Clara gives you the peace of mind that your pets will be taken care of the way the way they're used to. Clara walked my 2, high-energy border collies weekly for the entirety of our one year relocation to Chicago. My dogs are high-needs and tough to walk and she adapted to handle them like a pro. She is always on time, communicative and respectful of your home and pets. Beyond that she is just a delightful person to interact with. I can not recommend her enough and know my dogs will miss her dearly. read more

Clara's Canine Care - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We used Clara for the first time last week and left our little guy with her for the week. I cannot say enough how fantastic she was and how reassuring it was to know that he was with someone so attentive. She sent us photos and updates throughout the week and did an amazing job. If there was another star, I'd give her 6! Can 100% recommend her if you need a pet sitter! read more

Clara is the best! I can't say enough good things. I was somewhat hesitant to go to a single source given some of the challenges I've had in the past with reliability in the schedules of my walkers, but Clara has fully changed my mind. She's never late, has only had to call off once due to being sick (and during a pandemic with a baby, I was grateful!) and takes care to navigate around the chaos (working from home on video, toddlers, giant messes, you name it!) that is always occurring at my house. We switched to utilizing Clara's service after we had to part ways with a local chain. Clara responded quickly to my inquiry, came and met our dog that weekend and was off running the following week! Our dog loves her, and excitedly greets her every day. read more

Clara is the best option if you are looking for someone to take care of your pups and care for them. One of my pups is very skittish and anxious and needs extra love to feel comfortable. Clara always goes above and beyond to make sure he feels at home, she is great at giving him his medicine and sends me regular updates when I'm away. Her place is perfectly set up in a way that all dogs are safe, she also has a private backyard where dogs can enjoy the outdoors. Clara is amazing, I highly recommend her! read more

Clara is the absolute best! I'd give 10 stars if I could! She provides wonderful, attentive daycare out of her home, which is set up perfectly for puppy play and care. She also is the best dog walker, providing dependable walks for my energetic pup. (She leaves a cute note at each walk too). She is the only person I trust to board my dog (more than my own mom!), which she also provides from her home. Clara is especially caring to all the pups, even my sassy Aussiedoodle, and I know she provides personalized attention to each and everyone. She knows each pup's quirks, what their sneaky tricks are, and which pups are besties. She goes the extra mile in every way, truly cares about each pup, and is great with communication. My pup brightens up any morning when I say it's time to go to Clara's house! read more

Clara is amazing!!! My pup has been a regular with her for the past couple years and he loves it there! She will care for your pup like her very own. Clara is a true dog lover to the bone! read more

Clara's became like a second home for our puggle Josie over the summer when we rented our house several times for Airbnb. She was naturally timid at the first drop off, but it soon became apparent she was comfortable at her home-away-from-home when upon arriving to Clara's for our third (or so) drop off, Josie ran up the front steps and just let herself through the front door. Go ahead Josie, make yourself at home ha! Clara is super nice, easy going and flexible with drop off and pick up. I feel spoiled she is just a block walk from my home, but worth the drive as well!! And those days I do drive to drop off/pick up when enroute to my next destination, street parking very easy (which is appreciated!) Thank you, Clara, for loving our Josie! :) read more

My boyfriend and I just came back from our trip to Vancouver last night and I am already writing our glowing review of Clara. Clara goes above and beyond the standard boarding facility. Even the best boarding place requires leaving your dog in an individual room or crate for most of the evening and night; no matter how you cut it, you would feel guilty being away. On the other hand, Clara allows the dogs to roam around her house, couch, and even bed. Instead of a gross "potty room," Clara allow the dogs to run free in her backyard where they can play and enjoy the outdoors. All of this was reassuring, but perhaps the most memorable part of our experience was her constant communication with us. Clara sent us a daily text with an update, picture, or even video of our dog. This reassured us that our puppy was in good hands and that he was also having a good time. All in all, if you are looking for a place to leave your dog that feels like a friend is watching your dog, this is it. This is actually even better because you don't have to feel guilty about leaving your friend with all of the responsibility. Clara's Canine Care is friendly, fair-priced, and accommodating. I highly recommend it! read more

Finding Clara was probably one of my top 10 finds in Chicago. After an awful experience at Tucker Pups, I read one of their reviews that suggested Clara and I gave her a try. Clara is truly a dog lover. We first met her for an initial interview and she was extremely thorough and trying to learn everything about our dogs. She has a great set up where the dogs she watches at her home essentially live with her. They aren't kenneled up, instead, they have free roam of her home. She has aan enclosed yard for the dogs to run around. She even sleeps with the dogs! What more could I ask for?! When I brought my dogs back from her place, they were so happy and "normal." I can definitely tell they had a great time. read more

We have had Clara watch our puppy 2 times now, and we couldn't be happier. Our dog loves to stay with her; he has so much fun at her place that he is almost sad to come home. Clara takes really good care of the dogs, and her place is perfectly customized for our furry friends. She also have a back yard that they can run around in. Clara has our best recommendation! read more

We are beyond grateful for Clara! She has given our senior rescue dog a home away from home whenever we travel. Our dog is kind of a grumpy, nervous old lady who struggles around other dogs, but Clara makes sure she is comfortable and sends us frequent updates (with pictures!). Clara has also been extremely patient and understanding of our dog's first night jitters, and I can tell that she is sensitive to the unique needs of each of the dogs she cares for. Our dog doesn't usually warm to strangers quickly, but she lets Clara pick her up, which is a pretty big deal for her. The past couple times we dropped her off with Clara, our dog actually ran up the steps to the house! It is always sad to leave her, but it is such a relief to know that our dog is in good hands (and apparently having a really great time) while we are away. Clara is also very flexible with pick up and drop off. When our flight got delayed several hours and we didn't get back into Chicago until late at night, Clara let us change our pick up to the following day. Bottom line: If you are looking for a comfortable home for your pup while you're away, look no further. Clara is the absolute best, and we would give her more stars if we could! read more

I have been using Clara since 2005. I regard my two dachshunds as my children, and Clara treats them that way. She is so in tune with the dogs. She has two dachshunds herself so she understands their unusual personalities, but she is great with every type of dog and has so many different breeds in her clientele. I have referred her to numerous family members and friends for dog walking, sitting, and cat sitting and they have all been very pleased. When I lived in Lakeview I used a much larger dog walking service. For about a year I had a regular dog walker. However, when she quit the company it was like a revolving door of walkers in and out of my house. 1) I don't want a bunch of strangers in my house and 2) I don't want a stranger to be responsible for my babies. Clara does ALL the walking and sitting herself so you know you will get her every time, which is a great comfort to me. When doing overnight dog-sitting, Clara is very careful about how many dogs she has in her home at any one time and is always certain the dogs are good with other dogs. Her house is very clean and her yard is securely fenced, though of course she never leaves the dogs unattended. When you first meet with Clara she has you fill out a detailed questionnaire about your dog so she can treat him/her exactly as she is treated in your home. We love it because our dogs sleep in bed with her just like they do with us! Clara is very easy going and nice to work with. I never worry a bit when they are in her care. If you love your dog, Clara will love him just as much when you're not able to be there to do it yourself! read more

Clara is the best in the city! If you want to have a dog walker who actually take sthe time to walk your dog individually and spend quality time with him/her, Clara is your woman! As for boarding your dog, I have never seen such a clean, well-managed dog boarding operation in my whole life. Clara boards the dogs in her home, and they are treated like VIP's from beginning to end. All dogs that stay there get tons of exercize, sleep well in beds and have the time of their lives. I would recommend Clara to anyone who truly wants to pamper their dog at extremely reasonable prices! read more

We normally have my in-laws watch our Collie. Unfortunatly at the last minute, they were unable to. My husband called Clara literally 24 hours before we had to leave. She not only was able to take our dog in, but was super accomodating with us. Even though we were short on time, she took time to go over every aspect of our dog from when he likes to eat, where he likes to sleep, and his temperment to other animals. She took him in as if he was her own animal. She also made sure to text us while we were gone to give us updates to let us know that he was fine and enjoying his time. Our dog had an amazing time at her house and we were more then glad we decided to use Clara to take care of him. We have nothing but the best to say about her and will use her for all our future needs! read more

Clara is the best caregiver a dog could have. She is extremely trustworthy and loving. Clara has been caring for our dog over eight years. She has become like family to us. Our dog gets excited at the sound of her name. He always has fun at Clara's. We wouldn't think of taking him to anyone else. There is no one better, period! We use to live in Bucktown. We moved downtown, but still go back to Clara. read more

Clara has been my dog, Mr Pete's, "other parent" his entire life. She started walking him when he was just a little pup and continues today and now he is an 8 year old lab. He loves her as much as me and she is so sweet with him it makes my heart swell. I'd give a higher rating if there were more than 5 stars. read more

Clara is the absolute best option for overnight dog care. Before we found her, we tried a number of different boarding facilities/styles, and we always felt pretty guilty returning to our dog who seemed stressed by the experiences. Even with good employees and the best intentions, facilities that hold dozens and dozens of dogs just cannot replicate a safe and comfortable at-home environment for a dog... Not a problem anymore. Clara clearly loves dogs, cares for them in her home, and treats them like they are her own. We used to have to drag Shasta into other boarding facilities as she whined and tried to avoid the entrance, but she runs straight up to Clara's door now eager to be dropped off every time we bring her... Beyond the excellent level of care, Clara is very flexible around drop-off/pickup times, limits her nightly intake, sends text updates on how our dog is doing, and has extremely fair rates. She has completely solved what used to be a major pain point for us in travelling. Highly recommend. read more

Clara is simply the best when it comes to watching our dogs. Her home is spotless and she has created a wonderful, cozy environment for the dogs. Our dogs feel at home whenever they are there--they get to roam around her home and sleep in her room. She even has an enclosed yard so the dogs can use the bathroom outside and get some fresh air. She offers a pick-up and drop-off service which is especially helpful for us because we don't have a car. She is quick to respond whenever I check in with her while we're away. We really couldn't be happier. Our dogs absolutely love her--they get so excited when she comes to pick them up, and one of our dogs cries when she gets dropped off and Clara leaves! We are so grateful that we found her! read more

Clara has been taking care of my dog, Mazy, about once a month for over a year now. Mazy is a very skittish and timid dog, so boarding her is out of the question. I know she would completely shut down. Plus I never liked the idea of the dogs being left alone at night for 12+ hours at boarding facilities. I really needed to find someone who took care of dogs in their home, didn't crate them, and would have the patience to work with Mazy. Luckily I found Clara! I cannot say enough good things about her. It's not the easiest to take care for a dog like mine. She is very quirky about things, requires a lot of luring to do simple things like go outside, and used to stop eating for the first couple of times I left her with Clara. When I'd first drop her off, Mazy would always run under a chair and hide, but Clara gave her the space and time to adjust. She was also great about sending me updates on how Mazy was doing and even bought cheese for Mazy, just to get her to eat. Each time Mazy stays with Clara, we see improvements. Now when I drop her off, she is excited to be there. She is curious and sniffs around or even better, she goes into play mode. She eats her meals and goes outside with the rest of the pack. I knew it would take time for Mazy to get to this point and I'm thankful Clara gave her the time she needed. My mind is always at ease when I leave her there. She loves Clara and I think Mazy considers Clara's house a fun vacation. When I'm taking Mazy for a walk past Clara's house, she will stop and sit in front of the gate, wagging her tail, thinking we're going inside. Clara's hours are better than any other place too. Plus, you pay by the night, with no extra fees for not picking up your dog by a certain time. You can also drop your dog off just for the day if you will be gone for a while, or in my case, when I have construction going on in the house, which would petrify the dog. read more

Clara is wonderful!! So much that is positive has been said about her and we couldn't agree more! My husband and I were very fortunate to be referred to her by our friends in Chicago. We were in town for several art installations and had a busy schedule. Clara was very accommodating, as we contacted her shortly before we arrived in town and we were able to work with her on the schedule, which we greatly appreciated! Our meet and greet went very well and we felt very comfortable with Clara! We left Pancho, our Papillon with her for several overnights off and on and a few all day visits. We were able to see Pancho during our stay, which means a lot to us when we travel. We miss him terribly when we leave him in New York. I was amazed by his calm demeanor when we picked him up for the "in-between" times. I have never seen him so calm and relaxed after spending time away from us. He is usually beside himself when we pick him up. Also, I used to run my own pet sitting business, so I know the perspective from the other side -- Clara is an A plus plus! She knows dogs! She is warm! She is professional! Her house is extremely clean! And she has a nice, secure outdoor area. Her dachshund, Izzy is adorable and she really seems to enjoy getting to know her canine visitors! I couldn't recommend her highly enough and look forward to another visit to Chicago with Pancho. She truly contributed to our peace of mind as Pancho is our baby! read more

Clara really saved me in terms of providing me a last minute dog boarding solution that I felt completely comfortable and confident with. I had been planning to take my dog to Tucker Pups, but I had never been there. The weekend before I was supposed to leave, I took my dog to Tucker P's for a day of daycare, just to make sure I felt good about it. Nothing terrible happened while he was there, but I was left with a bad feeling about the place. Suddenly I was scrambling to find a better solution. That's when I came across Clara's Canine Care. I called and left a message. She called me back & I explained my situation and my limited time to find a place I felt comfortable with and she agreed to see my dog as soon as possible to be sure it was a good fit. As soon as we met I felt I was leaving my dog in great place. Boarding your dog at Clara's is like leaving your dog with a relative. Her place was very clean and Clara is clearly smart, honest, and a true dog-watching professional. I live near Hyde Park and I don't have a car, so getting my dog to her place in Humboldt Park takes some doing, but for the peace of mind I get knowing my dog is in such a great place, it's absolutely worth it! read more

I cannot speak more highly of Clara and the services she provides. I have had dogs for many years in a number of cities, and have found many wonderful people to watch them when I have to travel. However, I can safely say that Clara blew me out of the water. She was friendly, engaging, and responsive from the outset. We set up a meet and greet prior to my vacation, at which point I was thoroughly impressed by her gorgeous, spotless, and very dog proof home. She has the rare combination of both professionalism and warmth, and I could tell right away how much she loves and understands dogs. She is also clearly a pro with all types - my little man was immediately comfortable, even with considerably larger dogs around. He got to sleep in the bed with her and had a better time than I did on my vacation. While I was gone, Clara provided lots of updates and even sent photos. I normally worry a lot when I leave my dog with anyone, but I felt completely safe and comfortable with her. I cannot recommend her enough! read more