Laurel Acres Kennels

Always awesome! We’ve been using Laurel acres for three years now and love coming here!

I’m writing this review to get closure on the recent, sudden, and shocking death of my puppy at Laurel Acres Kennel on 12÷30÷15.
Let me begin by saying I did extensive research on kennels before choosing this one based on the many great reviews I’ve seen. My previous dog was exposed to something hazardous at another kennel is SE Washington and thus stopped eating all together and we had to painfully decided to put her down. So with my second dog, I was much more cautious about everything and thought I did a good job of finding a kennel for my dog when I’m away.
I’ve boarded my 9 month old English Bulldog puppy on several occasion at Laurel Acres Kennel and he seemed always happy when we dropped him off and thought he was in good hands.
I will never know what cause his sudden death. I had dropped him off around noon on December 29^th with explicit care instructions as I’ve done before. He was happy and healthy when he was dropped off. Less than 24 hours after, I received a voice message and email notifying me of my puppy’s sudden passing.
For those dog lovers who’ve experience a sudden loss of a dog or a puppy can relate to the amount of shock and grief I’m going through. Worst part about it, I was enroute to Japan and won’t be back for about 2 weeks, so I never got a opportunity to kiss him goodbye before he’s cremated.
In retrospect, even if there was explicit care instructions and the kennel seemed decent, it only takes 1 staff member to forget to do something that may have caused my puppy to get into something that he doesn’t know any better or inhale his food that could cause his sudden death.
It’s extremely disheartening that I, as a pet owner subjected my puppy (and my child) to inadequate care that took his life. I loved my puppy and would do anything for him. I thought I gave him the best of everything, but failed to find a safe kennel for him.
If I had to do it all over again, I would pay for an in-​home dog care taker that also loves dogs.

We have taken our dogs here for a few years now. The staff is super nice and always helpful. Our full size Husky/​Lab just love it. I can’t imagine taking out dogs to another place to be boarded. I know how stressful it can be to leave your loved one. But they have always had a great staff who is more than willing to go the extra mile for our dogs.

We have taken our 14 year german Sheppard to Laurel Acres 3 times. The first two visits had no issues, she had a wonderful time. However our most recent visit we brought her food as requested and we added raw cut up frozen bison heart, we asked if they could take 4 small pieces out of the freezer, defrost the heart meat each day and feed her, the intake woman said it would be no problem. We left her for two weeks. We received no phone calls that anything was wrong with her. When we picked her up, I noticed she was thin and could hardly walk. The woman who took care of my dog gave me the left over food. I read the intake form the woman who brought my dog out to me and someone had crossed out meat in freezer and wrote in fridge. I opened the bag and smelled the meat and it was putrid, I brought it back to Crysta, the assistant manager and showed her. She apologized and said there must have been a communication error. They apparently gave her putrid meat when it went bad in the fridge over 11 days ago. Now I have a 14 year old Sheppard who has had bloody diarrhea every few hours for 3 days so far, hopefully she lives through this horrible experience. Nice people but they don’t have a lick of common sense when it comes to taking care of dogs. Plus they don’t want to take any responsibility for giving her putrid meat. I think that bothers me more, you make an error, take responsibility for your actions.

This is a great place to board your pets. I have a 16 year old dog that’s on lots of medications. This is the only place I feel comfortable taking him! I’ve tried several other kennels in Portland, but I keep coming back here! When I board my dogs here I know they’re in great hands!

We did not take our dogs overseas to our new duty station but left them with family in Beaverton. We originally thought that this would be a great place to take the dogs for periodic kennelling but now they go just about everyday for doggie daycare. Our two dogs cannot wait to get to the gravel road on SW Lukas and then into the LAK facility! They absolutely love the staff and we get lots of updates on the dogs’ day and activities. They even notice when one of them is acting a little quieter then usual and let us know.
They do an awesome job grooming too!
Heated floors in the winter, a/​c in the summer, indoor/​outdoor runs, super clean and well organized. Laurel Acres has really been a blessing!

DO NOT take your pets to Laurel Acres Kennel. This is Abby’s neck after Jess picked her up this morning, after being boarded since Friday, 6÷26÷15. I’m not quite sure what they used around her neck, why the injury wasn’t disclosed to Jess when she picked the girls up, or why they didn’t use Abby’s collar and lead. Not only are we out $ 188.00 for kenneling, now we’re going to be out more money to have poor Abby girl’s wound treated. This is just disgraceful.
**UPDATE**
Abby was taken to the Vet last Tuesday. We incurred $ 144.00 in vet bills, plus pain meds and antibiotics. I’m not sure which vet was spoken to, but I am sure it wasn’t Abby’s. The wound was so bad that they had to sedate Abby to treat her. The wounds were not caused by a break away collar or yeast infection, as suggested by Cassie, they were trauma induced. I have never said Abby was intentionally hurt by staff members. However, those wounds developed over the weekend as she did not have them when she was dropped off that Friday and we were not notified of those wounds over the weekend, even when my wife called to check in on Abby and Rosie. When My wife picked Abby up on Monday, these wounds were not brought to our attention. This can only mean one of two things, 1.) Abby was hurt at some point and Laurel Acres has refused to accept responsibility, or 2.) Abby was injured while in the care of Laurel Acres and no one noticed because they didn’t properly care for her. I already have it in writing that they tied Abby to a wall to trim her nails. Abby isn’t a fan of pedicures so I imagine she struggled with the rope and instead of the groomer stopping and saying «We couldn’t trim her nails because she wouldn’t cooperate.», he or she proceeded with the pedicure and this resulted in the injury to Abby’s dewlap.
We haven’t contacted Laurel Acres because there is no point. They won’t even acknowledge that Abby was injured while under their care, let alone reimburse us for the treatment of those injuries. So, we’ve forwarded this story along with photos, to the Humane Society.

Laurel Acres came recommended by our veterinary office after we told them about our dog needing outdoor space to run around all day and play.
We made a reservation and all seemed okay until those activities like taking your dog out for a potty break, socializing and playing with other dogs are «extras» you pay for.
I’ve never been to a place that charges additionally for basic attention and care any dog owner worth their salt world expect a boarding place to do for their pet while they are away.
If having your dog in a kennel all day expect for the al a carte extras is you’re type of place to leave your pet then this place do. They aren’t a bad kennel, just expect to pay through the nose for the extras.
I could pay a neighborhood kid to come let my dog out once a day and make sure she had food and play for far less. Next time I’ll take my dog to a place that includes these extras and happily pay a little more for the value.

Great place. So much room for the dogs to play and walk. Friendly employees too. We always felt our little one was in good hands.

From start to finish great place to take the dogs. First time for one boarding, and he was a little scared, but they handled it well. Our other dog can we a handful as well. Had a great feeling about the place and that allowed us to enjoy our vacation with no worries about our dogs. You can tell they all love dogs and they were in great care. Highly recommended.

I can not say enough good tho Gs about Laurel Acres. We. Have been using them for a few years. The most important thing is the safety and care the dog. As you enter they have a welcome board welcoming your dog by name. You can add special services to the dogs stay like spa treatments, potty walks, snuggle time. sounds trivial. but it is so nice to know they go out of there way to make the dog feel comfortable when he is away from home. It may be a bit out of the way for anyone not on the west side. but they make it worth the trip, and who would not want their dog to be out in the open fresh air. The staff is amazing and takes such good care of my dog… I never worry I know he’s well taken care of and very safe.

I will preface my review with some background on my dog Molly, who is a retired racing greyhound. For two years after her retirement, she was bounced from home to home until she came to us. It took her time to warm up to us, and I believe it’s because she’s not been «settled» in a home for any length of time. I was worried sick about having to kennel her while we were out of town overnight, especially since she is a bit of a quirky little diva and is used to a comfy couch and lots of attention from us. I was also worried she was going to feel abandoned yet again by what was supposed to be her forever home, and at having to be in a «cage» after having lived all of her life in one on the track. However, we had to put her somewhere while we were gone, and decided to tour Laurel Acres based on the reviews here.
From the minute we walked in the kennel, we were really impressed. The kennel is in the middle of farm country on a very pretty piece of land, and it’s definitely an ideal setting for the dogs. The people who work there are soft spoken, easy going and friendly. They were very patient with all of our questions, and had no issue with giving us a grand tour of the kennels, the kitchens, the grooming areas, etc. I was very impressed with how clean the kennels were and how organized all of the workers were. They have a very efficient system of looking after the dogs and making sure they get all of the activities they are signed up for, and that any special instructions are followed. The kennels are very roomy, and the floors are heated in the winter, but have plenty of AC in the summer. We got to see the workers in action, and all of the dogs seemed very happy and well looked after. We decided to reserve a stay for Molly, and signed her up for the VIP package, which included time in the play yard, a walk on the grounds, and a «snack and snuggle» where she got homemade doggie ice cream while being cuddled by one of the workers. Since Molly is not a giant fan of other dogs, we requested she get play yard time by herself, which the kennel was more than happy to accommodate. I gave them Molly’s back story and expressed my nervousness and concern at leaving her, and the girl at the front desk was very reassuring, and definitely made me feel like we were making the right decision.
On the day I dropped off Molly, I had written 2 pages of notes (I know, I know) on her eating/​play habits and personality quirks. When I showed them to the girl at the front desk, I half anticipated her rolling her eyes or making me feel like a helicopter dog mom (which I totally am). Instead she read over every single note, discussed them with me, asked questions and used my notes to make notations in Molly’s file. She was completely patient and made me feel like she cared about easing my fears and making sure that Molly had a great stay. The hand off was zero drama, and Molly was more than happy to go back with one of the worker girls. They encouraged me to call as many times as I wanted to check in to see how things were going, which of course I did. Both times I called, the workers were very friendly, knew who Molly was immediately and gave me details on what she was doing at the moment when I called. By the second time I called, I had no more anxiety about her stay, and had complete faith that she was being well taken care of.
When I went to pick her up the next day, the kennel workers raved to me about how sweet Molly was, how she was a favorite of the staff, and how well she did. They also handed me a «report card» with notes from the workers about how she did during each of her activities. They were all very personal little notes about her, such as «Molly loves to sun bathe out in the play yard», which is totally something she does. The original girl who checked me in the day before actually followed me out of the door and raved about how beautiful Molly is and how much everyone loved her. I felt almost overwhelmed at how kind they were, and how much they genuinely cared about my diva greyhound. When they brought her out to me, Molly looked happy and her old cheerful self, so I knew she’d had excellent care.
I 1000% recommend Laurel Acres. Your dog or cat will be in EXCELLENT hands!

Oh my goodness am I in love with this place!!!
At the beginning of my journey as a new dog owner, I had to leave the country for a couple weeks to visit loved ones. I was just freaked out about the idea of putting my dog in a kennel. I had no idea what to look for in a kennel, but I knew I wanted her to be spoiled (as she is treated this way at home). I’d looked at so many places online and I had no idea what to do.
We stopped by Laurel Acres (the two of us), are we both just fell in love. The ladies at the kennel treated Estrella like a queen and I knew we found the place for her. Estrella vacationed at Laurel Acres for two weeks, receiving a walk or cuddle session once a day. Laurel Acres was the go to place for Estrella if I needed a place for her to be pampered. One time I even noticed some pictures and youtube videos of my dog being adored by staff. They really knew how to make me feel comfortable with putting my dog in a kennel.
The only reason I put this as a 4 star was due to the price. It would be nice to reduce the rate if folks are requesting for their pooch to stay for a longer period of time. Then again, the price is worth knowing that your pet will be cared for with cuddles and treats.

Very good dog hotel. My dog always has fun there.
As with most places, there’s the basic rate and then the «add on» services. My somewhat suspicious wife asked me once how I know they actually do the «add on» playtimes I sign him up for… but the staff has periodically mentioned my dog’s little playtime idiosyncracies and I know he’s having a good time.
I’ve left my GSD there for up to a week and he’s done very well.

I used to work at a dog kennel, so I can tell if a kennel is great, mediocre, or sketchy. This place is great. My dogs were there for a couple nights when we were in Hillsboro visiting family. They are super professional and friendly, and you can tell by the way they take their time and ask detailed questions during check-​in that they are going to be on top of things. I’ve been to other kennels where they don’t take good notes on your pets and they end up giving the wrong dose of medication, or giving the medication to another dog, or giving some other dog’s food to your dog instead.
This might be a little pricier than other places in town, but trust me when I say that going for the cheapest place in town could mean your dog gets permanently injured, escapes, or dies. I have heard of all three of those things happening at shady kennels near where I live, and my dog did have to get extremely expensive back surgery from an injury at a kennel and now walks with a permanent limp because of it.
I knew when I dropped my dogs off at Laurel Acres that it was a really safe and positive place for them to be. The setup at Laurel Acres is clever. The dog stays in a comfortable, temperature-​controlled run in which they have access to the outside to go potty whenever they want (many places that don’t have nice runs will get overly crowded and dogs don’t end up getting taken out often enough). Then you decide which activities and how many you want for your dog. One of my dogs loves to play with other dogs, so we did the play yard for him. My other dog would much rather have individual attention from a human, so we did «Snack and Snuggle» for him (one of the kennel techs sits with him, pets him, and gives him a treat). They came home tired and happy.

Spike absolutely loved it here. No, it’s not like he told me this personally, but there was zero drama at drop-​off and pick-​up. He didn’t throw his paws around my leg or widen his stance such that they couldn’t get him through the door on arrival, and he didn’t declare his undying love for me and promise to be a good boy forever if we could leave right that very minute at departure.
In all seriousness, I believe I got great service at a good value, and they kept my boy safe while I had to be out of town. I emailed a couple of times and received updates on his charming, if air-​brained, antics. I even got a phone call one night when he had an arrhythmic episode that was somewhat prolonged. He has a heart murmur, so it was not unexpected. They handled everything perfectly, and Spike is his usual boxer self, none the worse for the wear.
In addition to basic boarding, which includes bedding and food, we elected for him to have a daily walk, and a daily «Hug and Snuggle.» The hug and snuggle involves indoor playing with toys, and a frozen food treat. I’m sure he’s wondering where the heck we keep those frozen goodies in our own house now that he’s home.
I will happily board Spike here again the next time The Bud and I are both out of town. They were even incredibly accommodating when our travel plans kept changing due to weather messing with our return dates a couple of times.
While the drive out to Hillsboro was a bit long, I know Spike had a perfectly great time at Laurel Acres. A huge plus: they washed him and trimmed his nails, and I have got to say, this dog has never smelled so positively neutral as long as we’ve owned him. He was zero-​odor for a few days, and that was lovely!
Not having to worry about the dog is a huge component to any vacation, and Laurel Acres totally eases my mind. I highly recommend this kennel, and their fun add-​on services.

I have to start this review by describing my dogs and their issues so you can get the full scope of what Laurel Acres had to deal with. If you watch «Dog Whisperer», my female pit is best described as «unbalanced.»
Three years ago, as a dog rescue volunteer, I rescued Indie. She was from South Central Los Angeles, saved from a high kill shelter where she was red listed — due to be euthanized. I never had a dog as an adult, and me being me, chose to take on a young pit bull. She’s absolutely lovely with people and kids, obedient and sweet — I fell in love with her on sight. But this Jeckyl has a Hyde. My girl has a very strong prey drive (red zone case) and doesn’t not like other dominant dogs. She doesn’t start fights with dogs, but she will try to end them. It’s a frightening situation — to see your sweet dog turn into something very ugly and dangerous. And so you know, I’m no lazy dog guardian — I have been working with trainers with her ever since we got her — she spent 3 months in a boot camp but it still couldn’t break the drive. So, we deal with it best we know how with daily exercise, discipline, affection. Now you know a little of my dog — and my hesitation of taking her to a kennel. To add to everything else, she has a history of not doing well in confined spaces. I forgot about that until I took her to the kennel.
I have a second dog, my boy Elvis who is also a pit bull but completely opposite of Indie. He’s sweet, submissive — I think he was severely abused before I found him. He was a street dog in South Central — found eating out of a garbage can. I worked very hard with him to overcome fear and he’s been a dream — I felt like he was my reward for the hardships we faced with Indie.
So, first of all, try finding a dog sitting service or kennel that takes pit bulls. Not always an easy task. I found Laure Acres and wanted to try it out for one overnight. I called and checked — yes, they took pits. I went and toured the facility. It was a standard looking kennel on a beautiful piece of property. I was there unannounced and it was as clean as it could be. I was attracted to the family run because of size and had planned to keep both dogs together since they were inseparable.
The big day came and I took them to drop them off. Yep, I cried. So pathetic… the workers came to take them back to the kennel and they happily went. I got the first call from the kennel about a half hour later. Indie had gone beserk. Biting at the fence — there had been a dog in the run next to them. So, they moved them to a kennel with no dog next to them. Hopefully, everything would be ok…
Then, the second call came. As soon as the number flashed I thought «Well, that’s it, we’re going to have to go pick them up, they’re getting kicked out.» I answered hesitantly and couldn’t believe what I heard. Indie attacked Elvis. That has NEVER happened in time I’ve had them together — over a year — they never had so much as a disagreement so I was taken aback. Indie’s mental breakdown made her lash out at him. The kennel employees broke up the dogs and separated them. They had both been bloodied in the battle and the team there took care to bathe them and ask me if I wanted them to take them to the vet. Being that I’ve been in rescue for a few years and have broken up my share of dog fights, I wasn’t overreactive to the injuries — I trusted the kennel to let me know if they needed to go. They said there were scratches and punctures, but nothing that needed stitches. Elvis was moved to another kennel. After all this, surely you’d think they’d say — «Pick up your dogs», right? To my shock and surprise, they didn’t. I went the next morning to pick up the dogs and apologize — feeling horrible about what the kennel had to endure with my pups. They had taken everything in stride and were so kind and courteous. One of the managers there is very familiar with the pit breed and was sympathetic and understanding to my plight. That really helped me to feel better as obviously, it’s very stressful to have to worry so much.
To the point — finally. Obviously these people dealt with the worst of the worst — a crazy pit bull. A dog fight. If they can deal with that with style and grace, I’m sure they can handle anything. I will try to spare them from my crazy dog again, but if I don’t have the option, I trust them to keep an eye on her when I cannot.

For any of you who have read my review of Cooper Mountain Kennels, you are aware that our dog is incredibly shy and submissive. She is generally very afraid of anyone that does not actually live in our house. So, it’s always a gamble to try a new kennel because we never know how she’s going to be when she comes out.
Since my mother doesn’t believe in planning ahead, she let us know 5 days in advance that we were expected to visit her over the 4^th of July weekend, since my grandmother would be there as well. 5 days doesn’t give us much time (with two kids, a cat, a dog and a hedgehog) to get prepared — even worse when it’s a holiday weekend and every kennel has been full for months. I finally found Laurel Acres and they had an opening.
They were extremely professional and very helpful on the phone. Their website is well laid-​out and has all the pertinent information necessary. When I told them of our dog’s…issues…they asked if she would feel better being kenneled with another dog if it was available. They offer several «extras» such as play-​yard time, snuggles and snacks, bathing and many more options.
We went to pick her up this morning, and I’m convinced she was switched with a duplicate. The dog that greeted us was happy, tail wagging, showing no signs of the usual anxiousness when we arrive. She had been kenneled with a «regular» at the kennel and that extra thoughtfulness showed in her attitude. We had requested that she be bathed, and she looked wonderful. Her nails had been clipped, and they were very short — much better than the last place she had them done where it didn’t look like anything had been taken off.
In addition, they included a nice little piece of paper with the check-​out receipt making sure that owners are aware that many dogs are more tired and/​or more thirsty after a stay in a kennel. It’s a small thing, but a nice little touch.
We have found our go-​to kennel whenever we need to go out of town. Any time our ‘fraidy-​dog actually looks like she *thrived* (not just survived) while at an unfamiliar place — they have obviously taken excellent care of her.
I highly recommend this kennel!