Top Dog Day Care Center in San Juan Capistrano
K9 City
32967 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
So glad we took our pup to Paul. About 15-20 years ago he worked with two of my parents dogs growing up via home visits/lessons (a Mini Dachshund and a St Bernard). So when I realized my 10 month old St Bernard mix was acting aggressive towards people after nipping at a neighbor, my parents referred me to Paul. First, we took our pup (Oliver) in for a consultation. The consultation was a little over an hour and he stayed until after 7pm to meet with us. Paul has a very direct style and was honest with us about what he saw in Oliver. While hes seen much, much, much worse, he said human aggression could be in his DNA and unfixable, but he was willing to spend time with him and had some exercises he wanted to try. I was pretty defeated after the consultation because I was hoping he would say this is fixable. But this was our reality and I wasnt going to give up on our dog just yet. We ended up scheduling him for a day lesson with just Paul at k9 city, with a private lesson involving us afterwards. When we showed up at the end of the day for the private lesson, Oliver was acting different than Ive ever seen. Paul told us about the day and said without us around, he was actually a really good dog. (Like I said, Paul is direct with his approach, so for a split second it hurt our feelings but woke us up at the same time). Turns out we dog parents were part of his problem... We were not direct/commanding enough with Oliver (babied him too much), therefore he felt the need to protect himself. He had taken obedience classes for sit/stay/lay down etc but I had never seen him so focused on leash as he was when Paul had him. Paul told us that he was even able to use some of the neighbors around K9 City throughout the day to practice around strangers (they are apparently used to him coming around with dogs who have issues). Oliver was suddenly a working dog and we were coached how to keep him attentive to us, and how as dog parents we could show him we are pack leaders. We left with some exercises that we implemented the next few weeks before booking our second private lesson to learn come - so he will come to us no matter the distraction even off leash (dogs, people, food, animals, if he has something he shouldnt etc). Olivers progress has been amazing - but no matter what Paul can do/teach he was adamant that its up to the dog owner to follow through with the exercises. We have been diligent every day in practicing at least one of the exercises, and are still cautious with Oliver around new people, but have absolutely seen a change for the better in our dog. I definitely recommend at least a consultation if you have a dog with aggression or an issue. I re-homed a dog due a number of years ago due to dog-aggression with another one of my dogs and even though he has an amazing home and family now I am so sad that I didnt know about/take him to Paul.
K9 City Play n Stay
32967 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
I wouldnt give him a Full star but I had to rate it. My situation was soo serious. Maybe Paul, owner, takes on easier dogs. IDK but my dog was between 1-2yrs old at the time, gad been in 2 shelters for over 6 months prior to me adopting her, she is perfect with my husband and I but Barked at noises, people walking by our apartment. She had social anxiety esp. With large built men, the shelter Never told me only specific people could get her out of her kennel. Pual showed No patience he wanted to go straight to a Shock Collar after 2 private visit and 1 class. I could not do the classes because she wasnt ready, yet. Paul is one of the worst trainers Ive worked with.I would keep him posted on her progress by me calling him. Always calling him. Never did I get a call to check up w me even when we did not show for the next class. He knew she was a bit more challenging. He has a big ego. Will NEVER refer this place no matter how much he talks about his accomplishments.
Top other services in San Juan Capistrano:
The Zuri Pet Spa
32423 Calle Perfecto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Update: we've used Zuri multiple times now and had great experiences every single time. This latest stay included an unexpected extension when our flight was cancelled and we were stranded on the opposite coast. It was a super easy process and eased our anxiety. Seeing the staff interact with the dogs on the daycare cameras and getting the report cards with pictures every few days continues to show us our dogs are genuinely happy and thriving during their stays and that the staff really are great. I recommend Zuri to everyone who asks for boarding recommendations.Boarded my 3 dogs ( 1 senior small dog and 2 large older dogs with bad anxiety) for 12 nights. One of my large dogs had failed the test day at Camp Bow Wow, the other large dog passed but was shaking by the gate the entire time. We decided to try Zuri instead after much research and we are so glad we did. We watched our dogs on the daycare cameras every day- both large dogs did incredible with the other dogs, and the staff were very attentive. More than once we caught staff sitting in the small dog area and petting/playing with dogs. My one large dog with the worst anxiety laid along a wall the entire first day, clearly a little scared. The next day I saw t hat a piece of play equipment had been moved to where she laid the day before where she could hide under the piece of equipment, So they were clearly paying attention to her and felt that would make her more comfortable which was very sweet. All of my dogs upon pickup were not crazy trying to get out like they have been before, they were all calm and we genuinely believe they had an enjoyable stay. We will definitely use them again!
JD Flannel Donuts and Coffee
31878 Del Obispo St #122, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Wanted to see for myself if this truly was the best donut in California as had been declared by a foodie magazine. The donuts while pricey are certainly well worth the added costs for quality ingredients and deliciousness. The long lines attest to the popularity of this donut house. The service though was somewhat lacking and downright rude and argumentative. After standing in line to order, I was told there would be an approximate five minute wait for my fresh out of the fryer hand made donut before it would be ready, which was absolutely no problem whatsoever. So I simply decided to order a coffee to enjoy while I waited. Now the strange part occurred, as two or three other customers who were BEHIND ME IN LINE were rung up and sent on their merry way while I was left standing like an invisible ghost at the register. When I finally asked the worker behind the counter if I could order my coffee, she said, Im sorry but we only serve people in order and youll have to go to the back of the line. When I told her, I agree with you lets serve people in order because the last two or three people were BEHIND ME IN LINE and all I want is to be served next like you said. She then proceeded to try and wait on another person BEHIND ME when I had to step between them and the counter (which was easy because I was already in front of them and closer to the counter being NEXT in line) when she finally decided to get me my coffee. Serendipitously, while this commotion was all taking place my donut that I had been waiting for was done and I got to take it with my coffee. Dave, one of the co-owners came out to apologize for his staffs poor customer service and said he was going to use it as a teaching moment, and incorporate better service techniques for his counter personnel. Hopefully the additional training takes place because the rudeness left a somewhat bitter taste in my mouth.
Five Vines Wine Bar
31761 Camino Capistrano #11, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Summary: Not the cheapest wine bar, but a pretty good value. Great selection. Friendly and attentive staff, as long as you dont ask for water. Great cheese ball. Wifi didnt work and cell reception sucks, so hard to get discounts for checking in to FB, Instagram, etc. Parking in big lot next to train station.My wife and I went here with my Mom after doing a BOGO tasting at Hamilton Oaks and being disappointed. We saw that Five Vines was just down the road and made our way over. We found some parking in the large lot for the train station (which full, but we got lucky with a car leaving just as we arrived). We walked to the shop and down the stairs that lead to the tables. Its a small tasting area with a bar, a couple of longish tables, and a lounging couch section. The couches were the only thing available so thats where we sat. As we walked in, I noticed that there were $1 off discounts for checking in through various social media platforms and a wifi password just above it. Since cell reception was limited while being subterranean I was hopeful about staying connected through their wifi, but neither myself, my wife, or my Mom had any luck connecting. Oh well.After being seated, we were handed the tasting menus and told what the daily specials were. We perused through the pages inside and read the descriptions. You can either purchase a 2oz pour, a glass, or a bottle and all of the prices were right next to each wine. There were a number of flights available, but they were the same price as each of the glasses prices totaled up. After reading through, we made some selections and were soon sipping down our first round.The pours were decent sized. At a range of $4-$7 for 2oz, they should be. Glass prices are not super cheap either, but a decent value. We tried a variety of tastes, my Mom got a class, and my wife and I shared a flight. We also tried the homemade cheese ball and really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.As our tasting wound down we asked for waters from one of the servers, but they went behind the bar and forgot us. Then my Mom asked the other server, and he brought out one glass for the three of us. She asked for a refill and finally they got the hint that we all wanted to hydrate after trying a bunch of their wine. Really, it shouldnt have been that hard to deliver after the first request.Despite the difficulty attaining non-alcoholic fluids, we had a good time, spent a good chunk of money, but tried a good variety of wines. Wed likely come back and stick to the specials more since they are the better deals.
Ramos House Cafe
31752 Los Rios St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Fairly new to the area and looking for a good brunch spot. Had seen good reviews, and impressive presentation and was not deterred by price ($35 prixe fixe menu on weekends) or wait times. Waited about 30min to be seated around 10:30 Sat morning. And then waited. Probably did not get our drinks until at least 30 min after being seated. And they weren't good. Coffee not better than any diner and Bloody Mary while being pricier than most was fairly small and not good. Had a weird sort of seafood type after taste. And the shrimp on it was very, very sad and limp looking. We didn't eat it to avoid risk of food poisoning. I ordered pain pardu, and hubs got beignets as our small plate. Both were good. Beignets did not have much flavor. The paid pardu was very good and honestly the only bright spot of the meal. For our large plate we got the crab cakes and lox. I was very confused when I got the lox. Lox insinuates bagels/cream cheese and smoked salmon in my mind. This was served carpaccio style with crostini. No bagel, no cream cheese. Hard boiled egg diced up on top. Just ok. The crab cake was literally inedible. First off it's covered in onions which is not at all noted. My husband does not like onions. They were also permeating the eggs, and from what we could tell, all the egg dishes appeared to have this issue. The eggs were also squishy and rubbery. The crab cake was very, very low quality and mostly breading. What most impressed me about the food was how poor quality it was. The service was very lackluster as well. The seafood was not fresh and questionable, and the eggs were super light colored yolks. It's very cute and has great ambiance, and the pain pardu was really good, which is why I gave it 2 stars. But the $35 brunch is ridiculous for what you get. I don't write negative restaurant reviews lightly as I love the restaurant industry and supporting it, but this experience literally left a bad taste in our mouth through the afternoon. I doubt we will bother to return despite it being nearby.
Armstrong Garden Centers
32382 Del Obispo St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
I live nearby, and really want to like this place. But after giving it multiple attempts - 3 times in the last few months - I'm resigned to just not liking shopping here.I gave it two stars because of some of the neat items. But overall, my poor experience is due to two things. The first is that I find their prices to be a little too high. This is something I am happy to overlook because of its location, and if I were to get good service. But that's my second poor point: I repeatedly get horrible service here.For example, I went in today and after traversing the entire grounds bewilderedly looking for an item, and never being asked to be helped by the numerous employees around, I finally flagged one down with much effort and asked if they carried what I was looking for. In return, all I got was a shake of the head, and a curt “No,” before the employee turned and walked off. I had a follow-up question that I couldn't even vocalize because they were already gone. I understand that these unwelcoming interactions can happen sometimes in retail stores especially during busy times but it was extremely quiet today. Moreover, this is the exact type of interaction I have gotten on my two previous attempts.Every time I come here, it honestly feels like I am an inconvenience to the staff. This is disappointing since, like I said, I really want to like this store.
Plant Depot
32413 San Juan Creek Rd, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Compared to the big box stores, Plant Depot has the better, healthier plants. They also have a much bigger selection, which is a big plus if youre looking for specific plants. I was surprised to find they had what I was looking for most of the time. The one time they didnt have what I was looking for (very rare, exotic, tropical plant), they offered to special order for me. They even called their supplier for me to find out if the plant was available for purchase.The staff working around the plants are very friendly and helpful. They helped me find plants based on what I was working on (privacy screen mostly in the shade). They loaded and carried plants and a bag of soil to my car, without me asking for their help. I thought it was a nice gesture.Walking around this whole place is very fun and relaxing for gardeners and people who enjoy nature. Plants, flowers, and beauty everywhere! I could easily spend a couple of hours there, but I try not to. The thing is, its a little bit more pricey than the big box stores. But sometimes, the big box stores dont have what youre looking for and dont care either.
Docent Brewing
33049 Calle Aviador Suite C, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
I was gifted a beer from Docent Brewing this week and enjoyed it. Wanting to support a local business near my own I went online to review their product line and place an order. When I clicked on the “ONLINE ORDER” page I was disappointed to get an error message that read: Menu not available at this time. Items cannot be added to cart. Well darn. So much for the website's message directing me to “ORDER ONLINE HERE AND PICKUP AVAILABLE.”I decided to phone them thinking I would place an order for pick-up and try a variety of their beers. Seemed like a good way to surprise my Thanksgiving dinner guests with something special. But guess what? Docent Brewery do not answer their phone, they make you listen to an outgoing message that provides their physical address, hours and a request you DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE, go to their website or visit them on Instagram. Augghhh!Okay fine…I'll go down there, do a taste testing and buy the beers I like. I arrive on a Sunday evening near sunset and there's no parking. Oh…there's parking spaces with signs that read NO DOCENT PARKING alerting you to expect a towing if you park there. I left cuz this was aggravation I didn't need. Decided midday on Monday would be a better time to try again. I returned today, parked and entered (passing a sign that referenced beer tastings) with plans to purchase six of their large cans and six of their smaller cans of whatever beers I liked. Nope. Docent won't let you test taste an ounce of their 16 beers…you must order 4oz samplers. I said fine, Sell me one sampler of every beer, I'll try em at home (cuz I don't drink & drive) and then the young man explained they don't come in 4oz containers, ya gotta drink em there. Now I have been drinking beer for 40 years and never have I ever been denied a taste of a new beer by any bartender. Docent has what? 16 different beers? If I wanna “test taste” them I must commit to buy 64 ounces of beer? Why not charge a 16 oz price and poor single ounce taste testers for new customers. Most breweries would comp these as a marketing deduction but not Docent…they just say no. At this point the effort to purchase their product had become an exercise in futility so for the second time I left empty handed.All business is about relationships and making customers feel appreciated and their business valued. I own two local businesses that are decades old and thriving because we place consumer satisfaction first. Docent is not being run like a business, more like the hobby of a sophomore in college. I was prepared to drop $200-$300 on their large & small beers during my first purchase and they made it impossible. This easily could and should have been a five star review if they had simply allowed me to test taste their product and take some home for the holiday. Instead I am deducting one star for a website that doesn't function properly, one star for refusing to answer your phone (might as well disconnect the thing since customer care isn't in your interest), one star for inadequate parking and another for placing false signage offering test tasting when what you are really selling are flights of beer. That's different than a taste test. I cannot believe how much time I wasted trying to buy Docent's beer! For a company operating in one of the most competitive consumer markets there is (craft beers) Docent went out of their way to leave a bad taste in my mouth. If I ever try their product again it'll be because it was gifted to me. I won't patronize a business that doesn't value customers. Docent sets the customer care bar so low you need a shovel to see it. I doubt this place is gonna last.
Estrella Pet Grooming
31105 Rancho Viejo Rd, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, United States
Been going here for years, even before they moved from capo beach to san juan capistrano. The owner is a brilliant designer and does competitions where she colors and cuts the dogs to look like safari animals and fun stuff like that. We dont get that sort of thing. When we got standard poodles my husbands rule was no froo froo haircuts, so we just get standard puppy cuts. Weve had a couple of groomers over the years, and they have all had a high standard, which is probably due to the standard set by the owner. The atmosphere is relatively casual, and her dogs are there every day as well, which I like. They have been particularly good with my older dog Misty, who has passed now, and are good with my dog Seamus and Tabby, (Seamus got neurotic after I went back to work), and they give them the proper attention that they need. If you are looking for a superior cut and people who will listen when you sayno froo froo on the cut today, and no perfume...then these are the people you need! They will charge an additional small fee if your dogs are super matted (mine usually are) . Its not much, and mine like to run about in the bushes outdoors a lot, so its worth it to me. Go, you will like the results.