Barking Hound Village

I like em, and my dog likes em, so that alone is 4 stars. The staff is super nice and they love my dog, so no major complaints. They do seem a little scattered: I had reserved boarding a few days in advance and they didn’t have my reservation, though they easily fixed that in seconds. They also forgot my dog’s medicine, though I had buried it in his food bag too.
They’re a little more expensive than other places — especially when you add in the day care rate on top of boarding, but would happily have Karl stay with them again!

I travel a lot and have been taking our dogs to BHV for years. I cant take them anywhere else. I never have to worry about my dogs being well taken care of. My dogs actually love going there. Vanessa the manager has been awesome, and very helpful at all times. Its the only place I trust my dogs to.

I love BHV! We’ve tried a few places for daycare/​boarding and they’re all good. What sets BHV apart is they are open until 8PM during the week. This is a huge benefit to us as we work west coast hours. In addition, the staff is friendly, the company has been around for a while, they know us and Wylie by name and our boys comes back tired and happy. Prices are in line, but a little on the higher side — worth it for us though. I love how they post daily pics on Facebook so we can see our boy, and other dogs, in action! Definite recommend.

I cannot say enough great things about Barking hound Village. From day one they have all been so welcoming. My Frenchy petunia has always been such a laid-​back dog, we call her a petunia the paperweight. But when I pick her up from daycare she is such an excited happy dog jumping around everywhere and loving on everyone. They remember her name every time we walk through the door. I wish I could bring her there every day that I work. If you are considering taking your dog to daycare so they do not have to be alone at home this is the place to go, I am certain you will have just as great of an experience. thank you to my friend Lucy for introducing me to them!

BHV is the best! I have been taking my furkids there for three years. They are excited when they get dropped off and tired when they get home! Vanessa and the team are awesome, the take pics of all the dog everyday, the make all their clients feel important through their personable and caring approach. I have referred many friends to BHV and they all love it too!

We were referred to Barking Hound by a friend who takes her dog there and I’m really glad we were. It’s really convenient to get to and the staff is always very friendly. I love that they post pics each day of the dogs– even though our little puppy Moose is sometimes camera shy or hes running around having the time of his life so they can’t catch him on film!
Their prices are affordable and he always runs to the door when we drop him off there which tells me he likes it. I do wish they gave you a progress report when they left if it were longer than just a day or two stay. In case any issues came up or they got a little cut on their belly from playing with their friends etc. But besides that I would definitely recommend either for their day care services or the overnight stays.

I take my small dog, Harvey, to Barking Hound daily for day care while I’m at work. No leash required upon drop off (even for my dog with separation anxiety) because he runs right in and doesn’t look back. He’s happy and well taken care of every day. If he ever has any issues (like a slight upset tummy), they call to let me know or tell me when I pick him up. They know and greet almost every dog & human by name. You know a place is great when you see the same people every single day picking up and dropping off their dogs. As for other reviews claiming their dogs got sick, that’s the same risk you take anywhere that there are a bunch of dogs in the same space (same goes for children). It’s ultimately the owner’s responsibility for making sure they’re vaccinated and taking the best precautions you can against illness. Once again, I love the Barking Hound staff and how happy my dog is there. It’s a routine for us now, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Alrighty. Let’s update these concerns. Please read previous review for reference. Vanessa has called, personally messaged, and publicly responded to my review. E for effort.
First: the vaccinations. Sure, the owners are responsible for keeping their dogs vaccinated. I with agree with that 112%. It is also the business’s responsibility to ensure a healthy, safe environment that one can feel confident that when they board their dog there, they will not end up sick. I reiterate, never have I been asked for updated vaccine records… in three years. And no, they haven’t called my vet to get them.
Second: the food. I’ll let this one go. Albeit I feed my dog dry kibble (how fresh does it really get?), and have witnessed my dog eat poop a time or two, I don’t think he cares too much about the freshness. However, I appreciate that some dogs may be pickier than others, so… yeah. Just a little wasteful in my eyes, but I can’t say it’s truly a fault on their part.
Third: as mentioned in the original review, my dog comes back smelling infinitely fresher than he used to, no doubt. However, previously, it was no simple «dog» smell, let me assure you. Regardless, it still doesn’t change the eye infections. One of which should be in their log book that they say they keep, for the record, since I received a call about a «weepy eye». He got the eye infections regardless of your sanitization routines, not once, but twice.
Fourth: the cut on his side. I could argue this but frankly I’m tired and really didn’t want to have to justify my bad Unilocal review in the first place. The cut is there. It’s ugly and deep. I think he’ll survive. Bottom line is they didn’t notice. Wouldn’t you want someone to notice if your dog was wounded? Yeah, I know it’s a lot to ask.
Fifth and finally: Vanessa, I did not form this opinion of you overnight or from one simple encounter. I’ve had many encounters with you throughout the years, and you’ve been about the same every time. I’ve worked retail, waitressed, bartended, and now I’m a nurse. Believe me, I’ve perfected the glued-​on fake smile, it’s not that hard. Whether you’re busy, stressed, or preoccupied with whatever else, be present. If you’re too preoccupied with running the place, then you need another face at the front so you can run your business as you see fit. All I ask for is a smile, a thank you, a «come back and see us.» The reason I explicitly named you is because I remember you, and being in the industry of making people happy, when you’re treated like that, it sticks with you. I also remember the phenomenal staff members who do a fantastic job. (The girl with short blonde hair, LOVE her. The girl with dreads, also awesome. The gentleman whom I dropped my dog off with the most recent time was also stellar). They all greet us with smiles and seem genuinely happy to see us and thankful for our business. Which is why I find your comment about my dog being «a personal favorite» so disingenuous, because never once have you ever ever acted or made us feel that way. I apologize if you feel this is a personal attack; it’s not. And if all those times you truly were that busy, that’s unfortunate, and I do not envy the heavy workload you must have to be incapable of mustering a smile, it makes people feel unwelcome.
Anyways, I think it’s time we part ways, BHV. I do not write this review out of spite for my own experiences with BHV, I don’t want this to happen to your dog, and changes need to be made. After all, my biggest concerns were the vaccines (which they admitted that they should be better about) and the eye infections/​cut on my dog, which they «don’t know what to make of». So basically, nothing of true importance was really addressed.

Barking Hound Village is an excellent facility for dog boarding and overnight stays. Their reputation is well deserved and their staff loves the animals. We’ve dropped off our Basset Hound on multiple occasions – in each instance having a great experience. It is a relief to have a boarding facility we can count on.
Thank you Barking Hound Village.

The staff is friendly and my dog is in good spirits and clean when he is returned to me. Really what more can you ask for?
The boarding cost is a tad high, but really not so bad that I’d go anywhere else.

Our dogs always seem well-​cared for here and they are happy to go visit the other pups at Barking Hound. The staff is friendly, the accommodations are clean and roomy, and they provide TONS of outdoor play time. In contrast to another review I saw, I am actually surprised at how accommodating the staff is with our sometimes unruly dogs. We have two lab mixes who can be troublemakers around other dogs. They don’t fight or do anything to harm other dogs, but can sometimes be relentless barkers/​pot-​stirrers at the dog park. Barking Hound gives us reports on their behavior when we pick up our dogs, and will even give them private time in the play yard if they need to calm down from the stimulation. When our dogs were puppies, one of them even chewed up the drywall in her kennel area, and BH didn’t even charge us for the damage… and even allowed our dogs to keep coming back! Overall, great place to board your dog. They are in good hands here, and your dog will be in good spirits when you pick them up :)

My dog Lucy Louise loves coming here! The staff is wonderful and loving. I like how play time is supervised with lots of rest time in between. It’s low stress for everyone and best part they have pickup going to 8pm. The only item I wish they would offer is drop off starting at 7am. Otherwise it’s very good!

Been a customer here for years. When we adopt a new dog they ask of his temperament. I am punished for being honest that he is not perfect and am referred elsewhere. If your dog is not easy to take care of it then they don’t want to do the job, must be nice to pick and choose this way!

I take my dog here almost every day — for a reason. The staff, the location (near downtown), the hours (open til 8). I respect the reviewers who say that the staff didn’t fawn over their dog from the minute they arrived — I’ve seen some places where I’m not sure the people there pay any attention. But I can definitively say that is not the case here. They’re busy here — but never so busy that they’re not attentive to the dogs. The dogs get a lot of play time outside with other dogs and are not cooped up all day.
With the growth of Austin they seem to be quite busy. There are other BHVs but I understand they are not all owned by the same people. So I can’t speak for the others but if this team opens a new location I expect it will be excellent.

I have been taking my dogs to BHV-​Austin for over eight years. I know it is the highlight of their day, because as soon as they get out of the car, they run to the front door and wait for it to open (which is only a few seconds). My dogs run in and don’t look back to say goodbye.
They are in excellent care during the day and I have never had a problem. I know my girls are in a safe and secure environment, while surrounded by people that care for them.
While the highlight of my dogs’ day is at BHV, the highlight of my day is picking the dogs up and getting to interact with the super sweet and low-​key manager, Vanessa. She always greets you with a sincere smile and regrets to turn your dogs back over to you.
I keep bringing my girls back, however, for one reason. Vanessa (and the rest of the staff) treat them like they are their own. I couldn’t ask for more.

BVH is barking good.

Good Lord. Some folks need to remember that a dog is not a human. This is an animal that eats it’s own throw up, and cat poop. A doggy petsitting/​boarding facility need not look like a daycare for humans. Sure it needs to be clean but keep in mind there are animals, they smell like animals and poop and pee like animals… why would it smell any different? Would you rather have them light candles and spray febreeze? I am appalled that some people rate this place one star because the person at the front desk wasn’t enthusiastic enough about seeing your little angel in the morning. COME. ON. Also, they are not dog trainers and they don’t advertise as such, so it’s not fair to have such high expectations.
Sorry, I’m done with all that.
I commute to downtown Austin and drop my dog off at BHV a couple times of week. I love their flexible drop off times, I can drop him off before work and I can pick him up afterwards and go run in the park. Every time we pull into BHV’s parking lot, he whines with excitement, and is tired when I pick him up. Mornings are busy so they usually just take him and that’s it (my poor fur baby doesn’t get a cup of warm milk brought to him upon arrival, boohoo). The first few times I dropped him off I wasn’t sure how he would react to the new surroundings, but they encouraged me to call throughout the day to check on him. They gave honest replies when I called — «Well he was pretty timid all morning but he’s finally warming up to this border collie that’s been real interested in him.» When I went to pick him up that day, I met his border collie friend– they were indeed buddies.
To top it all off, the price is awesome. $ 20/​day — you won’t get that anywhere else in downtown Austin, especially if you’re one of those people that think you’re dog is God’s gift to doggy day care. Haha!

Barking Hound Village is an amazing business, with wonderful staff and clean facilities. It is great to know that my 5 month old lab puppy doesn’t have to sit at home all day waiting for me to finish work. It’s also nice to know that he is in the hands of people that love dogs and care about their welfare.
I had originally planned to bring my puppy to work, but he was just a little too rambunctious to sit through the whole day. I visited Barking Hound Village and another place before deciding where to take him. When I visited the other place, there was only one person on site, the dogs were in metal gated kennels and loudly barking. I just didn’t feel comfortable taking him there.
So, I decided to go check out BHV. On our first visit we were warmly greeted, given a tour of the facilities, and discussed his typical day. Everything was clean and there were many people working I was nervous the first day, but seeing his tail wag as I dropped him off made me feel more comfortable.
Over the past few months I have had a chance to talk to the staff and am confident I made the right decision. He still wags his tail once we get there and is excited to play all day. He comes home a little tired, but ready to either play or take a nap. I highly recommend BHV to anyone who has to work, but doesn’t want their dog to sit at home all day waiting for them to get home.

It’s been over 4 years, and BVH still does a wonderful job taking care of our dog. The staff is so attentive and organized that we can leave our elderly dog feeling confident that he will be well loved & get his medicines on schedule. Having that peace of mind is invaluable.
Friends/​family who’ve picked up our dog from BVH have said, «Wow, the people at BHV really love your dog!» We can’t say enough great things about Vanessa and the rest of the BHV team.

I called on Friday to see if they could board my dog for the weekend. I am from Houston, and was visiting Austin for the weekend. They said no problem, that I could bring her in. I am very over protective of my 4 legged child. They let me walk into the large pen where Mable would be sleeping, and set up her blanket. When I went to pick her up she was out in the back playing. Once, I got her in the car she fell asleep. She slept the entire way home, and is still asleep.
Pros:
— Great pricing! $ 70 for two nights of boarding, and play time.
— Great staff, who treats their guests as their own pet.
Cons:
— Parking, but that really isn’t their fault.