These are the pictures of my dog post a 4 night stay last weekend. Candice Harper's (the owners) response was 'well I guess you won't be boarding again in the future if you that are unhappy'. Reasons given for these wounds included 'he was climbing in and out of a paddling pool' and 'maybe it was because he was laying down on concrete'. They claimed to be unaware of the cut under his eye or the cut behind his ear. In fairness, I had previously boarded my dog here without incident, and always found Lauren, in particular to be very attentive. However, the response from the owner, Candice Harper when I collected my Dog was contemptible. They had also not sought to get my dog seen by a vet and just suggested he would 'be fine'. I don't ordinarily review anything, but people should be aware of the potential risks of boarding here. Negligent at best. Completely devoid of any duty of care based on this experience. read more

See all

When I drop my Corgi off for play time or overnight boarding I have total peace of mind that he is in a safe and caring environment. Conway loves going to Waiterock - he knows the route and gets happily excited when we near the kennel. I have also had him groomed during his overnight stays. I appreciate this added service. My pup looks and feels great after a good bath and nail trim. I've tried to do this at home but can't get close to duplicating the results. read more

Waiterock Kennels - Conway at Waiterock - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

Honestly I don't get the 1-2 star reviews on here. People are such weirdos about their pets. Every time I've picked up my cat Lucy she's been very happy and I've never had a single issue. The staff have always been very friendly to me, and make comments when I pick up Lucy that suggest they really care and have paid attention to her unique personality (cattitude?). When I arrive I am greeted by a big group of dogs that always appear to be happy and playful. Perhaps folks have really had some worse experiences than mine, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in and say thank you for always taking care of my buddy Lucy read more

We had used Waiterock for years and had positive experiences until recently. Last time our dog came home with bright red eyes and a scratched cornea. I thought maybe it was the result of soap in her eyes from the grooming that they gave her. They told me they hadn't noticed her eyes being red and the groomer hadn't either. We took her to vet and paid several hundred dollars to treat her scratched cornea. I wrote to Waitrock asking them to cover our deductible. No response. Disappointed, but I let it go. I wouldn't leave a bad review from that experience, but after the following response from a boarding request, I feel compelled to write one. Upon our request to board our dog, they told us they won't board our dog anymore with the explanation our dog needed to be boarded somewhere where there wasn't group play. This is a response out of nowhere! Never had we been given this information in the 12 years she was boarded at Waiterock. If her eye was scratched by another dog, then that's her fault? Both eyes were bright red, so it was much more likely the result of soap in her eyes from the groomer. Bottom line, this is a very unprofessional way to handle an injury on their watch. Had I not asked to be compensated for the $50 deductible, I doubt they would have responded with this random explanation. I am very unhappy with the unprofessional and vindictive way Waiterock handled us...especially after 12 years of giving them our business. read more

Waiterock Kennels - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

Waiterock Kennels were excellent in taking care of our new rescue chihuahua Seymour for a week!! They made sure that he would thrive there, suggesting a temperament test before we left because he is on meds. So we took him for two play dates and he did really well. They are so kind and love your dog as if it were their own. We want our dog with us, but if he can't be, I would not hesitate to board him here! Candice is lovely!!! read more

Waiterock Kennels - Seymour on his way to Waiterock Kennels--he can't wait! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

Thank you Candace and staff. Your facility and service is amazing. I know when I leave my Pooch he will be happy and well taken care of. The most impressive part of your facility is how clean and organized it is, we absolutely love coming here. I recommend it for all pet owners. read more

Waiterock Kennels - This is Pooch, waiting to see his friends at Waiterock Kennels. - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

I suspect they may fine if your dog or cat is sedated or otherwise possibly not a normal animal. The facility seems comfortable and well kept. My issue is with pet handling only. My senior dog went in for an "interview for consideration" so I might board him for a couple nights while I was out of town. Mind you, my dog is not familiar with being abandoned anywhere so naturally he was apprehensive when I left him for his assessment. I understand the assessment involved engagement with other dogs, which was reported as acceptable, and a test of his submissiveness and/or approachability. Mind you, a senior dog terrified in a foreign environment might not be in the most complacent frame of mind.... So anyway - yes my dog was scared, and yes he growled when left in an unfamiliar charge, and yes he "failed" his assessment because of how he processed fear. Yes this operation is free to discriminate and I encourage due diligence, however I'd like to see more of an open mind for the animals feelings as part of the judgement procedures. At the end of the day it may be best if my dog isn't left terrified, or worse terrified and in a place where he feels unsafe. Otherwise... the location and property are very nice and the sedate dogs in the community yard seemed quite fine and submissive. Disclaimer: I was not asked for or paid for this review. The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. read more

This business needs to explain on their website to phone before filling out all of their forms and to phone first for availability for boarding. Whether this is a good place or not to board the level of rudeness on the part of the person answering the phone is highly unusual. Even if they are designer boarding, there is no reason to treat new people asking questions (which seems to be normal) without complete rudeness. Maybe they have more than enough customers but dogs pass away and they need to think of the future. Seriously rude and unhelpful. read more

This review is years overdue. Waiterock has ALWAYS provided top notch care for our pets. We had a somewhat special needs pup - and they loved her entirely and provided excellent care - she was always super excited to be dropped off. Recently, we were advised to evacuate our home due to extreme fire danger. We now have two dogs and a cat, and running anywhere with that crowd is difficult. Waiterock did not hesitate in offering help and shelter for our fur babies. They love these animals so much and it meant the world to us that we knew they would be safe and with the best care available. So long as we live in the Bay Area, our family will always use Waiterock for birding needs. read more

I am Hank C and did a yelp several years ago on Waitrock which was poorly thought out, and really simply an emotional outburst. see 7/19/2018. my dog was a headstrong pup who was undoubtedly responsible for his ouster as simply too rambunctous. with my further experience on kennels (same dog), maturity and discussions with the dog owners who have used Watrick, I convinced it is an outstanding kennel which cares a lot for each of its kennellees and would recommend its usage to anytone in the market. I would love to take down my last but Yelp was no help on how to do this. Please disregard mine of 7/19/2018. It s a good and responsible kennel for your pooch. I would have no hesitancy to take my boy back there for a day or weeks. sorry for the earlier bad and emotional burst. hank carlson, Lafayette. read more

My dogs are always happy to jump out of the car and race me to the door. I need to remember to put on their leash before I let them out. Thanks to Candy and the staff, my dogs always come home wiped out from all the fun and play time. Keep up the good stuff Waite Rock!! Thank you for requiring strict immunization guidelines. See you in a week... :) Julie read more

We've trusted Waiterock for years. First with our former big rescue dog. Now with our two smaller rescues. All with certain behavioral issues that Waiterock has been willing to work with. The facility is the best, and cleanest we've ever seen. Nice kennels and good open spaces for the dogs to play a bit. Staff has always been super responsive if we've had questions. Recently our two littles came home with a few intestinal issues after boarding. Honestly, it was probably just stress and a bit of dietary change. But Candy was wonderful about responding to my call to discuss if they'd had any problems while there and offer what good dietary approaches to take to help them feel better. We will continue to trust Waiterock as our boarding facility even though there are many others closer to where we live. read more

Just had our first Meet and Greet tour of the kennel with our new dog. I used to be a volunteer officer and foster and shelter worker at a non-kill (for 25 years), so I'm experienced and I could tell from the way Lauren and Gabrielle met my dog, and the way Lauren listened to our concerns and handled our dog while meeting other dogs, that they knew what they were doing, had a positive attitude and that I will be comfortable leaving Kai there. Lauren read him like a book. The dogs we saw were not under stress, nor was there any hysterical or territorial barking from them when Kai went into the play area right in front of them. They barked, but normally, and most did not bark at all. Lots of tail wagging from the other dogs in their kennels. That says a lot. The set-up could not be more ideal. I know of too many nightmare stories where someone left a dog with a friend and a day later the dog was missing. I like mine on lock down. But a happy, loving, kind, air conditioned, potty and poop at will in a separate private area, supervised play kind of lock down. So far, so good. read more

I made a total of 3 visits here: one to check the place out, one to drop off my cat, one to pick-up my cat. First visit I was shown where my cat would stay and found the room to be clean and appropriate. The person showing me was a college-age guy and was very friendly. Dropping the cat off the owner(?) was also very helpful, answering any additional questions. However on my last visit here to get my cat, the guy at the front desk was less then helpful when I tried to get any information about how my cat did. All I got was "yeah he [the cat] was fine", or when I asked how he did with the new cat food, I got the same generic answer. Granted, I came just before their lunch break (where they close for 2 hours), but I hadn't been here in a week. They get a 2 hour lunch break and they can't spend 5 minutes with me letting me know how he did? RIDICULOUS. Overall, the place is clean and generally knowledgeable staff. On all visits there were workers outside playing with the dogs in the yard, which I thought was great. However if you have a cat, this may not be the best place for you. The dogs were barking constantly (no fault to the kennel) and this can really intimidate a cat. My cat was shaking in his carrier most the way home. I believe this is because there were constant barking noises. Having said that, I do not think this place is good for both cats and dogs. I think they have over-extended themselves trying to get more business by extending to cats. Therefore, I will not be back and will find a place that caters to cats only. read more

When we moved to the Bay, I must have gone by 6 different kennels in the East Bay before I found Waiterock. It is very clean, has heated/air conditioned runs, and feeds the dogs high quality Canidae food. They also take the pooches out at least once a day for play time. Their prices are very reasonable ($30-35/day) however, you usually have to pay for an extra day at some point because they are closed for pick up and drop off on Sunday and Wednesday. This can be rather inconvenient. Especially over the Christmas holiday when they close for a week. My little guy is going to have to stay an extra 2 days this year before they open for pickup. Despite the Sun/Wed closing, Waiterock does a great job with the doggies and Sam is always happy and healthy when I pick him up. read more

My message is given, I do not recommend your place and its not based on the charges. It is based on how rude we were treated and how my cat was treated. It was so bad that I had to take it to her veterinarian today. My cat has never been seen for sickness before. PS. Thank you for showing how unprofessional you are and for confirming that I am a real unhappy customer. Good luck! read more

We've switched from Waiterock as their costs grew too much for our budget. Our old dog no longer enjoys group play and the expense of single-pup exercise is very high. Wish them well read more

I really think they must be feeding my Labradoodle filet mignon here because he runs so fast into this place when I drop him off. The staff is amazing, Buddy loves Lori (I think that's her name, she's the nice lady at the front desk). When ever I show up, I see my dog happily romping with the other dogs in the yard.. makes me feel so good that there is a great place like this for my pup. I highly recommend this place. read more

I remember this place from over 30 years ago, when my family boarded our first dogs out during a summer vacation. It seemed a bit dingy, then. "Champ" had socialization issues when he was young and finding a kennel that would take him was quite a task. Luckily, he has mellowed and has great manners. Our regular kennel was closed for relocation and I searched all over the Bay Area for another kennel. Other reviews, blogs, websites, and a recommendation from our veterinarian, directed us back to Waiterock. We took an extra long vacation (24 days), which included the July 4th weekend. The boarding fees were on par with other kennels, but Waiterock included Canidae food, medication, playtime, grooming, and a 10 percent discount for an extended stay. The facilities looked clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly, and even refilled a doggie prescription that ran out. ...and Champ seemed to enjoy his stay. read more

My little Norfolk Terrier LOVES going to Waiterock Pet Ranch !! We know she'll have a blast, and be well taken care of. Candice & Lauren are always happy and welcoming to see her & us. I've always gotten a lump in my throat when & wherever I've had to leave her, but not at Waiterock. read more

We have entrusted our dogs to Waiterock for over 20 years and they are the best. Our labs actually dance with enthusiasm when we turn off the main road to go up to the kennel. They love it. Our newest lab is now 11 months old and we used their day care class to help socialize her during COVID since we was not able to play with other pups. 5 star plus! read more

Our dogs Teddy and Eli have stayed at Waiterock Kennels a couple of times. Waiterock is located in Lafayette, at the end of a semi-private road. The kennel has both indoor and outdoor facilities - it looks like there's a lot of room for the dogs to play. Waiterock is on the list of recommended kennels at our Vet's office, so it was one of the first places we've tried. However, I've heard mixed reviews from friends of ours who have boarded their dogs at Waiterock. The staff is okay. Our dogs seemed to have a good time. The last time we were out of town, we tried to board our dogs at Waiterock, but they were booked. We ended up boarding somewhere else and we found ourselves happier with our new place. read more

I was referred to Waiterock kennels, and I couldn't be more pleased. The place is fantastic for dogs, my experience was phenomenal. I Felt she cared for animals, and the place was immaculate. I can't wait to go back and get to know them better. And I am picky. It was such a joy to meet the owner, she was very kind and caring. What a fun fun fun place for your fur babies!! She got me right in!!! Thank you Candice!! read more

Dont know how to handle dogs. Terrible record keeping of personalities. Not professional: can't recommend.

Good kennel for the dogs, but make sure you don't have to cancel in advance. The owner will treat you like a child by scolding you. I will never take my pet back there after the way I was treated when I cancelled a week early. Yikes! read more

Candice- I do believe that you are confused by the series of events. Not only by the incorrect information that you provided in your response but also based on the email that you sent me telling me to take down my review or you would seek legal action. You told me that my dog had not been to your kennel in 3 years- yet he only just turned 3 and the review was 8 months ago. I think you have your facts mixed up. For example, you never told me to seek training for my dog for when I asked about the safety of my children you said that it was probably due to a new employee. I invite anyone with questions to contact me directly- now that you put my name and location out there. I would be happy to speak with them and even introduce them to my sweet 62 pound lab. read more

This is where we take Rocky, the Tibetan terrier when we go to the Lair for a week. It's nearby, has some outdoor area for him, and most importantly, when we pick him up, unlike other places, his ears aren't infected. In the summertime, they get booked up early..so hmm..maybe I'd better call NOW! read more

We have been very happy with Waiterock in the past, however I am disappointed in the booking flexibility at Waiterock. They currently have a policy for canine influenza to be complete BEFORE booking, and this is a ~1 month process. If you need a reservation anytime within the next month, you will have to board elsewhere unless you have completed this vaccine. No exceptions, apparently, even with a commitment that we would begin the vaccine immediately. read more

I'm so glad I found this place. My dog is like my child and I appreciate how they always greet her by name and is followed by a big hug. She always bolts into the facility and when I go to pick her up she wants to go back to the play yard.They do have certain breed restrictions which I appreciate, because I know my dog is always safe. Thanks for always caring for my Chevelle. read more

Have used Waiterock a few times for drop/in daycare. Nice setting, conveniently located with easy access immediately off the freeway. This place was recommended to me by a friend, although I have other friends who give them mixed to poor reviews. My dog is a very friendly, playful Siberian Husky. He has been to many, many doggie daycares in the immediate area as well in Southern California. He is extremely well socialized and lives with our other rescue dogs as well. For some reason after a couple of visits the kid at the front desk told me my dog was playing aggressively so they would need to put him in a cage and have one on one play. When I questioned him he was a bit vague but said the dog was jumping on the other dogs and would pin them down in s playful manner but that it was not acceptable. I then asked him again if he was aggressive and he said no not really aggressive but energetic, etc. I think he's confusing aggressive with excitable as he himself admitted the dog was friendly and not biting or anything. He said we "will give him another chance." I was pretty surprised by this as my dog has many hours in dog parks etc where he plays chase but that's about it. So fast forward, I went to several other dog daycares over the next two months and 2 of them have doggie cameras where you can watch your dog all day long, which by the way I did. He played perfectly with no issues and ALL of the places said he was great. I decided to give Waiterock another go. The minute I called the same kid was working the desk and he began with his unfriendly tone and demeanor. He reminded me that they would give him another chance at open play. I told him to let me know if there was any issues. I received no calls during the day. When I came to pick him up, in his usual unfriendly tone preceded to tell me that my dog has an aggressive play style do he could not play with the other dogs. Really???!!!! When I asked him specifically what he was doing since there place where the ONLY place that has ever said that he told me, " he barks in other dogs faces" LOL What???!!! Seriously?? First of all it's s kennel, secondly Huskies don't bark, they howl!!! My husky never barks and rarely howls. He then said well he bumps into other dogs. So here's what I have to say, the staff here are untrained and lazy as I see it. This is not even remotely considered to be aggressive behavior. The owner, Candice, with whom I also spoke is condescending and rude as other reviewers have written! She's very interested in telling you she is successful and doesn't need anymore customers but is not a problem solver. She overheard the conversation but didn't even to bother to have the care worker come out to let me know exactly what happened. She said, I don't know what happened but we didn't do anything to the dog." Huh??? Whose suggesting that? I found that to be a strange response. If your the owner don't you want to find out why your clients are not happy?? Needless to say, I will never return and several of her other clients that I know of won't be returning either. Save your money and time and seek out the many other area dog daycare/kennels that have more experienced animal caretakers, friendlier dispositions, and owners that care about their clients experience and satisfaction. read more

Great Stay for our 2 doggies! We are new to East Bay Area. I searched many kennel options before choosing Waiterock Kennels. After our 3rd time boarding with them it's time for a review. Each time our pups have been happy, healthy and we will continue to always board them here. It's a very nice clean environment and I am a super picky Reg Nurse. Don't hesitate to use Waiterock from other peoples bad experiences- they are just fine and really know their breeds and how animals react. Work your vacation schedules around boarding your pets as they come first- noting the hours Waiterock is open for pickups! and lastly it's really nice that they already have nice bedding for your pup and serve a great meal of kibble and wet food served warm - basically just bring your pet and good to go! read more

My dog Loki stayed here for a little over 3 weeks and he loved it. He came home freshly bathed with his puppy bed clean. He made new puppy friends and there were pictures of him playing with other dogs. They really treat dogs great here. I would never trust my dog being anywhere else. Thank you Waiterock! read more

Waiterock Kennels - My dog Loki - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

I do not like boarding animals-and was very hesitant to board my "Rufus" since it was his first time and he much prefers humans over any other dogs! But I had no choice. I did a lot of research and went to Waiterock to check it out and see the setup and talk to the staff. I happened to meet Candice, the owner. After a long talk and walk around the place, I felt very comfortable in boarding my dog. All went well with scheduling and drop off and pickup-the young men working on the day I dropped off seemed to sincerely love animals and made both myself and my dog very comfortable. My daughter picked him up and all went smoothly again. He evidently missed no meals and had no confrontations with other dogs there-ran around and played and was as happy as he could be . I am happy to have a place where I am comfortable leaving him and am hoping now to be actually able to take vacations! read more

I am beyond thrilled to have found this place for my little dogchild. I am definitely one of those people who love their dog like family and was extremely worried about where I was going to take him when I went on a week long vacation. Luckily I found this kennel and decided to visit before I made the reservation. The owner was there when I went to check it out and she made me feel completely at ease. She seems to have dedicated a lot into making this a great facility- the astro turf, all the bedding for the dogs, the cleanliness of the whole facility, the play structures. I could go on and on. We spent a half hour talking while she should have been on her lunch break which she didn't make me seem like I was inconveniencing her at all. Very reasonably priced compared to other kennels I looked at. I wanted to have my pup enrolled in as much as possible to make sure he wasn't locked up all day. It came out to be around $40 a day with him going out two or more times a day to play with other dogs. So anyways I call the second day I'm on vacation just to you know check in...and this gentlemen answered and again put me at ease. He also recommended I look at their Facebook because they post pictures of the dogs almost everyday. Now THIS completely made my trip so much better. By being able to see him having fun in the pictures I could finally relax. Thank you so much Waiterock. I can't tell you enough how much it means to bring my dog to a place I know where the people will take care of my dog like he's family. read more

Waiterock Kennels - A picture Waiterock Kennels posted on their Facebook of my pup playing with another dog. Made my trip so much better!! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Lafayette, California

I have been very impressed by this kennel. I have an 80 lb lab who likes to eat too much and lay on my couch. He also has a knack for picking up kennel cough and skin infections from just about every kennel we have tried. After leaving him here on 2 occasions, 3 months apart, (3 days and 10 days), I have to say they are the only kennel I will use in the future. He came home happy, exhausted and a little thinner (not a bad thing). Most importantly, he had absolutely no health problems. If they can keep my "delicate flower" of a beast healthy and happy, they must be good. read more

We have taken our Australian Shepard here 2 times and she will be going for a 3rd time. This is the first kennel that our Bailey doesn't come home a wreck. She has separation anxiety but never seems to mind going here. She comes home happy and doesn't have that dirty kennel smell. The place is spotless and the dogs are treated very well. She has never come home with any sort of illness which has happened at other kennels. The staff is always friendly and courteous. The prices are extremely reasonable too! I don't like leaving my dog but when I have to due to business....this is the place for her!!! read more

I have 2 Beagles and have boarded them at Waiterock several times in the last 4 years. I like to refer to it as Camp! They've been there for weekend stays, a week stay, and last Year for almost 3 weeks. They are excited when we arrive for check-in, and of course they are excited at check out. I always feel that they are secure and safe, and that they are treated Great. I'm dropping them off in the morning for a little over a week. I will go on vacation being confident they will be well cared for and have fun on top of it! read more

Cara, my Irish Terrier, seems to enjoy going to Waiterock. She has been there several times and is scheduled again on September 2014. The staff are young and seem to like her Rambunctious Nature. The kennel is close to home which makes drop off and pick up very convenient. The kennel is heated in winter and cooled in summer. The bed is elevated off the floor. I will continue to use the services of Waiterock. read more

I take my belgium shepard here everytime I go out of town. The kennels are always clean and the staff is very nice. My dog always comes back happy as if I never left. The rates are great too. read more

We do not live in the Bay Area, but, if we are going to fly out of the bay area airports this is our place of choice for our dog and cat. I've never had a bad experience with them and both my pets seem to really love the place. Some other places we have used my dog acts like he is scared to death and pulls my husband out the door, but, not here??? read more