Barks & Rec Center - Boarding, Training, and Daycare

My dog Valerie loves Barks & Rec! The staff is amazing and they go above and beyond for the dogs. She loves going on park runs and spending the day playing with all her buds. Highly recommend!

Barks and Rec is our good boy, Noodles’, happy place. Anne and the team she’s culled provide a safe space for dogs to play and get the exercise they certainly need.With so many people working from home, Barks and Rec also offers half day sessions. This gives our pooches a much needed break from us. There are only so many zoom meetings they’re willing to join!Our baby has been attending sessions with Anne and her team since he was 6 months old. Noodles is now approaching 3 years. We highly recommend sending your fur baby to Barks and Rec. They’ll love you even more for it.

I’ve been bring my dog here since their puppy training program and I cannot stress how grateful I am for the staff. Everything he arrives, he is overwhelmed with joy and greets the staff and other dogs. I also love their social media posts. Really shows how much they care about their work. 10/10 would recommend

Barks & Rec is a tremendous asset to the community! The Economist has been going to the group romps twice weekly since a puppy and he has blossomed so wonderfully under the kind & experienced eye of Anne. Her and the B&R staff foster strong, dynamic relationships with each dog and fine tune their Confident Dog training to each pooch’s individual needs. I don’t know how we would have made it through the puppy stretch without Anne and Barcs & Rec!When we first started there, our puppy had just come out of a cast having a broken foot, and Anne helped him gain strength on his leg.Anne guided us through training , schedule and leash walking - all skills we didnt even know we needed! Because of Anne and her dog-whisperer magic, The Economist is now such a kind, obedient, loving & friendly joy to everyone he interacts with - both family & strangers, young & old.We also love that B&R is so full service! Not only can he attend fun playgroup classes, but we can also schedule a home visit/ walk for him if we can’t make it in every day to their large play facility. He loves the place so much that we even boarded him there for a full week last winter vacation. The best part is that the staff is so much fun that they host events like pool parties for the dogs where they feed them watermelon! Anne is always available to ask questions about rearing your dog - she even recommended her own vet to us which turned out to be most valuable.One final statement about B&R; as soon The Economist gets on their block, he is so excited with anticipation to go in and play with the trainers and other dogs - and that alone speaks multitudes to how amazing this place is. Anne’s creation benefits the entire dog owner community - not just because Barks & Rec is a FANTASTIC value for the money, but also for the way her wizardry continuously exhibits itself in your dog outside of B&Rs walls. We strongly recommend B&R to every local dog owner.-Jessica DAmico & Paul Berliner

Update: 2 months later and I still feel the same way! Mochi comes home exhausted from daycare and loves hanging with all his pup friends!Love this place! Ive used Barks & Rec for daycare, walks, and boarding. My 7 month old puppy Mochi attends at least twice weekly and comes home exhausted! Additionally, I boarded him with B&C for 8 days. While boarded, he got to participate in daycare daily, got at least 3 walk a day (if not more), and had a complimentary grooming! THEY ARE THE ONLY DAY CARE IVE FOUND THAT OFFERS PICK-UP IN CROWN HEIGHTS!!!! They love my little guy as if he was their own and Mochi loves to go. You and your pup will NOT be disappointed!

I was looking for dog day care and I took my pup to many places in the neighborhood, and have to say he LOVES going there!Anytime we are near there he tries so hard to go in there-no wonder, its no doubt the staffs love dogs and treat them well!Its also super convenient how they offer 1/2 Day care either for AM or PM, and they are flexible about drop off/ pick up time within considerations.They are also really knowledgeable about training, so he learnt how to well behave (though he definitely intentionally misbehave sometimes..), and sometimes they give me good tricks and tips how to train, which is super helpful.For boarding, though they do not update by sending us pictures, I am free of worry as I know he has so much fun in there!

My dog loves hanging out at Barks and Rec. He’s usually reluctant to leave my side in new places but when I drop him off here he runs in happily with no hesitation. The staff are wonderful and so friendly and I genuinely feel like they love and care about my dog.Earlier in the summer I went on a long trip and boarded the dog for almost 2 weeks. They took excellent care of him and went above and beyond, even preparing special food when he made himself sick with separation anxiety!

Do NOT take your dog here. The owner Anne is rude and consistently incredibly drunk around both staff, customers, and dogs. The space is unclean and unsafe. The staff turnover is insane - people quit constantly. Anne doesn’t care about the quality of care for your dog - she only cares about a profit. There are not regular cleaning protocols. Things go months without getting cleaned or attended to. As a customer, you will get charged incorrectly and overcharged. There’s no website or way to pay other than a paper system, which often creates payment disputes and confusion. I truly implore you to seek care for your pup elsewhere. Barks and Rec is untidy, unsafe, and uncomfortable. As a dog owner myself, and someone who has seen the dirty conditions and inappropriate behavior, I would NOT trust this woman or her business with my puppy. If you want your dog to receive actual love, care, and careful attention: GO ELSEWHERE.

UPDATE: Fri, 12/2 my husband brought to my attention Barks&Rec charged us per puppy, as opposed to the total we were given when the time came to pay.I would like to give this place a much better rating, but the owner, Anne, has horrific business acumen.My husband and I arranged a 5 day, 4 night stay for our 2 new puppies. We were quoted a price for their stay. Upon returning to pick up our puppies, we were met with the most INCREDIBLY childish, disoriented and pathetic customer service from the owner herself, as to what time SHE would be there before closing, informing us that she no longer wanted to be there, even though it contradicted the time for puppy pick up.To our surprise, Anne left and an understanding employee called to inform us he would be there for us when we arrived. Upon arrival, we learned of a greatly inflated price as opposed to the original quote given for BOTH puppies.Excellent staff but the correspondence needs to be significantly better since no one is on the same page there.Also Anne, should check herself on where she is conducting her so-called business and watch how she speaks to her customers, so she doesnt have to keep calling her staff to fight her battles for her.Lastly, we gave our puppies enough food for the time they were away from us. The very moment they were home, they were ravenous like they havent eaten in days. Do with this information what you will. Personal opinion, stay away from this place.

We can only say great things about Barks and Rec! Our pup was a littleantisocial by nature, and it took a few times going there for her to getcomfortable, but after that she now strains on the leash to goinside and she has become the life of the party, interactingenthusiastically with both the trainers and the other dogs! We firstenrolled her in puppy kindergarten and since then we send her off fordaycare regularly. The staff has been helping our dog to overcome her fear of the streets. Its been tremendously helpful for us.Anne and the rest of the gang at the Pacific St. location obviously love dogs and it really shows, in their concern for our little one. Two paws up!

Ive been taking my dog, Buddha, here for almost a month. He’s been spoiled! We moved from the west coast to the city which was a big change for him and we were worried he wouldn’t get enough play. It’s been so great taking him to Barks & Rec because the staff are friendly, caring, and kind. I have good faith that Buddha is in good hands. He’s a pretty attached dog, but he’s been getting so much better even when I leave him home alone for a few hours because of the practice he’s been getting at daycare.I also love the additional services! Though we don’t get pictures or updates daily, he gets to do small excursions and training walks plus I can get him bathed and groomed here! I hope he loves coming here for the long term, and can’t wait to see how he’ll do with the next step: boarding.

Love this place! The staff is so friendly, warm, and helpful, and our dog clearly loves it here. Our pup can barely contain himself when we turn the corner to go to Barks and Rec! Its a little bit more expensive than some of the other doggie day cares in the area, but its honestly worth every penny. Just one example: Our dog was coming up on a booster shot due date and the center owner *walked him to our vet herself* while he was at day care one day in order to get it taken care of. Talk about service!

My dog and I absolutely love this place. We tested out 2 other dog day cares in the area and this one was by far the best. The staff actually pays attention to the dogs and could tell me exactly how my dog did throughout the day. Everyone I have met so far on the staff has been super friendly and helpful, I can tell my dog enjoys going here! She’s always tired when she comes home which makes me feel like she had an exciting day of playing. They may be a little pricey but they’re worth it.

We’ve been going to Barks and Rec on a regular basis for almost one year now, and Mila our big sweet Dobie is absolutely in LOVE with the whole staff and members of Barks.We’ve had such a great experience since day one. Every dog is cared with love and specific care to each and one of their needs which is so impressive. They’ve always been ready to help us out in any occasion, whether a last minute trip due to work or long weekend escape. She is always so excited to go back and play with the rest of her fluffy friends. Like Barks says it’s their life a part from us as well, and just like it’s healthy for us to have our catch up with our friends and stay active, it’s a necessity for them if they don’t get doggie contact on a daily basis or have a big area to play all day.Mila arrives home with literally a big doggie smile and soo exhausted yet completely relaxed as she can be anxious if not, and she sleeps so much more when she comes back. Like the saying too “ tired puppy, happy puppy”We are very thankful to have found Barks and their compassionate and supportive team.Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Especially from Mila :)

This place has been great for our new puppy, Roux! They’ve been very easy to schedule classes with and welcomed her with loving arms! We can tell she’s having a great time because she’s exhausted the rest of the day after puppy preschool. We’re so glad she has a place to practice training and socializing. Thanks Barks and Rec team!

I boarded my dog there for a few days. When I arrived the owner asked if my dog had recently been fixed because everyone was trying to get a “piece of him.” I was extremely confused why my dog was even out with other dogs. He is a rescue and they believe he was a bait dog. I specifically asked for the small group sessions and stated I would pay extra for him to not be placed in the full group as it is overwhelming for him and we have been working on small group interactions. She then stated multiple dogs including hers had been mounting him and he would not defend himself. I was furious. Once I got him home he had scratches all over his body. I called and sent pictures and asked how this happened. The owner blamed him and said well he should have just spun around to get them off and of him. She offered to pick him up and give him a bath with sensitive skin shampoo. I declined I would never allow him to go there again. My instructions were clear and I called multiple times to check in.

Please read the Yelp page for this business. Lots of accounts of the true nature of this business. We had no idea we were exposing our baby to a drunken and abusive business owner. Here is our first hand experience: BEWARE!! Worst experience with a dog daycare of my life. They left my dog alone in the daycare center and my father was waiting out front for an hour with no way of knowing if my dog was safe and inside. This was in spite of having a scheduled pick up time confirmed by email. When an hour later someone showed up they refused to speak to me by phone. I had a heart attack calling and trying to help my father who was picking up our dog. The owner of this business is rude, this service was not only inappropriate they are lucky I didnt call the police. They should be shut down. Do not bring your dog here - spend your money elsewhere.

We and our dog were very pleased with Barks! This staff is thoughtful, attentive, and very caring. Excellent communication over phone and e-mail. Well continue to use Barks for our boarding and training needs.

We started bringing our Australian Cattle Dog here as a puppy for their puppy pre-k, and are certain it’s why she’s social as a 1 year old. She loves the staff, who clearly prioritize making a safe and fun space for all dogs. We appreciate their flexibility for daycare walkins and last minute boarding.

They were so nice, and they gave me a free puppy class for my puppies first puppy kindergarten class. His first class went well and they practiced “sit” with him. They were so patient with him, i let them know how nervous he is and they really took care of him. I will 100% be coming back for another class!

Our puppy Angus loves coming here, he knows we are close at the end of the block and sprints the rest of the way! He always leaves tired/with some new tricks up his sleeve! They are also flexible with timing/pickups and are very accommodating.

I boarded my dog here over a year ago and received my bank statement and found out that they have been charging me for a yearly subscription when I boarded him once.Also when he was boarded I was told Id be sent pictures and he would be washed. He came back filthy and I never received any updates or photos about him.

My dog LOVES coming here to the point where she won’t even say goodbye to me when I bring her here. Everyone is so sweet and truly care about the dogs and the community. I only trust coming here.

I just walked by this place while walking my dog and I must the staff members seemed so excited to meet my little Georgie! Despite the negative reviews I will definitely be trying out this place as he grows up.

Do not trust the owner Ann, she is unwell and vile. She neglects the dogs, leaving them unattended in dark building and she takes no responsibility. This place should be shut down and the owner should seek treatment immediately. Awful disrespectful.

Small but mighty team. I have an XL dog and theyve been accommodating and transparent. Great neighbourhood spot!

The first day was like a weight off my shoulder the owner and staff are great they taught my family what we need to do to take control.Im in love

My dog Ollie loves it here, and is taken such good care of! Very happy to have found this place :)

Great staff... Dealt well with my defiant pit bull rescue during a week long week boarding situation

I brought my very sweet but dog-reactive dog here for a daycare trial after being denied by other places and feeling out of options. Instead of making us feel discouraged or ashamed, they put us on a detailed training plan of action to get her comfortable around other dogs. All of the staff were super friendly and knowledgable and I feel comfortable leaving my dog in their care. I definitely recommend Barks & Rec!

So grateful for Barks & Rec. We adopted during the pandemic and didnt really know what we were in for. Anne was great in getting us set up with the basics of our new pup and he just LOVES daycare and playing with the other dogs. We only wish he could go more often.