Our beagle (Lady) loved The Barking Lot. She attended daycare 5 days a week and would be boarded here whenever we went out of town. Meg and her staff are terrific and very professional. You can tell they really love all the dogs and make sure the play environment is safe and clean. Even when we moved to the shoreline area, we'd still try and bring Lady to Barking Lot on Fridays because she (and we) loved it so much. I always knew Lady was safe and happy when she was there. Though Lady no longer attends daycare at The Barking Lot (new baby = no more free time to drive to Hamden), we highly recommend it to all our friends looking for a daycare/boarding facility closer to the New Haven/Hamden area. read more

Our pup fit right in and was quickly part of the pack. The place was clean and staff is incredibly friendly.

With our new dog, my husband and I were desperate to find a doggy daycare situation for the days we were away from home. We were thankful to find Barking Lot, which didn't require sign up ahead of time and had openings on day one. After a half-day behavioral assessment, our dog was accepted and spent the rest of the day in their facility. While we (and our dog, presumably) appreciated the outdoor space and general separation of bigger dogs and smaller dogs, there were aspects of this environment that were not optimal for our dog, like minimal supervision and a bit of a free for all during the day. Someone takes photos and posts them on Facebook everyday, which is nice. While BL had its conveniences, it doesn't seem as good for a dog that might need more attention and care. Maybe it's better for dogs with a little more independence. read more

The Barking Lot - Entrance - Pet Sitting Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Definitely recommend, I see that they take pride into making sure your dog is safe and comfortable. They also make sure your dog is getting trained and socialized at the same time amazing place! read more

I have three goldens that literally start barking at the top of Sherman Ave because they are so excited to come to day care. This is the only sign I really need to know that they are well taken care of. I have gone to other places years ago which was not a good fit. I have never had a problem and if I have questions they message me back quickly. We have been a customer here for 6 years or so. My goldens and I give them 12 paws up!! read more

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I love these guys and how they live Little Theo. They always go above and beyond and are so kind! Your pup will love them

This company does the best job. Their screening process is designed to do the best job for all healthy dogs. My 5 year old Cocker Spaniel loves his daycare and boarding appts. U can tell all members of the staff love the dogs and their jobs at Barking Lot. Wouldn't think of going anywhere else. read more

Being new puppy owners we were apprehensive when we had to board our puppy. We called the Barking Lot and we were impressed that they asked for medical records and they asked us to bring our puppy for daycare to observe him. We did board him for a week. The BL staff posts pics of our furry babies daily so while you're away, you can see your puppy. In every picture, our pup was having so much fun. When we picked him up, he was clean, well fed, and a very happy puppy. We now call BL puppy camp. I recommend the Barking Lot highly. read more

The Barking Lot took great care of our American Bulldog George while we were visiting Hamden for 10 days. I explained to them that George had not been in doggie daycare since Covid hit and I wasn't sure how he would behave, even though he has been to a lot of daycares around the country as we traveled. They said George did great although the first day he has some separation anxiety. But every day we took him there, his tail would wag more and more. When they would come out to take him, he was so excited. So George had a great vacation and we did too knowing he was happy and being loved. I highly recommend the Barking Lot for your pet too! Denise McQuillan read more

My dog has the best time here. She gets treated like a princess and I love looking at the Facebook pics they take of your dogs throughout the day! read more

The Barking Lot - Pet Sitting Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Absolutely love this place. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and clearly love the work. Whenever I dropped off my pup, I knew she would be loved and cared for. It always brought me comfort knowing that I was leaving her in capable hands. Highly recommend. read more

We bring our puppy to The Barking Lot about twice a week, and we are very impressed! The staff (Meg and Emma) know our little guy by name and always greet him with pets and a treat when he walks in the door. Little Everest cannot WAIT to go to day care and as soon as he knows that's where he's going he gets so excited and starts wiggling all over. But the best part is how relaxed and obedient Everest is when he gets home. He actually seems smarter when he comes home from day care. He jumps into the car and sits politely while I drive us home, curls up on his bed, and watches me make dinner. No jumping all around me, nipping my shoes, or other classic pay-attention-to-me Everest behavior. Also, before The Barking Lot Everest used to bark at other dogs while we were walking because he was so anxious to play. Now he's got great doggie manners and waits politely to be sniffed before reciprocating! It makes me so happy that I can give my dog the mental and physical stimulation that he needs while I'm at work. Like most dog owners, I have learned to trust my dog and his love for Meg, Emma, and The Barking Lot makes me very comfortable about leaving him there. read more

I wonder if The Barking Lot has had a decline in quality, as older reviews are so glowing but newer experiences seem to be sorely lacking. I left my dogs with them for an overnight stay when I was out of town. On the plus side, it was fairly easy to send them vet records and get a reservation. Staff members are friendly. I did notice that their website has a whole lot of rules that they "relaxed" for me, including the behavior evaluation, the 6 month fecal float and the drop off time...in retrospect, it should have been a warning sign. The website bills The Barking Lot as "an alternative to an average kennel" where daycare is included in boarding costs. Dogs are alleged to only be in their "private rooms" during the day for nap time between 12-12:30. However, I returned early from my trip and after multiple unanswered calls, I went to the facility around 2:30 pm to find it completely locked down with no one present. Looking through a side window, I could see the dogs closed in their kennels. Some were sitting in urine. There were no toys visible. When I was finally able to get through to the owner, she claimed that the facility "closes down from 2 to 5" and had to get someone to come out especially to open up and give us our dogs back. My older dog had a urine stain on her side, and she has AMAZING bladder control. From their behavior (hyper!) I doubt they had been out of the kennel much that day, if at all. A friend of mine has also recently had the experience of her dog appearing to be kenneled for much of its time there. With all of this, I caution any prospective customers to research fully and ask many questions before deciding to use The Barking Lot. read more

Of course the dog likes it here but I question the cleanliness of the place. Every time I pick up my dog he's covered in urine. It's quite expensive to leave a pet here and to have them reeking like urine is just unacceptable. I've brought him to other daycares and he's never left smelling. It's upsetting. read more

Had a pretty awful experience leaving my dogs here for about 5 days this past week. I should have known it was going to be bad when I didn't even receive a call that my younger dog's records looked like he did not have his distemper vaccine (a requirement for kennel), despite getting these records to the barking lot the week prior to drop off. I only found out when I called the morning of drop off to make sure everything was all set. Fully knowing my dog had all his vaccines, the woman at the front desk said she would call my vet to confirm his vaccines and give me a call back. Two hours later I never received a call so I called the vet myself and had them refax all of his records before I dropped my dogs off. The entire day I never received a call back from the barking lot. I dropped my dogs off at 6:45pm (during normal drop off hours) and they preceded to take them back to the kennels and would not allow me to go back to where they would be kept to say goodbye.. claiming that all the other dogs would "go crazy." I was then told that they close at 7 and that my dogs were pretty much going to be crated the rest of the night because no one would be there. I felt awful leaving my dogs but had no other choice at this point. When it came time to pick up my dogs from our trip I called the facility to see if it would be possible to pick up my dogs at 9:30pm. The woman basically laughed on the phone and said no, and explained that no one would be at the barking lot and that the facility would be closed at that time. Because of this I paid an extra 45 dollars for a night that I did not need my dogs to be kept there. Not to mention coming home and being sad that I couldn't have my dogs there. I'm not sure why it is okay to not have a staff member at the facility 24 hours a day (or at least the majority of the day). When it came time for pick-up (8-11 a.m.) I received an astronomical bill and had to ask for and itemized print out of what I'm paying for. It was then that they realized they charged me for an "early drop off fee" that did not apply as I dropped off my dogs towards the end of the allotted drop-off time. A staff member brought my first dog to me while I was paying and he smelled like he had been living in a garbage facility for the past year. I put my first dog into the car and a staff member walked my other dog out to my car. My other dog also smelled terrible and I was so upset that I did not even go back inside to get my receipt. It seemed as though my dogs must have sat in their own urine the majority of the time. I wasn't going to write a poor review, but this was a pretty awful experience. Now my youngest dog also has now developed a cough and shortness of breath 24 hours post-pick up, and the facility refuses to foot the bill for his vet care. This place lacks cleanliness and management and has been reported to the BBB. I suggest if you have to board your dog, board elsewhere. This will certainly be my first and last experience kenneling. read more

I really can't say enough about how great this place is. I live alone and I have a one year old dalmatian, Rufio, that I sometimes need to board. The Barking Lot is the best place to leave him in the greater New Haven area, hands down. Rufio had to have an extensive report from the veterinarian and pass a temperament test with the other dogs before he was allowed in. That made me feel comfortable leaving him with the other dogs there. Every time I drive up to The Barking Lot, Rufio cannot wait to go in. He gets excited as soon as he realizes where we're going. He obviously loves the staff, as he goes running up to them every time we enter the building. And let's talk about the building. It's spacious, and it looks like a pre-school. I'm not kidding. It's got different rooms that are painted in bright colors, and it even has a playground with slides and a jungle gym. This place is ultra-cute. Lastly, the price is pretty reasonable. I've lived in San Diego and in New York, and the prices there were higher, but the quality was lower. I feel pretty lucky to have found this place. I highly, highly recommend The Barking Lot for your dog. It's a short drive out of New Haven (in Hamden), but it is totally worth it. It's the best thing you'll find. read more

Little Lizzy, a 8/5 pound Chorkie rescue from the New Haven Shelter, has been a occasional day visitor for the last five months and is about to embark on her second long term stay. It's really a great place! Emma and Lexie are always warm and welcoming. They seem to know every single dog in the place! Lizzy stays with the small ones and seems very happy. She didn't have much socialization as a pup, but she settles in and plays with the other little ones. And they tell me she really does nap between 12 and 2! I've recommended the Barking Lot to neighbors and I know that my nextdoor neighbor Molly is a frequent visitor! The Barking Lot is a great concept - combining day/play with overnight boarding - and I have the utmost confidence that they will take excellent care of my dog. read more

This is really a great place to board your dog or just leave your dog for a few hours. We always know Maggie is happy and well cared for when she's at the Barking Lot. It's clear from the way she reacts when she sees the people who work there. We especially appreciate that (space permitting) they are flexible about accepting her for boarding at the last minute. And it's also nice to be able to occasionally combine boarding with a bath at the end (saves us a lot of time and effort). Maggie has been going there for several years, and all our experiences have been very positive. read more

My dog Cutie loves the day care. But recently I had a death in the family and needed to see if I could board her on short notice, so I called on the weekend. They called me back and let me know it would be ok to bring her when ever I needed to. I am very happy with my dog's care there and would highly recommend the Barking Lot. Vickie G read more

Our girls, Remi and Georgia spent the weekend at the Barking Lot while we were away. All we have to do is mention going to see their "friends" and the girls can barely contain their excitement! We have always felt confident with Meg, Emma and the entire staff. Seeing the pictures of our girls so happy on the Barking Lots FB page reassures is that they are in great hands while we are away! We highly recommend the Barking Lot to anyone! Respectfully, Chris and Laurie Brangi read more

My dog stayed for 5 days and when I brought him back home, he had terrible diarrhea, was very sad, refused to eat and had a cut on the side of his back. I called to complain and they just told me they did not notice anything. This place is terrible and my dog will never stay there again. read more

I've yet to have a bad experience here. My dog greets the staff like they're his best friends, and I always feel like he's in good hands. It's also great for boarding because he is so excited to arrive I feel much better about leaving him. read more

If you are looking for a daycare or boarding for your dog, we highly recommend The Barking Lot in Hamden,CT. We have been bringing our dog Miya since June 2010. She attends daycare 4/5 days a week and we board her approx. 20/30 days a year. We have previously used another daycare and many other kennels but The Barking Lot is the perfect fit for us. Meg, the owner is meticulous about the health and safety of your dog and all the dogs in her care. Her staff is caring and friendly and the building is large and spacious. We could go on and on but as a long time customer the #1 thing that is so important to us is when Miya is there, whether for the day or for a week of boarding, we DO NOT worry about her at all !!!. We know she is being taken care of and we know she loves being there. read more

We love The Barking Lot. Our dog is so excited when we get there. He can't wait to get inside. He comes home exhausted from all his playtime. He loves it there. Everyone is so helpful & nice .they honestly enjoy being with the dogs. They are also very cooperative when it comes to last minute drop off or pick up. Very easy to work with. We love it there. read more

The Barking Lot - This is Ali when he gets home from TBL He's exhausted from all the playtime with his friends. He loves it there. Such a party animal! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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This doggy daycare/boarding facility is the best! The owner and staff LOVE what they do, and it's evident in the care the dogs receive. I used to take my very anxious dog there for boarding when I was out of town, and it's the only place I could trust that he wouldn't run away or bark until he was hoarse. Highly recommend! read more

I am a long-time Barking Lot family member and Meg, Emma, and the staff are absolutely incredible!!! I have 2 dogs and travel quite often for work and there is nothing better then walking in the door to a smile and hugs and kisses for Ali & Raegan and knowing that my dogs are in the best hands! From their impeccable cleaning protocols to the amazing personal attention there is no other place I would leave my children the at The Barking Lot. For anyone that knows Meg & Emma like I do, you would know that they care more for your animal and their experience then any place I have ever been. They invest in their facility and have and unbelievable training program for their staff that you cant find. I appreciate how great they treat my dogs and more importantly how important they make me feel when I see them! Love this place and before you make a decision based on some of the reviews, go meet them, I promise you wont be disappointed! Doug S read more

Brought our dog Monty here for 3 days and he loved it! We use to go to another place closer to our house but we felt really uncomfortable and it didnt feel right. Im glad that we found this place! Everyone here is so friendly and they love my dog just as much as I do. I wouldn't dare going anywhere else! read more

I will preface my review by saying I understand the owner's contract but I feel there is customer service that should be practiced above and beyond that if you are a good business owner. I picked my dog, Tyler, up last week and when I got home and discovered that he was in pain and couldn't sit and had trouble lying down. I also found an open wound that had been bleeding. I was very upset that no one had pointed this out to me so I could contact my vet immediately. I left a message on the answering machine at the daycare that evening and my call was never returned. I called the following Monday (4 days later) and was told by an employee that the owner was out sick and that she, the employee, had not played through the messages. As our conversation continued, I learned that there were times when my dog had been unsupervised while they were elsewhere in the facility cleaning. As I tried to figure out if anyone knew what happened, she said that no one had seen anything. When I went to the facility to ask for a refund (non-refundable and non-transferrable), the owner made zero acknowledgement of my concern and instead offered to extend the time for me to be able to use my remaining two visits "when Tyler comes back". Really? A simple phone call to address my concerns about Tyler and to restate their contract would have been the right thing to do. read more

I bring my dog, Clover, here 3 days a week. I trust dropping my dog off for daycare, and when needed, boarding. Clover comes home exhausted and happy. It's the only place Clover run towards without a look back at me. It is a gift to have a place like this to trust with my most beloved companion. Meg and her staff are animal lovers who take time to get to know your pet's personality. They have fun at their job and it shows. I used to go to a dog park, but found the aggressiveness of the other dogs, and inattentiveness of some dog owners difficult to deal with. When I drop Clover off at TBL I know she is safe and being looked after. The temperment evaluation and strict vaccine rules are a great peace of mind for me. I recommend The Barking Lot to any one who loves their dog! read more

So so so so wonderful! We've tried every place in the area, and this is the only one we trust our dogs with. They truly care about our monsters and it's apparent. I could go on and on about how wonderful Meg and her team are, so if you love your dogs, as I am sure you do, take them to the Barking Lot. read more

My dog Miles and I absolutely love The Barking Lot!!! My dog Miles has been going to The Barking Lot for several months now. He gets so excited to be dropped off and gets tired from playing all day. That is what a dog deserves... Like most dog owners, I was nervous to have him go to a doggie daycare. But I quickly found out that Meg, Emma and the rest of the staff go out of their way for the dogs to feel very comfortable. The place is extremely clean and is such a happy environment for all the dogs. Also, make sure your dog has all their vaccinations up to date. TBL is very careful to provide a safe and healthy environment for your dog. If your looking for a doggie daycare, this is the place to go. 5 STARS read more

Our family loves the Barking Lot. Sometimes I think Cara, our beloved dog, prefers being with Meg, Emma, and all the other great employees at TBL to being home with boring us. But that is a good thing! Meg is so careful about the health of all the dogs in her care and she is a fanatic about cleanliness. We never worry about Cara when she is at the Barking Lot. One of the best things about TBL is being able to board our dog at the same place she spends the day playing. No more shaking like a leaf because she is going to spend the days alone in a kennel while we are out of town. Now she happily trots to the door, anxious to get inside and play with her friends. We can leave with peace of mind knowing she is her "happy place". We travel quite a bit for business so this is truly important to us. Everyone at TBL knows all the dogs names, which is pretty impressive, and their personalities. As far as we are concerned, it is one of the best businesses in Hamden. read more

We started bringing our dog here after a terrible experience at another dog place in New Haven. Not only does our dog LOVE to come here to board and for daycare, but she is peacefully tired, unstressed, and still has the same personality when we pick her up and bring her home. Meg and her caring staff have already undone all the sadness and anxiety our dog incurred at the other place-these people interacted properly with our dog right from the first evaluation, no rough handling at all! The place is clean, and the boarding area is nice, well visited by staff, and not stuck in a darkened corner. Daycare is open and airy. We are lifetime clients for sure! read more

Amazing service here! The owner (forgot her name) is always so welcoming to our naughty (not bad) dog. This place genuinely loves animals and the extra amount you might pay to board here is well worth it for the security of knowing your animal is in expert hands. They are knowledgable, friendly and will go the extra mile. I wouldn't go anywhere else with my dog...period. read more

I left my dog for the Christmas week in 2014 and just picked him up 2 days ago. I regret the decision of leaving him there so much. He came back bruised and with cuts near his nose and on his legs. I paid extra money to have him in a cage by himself. I don't believe he actually had his own cage. The reason is that he lost significant weight during the week, still the people at The Barking Lot claimed that there was no food left which makes me conclude that he wasn't alone in his cage. A different dog ate his food. There is no way that he ate all the food we left for him and lost so much weight!!. I guess this business is in high demand during the holiday season and The Barking Lot is maximizing their profits. When I left my dog and asked to see the place inside, I was told this is an inconvenient time to visit inside. I have the feeling that it is just so crowded with dogs that they don't want you to see that all cages have at least 2 dogs if not more in each cage. I will never use this place again. read more

I wish I could give an even higher rating. I initially brought my dog to The Barking Lot as a matter of convenience as it was on my way to work. Well, I moved and tried another area dog day care that was on the way to work as well. After one day, I decided to add about 40 minutes to my daily commute to bring my dog back to Meg and her amazing staff. First, they are thorough with their evaluations. This is really important! Second, they get to know each dog, its personality, its NAME and always have a story about some silly thing your dog did that day. Third, in addition to getting to know each dog's personality, they also work with them with any behavioral issues that may arise. My dog, for instance, used to be very reactive to dogs that would bark at him, especially the smaller breeds. He's now socially mature, well-mannered when meeting new dogs and easily falls into a pack (which is amazing to watch when you have friends that have dogs). In short, he's learned how to be a dog. I would highly recommend The Barking Lot to anybody and wish all dog day care establishments held themselves to the same standard. read more

I have had a truly fantastic experience at The Barking Lot and now that I am moving away from New Haven CT, I am realizing just how unique and special The Barking Lot is. My dog Tarzan has been here many times for doggie daycare and for boarding. He always bounds from the car to get in and he always comes out happy and covered in dog slobber (which is a good thing in my mind because I know he's had a fun day of wrestling and play). The things I value most about TBL are 1) Meg's pre-screening of dogs to make sure that it's a safe and fun place for my dog and 2) their requirement that shots and vet visits be up to date. I have had a couple of scary experiences at a local dog park with aggressive dogs, but because of Meg's careful temperament assessment, I have no concern that Tarzan is guaranteed a safe day of play. I was inspired to write a review because as I look for places in the Boston area, I am hard pressed to find a place near the caliber of The Barking Lot. I also love that there is an indoor and outdoor play area, and for my lab especially, the kiddie pools and water make for a great treat in the summer. I am sad not to be able to continue to bring Tarzan to TBL, but I hope this review encourages others to bring their dogs there! read more

I have been bringing my dog Liza ( a lively Boston terrier) to The Barking Lot for the past several years and chose it because Meg and the entire staff are warm and welcoming and just downright fun:) They are concerned about the health of all their little charges ( OK, some of them are NOT little.LOL) and make sure every dog is up to date on their immunizations. There is no admission if your records are not up to date. I think they are more thorough than the schools my kids went to !! They know the personalities of every dog and match up the regulars to assure good interactions. When I have boarded Liza I was very comfortable leaving her with people that she already trusted and that I knew would care for her like I do. When I drop Liza off, she runs out of the car to go and play, and when she comes home she runs out to greet me and then goes home, eats and falls asleep because she has that good, happy "I played hard today Mom" tiredness. The entire facility is super clean and the best part is knowing that she is playing safely in a place I trust. Its a great place to bring your dog. read more

very friendly people. employees seem to love the dogs and are always smiling