Best Friends Pet Care

I visited a lot of dog daycare facilities in the area before deciding on Best Friends in Wakefield. The place is clean, staff keeps a good eye on any aggressive behavior by the dogs and they get time outs if behavior becomes a problem. They use the Bette Yip training methods which is what my pup learned. Brady is a 5 day a week camper and has been for 8 months now and I could not be more pleased. The staff is always friendly on arrival and pick up, the webcams are great to check in. I feel very safe leaving my dog there daily and know he will be taken care of and safely socialized while I work. My only complaint is I wish there was a Best Friends in Woburn so I wouldn’t have to drive through all the 128 traffic daily. I live and work in Woburn but travel to Wakefield because there isn’t a better dog daycare, in my mind, in the area.

My dog loves coming here! The groomers do a great job and the staff are all so friendly and caring for my dog! I love watching him play on the live feed doggy cam and the best part is, he goes right to sleep when he comes home. I would highly recommend bringing your pet here!

My daughter has been bringing her dog Nala to the doggie day care for several months and encouraged me to bring our 7YO Cocker Spaniel for an overdue grooming. We had previously gone to a local groomer who both dogs were terrified of upon arriving at the front door-(not a good sign). When my husband picked up Daisy that afternoon, she was happy, perky, and her Cocker Spaniel cut was fantastic! There was a «report card» of what was done and some sweet comments about her day. I appreciate the caring staff and the attention to the little details that make our dogs excited to spend the day there! –Daisy’s and Nala’s Family

I leave my dog for overnight stays. This is one of the few places that has outdoor play. My dog loves being outside even in the cold, she has lots of other dogs to play with. The staff is great about giving me a detailed report at the end of the stay. The longest she has stayed was 7 nights with no problems. The drive Cambridge to Wakefield is long but worth the trip.

I brought my dog to Best Friends Wakefield on November 1, 2014 for an overnight stay. She came home limping. I didn’t think anything of it because I assumed she had just spent too much time laying down (she’s lazy). She had stayed there before with no issue.
My dog was scheduled to stay 10÷02÷15−10÷05÷15. The day before she was scheduled to stay I get a voicemail that tells me I need to bring something documenting a negative fecal sample and a lepto vaccination… neither of which was required when I reserved and no one told me I needed. As and positive, when I called they told me that since they did a poor job notifying everyone she could stay this time, but would need it the next time.
I picked my dog up when I returned home, around 615pm (she had stayed to be groomed). When I got her home and sat on the couch with her I noticed a huge hole/​wound in her lip. I immediately called them back. I was told my message would get passed on to the manager and if she wasn’t at a conference the next day, I would receive a call. No one knew what happened, but it was large enough that someone SHOULD have noticed it. Maybe they wouldn’t know how it happened, but someone should have seen it and alerted me to it before I left!
The next day the same employee I spoke to called and said he was checking on the dog and stated that he spoke to everyone involved with the dog and no one knew what happened. He also stated that the manager was out of town at a conference until Friday and I should expect a call then (yet was told it was a one day conference the day before).
Today is Friday. I have received NO phone call from management. I am confident that they saw the dog’s wounds and knew that the dog was limping, and something should have been said to me BEFORE I left. Instead, I think they didn’t want to accept responsibility for my dog’s injury (because I paid the $ 7 for the ‘healthy pet plan’ to cover situations like this) and decided not to tell me so they wouldn’t have to pay.
I won’t be taking my dog back because they either don’t pay enough attention to the animals (it was groomed that day so how could they not have seen it?!) Or they intentionally don’t inform customers of injuries to avoid financial responsibility, you have to call multiple times to reach someone when there is a problem, and the manager can’t be bothered to follow up and deal with an issue when one happens.
I’d rather take my dog to a place where she is taken care of with people who care to do the right thing. I have pictures and if I can figure out how to post them I will.

I hate to post negative comments, I’ve been trying for some time now to find the corporate information (which the link on the main site that says click here to write an email to our headquarters, only goes to a service page) so that I may directly speak with someone who could talk to me about the following situation. I have been a loyal client of Best Friends for about four years now with my two dogs, and the staff have always been wonderful, from the desk to the groomers! Even though the nickel and dimeing was frustrating, we follow the rules.
However, we had a situation where I was treated so poorly my the manager Agni.
After booking boarding for our two pups four weeks ahead for a family wedding weekend, I was called at 3:00 the day before that one of my pups kennel cough vaccine was expired and they couldn’t take her. I was super confused, why did you accept the reservation? I could have easily scheduled an appointment to have her vaccinated in the last four weeks? What is the proper protocol and what should I do?
The level of rudeness was to the point that I had to ask for another person to speak to because I was being talked at and not talked to. She barked back at me with «I AM the manager»
«Your dogs vaccinations are not my responsibility»
Understandable, but please don’t allude I’m an irresponsible pet owner, and why as I am trying to find a solution to the problem and trying to make helpful suggestions as to better communications for the future this «manager» is interrupting me yelling «Ma’am, MA’AM!!»
I had to first ask please stop yelling, please stop interrupting me, and stop saying ma’am!
None the less I flew to the vet, emergency visit which we all know is $$, got the vaccine and headed over. I expressed that I didn’t appreciate being yelled at, and she proceeded to have a banter with me as to who yelled first.
I guesse I wanted to clear the air and maybe hear an «I apologize for the confusion» however she didn’t feel that it was necessary. To then to add insult to injury she claimed «and for future boarding, we will require stool and one other vaccine»
Because clearly I can’t handle two vaccines apparently. I said I think this will be our last time, her response was «Good, great, have a nice day!»
So sad that I won’t be returning as I loved it there and my pets did too, but as a small business owner, I can’t imagine this ever being acceptable customer service, I feel like I was pushed around. Even sadder to know our loyalty wasn’t appreciated.
Update: We went back, service was 100% improved, we were told old manager was no longer there. Hope she found something that made her happy

We loved it! Briar had a blast! I love the streaming option to check in and take a peek throughout the day. The staff was attentive and responsive!
We will be back!

So we have been bringing our new dog there for a couple months, first more regularly during a trip out of state, and now 1 – 2 times a week to keep her socialized to other dogs and to give her a social work out given she is not getting to run outside (I am writing this during Feb 2015…5+ ft of snow!). My small dog loves it… most important review is she tugs to go in every time I take her. They also have a «petnet» camera that lets you check in with your pooch, and see what he/​she is up to (typically not much, but fun anyway). When you buy several a package of days, you can get at a discount… and they do a good job of checking your dog out on intake to see if there might be any socialization problems. I saw a couple reviews where people are upset when there pooch got the boot… I’d probably be upset as well, but the pack has to work it to its own (and usually things works out this way), but if that is not happening, then mgmt has to make the difficult calls.

Been using best friend for few months now my pup seems to love it. I recently had an issue with them and how they handled my dog during day camp the other day, but I spoke to Agni (the manager) and I suppose I understand where she was coming from although if my dogs crying/​yelping its bc its afraid of another dog for whatever reason and I just feel it should be handled differently and not punish a dog for being afraid. I also think they should try her in with the larger dogs, she’s too much for the smaller dogs when there aren’t any her size to play with. She is 9mo but has crazy energy and at her other camp she’s in with the big dogs and has never had an issue just plays all day.

Our Golden Retriever, Hazel, loves Best Friends of Wakefield! We had been boarding our dog at another local pet care business, but I wanted to check out other options because our old place didn’t offer flexible hours or offer half day doggie daycare. Our golden is a very high energy dog, so we needed a place that she could go and play for a few hours and get her energy out, but wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg since I’m a stay at home mom and don’t have a lot of extra $$ to dedicate toward it. Every time our Hazel goes there to play she comes home happy and exhausted. They also have done a fabulous job grooming her. We loved their advertised initial special, first day of daycare/​boarding free — that is what lead us there in the first place — but we continue to trust them with our dog because she has always had a safe, fun experience in their care. I just wish they had more specials like that initial offer! Would be great if they had a loyalty program…

We adopted Huck when he was 1 ½ years old after meeting him at an adoption event. We loved his unique athletic look and relaxed demeanor. After only a few weeks he was home with us and we were all adjusting to life together. We knew very little about Huck’s background but we did know that he was from Arkansas and had spent most of his life in shelters. We quickly learned that he did not like the noises of the city. He began lunging at all the loud trucks and cars that went by. The behaviors then transitioned to people. Huck started lunging and even at times nipping at people. Walks became very stressful, Huck is 70lbs and very strong. This went on for months and we began running out of patience and options.
Google found us the Loyal Canines page. My fiancée and I read through the testimonials and it appeared like Jermaine and his trainers had dealt with other rescue dogs similar to Huck before. We called and met with Jermaine and Huck started Boot camp the next week.
We were a bit apprehensive to leave him for three weeks because of his sporadic and sometimes aggressive behavior. Jermaine assured us that Huck would do well and the abundance of other pups at the facility gave us comfort. Jermaine was always very responsive and sent us our first notification with a video of Huck displaying his new talent of running on the treadmill.
The first visit back showed immense progress and gave us hope, this progress continued during the next two visits. On graduation day we felt like we were taking home a different dog! Living in the city with Huck before Jermaine and his staff was terrifying and now it’s a pleasure. No pulling, no barking, no aggressive behaviors with other dogs. We are even able to take Huck for 3-​mile runs! We would probably have reconsidered our adoption of Huck had we not found Loyal Canines. Highly recommend and please reach out if you have questions. Boot camp saved our relationship with our Huck.

I’ve been coming here for 3 years. I brought a snarky boxer-​mix who didn’t always play well with others; he just needed to find the right group. The last day care place in Boxford, was unwilling to do that, however, they neglected to tell me that on most days, he sat around in his room, alone. Infuriated, I gave this Best Friends a call and explained our situation. I was assured by Aigne (manager) that they would find him some friends… and they did! I brought him there for play groups, day care when he was recuperating from illness and I had to be at work, and for longer vacation stays. He always looked forward to going and we had no issues. Ever. I am very grateful to the Wakefield BF for the care my boy received, right up until he passed away December 2013.
This is not a frilly, fancy place like some of the new ones cropping up. It is clean and functional, and staff love the pets. They will accommodate special needs. If you have a problem (which I don’t), the manager and assistant (Claire), are right there for you.
Location is very handy right off 128. A vet is next door if needed. And someone lives on the premises in house attached. That has always been a big deal to me; nothing scares me more than when pets are unattended overnight.
I bring my new girl there for grooming and training. She’s not quite ready for a playgroup yet, but if that day comes, Best Friends will be our first stop!
Oh, and did I mention reasonable prices, early and late hours, and Sunday day care now too?

Excellent and friendly staff who genuinely enjoy working with the animals. The facility is clean and was easy to get to. Thanks for taking such great care of our dog!

We dropped off our three year old lab mix for two night over the weekend. When I called to book I had a lot of questions and they answered them all in a cheerful and professional manner. When we dropped her off, the place was clean and there were a lot of happy dogs running around in the inside play area. We also booked a grooming for her which included a ‘Shedicure’ as it is said to cut down on shedding. When we picked her up she was happy, tired, and looked great! She looked so beautiful and her coat looked amazing. We will definitely be bringing her back here for the grooming alone! I felt very comfortable with leaving my fur baby here for three days!

We used their grooming services for years. Unfortunately, our dog passed last year. Sis was the expert there, not sure if she is still there but she always did an outstanding job!
Update ¹²⁄₂₀₁₄ — We have a new addition to our family, another mini schnauzer. We recently groomed him at Best Friends and it’s great to know they haven’t changed… Still a great job!
Update: 1÷12÷15 — We used BFs for boarding while away on vacation. Our dog (1 yr old, Mini Schnauzer) was there for 5 nights. I like the idea that we could see him via the video camera while in playgroup. He came back looking great — he had a bath that day and he seemed in great spirits. Overall, I would say that we’ll be back when in need of a place to board, it worked out great.

I just picked up my very active two year old pup from best friends, and he came out fresh and clean, and wagging his tail. It seemed very clean, the play yard was cute, and the staff was friendly. They emailed me a picture of him playing while we were away. a nice added bonus. Olly will be returning soon!

*Please read all the way through.*
7÷19÷2015 Update: I ultimately moved my dog to PetsSmart in Saugus about a year ago, and I don’t regret making that move. No nickle and diming, and they’re wonderful with my dog. I always felt like the team at Best Friends were great with my dog. I made the switch because the haggling over pricing just got to be too much. Every time I would ask for a review of charges, and it was always a hassle. It’s just part of the service provided at PetSmart. Two stars aren’t enough to illustrate how happy my dog was here; they’re to show that the haggling over price every time just became too much.
What follows is my previous review:
I love how everyone at Best Friends of Wakefield treats my dog. When I have to travel for work or for fun, I never worry about my dog. When I drop him off, the team at Best Friends is excited to see him. When I pick him up, he’s his happy-​go-​lucky self. For that, I’m so grateful.
That said, I don’t like how Best Friends of Wakefield nickels and dimes me when they charge for their services. They need to be more flexible about drop-​off times on Sundays — having a three-​hour window for drop-​off/​pick-​up is poor, inflexible service. You shouldn’t penalize clients who need to drop off their pets on Sundays. You also shouldn’t charge a premium for pick-​up on Sundays — as is the case at Best Friends.
On a very positive note: I should add that the team at Best Friends has held the place open for a few minutes for me when I was rushing to get there. That particular time, I had a flight delay that was beyond my control. Again, for that, I’m so grateful. The team there are amazing.
If I did choose to move my dog away from Best Friends it wouldn’t be because the team there isn’t great — it would be because I’d gotten tired of being nickle and dimed.
I have to wonder: If they can love my dog so much at Best Friends, perhaps they could love him that much someplace else where they’re more customer-​friendly in the way they charge for overnight stays.

The staff was nice, and it was located by the highway on my way to work. However, the out door play area is a big dirt pit. There are WAY too many dogs to be playing in that yard. She came home disgusting, and couldnt open her eyes there was so much dirt in them. =(The final straw (and last time I brought her there) was when her right eye was rolling back of her head. I assumed it was ”cherry eye” a common bulldog issue, but the Emergency Vet clinic said it was caused by Trauma to her head. Also, I noticed she began getting really skittish when other dogs walked by the house, or in passing during our walks. I think it is because of the cement crates they are kept in which is extremely loud. I will never go back.
Petsmart is a good alternative. Although there is no outdoor space, only a certain amount of dogs allowed per day and it is a more controlled environment.

Seemed like a fine enough facility for our French bulldog for a 3 days stay and we were told we would receive updates by e-​mail on his stay. We got one photo which looked like he was doing well, but it went to my spam folder so I ended up calling to check in on how he was doing about 24 hours after we dropped him off. The woman who answered the phone said that he was unable to walk and seemed to be dragging his back legs. This breed is highly susceptible to disk injuries, so it caused me a lot of alarm. When I mentioned this to the receptionist and asked for more details, she gave me a very stern lecture that we should have let them know about the breed and suggested we come get our dog.
So we left our vacation at 9AM and drove 90 minutes immediately to pick up our dog. On the way, we made an emergency appointment with his vet and I arrived, expecting to carry him out. My 5 year old son was crying the whole way, thinking his dog would need surgery of have to put down (despite our reassurances, but we just didn’t have a clear idea of how bad the situation was at all). when we got there, he seemed worn out, but was completely able to walk out on his own. He was really thirsty and smelled like he had been licked by a thousand other dogs, but a $ 180 emergency vet visit showed absolutely nothing wrong with him. Best Friends did give us a dog report card that indicated that during his stay he had been playful and affectionate, not eaten very much, but gave no indication of any physical issues. Best Friends did, of course, charge us in full for the stay. I did, of course, leave my emergency contact information which they hadn’t used.
I’m sure this was an aberration, I see that a lot of their customers are pleased, but I won’t be leaving my dog there again any time soon.

I have a pitbull rescue and so finding kennels is slightly more difficult.
Best Friends @ Wakefield is located RIGHT next to an emergency vet hospital which I find comforting in case some type of medical issue comes up.
My dog came back healthy and happy, with a nice «report card» indicating how she was eating/​pooping/​playing. You have the option to select long walks or «snuggle time» with the dog which is perfect for me, since my dog does not play well with others but craves human attention. The facilities are clean and the hours are excellent
(opening at 7am).
Customer service was excellent when I called to check in and they sent an email with a picture of my dog running around midway through the week long visit.
Very nice web interface to make reservations (and they store medical records whic makes future reservations easy), EXTREMELY prompt/​friendly customer service when I suddenly cancelled my reservations for cats.
Location is excellent (right off of 95 near Wakefield/​Reading) and I will bring my dog here from now on.