Dog Boarding Facilities in New Jersey

Kathy M. says:
2012-01-02 13:38:44

We recently left our dog Marcie with Darlene and Tom for the first time, and I could not be more happy with their service! I know Marcie was very well cared for, got lots of play time and exercise, and tons of TLC. She clearly was a happy pup when we went to pick her up--I am quite sure she had a great time there and made lots of new friends with the other "boarders." I am so grateful to have a ... view full comment

We recently left our dog Marcie with Darlene and Tom for the first time, and I could not be more happy with their service! I know Marcie was very well cared for, got lots of play time and exercise, and tons of TLC. She clearly was a happy pup when we went to pick her up--I am quite sure she had a great time there and made lots of new friends with the other "boarders." I am so grateful to have a wonderful place for our dog to stay when we are away, and to be worry-free about leaving her. I recommend Aunt Darlene's to anyone who wants to ensure their dog will be safe, secure, well taken care of, and happy. This is the best option for dog boarding I have ever seen!! Thank you Darlene and Tom!!! view short comment

Maryanne Santilli says:
2011-12-28 11:52:26

Let me start off by saying how CRAZY I am for my yellow lab Bella. Like many pet owners she is my baby and when I have to leave her home (while we vacation) it’s a stressful process. My number one goal is for Bella to enjoy her vacation as much as we enjoy ours and for her to be safe and loved in a home –like environment. Gino had exceeded that expectation. The initial meet and greet was a b... view full comment

Let me start off by saying how CRAZY I am for my yellow lab Bella. Like many pet owners she is my baby and when I have to leave her home (while we vacation) it’s a stressful process. My number one goal is for Bella to enjoy her vacation as much as we enjoy ours and for her to be safe and loved in a home –like environment. Gino had exceeded that expectation. The initial meet and greet was a breath of fresh air as both Darlene and Gino are sweethearts and true animal lovers. I left the meet and greet feeling peace of mind that Bella will be in good hands. When it was time to drop Bella off I usually cry myself home as I hate to leave her…but this time I felt at ease, primarily because Gino was so happy to see Bella as much as Bella was happy to be greeted by Gino and his family (human and dogs ha-ha). As we traveled we checked in with Gino via email only for him to reassure me that Bella was doing well and make me jealous with pictures of Bella cuddling with Gino’s son. I would not hesitate to refer Gino and Darlene to anyone and can’t wait to use their services again. I drove an hour to use them…and it was worth the drive to know Bella is in excellent hands. I should also note…Bella was a tad sad when she came home….as I am sure Gino spoiled her while I was gone and she was tired from all the play time with the other dogs..but she was NOT SAD from being left in a boarding facility as I have experienced from other vacations. Bella would be spiteful and angry when she came home….so again..another reason to not use anyone other than Gino and Darlene for your pet sitting needs. view short comment

Gayle Ostic says:
2011-10-30 16:38:27

Aunt Darlene's has been a life saver for us. We have 2 small papillons and one is a puppy mill rescue. Whenever we went away it broke our hearts to put them in a kennel especially the rescue, since he spent 7+ years in a cage without contact, except to breed. Their home is like your own and they love your pet like their own. Their beautiful 2 dogs, Pebbles and Buddy, make all visiting dogs fee... view full comment

Aunt Darlene's has been a life saver for us. We have 2 small papillons and one is a puppy mill rescue. Whenever we went away it broke our hearts to put them in a kennel especially the rescue, since he spent 7+ years in a cage without contact, except to breed. Their home is like your own and they love your pet like their own. Their beautiful 2 dogs, Pebbles and Buddy, make all visiting dogs feel welcome and calm. We can't say enough about how much attention our dogs get and how well they are taken care of. If your pets are part of your family like ours are, then Aunt Darlene's Pet Sitting is the best service to use. We hope they are around for a long time. We recommend them to anyone who loves and cares about their pet. You cannot find better care anywhere!!! Thanks Darlene and Tom, Gayle and Ernie Teddy and Higgins too!! view short comment

Kimberly says:
2011-02-15 18:06:33

Aunt Darlene and Uncle Tom are the BEST. My husband and I relocated to NJ from Texas a little over a year ago. We had always left our 'bundle of Mini-Daschund joy',Duncan with our beloved family and friends who were able to watch him if we were to go away-and we never worried a BIT about how he was doing because he was in the care of our closest companions who loved him like he was their own. We... view full comment

Aunt Darlene and Uncle Tom are the BEST. My husband and I relocated to NJ from Texas a little over a year ago. We had always left our 'bundle of Mini-Daschund joy',Duncan with our beloved family and friends who were able to watch him if we were to go away-and we never worried a BIT about how he was doing because he was in the care of our closest companions who loved him like he was their own. We had NEVER, EVER boarded Duncan before we moved here and when we realized that we had to do so on our first trips being up here alone I nearly had a panic attack. Not having any recommendations or initially doing deeper research to discover such a service as Aunt Darlene's-we set Duncan up at a doggie/kitty hotel near our house-yes it seemed nice on the outside but the way our dog came back petrified when we picked him up was absolutely heartbreaking. Yes, there are those people that say "dogs are just dogs and that it shouldn't be that big of a deal-they'll get over it", but I am one of those people that consider my dog like a child (there are many that feel the same!) and you'd want nothing but the best for them because they bring so much specialness to your life... and seeing Duncan's reaction when he jumped into my arms after being boarded at the one place made me sick to my stomach. Many trips and nightmares later I made a serious effort to do better research and found Aunt Darlene's. I knew something better had to exist-SO TRUE!! All the testimonials on her page say everything perfectly about the level of service and love that they provide your pet. We will use no one else as long as we live up here. It says it all when Duncan knows the moment you pull up to Darlene and Tom's house and he is about to jump out of the car to make a run for Darlene,Tom and their two dogs, Buddy and Pebbles. It makes your heart want to burst when I pick him up and to see how he is so happy to see me, but sad to leave them-Duncan seems to go through a slight withdrawl with all the fun he had and now it's back to the boring mommy and daddy. :) *****HUGE RECOMMENDATION-YOU AND YOUR PET WILL BE SO PLEASED!! Thank you again! Kimberly and Parker B., Shrewsbury, NJ view short comment

Julia says:
2010-11-22 14:30:25

We have never used dog walkers or pet sitters before – my brother always took care of our pets when we were away. Well, he recently moved, so we needed someone else. We wanted to find someone who 1. Loves and can handle large dogs and 2. Can diagnose any problems and have the means to take the dog to the vet. We contacted Aunt Darlene’s Dog Walking and were able to schedule an evaluation a... view full comment

We have never used dog walkers or pet sitters before – my brother always took care of our pets when we were away. Well, he recently moved, so we needed someone else. We wanted to find someone who 1. Loves and can handle large dogs and 2. Can diagnose any problems and have the means to take the dog to the vet. We contacted Aunt Darlene’s Dog Walking and were able to schedule an evaluation at our house at a time convenient to us (very late at night!) - Darlene and Crystle accommodated our challenging work schedules. My husband and I were impressed by how friendly and professionally the evaluation went. Our dog, a hyper 6 year old 85 lb boxer, ran into the kitchen, jumped up and down, and was immediately the center of attention. The price was very reasonable, contact information and care directions were exchanged, and we hired them to take care of our dog for a week. Not only did Crystle call us that week just to let us know everything was ok, she offered to buy more food for the dog, she fed our turtles, and brought our mail in. When we came back, the house was spotless, and there was a very long and detailed note describing how each day went: how he behaved during each visit, how they played (inside and outside), what Romby ate, how much he drank, what treats were given, how often he went to the bathroom, etc., etc., etc. I am a perfectionist by nature (aka a control freak), and I could not be happier with how our dog was treated, how much time, love, and attention he was given. We are so glad we found someone who is trustworthy and reliable! We even gave them our house keys for any unexpected dog walking requests. view short comment

Larry M says:
2010-06-19 20:57:01

My wife and I do need to travel a lot and with Darlene as our pet sitter we feel confident that everything is well taken care of even when things don't go as planned. There was even a time a couple of years ago when we locked ourselves out of the house. I called Darlene (who has a key to the house) she dropped everything she was doing and got us in our house. There's a saying in business tha... view full comment

My wife and I do need to travel a lot and with Darlene as our pet sitter we feel confident that everything is well taken care of even when things don't go as planned. There was even a time a couple of years ago when we locked ourselves out of the house. I called Darlene (who has a key to the house) she dropped everything she was doing and got us in our house. There's a saying in business that anyone can do a task or sell a product but if you want to be successful you need to be able to come through with service. Darlene is the true definition of that business model. She's trustworthy and dedicated. She runs her business with her heart and in this particular line of work that's the key to success. Darlene has my family's 100% trust and gratitude. view short comment

Larry M says:
2010-06-19 20:56:21

My wife and I do need to travel a lot and with Darlene as our pet sitter we feel confident that everything is well taken care of even when things don't go as planned. There was even a time a couple of years ago when we locked ourselves out of the house. I called Darlene (who has a key to the house) she dropped everything she was doing and got us in our house. There's a saying in business tha... view full comment

My wife and I do need to travel a lot and with Darlene as our pet sitter we feel confident that everything is well taken care of even when things don't go as planned. There was even a time a couple of years ago when we locked ourselves out of the house. I called Darlene (who has a key to the house) she dropped everything she was doing and got us in our house. There's a saying in business that anyone can do a task or sell a product but if you want to be successful you need to be able to come through with service. Darlene is the true definition of that business model. She's trustworthy and dedicated. She runs her business with her heart and in this particular line of work that's the key to success. Darlene has my family's 100% trust and gratitude. view short comment

Jim says:
2010-05-25 18:56:18

It's hard to know where to begin when relating all the good things about Aunt Darlene's. After an initial "get acquainted" visit and a practice overnight stay, we had no qualms about leaving our dog here for an extended time. Darlene and husband Tom are obviously committed to operating a top-notch dog care business, and they exhibit a great deal of knowledge about dog behavior and interaction. B... view full comment

It's hard to know where to begin when relating all the good things about Aunt Darlene's. After an initial "get acquainted" visit and a practice overnight stay, we had no qualms about leaving our dog here for an extended time. Darlene and husband Tom are obviously committed to operating a top-notch dog care business, and they exhibit a great deal of knowledge about dog behavior and interaction. Boarding a beloved pet for several days can be worri- some, but at Aunt Darlene's one feels as if the pet has been entrusted to long-time friends. The cage-free facilities are very clean with no doggy odor, and the dog comes home smelling clean. Among the available amenities, we especially appreciated the large screened-in porch, the fenced-in yard, and the self-service toy basket. Both Darlene and Tom know how to be pack leaders so that order is maintained among their charges at all times. Darlene and Tom obviously love their work and do everything possible to make their guests comfortable. Traveling for us will now be more care-free knowing our dog is in such good hands. view short comment

marie H says:
2010-01-25 15:03:56

My “grandson”, Dexter is a 1 year old Shiba Inu. He spends between 3-4 days a week at Aunt Darlene’s daycare in Old Bridge NJ. Dexter had previously gone to a regular daycare center. He came home each day with that “doggy smell” and contracted parasites twice and became very ill. We needed a new plan for Dexter. My daughters & I found Aunt Darlene and we feel Dexter is in the best care possib... view full comment

My “grandson”, Dexter is a 1 year old Shiba Inu. He spends between 3-4 days a week at Aunt Darlene’s daycare in Old Bridge NJ. Dexter had previously gone to a regular daycare center. He came home each day with that “doggy smell” and contracted parasites twice and became very ill. We needed a new plan for Dexter. My daughters & I found Aunt Darlene and we feel Dexter is in the best care possible when he is not home with his family. Actually, Darlene and her husband, Tom, have become family to Dexter! Darlene & Tom have pets of their own and treat the animals that they walk and board just as they do their own. When Dexter is dropped off in the morning, he is anxious to run into the house to see his friends. He doesn’t even look back as we drive away! Its a lovely home with a fenced in yard for the dogs to run and play. When Dexter was taking medication, Darlene made sure to give him the dosage during the day and she & tom feed the dogs breakfast and dinner. Truthfully, I don’t know what we would do without Darlene & Tom to care for our little guy. Any pet owner who is looking for a safe and loving alternative to being home alone should call Aunt Darlene! Marie H view short comment