Sycamore Lane Kennels & Farm

These are great people with a great service. I take my dog here for kenneling and school and private lessons. If you can get Javier he is excellent with dogs. This place is VERY VERY clean, it does not smell like a kennel. I would say the only bad thing about this place is they charge for everything. When I bring my dog if I want extra walks or cuddle time or extra attention you have to pay for that. I feel like maybe they should charge an extra dollar per day and pay attention to ALL the dogs. I still wont dock them a star because they are very very good at what they do but hopefully they will read this and consider that when a dog stays somewhere and is away from their family that they should give them all the love and attention they are able without charging the mommy and daddy for it.

My family and I have been going to Sycamore Lane Kennels for at least ten years. This place is basically a resort for your animals. Growing up, my parents and I had a diabetic cat so we were thrilled when we first found out about SLK and we could leave our cat here without worrying that he wouldn’t get his insulin shots on time.
When our rottweiler was alive, we would take her here while we went on vacation. I know she didn’t like it but I know she was treated extremely well.
I used to work her myself so I know what is done and how animals are treated.

We have used Sycamore Lane Kennels for training our last 3 German Shepherds, they were really great. Our second puppy made his CGC at nine months old. This Pup, Drako is a little more high strung and has had basic training and a several one on one training classes with Javier. We boarded him for 10 days at the kennel and had Javier work with him a few days.
We picked him up yesterday and immediately notice a difference, he was a lot calmer, and listened to us almost immediately after giving him commands. I was really apprehensive to leave him and texted the kennel daily asking about him, they replied and sent pictures easing my conscience. Everyone was very caring and I was impressed with the results. Thank You Sycamore Lane staff and Thank You Javier. I will see you again soon!

This is the third time I’ve had my pup stay at Sycamore Lane’s and I continue to be very happy. The facility itself is beautiful and located on a very large farm like plot of land in Lodi. When I dropped Bailey off they let me walk her back to her kennel and check out where she would be staying. I was impressed that the facility did not have any type of order (like you’d expect at a pound or a kennel with lots of animals). It was clean, smelled clean and the area where Bailey would be staying was heated. They allowed me to bring a dog bed, blanket and dog bone from home as well as a container of her food (they will provide dog food if not provided from home). I also had the option to sign Bailey up for snuggle time (an hour cuddling with a female staff member in a home like environment, complete with couches and recliners) and group play time outside. When I picked her up she seemed very happy. I also received a ‘report card’ about her time with them, which was cute touch. I would entrust Sycamore Lane’s to care for my pup in the future.

We thought we were doing a wonderful thing for our dog having her boarded there this summer. But it turned out to be a disaster. We were gone 10 days. She walked out to us obviously thinner. Two months later we are seeing her vet for the third time. She is a golden retriever, and our first problem was an ear infection. We had her bathed the last day. I thought everyone knew you have to dry their ears, as they flap over. Problem number two was finding the scrape marks around her neck, obviously from using a choker collar for her daily walk. She also had many bumps on her. I don’t know if this was bug bites, but we are still working on improving her skin. This isn’t what we expected, and we feel so bad for taking her there. And they did this for a mere $ 400! Never again.

UPDATE (in response to the comment):
Our dogs anal glands were NOT abscessed, so I have no idea where that came from. Also, you never suggested that we take her to the vet. We did that completely on our own. It wasn’t until my husband called back the next day to inform you of her STRESS RELATED AILMENTS that you even knew we took her to the vet. I understand you’re trying to salvage the reputation of your business, but lying about what happened is not a good way to go about that. Quincy was under extreme stress while staying at your facility and developed complications as a direct result. She was in PERFECT health before her stay with you. Unless you are vet and have PERSONALLY examined our dog, please do not assume or make false accusations in regards to her health.
Yes, a free bath was offered. However, after the experience we had, I wouldn’t trust you with my dog for any length of time regardless of the cost or lack there of.

Conformation Class — I have been taking conformation dog classes for showing dogs here for almost 6 years now with Jo and Karl Geletich. They are amazing instructors! The classes are Tuesday nights at 6:30 and are an hour long. They have a ramp, tables for small dogs, and plenty of space with mirrors to see handling. They are both very soft and lovely with the dogs as well. Super place to learn to show dogs! I recommend it highly. Cost — $ 10 per class. You can switch out dogs if you have more than one. Junior handlers welcome.

We have been clients of Sycamore Lane Kennels for 20+ years (3 generations of Labs) and probably used every service they offer; boarding, grooming, day care and training. My dogs always knew where they were going as soon as we hit the speed bumps on the property and are always excited to be there. The owner of the facility lives on the property and takes a personal interest in all of the pets. My current Lab Murphy, can’t get enough of the place and comes home exhausted because he’s played so hard. They welcome him as soon as he walks in and the tail never stops wagging. Couldn’t recommend this place more.

We love Sycamore Lanes. Our 3 dogs do too. The staff is great and it’s obvious they love their jobs. I’ve taken our dogs to other kennels in the past and they’re skittish about leaving us. At Sycamore, the dogs can’t wait to say goodbye. I’ve picked up my dogs at other kennels after they’ve been there for only a week, and they look skinny and act weird; almost like they haven’t seen each other the whole time. I’ve picked them up after 3 weeks of being boarded (twice) and they look and act great! They allow us to board the dogs in the same kennel, giving us a small discount on top of that! Javier is one of their trainers there. He has worked with my German Shepherd in some social issues. The shepherd was almost like a new dog after only 2 weeks of working with Javier. Also, Javier worked with my Rottweiler on leash walking issues. It’s a pleasure to walk my Rottie now. Finally, I have taken my 3 dogs for grooming (German Shepard, Rottweiler and Labrador) for grooming. Their coats come out soft and shiny. They smell great too. We are very impressed with the groomers! Sycamore Lanes is the only kennel where I will take my dogs. They are wonderful.

This is my go-​to kennel when I have to board my dog and I have been coming here since 2009 (probably about 10 visits total). Everyone is very professional and I feel they understand that my dog is like my child. I bring my own bedding, toys, and food (although they provide food at no extra charge if you want). I get to walk Bruno back to where he will be staying and get his kennel set up like he likes it (bedding, blanket, toys). They will feed him twice a day and take him out to potty twice a day.
What I love is all the extras. Monday-​Thursday is doggy-​daycare, and if you are boarding your dog it’s only $ 10 to add them to the am OR pm group. They will take pictures of your dog and provide a report card of what your dog did during daycare. It’s adorable. Also they provide walks/​playtime with your dog for an extra fee as well. If I board him mid-​week I do daycare, on the weekends I give him a walk.
Also they have a groomer on site, so I usually schedule him for a bath and toe nail trimming as well on the day that I pick him up. I have a pug and they HATE their toenails done! I usually have to sedate him. However last time his nails were short and all without sedation.
The place (lobby and kennel area) is kept very clean. I feel like I can cater my dog’s experience so he isn’t just sitting in a «cell» all day bored out of his mind. If he gets some exercise he will sleep most of the day anyways. And the best part is the first time I boarded him I was able to call and check in on him without feeling like a crazy pug mom. They even picked out a new toy from their lobby (charged to my account with my permission) and took it to him when I was worried he might be bored.
Overall this is a great place. The staff really seem to love their jobs and love animals. This is always my go-​to place to board Bruno and they usually have great availability. Bruno doesn’t seem to mind going and I can relax on my vacation knowing he is well taken care of.

We had a very fun experience with their basic obedience class. There’s a good level of content they cover, but it’s also not too serious. Candy and Javier are supportive and knowledgeable. I previously did PetSmart training with another dog a decade ago and this was a better experience. They have a nice facility with plenty of space. The one minor issue was that our class was pretty large (16 or so dogs). It would be nice if it was a bit smaller like 10 – 12. Overall a good experience.

Our dog has stayed at this kennel many times, but the last 10 day stay resulted in a FLEA INFESTATION! Our dog has never had fleas, but two days after we picked him up from the kennel we started noticing the fleas. A LOT of them! Fleas had dropped off in the house and resulted in numerous bites on me, too. I immediately purchased multiple types of flea control sprays to treat the dog and the house. We contacted the kennel to let them know that our dog had picked up fleas during his 10 days with them. At first all they could say was «sorry.» Later the manager offered a flea bath for the dog, but it was a little too late to simply bathe the dog since the fleas were already inside the house. It’s costly to kennel the dog there; we paid $ 310 for the 10 day stay. We were not expecting to bring home fleas. We are disappointed in management’s resolution to the problem. We asked for a call back from the business owner but never received a call, so it looks like they don’t need our repeat business.

Great place to bring your pet (cat or dog)! The staff is very professional and VERY willing to fulfill all the needs of your pet. Picking up my dog after a week she was just as happy and excited as when I dropped her off. Can not say enough about this facility and the employees who work here. Highly recommended!

First off, this should not even be classified as a kennel. This is a beautiful country retreat for dogs and cats! The staff is very friendly and knowledgable, I never feel uneasy about leaving my dog here. I wish that I could stay with him. I have come a couple of times and my dog absolutely goes crazy when we hit the first speed bump, he knows exactly where we are going. It makes me very happy seeing him react this way, he is always greeted by the staff, even before I am. You would think that he is the customer and I am the pet, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. When I call to check in on him they always let me know how well he is eating and if he has had any issues as far as soft stool or anything else out of the ordinary. The prices are good, you get more than you pay for. All activities are additional which is nice because there is no cookie cutter routine that all animals adhere to, some dogs don’t want to play/​walk/​cuddle multiple times a day (some not at all). I like the fact that I can pick and choose what he gets to do while he is here. He is not neutered which means unfortunately he cannot do the play times with the other dogs now that he is over 6 months, which I understand their rules as far as that goes. They obviously have rules in place not only to protect them but more importantly to protect our (clients) animals. I’ve also done training here and it is fantastic, I will stop rambling on, because I could go on for days! Thank you Sycamore for offering a home away from home for my boy! Keep up the fantastic work and see you soon, Vacation is always calling my name!

I wanted to do some obedience classes… I had been working with my puppy at home on the basics since he came home at 8 weeks– he’s almost 4 mo now. My goal is to having them doing the basics, though puppy sloppy, by 4 months when I train my own dogs. I use games, clickers and treats to do this. I’ve been training dogs my whole life but more of in a lifestyle way for the last 20– have thrown a couple of obedience titles on dogs and so forth. I needed a group class since I don’t run group classes, for the continuing exposure to other different dogs and their owners as my pup develops which is very important for his future as a working dog, in addition to the obedience.
I wanted to go into the CGC prep class which is the next one up from the basic class with all the stuff we’ve already worked on and gotten fairly good with. I was signed up for the class, instructed that I had to give my dog particular shots in a particular way and in advance of the decided schedule to attend. I did that even though I didn’t want to, to be able to go to the class. Then I was told that I had to «check» with the trainer to make sure it was ok with her that I go to the CGC prep class.
I drove about 45 minutes one way, I showed up with my pup, ready to show her what he knows if requested. I politely approached her, told her I understood that she was about to run an orientation and she had not wanted dogs at it and asked her if she would prefer we stay there to wait to speak to her or remove ourselves and wait elsewhere.
She said well… tell me what it’s about, then looked at her watch and said… you have 5 minutes so make it quick. So I explained to her that I wanted to put him in the CGC prep class and the office had said I needed to check with her. She cut me off with a curt no, he’s way too young. I then tried to explain that we’d been working at home and he knew the basics and she said with irritation. but not here. Then I asked how old does she expect a dog to be for the basic training… and she said 7 months with increasing irritation. I thanked her for her time and left, got a refund for the class at the front desk and left.
I didn’t expect her to treat me like a fellow trainer. I don’t hang out at shows. If I want a competition title we train until we’re ready then I hit in in a rapid three show series, days or weekends in a row and then disappear back into my life. I’m not big on crowds. Again, she doesn’t know me from Adam and I don’t expect her to treat me like a fellow trainer but being treated like a basic human being deserving of consideration and respect would be good. I was very hurt and felt shamed the way I was treated in front of a class full of people who were all watching, and I didn’t do anything to deserve it other than, to be different and doing something different from what people generally do.
The truth is that I have trained casually for my whole life and then have been a private service dog trainer and mentor for owner trainers for the last 20 years. I work one on one for free usually helping disabled people who need service dogs to select and train their own. Often the ones that need them the most are the least able to pay out large amounts– and many disabilities don’t have schools that train for them. The dogs from schools are prohibitively costly for most and the ones that have the cost covered have waiting lists years long– some people don’t have that long to be alive.
I have trained several dogs just like I am training this puppy. My last boy passed the CGC at 7 months and was ready before 6 but we had to wait both for him to reach the 6 month mark which was the minimum age back then to take the test and for a test to be happening nearby. I used to be a CGC tester before they started charging a fee to do it… I don’t have call to certify enough dogs to make it worth the fee– especially when I’m working for free. My boy got his CD title at 13 months old in a three day shot with 2 first places and one second place. I’m nobody hugely special and I’m not infallible or perfect but I have a pretty darn good handle on what I am doing here.
If she felt pressed for time she could have asked me to wait and she would speak to me after. Then we could have discussed what goes on in basic and what goes on in the CGC class and decide together what might work best considering. It could have been a positive, trust building thing… instead it was dismissive, hurtful, borderline rude and obnoxious and I was at that point a client.
I was also going to go to handling class there after this CGC class had ended per my breeder. I don’t think that is going to be happening now. I will not be referring anyone I work with to go there– I’ve already seen how they treat people who are different. It seems that the attitude of at least some there is that they know better than anyone else, and while sometimes that might be true, sometimes it’s not. Beware– this is how they treat clients… do you want to be one?

Can’t say enough good things about this place and the people there. It pains me to be have to leave my pup for trips, but knowing she’s at such a nice place certainly makes it easier.
They have spacious indoor runs for each dog (mine’s a 70lb. hound and the space is appropriate for her), play groups on the weekdays and an adorable pond where she gets a walk each day to smell the ducks and pond life. I love that they let me go back with her and set up her crate in her space when I drop her off for long trips. It gives me some peace to know exactly where she is, and I’ve never seen the runs look anything other than spotless.
They’re also great when I call in to check in on her, immediately recalling her and her activities. I sincerely appreciate the personal connections they seem to take with the critters. I’m one of those crazy dog moms and researched boarding extensively before choosing Sycamore Lanes. It’s quite a drive for us to get there, but it’s worth it.
I can tell she does well there when I pick her up. At other places, she’s a bit hyper and wound up. When I collect her from there, she’s mellow and much more relaxed.

Absolutely lovely location out in the country! I was greeted by the beautiful hummingbirds that were loving life around the flowers and feeders. I entered the grooming salon and was greeted by the friendly ladies there. The groomers I met were sooo gentle loving and my little Cupid that we have a problem taking her to her grooming because she is always petrified by being held or even touched by other people did not resist to being picked up by the groomer. That was amazing. My male dog Twinkie hates being picked up and he was also good with them. We have had a journey trying to find a groomer that my dogs like and don’t end up terrified and scared and we have found it :) Yes it is a bit more expensive than other places, but I trust this place now so I will stay with them. At the end a great gal helped us put the harness on my Twinkie that was running around, he didn’t want to leave apparently! HAHAHAHA XD Awesome :)

Fantastic grooming job! I have brought my dog here 6 times so far. The price is reasonable and they do a thorough job. Best of all, my dog actually likes going here!
I have taken him to 3 other places, each time my dog would refuse to go back the second time. Seriously. He would lay down in the parking lot and play possum. Then cry pathetically until I opened the car door again.
Here at Sycamore he literally runs in he is so excited. Whatever they do back there is really working.

This place is the very best!!! Our little pampered pit bull, Tehya, is so happy here. They have always been helpful and sweet with her. It breaks my heart to leave her at all, but I feel so much better leaving her here. I dread leaving her, but it is also good for us to get away once in awhile. When we take the RV out, she is of course with us, but some trips she just can’t go to some hotels and dining can be tough if you have a dog in the room, even if they are ‘dog friendly’
. Don’t have any friends or family willing or able to take her on, so when I found this loving environment, I don’t hesitate to call.

My pup stays here when I have to be out of town for a few days, she’s an 11 month old german shepherd and 65 pounds.
The grounds are very well kept and aesthetic. Staff is also very friendly.
I feel okay leaving her here, though I’d rather have her with me or family. this would be my first choice for boarding my pup in the area.