I've been taking my dog to The Grateful Dog for the last 3 or so years and I can't say enough good things about them! The staff is incredibly attentive, friendly, and genuinely cares about every dog that walks through the door. It gives me such peace of mind knowing they treat my dog like family and go above and beyond to make sure she's happy, safe, and loved! read more

Our experience with Grateful Dog on Thursday, November 6th was deeply troubling and ultimately unacceptable. This was our dog Indio's first visit. When we picked him up around 5 p.m., he had a severe laceration on his lower eyelid and was visibly shaken. A young staff member admitted he was in another room at the time and that no one was supervising the dogs when the injury occurred--despite Grateful Dog's website explicitly promising "supervised play, indoor and outdoor." It was clear this employee was not trained to handle incidents of any kind. He also told us he had been instructed over the phone by his boss, Ernie, to clean the wound and apply ointment without notifying us. Ernie made a judgment call based on a dark photo instead of contacting us. As a result, our dog was left with an open, untreated wound for the rest of the day with no communication whatsoever. We took Indio straight to the emergency hospital, where he required full sedation and several hours of treatment. He remained there for nearly six hours. Both the ER team and our primary vet agreed that the lack of supervision, failure to notify us, and the attempt to treat a significant injury without consent were irresponsible. Indio is now on multiple medications, wearing a cone for weeks, and his emergency care totaled $1,295.26. When we later spoke with Ernie, his attitude was shockingly dismissive. His exact words were: "I've been doing this for 30 years -- didn't seem like a big deal." No responsible professional minimizes an injury requiring emergency sedation as "not a big deal." We then emailed a detailed summary with photos and documentation. After that, Grateful Dog completely ghosted us. No response, no acknowledgment, no concern. Accidents happen. But zero supervision, untrained staff, unauthorized medical treatment, a manager who downplays the injury, and complete silence afterward are not accidents -- they are serious failures in judgment and care. If you're considering this facility, ask very direct questions about who is actually supervising your dog and what their real protocols are. Our experience suggests there is a significant gap between what's advertised and what actually happens. read more

The Grateful Dog - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm surprised to see as many people bring their dog here. But to start, the staff is friendly and I didn't have any issues with their service. However, as any responsible dog owner, you need to understand there are correct ways to do something. And that you can't just dump your dog off in a mob of other dogs in a cramped space. The temperament test was really odd. Basically they have your dog in the lobby. Then they choose a random dog to come up and say hello. There isn't any waiting or reading body language. It's like if you threw 2 kids together and said "now play!" . I've taken my dog to 2 other daycare in different cities when I was commuting so I'm very familiar with HIS behavior and other processes. But during that interaction he was very scared and kept trying to get away from the other dog that seemed pretty aggressive. 2nd. There's too many dogs in that tiny area. They try to divide them by size which is great. But there just isn't enough of an area for that many dogs of that size. It's too crowded. My dog came back with a cut on his nose and I wasn't surprised. And to top it off there aren't enough handlers to keep an eye on them. Every time I entered it was constant barking from most of the dogs, something I didn't experience at the other daycares I've been to. They just seemed really stressed out poor little guys. And lastly, just overall it seems like no one there is properly equipped with real dog body language analysis. At my pup's last daycare they would know by name who he got along with, who he was awkward with, and who to keep an eye out for during play time. They'd give him time to chill and have alone time so he could decompress. Not sure what they do here, they don't really tell you anything about their process. But everyone is free to make their own judgement. That was mine. read more

This place is a sestpit the dogs urinate and defecate right there on the floor amongst all the dogs running around and playing there is no real sanitation system unless you think a dirty mop thats been mopping up feces and urine all day is sanitary I am sure this business makes enough money to implement a system like a fake grass area with plumbing to rinse down and out all the body fluids. If you dont mind your dog walking around in urine amd poop then this is your place I can only imagine what it looks like in the back and to think the employees have to sleep in there yuk!!! read more

My dog, Beau, goes to a daycare in Boston where we live and he is always a little shy or nervous. We visit SF often and recently enrolled Beau at Grateful Dog and he can't get enough! He loves the staff, especially Edgar - he will literally run to Edgar. Beau is always so excited now when we drop him off at daycare. I can't thank Kate enough for sending us regular updates and making us feel at ease with our normally shy pup. Edgar, Kate and the Grateful Dog team are awesome and love Beau like their own! This is such a great and caring place. read more

The Grateful Dog - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

Today was our 15 week old mini Dachshund Odie's first day of daycare. After reading some negative reviews and being the helicopter dog mom I am, I was nervous as Odie is a puppy and much smaller than all of the dogs at daycare. After a restless nights sleep worrying about my Boy and contemplating just leaving him at home in his pen, I called The Grateful Dog at 6:50am (they open at 7am....I am the worst) to make my 2nd to final decision. Edgar answered the phone and answered all of my questions. He calmed my nerves and promised he would keep a close eye on the little sausage. I dragged my fiancé to come drop Odie off and feel out the location, staff, etc. Edgar greeted us with a huge smile and said "is this Odie!?" We toured the facility, met the owner and met all the other pups. He calmed my nerves and made sure I knew that he is going to take care of my little baby. Now, I am aware there are always dangers in a setting with multiple dog sizes and temperaments, but knowing there are caring and kind staff like Edgar there to monitor and manage, is all I can ask for. Edgar sent me videos during the day and I was so happy knowing while I am at work, Odie is being taken care of and being socialized instead of sitting at home in a pen, bored and alone. Thank you the Grateful Dog and thank you Edgar! read more

My golden retriever, Nala, is absolutely obsessed with The Grateful Dog. Every time we arrive in the morning, her tail wags, her eyes beam, and she sprints to the door, knowing what an exciting day she has in store. The staff at TGD have been amazing - they're attentive, kind, caring, and really work to make daycare a safe and fun space for the dogs to play and have a home away from home. Grace and Edgar always greet Nala with a smile and are VERY patient as I attempt to take her harness off (she gets so excited that she tries to break free as quickly as possible!) I appreciate how kind the staff is - they treat Nala like one of their own. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Kate who sends updates and videos through out the day of Nala playing with her friends and learning new social cues. I love seeing how happy my pup is during the day and cannot recommend TGD enough!!! read more

The Grateful Dog - Nala and her furrrever friends at TGD - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

AVOID AVOID! I've been using this business on and off for over a year now spending thousands of dollars, not because it's a well run business but because its close by and convenient. In fact, I always had a bad feeling based on the staff and responsiveness of the owner (He's never there). Place is run by teenagers mostly. I will never give them my business again moving forward. I picked up my dog from daycare on 02/03/2020 and saw he had a facial injury (see picture with teeth puncture mark). It looks like another dog bit him in the face. When i brought it up with the owner, he basically said no one even noticed or documented any incidents. That just tells me no one really watches the dogs. How do you not see a bloody face? I have to imagine my 1 yr old very friendly goldendoodle must of screamed like hell with an injury like that. When i told the owner Ernie and asked for vet bill reimbursements, I was basically ignored. Ernie said he has to investigate. I never heard back. What exactly does investigation consist of? Nothing...... Beware. They will take your money but not own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for their negligent care. Just a terrible business with horrible management. I will spread the word to all the dog owners in the area not to use this place. Depending on the level of vet care needed, I will file a complaint with the BBB and go to small claims court. Judge Judy Time! read more

The Grateful Dog - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

We started using The Grateful Dog only 2 weeks ago and they have been great! Our pup is new to doggie daycare (and so are we as parents), and the team has been great! They know we are adjusting and have been texting us updates about our dog during the day, which has tremendously helped us feel more comfortable ! Thank you from our family and Zulu! read more

We recently boarded our dog here for 4 nights. We've been coming here for 2 years and have spent a couple thousand dollars boarding her over this time. We will not be going back here again. Upon picking her up, we found fleas on her back/bum area. She wouldn't stop licking her back area and was in obvious discomfort. We called TGD and let them know, they told us they were sorry and that they weren't aware of any flea issues currently. That's it. We had to go to the vet, pick up an expensive emergency flea solution, quarantine my dog in one room of the house, continually bath and brush her and spray the house with flea solution for several days. We still have some fleas in the house. The staff has always been kind to us and our dog (which is why I'm giving 2 stars as opposed to 1). But you'd imagine the company would attempt to refund us for the 4 nights of stay or the vet cost. They did submit a refund for $60, which barely covers a single night. @Management - if your customer's are trusting you to watch their dogs and those dogs get fleas at your establishment - do more / do something. The staff called the owner and the owner said the max they would give is a refund of $60. We won't be going back here to board our dog. *** EDIT (after Manager's response): Dakota's been on a monthly tick and heart guard regimen for several years and she has no interaction with other dogs. There's zero doubt in my mind that she picked the fleas up at The Grateful Dog (the only place she interacts with another animal). Maybe you should update your policies so you don't allow dogs with fleas to negatively impact the health of other dogs at the facility? This should be an obvious moral obligation that you have to your customers and their pets if you're in this industry. Furthermore, if you "did" care - you would have called us, instead of reply to our review on Yelp. It's apparent that you're simply more interested in managing your public perception than the well-being of your customers. *** read more

Started taking our pup here at 4.5 months. Although we socialize him quite often, he was still very nervous with us leaving him at daycare. However, thanks to Gloria and the rest of the team, our pup has now developed a comfort and love for the grateful dog! Gloria was so kind to keep us updated on his progress during the day and even send us pictures! Thank you Gloria and team! We really appreciate you! read more

I am a grateful human to have the Grateful Dog in my neighborhood! They take such wonderful care of my dog that I always feel a sense of relief when I drop her off. Brendan truly goes above and beyond to take care of my dog - he's noticed when she's been sick, he will call to confirm her feeding times and communicates with me often when things come up. It really feels like he cares for my dog like she's his own and I am so appreciative. He is an awesome member of the team! read more

My Golden Retriever, Leo, has been going to The Grateful Dog since he was 6 months old (he's now 4!) and they have been nothing but amazing! Every morning I tell him he's going to "daycare" he gets so excited and once we turn the corner to pull up he drags me to their red front door and sprints in trying to knock the gate down to go say "hi" (and cry with excitement) to Grace or Edgar who are always there to greet the big guy first thing in the mornings. The rest of the staff is amazing too and I know he is in great hands - so a big thank you to Karina and Cammy for taking care of my boy! And Evan and Gloria who are always so friendly when I go to pick him up at the end of the day. I know watching a bunch of crazy pups is hard work and we all so appreciate it!! A HUGE THANK YOU to Kate, who always sends the best pics and updates during the day - it seriously makes my day knowing he's having fun and making friends (and being a total pushover to any of the new puppies). I am so 'grateful' that we have The Grateful Dog and that I can always count on having a tired happy dog at the end of the day! read more

The Grateful Dog - Pet Training Near Me - San Francisco, California

Staff is nice but our dog always comes back reeks of urine and they will not let you tour the facility. We would at least like to see where are dog plays the types of dogs he's playing with an whether or not he has access to water ect. read more

I am very disappointed by this doggie day care because of my experiences with their employee Everett. When I first brought my 5 month old puppy (Naomi) into this business to have her temperament test, Everett forgot about our appointment and did not show up. I had to reschedule and come back another time. During our second visit, Everett started introducing dogs to Naomi without even asking me if she had been fully vaccinated. He agreed he was extremely unprofessional and unsafe by doing so. Despite those interactions, my boyfriend and I decided to give The Grateful Dog a chance because of the great reviews. After Naomi's first day, I asked Everett how she did. I didn't get a response because he was too busy. Today we took Naomi to The Grateful Dog for the last time. I got a call while at work asking if Naomi was going to be boarded for the night because it was past 7pm. This being said, when you drop your dog off you check on their computer whether or not the dog will be boarded. There was no indication by us that she would be. Then he asked me if he should feed her dinner. Naomi has been struggling with her food schedule and frequent diarrhea, so her feeding times and what she eats is really important right now. When dropping her off, we told the woman working in the morning what to feed her and to please feed her at 5:30pm. We also indicated this on the computer under "comments". Nonetheless, Everett didn't feed Naomi until 7:15pm. I expressed my frustration upon picking up our pup and Everett said that he erased the board sooner than he was supposed to and didn't see her information. After making many excuses, he apologized and followed with "it is $15 more to pick up your dog late." After these encounters with Everett, we will not take Naomi back to The Grateful Dog. He was unprofessional, disrespectful, and cannot be trusted handling our puppy. I wish we got to have experiences with any of the other handlers because they have such glowing reviews. read more

I have been using The Grateful Dog for the past four years for playcare and have always been impressed with their service. I have used them to care for my past and current dog. My past dog, Rusty, was a senior and very mellow, and I always appreciated that they made sure he had a quiet space to nap when needed and paid close attention to him. (His harness would get removed staff noticed he was warm and I was called several times asking if I wanted his nails cut.) My current dog is younger (we think...adopted mystery pup) and has a lot more energy, but again his needs always seem to be met and he is happy when I get him at the end of the day. My dogs also tend to go to Grateful Dog sporadically, since they normally go to work with my husband and I have summers off, but still, most of the staff recognize my dog by name when they do come. read more

As recent transplants to the area who recently rescued a puppy, my wife and I are so thankful to have found The Grateful Dog. "Playcare" provided a safe and professional environment to introduce him to other dogs and the check-in/out process is as simple as you would hope. Can't leave this review without plugging one of the handlers who also trains our pup on the side - BRENDAN! Reasonably priced and so very worth the value, Brendan was instrumental in helping our pup learn how to walk, he helped us with the layout of our living space, and will work with him when he's at Playcare! If you're on the hunt for a trainer, look no further. read more

My husband and I had a dog for 17 years that we sent to a few different doggy daycare facilities until settling on an outstanding one in the Bayview neighborhood. It made a lot of sense at the time because we were commuting to the Peninsula...and even when we weren't any longer, we kept taking him there because it was that great. When you find a place that feels like home for your dog, you are willing to go out of your way for him to be there (especially as he got older). So when we adopted our new puppy, Cady, and considered where we would take her to daycare, we were torn. The previous daycare was like family - but a 40-minute drive one-way across the city made no sense. And after much research, we landed at The Grateful Dog, a mere 4 blocks from my place of work. What a happy decision it has been! On Cady's first day, the clearly dog-loving staff emailed an update on how she was doing, along with photos. In addition, they have an Instagram with daily photos and (my favorite) a video montage of the day's events. The facility is clean and spacious, with an outdoor area as well. Additionally, the dogs head out for a playful walk during the day, safely on-leash. Totally unrelated and off-site, our puppy was attacked by a vicious and uncontrolled dog, which led to her hospitalization and surgery. When I reached out to let the staff at The Grateful Dog know that we'd be out for a while, Ernie (manager) responded within minutes, and exchanged a few emails with me that were kind, reassuring and supportive. When she returned for her first day back after the incident last week, the staff emailed me with an update (and photos) on how she was doing. Ernie has continued to be supportive throughout this unfortunate process, and we have only been part of the community for a month! Huge thumbs up for the kind folks at The Grateful Dog. Thank you for taking such great care of Cady! read more

We highly recommend The Grateful Dog - Our golden retriever has been going here for years and he never wants to come home. Everyone there knows him by heart, knows his little quirks, and gives him so much love. Whether it's during the work day or away for a weekend trip, we always count on The Grateful Dog for our pup. It is very nice knowing that he is in good hands while we are gone. I truly don't know what we would do without them! read more

The Grateful Dog has become a huge staple in my life. I was looking for a place to take my new rescue pup, Ollie, to board when I was out of town. The Grateful Dog caught my attention because they are cage free! I knew he would love to run around and play. I was worried about this at first, but the center does a thorough check on each dog to make sure that all pups are happy, friendly, and comfortable. I absolutely trust them. After Ollie's first boarding experience, I couldn't believe how tired he was when he got home! I decided to take him back for their play care option, and once we were three blocks away he started pulling and barking with excitement. He clearly loves to be there. The best part of The Grateful Dog may be one of their managers, Brenden. He has been working with Ollie and I on Ollie's basic training and he is so knowledgeable about all things dog. He was full of information from best dog food brands, to grooming tips, and even informed me my pup was closer to 3-4 than 1 like we thought when we adopted him. He has clearly dedicated his life to dogs, learned so much along the way, and he knows how to interact with them well. Brenden keeps an eye on Ollie while I am gone and even is able to reinforce his training. I can see a real difference when I pick him up at the end of a boarding week. The Grateful Dog, and their staff, are excellent. They truly leave your dog in a better place than when you dropped them off in terms of energy, obedience and overall happiness. I plan on remaining a loyal customer. read more

(I know it's trite, but I'm desperately wishing for a 10 star option as I write this review.) "Your dogwalker is awesome." I hear this over my shoulder as I'm trying to unlock my apartment door with an armful of groceries and my gym bag at 9:30ish on a Tuesday night. When I turn to see who's stalking me, I find Megaphone Man, my very nice downstairs neighbor. "Dude, I took my dog to Funston today and your dog was there with this guy and 3 or 4 other dogs. She was having a blast. That guy threw the tennis ball for your dog for almost AN HOUR! How much does he charge? Do you have to have him come five days a week or can it be less?" Normally, I'm kind of cranky at this point in my day, ESPECIALLY when I'm having trouble with the door and trying to not drop all the crap I'm carrying, but instead I put the grocery bags and workout gear down and gave Megaphone Man a huge hug. I love my dog but I also love San Francisco. We'd moved to SF from Seattle about two months prior and while I was loving it, my adolescent dog at first struggled to adjust to a life without immediate access to a yard and being confined in a small apartment. I was working long hours at a consulting firm and worried about her sitting inside all day. We were both a little stressed out until I decided to hire a dogwalker. There's A LOT of trust involved when you hire a dogwalker. This person comes into your house daily, takes your dog out to a park to run around off leash (you hope) and then returns them later in the day, happy and tuckered out (again, you HOPE). Up until the comments from Megaphone Man, I'd been trusting Joe Hague of the Grateful Dog based solely on the fact that Baboo seemed content and MUCH happier than she had previously. Megaphone Man confirmed what I'd been assuming - Joe was doing EXACTLY what he'd promised when he came over for his initial interview. Baboo was getting supervised outside exercise and play with a reasonable number of other dogs. Yay! This however, would only warrant 4 stars because that's just Joe doing what I hired him to do. Joe does so much more: = When he goes on vacation, he always coordinates a substitute and confirms that the sub is someone with whom I'm comfortable. = He always has excellent referrals for people to care for Baboo while I'm out of town. Baboo and I don't do kennels and neither does Joe or his dog. When I'm out of town, Baboo stays in the home of the same woman who cares for Joe's dog when he's out of town. She goes to the park THREE TIMES A DAY. Talk about alleviating the guilt of leaving your dog behind! = He's certified as an animal behaviorist (and is accepting new clients currently). This is the man who taught my dog to "stay" (and me how to get her to "stay"), helped me train her to stop jumping up on people and is helping her get over a dog attack that has left her fearful and aggressive towards little white fuzzy dogs - all of this as part of her daily walks = He's a VERY ACTIVE advocate for preserving off-leash space in San Francisco. Go to any rally, any committee meeting, any Board of Supervisors presentation, any GGNRA meeting about off-leash space and Joe will be there, speaking for those of us who often can't get away from our office jobs. He also organizes fundraisers to help support the preservation of off-leash areas = When Baboo manages to roll in something disgusting while she's out with Joe (she's VERY fond of dead, rotting sea lion - the stinkier the better - and cat barf) he washes her BEFORE returning her to my apartment. No dead, rotting sea lion stank in my apartment! = At his annual Holiday party he has a bin for dog toy donations that he then delivers to Animal Care and Control for all those poor dogs without a home = If I leave the windows open, the oven on, the iron on, etc. Joe will notice and either call to confirm that that was my intention (windows) or take care of it (oven & iron) = If he has questions or concerns about Baboo, he calls. Did I notice that she's limping? She's really itchy, did I change her diet? She seemed really tired today, did she get a lot of exercise over the weekend? His concern for her wellbeing really makes me feel secure. = He adopts shelter dogs and loves them like they are the moon, the stars and the air we breathe. Actually, Joe loves ALL dogs this way For those reasons, and probably dozens more I've forgotten, Joe Hague has been walking my dog for almost NINE YEARS. Not only is my dog grateful, but so am I! read more

To sum up why I am giving The Grateful Dog 1 star in a sentence, our puppy, Biscuit, was killed while under their care. If there were zero stars, or negative stars or blacklists, that is where I'd place The Grateful Dog. The purpose of this organization is, essentially, to keep your dog alive while he or she is under their care and they failed at this. Biscuit was to be with them from Friday to Sunday, my wife called every day while out of town to check on her because she was worried about having her stay at a larger boarding facility rather than in someone's home. Despite telling her they would send pictures throughout Biscuit's stay, they never did. When she called, they would simply say, "She's ok. She's not really eating, but she seems fine." We had a bad feeling about the place all along, but once we were out of the state there wasn't much we could do about it other than calling regularly. On Sunday they called and told us that Biscuit had gotten away from the staff member who was walking her and other dogs near Lombard Street, she was hit by a car and did not make it. If you have a pet, then you can imagine how horrific it was to receive this call as I was on my way to pick up our 6 month old puppy we thought would be in our family for the next 10+ years. How someone could walk a nervous puppy near Lombard Street and not have a lock-tight grip on her leash is beyond me. I'm told the person who was walking her was placed on suspension. Since the accident we've been dealing with the company's insurance who has told us we will be compensated based solely on the "worth" of our puppy's breed. Given that she was a terrier mix rescue, it's doubtful that The Grateful Dog will be affected much in any way. The money they give to us is really beside the point, I would simply encourage people to board their dogs with in-home boarders who are well-trained and diligent in their care. read more

Thank you Grateful Dog for being able to take my pup for the weekend. I was in a bind and being new to the city...I didn't know where to leave my pride and joy. Then a co worker told me about them and the rest is history. Super friendly staff from the first phone conversation I had with them. I love, love, love that they are crate free, as well as offer an outdoor area (even if it's small). Most places in the city have none. Bonus - they offer a discount if your pup is a rescue. Well done, Grateful Dog...well done! Overall...I highly recommend The Grateful Dog for anyone looking for a fantastic doggy getaway for their pup. read more

We started taking our dog Murphy to the Grateful Dog a little over 2.5 months ago and we could not be happier. Murph is a six-year old Rott/German Shep mix and I was really nervous about taking him to daycare since his separation anxiety seems to be getting worse the older he gets. We had a dog walker we loved for years but we were having trouble with her getting Murphy in and out of our house as he would freak out every time she tried. It was a stressful situation for all. We decided to try daycare to see if it would help and chose the Grateful Dog for it's proximity to our house and a referral from a friend. The first time we went in, Ernie was so nice and calm with Murphy. After spending a few minutes together he seemed optimistic that Murphy would fit in which was such an exciting relief. We started with a few half days to get him accustomed to the environment then moved to full days. The first few times we went Murph was reluctant but now he basically rips our arms off to get inside. He seems to love the staff and comes home tired and happy every time without fail. We even have been boarding him (which we previously only did with friends and family). It's so great to know he is in such good hands and being well taken care of. Not to mention, the flexibility the staff of the Grateful Dog offers is unparalleled to any other place. They are so accommodating when we are running late from work or life happens. We had him boarded this weekend and planned to pick him up on Sunday night around 7:30pm. When we landed we got stuck on our plane for over an hour and getting through customs was a hassle. I called and asked if they could keep him for the night and next day and it was no problem! We are SO lucky to have found the Grateful Dog and we will continue to take Murph there for as long as we live in the area. I would highly recommend it to anyone. read more

The Grateful Dog's entrance is a small door on Lombard, but walk in and you'll find a surprisingly large facility and gracious hosts. While weekend playcare is by-appointment-only, they took my precious pup, Moxie, on a recent Sunday afternoon even though I made a last-minute appointment the Saturday prior (and for that I was very grateful!). Mox enjoyed playing with other pups his size, snoozing on the comfy couch the center has in its main play room, and frolicking on the faux grass in The Grateful Dog's very cute backyard (my favorite part of the facility). We liked everyone we met and will definitely be back. I was also pleased to read in their brochure that a portion of the center's profits will go to animal shelters and rescues based in the Bay Area. read more

:) I'll admit it I started looking for a doggy daycare at the last minute. I did not realize how much of a pain in the ass weekend dog care was to find. Well.....Sharon and staff at the Grateful Dog came to my rescue. Completely went out of her way to accommodate my pups. I was a bit nervous leaving my babies all day. They are amazing reassured me that they will be ok and gave me the OK to call in and check on them (I did not, I'm not THAT neurotic). My dogs loved it there and were exhausted slept like babies....errr puppies...wait puppies sleep horribly, you know what I'm trying to say...they slept soundly. Dreaming sweet doggie dreams about their new favorite place, Grateful Dog! Thanks to all the lovely people at The Grateful Dog, I'm extremely grateful and will be back...a lot! read more

This is an extremely late review as I just now realized I wrote up a draft a year and half ago and never got around to finishing it! I am now deleting my long-winded review in favor of just the important stuff. 1. The staff is great. Always friendly, helpful, and as accommodating as they can be to work with your schedule. Once I landed in SFO an hour after closing and they were willing to let me swing by anyway and pick up my babies from boarding. 2. My two Yorkies always seem happy when I drop them off and when I pick them up. While my dogs do love everyone they see, they are not so happy-go-lucky as to be indifferent about who watches them when I have to travel. I've boarded them in more than a couple places where it's obvious they're ready to get the heck outta there and this isn't one of those places. I'm guessing having someone there overnight helps alot. 3. They take the dogs out on scheduled walks rather than letting them just roam around the facility for however many days you leave them there. Being crate-free, although not unique in SF, is also a huge plus. So why only 4 stars? I'm not sure if I just caught them at a confusing period of time or what but they unexpectedly changed boarding prices on me twice (in a span of 7 weeks) without warning. When I first used them in Aug 2011, they quoted me $70/night for my 2 dogs together. Coming from Atlanta where boarding my 2 dogs (with a combined weight of 13lbs) only cost me $50/night, I thought this was a bit pricy but worth it considering the extra hours of care overnight. When I boarded them again 3 weeks later, I assumed it was the same pricing only to be billed $80/night when I went to pick them up. Changes in pricing are fine, I would just like to be notified when I drop them off or call to make a reservation so I can evaluate other options if need be. 4 weeks after that, I boarded them again and was then charged $85/night. I have since moved to Michigan but I used them a few more times before I left and was charged somewhere between $75-$85/night each time. While I would recommend them, and I'm sure they've worked out the pricing kinks, I wish I would have had a smoother experience with them overall. If, or rather when, I move back to the Bay Area though, I wouldn't hesitate to take my dogs there again. read more

Love Sharon and everyone who works at the Grateful Dog. My pup, Bernie, is a rescue, new to the city, and skittish. I always get a report on how he played with the other dogs, especially the big dogs that he's really wary of. We take Bernie here 1-2 times a week to socialize with other dogs and reinforce training. We've also boarded him here and had no issues. He's tired and happy every time I've picked him up. Sharon is fantastic about training tips and even puts together the Yorkie & Friends meetup. The people here really get to know you, your dog, and are just the nicest people. Oh, and if you have a rescue/shelter dog, you get a discount. You won't regret bringing your little (or big) companions here! read more

The Grateful Dog is our NEW FAVORITE place to take our girl Bailey when we are traveling. It is conveniently located on Lombard and Laguna & they are amazingly accommodating when it comes to scheduling! My fiance and I had a very early morning flight...6:30 am and needed to drop our yellow lab Bailey off...unusually early; Sharon (the manager) was up and ready for Bailey to be dropped off at 4:15 AM!!!! Unbelievable. Now that is good customer service :). The moral of the story is...not only were we unbelievably happy to have found a doggy play-care spot close by and open on the weekend's, but Bailey was one happy dog when we picked her up. Bailey has been a couple times now and prances right on through the door with a smile on her face. Oh and I almost forgot to mention- shelter dogs receive 10% off! Which is another plus! We highly recommend The Grateful Dog and hope you will give it a try too! You will not be disappointed. read more

To put it quite frankly: our dog likes being at The Grateful Dog more than she does being at home. Honestly though, she loves it there. Within seconds of walking through the door she is scrambling to get over the fence to the doggy play area. Believe me when I say she usually disdains the mere presence of other dogs. For some reason she decides to be social when she's at TGD. We've used TGD both as a day care option and an overnight option. They've been great at both. They are very flexible and can really help out in a pinch (e.g. I was heading out of town and dropped the dog off during the day. My fiance forgot he was on duty to pick her up. He showed up half an hour after closing time and they were awesome about it.) The dogs have a lot of space to roam around, get heaps of attention, and come back to you well exercised and with much doggy happiness about their little persons. I wholly recommend The Grateful Dog. read more

How I love The Grateful Dog. Let me count the ways!!! Firstly it takes a special person who can put up with my Cookie. While at home she is quiet and independent, when she's not with me she gets needy and yappy(oh so yappy). Groomers have turned her away because they can't deal. Not Sharon and her staff. They accept Cookie for the crazy needy ball of fur she is and even try to teach me ways to control it. The hours are also really great for a working person and if I get stuck in a meeting or need extra care Sharon is great about helping out as long as I let her know in advance. read more

I rarely leave Yelp reviews, but this place deserves it! I rescued a nervous, shy, and scared 3 year old border collie and TGD has helped Duke do a complete 180. We had tried a different daycare before and it only made Duke more shy. Now, with TGD, Duke practically pulls me to the front door with excitement - when I first started taking him he would whine and cry. The staff is also super friendly, and you can tell they are all genuine dog lovers. Thanks for taking such good care of Duke! read more

Our big rhodesian ridgeback LOVES this place! She drags us there every time. They take great care of her and is excited whenever she goes there. I really like how they mix big and small dogs bc our pup has learned how to play with smaller dogs. Highly recommend! read more

For more than ten years we have trusted Joe with Willie. Day in and day out, good weather or bad...Joe is there and we know that Willie is safe. Our work schedules and work travel make it such that it's really hard to be sure that Willie gets the exercise that he needs. We have never had to worry about that with Joe. And, now, with Willie getting older and at times a bit frail, we're particulalry concerned about his health. I spoke to Joe about it one day and pointed out that Willie was having difficulty getting up stairs, etc., and Joe said that he had been parking his truck near a little mound of dirt so that it would be easier for Willie to get in and out of the truck. It all comes down to the fact that Joe is a super person, extremely knowledgeable about dogs, and a guy that really cares about his clients--both canine and human. read more

I boarded my Jack Russell Terrier, named Rio, with The Grateful Dog and was very pleased with my experience! The staff were all very knowledgeable and sweet. Sharon took special care of Rio. I told her how he likes to comfort himself by walking slowly under hanging things like curtains, so it lightly touches his back and she did the Tellington Touch massage method on him to make him feel at home! I love that they only crate the overnight dogs upon request. It's not easy to find a boarding facility that allows your dog to sleep with the handlers at night! Rio seemed to really enjoy his time which makes it much easier for me to travel again in the future. I am grateful for The Grateful Dog! read more

I just want to update my review for The Grateful Dog. I can only say even BETTER things than last time I reviewed. This summer, I hurt my leg and couldn't walk for two weeks. I had no idea what to do because I could not walk my dog myself, but I also could barely leave my apartment to get him to and from daycare. Sharon and her co-workers were amazing and would drop Raja off to my place on the days that I couldn't walk to get him. They did everything possible to try to be helpful to me during my injury. Raja has had even more energy than he usually does because I still can't exercise him on my own and they have been so patient with him and worked hard to get the extra energy burned off for him. I've never encountered or heard of a better dog day care! They care about the pups, and their owners, so much. Take your dog to The Grateful Dog! read more

I've brought my dog Tater to the Grateful Dog a few times, and Sharon (the owner) is absolutely wonderful. She is very sweet and extremely experienced with dogs. The best part is, she takes a genuine interest in the dogs that come to the Grateful Dog and really goes out of her way to accommodate their needs. Sharon is also very communicative and responds to any emails or calls right away. I also love how she takes pictures of Tater while he is under her care and emails them to me; it's great to see him having such a great time with other dogs! I hope that she will get a web cam set up at some point for the daycare so that crazy dog owners like myself can watch their canine friends all day long. :) Thank you so much for everything, Sharon! Tater and I will be back! read more

I love this facility, but more importantly my dog does. My dog drags me in the door when we are walking down Lombard even after she was boarded here for a week and bathed multiple times. That is love. I have nothing but praise for and trust in Sharon and the staff. Everyone is so nice and helpful and honestly cares about the dogs. I am so happy I found Grateful dog! read more

We have been boarding our lab, Roxie, at The Grateful Dog for over 6 years and have been so pleased. They are extremely responsive via email and phone, can always find room for Roxie for overnight or daytime care, and give her so much love when she does stay there. Whenever we do drop her off, she is excited and goes right up the stairs to greet the other dogs. And when we pick her up, she is exhausted from all of the fun. The best part, the dogs sleep openly (no crates) which is perfect for our in-need-of-constant-affection lab. They offer baths too! You can't go wrong with The Grateful Dog! read more

My dog Orelia is the love of my life; and I wouldn't even think of boarding her anywhere except The Grateful Dog. I started a new job last year that requires me to travel 50-60% of the time. The Grateful Dog has become Orelia's second home; and they take amazing care of her. Thanks to all the awesome people at TGD...Sharon, Ernie, Karla and team. Orelia loves you and so do I! ;-) read more