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 Carol and Dan McArthur
(Ben the border collie)
We have complete trust in Rachel’s service. She always goes miles beyond our expectations -- be it exercise time, play time and even cuddle time, Rachel is focused on her dogs. Her knowledge of dogs, their behaviour and needs is exemplary. Her facility itself is unequalled: she offers clients loads of personal space indoors and miles of trails outdoors. Her dogs are not kenneled so her place becomes like a second home. Ben, our border collie, loves playing with Dougal and he gets the same level of exercise with Rachel as he gets with us at home: two hours daily. That is unheard of anywhere else.
Since meeting Rachel and becoming clients, we have moved a considerable distance north of Toronto. Naturally we have looked for a similar service closer to our new home. The best dog care provider in our area would put Ben in a kennel and he would have brief periods outside in a compound. That experience would be so foreign to our dog that we just cannot do it. As far as we know, there is no one who offers the level of care as well as freedom to run and play as Rachel. We know that our dog is in the best place possible when he is with her.

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 Kathryn Cottingham
(Zoey the Airedale)
It is wonderful to be able to go on holiday and know that your beloved pet is enjoying her own break – running around beautiful country acreage, dining and playing with her great pal Dougal and being under the loving but watchful eyes of her favourite Rachel. Zoey comes home with new and improved manners and a fresh perspective – so grateful that she too has been on vacation. We go away and don’t wonder if she is unhappy or lonely. She’s not!!

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 Ginnie Welsman
(Grimsby the beagle)
My dog, Grimsby, and I love dougaldogs. The whole concept of dougaldogs as an intimate boarding facility is fantastic. I do not want to leave my dog (my baby!) in an impersonal kennel where I have no idea what kind of care he is going to get, or what kinds of other dogs he will associate with. Knowing that Grimsby is in Rachel and Dougal’s personal, special care when I am away on business or vacation, helps me to relax and or worry, knowing that he is getting great care, having fun, playing with other dogs, and getting lots of exercise and fresh air on the farm. I am so impressed that she takes them for really long walks every day, on the farm or in the Ganaraska forest…. Where unfortunately my little wandering beagle has to be on-leash – but I do appreciate her attending to him personally in that regards. The fact that she gives them “the run of your house” is also great – Grimsby has never been crated. Knowing that he can run free in the house -- and even sit in Dougal’s favourite chair with a chew toy or sleep with her on her bed – means a lot to me. The regular status reports by phone and e-mail on how Grimsby is doing really help me to relax and enjoy my time away. We are looking forward to our next visit!
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 Jaimie & Jim
(Harlow the goldendoodle)
Our goldendoodle, Harlow, loves Rachel and Dougal. It’s the equivalent of sending our dog to camp. Rachel is diligent in giving the dogs lots of fresh country air, exercise and playtime. We feel very comfortable leaving our dog with Rachel because of her genuine commitment to the happiness and welfare of both her clients and their dogs. Obviously we’re very happy and feel confident when we recommend her to all our friends.
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Sonia Carney
(Pippin -- shitzu-poodle cross & Tasha --teacup yorkie-maltese cross)
Pippin and Tasha want everybody to know how much they LOVE their visits at the dougaldogs Spa Camp. They love the wonderful walks in the beautiful countryside in the company of their fellow canines. They get fabulous care from Rachel who gives each of them her personal touch. What they really like is that they do not have to spend time in kennels and the accommodations are simply sumptuous. When I visit the ranch, I often wish that I was a dog so I could spend some time at this wonderful camp!
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 Christine Patzwald & Patrick Metzger
(Rupert the affenpincher)
Our dog Rupert is our child and I spent more time selecting an appropriate vet and dog-walker than I did on finding my own health care provider. In addition, I have a background in volunteer work with animals and know a lot of people in the industry, and I know exactly what I want. When I was selecting Rupert’s caretaker I was looking for that person to be: reliable – no cancellations, on time and full value, attentive – learns my dog’s habits and can identify when something may be out of the ordinary, alert – keeps his/her eyes on the dogs at all times, respectful – so that the situation is always controlled and my Rupert is safe, and knowledgeable – aware of health issues, best practice training methods, etc. Rachel exceeded my expectations in all categories. My husband and I entrust Rupert’s life to her without worry, We both highly recommend Rachel, and as for Rupert… well, he simply adores her.
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 Jacques & Susan Demers
(Liam & Layla – standard poodles & Sasha & Skye – miniature poodles)
We have four dogs and never went away because we didn’t feel comfortable leaving them. All our poodles love spending time with Rachel and Dougal at dougaldogs. Dougal lives in a charming Ontario farmhouse situated on fifty glorious acres. The dogs are loved and cared for with Rachel’s gentle enthusiasm. They enjoy loads of exercise in the country air, and there are always lots of other wonderful dogs to play with. This is the best boarding facility we have ever come across. Although in truth it’s more like a doggie spa!
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 Bruce & Carolyn Barr
(Gordie – miniature poodle & Allie, Harrison & Teddy – bichon frises)
I’m sure like most pet owners, my wife Carolyn and I are very fussy about where we leave our dogs when we travel. When our daughter left home we lost our ideal pet sitter. So we started to search for an alternative and looked at a large number of boarding facilities in and around Toronto. After our search we were really concerned that our pets just wouldn’t get the kind of personal, hands on attention they were used to in a clean, cozy setting. Then our vet suggested we contact Rachel at dougaldogs. We made the drive to Port Hope and were immediately impressed with what we saw: A beautiful house, a fantastic outdoor space for the dogs and their own room for sleeping. That, plus Rachel who treats her guests like they were her own – walking them at least twice every day in the fields behind her and sharing her living room in the evening watching TV. We now go away with complete confidence that our pups are being looked after just as if they were at home, maybe some days even better! For anyone looking for outstanding care of their pets, Rachel is the perfect answer.
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 Jennifer Boynton
(Oreo – coton de tulear)
We can only think of positive comments to make about dougaldogs and Rachel. Oreo has loved each of her “vacations” with dougaldogs. When Rachel picks up Oreo, it is often hard to tell who is more excited to see the other. The pick-up/drop-off service is very convenient. Rachel is always prompt and provides us ahead of time with necessary instructions. We also love receiving the pictures afterwards, showing Oreo enjoying her long walks and the play with the other dogs. We wouldn’t think of leaving Oreo with anyone else when we are on vacation.
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 Anne & Mark
(Santo Domingo – standard poodle)
Our dog Santo has stayed with Rachel (and Dougal!) three times. Santo loves being at dougaldogs and we know he is safe, happy and well-cared for. Rachel goes out of her way to make pick-ups and drop-offs convenient and makes a point of sending regular updates while we are away. Dougaldogs is our first choice for Santo’s home away from home.
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