Four Paws Inn Of Converse

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We used this place the year before after reading favorable reviews and it went well, so we were pretty confident in boarding our pets there again, even though there had been a change in ownership.  This time the experience was much different.  Obviously, there is typically some anxiety as your pets are out of their natural surroundings and among strange people and and many other dogs, and you are are fully dependent on the facility staff to care for them.  You never really know for sure what is going on when you're not there, regardless of what they may tell you over the phone, and expect them to call you or, if necessary, to contact your Vet if there are any significant problems.  You try and pick the best facility and have no choice but to trust the facility staff.  
We brought the dogs' Perla beds, which are high-backed plastic containers, as well as the pads that go in them.  All were cleaned beforehand.  We got the OK to bring them last year, so we just brought them again this time around.  The dogs love them and provide them a comfortable and familiar place where they feel more secure.  We also brought their favorite treats (Costco-brand dog biscuits) and asked that they be given each one a day in the evening as is their routine.  We threw in extras just in case we were somehow delayed by weather or other cause in returning home from our trip.  Upon dropping off our pets, the new receptionist seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy hard-selling additional services, making us feel like we were not looking out for the best interest of our pets otherwise, and seemed annoyed when I asked specifics. 
We arrived for pick-up a day prior to our estimated pick-up date.  We called less than an hour before picking them up.  The same receptionist did not seemed pleased and we felt like we were making her life difficult because we picked them one day early.  The dogs were highly excited, which was not that surprising.  But this time we were shocked at the amount of weight they had both lost (they were not overweight when they were dropped off--we closely monitor their food intake and weight at home), as well as their stressed condition.  We expect some level of stress, as they are in an environment much different than what they are used to, which includes a fenced-in back yard and limited exposure to other people and animals.  That said, we were alarmed at how much weight they had lost in 2 weeks, and the amount they seemed stressed, much more so than the previous year. 
Furthermore, when their beds and pads were brought out, they were spotless, without even a single dog hair or smudge on them.  I mentioned that they looked like they had not been used while smiling, and the receptionist stated rudely in front of other other customers and staff that they had "just been washed."   Then she stared coldly and repeated this three more times in rapid succession in a condescending manner.  At this point I wanted to ask her how the pads could have been washed and dried when we were not even due to pick them up until the next day, or even how in the minutes between our call and arriving at the facility.  However, we didn't see any positive outcome in discussing anything further with her and couldn't get our pets out their fast enough.  Additionally, they did not bring out what should have been extra dog biscuits, but this wasn't a concern, other than to wonder later whether the dogs received them as we had requested.
I later called the owner to help us understand why the dogs had lost so much weight, whether the beds had actually been used, and the unprofessional behavior of the receptionist.  She admitted the pads weren't used in recent days because one of the dogs had soiled it.  We are not sure if the Perla beds the pads were supposed to be in were used at all.  She did apologize for the receptionist's behavior, otherwise we would have been compelled to rate the service an F.   Needless to say, we will be looking elsewhere for boarding services.

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Everything went well. Staff was very personable/professional. Our pets were well taken care of.

Completely AWESOME!
Four Paws was recommended by my veterinarian--a recommendation that held a lot of weight and credibility with me--for boarding my dogs. Without a doubt, the best boarding facility in the San Antonio area.
I typically board my dogs over holidays while traveling. I am so amazed at Karen and Brenda's dedication to the care and attention given to my family members (aka pets). The are flexible with my schedule--and worked with me on grooming and boarding--even over holidays! When I missed my babies, they even shared photos with me. I have used and recommended them to others several times!
Truly outstanding in service, customer care is top-notch!

My dog was kenneled for four nights with Brenda and Karen at Four Paws Inn. Since my dog has a sensitive tummy, I sent her food and treats with her. She also takes several meds for which I sent Pill Pockets. Four Paws doesn't charge extra for any of this and they are very careful to write down which pill is taken when, etc. I wanted to give my girl extra attention so I purchased a "bath and brush." I didn't know that dog could smell so good! Even though she gets plenty of outdoor breaks, because she was away so long, I purchased the "pampered pet sessions." These are an extra 15 minutes each day of outdoor time for one-on-one play with the staff. I once asked what they did during that time and it sounded exactly what my dog would like and I'm sure it helped to tire her out for a good night's sleep. She's allowed to bring her blankie and toy and we always get them back. Nothing is lost or broken as has occurred at other kennels. In plain words my dog and I love this place and its owners. So professional! Until I found Four Paws Inn I didn't know how wonderful a kennel could be. It doesn't have the kennel smell and is spotless. It is obvious that the owners and staff love animals and know how to treat them. Brenda established a great rapport with my girl and I can tell that my dog trusts her. I'm absolutely certain that my pup loves it there.

New to San Antonio and needed to find a reliable and trustworthy kennel to leave our dog when we need to travel. We decided to just drop in (they encourage this) to get a first hand idea of the facilities and services. All I can say is the first impression was amazing. The staff is fantastic, the facility is SPOTLESS, and well organized to handle and hold animals. The facility is air conditioned as well as heated. The runs are spacious and clean. We were definitely impressed with our visit! You could tell immediately that the staff really care about the animals they look after!!We then brought our dog for a couple day stay. They took the time to meet our dog and then took the leash and our dog just headed for the kennel area! So much for that! When we picked her up a couple of days later she was in great shape and happy. So from now on, this is the Kennel for our dog. We have no worries at all and it is a relief to know we have a place we absolutely trust for "our kid"!!!

Wonderful facility. We've used Four Paws a few times. At first our pets were resistant, but after the second trip they get excited when we pull in the parking lot and they realize where they are. The dogs actually pull on their leashes to get in the door and "say hi" to the staff. When we pick our pets up they appear to be happy, rested and more interested in exploring the lobby than going home. Four Paws has extended stay discounts and a military discount that is helpful to us since we travel a lot and can't take our pets every time. We are very happy we found Four Paws. They even have space for animals with special needs for medication or "alone time" and many other features that we learn about each time we drop off or pick up our pets. We recommend Four Paws to anyone who may have a pet that needs special accommodations or special care. They may not be able to accommodate every pet, but we have yet to find an accommodation they couldn't met.

Wonderful, easy drop off and pick up. It helps if you fax your reservation paperwork to them as well as the shot record, made everything run smoothly.

Four Paws is hands down the best kennel I have found. In the past, my dog Ruthy was always traumatized when I boarded her at other places, even refusing to eat for days at a time. It was getting harder to find house sitters willing to actually stay at my house and I was passing up vacations because of it. A friend of mine told me about Four Paws, so I decided to give it a try just for day boarding at first. From the first day, Ruthy absolutely loved it! She came home with a big dog grin and promptly passed out for the rest of the evening. I now send her once a week for a day board just because she loves it so much there. Every morning she grabs a toy and and watches to see if I grab her leash (meaning it's "Four Paws day!"). The ladies who work there really care about all the animals they board. The runs are roomy and kept immaculately clean. Ruthy goes out at least four times a day to a covered run or a large field where she can run. She no longer refuses to eat. If she needs medication, they never miss a dose. An unexpected and wonderful benefit of boarding her there...she is no longer dog agressive like she used to be (a behavior she had when I adopted her off the streets). She now plays in the field with dogs her size and no fighting! If Ruthy could vote, she'd say "tails up" to Four Paws! I pay $14 for a day board and $20 for overnight (military discount) and it's money well spent.

I dropped Ms. Fiona off at 8:00 a.m. and from the start they comforted her and she went willingly. Check-in was fast and simple. I was glad to know that she would still get a separate kennel and they let her out at a minimum of four times a day. I also paid for the one-on-one session daily. When I picked her up, the lady said that they would fight over who would take Fiona out for walks and one-on-one sessions. I think Fiona had too much fun because she promptly fell asleep in the car and once we got home she slept again.