Citizen Canine is the best. That's it. That's the whole truth. They aren't just voted the best by the community every year. They treat my dog like royalty. They offer training and special care packages. One on one care options and boarding. I could sit here until I reach the maximum character limit glazing their services and the care that they provide. They are also very close to the 880 fwy gas stations and food options so when you pick up your fur baby you can grab gas and dinner on those days you're too tired after work to think. Their fenced in play area has large umbrellas and misters that spray fine mist when it's hot. They love love love dogs here. I have not met one apathetic employee in the years my dog had been coming here. Everyone here is as amazing as these reviews imply. I owe my dog's health and happiness to her weekday daily routine of several walks and play times, baths and other spa day services when she is here. My work lets me bring my dog to work and I still bring her here. They are that beneficial to her wellbeing. All hail Muñeca, queen of chugs! read more

I took my beloved Chihuahua, who is only 5 pounds in April for three days I left my beloved pet there, and when I came back to retrieve him. He was crying a cry that I have never heard of distress outside on the other side of the fence. I waited and waited while they took their time and when they brought my dog back, I realized it was my dog that was crying he was overheated and exhausted and panting for breath, like I have never seen him before this place almost killed my beloved pet!!! I will never ever ever take my dog here again! read more

I took my dog to this daycare and, although the facility is clean and well maintained, I had a very upsetting experience. My dog needed to wear a cone, which the daycare allows. When I picked her up, I asked the staff member to remove the cone so she could fit in the car. It was raining heavily, so I didn't inspect it until I got home. That's when I realized the cone was broken and still tied--meaning it was pulled off without untying the string. This could have hurt my dog. When I called to report it, the person at the front desk was rude and immediately blamed my dog, saying they didn't break it. I asked to speak with a manager and was told none were available. I requested a call back, but no one ever contacted me. I even sent two follow‑up emails and still never received a response. This is not acceptable customer service. Regardless of how busy or stressed the staff may be, dogs should be handled with care. The way my dog's cone was removed shows a lack of attention and compassion. Since management never reached out, I'm leaving this review to share my experience. read more

I adopted a rescue poodle named Rabbit in 2024 and had been struggling with behavioral issues ever since. Despite hiring an in-home trainer, we weren't making progress. Rabbit was so fearful that she would shake and even vomit at certain sounds. She refused to sit, no matter how long I worked with her, often froze during walks, and overall seemed completely untrainable. After months of frustration, I started visiting different training facilities--and that's when a friend recommended Citizen Canine. From my very first phone call with JuJu, I knew I had found the right person. She listened with empathy, understood my concerns, and concreate advice to try. Meeting her in person and seeing the facility confirmed everything I felt during that call. I signed Rabbit up for the 4-week academy. When I dropped her off, I had to physically drag her inside--she was shaking with fear. On the first day, she was so shut down she wouldn't even take treats or touch the Kong I brought for comfort. But by day three (yes, three days!), not only was she taking treats, she was sitting on command--and visibly excited to see JuJu. Now, just three weeks in, Rabbit can follow multiple commands, walks with more confidence, and truly seems happier. Every morning when I say, "Want to see JuJu?" she runs straight to the door, tail wagging. I honestly can't express how much JuJu's behavior modification techniques have transformed my dog. She has also taught me so much about how to continue what she is teaching her. She is absolutely amazing and worth every single penny. If you're struggling, don't give up--just call JuJu. read more

We re-found Citizen Canine for our new puppy, Olive. She has some serious impulse control issues that we have been working on at home and added training with their trainer, Juju. She is no non-sense and fun all at the same time. She is the best!! All staff are friendly and knowledgeable and super tolerant when Olive isn't at her best. I'm so glad we chose Citizen Canine again. Next week we start Puppy Academy. Olive has thrived and is doing so much better than her first month, back in April 2025! read more

My pup has only been there a week and has learned so much Juju is the best!! All staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I'm so glad we chose Citizen Canine read more

My dog has stayed here many times and the level of care is very good. The problem is the price, which has doubled in the last five years. They charged $128 per night during Thanksgiving week, and that includes the four nights preceding Thanksgiving. The regular rate is a heft $108 per night. Seriously? read more

I hesitated updating my review because I really did have a great first experience with their training program and Grace was always so kind to us but to say that I'm not frustrated would be a lie. After adopting my first dog, I enrolled him here for training and loved the program. So much so that when I adopted my second dog, I also had him enrolled. I figured our older dog could benefit from additional training with a new dog in the home so both dogs were attending Citizen Canine 4 days a week for 3 weeks. When we did the program the second time around, they had redesigned how their training was structured. We were no longer getting the daily report cards with homework assignments like we previously did. It felt more like we were paying for day care than training. In those three weeks, it did not seem that our older dog picked up any new skills, the skills he already had didn't seem to have improved much either. Our younger pup did learn to do basic commands like sit and touch but even after expressing the importance of loose leash walking and recall, it wasn't something we achieved in the end. I do appreciate Grace for accommodating to my request about recording training videos which helped me understand how she was using certain commands when I couldn't get my pup to listen but I wish there was more tools / tips that could have been provided to me without having to ask. During conversations with Grace, I was vocal about my concerns and areas that I wanted to focus on but don't feel like there was much difference made. There was no follow up towards the end of the program that demonstrated what the main takeaways should've been. Because I wasn't seeing the same progress the second time, I did ask if it was possible that we set up a date where we could come in with the dogs before the final training was over so that as a pet owner, I could better educate myself on how to effectively use the training but did not get that. On the final day of training, we picked up both dogs like we would any other day and that was that. I understand no two dogs are alike and one dog may have picked up the training quicker the first time around than the other but this did not feel like it was a result of the dog being stubborn. Again, first round of training was great but the second time was a big let down. Putting both dogs through the program was costly and I don't feel like there was an added benefit. Sending my older dog through the program again felt extremely unnecessary seeing as how there was no difference. As for my younger pup, he's great when it comes to doing basic commands like sit and touch, I do give them credit for that but I did not see any improvements when it came down to the things that mattered. read more

Left our pups for 7 nights. Yzma had a little swollen face but this probably was due to her bad teeth and age. Sadly our Benny boy (gsd) came home with diarrhea/upset stomach. Overall they both seemed to have had a goodtime. The staff was very friendly. I called them every night to check on my pups and they were always responsive. One thing we loved was their Instagram updates. Big thanks to the team for hand feeding my Benny boy, he is a big gentle giant who needs motivation to eat. I would give them 5 stars, but since my Benny had diarrhea ( almost all boarding places have had this issue with him), definitely a good place. Also, pricing isn't ( wasn't that clean for me) as clear, they have a range online and you don't get an estimate via email or printed out. I thought that was weird since most places send you a copy of you estimate prior to boarding to lock the price and to also have an idea of total price. We paid $87 per night for our gsd and we also got a 20% of for our second dog ( chihuahua) for each night and that was about $66 per night. In the price it included okay time ( 2 times per day in the yard). The price also included food, but we brought our own since Benny has a sensitive stomach and on a strict diet. They also add a $7 per dog/ per stay ( not per day) as part of your total bill for insurance. read more

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This place is great. They take to time to answer your questions and the staff truly love dogs!

They've gotten really expensive with no change in the level of care they provide to our puppy loves.

I can't recommend this place enough for daycare AND boarding. As millennial parents, we wanted the best place for our boy. I looked into almost every day care in the East Bay. We had him elsewhere for a short while but it proved to be a little less supervision than we would have liked. We came for a free daycare day to assess our Sammy and Olivia gave us a free tour of the facilities. We loved how intricate and attentive to doggy details they were. If Sammy was more tired than usual one day, they would group him with the more mellow dogs. If he looked stiff getting up, they would replace his in-room cot with blankets instead. The play area is a wide open turf which meant good grip for our pup since he's had leg issues. We loved how they mirrored our schedule at home which was enforcing rest between play sessions in their own rooms. We definitely feel peace of mind leaving him here knowing he's in great hands! I love all the extra play/love/treat add-ons for boarding to make him feel more at home. We're so happy seeing how happy Sammy is to see everyone there. He loves everyone so much but Julien comes to mind because his tail is always going crazy when he sees him! Thanks Tim, Auntie O, Katie, Arilis and all of Sammy's human friends that we don't know the names of. We appreciate all of you for all you do for us. read more

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I'm extremely impressed with Citizen Canine. The management and staff were very professional and I love the approach they take with their doggy day care. Our experience began with a sit-down assessment with a staff member where they interviewed us and assessed our dog's play style, dislikes and likes. This helped place him in the appropriate play group to ensure he'd be compatible with other dogs. For example, if you're dog is sensitive (like ours) to intact males, they'll take note and make sure he or she is in a play group with neutered dogs. After, you can schedule a time to do a trial day care to see if he will be accepted. You do have to pay for this trial. For your dog, they provide two scheduled play times a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There's a break midway where they stay in their own room. You can leave food and treats for the staff and note any allergies for your dog. At the end of the day, you'll receive a report card with stickers highlighting all the activities your fur baby has done for the day (e.g. fetch, wrestle mania, chase) and also his mood/personality (e.g. polite, talkative, cuddly). They also note whether he went potty outside or had any issues with food. I really appreciate the level of detail. Compared to our last spot it didn't even close in services and pricing to what Citizen Canine offered. We would pay a higher price for another daycare with no breaks or food for our dog. He would be on edge at times having to play all day long with no scheduled breaks. Plus they'd have 20+ dogs in a space with only one staff member to supervise. For what you pay and get here, I highly recommend coming to Citizen Canine! read more

Citizen Canine - Outside - Pet Training Near Me - Oakland, California

As 10 year clients our review is long overdue. Citizen Canine is a multiple year winner of Best of Oakland and East Bay awards. Our Hungarian Puli, Foster, age 11 years gets super excited when we say, "we're going to day care!" Lots of tail wagging and barking all the way there. The ultra friendly Citizen Canine staff members greet us at the facility and I am confident in leaving Foster in their capable hands for both day care and lodging stays (longest stint was 12 days!) They offer so much in terms of accommodating the dogs eating schedule, food preference, social outings and extra personalized sessions to give every dog what they need to have a happy and rewarding experience there. We appreciate how they group dogs with similar temperament and energy level. Foster does well with "mellow" dogs and some light fetch. We love receiving the written notes on what Foster did for the day (just like pre-school!). Common remarks: getting "back and butt scratches!" They have so many extras to offer for an additional fee. We always choose Extra Play so Foster can get more socialization with other dogs and the handlers. Citizen Canine also has some pretty nice colorful tote bags to carry all the stuff your dog needs when lodging with them. Staff are incredibly nice and professional. They all know Foster and greet him with so much enthusiasm. We love this place! read more

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I kind of hate to post this review because they fill up so fast during busy times but the this is the best dog boarding in the Bay Area. They are worth every penny. Your dog will be cared for by a staff that is so kind and absolute dog lovers. Your dog will come home healthy and happy. It was so thoughtful that they sent a note when our sweet old dog passed. She always loved going there and we knew she had the best care. read more

This is a great boarding choice! Super great staff that actually enjoys dogs. They are attentive and even at the 'base' rate the dogs get good play time and come home happy, calm and beat! My dog, a 66lb shepherd/greyhound mix doesn't need a 'hotel', or spa vacation, or an indoor room full of dogs all day - just a clean cozy facility with attentive staff and supervised play times. You can get lots of extras as well-frozen PB kongs, extra plays, etc... read more

I love Citizen Canine! My dog loves it even more. The staff is awesome and so is their facility. You can tell your pet is loved and cared for when they can't wait to get inside, gladly leave you and don't look back for that good bye lol. Don't give it a second thought. They are top notch! read more

This our first time boarding our very anxious lab-pit at Citizen Canine. Compared to the last place we boarded, I can honestly say there were many differences. This facility is more peaceful and easier to get an anxious pup in and out. We loved the welcome sign with each dog's name on it! The staff seems to sincerely love their job & the pups. They really could not have been more kind and helpful - particularly Pam and Julianna. Our guy returned happy & healthy. CC is pricey, but I have no complaints about the quality of service. They do offer quotes and I suggest you get one before using them so there are no surprises. read more

We board our dog for 1-2 weeks off and on. He is always happy and clean when we pick him up. The staff takes great care of him.

There really are no words... the staff here is great! Everyone is professional yet friendly and down to earth. Pismo gets so excited when we drive into the parking lot. That speaks volumes! The staff is so patient with her... Pismo has had a mysteries ailment that the vet is unable to pinpoint. Sometimes she is in pain and we have to be very careful to let her take the lead on being picked up, played with, etc. The staff at Citizen Canine have been so kind and gentle and they let her take the lead. OK, and let's be honest, the humans need just as much kindness as the dogs do, right? The staff is always so patient with me when I call or email to check in and see how Pismo is doing. I always feel like they are giving me accurate, honest information. They are always willing to send me pictures and little videos of Pismo outside during playtime. I love it! Citizen Canine has done a great job with their new valet drop off/pick up during COVID. My family and I appreciate all the hard work the staff is doing, especially during the pandemic. We have been going to CC for a few years now. It is the only place I trust with my girl. Thank you to everyone at Citizen Canine! You are all awesome and we are so thankful for you! read more

Only two 30 minute play sessions with other dogs. I expected them to be playing a lot longer than that given I left here there to socialize. I ended up moving her to Wags! in Oakland where they have all-day play with different activities Mon-Friday. read more

This is our go-to place for daycare and boarding! In the past our family has been blessed with having a fantastic dog trainer/boarding experience, which made it difficult to feel comfortable leaving our pups at large scale boarding places. However, Citizen Canine is top notch! They take great care of our two dogs, have a knowledgeable team, are thoughtful with dog play groups depending on needs, and are very streamlined with the entire process making it a no-brainer and zero stress every time. We highly recommend and believe it's worth the price! read more

We have been bringing our pup to Citizen Canine for five years and couldn't be happier. She loves coming here and we count on the care and attention she gets. Everyone here knows and loves dogs and the facility is everything we could ask for. read more

My pup has been here twice. I absolutely love that they write your fur baby's name on their roll call list for the day. The first day he was super excited and got a C on his report card (well they didn't grade it but that was my interpretation) he was a little overly excited and was too nice.( hump hump) I called the next day and spoke to the trainer and I followed her recommendation and took him to the dog park every day and even spent 2 hours there one day practicing his socializing skills. I just picked him up from his second visit and no news was good news. He played In all of the play groups and came home and has been napping since. Thank you citizen canine for taking care of my baby and helping him with his socialization skills. I apreciate it!! read more

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I like this place because they have been very diligent in taking care of my pup when I bring her. They ask all the right questions about her needs, and show a lot of love and care for the animals there. I'm very protective of my pup, so it really means a lot to me to feel like my baby is in good hands when she stays there. read more

Writing on behalf of my neighbors Mary Lou & Alana Sharrar who don't have their own account. She says: I've tried many places for dog care and I want to stress that you guys are THE BEST! My dog loves you and I love you too. You are kind, sweet and professional. Many kisses and licks (from Alana) read more

Our doggers Gracie & George have stayed here several times. They get their "suite" and love staying there. They even offer "love sessions" where someones spends individual time with them. (Since George is still "intact", they do not let him play with the other residents.) Recently we boarded our critters at our local vet to save a little money, but they charged us way more than CC would have because they provided all this extra "medical care" for a chronic condition that Georgie lives with every day. Next time back to Citizen Canine! read more

Our pups came back happy as ever, albeit a little bit tired from all the new adventure. Thanks for caring for Arlo and Shylah.

I really appreciate Timothy and the folks at Citizen Canine. It's very hard to get into doggie daycare these days and they took in my mildly difficult eskie without a murmur. I love that Timothy devised an "enrichment program" specifically for all the dogs who have missed out on socialization during covid lockdown. Also love the "red notes" about specific needs and preferences they've noticed my dog has and their "report card" at the end of her first day. I'm now feeling confident that my dog will get the socialization she needs. read more

I trust them with my girly girl. And she LOVES to go there. She has a pink suit case that I pack with her essentials. No, she's not spoiled. They take very good care of her there. I highly recommend them. Pricey. Yes, but you get what you pay for. It's worth every dime to know my baby girl is safe, loved and well cared for. read more

This place is absolutely fantastic!!!! The staff is amazing!! I am truly blown away by their service. They really do care about each dog individually. I only started taking my pups here recently (she has gone about 8 times in the last 2 weeks). She's an 8 month old Australian Cattle dog. Super high energy so I got her an extra play time with them. They originally had her in the active group but as they watched her, they found that she was a little too nervous for that group. They moved her to a more mild group and she does great! She's not much a dog dog (think dog version of people person) but she LOVES human attention. She's a total ham. They do whatever they can here to make her feel as comfortable as possible. She gets nervous when going out or coming in from playtime so they've tried a few different rooms to see what would make her the most comfortable. They also won't put your dog in uncomfortable situations. My pups gets nervous when it comes to bath time and so they would take her in and play with her in the wash room until she was ok hearing the water run. They gave her a bath the next day and although she was still a bit nervous, she did really well. They also give you these great report cards at the end of the day! I adore this place and everyone that works there!!! Thank you guys sooo much for taking care of my darling Saffron. This is the only place I trust to board my pups. read more

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Our babies Kam and Brodie LOVE citizen! We take them very often and they love going there. It's gotten to the point where Kam knows the route to get there, as soon as she realizes where we are going she starts going crazy in the car! Kam has a lot of anxiety she loves this place so I love it too! They spend a lot of time with her and they understand her needs! We feel so confident leaving our babies there! All the staff members are great! Big shout out to Dana and Olivia for always communicating well with us! 5 stars! read more

I am updating my review of Citizen Canine because I am sitting next to the smelliest - stinkiest dog I have ever experienced in my life . A dog fart would be a welcome relief!! Our dog has been to Citizen Canine for boarding over 5 times in the last year - he likes the place and we feel like he is safe while we are out of town. We have always been pleased - I have no idea what happened this time. I called them this morning and the gentleman I spoke with was very polite and understanding. He explained that our dog loves the splash pool and they towel them off after but don't dry them completely so that is probably where the smell came from. The other thing we have noticed is that about 7 or 8 big clumps of fur have fallen off of him. What is UP with that??? I believe the gentleman's explanation - but our dog has always used their splash pool - he is a golden retriever!! They love water! He has never came home like this!! We take our dog to the groomers about every 7-8 weeks - he is always clean and brushed out. Maybe I am a wuss with a sensitive nose - I just cannot handle this stench..... the dog doesn't understand he thinks I am mad at him because he isn't getting as many pets right now. I canceled his next visit and arranged for him to stay at another place for our next trip. I am bummed to have to do this, we have always used Citizen Canine - they are great people. I am begging you all at Citizen Canine - either change the splash pool water frequently or hose the dogs off with fresh water before they go inside to get toweled off. In the meantime the dog is going in for a grooming so we can bond again!! read more

Amazing, outstanding, strongly recommend! For years we have been trying to find a boarding place for our senior dog, who has separation anxiety and doesn't really enjoy the company of other dogs lol She was well taken care of, I would even say catered to, during her stay at Citizen Canine. She was so happy when I picked her up--I knew we finally found the place for her! Huge shout out and appreciation to the entire staff, but especially Timothy who was thorough, helpful, and patient throughout the entire process. I look forward to the peace of mind that will come with her next stay! read more

We have been sending our dogs to Citizen Canine for periodic daycare and boarding for many years. They accommodate our needs as much as possible, even during the busy holiday and summer vacation times. We like and trust the care and attention of the staff but the true test is that our dogs have always loved going there. read more

This is a place that truly cares about its pet guests and takes great care of them. The staff here is terrific. My dog loved coming here, and there was no other place that she'd rather be, other than her home. Thank you, Citizen Canine, for all you'd done for my dog and the love you'd given her over the years. read more

Our dogs are very happy here. It is obvious the staff is committed and caring about the animals in their care.

My puppy is very, very shy, but after 5 or so visits she loves this place so much she leaps out of the car with excitement when we pull up. Her tail is up & she's super excited to see the staff at drop off. The staff are always very nice & professional and have been great in accommodating my schedule change request as well as answering my questions, etc. read more

Make sure you understand that the assessment is the cost of a full day. I understood there would be no no charge for the day, to my surprise I was charged $114 for 3 dogs when picking up from the assessment. I ended up paying around $76. Poor communication! You should also understand that the dogs are in the kennel most of the day except for two half hour play groups. We missed the morning session because it wasn't clear about the play groups. Paid for full daycare but only got 1/2 hour of play time/assessment. The majority of the time, my 3 dogs stayed in a confined space with the exception of the 1/2 hour assessment. Might as well stayed at home. This place would probably be fine for boarding, but I'm a little upset about how the communication and I'm especially disappointed that the dogs get so little socialization. read more

Citizen Canine is a fantastic place to board your dog. We've used them for over 10 years for visits lasting anywhere from 2 days to 4 weeks. Our dog Roxie always comes back clean, healthy, and happy. She obviously loves the place since she'll start leading us to the front door as soon as she gets out of the car. The staff is really attentive and communicative and does a great job of matching dogs of similar age and temperament during play times. They're also really conscientious about medications and any special dietary needs. All around a great experience for everyone! read more