Horrible Customer Service! Provides poor quality care for some of their dogs. Owner and employees disrespectful.

We have had an overall great experience with the dog den. We've been taking our dog there for about a year and a half now. He's a large (~80 lbs) coonhound who is fine around other dogs, but has some anxiety challenges with people. He's also real loud and tends to make lots of noise when he's left alone. He's boarded there a bunch of times, once for over a week. We always include the day care option for him, which is an extra cost but worth it for him to have the outdoor time (they have a fenced area that I believe they use specifically for day care) and socialization with other dogs. This is the only place we've boarded him, but we tried some other day care options in town and have been happiest with the Dog Den. The staff there knows what they're doing with our dog, and it's helped us to feel confident leaving him there. He started off feeling very nervous during drop-off, but now is excited to go and knows exactly what to do. I've seen some negative reviews about experience with staff there. The guy in charge is direct, which sometimes comes off as gruff. I get the impression he likes dogs more than people, and frankly I'm totally fine with that because he knows his stuff around dogs. I've seen him directly correct some staff behavior that made my dog uncomfortable (see anxiety mentioned above), simply by quickly observing his body language and understanding his specific needs. Other places have failed in this where the Dog Den succeeded. That's not to say the other staff there performs poorly, I've always been extremely happy with everyone there (he LOVES Carly- she's amazing and I hereby advocate for her raise). Just that my dog, like many dogs, has some specific needs. We'll continue to recommend the dog den for both day care and boarding, even though it's sort of out of the way for us. In my experience, their staff has shown to be very competent and professional with the animals in their care. read more

I love the Dog Den and so does Ivy! The staff is friendly and they love my Ivy! She gets so excited we get in the car to go to school to see her puppy dog friends and the loving staff! read more

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The dog den gave my husband the wrong dog upon pick up. My husband assumed our dog was groomed and brought him home. When I saw our dog I immediately knew he wasn't ours and called to inquire. They assured me our dog was still there. When we returned the other dog I was told I would receive either a refund or a credit on our account. The following business day I called to speak to the owner to share my experience. When I told him what happened, his first response was not I'm sorry, but "well who told you you'd get a refund." Then he asked, "is that all." When I again reiterated my disappointment in what took place he shifted the blame to my husband for taking the wrong dog. His lack of customer service, accountability, or compassion was frustrating so I then told him I would just take the refund if that's the stance they want to take. He tried to speak over me, interrupting me, and when I wouldn't allow him to interrupt me he just hung up on me. read more

I have a 2 year old pit bull and a 1 and a half year old rottweiler. I cannot tell you how much I love my dogs - they are like my children. I was planning a weekend trip to see my boyfriend down in Southern Illinois and his new complex doesn't allow dogs so I was forced to board them. I've never boarded them, let alone really trust anyone else with them. I looked up place after place but none of them included free roam play and I couldn't stand thinking of my dogs in cages all day, that would be so unfair. Then I came across the dog den. I watched their you tube video tour of their establishment and was immediately impressed. Your dogs are not in cages at ALL except for night time. They are out playing with the other dogs all day, just being dogs. This definitely drew me in. I took the chance and signed them up for 3 days, 2 nights of boarding and when I arrived the Dog Den was extremely clean and Ken was SO welcoming and helpful. I was nervous but once I met Ken I felt more at ease leaving them there. I called them about 5 hours after I dropped them off to see how they were and Ken answered the phone and was super nice, telling me that they were dong great. He then called me at 8am the next morning to give me a status update on the boys which I was THRILLED with and definitely appreciated the gesture so much. I picked them up 2 days later and they were just so happy they almost didn't even care that I was there - they wanted to go back in the "Bark Park" and play some more (sad/happy moment there haha). The woman that brought them out was so sweet and gave them a fantastic report card. I will ALWAYS use their services from now on. Respectful, kind people and a great facility!! read more

The Dog Den - these are the boys after a weekend with Dog Den... SO POOPED!!!! I love it. :) - Pet Sitting Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

The guy that works behind the desk is rude and careless. He has a tendency to make very ill-mannered and impertinent remarks. Regardless of if you're the owner or just another employee, you should be able to treat people with respect. Maybe the guy had a bad day but that doesn't matter when you're the owner of a business. My recommendation for the guy is to treat people with respect and let them talk and wear a smile rather than that dirty scowl. read more

We took our dog to The Dog Den while we were on vacation over Thanksgiving. Not wanting to pick up a dirty dog, we asked at the time of drop-off if he could be bathed and brushed before his scheduled pickup. They added it to the bill and we paid the additional charges. I was very disappointed to discover upon picking him up that the work we requested hadn't been done. While they refunded the extra money I paid for the bath and brushing, the guy processing the paperwork seemed like he couldn't care less that they were sending me home with a filthy dog-he just kept telling me the paperwork wasn't filled out right. He seemed more focused on shifting blame than trying to own up to the mistake or come up with a solution to keep us happy. Getting our money back was fine, but if I would have rather had a clean dog in my car and house. Our dog was happy to see us when we came to get him, but slightly reluctant to leave, which tells me that he enjoyed his stay there. I don't feel like there were any issues with the level of care he received. A simple apology regarding the bath and brushing would have gone a long way toward making this a five-star review, but the indifference to good customer service and the desire to not accept responsibility were completely unacceptable. read more

My miniature schnauzer, Bentley, has had severe separation and isolation anxiety since I brought him home about two years ago. I wasn't able to leave him alone at my apartment or he would bark incessantly for hours on end, and my neighbors began to complain. The Dog Den was the closest dog daycare to me at the time, living on campus at U of I in Champaign. I brought him in for his first visit and he loved it right away. When he knew we were there he'd get all worked up and excited and pull me in strongly through the front door. I sent Bentley to The Dog Den every single day, 6am-6pm and some occasional weekends overnight depending on my schedule. At first this made me sad but I knew he'd be better off socializing with other dogs and getting exercise than waiting impatiently for me to come home. Ken was absolutely amazing with Bentley. He always grabbed him up and over the desk from my arms and let him give him plenty of kisses before putting him down behind the desk to hang out for the rest of the day. Bentley loved going in and Ken always took such great care of him, let me know who he played with, and overall really made me feel comfortable leaving my sweet boy with them. It took me a while to write this review, as I haven't lived in the area since May of last year, but I still often think about The Dog Den and Ken because I really am grateful for how much they helped me and Bentley during my last year on campus! Definitely recommend this place to anyone who needs a consistent daycare or just an occasional break for your dog to blow off some energy. read more

I got my dog Lucie as an adult from a breeder and have always had dog sitters come to my home because I was nervous to leave her in an unfamiliar setting. I heard about The Dog Den and decided to try it out while on vacation to Nashville. Ken and Jaqueline were simply amazing and all paperwork for Lucie's stay was completed electronically. The drop off process went smoothly and I knew she was in good hands. Later that day I was pleasantly surprised to get a picture of my sweet girl hanging out with some new friends. The owners provided periodic updates and were super flexible on the pick up time once I returned to town. They are extremely ethical, honest, and friendly. They go above and beyond what is expected of them. Since this initial trip, Lucie has stayed at The Dog Den during two additional summer vacations and I always make sure to order her the aromatherapy treatment. When I dropped her off the last time she got SO excited to go. Now that the summer is over and I'll be back to work as a teacher, Ken and Jaqueline are emailing me dates that would be good for Lucie to come for daycare based on her interests because they want her to be happy when she is there. The Dog Den is simply the best!!! read more

My dog has really bad separation anxiety, so I cannot leave him alone at home at all, and he is very picky about other dogs, so a regular daycare like the "Doggie Days on the Farm" or "Georgia's K9 Komforts" didn't work well for us. He would come back home with lots of anxiety from those other daycare places. The Dog Den is about as ideal as it gets for him because he gets his own big room to play with his food puzzles without being forced to be with a million other dogs as most other daycare places do. I'm very thankful that they understand he needs his big room all to himself :) I wish they had outdoor space or at least a window, since my boy likes to sunbathe. And I wish they had more staff to care for the little dogs. I'm always nervous when I walk in and don't see anyone at the front desk, especially since it's located in a bad part of town. Christina (the receptionist) is super friendly, but I can tell she has a lot going on sometimes. They need 1 more person at the front desk. read more

The Dog Den - Daycare bag :) - Pet Sitting Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

The Dog Den is very large, allowing plenty of room for dogs to roam, play, and lounge. The space allows for a variety of play groups based on dog size and dog personality compatibility. My dog Jones, is a daycare regular--for the past five years! The Dog Den loves and cares for Jones, and I know he is safe and happy there! read more

We were very excited about the Dog Den because of how they advertise the open interaction with other dogs. This is the first time our Bukowski was going to be apart from us, so we thought the company of the other dogs would keep him busy instead of the anxiety of a crate for several hours a day. It turns out we have some mixed feelings about the place a few days after picking up our dog. While it was very easy to set up an appointment online and get all of our pet's info sent in electronically, there was not much in the way of personal customer service. The guy who runs the place seems ok, but he is not very personable at all. I still don't know his name, as he never introduced himself. He didn't offer to show us the facilities or anything at all. I don't want to judge the place too much on this guy though, maybe he's just not a people person... What bugs us the most about the experience is that when we picked the dog up, we immediately took him outside to relieve himself and he did. It was apparent that he had been waiting for some time for a chance to "go", but we figured that maybe we just caught them between potty breaks. But then he had to go as soon as we got home, and finally he peed in the house about an hour later. This is when we started to question whether our dog was getting the care we expected and paid for. Finally, after a full day of weird behavior (lethargy, constant sleep, constipation) we noticed he was licking at his undercarriage a lot more than usual, so we checked it out. Turned out he was very irritated and had some discharge from his urethra. After a $200 trip the vet, come to find out he has a skin infection and UTI as if he had been holding in his pee. All in all, the place was affordable (not as much after the trip to the vet), but I think you are probably more likely to find a cleaner, more friendly facility elsewhere. read more

I love the dog den. I always take my lab/huskie/german shepard mixed pup here when I have to go out of town for a few days. Ken is great with the dogs. I love that I can go out of town without having to worry about my pup being in a kennel all day. I like that Ken has them out all day so they can play. The only time they're in their kennels is at night. Dropping off and picking up is always a quick and easy process. I've referred this place to many friends because of how highly I respect this dog care place and I will continue to go back. read more

The facility and staff are amazing, but I can't say much for the owner. I don't think he even likes dogs, or people for that matter. Also, I don't think he shares details with his staff about the dogs, like medical conditions or preferences. He's rarely there, and when he is, he doesn't interact with the pets or people. The dogs don't even have any toys to play with. I'm not sure why he even started this business; I guess he saw an opportunity to make some money. I'm never going back. I'm sure I can find somewhere else to board my dog where I know they'll get the care they deserve, where the staff is happy, and turnover is lower. read more

My dog loves to go here. Easy drop off and pick up. Right on my way to work. Website is pretty easy to use.

Our 85-pound puppy (not even 1-year old!) goes once a week to get some energy out during the day. The second we get out of the car, he cannot wait to get inside, which must mean he has a fantastic time playing with the other dogs. Our pup always seems well cared for and happy when he comes home. We've also used their boarding service and have no complaints. It's a good price and he came home happy! They have lots of options for treats and services while boarding too. I would definitely recommend. read more

The staff seemed caring and went out of their way to help us and our boy feel like home on a weekday, but when we returned on a weekend that wasn't the case. Ken, the owner (?), was there and he seemed completely indifferent of our dog's needs, he seemed like he just wanted to get us out of there. We were trying to explain what works and what doesn't for our dog, but he was indifferent. After we left, we tried calling more than 10 times to check up on our pup, and we left a message, but he never called back. In the end, he gave us this whole speech of why he won't be able to host our "girl" again because "she" is too timid and he can't work with "her". Yeah, thanks a lot buddy! You were supposed to "care" for my dog for a weekend and you didn't even know its is a boy! You know what? We wouldn't come back anyway! read more

Our lab-weimaraner pup, Nyx, has been boarded at the Dog Den many times in her first year of life. She loves it and I feel totally secure leaving her there while we travel. When she was a puppy, the team there was careful to evaluate her and put her with the playful small dogs. Now that she's a big girl at 60lbs, she plays with the bigger ones. Nyx is always over-the-top excited when we arrive. No doubt this is because the staff really love the dogs and she's always welcomed by folks (and dog friends!) who are happy to see her. She's never once been sad to see me pack my bags for a trip! read more

The first time I took my dog to this institution, Andi was at the front desk. She was friendly and very helpful, and she also trained our dog! However, since she has recently sought out other job opportunities, Ken is now at the front desk. I had to keep my dog there during the day for several days, and the first time Ken seemed a bit cold but I brushed it off my shoulder. However, ever single time I communicated with him over the phone, email, or in person, he was extremely rude and not helpful. First, he has a very negative attitude and he seems like he doesn't care about quality customer service. The first day our dog stayed for the day, he had to relieve himself immediately on the sidewalk when we picked him up, indicating that he wasn't let out. I'm not sure if they make the dogs relieve themselves inside but it seems like that's the case, therefore making potty trained dogs uncomfortable relieving themselves inside. Second, I had a death in the family and I had gotten the time wrong on my drop off time for my dogs overnight stay. I apparently had scheduled my dog to be dropped off at 11am but I arrived at 11:10am, and they had locked up the place. I called many times but no answer, and no one had even tried to call me around 11 to see if I was still bringing my dog since I was pouring well over $100 for a weekend stay. When I called later I explained that I got the time wrong, my uncle had passed away, I missed my bus, and I walked a mile to get there. No sympathy AT ALL. Then I BEGGED him to please refund the "non-refundable" deposit because I couldn't afford to keep my dog there and I had to take him home. Ken was cold, and rude, and when confronted he said, "I don't know what rude is." After pleading and begging on the phone, he only gave me half of my deposit back (which was better than nothing) and he sent me a CHECK to postpone my refund when they have the capability to charge it to my debit card. I will NEVER take my dog here again and I will look to other dog care services because apparently the owners of the dogs do not matter to the owners. I never got a tour of the facilities and I was constantly treated rudely, and I won't waste another cent on people who don't care about me or customer service in general. read more

I love taking my dog to dog den. He is always so excited to go. I know while he is there he is taken care of by a wonderful staff.

They're amazing! My dog loves it so much and they have great employees who love their job. Anytime I say "day care", he runs to the door and is so excited! They also have a great online booking system which is very convenient. read more

I always feel perfectly comfortable in leaving my dog at Dog Den. He has special needs (meds related to seizures, etc.) and they are so conscientious about his care. They treats each dog with love and attention. Louie can't wait to get in the door and is reluctant to leave. That tells me everything about the care he is receiving. read more

Started bringing our pet to daycare here 2 weeks ago. He was having separation anxiety issues and we felt he needed more exercise and socialization while we are away. Both Ken and Jaqueline have been wonderful to work with. They are patient, relaxed and loving of the animals they are charged with. I was a drop-in and Jaqueline was welcoming and helpful. Check-in is quick and easy as is check-out. His first day, Patches was evaluated for suitability for day care and at the end of the day, I was provided a verbal explanation of how his day went, as well as, a written "report card". The really wonderful part is that your pet is not caged all day. They have large activity rooms where the dogs are sorted by needs and temperament, but then are free to run and play. Patches comes home in the evening happy, tired, and content. The facility is very nice and very clean....no odors. Patches enjoys going there, which tells me he is being cared for by people who are good to him and know how to care for animals. Added bonus: Living in the city, I walk over, but, you can drive over, park on the street right in front, and run in/out with your pet. Another great addition to downtown Champaign! read more

The Dog Den - Patches - Pet Sitting Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Reliable, caring, my dog loves going there daily. Highly recommended Tires her out and she is always eager to go

The Dog Den was great! My husband and I were going to a concert and I needed to find a place to board my dogs for the night. I have a 7 year old Lab-Rottie and a 4 month old Siberian Husky/German Shepard. I drove around all day a few days prior to our trip looking at places to board my dog and I was so disappointed in the conditions of most of the places in my area. The Dog Den was my last stop and I am SO happy I found it!! The facility is very clean and the staff is very caring about the dogs. You can tell that they are dog lovers and want to make sure that the dogs have a great experience while they are there. When I picked them up, I got good feedback on my dog and I found out that they even did a little extra for my little puppy (who is still in the socialization phase) to ensure that meeting other dogs wasn't traumatizing. Knowing that they took the time to help my puppy adjust instead of throwing him in a room and ignoring him meant the world to me! The prices are also extremely reasonable and even though they are a relatively new business - I would definitely recommend them for anyone who needs a place to take their dogs! read more

LOVE the Dog Den. The people working there are extremely friendly and go above and beyond. I was too nervous to use their dog boarding services without checking it out first, so I took advantage of their basic dog grooming package, which included a great nail trim, bath, and blowout. They volunteered to walk my dog, even though we were only paying for the grooming as well. I picked her up 2 hours later and she was a very happy and well groomed pup. I will definitely be using their dog boarding and grooming services in the future. read more

The Dog Den - Pet Sitting Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

This is the best dog day care and boarding place in town. My dogs have been going there for more than 3 years now.

Wheez has been doing daycare and boarding with Ken at the Dog Den since the fall of 2015. She loves going, gets excited when I say, "Do you want to go see Ken?", and best of all, I feel less anxious when I am away knowing that they are taking great care of my little buddy. read more

We took our 10 month old pit mix here for an evaluation day. Before her evaluation day we sent multiple emails to the dog den and shared with them all of our records, including shelter records which clearly state that she was a rescue dog, a puppy, and a pit mix. It seemed to us that we had been very clear about all of these things. When we got there the owner, Ken was at the desk. He was very unenthusiastic to meet our dog and took little interest in her. We explained that she was still potty training and needed to be taken outside, but he said their facility was entirely indoors and they did not take the dogs out (Maybe they shouldn't have included a picture of a dog running around outside in the email they sent us!!!). After taking her from us he asked us questions about her to begin the evaluation. He gave her low scores for being an energetic dog and not having much experience with other dogs (she has only lived in a home for two months so the opportunities for socialization have been limited). He then showed us the card and said critically, "she has a lot of ones". He asked us where we got her (we had already provided this information in emails) and scowled when we responded that she was from the shelter. He then asked for her breed (also stated in the emails) and disapproved when we replied that she was a pit mix. Overall he was very unwelcoming. After the morning experience there we decided to pick her up early, and when we came in he was just as unfriendly. I could see into the front room where some dogs were being kept in a rather small area entirely unsupervised. My mom hinted that we had felt very unwelcome that morning and he responded with "I'm sorry you took it that way". They gave us our dog and we left. He decided not to go over any of the results of her evaluation with us. We will be looking into other options. Ken seems very apathetic about the care of the dogs. We understand that different facilities are for different types of dog, and that a "good fit" is vital to successful dog interaction. But we read their posted web information very carefully, which gave no indication that our dog wouldn't meet their profile. Nor did they reply to our emailed information to give us any sense that they had any causes for concern. The information on the website seems unclear and misleading, and there was no effort to communicate with us to provide more accurate information. read more

Love supporting local businesses and especially enjoy supporting the Dog Den. My dog Oskee has been boarded with Ken at the Dog Den numerous times. Oskee gets so excited when we get out of the car & he realizes where we are going. Ken is great with Oskee and he has a wonderful facility for the dogs to socialize and play together while their owners are away. I couldn't imagine using any other boarding service than the Dog Den at this point, and I would highly recommend Ken's business to any dog owner read more

I was so excited about this place when I first began using their services, my dog was always so excited to go but lately my experience has been not great. The woman who worked there before, Jackie, was wonderful, and my dog loved her, but lately I've only dealt with this one man (name I'm not sure of) who is not friendly and a bit rude. The last two times I have gone there to pick up my dog, she was ready to leave and wouldn't go near the man. When I got them home, she peed and pooped like she hadn't been let out all day...I'm so bummed because I trusted that my dog was being cared for, but if that isn't the case, what's the point of paying someone that much money to ignore them and not let them out?? Not happy. read more

Took my dog here when I visited family in Illinois. Will not take him there again. Ken was unfriendly when I dropped off my dog and extremely rude when I picked him up the next day. I spent around $100 there between boarding and grooming and a little common courtesy goes a long way! read more

My dog, Wiggles, loves The Dog Den and so do I! As a vet student at U of I, I have been back home to the Chicago-area for externships and Wiggles has experienced three different dog day cares up there, none of which come close to the cleanliness, professionalism and reliability of The Dog Den. Ken runs a very thoughtful business where the dogs are clearly his number one concern, and it's evident in their easy-to-use online scheduling for daycare. Another daycare I took her to in the Chicago suburbs just let me drop her off whenever, and she would come back with minor wounds almost each time; at the Dog Den, she has never been injured and even scratched up, which shows me they have an adequate number of people supervising the play and ensuring each dog is safe. My other high compliment is how good she smells when I pick her up. At other daycares, I've brought her home and had to wipe her down or bathe her because she smelled like urine. I know accidents happen (I work with dogs and cats on a daily basis), and yet Wiggles and The Dog Den itself always smells fresh, and both of these just prove to me how clean they keep the place. I've worked in many animal facilities, and it's hard to constantly keep up with the mess! The hours of 6 AM-6:30 PM are very accommodating with my ever-changing schedule, and Ken has been understanding when I've needed a roommate to pick her up at times because I'm not out of clinics yet. The best part is while I'm working hard at school, I don't have to worry about my baby girl because I know she's having a great time and is in excellent hands. She comes home and sleeps while I have to study each night, and a tired dog is a happy dog. One thing is for sure: we'll miss the Dog Den when I graduate next May and move back up to Chicago! read more