I can't say enough positive things about the Animal Keeper. We have boarded both of our dogs there on several occasions over the past 2 years and they always have a great time. The staff there is wonderful and they take excellent care of your pets. Our dogs also go there weekly for play/camp and they love it. They get so excited to see all there 2 legged and 4 legged friends. Getting them to leave is difficult. They also get groomed there every 4 weeks and always look great. I highly recommend Animal Keeper for all your pets needs. read more

On my first visit to Animal Keeper (Poway) I saw a pleasant ranch style exterior and dogs playing nicely with each other in the front enclosure. When I entered the building I noticed everything was well kept and was greeted by the front desk personnel. I was politely told that I needed to have my pet's shot records faxed over from the veterinarian which the Animal Keepers took care of. I was shown the kitty enclosures and my cat was properly taken care of for four days. I recently got a new kitty because the first one decided to go on walk-about. I thought I would use the same facilities because I had a good experience the first time. Kitty #2 was recently neutered and had a slight eye infection. Animal Keepers assured me they could give the kitty the necessary medications which I brought. I dropped my kitty off at 8:30 AM. The front desk personnel entered the medication into their records and I was out the door in minutes. Around 4 PM I get a phone call that the second shift is unable to apply neither the eye medication (drops) nor the liquid oral pain medication. This medication is extremely easy to give to kitty so I was surprised that professional animal handlers were ill equipped. I asked if they had any experience in giving a cat medicine. All you have to do is hold the cat in your arms and gently squeeze the bottle/dropper; it's so simple a child could handle the task. Animal Keepers told me that they would not be giving the animal any medication for the duration of its stay because of the way the cat was position in the cage. I told them I was going to pick up the cat after work. I arrived after work to pick up my cat. One of the front desk personnel asked me to come into the cat enclosure because she was afraid of cats. Great. I found my cat in the back of the cage looking terrified. I reached in slowly and gently picked up my cat wondering why Animal Keepers could not handle a scared smallish cat. As I leaving, I asked how the pet's medication was successfully given in the morning. I was politely told that people at the facilities around 5 PM were the afternoon shift and they had no knowledge if the pet's medications were given or not in the morning. I was also told that there would be no charge for today's stay. As you see, I had two very different experiences. Based on my last experience, I can't give more than two stars because Yelp nailed it with "Meh, I've experienced better." Animal Keepers I kindly suggest you work with your employees to improve the experience for people and their furry friends. read more

I literally don't understand the good reviews by people for this place. The bad reviews are REALLY bad, and the good ones are superficial. Not to mention I noticed the company seems to only respond to good reviews and not bad ones, so they sure do love people that give them their money, but if you're upset, oh well they got your money! I decided to gamble and give it a shot. My doberman hated it here. I took her for an intake appointment and she was there for four hours and came out kinda traumatized. Shes a shy dog, and they took her and stuck her in the side yard with all the other dogs, when I looked back there through gaps in the fence on my way out, I could see her standing there with her ears back in a PACKED yard, I mean PACKED! it wasn't even a holiday and it was like sardines in a can. The yard is really small, not even the size of a smaller dog park, they have people watching, and what I heard and saw was them aggressively and angrily yelling at the dogs for...being dogs. I read a review where someone said their dog came home scared of people, and I am not surprised. If you have a sweet dog that gets screamed at the way they were back there...yikes. They didn't want to be there and they were not nice to the animals. I was pretty concerned but I left to give it a shot (very against my better judgment) and picked her up a little early. She was shaking, she was scared, she was stressed, and I was really unhappy. The services are not cheap, and I was interested in regular training and daycare. When I came in I signed up to learn about training that they say can be combined with daycare, and I didn't get a call for over a month, not that I was interested in talking to them after the fact anyways. Overall this place is a corporate nightmare. There are some beautiful daycares in poway with big open yards and happy employees, one of which my dog attends now. DO NOT take your dog here. Responsible dog owners wont fall for the shiny corporate facade and will understand this is a place to board your dog in a cramped space with angry employees, not a fun daycare. This place isn't about the dogs even a little, its about the money, and there are options right next door to this place that are simply superior in every way. Love your dog, and don't make them go here. read more

Well, this review is LONG overdue. I have 3 dogs, and I regularly trust the folks at The Animal Keeper to help me care for them. I have very high standards, and whether my pups are there for a day of play or are boarding for an extended period, I know that they are all being loved and are extremely well cared for. From the trainers and the really nice and accommodating folks who work the front, to the groomers and the back of the house staff, everyone is very knowledgeable, and they genuinely care about their clients' pets and their well-being. When I acquired a five month old pup that had never been socialized, Justin and the team really worked with us to help him adjust. Now my pup will be two years old in January, and you would never know he is the same dog. He and my other two dogs are so comfortable at The Animal Keeper and can't wait to get inside to see everybody and to play. I highly recommended their services! read more

Our AC stopped working so we brought our cat here when we went out of town for the weekend. He seemed happy when we picked him up and he smelled good! We saw happy dogs coming and going from doggy daycare! read more

We recently boarded our two dogs at Animal Keeper about a month. We moved them there after one of our dogs was attacked at a different boarding facility and I can't say enough about how Daniel, Roberta and the rest of the staff rallied around both dogs to make sure we felt comfortable with our dogs being there. They kept them safe and even took our dog to his follow-up vet visits following a surgery from his attack. We will definitely be back next time we need to board our dogs. read more

I wanted to go inside their shop and get a feel for the place before I trust them with my pets. I had a lot of questions. I was greeted and welcomed by Roberta. She was so inviting. She answered all my questions and made me feel comfortable. She was very kind, down to earth, and most importantly very informative. She knew what she was talking bout and helped me with all my questions. She is the reason why I will be coming in soon to set up an appointment soon read more

I can always trust the staff at Animal Keeper to take great care of my dogs, not only that, but my dogs loves it there too! Leaving your pet at home can be stressful or overwhelming, so I tend to take advantage of the doggie daycare that they have. I would definitely recommend this place for both boarding and doggie daycare! Thanks Animal Keeper! read more

Our pup Wrigley absolutely loves it at The Animal Keeper! We take him all the time to day camp where he can run around and play with the doggies all day, and we've also boarded him a few times while we've gone on trips. The staff always greets him excitedly and he gets so happy once he's there! He's my little fur baby, and I don't worry about him at all when he's there because I know they take great care of him. Tip: If you're a frequent flyer there, make sure to buy a punch card which brings down the cost per visit down a bit. read more

The Animal Keeper - Wrigley highly recommends the Animal Keeper! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Poway, California

Maximus loves this place! He goes there weekly 1-2 times and last week spend 2 nights while we were out of town! People are really friendly and they make you feel welcome! read more

The facility is ok. We went here originally because our usual place was booked. First, the dogs are unattended throughout the night. After 8pm, there is no one there. Second, the staff is so unorganized. We were told $35 and $25 if we picked him up after 12pm the next day but if we got the bath for $20, we would save $5. Sounds like a good deal, right?? No...for the second time, we were lied to. The first time it happened, we were nice about it and said ok. This time, we made sure and called twice that this was the case. But for 1 night, the dogs are in crates all night and day. During the day, they go out for a few minutes but that's it. If you're ok with all that and spending almost $100 for ONE (1) night...fine. You have to pay extra for an attendant to play with your dog. But this is the last time we're using them. I feel scammed and lied to. Never again!! read more

Our dog, Ella, loves coming here for boarding. She always seemed a little stressed at other places. Her stay is very individualized. They know herby name even though we only board her a couple times a year. Great staff. read more

The Poway Animal Keeper is amazing! I have incredibly energetic 6 month old Lab/Sheppard and he loves daycare. With COVID, I was having a hard time finding ways to socialize my new pup and Animal Keeper really helped out. Their introduction process was flawless and truly helped my new pup get socialized with other dogs in safe and fun way. He comes home tired and happy every time. It's a great environment and everyone is super helpful. Daniel, the new manager, was super kind and very accommodating for my very energetic dog! read more

I was just there earlier today to get my dogs nails trimmer. Shelly did my sammy's nails and did a beautiful job. She has a bad back hip and she took really good care of her. No bleeding and no limping . I will most definitely be back next month. read more

We can never say enough good about this place! Today I actually referred yet another person to try them out. They truly do it all from boarding to grooming. Obedience training is available and my favorite part is dog day camp! My service pup goes there to socialize and it is wonderful. The counselor knows us and sometimes greets us by saying "is that Elvis out there?" This business is well run and cares about their customers. read more

We have been boarding out dog, Tommy for the past 7 years, mostly during summer or during some holidays when we go out of town, and for the past year almost once a month for long weekends. He loves it! Somehow he knows where we are going and starts getting excited before we even turn on Oak Knoll Rd. When he sees one of the employees come to him with the rope to take him in the back, he runs towards her and completely ignores us! Barely a good bye, he just wants to go play with his friends! All the girls at the front desk know him and always greet him by his name. It makes us feel like they really love him. They also know their regular boarders well, and if there is something unusual in their behavior, it will be in the report card, even a very small thing like not finishing his food on one of the meals. It is good to know that when you are out of the country, your dog is safe and well taken care off. We usually get him the sports package, since at almost 8 he is still a bundle of energy. Event though he is a good solid 36lbs, and could be with the big guys, he is afraid of large dogs after being attacked by a pit bull when he was a puppy. The staff was very understanding and agreed to put him with the Tiny Tots group. He is very friendly and gentle to small dogs and love his play time with them. This is also now the place we use for grooming after trying other places with mixed results. They do a great job, either for a discount bath or a full groom. We have always been impressed with the cleanliness of the place, no wet doggy smell, no hair flying all over, everything is spotless. We recommended the Poway location to a couple of friends and they loved it too. As long as Tommy is healthy enough to be boarded, we will keep using the Animal Keeper. read more

These guys are great! They are very friendly and they take a personal interest in your pet. We leave our dog there five days a week and we have never had an issue. They also have a groomer there we have used several times with good results. And they have specials where your dog can get a bath for ten dollars. I highly recommend Animal Keeper. There is a warm feeling to the place, unlike some of the other places we visited that seemed rather clinical. read more

I boarded my dogs here once and never again. They require proof of bordetella, which is fine; they have you fill out a work she with specifics on care and extras, which is also fine. My small dog was ok after a one week board. My big dog was not. I provided the food and half came back with me because they did not feed him twice daily as I had indicated in the care sheet. He lost 10 Pounds in one week. And to add injury to insult he contracted kennel cough with less then a week after I picked him up. I reported this to them and my vet. They obviously don't care as I never received any customer service call back. I would say this place is a potential death trap for dogs. Owners beware. read more

Great last minute place to drop off our dog before a trip, she seemed to have a great time and they seemed to enjoyed her very much. However I did not enjoy the fact that my dog came back with cuts all over her stomach and inside of the hind legs as well as some small cuts near her feet and toes. Did u guys not pay attention to her or the other dogs that had to have been hurting her? read more

My brother and I both take our dogs here and have nothing but good reviews to give them. They have a huge backyard play area that is fenced in so you know your dog is getting good exercise while you are not around, and the employees are super nice. Only $50 a day for boarding and if you pick the dog up before noon the following day their is no charge otherwise it is only $20 for the afternoon. Some other boarding facilities can get pricey, but we toured this one and it is clean, welcoming and I always trust them with my lovable boxer. I really like the report card they give for your dog when you pick them up so that you can see how they did! read more

I completely LOVE and TRUST The Animal Keeper. My husband and I have jobs that sometimes requires us to travel at the same time. We have no kids, so Bindi is our baby! She loves it there and always has a blast. We recently went to Africa and had to board her for two weeks. It was so comforting to know that she was so well taken care of while we were away. I LOVE Shelby to death and actually every single person there is super nice. Love this place! read more

I"m not sure who was the groomer for my dog Tiger who came in 8/22/13 but she/he did a fantastic job grooming my little guy. I don't know how you did it. His hair cut looked perfect and you were able to get all of the mats out and his ALL of his nails trimmed and his ears looked perfect. It was really the best job anyone has ever done on him. I know he is a little wiggle worm and not easy to keep still. Thank You! BTW we bring him here once in while and he always comes home exhausted and happy so i know he got alot of play time. read more

We are so grateful to the staff at Animal Keeper in Poway. They are so good to our little Giddeon. He gets so excited to see everyone and loves his friends at Doggie Day Camp. Thank you for treating Giddeon like family :-) read more

We bring our dog here for half day daycare and sometimes full day daycare about twice a week. Our dog has been attending here since she was a puppy with the appropriate shots. She loves going here and socializing with the other dogs and comes home tired from a day of play. The crew here love dogs and are very nice. I would recommend this boarding and daycare facility to anyone with a nice dog. read more

I had been using Suzanne as my groomer at a different facility & lost touch when they closed. I happily found her again. When I walked in I was instantly impressed with how clean the facility is. Every one of the staff I encountered was very pleasant and helpful. My dog was a little nervous about the new place but was so happy to see Suzanne when she came out to greet us. He has always been happier to see her then any other groomer we have used and she gets him done in about an hour and he always looks and smells amazing. She is the best groomer I have found in San Diego, so glad we were reuinited. read more

The Animal Keeper - Love the groomer! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Poway, California

This is a great place for boarding and grooming. Holly always does such a great job with both of our dogs haircuts - they are a Cockapoo and a Maltese/Shih-tzu mix so they get pretty fluffy. Whenever we leave town we feel safe leaving our pups there and we know that they are having a great time playing in the day camp and getting plenty of exercise. The location is very convenient which doesn't hurt. read more

They take amazing care of my dogs. My dogs practically jump out of the window to get to Animal Keeper!!!

We have been bringing our German Shepherd to AK in Poway for boarding and camp for the past 5 years and wouldn't take her elsewhere. She goes to camp at least once a week and usually twice.Tom and his staff are friendly, helpful and dog lovers! The facility is always clean and our pup loves going to AK. I highly recommend AK to anyone needing to board or have their 4 legged family members have a day of play at camp. read more

Shelly is the absolute best groomer for my Havanese dog, Rocky! He looks so adorable after his haircuts and smells good too. Shelly has been grooming Rocky since he was a little puppy. She is extremely patient with him and even has small toys for him to play. It's obvious that she loves her job! read more

We WOOF this place! I have been using Animal Keeper for OVER 10 years! Most recently my Boxer, Capone has been going to Animal Keeper..he LOVESSSSSSS the staff and the yard. Although he doesn't play much, he just loves the fact that they (the staff) ALL pay attention to him, know his name and know where he likes to be scratched =) Capone has recently been diagnosed with a heart condition which scares me to leave him, BUT Tom, the Manager and his staff know what to do incase of an emergency as well as they always assure me Capone is in the best hands possible. They know he can't play, get excited and or be in the yard for a long time...so they give him breaks and LOTS of LOVE! During any special occasion, Valentines, Christmas, etc, the staff makes CUTE gifts with our dogs photos on them and decorate the lobby! Then after the holiday passes they give us the photos/gift! My fridge is decorated w/ all of these great photos they took of my boy! If you need a great place for your best FURend and a staff you can trust, call Tom and he will give you THE BEST Customer Service that you will feel safe leaving your kid there =) read more

I was immediately impressed with this place. The front reception area is calming and filled with yummy doggie distractions. The manager (Tom Sayles) is very conscientious and answered all my questions carefully, attentively listened to my description of my dog's behavior and history and our bad experience at another local daycare, and gave me a great, thorough introduction despite multiple distractions. On introducing my dog to the "pack" for her first playdate, the staff managed the initial interactions with advanced skills- they reassured her to let her know she would be safe, they understood the behavior of the multiple dogs involved enough to know who would not greet well and would need additional help, and they continued managing the interactions well past the initial few minutes. My dog found a playmate almost immediately and had a blast the entire time (a few hours for a starter). On our first full day, my dog was engaged the entire day out in the camp, and played with many individual dogs. This is in stark contrast to her experience at her previous daycare, where she played for a few minutes in the morning and then curled up in a miserable ball (observable via webcam) until playing a few minutes in the evening. The staff at this daycare are obviously considerably more skilled than where she was before, with multiple techniques for defusing situations and redirecting the energy, which is reflected in a happy, secure dog population that knows the rules and plays well, knowing they are being kept safe to have a good time. Of special note is that many of the dogs here have been "customers" for several years- 8, 12...obviously a stable, comfortable population which is being treated well. Yes, The Animal Keeper is not necessarily "current" with webcams and Facebook pages- but my dog immediately liked it here and the entire experience has been of a exceptionally high caliber. I'll take the dog-know-how over other glam any day of the week. She's my baby. read more

Just got a call from the kennel saying Moo and Harry need more food and Greenies treats. I can't believe I dropped them off 2 weeks ago so I can focus on sis' recovery from blown out knee . Thank god for the Animal Keeper doing such a great job of taking care of my kids because they'll have be there for another week or two. read more

This experience was great and they are very reasonably priced. We rescued a dog(Hershey) that was in great need of a haircut and they got us in quickly. The groomer and staff are awesome so we definitely will be a customer for life! read more

I've been boarding my dog at the Poway and Encinitas Animal Keeper for 8 years. For the past year I've been bring my dog to the Poway facility for day care. The staff is extremely friendly and caring. The facility and grounds are always clean and well kept. The manager, Tom, never hesitates to address a concern and is always looking for ways to improve the experience. There is very little turn over in the staff, which brings a sense of familiarity and stability for the animals. I have peace of mind while I'm away from my dog. I recommend the Poway Animal Keeper. read more

Animal Keeper is the best!!! I've been taking my deaf boxer Snoop there at least 1-2 times a week for the past year and a half for doggy day camp and she absolutely loves it. The staff is always great, helpful, and I haven't had any issues at all. Daycamp is affordable and they have always made room even last minute. read more

I really appreciate how The Animal Keeper staff has helped us with our puppy. She is 9 months old now, but we toured many places in San Diego when "Zoey" was 5 or 6 months old because we knew we would need an overnight kennel in the future. We adopted her when she was 4 months old and she is very timid. None of our previous dogs were timid at all, so this is a challenge for us. First, the Animal Keeper in Poway is VERY clean. We have used plenty of boarding options in the past and this is the best. Second, the staff are awesome with the animals. Every single one of them truly cares about your pet as well as the owner. We took Zoey in for a half day session of day care so they could see how she does and for her to check it out before we needed boarding. She did not do well at all. She was afraid of everything and everyone. Tom and his staff jumped right on it and did what they needed to do for Zoey to feel comfortable. We decided to take her in multiple times in hopes that she would warm up and join some pups for play. She made some good friends with staff members. Now she is always happy to see them. I cannot begin to describe how much work they put in to make Zoey feel at ease and want to come play with them. Next, they worked to introduce her to other the dogs while she was in boarding for a week. We received daily updates on how she was doing. Today, Zoey enjoys going to the Animal Keeper on occasion for play time during doggie day care. If the staff did not care so much, we would have never been able to socialize our dog. With their help, she has come a long way. I would recommend the Animal Keeper for your day care or long term boarding needs. They go above and beyond to ensure your pet's stay is a comfortable experience. read more

I am retired Navy and I have a German Shepherd Service companion Samantha. She goes everywhere with me. We have never been apart. Recently we went on an all family cruise and although Carnival Cruise had no problems with her, I was unsure of the foreign country policies. It was very difficult for me to leave her behind. Tom and Christian kept me updated daily by email. Reading those emails each day put me at ease knowing she was in a good environment. She was in good spirits, active, happy and eating normal. Let me just mention how much Samantha means to me; I would have left ship, got on a plane in Cabo San Lucas and flown home if she wasn't doing well. Well after the cruise I was so excited to pick her up and I was very pleased by what I saw. She was her usual self and that is a testament to the care she received. If you have separation anxiety when leaving your companion behind, I highly recommend Animal Keeper Poway! read more

The Animal Keeper - Pet Sitting Near Me - Poway, California

Thank you to the staff at Animal Keeper for taking my Shepherd at last minute. I've used them in the past for Benji and Sasha. They have taken care of all my fur babies. The facility is clean and smells like a candy store. It is a wondrous place! Thank you guys, you're awesome!! read more

This team is awesome & the place is so clean. I never worry during boarding or day camp with my pups here at A.K. Then there is also grooming by Christine J. That is always spot on. Any requests she handles. 1 of my pups has a special shampoo/conditioner and they handle it great. Thanks Tom, Christine & team! read more

My two furry babies Rocco and Sophie absolutely love going to the animal keeper in Poway !! All I have to say is "want to go play" and they both going running to the door! They get so excited and can't wait to go play with their friends! The entire staff is amazing ! So kind, very helpful and always make you feel so welcomed and the dogs are greeted by name every time ! Rocco and Sophie play every two weeks , get regular grooming and board at the animal keeper Poway ! Fantastic place ! I highly recommend the animal keeper Poway ! Thanks you guys for taking amazing care of my furry babies! read more