! After giving him a bath I found four deep long nasty cuts along the chest area, punctured wounds behind both ears and alongside the belly area and cuts and bruising on all four paws. My dog was literally inactive for two days and just slept. He has been in other pet hotels before and this was the first time he's ever had any cuts and bruising. He's friendly and calm when it comes to playing with the bigger dogs so to come home with all this bruising leads me to think that there was no supervision and the dogs are left to roam around by themselves. It scares me to think how much more my dog would have had to endure if I had left him here for more than a day! NEVER AGAIN! read more

Excellent. This place has great facilities, open ranch land for the dogs to run in (my dogs are always wiped out from running and playing when I get them back), and best of all, great people. Staff is very personable, accommodating, and clearly caring. read more

I'm writing because it came to my attention that there was a negative review. I first learned about Sam's through a co-worker. I since have referred other friends and it's the only place we board our dogs. I'm not a ranch-type person, and it's definitely a ranch, but Susie made it clear immediately that my terrier would be well taken care of. I went on the ATV ride and never stopped laughing. (I had so much fun, I wrote about it on Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch blog). Susie runs that ATV all over the property throughout the day as she helps runs the ranch. She's not about to put anybody's life or their dog's life in danger. I've never seen a dog get run over; it might startle them, but they move out of the way. I was initially concerned because it was going to be a longer stay until I could move from an apt into my home and he was a recent rescue, and not the best behaved: loved other dogs, just wasn't crazy about people. Susie NEVER takes dogs that would be a problem for the other dogs (she told me that up front). She decided Angus shouldn't run with the others until he got used to the place. Within a week he was out runnin' with the Big Dogs. I NEVER saw dirty bedding OR a dirty water bowl. I was up there all the time. My dog came back better behaved than when I left him. I think he learned from the other dogs. read more

Amazing place. They love our dog and she loves them. After each stay, she comes home fit, healthy, and happy. The best place we have ever left a dog. read more

I have been taking my dog to the ranch for over 2 years and HIGHLY recommend it!!! Susie and Stacey are amazing with the dogs and customer service for owners is nothing but perfect! Your dog will be tired, dirty, and happy when he/she comes home! My dog actually gets excited when we pull up to the ranch and immediately runs over to Stacey or Susie when he gets out of the car. He gets so much exercise and is never pent up in a cage like most boarders. Susie will even send you pictures or videos of your dog running around the ranch and playing in the water. I will never board my dog anywhere else! read more

Well, some 5 stars and some negative stars. They took me next day which was super w/out a long reservation time period. The location is easy to get to right off 1 and a very large outdoor facility with adorable dog houses and separate enclosures while they dine. However, I brought my dog's FL and CA shot records. #1)It was never viewed nor copied as all other doggie care places have done #2) when I picked him up and retrieved the food canister it was totally empty. They said"they feed dogs double so they won't lose weight." However i gave about 3 weeks worth of food and came back with nothing, after 4 days~ DUH. Lastly #3) My dog happened to return sick for 2 whole days~sometimes that just happens(not anxiety), I know, but it was scarey. Read and decide and yes, I will use them again as Susie and the crew ARE delightful! read more

Hi, my name is Abby. I am a Golden Retriever/Golden Lab mix. Last weekend my mommy and daddy had to go someplace where I wasn't invited. So, they took me to this place where I had never been before called Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch. It was long drive from my home in Pacific Grove and I think I got a little car sick. I was real nervous when I got there. So many different kinds of dogs, all barking at me. But after a run alongside the nice lady Susie's ATV with the other dogs to the top of a big hill where I could see the ocean, I felt better. All the other dogs were so nice and friendly. A big boy Lab, Cobie, showed me all the tubs of water on the ranch where I could swim and play. There was another dog I liked, Butters, a Pit Bull mix. We played a lot together and shared the same cushion in the barn. I also liked a German Shepard named Nadia from someplace called Czechoslovakia, but I didn't understand her bark. There was a dog called, Molly, but I couldn't tell what she was because she looked like a whole bunch of different dogs. Then there were two Portuguese water dogs named Beezer and Roxy. I didn't understand them either, but we still had fun running around and playing in the water. Babe was an Australian Blue Heeler cattle dog who I could understand a little bit. Well, those are all the ones I remember off the top of my head, but there were a whole bunch more, all laughing and playing. I heard my mommy talking to my daddy last night and she said something about going to another place I can't go to in June. She said I could go back to the ranch. I got so excited that my tail wagged really fast. To my embarrassment, I knocked over a glass of water on the coffee table. But they didn't get mad because they knew how much I like Sam's and the nice lady, Susie. I can't wait to see all my friends again and meet new ones. Maybe if your mommy and daddy reads this, they will let you stay at Sam's and we could become friends and play in the tubs of water together. read more

My mom took me here because my Uncle got married in Santa Barbara. I don't really like to be without my mom, but I gotta tell ya, after the second day, I was like "mom who?" Susie is really nice and took me and the other dogs, on runs every day. I'm a 17 lb. scruffy male terrier mix on stilts. Yep, got legs like a mini greyhound, the body of a whippet, and hair like a muppet-puppet. All of us dogs got along great and bonded on our scenic runs of the beautiful, un-adulterated, Goleta Coast, complete with views of the ocean, water troughs to jump in, and manure piles to roll in. When my family came to pick me up, Susie took the whole family on an ATV ride to the "poop pile" (a pile of horse manure) which also happens to have the best view on the ranch. I think they liked it as much as I did. This was so much better than staying in a stinky, cramped, indoor kennel where you sleep in a cage. I wish there were more doggie dude ranches like SDDR. read more

I don't recommend places unless I really feel I know the quality, and we have boarded our pit/boxer mix three times now with Susie and Mark at Sam's Doggie Dude Ranch, and LOVE them. They are beyond professional but still warm (I don't know how they manage to pull that off), our dog gets so happy pulling up to the ranch that he bursts out the door when we open it, we get text updates AND pics of how much fun he is having, it's kennel-free, and they dogs are on a "summer camp" schedule- they all go into their own secured dog houses at night for dinner, eat breakfast with the sunrise, and then go play all day. It's gorgeous, affordable, and the easiest thing ever. We used to always travel with our dog, which was stressful for both us and him. Now that we board at SDDR we are NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN! In case you were also struggling to find a good solution, this is it. read more

Thank you Susie for always taking exceptional care of my doggies! Tons of room for them to run around and play. Safe and warm accommodations for them at night and personalized attention especially with all their energy!! They come home happy and tired read more

We left Comet, our 2 year old Golden Retriever, at Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch for 3 weeks while we traveled abroad... and I can tell he had a blast! Susie, the owner, sent me videos and emails telling me how he was doing. This was so important to me since I'm so attached to Comet. I will definitely bring him back! Actually I'm sure Comet is bored at home and wants to go to the ranch and be with the pack! Thanks Susie for taking such good care of Comet! read more

We love SDDR, for our young Viszlas! She will be a year old in October and there is simply no other place I would want to leave her. It's a perfect setting and Susie knows how to make a dog feel loved and at home. Our dog is quite social and very active, so the open pen for day play and the range runs allow our dog to do what she is designed for: lots of long stride running! We left our dog there for 20 days recently and she came home happy, healthy and a bit tired ( just like us). Sure they get a few nicks and scratches! This is a real life place for dogs...not concrete kennels where the dogs are confined and bark all day and are sad. I am so glad that Susie and SAMs Doggie Dude Ranch are nearby for us. I plan to start using their day service for some extra exercise for our dog. It's so healthy! Also Susie sends little video clips and short text updates of our dog while we are away. She obviously loves dogs and takes the job of caring for them very seriously. read more

I am writing to share a similar experience after reading Tim's review. My husband and I scheduled an introductory visit at Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch to see their facility and see how our dog would fit in with the other boarders. The communication via email with the owner was great and she seemed nice. We drove out to the property with a set appointment time. When we pulled in through the gate our SUV was surrounded by several dogs that barked incessantly and wouldn't let us drive forward. I saw the owner in the distance who was calling them to come to her to no avail. I actually got out of our car to help direct my husband so he wouldn't hit a dog because he couldn't see them over the hood of our car. I was surprised that the woman we were meeting told me to get back in my car. Eventually one dog wandered away and the other two ran off. We drove down a sloping road to the kennel facility, where we had to wait for the owner to check in a boarder who had just arrived. She made a point to tell us that those people had shown up late. My husband and I didn't mind as we weren't in a hurry. After she finished with them, she came over to us and said we could let our dog out of the car. She met our dog for 5 seconds, talked to us for about 40 seconds, and then went to the chain link fence to let out a couple of the dogs that were already there, and asked me to get into the ATV. At this point I wasn't sure where we were going because she hadn't explained to us what her plan was. She told my husband to sit on the outside seat, with me in the center and her in the driver's seat. She then started driving forward while our dog was standing to the side of the ATV staring at us like "where are you going?" Our dog ran forward to try to keep up with the ATV and looked like she wanted to jump in but she didn't try. She also wanted to run around the front of the ATV and the owner wouldn't even give my dog a chance to move out of the way before she revved it again. I instinctively extended my arm out like I wanted to stop the woman from driving forward and she pretty much snickered at me saying something like "Oh you're nervous; I've never run over one yet". And then guess what happened? She ran over my dog's foot. The ATV loomed over my dog so she was out of view. My husband and I yelled and the owner backed up. She then got very defensive; she started to make excuses like my dog was too clingy and that she didn't think my dog would fit in at her facility. She claimed my dog looked fine and it wasn't a serious injury. However we could see a gash on the side of her foot and directed her attention to it. She was very defensive and stated that the injury must've been pre-existing. However, the wound started welling up with blood before our eyes just a couple of minutes later. After I impulsively yelled at the owner, telling her that she should've included my husband and me in the plan of using the ATV, and that she couldn't expect our dog to chase a car like it was a natural thing, the owner offered to pay for a vet to examine her. After we came home from the vet hospital we had an email waiting for us from the owner again saying how she didn't expect our dog to be so clingy and that most dogs that came to her facility would happily join the "pack" of dogs and learn to follow the ATV. I wrote her back and told her that our dog was not used to being in a pack of dogs and would not immediately or instinctively follow around strange dogs. I also said that chasing a vehicle is not a particularly good thing to teach a dog. In the end, our dog's wound healed up fine, but it was about 1.5 inches of skin that was scraped off and a couple of smaller scrapes. My husband and I didn't have any hard feelings after this happened last summer since the owner took responsibility for the medical bills. We didn't feel impelled to post a review but after reading Tim's story, we feel the dude ranch owner should be a little more intelligent about dog behavior and regarding exposing dogs to moving vehicles. read more

If you care about your dog at all do not take him/her here. The conditions they will leave your dog in are ridiculous. People like it because of all the open space and exercise the dogs can get. But if you dog is covered in ticks they wont care. They dont brush your dog. Not even if its getting to the point where the matts are hurting your dog. My friends dog was only there for 4 days. When she picked up the dog it was so matted that it had to be shaved. She took the dog to a groomer and they said the matts were so close to the skin that it was starting to pull the skin way from the body and could tear it cuz of the tightness of the clumps of hair. She had to end up going to a vet where they could use surgical length blades to remove the matting. once matts were removed they revealed sores from the dog chewing at the uncomfortable areas. Dogs need more than an open space and a bowl of food. This place is inhumane. read more

We recently took our dog to the ranch for the first time. We always take him on trips with us but he is very active and we were going to San Francisco so we were worried that we wouldn't be able to run him and get into wilderness the way we usually do. My sister and her husband take thier two dogs to the ranch whenever they leave town and the recommended we try it out. I was amazed at how much room the dogs have to roam, their separate insulated houses and the number of water bowls around. Our dog loves to run like crazy so we were really excited they get multiple hard runs each day. The ranch owners were really flexible with our drop off and pick up hours and the price is great. I really appreciate that they ask whether you want your dog to go on the ATV run because it is very rough and tumble and they have you come check out the ranch to make sure it is the kind of place you feel good about leaving your loved animal. They even sent me pictures and videos when I wanted to check it. Love it! read more