Customer Reviews

“Wakefield has been our “go to” for dog care for almost 15 years.  We started in 1998 with a very senior dog and have continued with each companion that has adopted us.  

Our dog, George, was a Wakefield Kennel “camper” for 12 years. He was sure that Wakefield was one of the happiest places on the planet. As soon as we turned onto Earlysville Forest Dr., he would put his head back, sniff the air and get really excited because he knew what came next. It was a joy to drop George off for a “camp” visit because he couldn’t wait to get through the door to see his human friends and see who the fellow campers were during his stay. When we had to say our final farewell to George last year the whole Wakefield family was very sympathetic in sharing our loss.

We now have been adopted by two new dogs, Higgins and Victor. They have followed in George’s paw prints as Wakefield campers and felt right at home as soon as we walked in and were greeted by Andy Dofflemyer. They really enjoyed their first Wakefield stay, no doubt, the first of many to come.

It gives us so much comfort and confidence to be able to travel knowing our dogs are loved and cared for by the Wakefield staff. We cannot thank them enough!”

“My six year old German Shepherd, Cocoa, has been boarding at Wakefield Kennel since she was three months old. When my station wagon turns on to the Wakefield driveway, her tail starts to wag at a quickened pace! She loves coming to see “her friends,” enters the office to put her paws on the counter as if to say, “who is coming to greet me today?” Her stays are individualized to complement her lively personality – alternating a long nature hike one day with a playtime the next. When I return to take her home, Cocoa has always been healthy, happy and well groomed. Cocoa is my much loved companion and I always feel comfortable when I travel knowing that she is also having a wonderful time at “doggie camp” Wakefield.”

“We adopted Billy, a rescue Standard Poodle, in 2009. He was very troubled and didn’t like men. As we travel a lot, we realized Billy would need to be kenneled. We asked around and were told that Wakefield Kennel would be a marvelous place for him. We were very tentative about his first visit there, but Andy and his staff made Billy feel very welcomed and safe. They also made us feel we were putting Billy in a very pleasant, clean and secure environment. Billy has made many trips to Wakefield and now runs in the door, excited and happy to be there. He gets a plush bed, a spacious run, several playtimes a day, his medication is administered, and all aspects of his stay are monitored. When it’s time for his pickup, we are always informed of his eating habits, play activity and behavior during his stay. I can’t even begin to say how grateful we feel to all the staff there for providing such a loving and nurturing environment for him. Billy receives excellent attention and care when he boards there. Wakefield Kennel offers the best of everything we could want for him. Thanks so much for being there for the Oblingers and Charlottesville!”

“We got our first dog, Phred, from the ASPCA in 1996. He was a puppy then, but grew to be about 80 pounds of Shepherd/Lab mix. Two years later we added Pete, a Husky/Yellow Lab mix, a little smaller, also from the ASPCA. They stayed together when they came to Wakefield, and we never had a bad experience. They were nearly as eager to visit, as they were to come home.

Eventually, Phred passed away and Pete became infirm. He had cataracts and was diabetic. He couldn’t see well to get around and he needed two shots of insulin every day.  None of this was a problem that you couldn’t handle. The staff put Pete in a kennel where he knew where he was and helped him get outside when he needed to.  They gave him his shots without fail and without complaint.  He got great service and loving care!

When he finally came to his end, you folks seemed nearly as upset as I was, and I was touched by the personal expressions of sympathy and loss.

After a 2-year hiatus, I adopted Phlo about a year ago. She has been a new boarder with you and has done well. I’m happy to be back working with you all and trust that Phlo’s care will continue to be as good as always.”

“Puccini has been boarding at Wakefield Kennel since the late 90’s, and after literally hundreds of visits I can’t say enough about the level of care he has received. Puccini is now over 16 years old and I can honestly say that I believe a large part of his amazing longevity can be attributed to the ownership and staff at Wakefield. Any pet owner can relate to the anxiety one feels in boarding their pet. Over the years I’ve left Puccini knowing that he is safe, secure and well looked after. The professionalism with which you run your operation could be a model for any small business. The grooming service is top rate and the entire staff has treated Puccini with dedication, tenderness, and love. In short, they treat customer’s pets, as I’m sure they would have their own pets treated. Thank you all very much!”

“Charley, my four-legged friend, loves to stay at Wakefield Kennel. The staff is friendly, professional and caring. The atmosphere is very positive and welcoming to pets and their owners. I have been boarding my dogs at Wakefield Kennel for many years. They have always received excellent care. I never have a worry when they are there. Charley always wears a smile when he is going to Wakefield – he really loves the nature walks and being around his other furry friends.”

“Thank you, for your business and loving care of my dogs over many years. Wakefield has provided loving care for 3 McKeel family beagles over many years. I never worry about Brody when he is at Wakefield, making my ability to travel possible. At my house Wakefield is referred to as Brody’s county club. It is a place where I know Brody is safe and cared for by a loving staff.”

“Our two-year-old Lab loves Wakefield Kennel … and so do we! We have boarded Cappy at the kennel since he was a puppy. Whenever we take him for a stay, he can hardly wait to get out of the car. He runs to the door and dances until we open it. He has even learned to get on the scale and sit to be weighed! He knows and loves the Wakefield routine, and that has made his life and ours so easy when we need to be out of town without him. We believe he recognizes, as do we, that Wakefield offers excellent accommodations. He also knows, as do we, that the staff at Wakefield is friendly, experienced, attentive, and reliable. He clearly is happy when he is there, and we are certain that he is safe and well cared for when he is at Wakefield Kennel.”