CINDY'S RETREAT FOR DOGS

Drop off our Airedale Terrier puppy 2 or 3 days a week. He's always excited to get there and comes home tired!! They really take good care of their boarders and we will continue to use them on a regular basis. Great folks!! Also a Good Value!!

Fabulous!!!

A neighbor recommended Cindy's Retreat and we are delighted to have found a place to leave our elderly beagle when we go out of town. Cindy and her team are caring and professional. The facility is excellent; there are several well-fenced, very shady areas for different sized dogs, where they get to play for a good part of the day. The dogs get their own little room in an air-conditioned building rather than having to stay in a crate or cage. There is even a full-size swimming pool, and the staff obviously enjoys swim time with the dogs, if you want your dog to go swimming. Our beagle Emily is 14 and has arthritis so she is slow moving. She is usually wary of other dogs but she fit in well with the other pups at Cindy's. The staff is very careful and watchful over the dogs' safety and interaction. Checking Emily in was like checking into a posh hotel or spa; they make sure she was comfortable and felt safe immediately upon entering. When we picked her up she was engaged, playful and happy (I don't think she really wanted to leave), unlike when we left her at the vet, where they obviously had not given her much water or let out to go potty. The cost is exceptionally low for such great care and peace of mind, and the flexibility to have the dog's individual needs met. We are thrilled to have found Cindy's Retreat and we will be repeat customers many times over.

We found this business by referral from a former pet sitter (who was listed on a yelp search but was no longer doing the pet sitting). This business was given highest ratings by the woman who I spoke with. I called and asked about their services then a week later I called to make a reservation -- and they had ALREADY reserved a space for my puppy (and since there were no other spaces and a waiting list by then I was grateful that they had reserved for her by name!)
We checked her in during the afternoon and watched her go out into their play area where all the smaller dogs were outdoors playing. This being Florida I was concerned that they would be too hot but the play area was in a shaded area with tall pines and live oaks. Carly immediately took to the other dogs and didn't seem to notice we were leaving! Later in the week we called to ask how she was doing and they reported she'd become the leader of a pack! I asked were they able to bathe her before we were to pick her up on Saturday, but Cindy (the owner) told us that they don't offer any grooming services because their philosophy is that they wanted to ensure the dogs were not afraid to come and if they offered grooming, since so many dogs don't like to be groomed, the dogs would link an unpleasant experience with their boarding and would be bad for the business as well as for the dogs.
Cindy and her staff truly appear to love dogs and the facility was clean, mostly smell-free (one could not ever be "smell free" with dogs!), the dogs get to play outdoors about 1/2 an hour each time, and they're outdoors about half of the daylight time. Dog play is well supervised and the dogs are segregated by size, so dogs play with others nearer their size. The indoor area is air conditioned -- an important consideration in Florida! I love the St. Augustine area but had thought to try another place for vacation next year, but unless we find a rental permitting pets, we'll be back in St. Augustine after making a reservation for our two (got another dog after Carly stayed there in July).

I am so very happy with the care my 2 dogs received at Cindy's Retreat for Dogs. No one likes to leave their dogs at a kennel... but this is more like leaving them with friends. The kennel is CLEAN... and VERY safe!! Double fences keep them secure. I was impressed when I visited that when the dogs were in the yards playing they were supervised by a caring individual. My big dog has stayed in kennels before... but this was a first for my little one. They took extra care to make both dogs comfortable and feel secure. I'm am so very grateful that they took such good care of both dogs. The facility is very CLEAN and each dog is in a nice large room, rather than a cage. The outdoor areas are huge and all the dogs tails are wagging! It is obvious to me that both dogs were well taken care of.