We LOVE Baxter and Beasley! My dog Teddy has been to multiple doggie daycares in his life and Baxter and Beasley is the only daycare where Teddy runs in with excitement! He loves going there and I know they take great care of him. I also think the groomer does an excellent job and I've been very happy with their services. read more

It seems that I have to select at least one star to be able to write a review - so did I. I am feeling very sad for my dog. Before she walked into this place, she was a happy and healthy dog. After picking her up, she barely could walk properly with a scared face. I thought she was just playing too hard with other dogs and just need some time to be calm down. After a few days observation, she still couldn't walk properly so I took her to see her Vet. Apparently, her both rare legs' knees got injured from X-ray and both knees need surgery. While I don't know what exactly happened but the only fact I clearly know is that she was a happy and healthy dog before the day care and she couldn't walk properly right after the day care. I called the owner Mike about this, he told me that dogs come to his place to play and he is not responsible for anything. My question for him is that I paid for the dog care in order to get a good dog care for my dog. What is the point to pay and send my dog to the dog care center? Then he asked me how much financially I wanted from him? I told him that I would like him to cover the surgery expense - he said "forgot about it and you can get an attorney to talk to me". I feel sad and disappointed - not only about the fact my dog being injured but also he, as the owner of Baxter & Beasley, didn't even say or feel sorry about my dog's injury during the entire conversation. I told him that I will cover the expense so my dog will have the surgery to fix her knees. I posted this painful experience because I feel I am responsible to share it with anyone who has a dog to make sure to choose a proper dog care service. Now, I only wish my dog will recover soon and doesn't have any mental injury from the experience. read more

We were unexpectedly called out of town and did not have time to find a dog sitter for our Lab-Chow mix. Baxter & Beasley came highly recommended. We were pleased with the facilities, the staff and the overall treatment given to our dog during her 10 day stay. We'll be using B&B again in the future. read more

We dropped our dogs off overnight at B&B and when my husband picked them up the following day the owner said one of our dogs had injured her leg but not sure how. When my husband brought our dogs home he noticed our one dogs leg was much worse than he thought, she could not put any weight on it, My husband went back to the facility to confront the owner to find out exactly what happened and he said she must have done it running around. My husband continued to ask questions and the owner would not be forthcoming and pieces of his story changed and didn't make any sense, He claimed our dog would not come in at night and kept running away from the staff. Our dog is scared around strangers and does tend to run from them so what we suspect is that when trying to get her to come in they did something to her weather they grabbed her leg or did something else to get her to stop running. Unfortunately we did not look at the reviews before dropping our dogs off, when we went to look at reviews following what happened we saw others also have had their dogs injured. We now have to go get X-rays from the vet to see if her leg is broken and spend additional costs on something that should never have happened. read more

I've waited over a year to review this place because I didn't want to vent, but rather wanted to warn others of this place. We took our dog to this facility over Christmas 2015. We stopped in the week before to check the facility and complete paperwork. It's not fancy, but I don't expect that with boarding facilities. We arranged the drop off and pick up dates with the front desk. I called the day before to state that my mom would be picking her up and they stated they had no reservation for our dog. After being put on hold, they gave me the ok and I provided my cc number and requested she be groomed before pick-up (which I again confirmed when I dropped her off). On the day that my mom picked her up, they requested a *tip* before she was even able to see our dog. They asked her to pay for the stay even though I had already provided my cc information and our dog was not groomed. Finally, when my dog came out, my mom saw how scared she looked. Our dog had a gash along her forehead and they said nothing of it. When my mom asked about it, the front desk told her "no one ever warned us that she didn't do well in crates." That was the only explanation she was given. My husband called the week after and spoke with the owner. He apologized for everything. We stated that our paperwork did state that she didn't like crates but did tolerate the crate at home. We also stated that we called and confirmed the reservation and paid over the phone. The owner stated that we should talk to him in the future because the others weren't responsible. He said he did look at our paperwork and saw that and apologized for the actions of others. It took almost a month for her gash to heal. She's been boarded at other facilities without any issues before and after this incident, but this occurrence made her more nervous. I would never take my dog back to this place as I think she deserves better treatment and caring individuals to care for her. read more

I'm one of those people who thinks of their dog as their baby, and I was really nervous about boarding her somewhere! Usually my parents and I care for each others' pets when one of us goes out of time. But this time we were all going away together, so Lily needed a place to stay! I heard about Baxter and Beasley and I emailed them months ahead of time. Jennifer answered all of my frantic questions, assured me that Lily would be well taken care of and wouldn't be able to escape somehow, and suggested I come in for a tour. Then when I went for a tour and met Mike, one of the owners, he had such a calm demeanor that I immediately felt better. He gave me a tour of the building and told me what the daily schedule is like for the dogs. I got to see the area where the dogs stay at night. Many boarding facilities will NOT let you see that part! It looked clean and safe back there. It smelled doggish (probably because of all the dogs) but NOT dirty or like urine and poop like some kennels do! I brought my dog in for a few days of day care, just to get a feel for the place. Each day, all of the staff members where so friendly and pleasant to me. I also saw that the other people coming to drop their dogs off seemed very happy and calm. I also loved looking at Facebook each day because they post pictures of the dogs playing. I had been worried that my dog would be afraid of all the big dogs there, but in the pics I could see for myself that she was running with a pack of dogs, playing with them, laying down next to them, and generally looking like a happy dog! I also liked that I was encouraged to bring my dog's blanket or bed, and any toys or other items I wanted, so that she would feel more comfortable. Some regular kennels don't allow this. Plus, compared to other "luxury" dog boarding places in the area, Baxter and Beasley is cheaper! Of course my dog and I were happy to see each other when I came back for her... but I was able to enjoy several days away without worrying about Lily or feeling guilty about leaving her somewhere. I knew she was in good hands! This is a family-run business, and the owners and many of the staff members care for their own dogs there as well. I would recommend this place to anyone. They've got a customer for life! read more

I don't know what I would do without Baxter and Beasley! My dog has been a challenge since I adopted him, and without their help, training & support I would have been lost. They truly helped me rescue my dog. They offer daycare, boarding, training & grooming, truly outstanding. And when you board your dog, they play all day in day care, they're not sitting in a crate missing you. They have indoor and outdoor play areas, even a pool in the summer! And they post pictures on Facebook everyday so you can see your dog having fun. If you've given up on boarding your dog, you have to go to Baxter and Beasley, it will change your life. This family owned business is run by true dog lovers, they know all the dogs by name (and the owners). Bright, cheerful, and wonderfully clean, it's really my dog's second home. Mike, Sharon, Jennifer and all the staff, thank you for being there for us! read more

There seems to be some confusion about a negative post that appeared just above my positive post. Since I did not write this post, I feel compelled to share with all of you what has occurred since then. First of all, I received a very disturbing phone call regarding the post and I tried to defend myself and make sense of it all but it obviously fell on deaf ears. Why would I write such a positive, heartfelt and honest post about my experiences and then at the flip of a pancake write something completely opposite. If you know me, and I think they do and all of my friend's on Facebook do, that this is NOT like me. First of all, if I have something to say, I will say it to the person's face, NOT write it on a blog, especially if it wasn't true! I have no shame in my game in telling people what I think and feel. I was totally blindsided by this phone call and no matter what I said, it sounded like it didn't even matter. Then, why did you bother calling me and waste my time?! Shortly thereafter, we were told that my family and my dogs are NO longer welcome at Baxter and Beasley. Just like that. No explanation, NO NOTHING! I was utterly shocked and in some ways, I still am! I have done SO much for Baxter and Beasley, especially in regards to advertising and this is the thanks that I get. I went out of my way to do things to help promote the business that I wish I could take back considering the way I and my family have been treated. I will have my day and SO MANY MORE because I cannot just sit back and let this happen to me without my consent or control! I am very sad because I have NEVER been treated like this by anyone or any business in my entire life! My poor Khloe will miss her friends dearly and my little Frankie never even got to experience Baxter and Beasley from a daycare or grooming experience. We are on the hunt for a new facility that will not only treat my dogs the way they deserve to be treated but will give me and my family the respect we deserve. I will be happy to share our new homes' information with you so that you can use it for your dogs as well. I would hate to see you continue your relationship with Baxter and Beasley if I am not able to either. I am asking each one of you that voted for Khloe and clicked "LIKE" on Baxter and Beasley's Facebook page to go back and remove it. They do NOT deserve to have my business or yours if this is how they treat customers, loyal customers, customers who went out of their way to pass out business cards and who shared with everyone what an amazing place this WAS....notice I said WAS. I still have one free day of daycare that I am sure they will not honor and if they did, I would be too worried that they would take out their frustrations regarding the fake post on Khloe which is not right. So I will just leave it be and come out of this the better person. I will, however NOT recommend Baxter and Beasley to ANYONE! I WILL go out of my way to share what has happened in hopes that I can avoid a similar situation for someone else. This is a REAL post by ME (Jenn) just so that there is NO confusion. In closing, I also want to say that I firmly believe in Karma and what goes around comes around! I will find a new home for my dogs, but once negative feedback and experiences is out there, you can NEVER retract it or fix it, what is done is done and when it comes out of my mouth, I believe it is ten times worse!! read more

We boarded our dog with Baxter & Beasley while my wife & I along with our 3 kids went on vacation. Baxter & Beasley lost our dog that week. Their job was to keep him safe & secure, and they lost him. They lied about what happened, including telling us & The Daily Herald he escaped by climbing an 8' fence, only to retract that in conversations with the Palatine Police. They also told us they saw it happen, but then told The Daily Herald they didn't see it happen. In our efforts to find him, they took down hundreds of dollars worth of signs we put up all over town (which we have on video). We've had a countless number of amazing volunteers assisting us in the search for him. Baxter & Beasley called the actual workplaces of a select few of those volunteers to complain about them. Our vacation was ruined, our summer ruined, our fall & winter ruined, and our wallet emptied. Baxter & Beasley lost our family member that day, putting him in grave danger, then chose to focus on thwarting our efforts to find him while villainizing us & our volunteers. He has not been found. read more

Bear with me, this is a pretty detailed account. I felt compelled to share my account in light of what has transpired with Digger. Here goes... I scheduled an appointment for a training consultation for my 5 pound rescue pup in August 2015. Upon arriving, I was questioned by the owner asking "what I was doing there?" The daughter stated I was here for a training consultation. The owner and the daughter went back and forth for a bit then, I was given a form to fill out with basic info. Pretty awkward for me! I met the "trainer" who did not interact with my pup at all. When he looked at my form he asked, why I was here? if I didn't have any concerns. I had just adopted my pup and wanted her to learn basic commands with the main goal being the Canine Good Citizen or therapy certification. The trainer said he didn't know if they did that there, but proceeded to tell me that one of his friends did that out West because they followed Phish and was able to bring their dog on the plane and to the shows. Um ok, not really relevant. He went to get the owner to find out. They both came back they with a pinch collar! I said that my vet did not recommend a collar for training especially a pinch collar due to her small size. The owner questioned, "who my vet was?" At that point I had enough, but was going to ride it out. At that point all the dogs in the kennel were barking (we were in the back hallway area) and the owner proceeded to open the door and yell at all the dogs to be quiet! Shocked! The owner then told me that I needed to get my dog on a collar in order to get the therapy certification. Ok I get it. I made it clear that I am a teacher myself, and whole heartedly believe in learning and training through positive reinforcement. I don't care if the pinch collar mimics the mother dog. I don't feel comfortable with that type of training on a 5 pound dog along, with going against what my vet advised. I left Baxter and Beasley with a negative vibe. They never interacted with my dog - which seemed odd if we were going to be doing training and the whole staff seemed sketchy (as I was leaving the daughter was smoking a cigarette right outside: not the most appealing.) I told my husband what happened and his reply was "absolutely not, not for my baby!" And I have to agree with him on this one. With that our decision was made Baxter and Beasley was not our choice for anything related to our pup. Everyone has their own opinions and experiences and this was mine. read more

Had an awful experience having my dog groomed here. My sister picked up my lab mix puppy (1.5 years old at the time-60lbs) & they were very rude to her & rudely asked if my dog had ever had any training or been disciplined. He's had training & is a well behaved dog just has a lot of energy. I usually take him to another groomer in town that absolutely love him but they happened to be all booked up that day. On top of that, they cut his nails too short (he is groomed every 4-6 weeks) & they were bleeding which I know can happen, but they didn't even tell my sister who then got blood from his paws on her car seat. I called & they told me that he was bleeding because he doesn't have his nails clipped often enough & basically it was my fault but they'd give me something to stop the bleeding if I came back. Mind you I had to keep my freshly groomed pup outside this whole time since he bled for hours which again, I realize he eventually would be rolling in the grass, but it was terrible seeing his paws stain the patio red with blood the whole time. Suffice it to say, I never went back. read more

Met with Mike and his wife to walk the facility and find out about amenities. Initially I was impressed with the cleanliness and order of the boarding/daycare facility. So much so, that I decided that day to book an extended stay of three weeks for two dogs. I asked Mike if we could negotiate on the price, do to the extended stay. We agreed on a discounted rate, shook on it and booked the dates. The next day I receive a voicemail from Mike saying that he cannot give me the discounted rate. So, I called and spoke with him about why he agreed and now declinining an offer he shook on. He was a bit aloof in his response saying that "why should he give me a discounted rate as his is a top notch place and everyone else pays the going rate. So should I not discounts, period."s Needless to say, I was steamed that he would break his agreement and expect that HE is not the Alpha dog running the show. My doggy instincts suspect that the wife is the Alpha bitch, and Mike got a severe shaking and nip for stepping out of line by offereing us a discounted rate. After reading all these negative comments, I am glad that I never boarded my dogs at Baxter and Beasley. Apparently, their word is just as deceptive as the services and treatment they provide there. read more

Never again.!! Sent my dog here for a long weekend. Told the owner that my dog has leash aggresion. The owner had my dog on a leash with other dogs around. Long story, short, my dog was severly bitten (the other dogs were fine). When I came to pick up my dog they handed me a bill for the boarding and the vet !! We paid the the vet bill. They finally agreed that we could just pay them the vet costs and not the boarding costs !! NEVER AGAIN !! read more

Great place, great people, and fantastic atmosphere. Wonderful family that owns B&B who knows their stuff in this industry. They take care of my two pitbulls with love! read more

The best place ever! My dog loves going to day care and I love knowing she'll have fun and be well cared for. The pictures are great . . . Wish there could be more . . . It's so fun to get a peek at what she's doing. The entire staff has always been terrific and professional. Would give them 10 stars if it was an option. read more

Just got back from our vacation and got to pick up our pup from his!! My Pomeranian Gojira had a blast here! First off I have to say I stopped in for the first time unannounced and was greeted by so many happy friendly faces! I got to take a tour of the facility and instantly came home to tell my boyfriend how comfortable I felt while visiting and that I would have no fears of leaving our best friend with them! Now that is not something I commonly do. The facility was nice and clean and while touring everyone just looked so happy to be there. They even spoke to each dog by name cleaning laughing and having a great time. We are new to the area and also gave us so recommendations for all things pup in our area! While on our vacation we got to check their Facebook page and see our pup playing and having a fun time! It was a wonderful touch! Gojira got a complimentary bath before checking out and was so excited to see us but looked like sad to leave all his new friends at the same time! We can't thank Mike and Jen and the whole staff enough! Gojira will be back soon for his next vacation! read more

I was happy to get my dog in the day of for a grooming, but when I picked her up, I was shocked when they told me how much it was - $75. They said that they charged me exactly what I paid last time. I couldn't recall for sure b/c it was over 9 months ago, but I knew that I was charged extra last time b/c she was FULL of burrs and required more attention. However, this time, it was just a regular grooming. So I went home and checked my checking account, and alas, I paid $70 (including the up charge for the burrs). Strangely enough, their accounting system showed that I paid $75 - which is odd. I typically go to Biscuit and Bows, who charged me $48 in the past (they've since increased their prices to $50), and they do a great job. When I told Baxter and Beasley that a competitor down the street charges $50, they flat out told me that I belonged there and that even Petsmart would be more expensive then they were. Side note - I called Petsmart and their price range was between $50 - $77 - not significantly more. Now I don't have a business degree, but I am guessing that isn't the type of business practices that will keep you in business longterm. read more

Long story short, we started bringing our two dogs to Baxter & Beasley after the place we used to bring them to told us we were no longer welcome because our beagle mix could jump too high. Baxter & Beasley is down the street from us, so it's much more convenient anyway and they have been great so far. Our other dog that isn't a jumper showed some aggression the first time we left him there over night and Mike has been great with helping us correct the problem. He gets better behaved the more he goes there, and we recently paid for a private training session for both of our dogs and they are starting to show some manners! I love being able to see the dogs on facebook when they're there too. It puts my mind at ease being able to kind of check up on them while I'm at work or out of town. I should mention too that it's great that after our first visit, Mike not only remembered the name of our dogs, but my name and my fiance's name as well! I would definitely recommend this place! read more

I used there service 2 times for boarding and my Dog came home with a bacteria infection both times. NEVER going Back .

Finding the right place for Gia wasn't easy. I actually had her do a one-week board-in train at another local place and, although I was satisfied with the training, I didn't feel that I wanted to bring her back there again. When I saw the flyer for B&B at my vet I decided to check it out. I cannot tell you what I difference I felt walking through the doors there versus the other place. It's definitely a family-business and they make you feel like you, and especially your dog, are family as well. They know all the dogs by name and remember their owner's faces as well. They go above and beyond for their clients. My favorite thing that they do is post pictures on Facebook. Especially when I have to board her, it's so reassuring to see her happy! They also have weekly deals that they post on FB and their website. I wish I could take Gia there everyday (and I know she wishes that too)! read more

I would prefer to give zero stars! Zero for the "we saw nothing, we heard nothing" level of supervision of the dog's playtime. Zero for the degree of empathy and restitution for the large medical bills when our small dog was brutally attacked, suffering puncture wounds and broken ribs. No medical attention was deemed necessary by the staff - when we picked her up, we were merely told that "she didn't do well". Thank God that it was only a 48 hour stay, and that we were able to get her the critical medical attention in time. If you have a small dog that you love, you should think twice about its safety before dropping him/her off at "Beavis & Butthead". read more

After being a loyal customer for almost a year, I picked my 2 year old dog up from day care to find a piece of his ear had been bitten off by another dog!! Not only was I not called after this incident had happened, but had not been told by anyone upon picking my dog up that there had been an incident! I confronted them immediately & was told by Mike that things like this happen & they aren't liable for the injury to my dog! He simply told me to "READ MY CONTRACT". Like most dog owners, my dog is like my other child & if something like this happened to my child I would expect quite a different response from the caretaker of my child!! If you care at all for your animal, I would think twice before taking them for a day at Baxter & Beasley!! I know we will never walk into this facility again!! read more

It has been over a year since I have taken my dog to Baxter and Beasley. In the beginning my dog seemd to love it! I may have even written a previous review. I have taken him to other doggy daycare places and we would rotate between Baxter and one closer to my work because of the pick up time requirements. On my dog's last visit to Baxter he starting crying in the back seat of the car when we pulled into the parking lot and would not get out of the car. When a worker saw my struggle they came out to help me get my dog out of the car. He was cowering in the backseat. I have never seen him do this before that day and have never seen him do it since then. I decided to try and take him that same day to the daycare closer to work. When we arrived to the doggy daycare near my work he jumped out of the car with his tail wagging and dragged me inside because he was running so fast to get into the door. I am not trying to say that baxter is a bad place. This is just my personal experience. However please listen to what your dog is telling you. Some dogs may be more sensitive (hard to believe my pitbull mix is sensitive but he is). I have witnessed this place ruling with a firm hand. (let me clarify NEVER have I witnessed them hitting a dog or anything of that sort). Since that instant I have not taken my dog back to that place. I can't bare take him to a place that is supposed to be fun and give me a peace of mind when I am away knowing for some reason he is afraid. We have boarded, groomed, and done daycare at a different facility since my last visit to Baxter and I always get a happy and excited dog to drop off and when I pick up. read more

We visited Baxter&Beasley on Sunday.A vacation is planned Thanksgiving week. As I opened the front door, several dogs rushed to the door and easily could have gotten out. The man sitting at the counter made no attempt to call the dogs or get up out of his chair . (Safety concern).The stench was terrible. I stated that I would like to see the facility. He pointed behind the counter where he has a camera feed( newly installed, he said). I asked if we could see the play area and sleeping area., the cameras are not a good depiction. He said that we could not see the sleep area because the dogs are in there eating it was approximately 9:30 a.m.. He let them outside from 7:30-8:30a.m . I stated that I am not comfortable leaving my dogs in his care , if I can't see where they sleep. He reluctantly walked us to a large, dinghy room with cages stacked 2 and 3 high. There were many large dogs in disproportionate sized cages. I did not observe ANY dogs eating. What I observed was disturbing and unacceptable. I went to the play area. There was 1 dog standing in the middle of the room.. Mike said "he doesn't like other dogs. I wanted to throw the poor dog a ball. I asked how many dogs are here on an average day . He said it could be 100, as many as 150. I asked how many employees? Mike said 3. I said that I do not see how 3 people can PROPERLY care for, feed, interact with 100 dogs. I told Mike I have three dogs. He asked where do you usually take them, where is your vet, where are you going. His manner was odd . People that truly care for animals ask questions about the animals. . Mike didn't' ask any ( how old are they, names, ages, habits, needs. He did say make sure you bring your own food after he stated $30.00/ day. I would not trust this facility to care for my dogs. If it were free . I want the Best for them. The dogs here are onBaxter&Beasleys schedule.I would not expect my dogs to be in cages for the night, out for 1 hour, as Mike stated 7:30-830,then back in cages again. They weren't expecting us, which was bad for them and this review.. We were driving home after breakfast or I would have called first . Very thankful that I didn't I will find a place where my dogs are given loving care and the owners care more about them than the $$. 0 Stars read more

Horrible. If you call and make an appointment to get a grooming in DO NOT SPEAK WITH MIKE. I made an appointment in OCTOBER for a grooming at 9:00 a.m. this morning, 11/19/2016. He wrote it in their appointment book yet I show up this a.m. to drop off my dogs and it was not written down. To make matters WORSE I called on Wednesday to cancel an appointment for my daughter's dog, but re-confirmed that I would still be bringing my two dogs in. Mike did not take the time to re-confirm my appointment. I should've learned from the first experience with this place - I made an appointment for ALL 3 dogs on a Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (back in October) and I get a call at 10:00 a.m. that Mike mis-read the schedule. REALLY FOLKS? If you want your business to succeed - KEEP MIKE OFF THE PHONES AND AWAY FROM THE APPOINTMENT BOOK. Their only asset is their groomer, Sunny (but be careful, she likes to put bows in all the dogs fur --even the boys). I must admit, I felt leary leaving my pups there; they are my fur babies after all. The audacity ... THEY CHARGED ME $70 because they managed to actually get one of my dogs completed and the other one bathed. I couldn't believe they wouldn't try to save some face and at least provide a discount ... NOOOOOO they had to charge FULL PRICE FOR ALL SERVICES RENDERED. Why did I leave the groomer a tip even after this? I have no idea - I figured it wasn't her fault but still, that business has received too much of my hard earned money. WE WILL NEVER BE BACK and I would strongly recommend no one else considering bringing their dogs there. read more