It truly is a dogs life, lots of friends to play with and plenty of fun to be had. Everyone loves our dogs, and works hard to ensure our best friends receive the very best care. read more

It's a Dog's Life - Dog - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

Do not use this place. We took our dog here bc they were recommended by a different kennel. They informed me that they post on Instagram to give us updates of the dogs and the last post on Instagram is from 2017 so that was a lie number one. . I called to check on her and they said she has a LITTLE bit of separation anxiety but that was it they didn't go into a lot of detail. And then when we picked her up, this is how we picked up our dog. Her nose is cut up and it looks like she has a gash on her nose. We obviously got upset with the staff that was there because they didn't call us prior to us picking her up to inform us that our dog was injured. And then the first thing they said to us was that she ran into the door on the run that was line number two. , when we called bullshit, they then said well yeah she might've rubbed her nose a little bit on the kennel . A little???? When I finally got to talk to James the owner, he had no empathy for what happened to her face while I trusted them to take care of her. He proceeded to tell me that he doesn't think my dog is a good fit for the kennel like no shit James you will never take care of my dog. I would not trust this place to take care of a dog. I'm not someone that makes reviews because I don't even like yelp but i'm trying to help someone else so that they don't have to go through this traumatizing experience of picking up their loved one and having them be injured and then having the staff blame you and your dog for the dog being injured. read more

It's a Dog's Life - When we picked her up after 2 days at the kennel - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

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The entire place, filthy and disgusting! Horrible service, they keep dogs in cages for 14 hours with barely any play time, it stinks and many dogs come back home with anxiety. read more

We have used It's a Dog's Life for about two years. The quality has gone down recently. We have a dog that has seizures and is on medication for them. He requires 1.25 pills with breakfast and dinner. On our second to last visit, when we picked up the dog there was a .25 pill left in the bottle. Since this hasn't been an issue in two years, we didn't really think of it as a huge issue or something that would happen going forward. Most recently, when he was picked up, there was an entire dose left in the bottle. Around 5 hours later, he had a pretty severe seizure. This is unacceptable. When asked if he was fed and medicated the checkbox by medicated was unchecked. There is a gap in procedure adherence that could end up killing someone's pet. --- Update: They looked into the gap and have shifted processes to mitigate this happening in the future. In addition, they offered complimentary boarding for two nights to make up for my distress. read more

I am so in love with my beagle Izzy and want the best for her and am so happy I founds It's a Dogs Life! She is super social and is so bored home with me while I work so she goes and plays with her friends both canine and human and comes home tired and happy! They love Izzy and it shows in the way they greet her and know her so well. I was late once due to traffic and they stayed late with no issue and one time I arrived too early by mistake and they took her in 30 min early. I feel like they have her best interest at heart and I love all the staff and the owners really care. I tried another local daycare and they really did not seem to care about the dogs- they wanted the dogs to act one way vs catering to the unique qualities of the dogs. Feel so good about dogs experiences at It's a Dogs Life! read more

We took our dog here for boarding Mid April 2024 and it was a terrible experience. We started out optimistic. The front desk person was kind and the people who worked there seemed to enjoy the dogs but that was the extent of our good experience. Our dog is a 95 pound headstrong guy. He takes to certain types of dogs (easy going females) and dog people. Well we took him there for boarding while we went on vacation. He was boarded for 4 nights. We told the front person that he can get a little grumpy sometimes in situations that he doesn't feel like he is in control. They seemed to understand but I guess they just brushed off our advice. While we were on vacation no one called us so we assumed no news is good news. When we went to pick him up we found out that he had to be isolated because he was grumbling at people and only took to one of their handlers. They charged us extra for the isolation that they called "dog run" they didn't explain what that was when we went to pick him up. Their website specifically says "no hidden charges." What a lie. He was also scheduled to get a nail trim but they didn't follow through stating that he was too grumbly. When we scheduled said nail trim they told us they wouldn't have any issue doing it and they could handle dogs with his temperament without issue. The woman at the front that was telling me about these extra charges didn't take any responsibility for the way they treated our dog or for the fact that no one called us to inform us he was unhappy. I would have approved any additional charges if it would have helped him. We could have offered some tips and advice had they informed us what was going on. For 4 nights and 5 days we thought everything was fine and he was having a good time. When we went to the back to pick him up he was in a cage on their patio. He looked miserable and terrified till he saw me. When I put his leash and collar on (for some reason they remove the dog's collars for boarding which I assume added more anxiety to my dog) he couldn't get out of there fast enough. He ran through their building, out the front door, and immediately jumped into our car. He curled into a little ball which is a hard task for a near 100 pound dog to do. He was reclusive and cautious at home for several days after he got home. He seemed super fearful anytime we left the house and this dog isn't afraid of much. I certainly will never take my dog to this boarding ever again. If you love your dog I would suggest looking into a different boarding option for your buddy. read more

What a true relief to find It's a Dog's Life for Gracie! Everyone is kind, friendly and smiling and that goes a long way. Gracie starts whining when we turn onto Skillman and by the time we get there she can't wait to get out of the car. The staff is always happy to give you an update and it is also one stop for baths and nails! Do give it a try. Pamela read more

It's a Dog's Life - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

Not sure what I think so far. My dog has only been three times and she was having stomach issues after her last visit. It turns out she got giardia, but I was told it is very common at all dog daycares. $150 dollars later and one week of medications it is gone. Every time I have picked her up she is so dirty and muddy that I have to give her a complete bath. read more

We have left our baby Ruby here a few times. Usually with good results however upon picking her up today. Two different people young girls didn't know if she was bathed or not- Ruby was exhausted when we came home- The girl at the desk was aloof and didn't know my dog- fine. But she also told me "I left too much food for a dog her size" how dare you tell me how much to leave my dog- Found kibble in her bed. Place seemed dirty and has gone downhill. Sad that they were so clueless. read more

Friendly staff, they treat my babies as their own. I'm never worried when I go on a vacation. Every time I return, my dogs are tired from all their exercise and have big smiles on their faces. read more

NEVER leave your dog here. My dog is traumatized from a 1/2 day trial. For boarding, LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A CAGE FOR 14 HOURS. 14 HOURS with only ppl "on the property", not even watching the pups. The place is disgusting, I would not be given a tour. My dog is still full of anxiety and upset 8 hours I picked him up. I feel terrible. read more

They discriminated our dog when we tried to book again. the lady who accommodated us the first time is very rude to us. We travelled 1 1/2 hr for our dog and we were not told over the phone before coming that an evaluation is needed. she wants us to go back for an evaluation and we pleaded that we travel far. she accepted our dog and then she blocked us after when we tried to book another reservation. it was a very frustrating experience!!! read more

I've been boarding my dog's at IDLP for over seven years. The staff is amazing and the facility is excellent. They put the dogs into play groups based on size and temperament. Karen's staff are not just good employees, but obvious dog lovers. My energetic 2yo mutt absolutely loves this place. Shout out to James, John, Chloe, Jasmine and Ingrid for caring for my "Mousie" so wonderfully. A+++ read more

It's a Dog's Life - Mousie - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

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I would normally give higher scores but I recently had a really upsetting interaction with one of the employees who interacted with me in a really passive aggressive manner about the care of my dog. This person was dismissive and unkind and I am fairly sure that her behavior does not reflect the rest of the employees at this place. It's a Dogs Life: Please keep in mind that we leave our dogs and trust that you will care for them. When we offer suggestions or feedback to improve the quality of care, and you reply in a dismissive and passive aggressive manner it does not bode well. I would NEVER treat customers the way that she treated me. Really really disappointed. read more

I haven't taken my dogs here yet but if I ever need to, this is where they will go. I called when I was about to be evacuated due to wild fires and they were so accommodating and went above and beyond to make sure if I needed it, my dogs would have a safe place to go so it would be one less thing I would have to worry about if we had to evacuate and I am so grateful!! read more

It's a Dog's Life - Our pack is grateful!! Joy-white Romeo-brown Adobe-grey and Bebe- Black and Tan - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

My Sally loves, loves, loves going to It's a Dog's Life. The staff is really great and they treat the dogs really well.

Great place run really well by local owner who takes great care. The only place o take my dogs when I go away

Thank you fellow Yelpers as I found this business on YELP:)! It was very promising from the beginning as it had great reviews, fair rates for nightly boarding and professional & nice people answering the phones. I also liked that the dogs get to roam around the property freely with the other dogs during the day and are only put in the "kennel type area" at night. Every time I drop off and pick up, I interact with friendly and professional employees which leave me feeling comfortable leaving my dog. I also have to give whoever gives the pups baths major props. My little guy was SO clean and fluffy when I picked him up- just like the groomers; actually better! I strongly recommend this business for dog boarding! read more

It's a Dog's Life - Beautiful exterior and great accommodations for pups! - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

This place has been a blessing to me. I've brought all my dogs here and they have so much fun, they're exhausted from all the playing. Highly recommended read more

This is the best place to take your dog in Petaluma. The staff is amazing! They really watch and care for your beloved dog. They offer doggie day care, grooming, and boarding. They have lots of play room for the dogs. My dog has never come home with a cut or scratch on him. He has never gotten kennel cough or a staff infection. I couldn't recommend them more!!! read more

It's a Dog's Life - Happy dog at It's a Dog's life! - Pet Training Near Me - Petaluma, California

I've had three dogs board here. Very friendly and professional and so great with all of our dogs. They were even able to accommodate our two puppies when they were younger. I also love that they will do baths prior to pick up. Clean, happy, tired dogs at pick up are the best. read more

Our dog Cora spent two weeks with Karen and her team over the summer. From the moment we visited I got the feeling this was a very special place. They truly care about dogs - you can feel it. Our dog is just one year old and that's why we boarded her rather than kept her at home with a pet sitter. She needed more play time with dogs and walks, etc. She is a shy dog. We did board and train and she learned a lot while there and came a bit out of her shell. When we picked her up we had a training session with Karen and then with Karen and Cora. It was very helpful. We would send Cora back again. Really special place - super nice people. Highly recommend. read more

The best place to board your dog or take for daycare. Great staff, nice rustic location. The dogs all seem to have a lot of fun.

We had a really upsetting experience on our dog's introductory day. The staff member that checked us in was "too busy" to give us a tour of the facility and just took our dog back immediately - we were the only customers there. Couldn't find our vaccine paperwork that we had emailed in at their request, etc. Very unprepared and obviously rushing to just get us out of there. Hadn't even greeted our dog - literally just took the leash from us and took him back. We picked our dog up a few hours later and again asked for a tour. It was 3pm in the afternoon and there wasn't a single dog out in the play yards. We were shown the overnight kennel rooms - wire cages stacked on top of each other in the main office building as well as in surrounding barns. All of the cages were full of barking dogs. We were told they put the dogs in early on weekend days.....3pm though? They are expected to hold it all afternoon and overnight? Also we were walked through all of the (empty) play yards, the grooming barn and all of the overnight kennel barns.....and never saw our dog. When we got back to the office, the gal that gave us our tour asked another staff member to go get our dog and they had him there in about 25 seconds - where was he? Locked in a closet in the office building?? He smelled like urine and was dragging us towards the front door to get out. They told us he'd had a "great day" and would fit in well. We've boarded our dog at multiple facilities and he LOVES going and is happy to see the staff - funnily hard to get to go home sometimes. I've never seen him behave this way, desperate to get out and then pretty shaken the rest of the evening at home. I grew up on farm, I board my horse at a boarding facility, we've boarded our dog at other kennels - I'm used to rural and not pristine. This was another level - everything smelled like urine. I left pretty upset and just with a pit in my gut about the dogs left behind in their cages. read more

Angus is happy here and even wants to stay! They assure me he is welcome back even with his excitable puppy self. He loves hearing "daycare" and is well except used www em I pick him up. The staff is helpful and friendly and we are confident he is being cared for and corrected while here. Highly recommend this loving staff to look after your pooch. read more

Always friendly and dependable service. Our dog goes in excited and leaves happy! We've been bringing her here for years and have never had a negative experience. read more

Highly recommended. Did a great job handling our "spirited " boxer overnight. Knowledgeable staff knew where to place our dog to avoid conflict. The dog ended up doing very well there in their care. Very impressed with entire staff, appreciated the video they sent me. Only complaint would be parking is a little dicey during pick up and drop off. Sign could be bigger All in all love this place, if we lived in the area we would use often read more

Always accommodating. My dog absolutely loves to go there which is what's most important. I have been to a place where he tried to crawl his way out. Here he runs inside so I know he is loved and taken cared of. read more

Kennelled my pup for the first time and she came home very socialized and was put on a schedule which was easy to continue at home after I picked her up. She's still young and I got her through a foster, so we have a lot of work to do and I think she really enjoyed it there. Although I can't speak for her ‍ I needed someone to watch her last minute and they were very accommodating. read more

This is a truly amazing place. My granddog has tried several day care facilities, and this is the only place he seems to enjoy consistently, coming home tired and calm, and not smelly!! I love that we can tour any time without advanced notice - the last two places never would allow us 'in the back'. They are so calm and organized here, Karen is truly a knowledgeable professional in the dog and staff world. What a difference! read more

I've taken my energetic Shepard/border collie mix here for over a year and the only time I think he is happier than being out on a trail run is when we pull into the parking lot of It's a Dog's Life! He loves it, the staff is knowledgeable, friendly and always trying to help out in anyway they can. I've gotten lots of great training tips from them, some good recommendations on toys, packs, leashes and a host of other things. You can tell they love dogs and they understand how busy dog owners need a good partner in raising their pups. read more

My dog wakes me up early on Wednesdays, because he knows he is going here! They have helped me with his training and his grooming as well as giving him great doggie days with dog friends. You can put your dog in the hands of these canine care experts! read more

My wife Jan and I have been taking "Lexi"--our 3 year old Australian Shepherd to " Dog's Life" since she was 3 months old. Let me say that "Dog's Life" is as good as it gets for the Pups, as well as their owners. Our "Lexi"-a very high spirited pretty gal, can't wait to go there--which is an avg. of 4 times a week. It's easy to check in, the fees are quite reasonable and the service is outstanding. Karen is great--her staff of James, Emma, Tomas, Christina, Joey, Mariah, Mel & Crystal are always polite and friendly. It definitely has a family atmosphere. They seem to keep a close eye on each dog-and they place the dog w compatible pooches, which gives us a feeling of safety. When Lexi needs to spend the nite--no problem. She gets treated well and is comfortable. If your dog needs grooming with a nice bath- it is performed first class--and the $ is right. all in all--We couldn't be happier w "It's a Dog's LIfe". read more

We love this place! We come all the way from Berkeley to board our dog here. They are polite and do a superb job of taking care of mocha. We travel internationally and are never worried about her. read more

A friend of mine used them all last year a couple days a week to give her little guy some social interaction. She also left her dog with them two years ago for 10 to 14 days and the only "negative" was that he was tired - he had played hard during that time. He was pampered and enjoyed his stay. When I got my little dude I decided to give them a go. So far, after five or so visits my dog starts getting excited when we hit Corona. He rushes in with a wagging tail and greets the staff with a doggie smile. I have found the staff and owner to be extremely friendly and accomodating. It is pretty much a stress free zone and I enjoy visiting with them. Plus, they give bath, trim nails, clean ears and brush coats on demand. My boy came back to me today smelling like oatmeal, his rough coat all smooth and shiny. A joy to have until his next encounter with dead deer, rabbit, mice- you name it, he rolls in it. I checked the grounds and the facilities pretty thoroughly and I appreciate how clean and organized it is. Finally, they have a great selections of leashes and collars as well as some jewlery, snacks and toys. All made in America. read more

I'm shocked at all the positive reviews..I couldn't get out of this place fast enough! I had a scheduled 'first timer' appointment today and was greeted with lack luster enthusiasm, in fact, the one gal displayed annoyance at my arrival ("is your dog friendly" was the first words I heard). I had asked to see the place, do a bit of a tour, "well we're super busy.." and reluctantly offered me a "short one". I saw: a total of 4 people, mAny dogs all in one pen, the grounds was just dirt and dirt and dirt (and apparently a back area of mulch), one person hosing off a pooped filled bed right onto the main deck, one person walk by me with no greeting or smile, and not to mention the fact that my dog was just whisked away and put into a small kennel...well if you can't be friendly with me, that's one thing, but to display that to my dog, yeah no, zero trust that my dog would be treated with care. I gathered up my dog and left! For me, this place screamed a LACK of supervision, friendliness, and cleanliness.. do your research and ask to see these facilities! read more

The staff here is WONDERFUL. They're very knowledgeable about dogs, and do an excellent job of handling them. They understand dog psychology. I removed a star because: (1) My dog had fleas when she returned. They had a requirement for flea treatment, which I ignored, so I guess I had it coming, but I've never had this problem at my other dog boarding. It may be because there is a lot of farmland and animals in the neighborhood. (2) My dog's bedding came back covered with mildew stains. I think it may be because they hose out the kennels, and the bedding got wet. I'll probably go back because my dog seemed to enjoy her time there. I just hope they can improve the fleas and mildew. They seem to be actively making a lot of improvements and renovations, so I'm hopeful this place will only get better :) read more

Let's start off by saying that my dog is special. My dog does not meet the standard cookie-cutter model that most doggie daycare centers follow: small, medium, big dogs and LOTS of play time with little down time in the SAME space. It's a Dog's Life get's my dog. They understand that dogs shouldn't be kept in the same lot with the same dogs in the same area all day each day. Dogs need variety and nap time and one-on-one play time. Some dogs that need a place to go that don't get along with other dogs can also go here, too. They have a special center for each dog where they can rest and play in peace. I just love that It's a Dog's Life is willing to make accomodations for all dogs and their play styles. Like I said in the beginning, my dog is special and this place fits our needs. My dog has been to several places around Sonoma County and after a few visits starts to become hesitant when she arrives at a doggie day care center. This is definitly not the case at It's a Dog's Life - my little pup is SO happy when she arrives at It's a Dog's Life. So far, we are very pleased. Did I mention that they're flexible and affordable? read more

I brought my dog here once. She was crying when I picked her up. Real, big, tears falling from her eyes. The only other time I've seen her do this is when her sister almost died. The employees here told me that they had to keep my dog confined due to aggressive behavior. I frequently leave my dog at another care facility, where she is loved for her sweet personality. She doesn't exhibit aggressive behavior. Obviously I don't know the details of what happened while my dog was in this facilities care, but for some reason my dog had a negative experience, which it hasn't had at other locations. I won't leave her here for care again. read more

It's a Dog's Life is a cozy happy place. Our dog has a great time playing and gets lots of attention from Karen and staff. Innovative classes and high standards keep me coming back. Robin Bianchini read more