I've boarded my Aussie, Lucy, at Desjardins for both short and extended stays over the years, and I…read morecouldn't recommend them more. Kevin and Sara are wonderful, and their beautiful, spacious property is perfect for an energetic dog like Lucy. Before her first stay, they gave us a tour of the property and had Lucy complete a daycare trial, which gave me so much confidence. One of my favorite moments has been running into some of the staff on our walks. Lucy gets so excited and runs right up to them, which says everything about how well she's cared for there. I've also referred family friends, and they've all had great experiences. Desjardins is a place I trust completely, and I know Lucy is always happy and well cared for.

The owners are amazing and really love dogs. The communication is outstanding and my dog was so…read morehappy and tired from playing with other dogs all day. They are thoughtful about the dog groupings and the facilities are exceptionally clean!

GoDogz was founded by two of the most caring, and professional people I have ever met (Sean and…read moreHeidi). It is so rare to find people to care so much more, and go above and beyond. With Sean and Heidi it's about quality, and you have to admit now a days that's a great thing! They will love your four legged family member like one of their own. As a frequent yelper, I can guarantee you that your dog will be so much happier with their program they have for them. They will also send you progress reports of your pets as well to see how they are doing. The owners are also insured and Pet CPR/First Aid Certified as well. Did you know that a portion of their proceeds benefits the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter?! That's really awesome that these owners can give back to their community. They do offer a free consultation to discuss your dog's needs, so don't be afraid to call and set one up!

Sean and Heidi were loved by my dogs; and my little dog doesn't like too many people initially. I…read moreleft them overnight at home with Sean, when I got home, though glad to see me, my dogs were fine and no signs of stress at all. Loved the "tail" and pictures as well as the "report card" left for us. Highly recommended.

Ashley watched my beloved dog Radley when we went on a vacation to Alaska a few weeks ago. To say…read moreI am protective of my dog is an understatement, so leaving him with anyone was tough. However, Ashley's screening process -not just with my dogs, but the dogs he would be staying with - ensured he was in a safe and healthy environment while we were gone. She goes through multiple steps to ensure that dogs aren't just physically, but also emotionally, safe while their owners are gone. As Radley has some anxiety issues, Ashley worked with us to prepare him for any potential issues he may have - which thankfully he didn't! If you want your dogs to be cared for, played with and honestly loved while you are away, Ashley should be your go to. I don't trust my dog with just anyone and the relief I felt each day with the pictures and updates allowed us to relax and enjoy our vacation. Radley didn't want to come home when we picked him up hahah! This is a great business with an individual who is knowledgeable about dogs and provides a safe haven for traveling owners to leave their pets. Will definitely use Ashley again!!!

Just the facts. Our…read morepup is 8 months old. Our plans were to travel abroad for 2 weeks. What to do? We considered boarding w/ established kennels, but wanted something more personal, bespoke. Among others, we were referred to Ashley Scontriano. We paid Ashley for numerous pre-trip visits, a few hours each, to acclimatize our pup, and allow Ashley to determine if he'd be a good fit. We valued her opinion and trusted her judgement. We received the thumbs up, with less than a week to go before our trip. Ashley agreed to care for our pup while we were out of the country. What a relief! We dropped our pup with Ashley, the morning of our departure, excited for our vacation. Less than 24 hours later, already 2k miles away, we received a text from Ashley which began "Please think of a plan B..." A plan B?? We had cancelled our plan B when Ashley gave us the green-light, prior to departing. The message continued, and I paraphrase, that our pup kept her up all night, crying, and she just couldn't take it. She didn't see that coming? Separation anxiety from a puppy, the first night away. She's a "dog professional?" What to do?! We'd cancelled our plan B, and wouldn't ask friends to take on a puppy for 2 weeks. Thankfully, Ashley had a possible solution -- we could pay her $200/day for "doggy boot camp!" HA! And I wonder how often that has worked with other clients -- too busy, too wealthy to say no? We called Beds & Biscuits. Fortunately, as our initial plan A, we'd completed the pre-reqs and they were able to accommodate our puppy. Glowing progress reports, too, from his stay with them -- yes, a needy puppy, craving attention and love, something they provided him. Something we thought Ashley had agreed to provide him. Instead, she wanted more money, after agreeing to watch him, and proposed drugging him to "better manage his anxiety." And so, after spending $$$ on Ashley's pre-trip evaluations, delivering our puppy into her care, and flying 2k miles away, Ashley reversed course, bailed...his "separation anxiety" (one night in) was too much, but it wouldn't be too much if we'd pay her $200/day? No thanks. And now she's demanding $130 more for the day/night she "cared for" our puppy. Ashley has said that WE didn't do enough before departing -- that the time at her home was insufficient, that she was "set up to fail." As a "dog professional," wasn't this something she should have, could have flagged BEFORE we departed? She didn't -- she assured us our pup would be well cared for, that he was settling in just fine. And then we departed, flew 2k miles, and without a conversation texts us "Please think of a plan B..." Incredibly unprofessional. Lacking completely in scruples and integrity. Further -- if you care at all about who you're entrusting your dog to, the quality of the human being -- who you're giving your money to -- then please do what we should have done, prior to this whole mess. Google Ashley Scontriano. https://goodtimes.sc/santa-cruz-news/news/nuz-pro-tip-dont-defend-racism-social-media/ https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/11/03/18818730.php

We have two German Shepherds. One of them is a 92 pound working shepherd thus a bit high…read moremaintenance. He tends to be vocal when he's excited and for people who are not familiar with the breed that can be intimidating. Also like a lot of working GSDs can be a bit particular with who they like. We over the years have struggled to find a kennel that we are comfortable leaving them with. I find that he goes running in wagging his tail when I drop him off. And I really appreciate the good humor that Robert shows with Kosmos. The second dog,Yasmin, is pretty easy she just follows along.

1-Star Review - Extremely Disappointed - Would Not Recommend…read moreI boarded my two dogs at Heritage Kennel in Santa Cruz for four days and was very disappointed with the care they received. One of my dogs, Winnie, arrived with a paw wound. She was wearing a cone and sock, and I provided all the necessary supplies: gauze, bandages, and ointment, along with clear instructions for treatment. None of the supplies were used. When I picked her up, her paw was noticeably worse than when I dropped her off. Additionally, when I collected their bedding to take home and wash, there were dead bugs on the bottom. I also specifically requested anxiety medication for the dogs for the car ride home. I'm not sure if it was ever given -- the dogs were extremely anxious and distressed during the drive. If the medication had been administered as requested, they should have been calm and sleepy for the trip. For the price paid (including what appeared to be charges related to Winnie's paw treatment that was never provided), I expected basic care and follow-through on instructions. This felt like a complete failure of the "VIP treatment" I was hoping for. If dogs could talk, I'd love to hear exactly what happened (or didn't happen) while they were there. I will not be bringing my dogs back to Heritage Kennel.

Vicki is one of the most caring and patient trainers that I've ever met. Not once was I worried…read moreabout my shy Shiba Inu, Tali, when she was with her for a 3 week board and train program. We searched for a truly positive dog trainer that could not only have endless patience with a sensitive breed like a Shiba, but one that truly put the safety and happiness of her dogs first. Vicki is it. She kept us updated often about her progress, was always responsive to messages, and gave us great advice on how to improve Tali's eating habits and allergies. Tali came back a much more confident pup and has improved so much with her leash walking skills and obedience. We can't thank Vicki enough for sharing her extensive knowledge and techniques with us.

Took a class with her at Clear Minds and she did teach us a few things. She was, however,…read moredisorganized. Always sent email for the classes with wrong dates and times. Teaching seemed a little haphazard as she was always checking her phone to see what to do next. Sometimes she would email a review of what we learned that week and what to work on and there were times we wouldn't receive anything. My dog got his graduation certificate but was dated last year.

A very cool place. They train dogs here. Lots of them. In German. It is a sight to see on a…read moreSaturday morning. Even if you don't have a dog you can come to watch how they train, and pick up great tips for when you do get a dog. Located in Corralitos, it is a bit of a haul to get here. Probably 30-40 from Santa Cruz and 15 or so from Aptos. The training is done on a large field that has a full obstacle course. Plenty of room for 70-100 dogs at a time. There is a lot of repetition in the training which is just what you would expect. We don't take our dog here, our parents do and they love it. We go to watch and see the dogs. It is a great experience. The trainers are competent and humorous and engaging. They care about you and your pet. One final note, we saw some puppy magic last time here. A dog who just was freakin out about laying down. Yelping and nippy and upset. Willful...not willing. The trainer stopped the class and worked gently and patiently with the dog to finally get it to lay. It was amazing to see it. I didn't think it would happen. After another short walk, the puppy was laying on its own. My wife was in tears. This is the place to get your puppy acclimated to other dogs and a bit of structure in its life.

Eight months ago, when I saw behavioral changes in my dog Scout I felt hopeless. Thank goodness I…read morefound The K9 Clinic. From the first evaluation I knew I had not only found the perfect solution for my dog but a kinship with the trainers as well. The Bootcamp was the best decision I've ever made. Not only did it re-set the mind/behavior of my dog but they also taught me the appropriate skills to be a handler for my specific dog. Before I started with The K9 Clinic Scout was unable to be off leash, around other dogs and her "naughty" behaviors felt unmanageable. Happy to report none of that applies today! Group classes, private lessons; we do them all! Thanks to The K9 Clinic I have the dog I always dreamed of!! Monique Cook Santa Cruz, CA

Owner told one of her other clients that a dachshunds "ideal weight was based on a tail length to…read morebody weight ratio", advising her to put her on a crash diet until she was severely underweight- you could literally see every node on her spine. This was incredibly stupid, ignorant, cruel and frankly torturous. I'm also stunned anyone would take medical advice from the equivalent of a hair stylist. Grooming is sufficient while on pricey side, owner allows her intact male dog to roam free & hump whoever he wants; he was constantly mounting one of my 3 until I shooed him off myself.

The ladies who work here seem very nice and seem to love dogs. However, I discovered LARGE scabs on…read moreboth of my dog's back legs after they groomed her indicating that they cut and scraped her while grooming her hind quarters and didn't even notice it or at least inform me. I'm heart broken that my dog was severely injured while being groomed. I would never return to a place that caused two significant injuries to my dog in order to bathe her. Update: My dog has been cleaning the areas where the wounds are and now the areas on both legs are stripped of fur and very red. It's a health threat and it looks terrible. I really wish I had never gone to this place and advise you against going there. I will probably have to take her to the vet and care for her for weeks to make sure the wounds heal without further injury. The wounds are pretty severe. We would never expect this when we take a dog in for a bath. There is no excuse for treating an animal like this.

Starr is one of the most loving caring kind and giving people I have ever known. She takes amazing…read morecare of animals and has been helping donate to their needs all over the world for many many years. If you leave your pet with her, they will be in the very best hands as she is so compassionate and experienced in dog and animal behavior.