Shady Acres Pet Ranch

After his experience at Camp BW, my dog was terrified and whining and clawing at me the whole night, especially the ride home.
This was very saddening because I knew we were going to have to board him for the week of Christmas (his first time away from me and not staying with my family after almost 7 years) and I never thought of anywhere but Camp Bw. The camper cams are cool and all but it is depressing to see my love staring at the gate in a concrete covered room for 8 hours.
So, I Unilocal’d away. I finally found Megan and Shady Acres. My pup LOVES a yard and coupled with all the awesome reviews, we had to give them a shot. Sign up was easy — we faxed vet and shot info and paid the deposit. The Monday we dropped him off everyone was super friendly and PJ was happily sniffing around and did not get timid/​rigid as he does at the vet.
We opted for a bath before pickup, which I thought was reasonably priced at $ 15 for my 16 lb dog.
I called or texted every day we were gone (some days unanswered which is reasonable as it was Christmas) and got sent multiple pictures. It really put our hearts and minds at ease. Our flight home got screwed up and we had to spend an extra day in Vegas and Megan was so easy to work with and it was seamless extending his pickup date.
My fiancée picked him up at 10am Sun the 27^th and said it almost looked like he did not want to go home! He and his blanket from home were freshly washed and we received his treats and toy back — but not his bag of food which was weird but totally fine. I didn’t have the time to pre bag so if they kept the food (sealed 5lbs) in lieu of charging us for unproportioned meals that’s totally cool. Or whatever happened, no big deal. Megan and the staff were amazing, accommodating, and caring. Instead of freaking out and being scared, PJ ran to me when they got home and found my face under the covers and began to lick and wag his tail happily. Can’t wait to bring PJ back for day care and more!
(It’s a little unnoticeable at first so pay attention so you don’t have to turn around in some neighborhood like we did! Lovely facility though, and lovely staff.)

My dog Indy has become kind of a little old man as he approaches 6. He’s picky about playing with other dogs and even though he still has (considerable) energy, he often looks like he just wants to sit in the corner and smoke a cigar.
However, this little old man LOVES Shady Acres and they love him too. That is the best feeling to have when you drop off your dog for boarding or daycare. Shady Acres takes a personal interest in your dog and it shows. Indy plays his little butt off there.
They are great with communication and being flexible when my plans have changed. They respond super fast to email. Also, this last time, the poor little old man had a UTI and they were great with his prescription food and antibiotics, which was a relief.
The only caution I have is that the driveway is narrow, so before you turn in from Sam Bass, make sure that no one is coming out!

Shady Acres is the perfect place for dogs. They take care of your pets when you need them. We have two dogs. One senior and one young dog. They both love it there. Shady Acres is very accommodating to whatever your needs are. They don’t charge extra for feeding your dog its normal food or for giving medication like other kennels will. They also don’t charge extra for playtime, which I think is a huge benefit. We have used Shady Acres multiple times and will continue to use them again as needed. I highly recommend them to anyone who has a dog!!! Megan is the owner and is so friendly.

Shady Acres did a great job caring for our two Yorkie mixes over New Year’s. They were very easy to work with, did a great job explaining what my pets’ experience would be like, and were reassuring to me that they would be safe and well cared for. When I picked them up, it was obvious that they received lots of outdoor playtime and love… they were exhausted when they got home from all the playing!
I also took the opportunity to get my dogs groomed and they look AMAZING! I’m super picky about having their faces clean cut and the groomer at Shady Acres did an excellent job. This is the first time I haven’t kept the puppies with friends or relatives, so I was understandably nervous. I am so glad I found Shady Acres. The took great care of my babies and the price was incredibly reasonable. I guarantee that I’ll be back!

The two stars is really based on the description «I’ve experienced better» instead of «A-​OK» especially since I don’t think everything was A-​OK. I hope management will look into some of the more recent issues and try to address them.
I had a last minute business trip in which my usual dogsitter could not host my dog. Since Shady Acres had good reviews, and they are just down the road, I decided to board my dog there. I truly tried to prep them with my dog since he has severe (separation) anxiety at times. They did try and get him to eat by adding peanut butter to his food (kudos), but my biggest concern was his lack of hydration when I picked him up. Like I mentioned, I know he is an anxious dog, but when they returned a bone-​dry bowl that I had brought from home, it raised an eyebrow. I picked him up within an hour of them opening. When I waited in the lobby with him while they got his stuff, he drank from the bowl of water they had in the lobby (about half), and when I got him home, he drank another two whole large bowls of water. (I believe his water bowl is 32oz, but don’t quote me on that.) I partially blame myself for not looking to see if there was water in the play yard, but surely he was not left without water overnight? I don’t know.
And I also don’t remember seeing any grass in the play yard (a couple of pics show grass). It may have been due to the time of year (fall, before the October rains), but something for you to look at if you pay a visit.

I boarded 2 dogs at this facility. A 16 year old mini schnauzer and a 7 month old Pitbull. I requested (and paid for) 2 seprate kennels for my two dogs.
My senior schnauzer doesn’t like other dogs… Especially a hyper puppy. She would prefer being alone over being socialable with any other dogs. She’s not aggressive. Just shy and nervous.
When I picked my dogs up. I found my little nervous dog behind the counter with 4 – 5 other little dogs! Her blanket and bed (which I brought for comfort because it smelled like home) was also behind the counter with other dogs all over them.
I was told by the young lady behind the counter that she just was «so little and looked so lonely, so I brought her up here the other day.» No one assisted me to my vehicle with my dogs. But when I got outside I could see they were covered in mud. They smelled of urnine and feces along with the bed and blanket that was left behind the counter with all the dogs.
I would never take my pups here again. I suggest reading the other reviews. Also there is a great boarding facility in Liberty Hill if it’s not to far for you.

I hesitated even writing a review, but thought that all potential customers deserve to know that not every experience is perfect.
I made my reservation online almost 3 months ahead of time due to my dogs needing to be boarded over the Thanksgiving holiday. I called and gave my deposit over the phone that same day. 2 weeks later I received an email asking for my deposit. I replied that I had already made my deposit and that the charges had in fact cleared my bank. I was asked to send bank documentation to confirm this. I did and then received confirmation from Shady Acres that my reservation was ready.
I dropped my dogs off an hour before they closed on a Friday as I was due to leave the following morning at 4:00am. I was told they could not keep my dogs because they had not received the dogs’ vaccinations records. I was under the impression that Shady Acres would obtain all necessary records from my vet. I spent an hour in the office there at Shady Acres calling the vet, the animal shelter and finally my husband to obtain the necessary paperwork in order to leave my dogs. I was told one of my dogs needed a Bordetella shot, as his was expired, but that was the one shot Shady Acres could provide. Fine, whatever, I didn’t really have a choice.
I picked up my pets a week later. When they handed me Andre’s leash, I notice he was COVERED in scratches. I asked the lady in the office if Andre had been in a fight. She didn’t know and asked the back staff. I showed the back staff girl the scratches and she said they noticed that while they were bathing Andre, but thought it was dry skin. She again said she wasn’t aware of any fighting, «if anything, it was just rough playing.» Andre’s eye also got scratched too I believe because it swelled shut for a couple of days. I chose not to take him to the vet since but by Monday morning, his eye was fine.
Note — I am okay with my dogs playing, even roughly. What I am not okay with is having to ask why my dog is covered in scratches and welts and being given the runaround.
Overall, our experience with Shady Acres Pet Ranch was just okay. I chose this place over my previous boarding facility because it was cheaper and because I didn’t have to pay extra for outside play time. However, we will not be returning to Shady Acres. There was not enough supervision during outside playtime and my dog came home pretty beat up.

We had some issues with our dog when we left him to board over Thanksgiving, but Megan is working with us to resolve them. As soon as she received word of my complaint she contacted me, which I really appreciate.
Overall I can tell that the ownership loves animals, and hopefully there won’t be any snags in the future.

I read all the glowing Unilocal reviews for this place and decided this was the place for my 2 little dogs… loved members of our family. We left our 2 dogs at Shady Acres to be boarded for 8 days while we were on a cruise. THEY LOST ONE OF OUR DOGS!!! We were out of the country so could do nothing. We boarded our dogs SPECIFICALLY so we would be assured they were safe. And now one of our family is gone. After talking to a neighbor, I have been told that this place has lost other dogs in the recent past… neighbors have driven past while staff at Shady Acres is out looking for lost dogs. This place is supposed to care for and keep dogs safe.
We went to pick up our other dog and were told that my dog escaped while being transferred from the yard to the kennels — about 2 big human steps away from each other. The office manager let us know that our dog «escaped» through OPEN DOORS … approximately 30 – 40 feet from the kennel door and up some stairs to one of the OPEN doors and then through an office /​reception area and out another OPEN door to the parking area /​driveway. The office manager let me know this has happened before. We assessed the situation and showed the office manager a solve in under 30 seconds. These people do this for a living and should be more aware of how to safeguard the dogs than us. Transferring dogs without leashes while having open doors to the outside of the facility is just plain incompetent. You’d think they’d learn from it happening before. And the office manager had the gall to tell us she was traumatized by the incident!!! Seriously??? How in the world do you think we feel??? Oh… and my other dog smells of urine covered up by the STRONG smell of some kind of dog perfume.
If you want reliability that your dog will be there when you get back, please think twice before taking your dog to Shady Acres. Unfortunately you cannot post a review on this business unless you have been a customer. There have been people who have tried to post a review about returning lost dogs to this company or seeing staff out looking for dogs who have gotten out, but the reviews have been taken down because they are not direct customers, which is sad, because it involves direct customers who cannot speak to write their own review.

Finally, we have found a home away from home in Austin for our dog, Orbit!
My husband and I have missed out on a few out-​of-​town trips as we did not have a nearby and reliable boarding facility. With all of the great Unilocal reviews, we figured we would give this one a shot.
From the moment I submitted an inquiry through the website to drop off, the Shady Acres team made the process seamless. As our dog is a rescue, we mentioned that playtime in large groups and alone time is still a work in progress. We picked up our dog today, and it sounds like they were more than able to accommodate our needs.
Orbit smiled from ear-​to-​ear the whole car ride home. Now sprawled on the floor, he is wiped out from his big week at overnight camp. In our home, a tired dog is a sign of a happy dog!
We are incredibly thankful for Shady Acres and will definitely be back.

Love, love, love Shady Acres Pet Ranch. My Cairn Terriers walk straight in and go to where they keep the toys in the front office. Megan treats all the doggies just as if they were her own. Mine go in with tails wagging. Highly recommend!

Our dogs had a great time and so did we!
It’s always stressful putting our dogs up when we go away. I’m always leery of trying new places because I want to make sure that our babies are taken care of and given the love and attention they get at home.
So when we went on a week long vacation last week, we scoured the web for the perfect combination of price and service. Our search brought us to Shady Acres Pet Ranch.
The Shady Acres Team invited us to visit and tour the facility. They showed us the accommodations, the play yard, and discussed with us the individual food and medication needs of each of our dogs. It was obvious that they were all dog lovers which eased our minds quite a bit.
Once we got to our destination, we called in to check on our dogs. The Shady Acres Team texted us a photo of them having fun and playing! We called a couple more time during the week to get new pics!
Finally, on our return date, our flight arrived late and we wouldn’t be able to make it to Shady Acres until 20 minutes after closing. This would have meant another night without our puppies, as well as an additional night’s expense. We called Megan, the owner, and let her know we were on our way. She volunteered to stay open late, just for us, so that we could pick up our dogs.
When we arrived, the dogs were in great shape and excited to see us (although I get the feeling that they will definitely miss Shady Acres!). The Shady Acres Team had even washed a blanket that we had left for them so that it smelled nice and clean!
Thank you Shady Acres for taking such great care of our dogs. It meant a lot to us and helped us relax and enjoy our trip so much more!

We decided to use this place b/​c it was so close to our home and we couldn’t have be more pleased with the results. Our dogs were treated like royalty. One of our dogs is a Border Collie mix and she LOVES to swim. When the dogs get «play» time, they get to run free within their fenced land and use the pond, if they so desire. I love how it’s not just a 10×10 fenced in pin for play time. We have been back several times and will continue to in the future. Try this place out, you won’t be disappointed. :)

Great place to take your doggies! My baby came back so happy. I will definitely use Shady Acres again!

Shady Acres has been so amazing to us, we were previously using another kennel that just wasn’t working for us because our dogs would always come home injured (not the casual scrape here or there) but with gashes. This have never been the case at Shady Acres. They are very prompt to respond and have always given us a great peace of mind. Our tire blew out on our way home from spring break vacation and we didn’t make it back in time and even though the kennel was extremely busy they made us feel great by keeping our dogs cozy one more night and assuring us everything was fine. We will be customers until the end with these guys!

Megan is an awesome groomer! She is very efficient & made both of my Yorkies look great. Very friendly staff! Highly recommend. 5 STARS!

We decided to bring our dog Junie here at the suggestion of our friend. We rescued her so she has some anxiety in new places. After her first day here she didn’t want to leave. The next day when we brought her back she was so excited. Staff is so friendly. We will be back (:

Shady Acres is the best place you can take your furry friend. This place will be a second home for your pooch. Shady Acres has the best staff that gives your dog the attention he/​she needs!
I moved out of state or else my fur baby, Tater would still be going. She would go twice a week. And she looked forward going every time. I don’t think she wanted to come home! :)
It’s like pooch paradise!

I purchased a Groupon for Shady Acres last year, and I am so glad I found this place! I cannot say enough positive things about it. Everyone who works there is so friendly, and you can tell they really care for every dog who comes in. The facility is spacious, extremely clean, and the prices are very reasonable.
Our Catahoula Leopard, Beau, absolutely loves it there. He is so excited when we drop him off, and when we pick him up he stares out the back window and whines when we drive away. When we get home, he is usually worn-​out for at least a day, so I know he gets all the attention and playtime he needs. They also offer playcare for the day as well as training.
By far, the best boarding place we have ever used. Give them a shot and you will not be disappointed!

I had never heard of this facility until I saw the groupon for it — which was a great deal and I hope they do it again soon! This place doesn’t charge you extra for outside time or play dates with other dogs — just a flat daily rate and you dog will have all the outside playtime the weather will allow!
I just got back from a 1 week vacay and picked up my 11 month old boxer puppy this morning. Although she was excited to see us, she obviously enjoyed her time at Shady Acres because she was noticeably sad when we put her in the car to leave! She even quietly whimpered on the ride home when she is usually calm and quiet in the car. I will definitely be using this facility again! I love that she got to play outside every day and she smelled amazing from her bath when we picked her up! If you have a dog that likes to be outside and active with other dogs, this is the place to take your pup!