Shady Spring Boarding Kennels and Camp For Dogs

First time we used this place based on recommendation from DuPont Vet Clinic and not all that crazy about the experience. Wow expensive. For the cost I would have expected so much more. Charlie came back smelling horrible. Her blanket that we sent along (in case she was lonely for home and to help with any separation anxiety) was never broken out of bag and used for her to sleep on/​with) she uses it every time she sleeps in her bed at home. How do I know it was not used you ask. Easy… it was folded exactly the same very odd and particular way I folded it when I packed it. Second it totally smelled like fresh laundry (I had washed it before I sent Charlie) and as bad as she smelled, had they actually used the blanket it would have smelled as well.
Very disappointed as I thought with the cost of this place maybe it would have been a better experience. Everything is an additional cost and we could not even pick her up on a Sunday unless we paid a fee. Add to that the fact that they never used her blanket we sent along makes me wonder what else this place skipped on like the camp or hikes we had to pay extra for. Ugh. Not sure I would recommend and the vet is gonna hear it as well as they recommended this expensive place

Took my dog there on recommendation from neighbor. They charge the same rates as everyone else, but I feel they cared more about my dog than I did. They gave me a report card and picture of my dog at «camp» which I never got at other kennels. The last kennel I took my do to stressed them out tremendously and was worried about leaving her with this group. My dog seemed very relaxed when I picker her up as if she was actually coming home from a camp. I would recommend this for anyone and am going to take mine back for our next trip. I see a couple of poor reviews but that was not my experience at all.

Fantastic in every way! We boarded our 7 mo old golden doodle, Henry, while out of the country for 16 days. SS was recommended by our vet, Palisades Vet Clinic, so I knew it would be a good experience. Bonus: they picked up and dropped Henry off at the Vet (for a fee) which made leaving and returning from vacation that much easier.
We also groomed Henry with them and he looked great; They called to find out what we wanted done specifically and even sent a text picture when they finished. Only one draw back, I think Henry likes them more than being home! Seriously, it is a drag when you board a pet and they come back either totally off their usual self or worse. Henry is happy and revived from his «vacation» as well. There are places closer to my office and the airport but I don’t need my dog to have a TV suite and 600 thread count sheets in his doggie suite, I want caring people who let him be a dog and run around outside and make sure he’s safe while I’m not around. Shady Springs Rocks.

We’ve boarded our dog there many times and have always been happy with the service. It’s a little on the pricey side, but we are always comfortable with leaving our pup there.

This kennel is nice, clean, and in a great location. My husband and I frequently bring our dogs here and they are always very excited to go so that tells me that they care for the animals well. I am giving them 3 stars mainly because of the price. They are very expensive and their discounts are minimal. Since we bring 2 large dogs here quite often, one would think they would have a better discounts. Their fees for extras such as baths, nail trimming, etc. are also pretty outrageous. Another thing that is kind of annoying is how long it takes to check in the dogs. We have been here so many times that it seems that checking them in and out would be seamless but it isn’t. Both of our dogs are very anxious so waiting around is a pain. I also agree with the other posts concerning lack of convenience in terms of drop off/​pick up times and no Sunday drop off. We end up paying for an extra day quite often because we can’t drop on a Sunday.

I would like to address the post by «Justin D».
We are sorry that this client is unhappy with our services after several prior experiences were positive. However, we will respond to anyone posting false negative comments online about our staff, experience and facility. We have been in business 54 years and pride ourselves on the honest care we provide all the pets that board. We always tell our clients when we notice something wrong, and provide prompt medical attention. History has proven this time and again. Our staff is well-​trained and educated, and we are very experienced with what all of our boarding guests require for a pleasant visit with us. Let it be known, that this dog was not taken to the vet till 2 days after boarding; the veterinary bill had tasks done that were unrelated to the issue at hand, thereby inflating the invoice significantly (although X-​rays were never performed); and the veterinarian involved would not provide a statement that this dog’s tail sprain actually occurred at Shady Spring. This kind of injury is commonplace in dogs, not severe, and normally self-​healing.
As far as being unreachable, we are seasonally closed on Wednesdays. To address the former employee issue, this person was disgruntled because they were let go with cause; and has been making false accusations since their discharge.

I feel like this place will be friendly and nice to your face then stab you in the back. Staff was always friendly and nice and made us feel like our dog would be well cared for, until he wasn’t and we had questions. That is when they turn on you!
Used Shady Spring in the past and was satisfied, however on our last visit our dog came him with an injured tail. He required nearly $ 600 in veterinary bills after his stay. The staff was unable to be reached for two days during the week to discuss this because of their off-​season scheduling. In addition they did not take any responsibility for what happened at their kennel. When I did finally get someone at Shady Spring on the phone, they said that they have «guillotine doors» that separate the inside and outside of the runs where the dogs are kept. She admitted that these have fallen in the past if the dogs «mess with the mechanism.» This sounded unsafe, and was almost an admission of guilt on their part, however they basically recanted this later.
In the end they offered us $ 300 credit towards future services. My wife and I would never be able to go on vacation again and leave our furry friend here with any amount of peace of mind. This has been a short synopsis of a situation spanning several weeks, but we would never return.
After speaking with some other friends who also used to use this kennel we feel good about our decision to not return. Our friends had an old employee tell them that the dogs don’t always get walked if there is inclement weather, but they will still charge you for them. We found a new kennel that includes daily exercise in the price, in addition to offering better customer service and being less expensive.

Cost is fairly competitive if you don’t order extra services. I boarded Bosko for a week while I was in Spain, and I requested «camp» for him, which was an additional cost. Because of my busy schedule, I also used the service provided where he was picked up at our veterinarian’s office, Union Vet Clinic, on Capitol Hill and transported to Shady Spring.
I returned late Saturday night so I made arrangements to pick Bosko up on Sunday afternoon (they do have pick up hours on Sundays). My pup was ecstatic to see me, and he appeared to have been well cared for. As a nice surprise, a week later, I received in the mail an adorable color photo of him at «camp,» along with a camp report and coupon for a future stay.
I found the employees to be very friendly and helpful! They made sure his special needs were noted, including the fact that the ol’ guy is pretty much toothless, deaf, arthritic, and vision impaired. While I know the preceding sentence doesn’t paint an attractive picture of my dog, trust me, he’s amazing!

This is a good kennel, but very expensive… and other reviewers (in other places) that have commented on the customer-​unfriendly policies (can’t drop off before 1pm, can’t pick up on Sunday, have to present coupon, this, that and the other thing) are true. This place is making a mint — they should be at least a little adaptable to their customers.

I love this place!
When we used another kennel, our dog would come home tired and disoriented. Since switching to Shady Springs Kennel, our dog is so much happier. This place was recommended to me by a co-​worker. She raved about the place so I decided to give them a try. I used their bark-​n-​ride (for an extra cost) to pick my dog up and drop her off. It was worth it!
I like that they send a report card when they return the dog to you.