Deb's Riverview Kennel

I rarely board my dogs, but my family & I were going out of town for five days and I foolishly forgot that it happened to be spring break. The place I'd used in the past was completely booked, and I started freaking out...until I called Deb's. Yes she had room for them, and yes, she'd love to have them. I actually spoke with her on the phone for 45 minutes and got a feel for the kind of person I was dealing with; a confident, competent expert who has a passion for animals.
I dropped my boys off on the morning we left. I was nervous as all get out bc these two are absolute knuckleheads. They're very quirky dogs & the purebred can be extremely stand-offish. He generally trusts nobody except his family and their closest friends. He's a working dog, and his main job is protecting us, so I didn't know what to expect. Everything went very smoothly during drop off. The facility was nice & clean, staff was more than courteous, and there were quite a few dogs outside in the large play area. The dogs all seemed happy & well cared for. Deb came in and after meeting, she took full control & whisked my boys off. I discussed feeding & meds with the gentleman at the front counter, and off I went.
I called to check on my dogs & the phone was answered immediately. Everything was great, they were spending equal amounts of time playing outside & relaxing. No issues. I was quite comfortable after speaking with the staff. They were in good hands.
When we returned I was eager to pick up my knuckleheads. I arrived a bit after my scheduled 2pm appointment, but it definitely didn't seem to be an issue. Their things were in the waiting room packed up & ready to go. Then came the ultimate test; I'd be able to tell exactly how things went based on my older boys demeanor. We had a bad experience with another well known local kennel & there was no mistaking that he'd been treated poorly. Also he has always been apprehensive and just "out of it" for 2-3 days after boarding. None of that. Both dogs were happy as could be. They were bright eyed & bushy tailed! Ready to go home for sure, but super content. They were clean, well fed & rested. They even got baths before I picked them up. I don't even know how anyone got warmed up enough to my Heeler in such a short amount of time to actually give him a bath, but kudos!!
Short version: Deb's Riverview Kennels is a great choice if you're looking to board your pets. In the past I've completely avoided boarding bc it just never worked out. Now that has changed & I'm thrilled that I have a place to "babysit" my boys. I'll definitely return, and I'll also refer them without hesitation. If they can please the knuckleheads, they can please me! Thank you Deb & staff!!

Poor customer service. I requested boarding for the dates of Dec 30th -January 5th so that my family and I could drive down to Fort Sam Houston and get familiar with the area. We initially thought our hotel did not accept pets so after discovering that pets were allowed I called Deb's Riverview to cancel my dog's boarding. The woman who answered said she would "write it down" and "pass it along," ok great.

I check my bank statement a few days later and noticed a refund wasn't issued so I called back and was told that they would "write my concern down and pass it along." I called the next day, and again was told that my number would be passed along to management. AGAIN. Finally, a gentleman on the phone informs me that they usually do not give refunds during holidays. Ok...., how was I supposed to know that? If I had known that was the case after being told I could pay in advance or pay during my pet's check-in date then I wouldn't have paid in advance, obviously.

It has been an entire week, going back and forth on Facebook and several unanswered emails-management clearly does not think I am worthy of a response nor acknowledgment.

Attached is a photo of their policy before and after the requested refund. The revised edition is where they added "advanced payment as mandatory and NOW a no refund policy." When asked about this revision someone on their FB replied back with "this has been our policy since 2015," How in the world was I suppose to know that? Rude, unprofessional, tacky and shady individuals to do business with.

My dog stays at Deb's Riverview Kennel any time I go out of town. He knows when we're there and is always ready to get out and play. The staff is phenomenal. They're kind, and have a wealth of knowledge on dogs. I always feel at ease dropping my pup off for a day or a week because I know he'll be well cared for. They have multiple yards for the dogs to play and run, even a doggy pool! Prices are always a concern, no worries, they're very reasonable! Highly recommend Deb's for your boarding and doggy daycare needs!

We have used Deb's Riverview Kennels for just about a year now. Our dog Bella is a very active 14 month old. They have been great with every stay. Bella has come to them requiring a special diet. They accommodate our requests. When we turn onto Esplanade, she starts getting super excited and can't wait to get out of the car at Deb's. Levi and the staff are wonderful to work with. Bella loves going there.

Update: The kennel called me after I posted my review. They explained that the dogs that we saw in the cages were daycare dogs and the owner had explicitly asked the kennel to put them in the same cage due to anxiety issues. They also informed me that the runs for the dogs being boarded are located in a building behind the main office building. These runs are the large ones that they referenced over the phone. I feel better knowing this so I changed my review from 3 to 4 stars.

Original: We boarded our dog for the weekend. The outside play area looked like fun for our dog. When we went to pickup our dog we saw the inside where the dogs are kept through a window. It was concerning. There were two dogs inside of a medium sized cage. It made us question whether or not they had enough room to sit down. We were also concerned because we were told that that dogs would be kept in a ten foot run. We did not see any dog runs inside of the building only cages. If we are mistaken the. Please post a photo of the indoorand I'll be happy to change my review.

Most reliable kennel around..... Great staff, with years of experience. This is the best boarding kennel, training and daycare for anyone, be it temporary or permanent.

I had an appointment with her for grooming, and she told me to drop off at 7am. I arrived and door was open but nobody to be found, except a huge cat wandering the place. There were a bunch of crates stacked up with dogs in them in another room. I waited about 15-20 minutes, rang the bell, said "hellooo" very loudly, looked around, tried to call the phone number but the phone just rang right there on the desk. No idea what happened this morning but I was so disappointed. Never heard back from her that morning and when I did reach her that afternoon she only sled if I wanted to reschedule. I did not based on that mornings experience.

I see some reviews on here that shock me. I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinion and has their own experiences, but so do I. So here it goes: having voluntarily left another daycare/boarding facility due to repeated mishandling and ignored instructions regarding my pup, I decided to try out Deb's. The staff, top to bottom, has treated my little hound mix - charlie - like he was their own. I have seen unbelievable progress in his behavior and ability to obey commands in the 6 months I have been taking him to Debs (3 times a week). One person in particular, Heather, has been a joy to work with. She will send ask what he needs to work on and send me videos/give to tutorials of their progress and what I need to work on at home. The kennel area, (it is more like a large dog park- great area for exercise and socializing) is kept spotless. I was once given a tour and was amazed at the awareness and attention to detail that the kennel employees have for each and every dog - as if it was their own. Keep in mind - I understand that dogs can play rough and come home with scratches, that is part of dogs socializing - it's gonna happen! However when he does come home with scratches, the team at Debs notes anything to me and leaves me feeling like he is in the best hands possible - not like they are just there to babysit, but they show me they are invested in the happiness of my dog. On the 3 mornings a week I have him go to daycare, he wakes up and darts to my car as if to say "I'm ready for my day at school!" Who wouldn't want that?

Staff was great. From the first message to the end was an all around wonderful experience. I see how they have been around for over 50 years

We absolutely love this place! Our 2 German shepherds get to play all day, use up their energy, and be socialized. The staff really cares and treats all of the animals like his own! Their also amazing at working with animals who need a little love or are a difficult temperament. We recommend this place to everyone.