DogBoy’s Dog Ranch

I rescued a dog who came with a wheel barrow of issues. DogBoys’s advertisement popped up in my FB feed in my most desperate hour. I hired a trainer from DogBoy’s to come out and look at my property I was hoping for any suggestions on what to do when your dog has severe anxiety when trapped, confined, or during storms. She was honest and sweet and laid out my options for me. I cannot say enough great things about this entire operation. The staff is so amazing it is obvious that the staff is like family. in all my struggles they have been there… in a way holding my hand thru the hard times while I figured out how to help my dog get settled in. At one point I was sitting in the lobby talking to 6 employees bawling about how hard I was trying and how I couldn’t make it work. Their daycare is amazing they have so many yards and groups and great things to do. I have finally gotten my dog settled in and I cannot wait until the next time I bring my guy in… it will be because I want him to go and play and socialize it will no longer be because I have no other option. At one point DogBoys was my only option… and I cannot express how great they have been through it all!!! Give them a try you would not be disappointed.

We prepaid for the training offered by this company, and when the day came to train, the trainer cancelled the appointment saying she had a migraine. When we decided to get a refund because we would no longer need their service we were able to get half of the fee back, which was agreed on because we had also cancelled the following week’s appointment.

I never write reviews, but this place deserves a great one. I have a 100 pound mess of a rescue pup. (food aggression/​bad with males/)He got kicked out of his other boarding place because he was so hard to work with. I live downtown and always chose other options closer to me. I finally tried Dogboys and I am kicking myself that I haven’t used this place earlier. The level of service is amazing. My dog LOVES it. He gets so excited when I pull into their driveway. The staff is amazing and understands what my dog needs. I have been working with the trainers and he has made leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time. My dog gets so excited to work with the trainer. I feel so at ease that he is in the best of care with boarding. I have worked with other trainers but I think the difference here is that they really understand my dog’s behavioral issues and breed and have been able to successfully develop the right program that he will respond to and I can reinforce at home. It’s worth the money and commute

I absolutely love this place. Visiting their booth yesterday at Dogtoberfest at the Domain, the staff continued to amaze me by recognizing my dogs Ben and Bella immediately. They are so thoughtful, caring, and my pups absolutely love their time at the Ranch. One more tidbit — if you think it’s too far from some parts of town to really be worth it, please reconsider. I drive my guys from South Austin and it is worth every penny.

When we first got our rescue Great Dane (at 1 year old), we were afraid he’d never be able to play off leash with other dogs… not only was he awkward and clumsy, but having never been socialized as a pup, he had no idea how to approach another dog, what body language to use, and what constituted appropriate play.
When we moved back to Austin, we immediately took him to DogBoy’s. They were so great with my last dog, giving individual attention and love to him, that I knew they’d be able to help our Thor. We did some general training with DogBoy’s to help us all form a stronger bond with each other, and a few kennel stays to help him get acclimated to other dogs.
He has stayed at DogBoy’s for a long weekend here and there, but this month, we left him for 11 nights while we went on vacation. We were a little concerned bc that’s the longest we’ve left him, but knew if anyone could take great care of our boy, it would be DogBoy’s. When we picked him up, the staff member who brought him out told us that this was his best stay yet! That he played well with many different dogs (in the past, he’s only managed to make 1 or 2 ‘friends’), had good body language with the other dogs, play bowed appropriately, and even played in the pool with other pups. AND, he ate all of his food each night, which is unusual bc he generally gets anxious and won’t eat while we’re gone.
I KNOW that his transition to being a well-​socialized dog is almost entirely because of DogBoy’s. They’ve worked diligently to place him with dogs that he could learn from in playgroup. They gave him special care and attention to help him understand what is good behavior and what is not. And they loved him with patience and positive reinforcement.
DogBoy’s has been integral in helping us have a well-​behaved giant dog and we couldn’t be more grateful! Thank you thank you thank you!

Although I have not boarded my dog yet. The tour was great. Friendly staff who genuinely appeared to enjoy their job. Location is great w plenty of running room.
This was the third location I visited while deciding where to board my dog.
The most impressive things I noticed was how tentative the staff are, then expecting the smell of many dogs to hit you when entering the kennels was absolutely NOT there. I actually asked are there any dog here. The cleanest & non smelling kennel I’ve ever been too and the explanation of there color card system on how your dog interacts with other dogs and finally the ample size of the play areas. My jack Russell wants to run all day long.

I’ve used DogBoy’s Dog Ranch about four times total, I think, to board my large dog and I was initially very impressed with this operation a couple of years ago. Their customer service was top notch, the staff were very courteous upon walking in the door, etc. My dog’s first boarding was great, except for the fact that he tore about 50%-60% of his pads because he wasn’t used to running around all day long. I was aware of this potential and attempted to treat his pads prior to going, but that didn’t help. I didn’t blame them as I was aware of this possibility.
However, my most recent experience with DogBoy’s was pretty poor. First, my dog was scheduled to be dropped off at 11A, but my plans changed and I needed to drop him off at opening time on Saturday… a bit earlier than I said online. So I called them and said I made a reservation for my dog at 11A, but needed to drop him off earlier, was that ok? «Sure!» So, I show up, about ten minutes before opening and see cars in the parking lot and people walking around. I waited until about five minutes before opening (still seeing people walk in and out of the front door) and walked in with my dog — the door was unlocked and there was no «CLOSED» sign on the door.
I walk in and immediately greet the young woman at the counter who doesn’t really respond at all. So I attempt to TALK TO HER AGAIN and she says, «We aren’t really open yet.» That was my «Hello.» Then she asks for my dog’s name and says we haven’t made a reservation, but simply submitted instructions for my dog online. (WHY I would be able to submit instructions WITHOUT a reservation on their website is beyond me.) So, they were full, but were able to fit my dog in. Good!
Within the instructions I provided (that she said she received) I mentioned the great potential for my dog to get torn pads and to please limit his movement. Well, I was VERY thankful they could take my dog with my instructions, but without a reservation.
So, we leave and come back the next day, a little more than 24 hours later. I paid the boarding fee and inspected my dog’s pads upon pickup and found they were JUST as bad as before. It was as if the instructions were a waste of time. So, I ended up carrying my 9-​year old LARGE DOG up and downstairs at home for a couple of days as he healed once again from trauma sustained at DogBoy’s.
My dog runs plenty during the week at the park. He has wide and vast range, running like a greyhound at times, and has never had torn pads with me. The only way I can think he gets his pads torn is constant running FROM other dogs — as in being chased constantly. My dog returned home looking like he walking on broken glass; it was pathetic and painful to watch — and I PAID for that. So, what was initially 28-​hours of boarding for my dog turned into a week of first aid for my dog and his pads. NOT WORTH IT.
I really wish I could use this place, but I can’t trust them to listen to the owner’s instructions. Perhaps if I boarded my dog for a week or more (and paid hundreds of dollars per visit) they would care more about my dog.
Needless to say, I no longer trust this place to care for my dog who is approaching geriatric age in dog years.

Was out Saturday for a 3 hour training session with Angelo. The subject was coming when called. Amazing the things you can learn in so short a time. My dog, my daughter and I had a great day. The class was wonderful and Angelo does indeed speak dog. The facilities are great and the location is nearby in Pflugerville. The location is somewhat secluded with plenty of parking. The office was clean and provided bathroom and refreshments, plus it did not smell like wet dog!
We really enjoyed the outside 5 acre play area and how really clean and well maintained the doggy play area was. We will be coming back to DogBoy’s again in the future.

My wife found DogBoy’s through recommendations through various social media channels and a couple of recommendations from a couple of local activity groups. We wanted to find somewhere safe for our 9 month old Labrador anytime we needed to leave town and she couldn’t come along.
We conducted a personal tour of the facility and asked a lot of direct questions about how they operate and how our dog would be treated. Initial impressions were good and the folks that we talked to appeared to care a great deal about the animals in their care. Some of those questions included how she’d be fed, what happens when she got dirty, and are the dogs monitored (this comes into play later).
There is required evaluation fee ($ 20 at the time) along with a proof of vaccination, etc. This can’t be done at the time of drop off — pre-​plan your trip and set up an appointment early. After her evaluation we were told she had a «great time». She was exhausted but was told she was very well behaved and had just played really hard. A part of play involved runs through a small pond on property, which she got dirty (she’s a lab — its going to happen). The handler said it was no problem at all, that they hosed the dogs down if they got dirty. She came back to us in the same physical condition as we dropped her off, tired, but clean.
The shell game began at drop off. DogBoy’s is not the most expensive kennel in town, but they are also not the cheapest. We didn’t expect some of the «if you act now» speeches that some cheaper places tend to do. At check-​in a new slew of options came out that hadn’t been mentioned during the tour, the evaluation, or when we made the arrangements. The only «non-​spa» option was an optional «healthy pet plan». I read over the document and it is worded so it covers $ 500 of vet bills if your dog doesn’t come back in the condition you leave them in. I basically summarized that to the receptionist and asked her «do most customers use this option?» and if it covered illness. She confirmed that is what it was for, that most folks do opt for the additional coverage, but that it was rare it was needed.
I’ve been through vet bills before — and $ 10 didn’t seem all that bad to protect me from Kennel Cough or other problems.
I turned down all the options with the exception of the insurance, the handler (really nice guy) took her into the back and we signed the paperwork. I wanted to be sure they didn’t let her run around dirty, so we asked again — «if she gets muddy, they would rinse her off?» to which they said ‘of course!’.
Satisfied, we went on our trip.
When we returned to pick her up, a new «washing up» fee had been tacked on to the bill which I immediately inquired about. The receptionist said «you asked for her to be cleaned, and we charge for that» which rather upset me. We explained that we were concerned about her getting muddy, had asked several times, and at no time were fees discussed to hose down a dog. When she tried to challenge me, I explained that that going to bed muddy wasn’t humane and is BASIC care for any animal. She then tried to upsell us into a full bath (for more), but ultimately refunded the money since «someone forgot to mention the fee» on any of the three previous conversations.
At this point we just wanted to get our dog and go home. The handler (again, nice guy) brought her out — wet, but towel dried — with dirty legs and tail. I checked her over because she looked really thin and found missing patches on her fur and a welt which he said he didn’t see (but was visible to me 3 feet away). I told my wife to get the forms to submit the vet bills and we’d get her checked out, when the Kennel Manager came out.
She explained to us that my dog had allergies and that she scuffed herself scratching (which, she’s never had before… never scratch off her own fur… and is an inside/​outside dog) and that the «Healthy Pet» wouldn’t cover it. Frustrated with her lack of care and my impression of their business model, I left.
A word of warning: The form says «items included», but really means «the only items we may cover» and is open to interpretation. I basically paid $ 10 to protect the Kennel and bump the total bill. Thinking back, I’m surprised having some level of insurance isn’t required to run a kennel.
The dog got home and drank and ate like she hadn’t for a long, long time. I’ll be taking her to the vet to have her looked at anyway (another unanticipated fee) and get her weighed in, but we don’t think we’ll be taking our business back to DogBoy’s again. The upfront folks were great (as all sales folks are), but the end service was sub-​par. Its a shame as we were really excited about using DogBoy’s for play dates and our dog’s home away from home.
We’ll be following up with the folks (and social sites) that referred us to them to find out if this was an exceptional bad experience, or their normal business practice.
Buyer beware.

Every good thing you’ve been told is true. I wouldn’t board my dog anywhere else. I live in New Mexico but board her here — doesn’t that say it all?

So far, I feel *fantastic* about taking my mid-​size Wheaten Terrier mix here! And as I write this review, my sWheatie is snoozing on the floor next to me, paws twitching, dreaming about her past two days at what is essentially puppy paradise!
Dogboy’s evaluated her at 8 months old and gave her the «green» rating that they give ~85% of interviewing dogs. (But don’t worry… if your dog gets another color coding, that just means they need a little more looking after, and they limit the number of those colors that can be cared for at a time.)
My dog alert-​barks at some strangers, and she did that to the evaluator at first. He told me he put peanut butter on his finger, knelt down, and let her approach him from behind to lick the peanut butter. I’m so thankful to have patient, knowledgeable trainers to help her overcome her fears.
For all dogs in their daycare or boarding, they organize a variety of doggie play groups based on size, age, activity level, and temperament. This is so helpful for creating a solid foundation for my pup’s socialization. (For example, she can learn doggie playtime body language without being intimidated by larger, rowdier playmates.)
I recommend the Saturday noon tour of their facilities and beautiful grounds. You can see for yourself how clean, well-​maintained, and well-​organized this place is.
Thanks for caring so darn much, Dogboy’s! We’re hooked!

I have been waiting for so long to write this review. I was waiting to see if anything would change with how DogBoy’s treat my dogs (I had my doubts!). It has been 3 years now that my lab has been going, and each time, DogBoy’s has been consistently great with my lab. So, here I go!
Our first encounter with DogBoy’s was for training our new lab puppy and to socialize him with half daycare. I must say that we were impressed with DogBoy’s. I’ve never received «report cards» before on how my pup behaved while he was the daycare. Not only that, DogBoy’s also matched my pup’s size, temperament, and behaviors with other dogs that have the same or similar size, temperaments and behaviors. I thought that was pretty amazing. After that, I knew for sure that this was going to be the prefect place for my lab. So, it has been.
We did few trainings there too and in all the trainings, my lab has always failed in socializing with other dogs. I was really worried that the trainers there would be biased due to my lab’s behaviors during daycare and trainings. Never happened. My lab LOVES DogBoy’s. He has always been very excited to be there, to play with other dogs, and meet the people he knows over at DogBoy’s.
This is really THE place to go for your dogs. to train, daycare, or stay overnight. The staff is very caring. They treat my lab as if he is their own. One time, during his 10 day stay, my lab didn’t feel well. We were overseas and at sea when we heard the news. We were panicking of what we were going to do if we need to pick him up. So, we called them up and fortunately, they understood that we were no way near home, so, the DogBoy himself, took my lab home and took care of him there until he was well. W-​O-​W! Again, Thank You Very Much for taking care of him. I really like that a whole lot. It makes me feel secured to leave him there frequently, and we do leave him there quite often, sometime even 2 weeks at a time! He always loves to go back.
Another thing, when we left the lab there for 10 days, prior to leaving him at DogBoy’s, he was nipping a lot and was bad… after we picked him up, he was AMAZING! No nipping, no bad behaviors… as if we picked up a different dog!
So, enough said. You should definitely give DogBoy’s a try if you haven’t. They do WONDER with your dogs!
We just rescued another dog, a Dachsador, a Dachshund/​Lab mix. We took him to DogBoy’s as well and he also loves his visits!
Much Love for DogBoy’s from Dexter and Max :)

What an amazing facility!
My boyfriend and I had experienced some difficulty with other kennels due to some very specific requirements we have. The staff at DogBoys was amazingly helpful, responsive, and considerate of our needs at all times. We really couldn’t be more grateful, and we look forward giving DogBoys all our business in the future!

I can’t say enough good things about DogBoys… I’m sure there is a character limit on here!
This is the ONLY place that I would leave my pup! She has so much fun every time she visits and she sleeps for days when she comes home from all the playing!
I don’t need to kennel my girl very often but I am always confident that DogBoy’s will take the best care of her! I have many experiences I could draw from to know this but I have 3 that are my favorites:
Heading out on vacation I said my goodbyes and dropped Miss Bossy off for a week of kenneling at DogBoys. Like any child away from their mom, she was a bit stressed the first day, wondering where I was… I always call in to check up on her every few days because as a dog-​mom I need to know how my baby is! I was so pleasantly surprised when DogBoy’s let me know that the first day her stool was just a bit loose, probably from stress of being away from me, but not to worry, they mixed some yogurt in with her food and that it would help get things all back to normal. I have to say I was shocked and impressed! I’ve never had a kennel keep track of my pup’s «poo» and then come up with a great homeopathic way to regulate it without using harsh medicines or chemicals. A great example of just how connected they are to their dogs, our kids, when we leave them!
When I returned from vacation and went to pick up my pooch I was lucky enough to be outside waiting for her and she happened to be in a front pen. I saw the handler go into the pen and yell (loudly — it’s a big pen) for her… and here she comes… running at top speed, doing her «reindeer» jump that she only does when she’s really excited or happy… I know my dog… she was happy! The fact that they didn’t have to chase her down… she came running… she was happy… all of these things tell me the mental state of my dog and it’s always such a relief to know that she’s happy and loved while I’m away.
Another great example was on my most recent visit. Miss Bossy hadn’t been to see them in quite a few months but the handler that came to take her back knew all about her, telling me some of the funny personality things that she does that I know all too well! For a dog they only see a few times a year it’s amazing how well they know her!
I’ve heard some people say that they’re too expensive… but honestly they really aren’t much more than some of the other places you could take your pup that would lock them in a small cell and leave them for hours… For me, it’s always worth it… I don’t have children so Bossy IS my child… I wouldn’t leave my kids alone for days with just anyone… and if I did I would expect them to be compensated!
Pets are my kinda people… treat them with the golden rule too!

I will never take any of my dogs anywhere else. Our dogs start baying the minute we turn on to Crystal Bend. We have also done a training class there with one of our Beagles, and the staff is outstanding!!!
Cannot recommend this business enough.

My dog Maggie has been going to Dog Boys once a week for the past few months. I do not really need doggie daycare because I work from home, but Maggie is a rescue and has some issues and needed more socialization. So I started her at Dog Boys and that place is AMAZING. She loves it there and she comes home absolutely exhausted. I have not needed to board her yet, but I will do it happily and with complete trust when the time comes. Thanks Dog Boys for all you do for our pup.
Edited to add: Maggie continues to love it here and since my previous review we have added another dog to our family and they both not only love to board and go to daycare here but we have also taken a few training classes (group and private) and I cannot say enough good things about their trainers. This is your one stop shop for your four legged family members.

We have taken our two goldens here for the past year or so for boarding and it has been a great experience. It is great that they are able to play on such a huge ranch and a relief to know that they group dogs based on size and temperament. They have been very accommodating during a few emergency trips and everyone in the office is very nice. My only compliant is that when I used to opt for the bath at the end of the stay they were usually still wet when I picked them up (at the agreed upon time). Not a big deal at all but I now opt for the rinse instead and just wash them when I get home.
We also had Paula Baker Prince come to our house for a couple of private training sessions. She’s amazing with the dogs, they love her and listen to her and she offered us a lot of useful tips. I would highly recommend her for any dog training needs!

Moving away from Austin still hasn’t stopped me from treating my pup Odette to DogBoy’s! This place is truly amazing and the staff is fantastic. I have a very high energy cattle dog mix who needs tons of exercise and socialization to stay mentally calm. When I heard that DogBoy’s sits on a 15 acre ranch, it was music to my ears!
I started taking Odette to daycare here about 2 years ago, and boarded her for over a week while on my honeymoon. She always comes back exhausted, happy, healthy, and very well behaved. I always say that taking her here is like hitting a «reset» button for her behavior. That tells me that she’s been treated well and allowed plenty of exercise.
The staff is great too. They always give me updates on my dog’s stay when I pick her up. When I first started bringing her here, they gave me a really comprehensive tour of the facilities, daily activities, and color card system. It was nice to have an idea of what my dog would be up to during her stay!
Though I no longer live in Austin, I still make it a point to bring my dog with me when I visit. I drop her off when I get into town, and pick her up when I’m about to leave. She’s always completely knocked out during the car ride home to Houston!

This place is incredible! My six month Lab/​Poodle mix loves this place so much that sh doesn’t even look back at me when I drop her off. She’s been boarded and done the doggy daycare here. Everytime she back from this place, she is passed out! That’s incredible since it usually takes an hour of the dog park, a mile run, and some walking for her to calm down. I absolutely love this place.
This is my favorite dog place, but it loses a star because it is all the way in Pflugerville. It’s a very long drive for me (I live in Central Austin), but that’s the only negative!

I have a Border Collie who is well trained. Whenever she goes to DogBoy’s she gets to do «dog stuff» such as digging in the dirt, rolling in the mud and playing with other dogs as a pack, which is excellent.
I love that she gets to run around freely all day and get her energy out. Dog socialization is a key component to a healthy, well balanced dog. At DogBoy’s, she gets to socialize with other dogs who have similar tempers and behavior. Getting to run around and do «dog stuff» with other dogs fulfills her mental health needs, which is something that dog owners forget too often.
The staff is friendly, knowledgable and genuinely interested.