My dog always loves his stays at Taurus Academy! The staff is very caring and thoughtful. read more

Taurus Academy Metric - Monday morning coffee & donuts - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

Our pup has been coming to the Metric location since she was a baby and loves coming here weekly. Our pup has mild anxiety but the minute we pull into the parking lot all of that goes out the door. Our pup is confident and playful around other pups and Taurus is a big reason why! read more

New to Austin which meant our Dog needed a new place for daycare & boarding. The TA on Metric is an upgrade from our previous place (in CA). Patient staff (we ask a ton of questions) and a team that appears to truly care for the dogs! read more

My special needs English bulldog, Boomer, has been cared for by the Metric pack since he was a baby. Everyone at Taurus has been so wonderful to both me and Boomer that we consider them family. Honestly, I do not know what I would do without them. Boomer absolutely loves them and looks forward to going to daycare every day, where he not only gets to play with other dogs, but also enjoy some of his favorite enrichment activities with the humans. His absolute favorite activity is getting cuddles and cookies. Not only are they caring and fun, they are very knowledgeable about dogs providing training and giving me regular updates on Boomer's overall health. Even with his physical and mental challenges, I never have to worry about his well-being. They are truly the best. read more

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Taurus Metric is dedicated to your pup hands down. I've been taking my dogs to Taurus for 20 years to different locations. We are now at Metric and my puppy is the most socialized pup with both animals and humans. He is fabulous because of the people and dogs at Taurus Metric. He loves it a little too much! read more

Taurus Academy Metric - Freddie - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

My dog is always happy to get there in the morning, and always tired after a busy fun day at night once I pick her up. The staff are very friendly and always very helpful! Highly recommend Taurus for dog daycare! read more

I recently rescued a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who was being surrendered because of a family situation and partly because she didn't get along with the temporary family's dogs. I knew coming into this, it was going to be a challenge introducing her to my adult Cocker Spaniel. So - of course I do the introductions completely wrong (I had not planned on bringing a new dog home - it was a right place at the right time situation and I ended up with a new dog), the Cavalier attacked the Cocker and I'm thinking, "what have I done???" I am a very experienced dog person, but this was new to me. Panicked, I called Taurus for some guidance. Dany gave me some very good pointers over the phone which helped with the immediate situation. I then planned an in-house visit for a future date. Dany came to my house and observed my interactions with each dog. I was doing everything correct. Yay. Now to reintroduce the girls... I was terrified of course because of the earlier aggression, but Dany made it so easy. She watched them, watched me with them, and pointed out some behaviors in each girl to watch for and correct. After her visit, the girls were interacting fairly well and I was no longer terrified of them being together. Six months later, I wouldn't call them best friends, but they are very good together and the house is peaceful with two very well-behaved girls. read more

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Taurus Academy is great! We came here for training for our stubborn pup and we were able to work with Shanti as a trainer. Everyone needs Shanti to help with their dogs' training. My dog has improved in terms of behavior so much. My dog is very stubborn and 10 days with Shanti has turned my dog into an amazing companion. I really cannot say enough about Shanti & Taurus Academy. The entire experience has been wonderful, from the front desk staff, to the training team...I truly cannot express enough how grateful I am. Thank you Shanti & Taurus Academy! read more

I tried to take my golden retriever to Taurus but they didn't accept to training her because she is aggressive .They don't know to deal with bad behavior dogs, I think if you have a puppy to train to sit and stay they may help you . Otherwise take to another place. read more

We have been using Taurus for just over a decade. Some people write reviews after a good/bad cup of coffee or great/terrible service at a restaurant or hotel. I'm going to be short a sweet here. Taurus on Metric has been our dog'a second home for over 10 years. Our dog, Truman, was our first child, before we had children. We have entrusted his care with the outstanding women and men at Taurus for many years, and they have helped to raise a loving, wonderful dog. I actually am somewhat surprised that I haven't reviewed Taurus until now. I guess it has just felt like family, and who reviews your family on Yelp? Perhaps I need to review my mother-in-law next for all she's done for us over the years to help with our children when we leave town. :) Seriously, though, we can't thank Taurus enough for allowing us to enjoy our wonderful life AND our wonderful dog without missing a beat. And, frankly, adding to our lives in the meantime. Thank you again. read more

I had high hopes for this place - really. With an almost 2 year old Basset requiring a safe environment to work of some energy and not be bored, I signed on for 2 play dates a week. This is advertised as supervised play. To keep this brief, I picked up my dog one day to find she had a puncture wound from her eyebrow all the way through her eyelid. The message I got was "there was a scuffle and she got a cut". I cannot imagine how this happened while being supervised. It makes me very sad to know I cannot be sure my dog will be well cared for there. The staff is all very friendly and sweet, that's why they got 1 star. read more

While the facility looks a little worn and dated, the way that they run their programs is great. They separate dogs into groups that play well together, taking the stress and anxiety off of me so that I know that my little puppy will have a positive play experience. Also, for overnight boarding they have a 'puppy protocol' (I've been told) where they can take puppies out of their kennels more often and during the nights so that they do not learn to mess in their kennels. This is a huge positive for me. I've been up multiple times during the night so that my puppy does not have an accident in his kennel and they can keep his routine going for me when I'm away. Not all dog boarding places do this, some I've spoken to just keep them in the kennel all night and let them mess in there if they can't hold it (which I don't think is humane.) The reasons why I haven't given 5 stars - The facility is older and looks a little beat up; it could use some TLC. There is no live video streaming so that you can check in on your fur child, which for me is a huge bonus. read more

Shanti is the best! She is very knowledgeable and takes the time to make sure that the pet parent understands how to continue the training commands at home. My dog Wilson loves her and was very excited to see her on her follow up visit. I highly recommend her at Taurus Academy. read more

This review is for Deidre at Taurus. We took Bear to Taurus when he was still a big puppy and Deidre has done a great job of getting him to calm his energy, obey commands and be an all around better behaved puppy. We would highly recommend her and love the follow up visits that are part of the package. She is the best!!! read more

We love Taurus Academy Day Camp!! Higgins loves going to see the staff at Taurus on McNeil (mostly because they call him handsome and play with his ears). We trust them and will definitely look into training and boot camp when Higgins is a little older. Wonderful place! read more

Taurus Academy Metric - We are pooped after a day with our friends at Taurus! - Pet Training Near Me - Austin, Texas

For 2008, Taurus Metric has LOST its luster. We used Taurus several times this year for week-long vacations and, each time, one of our dogs came back with an injury or were sick. One of our dogs came back with a paw that was bitten and Taurus, despite several calls to us while we were on vacation about the dog not eating, Taurus never detected the bite and subsequent abscess. Once we detected the abscess after the week stay, we ended up having to get vet care and the dog needed be on antibiotics. In another stay, we requested that our dogs be kept away from the other dogs. Two of our dogs came back vomiting for several days. We're guessing that they had access to some plants in the yard or had gotten sick from the shared yard where another sick dog had been playing. We're questioning how sanitary the conditions are at the Metric facility. In the last stay, our 9 year old was distressed enough that she was chewing on her crate and had metal shavings in her gums according to her dentist a few days after we picked her up. To Taurus' defense, they did detect that one of the dogs had bloody stools. Now we know why. For all of the lip service that Taurus provides on added services and care, we think that the level of care and monitoring is not adequate. When you drop several dogs and pay over a $1000/week for someone to watch your dogs, you don't expect these things to happen. The bottom line is that WE ARE NOT comfortable leaving our dogs with Taurus Metric and it's time to find another dog sitter. They need more people staffing the location, they also need more qualified people there, they need to increase their sanitary procedures in the kennels and in the yard, they need to better monitor and inspect for the health of the animals in their keeping, and they need to keep MUCH better records of issues/incidents. When questioned, they were not been able to provide details or anything other than a scrap of paper regarding issues that they had sought fit to call us about long distance while we were on vacation. read more

I found out about Taurus Daycare because my sister worked there and I needed a place to take my dog during work hours. Because my sister worked at Taurus I received a discount on the services so never felt the full sting of the prices they charge for doggy day care. Their pick-up and drop-off hours are conducive to an average work day and the welcoming staff is always friendly. Recently, the lady at the desk even took the time to show me pictures of other dogs that my dog had played with; this may sound silly, but as a dog owner who loves her dog far to much I was so excited to see how my baby had spent his day and the new friends he had made! I am very pleased with Taurus doggy play days and I can tell my dog looks forward to going whenever we get into the parking lot and he recognizes where we are. The reason I rated them 3 stars is because of the price. My sister no longer works there so I no longer receive the previously mentioned discount. Unfortunately their price is a far too steep for me to continue purchasing play day packages and therefore I will be unable to continue to use their services :( read more

My dog Lucy has boarded at Taurus twice now, and Emily has stayed there three times, plus they both had an evaluation playday. They come home tired, healthy, and unscathed, so we are pleased. I will likely take them there again, but Taurus is my second choice after DogTown. I am torn between three and four stars. Pros: - The dogs seem reasonably happy and are healthy and well-cared-for at Taurus. I know they get lots of playtime. They come home relatively clean, all things considered. Taurus is definitely in the upper tier of boarding options around town. - I appreciate that all dogs have to be evaluated before their stay. It's nice to know their playmates are friendly and healthy. They also give tours, etc., and I can tell the place seems clean, safe, and comfortable. - Their hours are convenient for the average work schedule, and they tend to have availability when the the other places we like don't. Cons: - The staff are all nice, but they seem a little disorganized. For example, even though we fill out paperwork ahead of time, they never seem to have it handy when we drop the dogs off. We have to go through the questions about food, meds, requested services, pick-up time, etc. again even though we've filled out a form. One time they forgot the nail trims we had requested, and our dog food came home without our scoop. Some of the staff don't seem as "warm" as at other places (DogTown, namely). None of these points are really a big deal, but they make me kind of "blah" about the staff overall. However, they do seem to love the dogs, which is what is most important. - It's expensive. - I don't get as much feedback on what my dogs have been up to as at other places. I'd like photos, email updates, or a webcam (or something like that) when they stay for a week or so. Also, I seem to see different staff every time we go in, so they don't always know my dogs or how they've been doing. However, I can tell by their behavior that the dogs are fine - this is more of a perk for me. (Yes, I'm a dog helicopter parent.) All in all, I feel good about leaving my girls with Taurus. read more

My dog does enjoy this place, but their pricing model has more than doubled in the 2 years that I've used them. They used to be great! Flexible with online reservations and good pricing is no more. When I started, it was $20-23 ($20 if you have a go local) for a playday. My fav location was McNeil, but their prices jumped to $30+ if you didn't book for a full year! Wth. Luckily, their metric location only jumped to $25 for a playday with last-minute reservations. But today put it over the edge when I was told that I would be charged an extra $10 for not making a reservation by 10 pm last night. I actually tried to get a reso online, but their site was/is down. Her response was that I could have called and left a message. Um...I have never seen a sign or heard about this ever!! Absolutely ridiculous that we're in the middle of a recession and their prices keep rising. They're obviously doing well, but can't afford more locations to offset the pricing model with the ability to increase revenue. I guess if you're one of the few people that finds themselves richer these days with cash to burn then you should go here...but you never know when they're going to raise their prices again. I'm done. My dog loves you, but my pocketbook can't afford you. read more

My dog LOOOOVES Taurus. Normally, my dog knows the daily routine and will go to her crate when she knows I'm leaving the house, but on the days after she returns from Taurus - either for daycare or overnight boarding - she tries to get back in the car because she thinks she is going back to Taurus! To me, that says it all. I can tell her perception of a kennel when I drop her off and pick her up, and when she goes to Taurus, she is not scared and does not try to stay close to me. She goes happily with the handler and is completely worn out when I pick her up. I gave them 4 out of 5 stars because they are pricey compared to other kennels I've used - including ones my dog also adores (as well as the one she hates). While that won't be a deterrent for me, I probably won't use them so freely in the future. read more

My dog has been going here for three years now and still loves it!! He even went to their 2 week boot camp and came back a different dog! He is so well behaved now and he is also over his separation anxiety. I will always love the trainers there for that! I also like that they group the dogs by size for play groups and make them take naps/time outs from playing so that the dogs do not over do it and possibly hurt themselves. Which is very important during the summer. And the dogs are always supervised while in the play area and the play area is always so clean! I hope this answers some questions anyone might have had about this location. I love it here, and more importantly so does my dog. read more

My rating still stands. It didn't go higher because I noticed that one of my pups had cracked the upper pad on her ankle, most likely from her trying to escape a kennel. Some people would consider that a huge thing. Me? I'm just amazed she didn't escape. Otherwise, both my dogs came back tired and happy. read more

Deidre was amazing with our young pup! He was rambunctious and non-compliant when he started at Taurus but, after 2 weeks, we had all learned a great deal about better communicating and working together. Deidre answered all of our questions with great knowledge. Her kindness towards the dogs is amazing to watch as she also maintains control of the situation at all times. Our pup now understands his role and it's our job as "his humans" to be consistent and firm with him so we can all peacefully coexist! read more

We were clients of Taurus Academy for about two years. We did not have any issues with the care of our dog. However after two years they sent us a bill for almost $400 for past services, the majority of which were two years in the past. They said that the error was their fault and apologized in the request for payment. This was very surprising because we had provided credit card payment at every pick up. The staff had never mentioned any missing payments at any visit even though by the records they provided when this dispute began we had visited 22 more times. We offered to negotiate a settlement of 50% of the charges and they refused to negotiate. The director would not even speak to us. Because of this we cannot recommend this business. read more

WE have taken our doggie to Tuarus on Lamar and Metric and we are so thrilled with the consistent service both locations provide. They take wonderful care of our sweet rescue, and are always happy to have her. The staff is very friendly, they love their dogs, and it shows. The staff is highly trained and this benefits you as your pup is playing all day. Consistency is KEY with our mutts and Taurus staff know this. We now have a very-well socialized doggie at age 2 who we can take anywhere, and that is largely because she entered the day care program at Taurus when she was just 4 mos old. Taurus dogs are totally spoiled with huge play spaces, beds, personalized training, lots of outside time and affection. Our dog comes home happy and exhausted. Thank you Taurus! We love you! G. McDiggins loves you too! read more

I have been using Taurus since 2005 (10 years) but no more. I am not sure what happened, but the prices went up and the quality of service went down. Way down. I left my dog for a week while my family was on vacation (as we normally do) with no hesitation. When we picked him up we noticed he had been attacked by another dog (probably a few days prior) because he had matted and bloody fur in several places. They said nothing! Somehow, they also managed to loose his collar and tags?! He has had the same collar for 6 years so not sure how that happened. They didn't seem too concerned, but it is a law where we live that all dogs have thier rabbies tags, so this is not just a minor nuisance. They said they would find it and call us, but nothing. For the price they charge, I will just hire a house sitter from now on. read more

My dog is not great around new people, but everyone at Taurus is incredibly accomodating and knows exactly how to approach, handle, and play with her appropriately. They know my dog Mia as well as I do! She has made tremendous improvement with socialization since going to Taurus for weekly Play Days and she always has a good time when she is boarded. The only time Mia pulls on the leash is to walk into Taurus! I love all the staff and am so grateful to have found such a safe-haven for my pup. read more

Our furry family member, Jameson, just loves Taurus. Trust me--he is not the easiest little fella to deal with as he's finicky & shy, but Taurus loves him almost as much as I do. I never worry about Jameson as I know he's in good hands with Taurus. Taurus was highly recommended by a Trainer we had worked with as their staff comprises of Trainers. If you need to leave your furry family member with trustworthy & caring people, I highly recommend Taurus. They're definitely a lovely bunch! read more

I don't think there is a much better endorsement than when my dog runs up the stairs to the door of this place, the people inside get down to greet her and she rolls onto her back to be loved, and then she jumps up and tries to push through the backdoor to get down to where the dogs stay and play. Not even a glance back at me. read more

Be wary of giving this place any kind of deposit. I made a reservation five days in advance, which required a $120 deposit since it was during the holiday season. My vacation plans unexpectedly changed, so when I notified them to cancel my reservation, they informed me that they would be keeping my $120 deposit. Although I was never informed of this, Taurus has a policy where they will keep your deposit if you cancel your reservation fewer than 7 days prior to the first night of boarding. However, since I made my reservation just five days before the first night of boarding, it was impossible to do this. Up to this point, I had been taking my dog there for 5 years. Now I will never take him there again. read more

I recently moved to Austin and shopped around for large dog boarding options. I took my dog to Taurus for his initial play date/evaluation. Very informed and attentive staff. I loved that they provided a tour of the facility and an evaluation of my dog's first day. The staff called me mid day to let me know how my dog was doing. Loved that extra attention. I highly recommend this facility. read more

The last time I was at Taurus I saw a signup sheet for a free half hour training session with a dog trainer. One of my dogs has been reactive towards other dogs only when he is on a leash and only towards certain dogs. I am somewhat familiar with dog training since I've gone through classes with my dogs but I was at a loss with my little guys barking and snarling on a leash. So I booked a time with the lead trainer. The trainer at Taurus was great! She was able to pick up on my dog's personality right off the bat. It turns out he is a little insecure and just needs to learn that I'm in control. She gave me a new training exercise to do with my dog to get him to focus on me while I am walking him. It's called the name game and it works wonderfully. He still needs work, but after working with the new exercise, I can get my little man to focus on me instead of charging after the big lab walking nearby. And all this was free. I asked why they were offering free training. I thought they were going to try to sell us some expensive training package, which they didn't. It turns out Taurus was offering the free training to learn more about the dogs that board there so they know better how to work with them. Because of this I am perfectly comfortable leaving my dogs with Taurus when I'm out of town. I've met the trainers and I've seen firsthand how they can pick up on a dog's personality and give the dogs the individual care that they need. read more

Taurus is a 'home grown' Austin company. Their intention is to impact our community by providing excellent care for the dogs in their facilities, improving their behavior, as well as keeping them happy and safe. Their focus in behavior creates a community of polite, socialized dogs and educated owners that benefits all of Austin. My dog, Oskar is one happy boy at Taurus dog training & play day! - I was so happy to find Taurus @ Metric is a great, safe, clean & fun place for him to play during the day while I'm at work. I believe Taurus was just perfect! The staff is wonderful, they separate out the dogs by size for play, they have "rest"/down time in an air-conditioned area. Most importantly, Oskar gets so excited to stay their (he jumps in the car when I ask him if he wants to "go play"! The first day I picked him up, I got his report card, complete with a list of his new "friends" and what he did during the day!! Thanks Kassy Coleman for taking the time of training and spending time with Oskar. Kassy is a excellent trainer between her team and herself, she taught Oskar commands, such as "come," "sit", "stay", "heel", and "ok" which can help prevent problems and make living with a 120 lbs Great Dane a little less stressful. Taurus teaches the ingredients of successful training. I also appreciated the house visit, which is done after the dog training. This shows the new training skills first hand at the comfort of your home. In Spanish Tauro es un "hogar crecido" empresa de Austin . Su intención es impactar a nuestra comunidad al ofrecer una excelente atención a los perros en sus instalaciones , la mejora de su comportamiento , así como mantenerlos felices y seguros . Su enfoque en el comportamiento crea una comunidad de perros socializados , corteses y educados propietarios que beneficia a todos los de Austin . Mi perro, Oskar es un niño feliz en el entrenamiento y jugar perro del día de Tauro ! - Yo estaba tan feliz de encontrar Tauro @ métrica es un grande, seguro, limpio y divertido lugar para él jugar durante el día mientras estoy en el trabajo . Creo Tauro era simplemente perfecto ! El personal es maravilloso , que separar a los perros por tamaño para el juego , tienen " resto " / el tiempo de inactividad en un área con aire acondicionado. Lo más importante, Oskar pone tan emocionada de alojarme su ( él salta en el coche cuando le pregunto si quiere " ir a jugar " ! El primer día que lo cogí , me dieron su tarjeta de informe , con una lista de su nuevo " amigos " y lo que hizo durante el día !! Gracias Kassy Coleman por tomarse el tiempo de entrenamiento y pasar tiempo con Oskar . Kassy es un entrenador excelente entre su equipo y ella misma, ella enseñó comandos Oskar , tales como "ven ", " sentarse " , " stay " , " talón " , y " ok ", que puede ayudar a prevenir problemas y que la vida con unas 120 libras de great dane un poco menos estresante . Taurus enseña los ingredientes del éxito de la capacitación . también me gustó la visita casa, que se hace después de que el entrenamiento del perro . Esto muestra la nuevas habilidades de formación de primera mano en la comodidad de su hogar . read more

We love Taurus. Our dog comes home tired from play days and happy from boarding (whereas she always has stomach issues with other kennels). I like that a person is there in the building 24/7. The people that work there seem to speak dog - they either are really great actors or REALLY care about the pooches. I think they're into it bc they will tell me specific things about my dog and fun stories from her stay there. The only thing I wish were better is the play rotation - just want the dogs to have the option to be out all day instead of groups being taken out at certain times due to space limitations. But it works good enough for me and our webbed-foot wonder. Thumbs up high for Taurus. read more

so upset, my dog was in this about a month ago. It's taken me a while to post my review because I've been dealing with my poor puppy's illness. She had canine distemper from this awful place. will never be back here. read more

This is a horrible place to leave your pet. My pet was abused and mistreated by not only the staff but the other pets as well. My dog lost at least 15 lbs in the 11 days that I was gone. I paid a hefty amount of money; trusting this place to ensure my dogs health and safety. I would like to share my horrible experience with those that read this in warning to them, do not bring your pet here. read more

I had a couple misunderstandings when I had my initial first visit for my pet, but at the end of her play day when it was time for me to pick her up I was so relieved. The ladies at the front were very welcoming and sweet. They sat me down to discuss everything that was involved with my pet's play day and answered all my questions. Afterwards they gave me a tour of the facility. It seemed a little small but for having to share a building with the vet clinic next door, what can you expect! My dog was so quiet the rest of the day and I felt so pleased with her experience that I will definitely be scheduling her for a frequent doggy day care visit! read more

I brought in Jordan to introduce our old lab, Dogo argentino & puppy lab. Jordan was amazing, extremely patient and a great trainer. Highly recommended! read more

I brought my dog to Taurus and when I took her home she seemed fine, but later that night she started coughing - and it continued all night long. It turns out that she caught kennel cough while at Taurus even though she was vaccinated. When I called them about it they told me that they had a sign up in the check-in area notifying customers they had an outbreak of kennel cough, but I did not see it nor was I notified of the situation. 250.00 later in vet bills, let's just say I would never, ever bring my dog back to Taurus. They made no effort to refund my money for the boarding or the vet bills. I did not even receive a phone call back from the management. Obviously they do not care about the animals that stay at their facility. read more

In the time I've taken my dog to Taurus (over a year), I have never been disappointed. The team at Taurus truly cares about my dog, helping him with manners and encouraging healthy social skills. My dog gets so excited when we arrive at Taurus, and returns home better behaved and ready to rest. The folks there are extremely easy to work with. read more