Dogboy's Dog Ranch

Doesn't Recommend

Kristyn M.

Joined 1 year ago

Caution. We have been a customer and loyal fan of Dog Boys for several years, and across the board we have been really happy with the boarding and service of our two babies (dachshunds). That said, I am writing this review on my experience today when I picked them up and discovered that both of my girl dachshund's back paws were bleeding heavily due to nails that had been clipped too short. No one mentioned this to me and I only noticed when I saw her blood all over the leather seats in my vehicle and on my clothes. Now, I know it's difficult to cut nails...that's why I leave it up to the professionals. What is really the take home message of this is that not only did someone clip one nail too short, but they over trimmed two nails...one on each back paw. Did they not hear her yelp? Not see the blood? How does that happen? This is disturbing in that I trust Dog Boys to take care of my dogs. We drive a ways out of our way (about 40 minutes) to take them there and have left them on many long trips (two weeks+) trusting that they are getting the best care in the Austin area. Today's event shows me that someone there does not care about my pets. They hurt them and either don't notice, or don't care enough to clean them up or mention it to me or the front staff. I am awaiting a call from Carol, the manager, to discuss and am definitely debating whether to take them back or not. As I mentioned, we have been very happy to date, but this is not okay. Just be aware that there are some risks...

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samarg

Joined 2 years ago

Help with Shy Dog. I have a shy dog and brought her to DogBoy's for day care to socialize with other dogs in a safe environment. Although my dog is still cautious, she has made a lot of progress. I know that she has been able to have positive experiences, including playing, with other dogs and I really appreciate that there is a place like DogBoy's where this can happen. I have also been happy with the classes I have taken with my dog at DogBoy's. They are fun and informative. My dog has attended Charm School at DogBoy's to work with trainers there and has also had massages there. The staff is very friendly and understanding and I recommend DogBoy's without hesitation.

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AustinEggs

Joined 2 years ago

Our Golden now knows when it's Thursday. We started taking our Golden Retriever to Dogboy's on Thursdays to help him get some exercise and have a chance to socialize with other dogs. We noticed along with some of the other reviewers that when ever we said the word 'Dogboys' he'd go absolutely nuts (like when he heard 'walk', 'treat'...etc). Well to avoid this we'd started refraining from mentioning the word until it was just about time to walk out the door. This worked for a while, but now he has somehow figured out how to read a calendar. He wakes up early on Thursdays and spends the whole morning in hyper mode until he can get in the van and be on his way to Dogboys. I had always heard that dogs had a hard time with the concept of time...not so with the proper motivation.

That's the 'dog half' of the equation. When you get to Dogboys what you'll find is a very organized business full of people who very obviously love dogs and enjoy where they work. You really get the feeling that they see your dog as more then just someone else's pet.

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Marty W

Joined 3 years ago

Don't say "Dog Boys" at my house unless you're serious!. My two labs have been going to Dog Boys for three years now and we've learned that in our house, you don't say "Dog Boys" around our labs unless you are serious. They spaz out at the mention of the place and head for the car. They absolutely love it there. They can bark and socialize to their hearts content and for labs, there's nothing better than that! When I pick them up, the awesome staff lets me know how the visit went and before we can make it around the bend out of the neighborhood, my goofballs are crashing in the back of the car. They are pooped from all the playing. I recommend that you make your reservation early. You can always cancel ahead of time, of course, if you need but if you don't have it booked for holidays or popular three day weekends, you're out of luck. I think this is actually a benefit. You know that they don't have so many dogs that yours isn't getting the best care like some places. They do separate house mates during the day in play groups but can sleep together at night. They will explain why when you go for a tour which they have on Saturdays at noon, I believe. Trust me fellow dog owners, the peace of mind while you are traveling is VERY worth the drive if your home is a bit of a distance from Pflugerville.

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shaft28

Joined 11 years ago

Very happy with dog boarding. We had little luck trying out boading places in Austin - they would only let your dog out 3 times a day or make you pay extra for each pat on the head...Last place we went to on a regular basis my dog started to tuck her tail and tried to get out the front door (and she loves everyone and everydog!).

While Dog Boy's is a little extra drive my dog LOVES it. She gets to romp ALL DAY with other pooches her siz and loosely supervised as well. Good kennels and a great staff that cares about the dogs. They are flexible as well.

While we were away for 6 days she came home happy and exhausted. We will not go anywhere else from here on out.

I would love to see a report on how she did, especially the first overnight stay there. They said "She did great, played hard and ate well" which is fine but a little more personal/detailed info would be awesome. A place in portland would give us a daily report card with details on what she did, whom she played with, etc... Would bring DBDR to a new level. Other than that I'm thrilled. And so is my dog.

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melek

Joined 6 years ago

I won't take my dog anywhere else.... I've been taking my dog to dogboys for 7 years, and even tho i live off of south congress, i still drive up to Pflugerville to take him to there. He gets so excited when i tell him where he's going. the staff knows him by name right when he walks in and they can always tell me how much he ate, how much he played, if he acted any differently than the last time....they're very attentive and concerned about his stay at dogboys.

the separate play areas, based on your dog's personality and how well he gets along with other dogs, makes DogBoys the perfect place for big and little dogs alike. there's even a pond for swimming (when there's enough water around), and 15 acres of land makes for great hiking around the property.

i highly recommend DogBoys to all my friends with dogs. it's the best place kennel in Austin.

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smartyarty

Joined 6 years ago

Doesn't get much better than this. This place is wonderful. I honestly don't think doggy daycare can get better than this. I love this place,my dog loves this place! He is tired the next day and I don't have to worry about him getting into anything. What more could you ask for!

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mjcaustin

Joined 7 years ago

The Best of the Best. A couple years ago, Dog Boys won the Austin Chronicle "Best Of" Award, and it's no surprise to us whatsoever, after having kenneled our big Lab there a few times this year.

Dog Boys is our number one choice for kenneling, and because of the high standard of satisfaction they've created within us, we will consider leaving our boy at only one other kennel in the Austin area... and only if we can't get him into DB first (wrote a review for the other place too - they have some great people there, and lots of outdoor time, but not the same amount of play room for the dogs).

Why our loyalty to DB? We've tried 7 kennels in the Austin area in the last 2 years... a couple with disasterous results. But, you can tell the DB folks love dogs and treat them like their own.

Our blonde Lab, at 100 pounds and 3 years old, is a big ball of energy waiting to explode at any hint of having some fun, yet when he comes trotting out to jump in the vehicle for home, he is both wagging his tail happily... and absolutely worn out with all the play he's had!! He starts sleeping in the back before we pull out, and does nothing much more than sleep and eat for the following two days... and he's just beside himself everytime we pull in for the next stay, in anticipation of the fun he's going to have. "Listen to your dogs", and they'll tell you every time if you've chosen the right place.

It'd be hard to go wrong with DB, unless you have an agressive dog... they do a personality evaluation of every dog during their first visit (and charge for it), and if DB can't find a group of dogs that it's willing to socialize with, it won't be allowed to return.

There may be a better kennel somewhere in Texas, but we feel there is only one or two in Central Texas worth considering and Dog Boys is at the top of the list. The only drawback to DB?

It's so well liked by owners and dogs, it's often hard to reserve a spot! (so pretend you didn't read this, okay?)

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jem2

Joined 7 years ago

Wish I Was a Dog!. My dogs have so much fun at Dogboy's they come home exhausted! I wouldn't trust my babies with anybody but Dogboy's. They know each of my dog's personalities as well as I do, and know right away if something is wrong. Bart, Courtney and the whole crew are loving, caring people who devote themselves to the dogs staying at the ranch.

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donnadrake

Joined 7 years ago

Dogs Love It!. My two dogs love going to doggy day care at DogBoy's. They get to play all day in a huge area with other friendly dogs. The staff at DogBoy's is wonderful. It is obvious that they really care about all the dogs who come there.