I have to think there are posers on here -- craziness. my dog loves it here and i have always had great service. so you don't want to make reservations? nonsense. and the stuff about the money -- seems made up. they don't charge extra for regular food. and my dog -- who is shy and anxious -- rushes in to the office. the yard is enormous!!!! and it's real grass. if you are put off by the reviews -- just go there and stand by the yard and watch the dogs. visit the kennels. read more

Don't bother booking a grooming session. I booked three weeks ago. They cancelled my appointment for the third time today!!!! First they didn't have a groomer for the time I made the appointment (made the week before). Then the groomer called in sick. Today's excuse .. they're working on organizing their groomers???? Em wow. Not rocket science! I wonder if the fact that a purchased their service on Groupon had something to do with it. They've already been paid for the service all be it at a reduced rate. Good luck staying in business with this customer service. read more

Animal Keeper is the best! Our dog Cowgirl has been going to Animal Keeper almost every day for over 2 years now. The staff are like a second family to her. There is no other dog daycare that we trust. In fact, we were thinking of moving out of the area, but decided against it because we love Animal Keeper too much. Well, that was one of the reasons anyway. We had tried every doggy daycare in the area and were unsatisfied with every one until we found Animal Keeper! Our dog has severe isolation anxiety - she always has to be with a human. She is also an escape artist, a ninja and Houdini all rolled into one. At other facilities she would escape all the time or self-mutilate herself from being left in a cage all day long. NOT at Animal Keeper. They keep a special eye on her and nothing like that has ever happened there. She always comes out with a smile on her face excited to see me!! She has NEVER peed immediately after picking her up, so I know she gets frequent breaks throughout the day. Have you seen their play yard? It is huge! They have plenty of room to roam and relieve. They really, really care about the animals at Animal Keeper. They have all kinds of great activities and take the time to get to know your dog by name. They always have fun festivities around the holidays like pics with Santa or an Easter Egg Hunt at Easter. They are always doing some kind of promotion like discounted daycare or a free stay with a bag of treats. The facility is VERY clean and the dogs are well taken care of. No lie, our dog knows the freeway exit and runs to the front of the car to give me a lick every time we get off. She does not do this with any other exit. Honestly, we don't know what we would do without Animal Keeper. Our dog just absolutely loves it there. read more

I like this place! I bring my dog, Honey, for a spa treatment, monthly. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Sandy is wonderful. She listens to my requests, makes very useful suggestions, and treats my dog with lots of love. Honey always looks bright and shiney when I pick her up! And, Sandy always puts a lovely bow on her leash. Thanks, Sandy! read more

I have an 8-year-old Blue-Merle Austrailian Sheppard that had been groomed by Caitlin. All I can say is AMAZING! His fur was so matted and too thick from the previous groomer who did a hack job. Caitlin listens to the animals, even when they try and bite her because it hurts to get the mats out. My dog Chance has never looked better and stopped biting his belly where the mats use to be. He looks trim and slim and amazing! I have found an awesome groomer in Caitlin and trust her completely. She knows what she's doing! Thanks, Caitlin and thanks to the front staff who is always friendly and smiling! read more

We always take our crazy Husky Riley to Animal Keeper for daycare, and also for boarding when we go out of town. The staff are all so friendly and get very excited when they see her coming! We always know she is in good hands. Staff has always been warm and friendly. read more

We've been taking our dog, Bentley (a King Charles Cavalier), here since he was a puppy, for three years now. They are always so polite and loving with him. He still goes to their 'Day Care' here twice per week and he loves it! Michelle is extra sweet and their Groomer's are great too. We're so thankful to have them available for us. read more

Great place to board your pet! Professional, loving and specialized care tailored to your pet's needs! My Granddog is very difficult with other dogs and I can't board her anywhere else but the Animal Keeper where she is able to get boarded and is away from the other dogs. She has playtime with the keepers and is all happy tails going and getting picked up! :) read more

We take our precious dog, Jack, the The Animal Keeper for day care at least twice a week. We love it, and so does he!!! He is always extremely happy to go and everyone takes really good care of him. The staff is very friendly and Jack loves all of them. Sometimes on my lunch break, I will go watch Jack through the fence, He is always having a good time and the "keeper" for tiny tots is very attentive to all the dogs. We are so glad to have this service available to us and having social time when we are at work has made a big difference to Jack. read more

My dog loves playing with his friends here. All we have to say is "Animal Keeper" and he runs to the front door.

We have a very nervous rescue pointer blend that we adopted nearly two months ago. When we went away for the first time a week ago, they were very understanding about her stress and anxiety - and welcomed her immediately. We have already signed up to board her for our end of the summer vacation next week. The staff is very helpful in paying individual attention to the needs of each dog. read more

I have been bringing my dog here for camp since she was a pup. I visited multiple camps and chose Animal Keeper because of the facilities, friendly staff and hours. She loves coming to camp! read more

Animal Keeper Encinitas is the most awesome place (they provide a clean and safe environment) to bring your dog! Boston has been going to the Animal Keeper for more than two years. He goes to Day Camp there twice a week and has the best time! He looks forward to getting up in the morning to go to camp. He is tired when he comes home. The staff provides us with good customer service every time. The staff is also experienced and trained and knows how to handle his energy. We look forward to special days like Halloween costume contests, Easter Egg Hunt and other special activities the Animal Keeper Encinitas provides. read more

THE ANIMAL KEEPER STAFF SAVED OUR DOG'S LIFE TODAY!! I took our shy dog in this morning for her occasional Shedex grooming treatment. She was her usual resistant self as we climbed the stairs but we made it to the door. Then suddenly, she totally balked, pulled and twisted out of her collar and leash and went racing down the stairs, through the parking lot, and headed like a shot straight down to Encinitas Blvd. as fast as her cattle dog body would take her. She was totally freaked out. I was frantic, and didn't even realize at first that all these people had already raced out of the Animal Keeper to chase her. I tried running also to keep up and managed to see Bear run right into traffic at the intersection and turn right heading west on Encinitas Blvd. Then she was gone from my sight. I jumped in my car and hoped against hope that I might at least find her running toward 101 and not dead already in the street. Fearing the worst, I turned right, and as I was about to pass the freeway entrance, I looked over to see a crowd of people and BEAR with them! I turned, headed up the on ramp toward the group with their hands up in victory, and I stopped a ways up on the right where thankfully there was a wide apron and it was safe. This small posse of young people had managed to capture our dog with a slip leash as she was about to race onto the freeway. I cannot tell you the relief I felt....and the gratitude. I returned to the Animal Keeper and was able to escort Bear back into the building (with a little help) where she went with Elizabeth for her grooming appointment. I probably should have taken her home in retrospect, but it turned out she did well with the soothing bath and brushing treatment. My husband and I have decided to make certain important adjustments to how Bear is transported and escorted into her appointments from now on. I want to thank the selfless and speedy actions on the parts of Kayla Bodenstadt, Senior Supervisor, and other assistants (whose names I've yet to get) for their amazing response and success in literally saving Bear's life. It's a miracle she made it to the on ramp without being killed, or at least seriously injured, and had she run onto that freeway, I'm certain she would be dead. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, EVERYONE AT THE ANIMAL KEEPER, FOR GOING WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING AND WONDERFUL, AND I ADMIRE YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR RUNNING OUT OF THE BUILDING AND DOING WHATEVER IT TOOK TO FIND AND SAVE OUR SWEET DOG. read more

My dog loves this place so much that he starts freaking out and doing zoomies in the truck as soon as we turn on Saxony Rd. So much so that if I have other business on the same street, I have to leave him at home because it would be mean to tease him. As much as I love my dog, I actually think the staff here like him more than I do. Can't say enough nice things about this place. Love love love the Animal Keeper. read more

My pup Indiana had to stay the night at AK recently. He's a senior dog now, so I was a bit worried about leaving him. The manager, Kayla, alleviated all my concerns. They checked in on him constantly and sent me pics of him hanging out with the other dogs in camp. They catered to his picky eating habits and made sure he had his favorite toy before bed. Kayla and her team treated Indy like he was their own dog and that's why I will keep coming back. read more

Horrible place, messy floor, sarcastic and very uneducated staff when it came Down to boarding dogs. Thank god I didn't let my dog board with them. Worst of all. Collin was very inappropriate, his hospitality and present felt uncomfortable. This place whips dogs while they train them too. What kind of training method involves whipping dogs. read more

We have used the animal keeper several times with varied experiences. Our pups this last time had majorly full bladders when we picked them up. Didn't give the impression they had been out recently. The most disturbing was getting the toys back that we gave to them not used. When I called animal keeper the person said oh I'm sure they were used. I told no they weren't because the wrapper/ tag was on them. Please be honest especially when my pups had no toys for their entire stay. We are looking at other locations to use. read more

I have been taking my dog to day camp at Animal Keeper for about three years, and we are very happy with the experience. The staff genuinely loves the animals, and I always feel comfortable leaving my dog in their care. The outdoor area is a definite plus, as well. I've gone to indoor facilities in the past, which in my opinion undermines house training. In the past few months, Animal Keeper has started enforcing stricter policies, e.g. making an appointment for day camp instead of just showing up. This has required us to make a few adjustments but seems to be working. My dog is just as happy as ever. Overall, I would definitely recommend Animal Keeper for day camp, grooming and boarding. read more

I love the dog grooming services at The Animal Keeper in Encinitas. We used to take our little dogs to the grooming department at a big chain pet store, and they hated going there. Every time we drop them off with Audra, they are all kisses and tail wags with her. She does a fantastic job with grooming, but more importantly, she takes such good care of them and is always happy to see us. Their prices are reasonable, and Audra is simply the best! read more

I have been taking my dog here for the past 2 years, for both boarding and dog camp. Clean facility with a very friendly staff and convenient hours of operation. I would highly recommend it for any one looking for a safe and comfortable place for their pet to stay and/or play! read more

I was very happy with AK. All the front desk associates were very friendly and caring, which made me very comfortable.They knew I didnt kennel very much at all so they patiently listened to me about who my dog was and what she likes to do. She stayed for 7days in a very clean suite with a cot and a tv! I brought her food and treats and she ate it all. From what I can tell, she played ball for 7days straight in Doggie Day Care. I also had her bathed since she was there for 7 days. Truly, didn't know what to expect from the grooming but they told me if I wasn't happy with the end result, I would not have to pay. She came out great! Just a bathing but it could of gone either way. I will definitely take her back again. If not for boarding immediately then for Doggie Day Care. read more

poor customer service... staff is friendly, but management tries to squeeze every dime out of you. I brought my dog there twice per week for a year and spent over $2000. Management recently insisted my dog could not be there unless i paid extra for one-on-one training. I know my dog is not perfect, but she is young and I feel they should work with her to fit in without charging me extra $$$. Hotels give extra attention to their repeat customers so they continue to return, and this is basically a hotel for pets. They are losing on an opportunity to earn $2000 per year on my dog... which could add up to $15,000-$20,000 over her lifetime... but I guess it's more important to get an extra $100 out of me today. read more

BEWARE IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PETS!!! Here's our sad tale... On Mar 5, 09 at about 1pm I got a call from the manager at Animal Keeper saying that my little 3.5 lb chihuahua had gone out to the potty yard and "came back in with a limp". She led us to believe that he was fine and it was nothing to worry about. She said that he must have 'slipped' out in the yard. When we picked up our dogs that eve at 7pm, the wawa was SCREAMING from pain. The staff person responsible for his injury became hysterical and confessed to dropping him while she was carrying BOTH of our small dogs (under 7 lbs) out to the yard. As far as I'm concerned, they have NO BUSINESS carrying ANY dogs EVER, let alone 2 dogs at the same time. That's what leashes are for. We rushed over to CVS Emergency (great people!) and found out our dog's leg was broken. Our dog had surgery to fix his little leg on 3/7/09. I submitted the first round of medical bills (over $4500) via fax to the manager on Mon 3/9. She didn't respond IN ANY WAY. On 3/27, 2-1/2 weeks later, I faxed addit'l bills bringing the total to just under $5000. I was NOT happy, and still NO response from the Animal Keeper. Someone eventually passed my faxes on to the CEO, because she was the person who finally called me back, almost a month AFTER the incident! She of course apologized profusely for the manager's behavior, said that person was no longer with the company, asked after my dog's health, and offered me a cash reimbursement OR A CREDIT to be used at the Keeper - AS IF!!! So they cut me a check for the current bills right away. She also gave me her direct numbers for the remaining medical bills, which were later paid in a timely manner. Aside from their GROSS NEGLIGENCE in breaking my dog and doing nothing, what I am ALSO very unhappy about is that it wasn't just about the medical expenses. First of all, you can't compensate an owner and pet for the TRAUMA to the animal. Imagine a 3.5 lb dog getting dropped from waist height on a human. That's like 3 feet in the air! My wawa isn't even 6" tall! He also lost weight during this ordeal and went down to 3 lbs. My other problem with AK is that they couldn't care less about the time that I had to take away from my work to care for an animal that has to have a TWO MONTH recovery period CONFINED IN A CRATE. I went to the hospital 16 TIMES over the course of 3 months to get my dog fixed, at a MINimum of 1 hour each visit. We went thru a box (100 ct) of puppy pads while he was caged. I had to wash several loads of laundry due to accidents in the crates. I threw away towels and blankets when we were trying to adjust to our dog's potty/poop cycles while he was locked up. I had to POSTPONE 2 job installations during that period so that I could remain home with my dog. And nobody cared. The insurance adjuster for AK called us afterwards - because AK didn't communicate with them either and she thought I hadn't been paid. I submitted a time and expense log to her for the addit'l costs I incurred, and do you know what they offered me??? $100. Woopee. I told her that was an insult and didn't want it. $100 barely covered the supplies we went thru. And AGAIN, my TIME and JOB and the animal meant NOTHING to them. So I have given AK adequate opportunity to make things right. I didn't turn my case over to an attorney, but in hindsight, I should have. However, because of the terrible way in which they have handled this act of EXTREME NEGLIGENCE, right from the beginning, I will make sure that as many pet owners as possible know what they might be getting by leaving their furkids at the Keeper. We have not had the trust to leave our animals at another boarding facility since this happened. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that again. I definitely wouldn't have gone to the Keeper if I had read a review like this one. read more

They watched our dog while we were on vacation in Carlsbad. Great staff, clean great place. Couldn't be happier.

My dog had an overnight visit here, very friendly staff, full report from his stay, and most importantly, my boy was calm and happy when I picked him up. read more

My dog LOVES day camp at the Animal Keeper. He literally screams in excitement as soon as we're close enough to smell the place. Everyone who works there knows his name and seem to genuinely love him, for all of his craziness (he's a lab and loves to play). I only give it 4 stars because it's been getting crowded lately so you pretty much have to make a reservation the day before. Otherwise, great place for your dog to let out lots of energy - as long as your dog likes other dogs. read more

I had my Australian Shepherd groomed there and Cathy was really open to grooming her exactly as I wanted. She was very informative about all the grooming tasks because I wanted to try to do it myself. She was so thorough that I now have second thoughts about doing it myself and will probably go back again. She also gave me tips on how to deal with shedding. It was a great experience. read more

My very independent cat who thinks she should be free to wander at all times recently had her third visit to The Animal Keeper. When we are out of town she needs to be boarded to be safe. The amazing thing is that she is very happy at The Animal Keeper. When I pick her up, everyone knows her by name, and although she is definitely happy to be home she shows no signs of stress from having been kept indoors for 10 days. This says a lot about the care and attention that my cat is receiving from The Animal Keeper. I recommend it most highly as a place that cares about and cares for the animals who are visiting with them. read more

This Place has gone DOWNHILL the past few months. They currently have over 20 dogs who have gotten kennel cough here...it happens.....but what is completely negligent is that they are telling staff to keep it quiet and not properly cleaning the facility. I used to bring my dog here ALL the time, but they only care about making money and not the well being of our pets....Take your pet somewhere else!!! Most of the staff is friendly....but management does not care about the well being of our pets read more

If you have a Bichon Frise - this is the place. They are AWESOME! My dog looks like a show dog each time I pick him up. They understand the different breeds and how to groom them. Staff is very nice and professional. read more

We have been taking our Havanese Luke to Animal Keeper since last year. He loves the doggy day camp and runs up the stairs as fast as his little legs will take him when we arrive. He is well cared for, supervised and loved by the staff. I have ultimate confidence in their ability to keep Luke safe and happy. At the end of the day, he is tired but fulfilled and sleeps contented. We have also used the boarding facility and we love the sports package that includes a special treat and massage. Animal Keeper has it all together. They know how to properly care for our 4 legged family member and how to appeal to the owners. I would highly recommend them to others ! read more

My Aussie has been going to day camp 2-3 days a week for two years now. When I ask him "Are you ready to go see friends?" He starts his Aussie Wiggle dance. The staff is great and you can tell their love for dogs is genuine. More than once I've come to pick up Rosco and one of the staff members has shown me pictures they took on their personal phones of the dogs playing at camp. It is always a relief knowing my dog is in good hands. Thanks AK! read more

Great vacation for our dog. I feel very comfortable leaving her in such good hands.

i wouldn't leave my precious baby just anywhere. the staff is great, the place is spotless, and my little dog loves it there.

I board my dog here regularly and they take great care of him. He loves going and everyone is always friendly and welcoming, I highly recommend Animal Keeper to anyone looking for quality boarding and a professional experience. read more

We board our older dog at this sweet place... he even gets TV time, cuddle time and play time! Wish we had found his home away from home years ago. Feels so much better to leave knowing he is in good hands. Thank you Animal Keeper! read more

Our Boston terrier mix has been going to Animal Keepers Encinitas for over a year. We drop him off at Tiny Tots and buy the 20-day multi-pack which gives you a few dollar a day discount from the regular price. The staff is very friendly and genuinely cares about your dog. Our dog enjoys playing with other dogs his size and has become very passionate about playing fetch, thanks in part to the staff that throw tennis balls for the dogs during the day. We recommend Animal Keepers to all of our dog-loving friends in North County. read more

First visit and after seeing the other doggie day cares in the area(most very scary) this one got the pick despite the reviews here. The staff were really friendly, took their tome to answer all my questions, very nice! the extra 2$ food charge if you bring your own food is a normal charge my other place did. I wish the grass was real and a bigger area to run around in, but that's just me, ask my dog and he will tell you he had a great first time and wants to go back! read more

I was very nervous about boarding my Yorkie Max for the first time. I have to say everyone at animal keepers was welcoming and accommodating. The employees are friendly and love animals. Max also loved the tiny tots daycare program. Animal Keepers is awesome. Top rate. THANKS! read more