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Doggy Lama Pet Care
Rating Details »
Categories: Dog Walkers, Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Oakland3312 Loma Vista Way
(between Octavia St & Suter St)
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 434-1974
Just Awarded "Best of Yelp 2009"
We just received "Best of Yelp 2009" in the Pets category! Call us to find out how we can help your pet to be happier and healthier. Cheers.
- Hours:
Mon-Tue., Thu-Fri. 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
32 reviews for Doggy Lama Pet Care
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
8/18/2009
11/12/2009
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3/27/2009
Updated - 8/13/2009
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6/1/2007
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
Hooray for Doggy Lama!
After my dog went through a fear period and day care just wasn't working anymore, I went in search of a dog walker. Doggy Lama came very highly recommended, and I'm very glad we found them.
Molly and her crew are very invested in all the dogs she works with. Not only did Molly come out personally to our intake interview, but she even offered to come to a training session with my dog to see his progress with our behaviorist. Talk about great customer service!
Our walker Kristen has been doing great with our dog, and I come home to a relaxed happy pup. I also firmly believe that the additional exercise, dog-dog interaction, and meeting of new strangers has improved my dog's behavior dramatically. He's quite a pleasure to have around now!
I haven't had an opportunity to try out their boarding service, but will as soon as I need it :)
When I moved to the East Bay in January I was on a sabbitical so I took my dog Lily out to parks everyday, then came time to return to work and the daily outings stopped. So I began looking for someone to take her out a couple of times a week. I would ask people that I ran into on our evening walks about walkers--most did not have one. Then I ran into Sage's dad and he could not say enough nice things about Doggy Lama and Kristen who walked Sage.
Now, I know why. When I lived in SF I would see lots of dog walkers who would just take a pack to an enclosed dog park and then visit with other walkers. Doggy Lama doesn't just take your dog on a 1/2 walk around the neighborhood or for a run in an enclosed dog park. Doggy Lama takes your dog on off leash adventures, and Lily just Ioves to go out with Kristen.
Lily just spent the weekend being boarded with Molly and had a great time being spoiled and managing to sleep in the bed instead of her crate!!!! I can't recommend Molly and Doggy Lama highly enough.
I adopted Lucy, a nine month old Stafforeshire, last February. I wanted to take her for hikes, not just walks around my neighborhood. I was a bit nervous because she is very strong and I did not feel like I had a good ability to control her. When I got Lucy, I was told she was aggressive toward other dogs and should not be around them - especially smaller dogs.
I met Molly a few months later and she invited us to go for a hike with her and her puppy crew. Lucy and I met Molly and five dogs in the Oakland hills. We walked for almost two hours.I wanted to eventually let her run around off leash, but I also wanted my new dog to come back to me. Molly had such good control of her charges, she help me to feel comfortable enough to let Lucy run - off leash - with the pack. Molly gave me a lot of advice about how to train Lucy and to prevent her from becoming an aggressive dog. Molly has given Lucy an opportunity to interact with other dogs in a positive way. She has helped me to gain the confidence to allow Lucy to be around other dogs and to know what to do in any situation.
Molly walks dogs in large pack daily and knows all of the great spots. She is full of information and willing to share. Molly has helped me to figure out how to really bond with my dog and create a trusting relationship. Lucy and I have since met Molly - and various other dogs for many wonderful wilderness hikes.
Let me add my voice to the resounding approval of Molly Kennefick, her love of dogs, and her ability to run a business. I've known Molly for about ten years. When I got my 10 week old pup, Alton, I called her right away about day care. (I have to work and no one can be home.) Anyway, she couldn't take him until he's been neutered (so an update will follow), but gave me a consult anyway. She looked at his food and gave me a thumbs down on it. He's on Innova now, thanks to her. She pointed out that good food is the one thing we can control. Lord knows Alton puts a lot of crazy stuff in his mouth.
Anyway, I can't review the service per se, but I've known Molly long enough to know that I'd unhesitatingly trust her with keys to my house and my dear little dog, and hope you do, too.
Unfortunately, I have scheduled, cancelled, rescheduled, and re-cancelled with Doggy Lama regarding a particular trip I was going to take. In the end I didn't end up needing these gals but even after I'd cancelled and then called to reschedule them they were really sweet, incredibly professional, and weren't at all rude (I might have been if the roles were reverses, so really a big kudos to them). They came to the house to meet my dog, see where all of her things were, etc., and I felt completely comfortable with them. I would definitely recommend these ladies to anyone looking for a dog sitter!!
I love my dog.
And so do Molly and Kristin at Doggy Lama!
I signed up with Doggy Lama when Outward Houndz sadly closed down. I thought it would be hard to find another quality 'adventure hike' walker for my bouncy border collie, but it turns out Doggy Lama is equally excellent!
Kristin is Joey's usual walker, and always leaves notes after each walk for me letting me know where they went, how Joey behaved, and any highlights. When I leave the leash out on Friday mornings for Kristin Joey gets so excited knowing what's in store he grabs the leash (one of those plastic retractible dealies - not easy to pick up) and dashes around the house. This is a very good sign! :)
The owner Molly hosted Joey for his trial overnight visit recently. Joey had a seizure while staying with her (something he has been prone to, especially as a border collie), and her response proved I had selected the best organization to care for my beloved dog.
Molly had owned a seizure-prone border collie herself for many years, and her response - both for Joey during the episode, and with me afterwards - was professional and extremely caring. During the episode she responded in textbook fashion to Joey's state (I'll omit the unnecessary medical details; suffice it to say she knew what she was doing!). Immediately afterwards she called me to discuss what had happened. We agreed that he wasn't in need of an emergency vet visit given his history and the nature of the episode, but Molly followed up a day later to check on his status and to offer any help if needed. I was impressed by her level of knowledge, prompt and thorough communications, and general kindness and conscientiousness. I guess you learn the most about people amid challenges, and Molly more than proved herself.
I'm a big, big fan, and so is Joey!
Lets just be real: The puppy is lazy as all hell.
She would rather hit the treats out of your hand instead of doing tricks to get them and I'm pretty sure sleeping is her full time job.
And she's pretty good at it, too.
But the second you say, "Mochi wanna go outside?" She perks up, does a little happy dance, and is ready to run out the door. And then we spend about 10 minutes walking around before I think she's about to pass out from exhaustion.
*sigh*
So I decided to call up Doggy Lama to get this girl outdoors for a few reasons:
1. The name "Doggy Lama" is thoroughly entertaining. And the fact they had 20+ five star ratings was impressive!
2. I thought it would be good for her to interact regularly with other dogs/people like she used to in the city.
3. The Dr. said she's "getting kinda chub chub"
:( Poor Mo! She's just got a lot of fluff, that's all...
When Molly and Jen came over for the initial 'interview', I knew it was going to be an interesting experience.
Mochi's kinda particular about things being around her neck and she can be so stubborn at times! If she doesn't want to walk, she will lay down on the sidewalk like, "I'm over it, carry me home."
*Rolls Eyes* I swear, this dog....
Jen was very, very understanding about all of Mochi's Mochi-isms and they got along GREAT from the get-go. It's possible that it was because Jen has some grade A chicken treats that Mochi would probably do anything for but that's besides the point (:
Molly and Jen were very accommodating and let me know that if Mochi wasn't able to walk the hikes the entire time, they could figure something out; doggy stroller, carry her, etc.
Ugh can you imagine a 17 lb dog in a doggy stroller? Un.Believable. And the poor walker that has to push the 17 lb dog in the doggy stroller...good grief.
But they were willing to do it if they had to, and Mochi sincerely appreciates that (:
Aside from the staff at Doggy Lama being incredibly nice and enthusiastic, they are also very, very professional. I trust them to take good care of Mochi and I know that Mochi feels safe with them.
After walks, the walker takes a minute or two to write up a little 'report card' on who your dog played with, what time they left and came back, where they went, and what they did too (: So cute!
I especially liked the comment on ours after the first day: "Mochi sat in the water bowl. Sorry she's wet."
And the best part: pictures! Molly snaps pictures of all the dogs when they're out on their hikes and posts them on Flickr for everyone to see. I love browsing through all of them and seeing all those happy dogs.
The family absolutely adores Doggy Lama and the staff we've met so far and we thank you for being so patient with Mo-Mo!
Monday's and Friday's have become her new favorite days (: Can't you tell? http://www.flickr.com/...
We have a border collie. Scratch that, we have a border collie-whippet mix, which for those of you who know, we also have a ton of energy (and love) on our hands. When I started consulting from home, my wife and I decided to try a walking service, and we tried a few, without much success. Then Doggy Lama came in to walk our pup and they've been nothing short of awesome for us.
Aside from our pup coming home exhausted, Doggy Lama also takes fantastic care of our dog - Pepper. Pepper can be a bit of a firecracker, but Molly and her walkers help with being consistent with our commands and behaviors for Pep, and that has been a great help. Doggy Lama and Molly also have always been a help hosting Pepper overnight, even being gracious if we have a last minute request.
And, due to the nature of Doggy Lama (with many walkers) - we never, ever have to worry about whether Pepper will get out on the days she's scheduled for a walk. Molly makes sure that multiple walkers are familiar with Pepper and with our house, so it's never a big deal for a substitute to come in and help out. Fantastic service and even better folks!
now that i have my own pup, it was a no-brainer to entrust molly and her crew with his walking and boarding. my one-year-old (just-out-of-puppyhood and squarely-in-rebellious-adolescence) doxie mix loves his good friend jen, who does me the favor of tempering his exuberance with adventure hikes twice a week. i come home to a dog mellowed by wading on sandy beaches and the camaraderie of his doggie pack.
jen also boards the little guy at her awesome home when i have to go on business trips. the dog has come to equate my departures with being at the Best Doggy Summercamp Ever.
5 more stars for doggy lama, because i'd give them 10 if i could!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/28/2007
i've played concerned pet aunt or doggie godmother for a close friend's precious pup (PP) a number… Read more »
I ran into one of Molly's walkers out on the trail in Redwood more then a year ago and was blown away with how my very shy and reserved saluki mix, Mariposa, instantly took to not just the well behaved dogs but the dog walker. I called soon after to start walks two days a week.
I can always tell when Mariposa has been out with the gang. Even though I take her hiking and running every day, the days she gets to go out with Molly's crew she seems even more chill and in a good mood. I also believe it has helped make the socialization with people better - something I've struggled with for years.
I love getting reports and photos, as does my husband who lives in Vienna.
Molly is an amazing, kind-hearted person who cares about her clients (4 and 2 legged). She does a great job picking the staff. They all go above and beyond what is required.
(We will sorely miss Marianne!)
Our little Boo has had a lot of surgeries on his elbows recently. As a result, he hasn't been able to go on his regular dog walks -- and he really misses them. But when we went on vacation, we sent our sweetheart to Molly, and she and Baloo had an amazing week together. Molly kept in good touch and emailed me all about Baloo and how he was feeling and what he was doing from day to day. As you can imagine, this made our vacation that much more relaxing. When I picked Baloo up, he was as happy as can be. Molly had treated him like a king -- and she didn't even make a big deal of the fact that he had destroyed a doggy bed in her home (he can be chewy)! She also didn't make a big deal of the fact that I had to drop Baloo off at 6AM, and pick him up at almost midnight when I got back. She could not have been more accomodating.
Baloo had another surgery this week (the last one, we hope), and we needed someone to board him for a weekend. I cannot tell you how much I respect Molly for being honest and explaining to us that she would have a lot of high energy dogs around, and that it probably wouldn't be good for Baloo's recovery for him to be around them.
Doggylama and Molly are motivated solely by the health and happiness of the dogs -- and this is an amazing, amazing attribute for a dog care service!
I would give them a million stars, if I could.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/11/2008
We love Doggylama. Our dog loves Doggylama. Molly, the owner, is truly a good person --… Read more »
My search for the best dog sitter in the Bay Area has ended. Molly absolutely rocks.
Molly cared for my dog, a senior Weimaraner with multiple health issues (diabetes, arthritis, etc.) while we were on the east coast. Our dog has trouble getting up, needs daily insulin shots, has to eat 5 times a day and takes about 8 pills a day. He's a sweet boy, but super high maintenance, and we struggled with finding dog sitters that were able to deal with his needs.
After going through a string of people that just quite weren't able to handle a dog with special needs, we discovered Molly. We knew from the moment we met her that she was very professional. She interviewed us about our dog, his requirements and his demeanor. She required a "test visit" which allowed her the opportunity to get to know our dog. Thankfully, he passed the test, and she boarded him while we were on the east coast. While we were gone, we got daily updates on how he was doing and could log on to Doggy Lama's Flickr site to see photos of his daily romps. Molly even called just to set our minds at ease while we were out of town.
Having a special needs dog and leaving them can be difficult, but we feel totally comfortable leaving our beloved pooch with Molly. We've tried a number of people in the Bay Area, and Molly is the only pet sitter we trust to leave our special needs dog with.
Finally! A doggy daycare/boarder we can trust!
After a horrible experience with Woofwalks (they kept the dogs they finished walking enclosed in the back of their truck while their walker went in, took a shower and changed her clothes--and it was hot outside!) we were apprehensive with who we could leave our precious pup with. Will Lulabelle be left in the back of a hot truck? Were the other dogs she'll be playing with pre-screened? Will she like her caretaker? Unfortunately, all we have to go with is body language and, let's be honest, love can easily be bought with a few tasty treats.
Enter Molly of Doggy Lama.
Molly was absolutely wonderful! Our first meeting was for a trial sleepover which she requires for all new clients--$50 I'd gladly pay to ensure that all her other clients have passed this thorough screening. We immediately liked her as we could instantly tell she was a dog person and understood dog behavior. Lulabelle tends to be freaked out when she sees a pack of dogs so we were a little scared how she would react to a swarm of them eager to meet her. So Molly introduced them to her one at a time. That she could handle.
One of the many wonderful things they do at Doggy Lama are their amazing day hikes. Sure, lots of doggy daycare places go on walks. BUT--how many of them upload real-time pictures of your dog onto flickr for you to see!? I swear, my wife and I were constantly hitting refresh to find pics of our Lulabelle. In fact, I downloaded one of her pictures to use as my desktop! It's a picture of Lu smiling, and I'm sure your pup will be smiling too if you take her to Doggy Lama.
Molly, Lucia and the rest of the staff at Doggy Lama are nothing short of amazing! Honestly, my fiancé and I have been through many dog walkers and pet sitters for our pup so we know what qualifies for a great service. The doggy lama staff has consistently gone above and beyond and treated our puppy just like it was one of their own. Every time "Sophie" goes on a walk we get report which includes her energy level, if she went potty, who she played with and where they went for their walk. It's just amazing! I can not say enough about Molly and her staff, they definitely deserve 5 stars!!!!!
I absolutely cannot rave about Doggy Lama enough.
Our dog went to stay with Sarah and Sprout and he was actually sad to come back home! This isn't a dog boarding service - your dog goes to someone's home to stay where your dog gets to watch TV, sleep on sofas, play with other dogs, go on long hikes for hours and get lots of human interaction. They made a Flickr photostream for us so we could look at what he was doing daily. He was so happy too!
They are incredibly flexible. We dropped him off and picked him up on the later side and it was no problem. For as long as I live in the Bay Area, this is the boarding service I will use exclusively
LOVE doggy lama.
when the rare occasion comes up and we have to leave our precious, adorable (really!) daisy, we will always go with doggy lama if we don't have a sitter. (hi nancy!)
everyone is so helpful and friendly and they don't mind when you call to check up on your pet occasionally.
a nice difference here is that there are different host families so you can work with molly and choose the best temporary home. and there's a full 24-hour trial period which includes and introduction, day and overnight just to make sure everything's kosher while you're in town.
this is how all sitter services should be.
oh, and by the way, there's a SUPER great photostream so you might catch a pic of your pet while you're away. :)
Doggy Lama Rocks!
Doggy Lama Pet Care provided a stimulating yet tender experience for our dog, Boris, in his last months suffering from bone cancer. Doggy Lama staff visited our home every couple days, giving Boris love and attention that my husband and I couldn't provide while working 8-5:00. Doggy Lama even brought therapy dogs to our home who were gentle and interactive with Boris, who at the time could barely get out of bed. When Doggy Lama showed up, Boris even went outside in the sunshine, wagged his tail, and played with the therapy dogs! Along with the caring, personal touch Doggy Lama provided, the bountiful treats were a big hit, too.
The best part of my work day during that time was going on-line at the office and seeing the real-time photos of Boris with the Doggy Lama staff, being posted during their visit. It felt like I was there with him.
Doggy Lama will be my ONLY dog boarding/walking resource for our future dogs -- here on out. The only disservice they've done is set the bar really high for other dog boarding/walking businesses. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
I was searching for someone to watch my pug, Beenie. I am new to the area so I searched the internet for quite a while to track down a few people. The average price was 41-60 dollars per day in the bay area. It's a little high but once I got over that fact it was still hard to find someone. I looked at businesses but the cost to board your dog at a business and someones private home is the same. Also when your dog is with someone you can be assured he will never be put in a cage.
I finally tracked down Molly from Doggy Lama. She returned my call promptly; some people didn't even return my calls.
I took Beenie over for a trial sleep over yesterday and he loved the place. Although, Beenie is a lover of most things. Molly was very professional and asked more questions of me then I of her which shows she really wants to make sure you are comfortable with her watching your "kid". I could tell she has a real love for animals as she is involved with pet rescues and takes care of older dogs. She is also involved in animal training.
I very much appreciated that she let Beenie sleep with her too ;a habit I let Beenie do when he was a puppy and have never weened him of and he has separation anxiety too.
I would recommend Doggy Lama if you need a sitter.
Also try searching:
http://www.ebpsa.com/
----- Follow up: 1 year later ----
Beenie has been to Molly many times now as it's been a year since I first found her. I have moved to Foster city but I still exclusively go to Doggylama because I can't imagine finding a better service for Beenie. The pictures taken of Beenie while in the care of his sitter are filled with joy as he runs around and plays with the other dogs. All the doggies seems to be having a great time.
I love to bring Beenie there because I never have to feel guilty. I know that he's having such a great time (possibly even better time than with me!!???!!).
There is no alternative. . . you can not replace the individual attention your dog will get from Doggylama. Your dog is going to a home and real parks, not some stinky concrete dog kennel (no matter how pretty the website might make them look).
I just want to add my voice to the chorus of people raving about Molly and Doggy Lama. My rescue (I have to put that in because she was rescued at 3 years of age, so all of her bad habits can be blamed on her previous owners!) pug Eloise is a sweet little thing, but definitely a high maintenance pain in the butt sometimes. She is especially high maintenance at night and cries like a baby if she has to sleep somewhere new. She even pooped on her bed every night when we sent her to another boarding situation. Bottom line, she needs love and attention and someone to snuggle with and Molly provides all of the above plus fun outings. Molly has always been very professional, accommodating and flexible. Eloise gets so excited when we drop her off at Molly's that we don't have to feel guilty about leaving her. The Flikr photostream keeps us in touch and lets us know that she is having fun without us. I can't say enough about Molly and Doggy Lama, we feel so lucky to have found her.
We dropped Muttley off for a week's stay with Sara at Doggy Lama while we were on vacation, and when we picked him up, I swear he didn't want to come home! It's such a great feeling to be able to go away on vacation and not worry about your dog holed up in a smelly kennel somewhere. The staff at Doggy Lama obviously has genuine love for their work, and will go out of their way to make your pet feel like part of the family while you're away. Sara took Muttley to the beach or park every day to chase tennis balls, let him snuggle in bed with her or in a heated doggie bed, and fed him homemade treats. Seeing the pictures she posted of Muttley romping happily on the beach with his new friends while we were away was proof that he's in good hands.
A word to the wise, Doggy Lama requires a trial overnight stay while you're in town before boarding your dog for an extended time, so plan well in advance of your trip. The overnight stay is well worth it for your peace of mind, so don't let that deter you.
I can't recommend Doggy Lama enough, and Muttley can't wait for our next vacation!
Molly and crew are consummate professionals who not only know how to care for pets, but love them like they were their own. When my dog goes to stay with her, I know he'll be having a fantastic vacation. His routine daily walks are transformed into heroic doggy adventures.
And, major bonus points, seeing live photographs of these adventures on her Flickr photostream makes being hundreds or thousands of miles away so much easier.
Molly and her team know that our dogs are part of our families and when you are gone, your dog becomes part of their family.
My husband and I recently moved to Oakland with our 2 year old Aussie Shepherd, Apollo. Apollo can be a little neurotic. He's a sweet, happy dog when he's active, but he harbors a lot of nervous energy and when he is not treated properly he can turn fearfully aggressive. This makes caring for him challenging. We cannot leave Apollo with just anyone, not even for a mid-day walk.
Coming from the east coast, we know very few people here, none of which are capable of taking Apollo while we go east to visit family. Finding Molly and Doggy Lama has been a huge relief.
I talked to Molly by phone first and she asked a lot of questions about Apollo to understand what kind of dog he is. She knows a lot about dog psychology and how to make them feel safe and happy. Her mandatory trial night and trial walk put me at ease because it told me that she wants to make sure all the pets she takes in will be a good fit with her and her home. As a plus besides that, Molly is incredibly down-to-earth and easy to talk to.
I went on Apollo's first walk with the crew and gained a new appreciation for dog walkers. Besides how it might look, they really work! They are constantly counting dog heads on the trail, picking up poop, and making sure their dogs are behaving well around the hikers/joggers/bikers sharing the trail. All the dogs that walk with the Doggy Lama crew are well behaved and happy pups.
Apollo has gone on a handful of walks with the group now and has stayed over night with Molly twice. His social behavior around other dogs has improved dramatically from the experience already. Now when I ask Apollo if he wants to go see Molly, he cocks his head and looks at me then takes off for the door, ready for a hike!
If you don't mind someone else loving your dog or cat the way you do, giving them the kind of attention you do and making them feel safe and secure,(hopefully you do that) then Molly and her staff at Doggy Lama are the pet caretakers for you. They love animals and it shows. Why, everytime my dog Sam sees Molly, he just can't stop wriggling with joy. And Buster and Lucy, the cats, practically purr in a chorus.
Since we pet-parents tend to be a bit neurotic when it comes to making sure our pets are well-taken-care-of when we are not around, it is especially comforting to know the folks at Doggy Lama are great substitute parents. Isn't it nice to have one less thing to worry about?
Highly professional, responsive, responsible and caring towards dogs. Sue watched our cockapoo, Chicken, in her home over the holidays for 11 days and the stay went off without a hitch. Chicken got more exercise and play time than she does with us and she seemed very happy there. We were very happy getting to see great photos of our dog every day while we were gone!
Doggy Lama was recommended by my dog trainer, a woman I highly respect. My 80 pound American Bulldog needed a place to live for a week while we vacationed, and I was feeling kinda desparate, cause I think kennels really suck, and my dogs spend 24/7 with me, so I didn't want either one to be stuck in a cage situation (my other dog, a neurotic mutt, stayed with family). Let me clarify: Stella, the bulldog is young and still in training, I needed a real "Dog Person" to care for her, and when I met Molly, I knew I had hit a home-run. I immediately knew that in Molly's home, dogs aren't just included, they are lovingly accomodated. Molly is very thorough in the interview process, and wants to know exactly what your dog understands, his/her behaviors, routines, commands, etc. It was comforting to feel that she was taking my 'rules' seriously -- I was also happy to hear her routines, and to answer her questions about my routines. To her credit, Molly allows dogs on her bed -- I don't and asked that Stella not be allowed. It was obvious when we got home that Stella was kept to my rules, and I was really grateful for that.
Molly's Doggy Lama staff are all certified dog walkers, which means they have taken courses in dog behavior, understand the nuances of caring for a 'pack' of dogs, and are entirely capable of handling an entire pack of dogs on leashless walks that appear to average 5 miles a day! Wow!
It is rare that a dog-care happily invites bully breeds to stay with them. In fact, my previous experiences with my bullies in kennel situations have been utterly disastrous for my dogs. Doggy Lama is a different story; Molly welcomes them in (after the interview and a test overnight stay), and you can rest assured that she cares for them in the most responsible and responsive way.
I could go on, but suffice it to say, that if you need to further assuage your anxiety, Doggy Lama posts photos of your dog on the daily walks and in their daily activities at least once (if not more times) per day on http://Flickr.com (you can see my Stella on Flickr, if you want to see a truly happy bulldog), so you can keep yourself up to date on Fido's latest shennanigan's while you sip your Mai Tai on the beach in Fiji, if you want. You may be surprised to find that you dog is having a better time on vacation than you are...
Though not inexpensive, Doggy Lama is well within the price of high-end doggie daycare/overnight situations, but gives the personal attention and "at home" ambience that no other overnight situation offers. Well, well worth the price. It's worth your dog's mental/physical health and your own peace of mind.
Doggy Lama also offers daily walks in the East Bay, in addition to overnight stays. To date, I understand that there are openings for daily walks -- so call now and book your walks -- if your dogs could thank you in advance, they would. As much as I'd like to keep this East Bay gem to myself and the few other lucky folks who know Molly, I gotta give a shout out: If you love your dog as much as I love mine, you might find Doggy Lama to be your ticket to a worry-free vacation.
Forgot to add, for those who might wonder: yes, the over-nighters get to go on those strenuous hikes too, every day. These people do NOT go to the lazy dog parks and obliviously chit-chat over coffee while the dogs run rampant. Your dogs come home tired, happy, obviously well-loved and cared for.
There's just not enough words to describe how totally wonderful Molly and Sue are. We found our way to them under bad circumstances-our previous doggie sitter showed their true colors in a really scary way! Molly did us a huge favor in taking care of our saucy pug, and restored our faith in others taking care of our "kid".
Molly took care to make us feel totally confident about leaving Fini with her. There were pictures posted every day, and she even called to "check in" and let us know that Fini was doing great and lazing her days away in the sun. Since then, we can't imagine leaving "the girl" with anyone else. Even recently, when she was having some allergy issues, nurse Sue was on the case, and ended up giving Fini better care than our vets had...Those ladies are UBER-FAB!!!!
We are off to a new phase in life-moving to Chicago, and while we're totally excited, we are BUMMED about not being able to leave Fini with someone who we trust and who we actually feel like we can call our friend.
Mollissima is Bellissima!!!!!
I can't say enough great things about Doggy Lama. They took such amazing care of my black lab while I was out of town. Very professional and I even got pictures of his fun outings while I was gone. I trusted them to come in to my home and I trusted them with a family member. My dog absolutely loved them also! I highly highly recommend them.
Doggy Lama Pet Care ROCKS!!! Molly and her crew truly love all their furry clients. They make sure your companion gets the exercise and socialization they need. Molly K. helped our doggy JJ, become the fab dog he is today.
Update (3/27/08): Why can't I click on more stars!!!! Molly just emailed us with more photos of our dog, out and about at the park. Hercules was a little too far for Doggy Lama, so Molly and Jill went out of their way to find a new dog walker for us. At Doggy Lama, they really truly take care of your dog like a family member. Jon Gross, our new walker has been great (they even interviewed a few dog walkers before referring Jon to us). So today, Molly & crew happened to run into Jon and his crew (to include my dog) so she took pictures and shared them with us via http://flickr.com! Doggy Lama really went out of their way to help find us the best dog walking solution. My husband and I were very impressed, and really touched by how much they care. Again, thank you!!!!
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I found Doggy Lama Pet Care on Yelp, and I must say that setting up dog walks for my dog has been the best part about moving to a new house! I emailed Molly and despite the fact that she was out of town, she promptly replied to my message. Initially, there wasn't anybody who covered the Hercules/Pinole area, but Molly found Jill for us! Jill usually specializes in the Oakland/Berkeley area but she is doing the looong commute to my house until they can put together a group in the Hercules/Pinole area. So, dog owners in Hercules/Pinole area, say YES to Doggy Lama and sign up now!!!!! Molly, thank you so much for being so accommodating! My dog is so happy! (And we are too!) Thanks, Doggy Lama! I wish I could give you ten (10) stars!
I called Doggy Lama when my husband and I were going to Mexico for a for a week. We were getting married, so everyone I would have asked to watch the dog was going to be in Mexico with us. (relax...it was only 30 people). So anyway. I scoured the Internet for suitable options and I wasn't a big fan the the kennels. "For an extra $10 a day, your dog can get 15 minutes of individual attention" WHAT?!...to compensate for the other 12 hours a day they are in a cage? No Thanks! I found about three places I was willing to consider. They were all in-home care, and all had a daily routine including a walk. I liked Doggy Lama because of the daily off leash hikes. Our dog LOVES off leash, especially in the Regional Parks, where Molly mentioned they go. So I emailed her...I think it was even Easter Sunday. She emailed me back promptly and said lets talk Monday. In her email was a link to the Flickr site someone else mentioned in their review. I checked it out, mainly because it was there. Pretty much at that point I was sold. It was pretty clear that she really loves dogs, and if there's someone that crazy about dogs and is willing to let mine stay at her house...I'm on it like a fly on...well you get the picture. So when we spoke she asked about the dog and some other details. Unfortunately she didn't have room at her house during the time we were going to be gone, so she had us board with one of her "crew". Jack and Justine were great and I think my sweet puppy has a new boyfriend (she fell in love with their doberman). I think I might have to arrange for a play date even! So anyway...I felt totally comfortable leaving McKenna in their capable hands. Never worried about her once while we were gone. We even got a few pictures and an email halfway through the trip. The boarding fee was completely reasonable, especially considering she got to be "one of the family" and NEVER stuck in a cage somewhere. The only thing I was never really clear on was if, when they are boarded, they also go on the daily trail hike. I'm thinking the trail walk/run might be for just the animals picked up for dog walking and the boarders get another type of walk or excercise. Not sure, but that being said I have found the place I will take my dog, should I find myself in need. No doubt.
quick update:
Molly emailed me and told me their minimum requirements for doggy excercise. It one hour a day for all boarding clients. I had no doubt she was VERY well excercised...I think she slept for three days when she got home :) These guys are the best!
We have two small children and a cocker named Karma. We love to visit the North Coast but, unfortunately, find our accommodation options limited because of Karma (a kennel/cage is not an option). So about a year ago our search began for a "home away from home" for our girl Karma. That's when we found Doggy Lama thru the East Bay Doggy Day Care. From the minute we were "interviewed" by Molly we knew we had "found the one". We did an overnight stay to see if the arrangement would work for all of us. The result was greater than we expected: We found great short-term care for Karma and considerably improved her socialization skills. The pets are well cared for, and most importantly for us, the pets go on daily walks/hikes at great East Bay parks. And to further assure us our girl is in good hands she takes pictures of the doggy outings and posts them on a web site, Flickr: Just in case you feel the need or would like to check in on your baby. The result, we can enjoy our trips to the North Coast with no worries!!
I highly recommend Doggy Lama for all your pet care, walking and boarding needs. By far, Doggy Lama is the best doggy daycare in the East Bay Area, and we've tried many. Molly is terrific with the animals and loves your pet as her own.
I adopted my approximately 8-year-old German Shepherd (Molly - nee Lollie) from Molly Kenefick, the proprietor of Doggy Lama Pet Care in February 2007. She rescued Molly from a certain death from the Oakland Animal Shelter about a month before, and nursed her back to health.
A few weeks ago I had a chance to go out of town for a couple nights. As much as I would have liked to take my girl, dogs were not allowed where we stayed. There is only one person I would EVER consider to watch my Molly, and it is Molly Kenefick.
I got to know Molly K. when I was considering adopting Molly. She left the high stress world of stocks (I think?) to pursue her passion: dogs. She let me spend hours at her home over the course of two days last February making sure Molly and I were the right match.
Interested in holistic medicine, feeding dogs (and humans) healthful foods and comimted to caring for her critters, Molly K. is the nurturing mother you wish you had.
She is just as interested as I am (if not more so) in ensuring animals are comfortable, well-cared for, exercised and fed right. She made sure Molly received her daily glucosamine and flax oil and provided her with plenty of treats!
Molly K. had Molly for about 4 nights, and kept me updated via text messages and pictures of my Molly out for walks, lounging in her bagel bed, and interacting with Molly K.'s dogs. I never once worried about her.
When I went to pick up Molly, a dog very loyal to "her person," she did not want to leave. Undoubtedly she remembered that Molly K. saved her life a few months before, but she also got all the attnetion, love and care during those 5 or so days that any dog could ever ask for. Though I was slightly offened that Molly wanted little to do with me and kept following Molly K. around the house, I was happy she had enjoyed herself so thoroughly.
This is a person who understands, loves and takes excellent care of dogs. I HIGHLY recommend Molly K. for dog-sitting and/or dog walking.
