Applewood Kennel

I’ve been taking my dog here for the last 5 years. Place is GREAT! The owner really truly cares about dogs and treats every dog that comes through her doors like they are her own. I take my dog for grooming and I have boarded my dog there as well every year when we go on vacation. He loves going there. Definitely recommend!!!

A Wonderful Home Away from Home for Luca & Miley! They were so well taken care of by Susan & Her Awesome Staff & Came home Happy, Healthy & So Clean! I felt so at ease on our vacation... Susan gave me reassurance that they were doing GREAT whenever I called to check in! I Highly Recommend Applewood Kennels!! THANK YOU to everyone there!

I used this kennel for 2 weeks in late June into early July. I will never let my dog stay there again. It took approximately 2 weeks for my dog to return to his pre kennel self. Upon pick up they lost my dogs leash, collar and 70 dollar Soresto collar. The lady claimed they give them to the owners after they are dropped off. That was not the case. Stay away from this place. The good reviews have to be fake! I know the owners will comment on my review and deny it. No reason to leave a bad review unless it really happened.

I had a very good first time experience today with them. I have a very hyper German shepherd who has bad separation anxiety with me. They we’re amazing with her! We will be definitely coming back! Thank you so much again !

We LOVE this kennel! I’ve boarded my dog here so many times with barely any notice, and they’re always so happy to accommodate. In the past, my dog will try to run in the opposite direction when he knows where he’s going but here, he starts crying with excitement the second we pull into the driveway! We boarded him last weekend, and he still smells AMAZING from his bath there as well. Not only do they care for my dog as I would, but their prices are also unmatchable. I’d recommend them to everyone I know!!

I have been using Applewood for years. As the owner of not one but 2 generations of old English sheepdogs , they are known to be energetic goofballs who tend to be emotional babies during times of separation . Susan and her staff are always comforting to them and it makes it so much easier to leave them in her expert care. I would not even consider using another kennel for my sheepies !

First time here. My dog came home happy smelling good. They took care of him answered all my questions. I called acouple times and the reassured me he was fine. They never made me feel rushed or my questions inconvenienced them. Very professional from the time I dropped him off until the time I picked him up. Yes he will be back.Thank You!

First time putting our dog in a kennel so I was a bit nervous. All went very well and our boy Bo came back happy and healthy. Communication was there and I couldn’t be happier that we found this kennel.

This kennel is absolutely amazing. After being thoroughly disappointed with another kennel I used for an overnight stay, I was apprehensive to leave my big Great Dane babies anywhere at all. Susan, the owner, spent a good ten minutes in the phone with me discussing her approach to care when I simply called to check availability. Here’s just a few reasons I will never use another kennel again assuming my pups are welcome back! 1 The level of expertise. Susan knows dogs. The kennel is prepared for all breeds, which is not always the case with giants. She takes care to ensure the dogs are not integrated with other dogs at the kennel which is nothing but a recipe for disaster. I was not worried that other pups with a Napoleon complex would attack my big guys nor was I worried that my big guys would accidentally pull a Lennie from “Of Mice and Men” on a smaller dog. 2 Communication. Susan either answers the phone or responds to phone calls/emails within moments. She is keenly aware of what is happening with each dog under her watch and encourages you to call and check in on them. I never even felt like I needed to say who I was when I called. I said my first name and she knew. 3 Pick up / Drop off is handled perfectly. She has a capable and knowledgeable staff and runs her business like a well oiled machine. There is no nonsense and no fuss. Just an expert who knows exactly what she is doing. 4 Flexibility. My flight home was cancelled and I had no idea when I could get it rescheduled. This was met with a shrug from Susan who simply said “Worry about the kids you’re chaperoning on your school trip… we’ll worry about the pups.” I am confident that even if Susan had a fully booked kennel which she likely had, that she would’ve figured out a way to extend their stay if I needed. 5 “Extras.” I thought to myself: “I really don’t need the bath option before pick up…” but I did it anyway. I’m so glad I did. My dogs looked and smelled wonderful when I picked them up. And one of my pups absolutely abhors baths which I didn’t warn Susan about. She and her team managed anyway. Get the bath option. There’s no other way to take them home. Also, she freely admits that although she knows the vaccination status of neighboring dogs in the kennel she cannot possibly know if vermin or other ickiness is being transmitted. The bath is important before taking them home. I hesitate to call it an “extra” 6 Pricing. I actually hesitated before committing to Applewood because I thought their pricing was uncannily low in comparison with others in the area. This should only emphasize the commitment that Susan and her team have to their craft and business. It’s not a “money grab” which is certainly how I felt about the last place where I kenneled my pups for one night. Here’s the best sign that this kennel is a great place to bring your pups: my guys weren’t all that excited to see me when I picked them up. As much as that might seem strange, that is the highest compliment the dogs themselves can give of the place. I was so nervous leaving on this vacation. But because of Applewood, I could completely let go of the worry about my big babies. I cannot recommend this place enough.

My wife and I have always in the past used the Pet Spa & Resort in Franklin, NJ for boarding our dogs but when we had trouble contacting them over the phone we decided to try this place located in Vernon, NJ, based upon their mostly positive reviews - BIG MISTAKE!! We have two dogs, both large at 80+ lbs. each. One an 8 year old female, the other a 15 year old senior male who always board together. When I called the owner first for information I was informed that they had a special program for dealing with senior dogs and were charging 10.00 extra a day. She said for this extra amount the dog would receive special attention and care. When I brought the dogs in later that week to be boarded I first asked to see the actual enclosure they would both be sharing. Well it's a good thing I did. The enclosure was in a very dimly lit, dreary, almost windowless shed. The size was 5 and half feet by 5 and a half feet with a cot taking up almost almost half of the space. I was astonished to think they would be boarding two large dogs together in such a tiny space where even just one dog would have trouble turning around. When the owner saw how displeased I was she said that each dog could have its own enclosure if i was willing to pay extra. How this place had gotten good reviews is beyond me - I wouldn't board my dog here if you paid me. Needless to say my wife and I turned around and walked out. We decided to use the reliable Pet Spa & Resort instead. If you are tempted to use this facility I would suggest you check out first the actual enclosure your dogs will be placed in. Personally I would not recommend this kennel to anyone.