I wrote an honest consumer review for Smitty's Kennels 7 years ago, and now this business' owner, Sandy, is stalking me on the internet and is leaving false and negative Yelp reviews under a pseudo name (Jennifer "JennyJJ" J - she reviewed Smitty's kennels below in the filtered reviews, which is probably why they have so many filtered positive reviews here; they're fake) for my actual 5-star rated business. My original review for this business 7 years ago was middle of the road at 3-stars, because while they did keep my dogs alive for a week, they lacked even the most basic customer service skills and were frankly very rude and standoffish, which you can read about in my first review below. After posting my review, the male owner of the business, Smitty, verbally attacked me on Yelp, which he has now edited, and I changed my review to 2-stars (however, you can still get a general gist of what he said in my updated reply to him). Now after being stalked online and having a libelous review posted about my business, I think an update to 1-star is fair. Customer service really doesn't get any worse than what is provided by the owners and associates of Smitty's Kennels. They're not just bad business owners, they're unkind people. Reviews on alternate websites are available with a quick google search of their business name where you can see the owner, Smitty's, interactions with other unhappy customers, or as he and Sandy apparently like to call them publicly for all new customer prospects to see, "Chronic Complainers". Who does business like this?? It's really not that hard to provide decent customer service - the only main component is not being an asshole which both of these business owners are through and through. With an abundance of options these days for pet care, you can do SO much better for not only your dog but also for yourself. read more

Smitty's Kennels - Hmmm, Jennifer "Jenny JJ" J's public profile picture looks an awfully lot like the other photos of Sandy posted here... - Pet Training Near Me - Middle Island, New York

I so wish they was staying open longer!!! My dog has NEVER gotten along with other animals or other people outside of close family but for some reason she was comfortable and associated well with the people ate Smittys. This was my VERY first time ever leaving my dog with someone else so I was completely hesitant. But they made me feel very comfortable and at ease with how they was. Very professional!!! read more

Smitty's is a sham. This business is nowhere I'd ever board another pet of mine, and I'd surely NEVER recommend them. They are an abusive and neglectful "kennel". The owners and staff do nothing to care for the pets in their facility. I've had multiple friends and family members say all the same things...rude and arrogant owners and staff, followed by CLEAR physical and emotional damage to their pets. It's all too perfect to be a coincidence. These are bad people running a bad business. For the sake of the pets you love, find somewhere else to board. read more

Smitty and his wife Sandy are excellent people. They took amazing care of my furbaby Panther while for the almost year that he was there while I was trying to find a new place to live. They even fed him a great diet that helped him lose some weight. He was as happy to be with them as he was to be with me when I found him as a stray kitten. The place was amazing and was always clean. He even got upgraded from the cat condo section to one of the dog runs since he was the only cat there for a while. They even let me visit him a whole bunch of times and made suggestions as to what I can do to help him maintain a healthier weight and as to what I can do to help clear up his skin condition on his back. I cannot thank them for all their kindness and help over the time that he was there. read more

Smitty's Kennels - Pet Training Near Me - Middle Island, New York

I've had my dog stay here before, thought my dog was ok. I wish I would've read their replies to reviews sooner then I'd know better. This time around my dogs stayed there for a week, one of my dogs has such bad diarrhea you can tell she has had it for days and it was never properly cared or looked after. She looks terribly sick I am going to the vet. Look elsewhere for your dogs! They also "bathed" her but I am terrified to know how because she smells worse! I don't understand. read more

In reply to the overly aggressive business owner defending himself with the "non recommended reviews" -- they're flagged as not recommended because you made them. Another reviewer called you out for that. Y'all are a bunch of frauds I didn't even get the chance to leave my dog here, I just went for a tour. Sandy was rude & aggressive. She had a horrible attitude and condescending responses to everything I asked and the facility was unclean with an unbearable smell. I will never ever give her my business! read more

For eight years they are taking care of my boy (boxer). I tried with other places before. But my dog has a lot of energy, with them my Rocky has the opportunity to run an exercise when they are cleaning his apace because is connected with the yard. So we dont need to pay extra. Also, alway have suggestion or trick for my dog. But for sure, seeing my dog so happy when we get there is a plus. read more

My pup was very well taken care of by Smitty's. She had an issue with her eyes and they took care of it, free of charge. Couldn't have been more pleased with their service. Smitty is very knowledgeable and caring, pleasure doing business with them, we will definitely use their services anytime we're in the area. read more

BAD BAD BAD BUSINESS My wife called to make an appoint after our vet told us they do not board and we were gong away for 2 weeks and needed a place to safely board our dog so we made an appointment to see the kennel. When we arrived that day I thought it was strange they had a security lock on the front door. When went inside he started talking to me and took us to the far end of the room and that point he wanted to ask my wife a question. One he left to talk to her and I didn't hear him he asked my wife to sign a contract that you didn't even see. It was signed and not looked at closely and it had a daily fee of 50 instead of the 36 we agreed on. He took the contract and didn't give us a copy. He then came back to me and asked me what I did for a living, I am a chef. He made small talk about food and cooking in order to avid the conversation about the contract and fee. We saw the kennel and left. The day we took our dog in to be boarded she needed a shot. That he gave her. We were instructed to stand next to the dog one of us on either side. When my wife stood in the wrong place he gabbed her in the ribs with his fingers. When she screamed out in pain he said you are standing in the wrong place, I believe he was looking for a response from the dog and the dog didn't do anything. After that he took a large stick wrapped in tape and stuck it in the dogs face to see if she would react to that and the dog growled at him. He turned around and said your dog is aggressive and its going to cost 50 dollars a day. We had no choice. At this point he said if you don't want to leave her you can take her back and I will refund your deposit. While I was gone on vacation, I did nothing but worry about the dog. I also found out about the contract my wife signed and didn't tell me so we talked about it and developed a plan. When we picked up the dog on that Friday I asked to see our dog before we pay the fees. They said no pay us 1st so we called 911. At this point we were kicked off the grounds. When the police came they took our information and I said I want to see my dog before we pay. They spoke to the owner. We could see her but not touch the dog. We went outside to pay her. At that point I said I want a copy of the contract my wife signed and I was not aware of , she was not happy and went in the back and it took 15 minutes before she showed me the contract. Meanwhile after finally getting a copy of the report we saw that he had written 50 dollars from the start and didn't even give the dog a chance, he had it in his mind that he was getting 50 dollars a day for our dog. Before she even showed signs of aggression. When I read the bottom of the contract it says there is a line that states we have no recourse even if the dog dies. I paid with my credit. But before I paid she made me sign something saying I wouldn't try to have the payment returned. Then she told me to say there so she could open the kennel and not be near the dog. I believe she was miss treated and traumatized. Proof was she came how and was peeing in the house all week and loose stool. She still isn't right after this ordeal. read more

See all

We have been leaving our dog by Smitty for many years. They always take great care of him and we never worry. Smitty and his wife Sandy are so friendly and caring. The dog has temperament issues and is not the friendliest but he seems to do very well there. Smitty's wife is wonderful with him and he seems to have taken to her and he doesn't take to many people. We would recommend Smitty's Kennel's to board your dog and have peace of mind knowing they are doing a great job. Gotti always looks great when we get him back. We wouldn't trust Gotti with anyone else. read more

I have been using Smitty's kennels since November 1996. I have boarded three dogs from puppyhood to their natural death of old age. The kennels are very large and they Live on the premises so there was 24 seven care for your pets. I find Smitty and Sandy both to be kind loving people. They have the utmost love and care for animals. I now board my 12-year-old bichapoo with them often as my work requires that I travel. I i'm never worried or concerned with the level of care she will receive there. She's always happy and healthy and clean when she returns home. I know there were negative reviews posted on this establishment, however I have never ever had any problems Smitty or Sandy or their facility And will continue to use their services and recommend them highly read more

My family has used smittys for over 10 years, we have been away when hurricanes were about to hit and even in the worst circumstances they have provided the best care and shelter for our animals. They are very to the point and no bullshit, and always have the animals best interest in mind. For the last 5 years I would board my dogs with them and drive them from NYC out to LI just to have them cared for here. Nothing negative could ever be said about them!! There's a reason they've been open this long, because they are awesome! read more

Like one of the filtered reviews, my dog has behavior issues with strangers that extensive training hasn't quite cured, so we prefer to board him in a nice facility where can be left on his own without a lot of human interaction, rather than a pet spa-type place. Smitty's is great for our antisocial dog because they have kennels with doors to separate runs out back so he can go in and out in his own during decent weather and the kennels themselves are heated. You can't find anything like that in the city, which is why we drive the long round trip to board our dog here. They also do baths, but given our dog's issues, we haven't taken advantage of that service. Sometimes the pick up-drop off windows are a little narrow, but they have always worked with us when we couldn't quite make it at a certain time. read more

We have boarded our dog there on multiple occasions and are extremely satisfied. Our dog is very sensitive to thunder and fire works, Smitty's goes way beyond to comfort our dog. Love the facilities, the heated floors in the winter and in general you can tell Smitty's loves dogs. We always feel secure when we leave our dog in Smitty's capable care. I would highly recommend Smitty's Kennel. read more

I have been boarding my dog with Smitty's for the past three years. I travel a lot for work but I found it very comforting to know she was being so well taken care of. Despite suffering from severe separation anxiety, when I would drop her off for her stay, she had no problem walking to the back. I normally had them give her a bath and trim her nails and I was never disappointed in the way she was when I picked her up. I on multiple occasions forgot her blankets or bones when picking her up but they were always saved for the next visit. The two things keeping me from giving them all five stars: 1) you have to drop off and pick up during designated times (8-11 am and 5-7 pm), which sometimes made planning to go out of town a little tough. I might have also had to drop her off a day earlier than I wanted because of the timing of things. 2) any food you bring you do not get back. While I could estimate how much my dog would eat pretty well, I still hate knowing that potentially some of the food may be thrown away. The pricing is excellent especially compared to other kennels on LI . The people who complain about the difference in price in cash and credit, there is a sign in their office when you are dropping your dog stating this policy. They also have the pricing listed on the side wall of the per day charge and Smitty even supplies an estimate to you when you are dropping off. I have never been surprised with the pricing. Overall, I would recommend Smitty's Kennels. read more

I boarded my to Labs at Smitty's I felt very comfortable leaving them with Sandy & Smitty for 8 days. They took amazing care of Sammy & Crash who seemed to be very happy when I came and picked them up. I was not worried about leaving them because they required all pets to be properly vaccinated and up to date on health care. As I pulled up to check the place out originally I had the occasion to see other people leaving and can clearly see the dogs were well taken care of and happy looking. This is what I wanted with my dogs. Dogs have sense of knowing good and bad, and I watched my 2 Labs reaction to going in and was impressed they had no reluctance. When I picked them up they were clean, healthy and happy looking and I felt safe I left them in good hands. Thank you Smitty & Sandy for taking good care of Sammy & Crash you delivered what you promised, peace of mind knowing my 2 Labs were well cared for. read more

Left my dog Jacob last year and will do it again this year. It's good to know my fur baby is safe and my husband and I can kick back and enjoy our vacation read more

I've been bringing my purebred standard Schnauzer to Smittys for years. If we are going away they are the only place I will leave him. Unlike when I left him at other places he loves it there and loves the owners. They are really great with him and very informative and helpful if you have questions. I got great training advice and they steered me away from over priced things saving me money. My dog is happy there, so I'm happy putting him there and it helps that they are great people who loves animals. read more

I would totally recommend Smitty's to anyone in need of a wonderful place for your dog! (As a matter of fact, I have and my friends are also just as pleased!) I have been bringing my boxer, Rocky, to Smitty for 12 years. Rocky recently passed away, but when we add another boxer to our family, I will definitely return to Smitty. Smitty and Sandy have been nothing but wonderful to our dogs over the years. They always check your pets papers to make sure they're up to date on shots and they're healthy. They check for fleas and if there's an issue, (which we never had) they take care of it right away! Their kennels are heated for winter and air conditioned in summer. Rocky was always very well taken care of, and bathed and nails clipped upon picking him up! He knew when we were going away as soon as we brought him in the car and always went with Smitty or Sandy willingly. If he could've talked I'm sure he would've told us how much he loved them! There were times when I had forgotten hours of operation and Smitty never turned us away! I remember one day it was pouring rain and we had totally shown up without an appointment to drop off Rocky and Smitty answered his phone and had no problem helping us! Their web site will answer any questions you have, & shows you plenty of pictures and they're always willing to set up an appointment to show you around. I know how hard it may be for someone looking for a kennel that you trust. You can trust Smitty's! They've been around for many years and there's a reason for that. Sincerely, a very loving, happy pet owner! *UPDATE* We have our new boxer PAULY and he has already been to Smitty twice and will be going again in a few weeks! He's now 5 months old and already LOVES Smitty and Sandy!! Smitty is also a trainer and has taught me some valuable tips already! :) read more

This comment is for Stacia of NY, NY.......Well it is obvious you view your dogs as your children...you have no children I presume....That is the problem with dog owners today...they treat their dogs as humans an expect the rest of us to do the same. They are ANIMALS, people. Yes I love my dog. She is a huge female full breed AKC registered German Shepherd who will tear you apart. She is a dog, not my daughter. Smitty's is the ONLY place I feel safe leaving her because she is treated as she should be... She is not allowed to take over, or think she is in charge because she is NOT. Any good dog owner knows that you must make your dog know who is the master and it cant be them....If you work in the profession and see a problem with this, it is a shame that you may be perpetuating that skewed view of pet ownership to your clients.....shame on you....tsk tsk tsk!!!! read more

We board our two dogs Samantha and Rudy for years at Smitty's. Never a problem, very professional and I totally trust them. Our Rudy is 140lbs and sometimes a little over bearing for my husband and they always lend a helping hand getting him down the front steps. Your animals are in good hands at Smittys read more

Smitty and Sandy have cared for our dogs for 15 years and have taken excellent care of them! Our first dog Shadow was skittish and wary of strangers, yet whenever she stayed with them she always came home happy and had a nice bath. (This was no small feat as she didn't like to be bathed). They really have exceptional skills in handling all types of dogs. Our Pom Fritz was an older dog and was starting to have age related issues. One time Sandy noticed he wasn't eating his regular dry food because he was having trouble chewing so she gave him wet food and let us know that we should transition as well since it was easier for him. Our other dog Daisy is a puppy and loves being there and runs right into the kennel when we drop her off. I also love that they are there 24/7 and have so much knowledge and many years of experience in caring for dogs. I would highly recommend them to anyone for boarding their dogs. read more

I board my beagle mix Lucy at Smitty's and she is well cared for . I trust Smitty's kennel , he is the only one I have used for Lucy. In the past I have used other kennels and have been very disappointed and I see he cares for my dog and that is what matters. read more