First, readers should know I've corresponded with the owner of this business and asked her to…read moreexplain the incident I'm about to describe. Four days later, no explanation has arrived and I'm concerned enough both about what happened and the lack of response and responsibility from the business that I think a public review is a good idea. I booked my dog for daycare on a holiday weekend. At drop-off I re-confirmed pick-up time and that I'd probably be there at the later end of that time. When I returned, there were two dogs in an outside enclosure but no one else was around. I circled the building, called out, knocked on the door upstairs, knocked on the kennel door, and walked a wider circle in case the dogs were outside the enclosure for exercise. I spent more than 15 minutes searching for the owner or my dog before I went inside the unlocked kennel door. My dog was in an enclosure with food and water but from the state of things back there, I can see why the owner's angry I entered. I now wonder how long my dog was in that enclosure because paying for daycare means I'm paying for her to be socialized, exercised, and monitored. My best case scenario was that there would be a message waiting for me by the time I got back to Bear River that explained an emergency or other situation...something that would say why those dogs were crated but unattended. It would also have signaled that someone even noticed my dog was missing. I wrote the owner when I got home, explained I had my dog, and expressed concern that there was an emergency or other problem that prevented her from being there. This is the full reply to that message from the kennel's owner. It arrived 18 hours after I messaged her: "That is definitely not ok that you went in the room on your own. We don't have pick-ups or drop offs Saturday afternoons." When I booked I clearly asked for daycare. At drop-off, I confirmed a window of time that she could expect my return. I paid her. I've asked for an explanation but no other messages to this business have been answered. So here's why I'm posting a review: All the dogs in that back area were crated, and two were unsheltered outside. Some crates contained multiple dogs. That's not a problem if the crates are large enough to allow for defecation, socialization, movement, and food and water, but not all crates seemed to accommodate that. There was also at least one animal in a crate that was too small because it could not sit or stand with its head up. I really wish I'd noticed if the dogs left outside had shade and water. I think the owner, Sara Stewart, knows leaving those dogs unattended -- and crated for who-knows-how-long -- is not the service she advertises, and she got caught. I think taking 18 hours to respond to me is concerning and it leaves me wondering if it took that long for her to notice my dog was missing. And I definitely think a lack of explanation or apology for what is a pretty significant lapse (read: negligence) demonstates arrogance in a situation that was frightening to me and dangerous for those animals.

Oceanmark is the only boarding facility where I would ever leave my dogs. They love being dropped…read moreoff to play with the other dogs, and they come home tired and happy from lots of exercise. We get the dogs groomed while they're being boarded, too, so they also come home looking so pretty!

The first thing I love is the building. It is all environmentally friendly, very cool! I have been…read moretaking my dog here for years. I also have been away off and on and they always fax his records to my 'away vet'. I am usually able to make an appointment without too much wait time. The front desk ladies are nice. Dr M is very kind, I hugely respect her. I know she helped an aquaintance through a really hard time with her dog. You do have to speak up if you want her to check out any of your concerns. I am not sure what tool or techique they use in the back to cut nails... but my boy makes alot of noise so I do his nails now or go elsewhere (my only complaint). Dr M has helped with getting my pup to lose weight. She gave him a vaccination that was not due for a little bit to save us from needing to come back, loved that initiative. Askem also likes his treats! Overall, great place. Highly recommend.

I am very particular about the care of my pets, and I have nothing but high praise for Adam and all…read morethe walkers. I have been using the daily dog walking service for well over a year, and I have also used the overnight care option. I provided all the information that I wanted up front, and over time I have provided extra updates and requests. My dog can be a little reactive at times, and I am always worried about how people will handle that, but I haven't had a single concern arise. I have been home several times when the walkers come by, and my dog is always loose and relaxed when he sees them, and happy when I come home. I get updates after every walk so that I know for certain my dog got out and how it went. I got updates every morning and night that I was away. Communication is very important for me, and they are fantastic at it. If I could give them 10 stars, I would.

From the owner: For over 12 years, we’ve been serving the pets and families of our local area. Whether you need a…read moreDog Walker, Pet Sitter or a Trainer, you’ve come to the right place!

If you love your dog, do not leave them here…read more To put it simply: If we ever needed dog care and Pampered Paws were the ONLY place we could leave our dog, we would go through the inconvenience of changing any plans just so we could avoid leaving our pet at Pampered Paws. Our last experience saw us picking up our normally happy and joyful pup at Pampered Paws to find him despondent, dopey, sad, and seemingly miserable. He was wet and smelly. When we got home we knew something had clearly gone wrong so we phoned to inquire. Wendy spoke to us and after initially reassuring us that nothing was wrong or out of the ordinary, it was becoming clear from her quickly changing recount of events that she was not being truthful with us. In the end it turns out our dog had gotten into something left out and had gotten sick. It bothered us that our pup was so miserable, bothered that no one told us anything was wrong at pick-up, disgusted by Wendy and her attempts to hide the truth. It was only through our persistent refusal to accept her story that she admitted anything had happened to our dog. We will never, ever, leave our dog in the care of Pampered Paws. Not only did they provide poor care, but they were dishonest when caught being negligent. Never again.

Let's sum it up in the 5 Pampered Paws Ds: dishonest, deceitful, disorganized, dangerous,…read moredistressing. 1) Dishonest: they make ludicrous excuses or lies about the dogs and are quick to re-frame it. They lie overtly on other online review channels. 2) Deceitful: they will tell you, for example, that they took your dog to the vet without telling the owners and then omitting the name of the vet or any supporting paperwork. 3) Disorganized: Wendy has no idea what she is doing. Her underlings give inconsistent information. Either that or when she's caught in a lie, she will lie again (see 1&2). 4) Dangerous: Evidence from the example in #2 as well as the fact that they insist that they have 2-hour trials with big dogs that are new. They don't. They'll just tell you to come get them and if you can't they will actually isolate your dog. 5) Distressing: When you realize two days in that someone inept is taking care of your dog, it causes a big problem. They call with nonsensical issues without being able to truly explain a concern. It's frenetic and confusing. There is my take. I wish they would get a surprise inspection because I absolutely adore animals. If I knew what I had known when my dog (large dog) stayed there, I would strongly consider taking a certain someone to small claims.

Jon is the best! We were recommended his dog walking services through a pet store in Bridgewater…read more He arrives promptly, takes amazing care of your pets, and brings them on gorgeous walks. He'll also send you updates and photos of the places they go - which I really appreciate. If you're looking for a dog walker in the Mahone Bay Area, this is your guy!

From the owner: Dog walking & running, house calls and overnight house-sitting services, cat care, and more.read more