Dog Sitting in West Friendship

Normally my dog is attached to my hip 24/7 because he's a service dog. However I give him his vacation time and spa days with Shady Spring to make sure he gets time to just be a dog and not worry about working (he does love his job though). A mile up the road he begins his happy dance in the back seat because he knows where he is. It's his decompression place. I'm always glad to hear that he's doing well because not everywhere is equipped for the energy of a +100lb GSD who wants to follow Dad out the other door. We've only ever had to make use of another kennel in the region, and they are a distant second in case of emergencies. We adore the team at Shady Spring and always feel well cared for by them.

My pup can be challenging - she hates change, and expresses her displeasure verbally, which you can see in the photo - but Shady Spring handles that and more. I sign my pup up for additional exercise and the chance to be an outdoor dog for a while through their Outback Package. The front desk staff have always been friendly - both in-person and over the phone - and willing to work with me on scheduling.

We unfortunately had a very negative experience at Shady Springs. We don’t have a car so we had to pay $120 round trip for our dog to be picked up from our apartment and dropped back off. We were traveling and not due to land back in DC until late afternoon. I expressed this to them, and they told me they could drop him off between 5p and 7p. Well, around noon on the day we were traveling I called them to ask when exactly he’d be dropped off. They told me he had been sitting at our vets office for hours already—no notification he’d be dropped off 7 hours before we expected, nothing. To make matters worse, he also had on no collar because they make you take it off your dog when you drop him off. We were still halfway across the country, making this a very stressful situation. When I called to ask why they would do this, they told me they would “never” have said he could be dropped off that late. They offered no help or recourse, and basically said it was my problem my dog was sitting alone in a vets office while we were still many hours away. Luckily we have friends who could go get him—not sure what we would have done otherwise. Also, the base fee simply gets your dog put in an “enclosure” (cage) and fed. Any other human interaction, including walks, or time outside will cost you extra. I’ve sat on this for a few months, because I really hate leaving bad reviews. But after sharing our experience with other dog owners I’ve decided I should write this. Don’t board your dog here.

So we stopped here after Aspen Leaf (Giant Schnauzers) to get info on boarding our 3 small dogs. Rainy day; Office seemed closed few minutes before 6pm regular hours and front business parking was now empty. Got no info. We let our dogs out where there was a dog station (bags/trash bin provided) and it took us a bit to dry them off and get the wet grass clippings out of their fur. Some huffy lady pulled up next to our vehicle acting indignant as to why we were there. Even after telling her our intentions, she was rude and repeatedly said it was private property. We told her we were ready to leave. She was not the owner (I inquired.) Needless to say, between her tart personality and the stressed barking we heard from the metal/cement kennels out back, we’d never entrust our dogs to shady care at Shady Spring “Pet Resort." That’s the picture of the unprofessional staff lady who was rude to us, sitting in her maroon SUV.

I have boarded my dogs here multiple times over the last 2 years or so and have been very happy with the service. The groomer does a great job with them, especially my shep/husky mix. The dogs are excited to see the staff each time they board. The staff know each of my dogs and their personalities and seem to be really good with them. **Not always an easy ask because some of my dogs are absolute maniacs.** My guys are worn out for 24 hours after I bring them home, bonus for me. There is no charge for them to feed my guys their usual food. Additional things I prefer for my dogs: the ability to house my "shy" one with a buddy and that they don't interact with other dogs (no group play). They do offer individual activity add-ons for pets to increase enrichment and comfort while the dogs are there. I have not boarded a cat or pocket pet/exotic pet but they have both available. Worth the drive from DC for my guys. I see a pet shuttle listed for people in the DC area but I have never used it.

UPDATE 3/23: Approximately 10 months after our first visit I boarded my dog again for a similar period. This time though I have some concerns about the quality of care and handling my dog received. Before my dog was delivered home, a staff member called to let me know that her nose had been rubbed raw from kennel anxiety but they had treated it. Although she is kennel trained and this is out of character for her I said ok and waited for her to be delivered. When my dog arrived her nose was not rubbed raw, all of the skin was ripped off like her face was dragged across concrete. Her paw pads were in similar shape and this required a vet visit which cost me hundreds of dollars. My dog is large and vigorous but she is not aggressive so I don’t understand why she would be handled so roughly as to receive several injuries. I don’t understand the need to try to downplay how hurt she was and lie about treating her wounds. This is a living creature they were paid to care for and my faith in their quality of care is nonexistent after this. Do not bring your dogs here. OLD REVIEW 2022: My dog Patty was boarded here for one week while I drove across the country. In spite of being a little timid and having a weak appetite, she is very much in good health and spirits. They even delivered to my home in DC for a reasonable price. I plan to use this establishment again in the future.

I have nothing but praise for this facility, their staff and extra-ordinary care. We had to board our 16 year old cat Javi, who requires wet food twice a day and monitoring and no one else was available. A different local facility told us he was too old for them to accept it even if we could have vet vouch for his health. Shady Spring was kind, welcoming and did a great job with our old grumpy but sweet boy. I would highly recommend them and will definitely use them again.

Just move from SETX to Washington D.C and found this place to bring my service dog in training to get a fresh start since his emergency adoption on 03/11/2022. I can't wait for him to join the place next week. Very nice facility with polite staff members.

We have been customers of Shady Spring many times before. They have always treated our dogs very well. Thus, I wish I could leave 2 reviews. First, the trainers are awesome and our dog was treated great. However, make sure you get all the costs in writing up front, otherwise you will have a nasty surprise. Their fees are far from reality. Also, be cautious with the manager - Not a nice person - Very Combative. Again, just verify in advance in writing and you will have a good experience.

My husband and I boarded our 4 guinea pigs here for a little over a week. The staff took such good care of them, and truly went above and beyond what we could have expected. We will definitely use them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a small animal boarding.

Rivermist is an amazing place! They host the cutest events every month & it’s clear the staff truly care about the pets under their care. My pets have been using Rivermist for daycare almost every day & my dogs are always happy and excited to go in! 10/10 recommend

We love boarding our dog, Indy, at Rivermist Pet Lodge. She enjoys it there and the pickup/drop off service is great. Thanks Ashley! We really appreciate the photos they send while we're far away but see she's doing great and happy. She gets lots of play time with other dogs which helps with her ability to socialize when we get her back and go to the park.

We have been entrusting Rivermist Pet Lodge with our dogs, Astro and Arya, for over two years and we have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of service and the support the team provides! One of our dogs is more challenging than most and the team has been more than capable of recommending sound options which have made our pet, the team, and us as pet parents feel very comfortable throughout every stay. Astro and Arya return to us healthy, happy, and playful after short weekends and extended stays. Thank you Rivermist for being the sole trusted home away from home for our fur kids!

Rivermist Pet lodge is the best! We booked a week stay for our 5 yorkies while we were away on the vacation. Our dogs really enjoyed their stay at Rivermist. We called the lodge while on vacation to see how the dogs were making out since this was their first time staying away from home. Rivermist gave us an update on the dogs and sent us pictures. We highly recommend Rivermist Pet Lodge for your pets needs.

Bella really enjoys going to daycare. She gets excited and heads straight to the car when she sees her lunch bag. She doesn’t hesitate to jump out the car when we arrive. I’ve had experiences where I had to trick her to get out the car but not at Rivermist. I get great reports that she does well with other dogs and people and they tell me all the time that they just love her. Plus I know that she had a great time because a good dog is a tired dog.

We never left our dogs in boarding before and had a terrible time making plans for them at home when we were out of town. Rivermist has exceeded our expectations in every way, and as made us feel incredibly comfortable leaving our fur-babies. They are well cared for, have fun and get exercise, and come back clean and happy every time. Our vacations become their vacations too! I could not recommend them more!

Rivermist takes excellent care of my two Portuguese Water Dogs. It’s great to have an attentive and trusted place for them to stay.

We love Rivermist Pet Lodge. We have had our Siberian Husky Ares board their 2X. The staff is professional and we appreciate that. One thing I will say is we booked an 8 day boarding reservation for him, and chose the Pawstivley Perfect package which is a little more expensive but we wanted to be updated with Ares day to day routine. Where there can be room for improvement is in the report cards. I love that they document his playtime and who he’s playing with, but I would also like to know if he’s eating and drinking ok and his all around behavior with staff and other animals. Secondly, I was told that pictures would be uploaded about every 3 days. We only received 2 pics but in both pics he was obviously having a ball! I just would’ve liked more pics. I know it’s probably difficult to get pics on all dogs that are boarding but it would be nice if you’re paying for premium package. Another suggestion is cameras in his kennel area. So we can check on him too and see how he’s doing. All in all we feel Rivermist takes exceptional care of our Ares and we are grateful for their services. We would recommend them to anyone who asks. They also have grooming services and daycare which are top notch! Thanks again for taking great care of our baby boy.

Excellent care and concern for our pit-mix. She smelled so nice after her bath. The staff are professional and very diligent. Rivermist is the best. They will be our go to kennel from now on.

Our sweet border collie, at 14, is slowing down. She doesn't take well to strangers, especially when it comes to bath time. However, I never worry when she receives her "spa treatment" at Rivermist. All staff treat her gently and patiently, like she was their pet. No rushing or pulling which can make her anxious. Can't say how much I appreciate that. They truly love animals.

Emily and her husband are amazing with animals! I felt comforted every time I left my dog Penny for a stay. I had no worries and I love that Emily keeps us updated with photos throughout the day. Penny busts out of the car with so much energy and joy when she realizes where we are! I would definitely recommend using Home Away From Home Pet Boarding! The people are so nice and amazing, it’s affordable, and they offer overnight stays, as well as doggy day care!

Love Home Away From Home. Emily and Mario (and office staff) are amazing. Millie, my pup gets so excited when Emily comes to greet. She gets soooo much play and exercise in throughout the day and is exhausted and such a happy dog at the end of the day. Definitely the best day care in the area! Hands down! I haven’t had any home services yet, but I trust them to do an amazing job just like they do with doggy daycare and would certainly take advantage of their others services when in need. Millie and I are big fans and will always come back.

Emily was very inviting and comforting from our first meeting with our pup Cyrus. Animals love her. I was very nervous leaving my dog after our initial pet sitter fell through but emily eased all of our fears. She was easy going, honest, polite, and kind. I received a ton of pics throughout the vacation, i saw my baby running around with other dogs, playing ball, and just having a blast. I highly recommend Emily and her husband for any pet boarding needs!

Emily is absolutely fantastic and I trust her completely with my dog Ruby. Every time I go to drop her off Ruby goes running into her house because she's so excited. Emily also provides regular photo updates throughout the stay that really help put your mind at ease. Highly recommend Home Away From Home Pet Boarding!

Emily is the best. I am an extremely nervous dog mama (because I’m obsessed with my dogs... of course) and really struggled to allow anyone to watch them. We’ve used Emily/HAFH twice now and we’re so happy! I swear they probably are so happy they don’t want to come home. Lots of interaction and exercise, and Emily is really easy to communicate with, always sending pictures while we’re away. I would recommend her without hesitation and I’m sure we’ll continue to send our pups her way!

If I could give Emily a 7 star rating I would. She did an excellent job in taking care of our guinea pigs Choco and Maple. Choco is my senior guinea pig and she needed medical attention (antibiotic feeding) while we were away on vacation. She took care if them so well they didn't want to come back. We highly recommend Home Away from Home Pet Boarding.

Emily and Mario were really great in taking care of our puppers Sheldon. They made sure to give him enough exercise and sent me a ton of pictures and was always very responsive.. I would definitely use them again and highly recommend them to others.

Emily and Mario are amazing!! Our pup has an absolute blast with them and I get pictures during the day to show what my pup is up to. I’ll never leave my pup with anyone else!

I was very pleased with everything! Emily was great on updating and sending pictures of our dog! We will definitely recommend this place.

Exactly as the name says. Emily and Mario treat your pets like their own.