We LOVE the Crate. But our dog loves it even more. The staff is so kind and helpful and they work so well with our hyperactive pupper.

Avoid this place at all costs. They left my dog locked in a crate for who knows how long. They never informed us this would be happening. He was so terrified, because he's never been crated, that he clawed at the crate and broke off two of his nails. He had to be rushed to the vet and get sedated. Absolutely unacceptable. read more

My dog LOVES to go see his friends at The Crate Escape. We take him at least once per week for daycare, even while we are working from home. He is able to socialize, play and get his energy out. He gets so excited when he realizes where is is going. I have also utilized grooming and training services and they have all met my expectant beyond. Grooming on days when he at already there, for daycare, is very convenient! I love the special days they have throughout the year including: Valentine exchange, holiday photos, Howl-o-ween party etc. The staff really knows my pup, welcomes him by name when he gets there and they 100% care about him and all the other dogs there. I would not hesitate to recommend The Crate Escape - it's fantastic! read more

The Crate Escape - Stix, at The Crate Escape! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

We recently started taking our high energy puppy there and the staff is caring and nice. We also used their boarding facilities and were very pleased. They also offer training classes with their daycare which we will take advantage of when the next round of training begins (limited class size). Our dog Zena loves it there and they really seem to love her too. read more

Crate Escape was not a good experience for us. I would say half of the people I know who go there absolutely love it and it's a great fit for their dog, and the other half have had terrible experiences. My dog was 2 years old when we started going there. She had been socialized from the moment I got her at 9 weeks old and never had a bad experience with a dog except for one Husky who legit tried to eat her as a puppy. She was a frequent attendee at the daycare down the street from our old house, going at least once a week for daycare and once or twice per month for a bath/nails. She always had rave reviews from sitters as well. We started at CE because my cousin's dog goes there and we carpooled. After a few weeks I noticed she got very antsy the closer we got to CE. I thought she was excited so we kept going. After a few months, I was told they needed to muzzle her to get her nails done. This was unusual but I allowed it. It seemed like every time she got her nails done I heard worse things from them, to the point where I started her on Trazodone and brought her in separate from daycare instead of them doing it during daycare. Nothing worked, and they ultimately told me they wouldn't do her nails anymore because she was so aggressive. This dog had never been aggressive a day in her life before hearing this feedback. We started going to Dogfather in Meriden and within 2 visits, I was able to cut back on the Traz and they didn't need to muzzle her. They said she was clearly afraid but once they spoke to her and soothed her, she was docile and easy to groom. It's been over 6 months now and she runs into the groomer's room when we go. I heard that the groomer at CE wasn't licensed, although I have been unable to confirm that. She also became extremely leash-aggressive and nervous around new dogs and started showing signs of separation anxiety while at CE. I attribute this to their "time out" procedure, where the dog is held on a short leash in the middle of the pen when all of the other dogs are still free. She wasn't able to get away from dogs who wanted to sniff her or play with her, and she wasn't able to play while on the leash. My girl plays hard with her cousin, which apparently meant they had to be put into timeout and/or separated. They can still see into the other pen, so they were able to see each other without being able to play, which is torture to a dog. Again, as soon as I realized what was happening, we stopped going to daycare. It took hiring a trainer and 2 months on Prozac before my girl started healing. We're still working on it, but she is more and more like her old self every day. This is clearly just my experience, although I have heard similar tales from too many other people. I know there are people/dogs who love it there. I am sharing this feedback in the hopes that CE can learn from our experience and shift their practices. read more

The staff at Crate Escape are amazing!!! Had to leave this girl for a week (for the first time) and they took such great care of her. Made my vacation a lot easier knowing she was well cared for by awesome staff members. Daycare or vacation I would highly recommend their services. Thank you all so much! read more

The Crate Escape - Willie! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

Love that they are closer to my home. Callisto loves it and too bad her littermate Xena can't go. Xena gets so nippy. Uncomfortable with dogs bothering her as they tried to play. Callisto was shy at first then few weeks later she enjoyed it. She goes half day 2x a week. She looks at me like ugh I don't want to go home. The staff are wonderful and made sure the dogs are safe as I understand Xena can't go. Will try to work on her to boost confidences. Sadly, it might be Calli last month to go there as she is moving to new home due to my condo rules. Going to miss her silliness clown. Thank you staff!!!! read more

The Crate Escape - Callisto first birthday - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

Excellent place for your dog. My dog loves it. Everyone is great who works there. We have been bringing our dog since she was a puppy.

We have a very nervous little dog, 14 yrs old, who's had a lot of trauma in her life--neglect and abuse before we rescued her, life-threatening illness, and last year, being attacked by a big dog who broke her leg in three places. Needless to say, we're always reluctant to board her and will try for a sitter whenever possible. Having just moved to Connecticut, however, we're back at square one on the sitter front. We tried another kennel but were very disappointed with its high pressure upselling tactics on services. Aside from truly special issues like medication, we'd like to think that a responsible kennel treats ALL the dogs in their care equally. Our vet said she'd heard good things about The Crate Escape so we decided to give them a try when we had to board our wee beastie over our daughter's wedding weekend. One thing we were VERY happy about was that big and little dogs have separate play areas. Another was that the dogs seem to have ample play time in their big play areas. I was amazed when I picked her up to watch my dog on the monitor running around and having a grand old time with some of the other little ones. I've literally never seen this timid little girl in such a playful mood. She was clearly having a ball. We had another dog who passed away last year who'd always mothered this poor little girl, but aside from her, our wee girl has always been a little skittish with other dogs. Great job, Crate Escape! We'll definitely be back! read more

The Crate Escape - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

Our fur baby absolutely loves The Crate Escape! She will stay the day for doggy day care and has even spent the week when her human family goes away on vacation. A day at daycare definitely wears her out. This is her tonight right after getting home and eating dinner - worn out! :) read more

The Crate Escape - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

Very happy with their day care program & their training services. Everyone that works there is extremely helpful. Would highly recommend! read more

It's all good at The Crate Escape; clean, courteous, skilled & caring. The review app is making me write more so I'll say that we haven't kenneled our dogs anywhere else that comes close to The Crate Escape; they are simply the best. read more

We have been with Crate Escape for as long as I can remember and they are the best at what they do. Day care and Boarding services are best in class period. My dog loves going there and can see that he loves the people. Would never use anyone else. read more

See all

We've been ringing our dog Koda for over a year now and both we and she love it. They've also been a great place to provide overnight boarding. read more

I'm not that picky, but my dog is. Paulie, is a 45 pound tornado of mischievous mutt. So when it came time for him to be away from mom and dad for a long weekend, it was no surprise that he chose The Crate Escape. Owner, Operator, Enterpreneur, Adventurer, Chris Ragozzino, has created a great place for dogs of all sizes and breeds. Where else can a high maintenance golden retriever conduct a 5 step handshake with a menacing Doberman? Ragozzino has brokered peace across all breeds and has done it in style. We had never left Paulie alone for an extended period of time. The facilities at The Crate Escape were super clean and all pooches were socialized under a watchful eye. Paulie's weekend hotel room was big enough for him to lounge like the king he is. Crate Escape insiders said Paulie even took a dip in the refreshing doggie pool. Upon our return to pick up El Paulirino, I think we realized that he wanted to stay. Rates were very reasonable and provided us with some piece of mind while we were away. The Crate Escape also has do it yourself grooming services. Stop by and tell 'em you know Paulie. read more

The Crate Escape - The Crate Escape - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

We recently started to use the day care services. We tried the grooming as well. My dog seems to be happy to get out of the car and go into day care where as other places we tried he would try to hide or shake. Says a lot! The packages are convenient for us and makes drop off and pick up very quick. read more

Let me start by saying I live and work in New Britain, so driving to The Crate Escape takes 30 minutes (with no traffic). Despite spending roughly 2 hours a day(there and back to New Britain twice) a few times a week, I would not want to send my 6 month old pup Lina anywhere else. The staff are are so kind and welcoming and greet us with warm smiles at every drop-off. From the moment we pull up to The Crate Escape, Lina's tail starts wagging like crazy! And then she sleeps the whole car ride home (see photo!) I've tried finding closer daycares but nothing compares to The Crate Escape! Plus you can watch your fur babies all day on the webcams which is awesome! read more

The Crate Escape - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

I am so disappointed with the crate escape. I have taken my dog here in the past. Last time we took him my family and I were on vacation. After we picked him up the owner had called to say he wasn't happy. My dog is never apart from us so this was a shock to be somewhere strange so we felt bad so now when we go on vacation we get a pet sitter to stay at the house well I was looking to board him for 1 night in July bec we are having a graduation party for my daughter and I called to book the crate escape and they told me he needed to come in for a reevaluation that's all so I brought him in. They told me I could get him after 12. I didn't even know I had to leave him than they called me a little after 12 and told me the crate escape was not a right fit for him. They told me he was anxious and lashing out but when I questioned them all they had to say was he was not happy. My husband was watching him on the doggy cam and never even saw him interacting with anyone let alone lash out. My dog is not vicious at all. He loves people and my mother has a picnic for every summer holiday and there are 8 dogs there including mine and they all chase each other and get along fine. I feel like the crate escape put a label on my dog just because he wasn't use to his surroundings and he missed his family and than the topper was they charged me 32 dollars for telling me no your dog is not welcome here. Again I was never told over the phone there would be a 32 dollar fee. read more

We always have a positive grooming experience there with our Bichon Frise. Thank you!!! read more

Sent my dog here a handful of times until I noticed on the cameras they barely give dogs outdoor time to use the bathroom. They allow dogs to pee and poop right on the floor, in a cage of about 20+ dogs. Ew. read more

Our dog loves the Crate Escape and so do we. The facility is so clean and they're constantly making improvements. Staff are so nice. Love that they have the webcam to check in during the day. Can't wait to get our dog in the pool this summer! Highly recommend both for daycare and boarding. read more

The care and treatment of the animals is top notch and the staff are friendly and positive. My dog comes home exhausted after a full day of play and is excited to go to crate escape every morning she attends. read more

We are so happy to have The Crate Escape for our boys "home away from home"!! The staff is so nurturing and kind to all the dogs that are there. Have used all services they have to offer. Boarding, Doggie Daycare, Grooming and Day School. Very pleased with all!! read more

The Crate Escape - After a hard day of play at the Crate Escape! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Wallingford, Connecticut

We like bringing our dog here, and have used the daycare as well as boarding. The owner is always friendly and remembers us and our dog (we don't go on a weekly basis). Our dog always loves running around in the ample space and sleeps like a baby when he gets home. Sometimes they put our dog with the little dogs, though, which he hates. He's a small lab so it probably looks like he wouldn't like the bigger dogs, and with the camera option we were able to see he wasn't with the big dogs. When we called they were very pleasant and moved him right away, so just make sure to specify if you have a preference. No problems here though, and they have held cute extra events to raise money for great organizations. I also like that they are very up to date with their Facebook posts so I always know what's going on. I definitely recommend Chris and The Crate Escape. read more

Our 6-year old Chocolate Lab, Bo, is a bit high-maintenance. He requires medications twice daily, can only eat his own food and treats due to allergies, and doesn't play with toys. The Crate Escape staff were completely supportive of all his needs for the two times we have used their services: first for a bath and nail-clipping via a Groupon/Living Social deal, and second for a two-night boarding this past weekend. One star less than five comes from an issue we had after the grooming session: Bo became very ill, vomiting many times in a row requiring an emergency visit to the vet and antibiotics/anti-vomiting meds. We called the Crate Escape to encounter the answering machine, no emergency number, and left a message asking if any other dogs had become ill and informing them of Bo's illness since returning home from their facility. One star more than three comes from their allowing us to apply leftover coupon funds to an overnight stay, and encouraging us to bring him early on his first day so that he would be exhausted on night one and sleep well. They require all dogs to visit the facility before approval for boarding, to ensure that the dog is friendly and might acclimate well during their stay. A great place overall. read more

I can't say enough about The Crate Escape! My dog Murphy is extremely excited when we pull in the parking lot! He gets groomed there on a regular basis and always looks cute and smells great. Day care is always a fun experience for Murphy, he even started going in the water, which he never did......When he gets home, he is down for the count for hours! Recently he stayed for over night fun while I was on vacation. I felt comfortable leaving him with the caring and very competent staff. I was able to view him on cameras via my cell phone if I felt the need. Every time I checked a camera he was playing, wagging his tail, or being loved by a staff member.....this made my vacation complete. The services, staff and owner Christine are all above the standard "dog care" I have been exposed to. If you are thinking about trying it out, Go For It, you won't be disappointed! read more

Relocated recently and I've heard good things about this place so I decided to give it a try. I wanted to utilize this place for daycare several times a week. I've taken my dogs to daycare where I used to live without issues. This place requirements are a bit crazy compared to others but I still complied. I brought them for an evaluation and not more than one hour later I received a call asking to pick them up as they were not a good fit. To them my dogs were aggressive - something I've never heard used to describe them. Soon after speaking to my previous dog trainer I realized it was likely the breed of my pups causing them not to be a good fit. Long story short don't bring pitbulls here ... regardless of how loving and trained they are. I also was told the owner/trainer here had recommended to individuals that they should euthanize their dog as she wasn't able to train them. Not really a reputable person I'd ever want near my pups. read more

My dog attended The Crate Escape in Wallingford, CT 1x a week for years. We started our 2nd puppy 3 years later and she loved it too! For almost a year they went together 1-2x a week. We could not say enough good things about this place. Then I pick up my dog upon a call that she "bit a puppy for no reason." From that moment on she was not the same. They would not tell me what happened other than "she bit a puppy for no reason" and "The puppy just walked by her, she turned and bit for no reason" No further information was given and no willingness to talk to me further about it. COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR RESPONSIBILITY of the incident, no apologies, nothing. I took her to three trainers over a course of time who all agreed that the fear symptoms she displays are that of a dog who had been attacked and hit. I was told the same thing over and over DOGS DO NOT BITE FOR NO REASON. All the trainers surmised that play time probably got too rough and the humans didn't notice it, a fight broke out and being a puppy she was dominated and became the victim so she bit out of protection and when that happened she was hit by a staff member in an attempt to gain control over the situation..... a situation that should've never gotten that far in the first place changed her forever. During the time of this incident there was a steady pattern of upwards of 50 dogs in one large area on any given week day with 3-4 humans holding squirt water bottles. Completely not set up or prepared for a pack mentality incident AT ALL. Very shortly after this incident they partitioned the large room into more manageable play group sizes.... too little too late for her. It's been 3 years now and we are still working to get her fear under control. She was just a typical year old puppy and now she is afraid of all people and dogs. This means walking the park and neighborhood is scary for her and to her other dogs are not playmates, they are something to be feared.. Yes, mistakes happen, but true character shows in the aftermath of the mistake and Chris and her staff failed miserably! If a facility doesn't respect that the environment they create is safe for your dog then you should not give them your business. Your dog relies on you to keep him/her safe. Don't let them down by bringing them to a poorly run daycare with uneducated staff like this one. My advice to those who don't know like we didn't is to research any day care's reaction plan to a pack fight - What will they do? What tools do they have to prevent a fight and to break-up a fight? What is their human: dog ratio? It's not about pre-screening each dog because pack mentality and fights will occur with even the most docile friendly dogs. read more

Zoe loves the Crate., she tries jump in the car to go and play! And when she get home its a quite night to recoup from all the play! they are wonderful to let her play before and after her beauty treatments! Love the staff and the car Zoe receives., read more

Wonderful, caring staff who truly look after the well being of your dogs. My dogs have had boarding and grooming services at The Crate Escape and we have been so thankful to never worry about our pups when they are there! Chris is a great owner and her entire staff are just as wonderful! read more

Be aware. My poor dog kept contracting illnesses here. It was one thing after another. One afternoon I looked at him after picking him up and couldn't believe they didn't even notice that my dog had a good bloody scratch on his face near his eye! Bringing him back & forth to the Vet was getting obnoxious and expensive. I don't think they keep up on making sure the dogs here are up-to-date with their Vet appointments. I would notice little notes attached to some of the owners leashes as they were walking out stating that their dogs were due for certain tests and when I looked at some of the dates they were months past due! I've brought my dog here a few times. There was an older woman at the front desk on some occasions and just found her to be an absolute crank! She seemed as if she didn't want to be there. I also noticed while checking out the 'Doggy Cam' they started rounding the dogs up around 11:15 to take their nap! Nap time is from 12-1:30 (which I personally think is way too long when you're paying $25 a day) But to start putting them in around 11:15 is just ridiculous! Not to mention the staff really doesn't play or interact much with the dogs. They stand around and talk amongst each other. I have also seen other Doggie Day Care businesses that have much more for the dogs to do. The Crate Escape invests in pretty much nothing for these poor dogs. I will definitely be looking elsewhere for a fun place to bring my dog to. read more

You will simply not find a better "doggie day care" facility in the Wallingford area. The level of commitment goes beyond the walls of the business. Chris Ragozzino and her staff are extremely dedicated, as evidenced by their involvement with local outreach programs for pet adoption. Chris is a true communitarian; for example, Crate Escape has an annual Halloween event which is a great chance to get to know other dog owners and patronize the booths of local businesses. Rates are extremely reasonable and we have never been anything less than highly satisfied. The same goes for our friends who are also customers. read more

The owner followed up and invited me back to Crate Escape. Why would I after the previous incident. I told her that I would accept reimbursement for the emergency room visit which she promptly declined. Rating stays at one star. Not that I would have considered bringing her back but I would at least respect them taking responsibility for what happened with my dog while she was under their "care" and "supervision". read more

This place has been a lifesaver!!! I have the pleasure of hosting my parent's dog several times year when they need a babysitter. Unfortunately, as a student, it can be difficult to juggle school and a high energy pup. Thanks to The Crate Escape, I don't have to feel guilty about not getting my "little sister" the attention, dog interaction, and exercise that she needs. Not only does Dolly come home tired and happy, she practically drags me into daycare in the morning! Despite being high energy and very playful, our girl is a rescue and can be a bit timid when meeting men. I was impressed by how patient the staff was with her during introductions. Overall, the facility is always clean and everyone is always so pleasant and willing to work with my schedule. Thanks for taking great care Dolores!!! read more

For the year I was living in Wallingford, Chris and her crew at Crate Escape were a godsend. My dynamic duo Zoey and Harley are extremely high-energy and dare I say, uh-huh, spoiled....they used to chew on everything from my sofa to my shoes and anything in between. After I began bringing them to Crate Escape, they're behavior totally changed. The time they spent running around with their buddies at day care, and playing with the kindhearted staff at Crate Escape completely leveled them out and gave them the socialization they needed. The facility is clean, spacious, and complete with live webcam feed, bathing/grooming, and an outdoor play area. Thank you Crate Escape, Zoey and Harley miss you! read more

Got a recommendation from a friend for boarding my dog here while I'm on vacation...so I started to do some research and look around a bit. After talking to other people that have used this doggy daycare and seeing for myself, I don't think I would EVER bring my dog here, nevermind recommend it to someone. First off, I stopped in to just get some information and possibly get a tour of the facility and I was unpleasantly greeted by a hostile older woman with a sickly condescending attitude. Nothing more off-putting than a witch that shows no interest in expanding a business. When I asked to speak with the owner Chris, I was told that she was "out" and they "didn't know when she would be back." How convenient..didn't even ask to take my number down. While the facility is large in size, the staff doesn't even utilize the entire thing. Rather, they gate off dogs and seem to just whine at each other through the gate. They don't seem excited to play outside, and the employees look bored and like they are just there for a paycheck. Their doggy "webcam" that they have posted on their website does not even show a full range of the entire indoor area, and the parts you DO see are either empty, or they are filled with dogs/employees standing by the fences. After watching for two hours, i never saw any playing happening at all. The employees don't seem very concerned with interacting with the dogs at all. I definitely do not think that I would ever subject my pet to stay here. $25 a day is a bit pricey to just have my dog laying around. She can lay around at home for free! read more

Homer loves it here. Everyone knows him by name and is very friendly to us. We couldn't be happier!

I have brought my dog her a few times for grooming. He is large and hairy and they have always done a great job with him. He isn't a fan of going in but he seems at ease after he is picked up. I can't get him in the bathtub at home so its worth every penny that I pay for the staff to do it. read more

So glad we found the Crate Escape! My dog LOVES it here. She always comes home blissfully tired after her day of play. Keep up the good work! read more

The Crate Escape has been a most enjoyable place to bring our two year Shepherd Ava. Everyone we have dealt with there has been totally professional and kind toward us and Ava. It is peace of mind when we leave her for day care for great care and socialization. K Cook read more