Home Away From Home

It’s been over a year since my last review but just today I read this review from Caroline who says that she was a roommate of Kristina:
After reading this, it only makes me want to report Kristina to the State of California or ASPCA. Even if Caroline’s assessment is half true, what a sham of a pet care business Kristina is trying to pull off. She really needs to stop abusing the dogs entrusted to her care!
I also read many of the 5-​star reviews to see if perhaps I am over reacting but it seems that nearly all of them are based on basic trust people normally bestow on care givers. After all, how often does one meet a really terrible dog boarding place owner?

Kristina is wonderful to leave my dog with every day while I work. It’s a very affordable alternative to other daycare, and the setting is much more personal and loving. My doggie, Emma, gets to sleep on a million different bed options, including Kristina’s bed, and has a doggie door to go outside whenever she wants to. It’s such a relief to me that she is having a great time instead of being left alone all day!

An excellent option for dog care when one’s little one must stay behind. Due to her advanced age, as well as separation anxiety issues, my little girl needs special care and a fairly constant human presence. I feel very safe and comforted leaving her with Kristina at Home Away From Home.

Perfect spot to have your pups stay if your staying in any of the hotels in Emeryville.
Although a lot of hotels welcome pets for an additional fee ($ 100+ per night), you might as well let your pups run around happy in a home with other dogs so that they can have their own mini vacation (especially if it is raining).
Then while they have their fun, you can roam around the city trying all kinds of foods and not worrying about leaving them in the car or sitting in the cold/​rain

I’ve been boarding my cocker spaniel with Kristine and Home Away From Home for the past 5 years and wouldn’t dream of taking him anywhere else! I love my little buddy as if he were my kid (guilty!!), and can’t stomach the idea of him being pent up in a crate for days at a time. Traveling often, I can be assured my dog is in good hands when he’s with Kristine, and have piece of mind. Would HIGHLY recommend Home Away From Home for any fellow dog parent who loves his/​her «baby»!!

We are so happy we found Kristina, who really does make her home a «Home away from Home» for our dog. We’ve boarded our puppy with Kristina 4 times, once for as long as week. She is always very nice, flexible, and reasonable. We’ve only had our puppy for 8 months and I called and/​or visited about 10 places before I found Kristina. I love that we found a place where our dog is boarded in a real home with a nice big back yard, with trees & grass to run around in. There is even a doggy door so the dogs have freedom to enjoy the inside or outside of the house as they please, and other smaller dogs (our dog is 20lbs) to play with. The pricing and the accommodations offered are much better than the other places we checked — some were almost double the price with not as much space, flexibility, or TLC provided as Kristina’s. I really appreciate how nice and accommodating she is in regards to her flexibility. On one instance she let us pick our puppy up on the way home from the airport after our red-​eye flight at 6:30am in the morning — she said it was no problem and even answered the door with a big smile. On other occasions she’s been very understanding when I’ve had to change the pick up or drop off time — multiple times. Most larger dog boarding business have strict morning and evening hours and it’s great to have the flexibility Kristina offers. Our dog is happy to see Kristina when we drop her off and when we pick her up she’s in good spirits looks like she’s been well cared for — she is usually a little dirtier than when we left her but no more than if she’d been in our backyard — and personally I don’t mind because it means that’s she’s been outside playing and not cooped up in a cage, or on concrete, like some of the other dog boarding facilities we visited. We would definitely recommend Kristina for her kindness, home environment, and great care (to the pets and pet owners!)

Home Away from Home ROCKS! Our little malti-​poo, Jambalaya, is delighted to see her old friend Kristina every time and it is such a relief to know she will not only be safe and cared for, but cuddled as well. (Jamba is Super affectionate, and luckily Kristina is too). I am so grateful that Home Away from Home exists…

I’ve been debating whether to post this review or not, as Kristina was a very warm, friendly woman, and she even kept my husband and I updated during our vacation about how our two doggies were doing (I think she could tell I was nervous about leaving them!)
However, when we picked up the dogs, she had them locked in their crates, and they were both crying loudly, scratching at their crates to get out. My one dog actually shook the entire car ride home. My dogs have a lot of energy (admittedly, they can be a handful) so I was very upset that they were crated — and suspect that this was the situation for the majority of their stay.
I’ve recently moved to the area and this was my first time boarding my dogs here. However, I frequently boarded them at the last place I lived and they’ve NEVER been upset when I pick them up. The only explanation I can think of is that they spent too much time in their crates, and didn’t go for walks, which makes them stir-​crazy.
I would recommend Kristina for dogs that are low-​maintenance and don’t need a lot of exercise. However, I don’t think this was the right place for my pups.

I am really glad I found Kristina. I needed a place to board my dog at about 10pm on the night before I left for vacation. I had just found out that my dog was sick and didn’t know for sure what was wrong with her. Kristina agreed to take my dog late at night and didn’t mind that she had to giver her medication several times a day. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

Don’t go to the Humane Society unless you are really ready to adopt a dog THAT DAY. Because inevitably, you will end up falling in love with a dog, fear that someone else will adopt her while you’re out of town for the next 5 days (Christmas Eve/​Day included), and take her home in a scramble to find someone to take care of her before your 6am flight the next morning! Without Kristina, we really wouldn’t have been able to adopt the cute little munchkin pup who is now the highlight of our day.
My husband and I are SO thankful that Kristina was available and willing to take an animal shelter dog on such short notice. It was also a comfort to me that Kristina has fostered lots of dogs before.
Thank you to Kristina for being such a lifesaver for us!

Overall, ok.
Likes: Kristina’s warm and relaxed personality, her dog-​friendly home environment where dogs may sleep on the bed, the enclosed backyard where dogs can run around, the small dog-​only requirement, and the presence of another person in the house in case of emergency.
Dislikes: The requirement that dogs wear diapers in house (so they don’t mark), Kristina’s seemingly liberal use of the squirt gun on dogs, initial non-​disclosure regarding the cat in house, the sense (perhaps wrong) that my dog was just a number, being encouraged to hand out or post her business card, her cash-​only policy, and the unsafe West Oakland neighborhood.
She seems like a very kind person and I wish her the best, but I feel the need to provide a balanced picture.

We just left our newly adopted senior dachshund, Daphne, with Kristina for two full weeks and couldn’t be more pleased with her services. Daphne suffers from pretty severe separation anxiety and really doesn’t like other dogs when we’re out on walks, so we were nervous about leaving her in a boarding situation. Because Kristina works exclusively with small (not to mention senior) dogs, we decided to give it a try. Kristina and her assistant, Nichola, kept us updated on Daphne via occasional emails while we were away, so we always felt assured that Daphne was doing well. In fact, it sounded like she was having such a good time, I worried a little that she might forget about us and not want to come home! Fortunately, she was happy to see us and made the transition back home with complete ease, which indicates to me that she must have had a pretty calm and stress-​free couple of weeks in Kristina’s care. Thanks, Kristina! We’ll be bringing Daphne back again!

Kristina is awesome, affordable, and I feel like I am get a two for one — training and boarding in one affordable package!
Separation Anxiety Reduced — My dog has separation anxiety (think hunger strikes) and usually when we leave, it seems like it takes a week to get her back to her old self. When I picked up my precious little beagle this morning after a weekend away, it seemed like she had barely even noticed I left (my ego was a bit hurt, but overall I was pleasantly surprised). The structure of being in a home with a fun backyard is much easier on her fragile emotional complex then a boarding facility where she has to stay in a kennel and/​or play with big dogs in an run.
Boarding includes Socialization/​Training — My dog grew up in Utah, so she has not spent as much time being social as city dogs. Leaving her with Kristina is great because she can spend time around other dogs that are not so big that she is overwhelmed. Kristina keeps her and the other dogs in check (watches for inappropriate behavior and separates them). This type of environment is a unique opportunity for Roxy to learn social skills with other small dogs while being in a safe and supervised environment.
A Note on the Neighborhood — Kristina’s house is in a diverse section of Oakland. Kristina has a careful professional process, where she arranges pick-​up and drop-​off times so that she can give individual attention at the drop-​off and pick-​up without too much fuss or waiting. Parking is easy in front of the house, so you don’t have to haul your dog and toys from too far away.

Kristina saved my life! I was vacationing in another state when I got a call from my dogsitters telling me they couldn’t take care of my dogs any longer. Frantic, I was given Kristina’s number by the director of an animal rescue. She agreed to take my dogs, asked a ton of excellent questions about their personalities and their care, and was even willing to let them sleep in her bed! She checked in a few times to let me know that the dogs were doing well, putting my mind to ease on multiple occasions. My dogs have never boarded well, but when I picked them up they were happy and healthy. Her prices are completely reasonable for the extreme level of care she gives. After a harrowing experience, the four days my babies spent with Kristina were a blessing. I’ll absolutely call her the next time I go out of town. Thanks Kristina!

Kristina is an excellent choice for boarding your pet. She always has the cutest array of dogs at her home, and they all seem very happy and well taken care of. She is very communicative while pet owners are on travel, which made me feel better about leaving my life partners behind! In all, i am very particular about who cares for my dogs, and I found Kristina to be a great option. I highly recommend her.

I cannot express how amazing Home Away from Home is.. .I bring my little Jelly Bean to Kris and Pepper 3 – 5 times a week and she could not be happier! Beanie is a rescue and is a very nervous pup — she has severe separation anxiety, and for some reason, she loves Kris– I think this is due to her warm spirit and soft manner. Beanie and Pepper have also become the best of friends, which is always a plus for a dog who had no socialization growing up.
Kris is very kind and patient with all dogs — she really knows her stuff! She even sends me emails telling me how Beanie is doing — helps me get through the day :)
For anyone who loves his/​her dog like a child, this is the place for you — could not recommend it more!

Kristina is great. Our puppy stayed with Kristina for 3 days and 1 night. Everyday, puppy wagged her tail and couldn’t wait to see Kristina. When puppy got picked up, she was actually reluctant to leave! That says quite a bit about Kristina and the care she gives each dog.
We were also thrilled that puppy got to socialize with other dogs and people. She especially loved her outings at the park! We had one happy and tired dog by the end of the day. Thanks Kristina!