The Golden Bone Pet Resort

My family and I were a faithful customers to the Golden Bone for years, however, I noticed a decline in the business over time. On numerous occasions, one of the staff would rush me out the door when dropping off my dog at their doggy dog camp. As a concerned pet owner, I wanted to make sure she was getting along with the other dogs and just simply wanted to OBSERVE my dog as she was placed withe the other dogs. I
am soooo happy I stayed a little while when dropping her off, because I witnessed another dog BITING my dog. The staff were rude about the incident, telling me it was MY fault! Furthermore, when I made a formal complaint to the OWNER, he never got back into contact with me. Overall, the customer service is horrible and I believe the dogs are totally unsupervised and not treated right. What kind of establishment lets a dog bite another dog and DO NOTHING ABOUT IT? This is clearly a money make and is NOT a loving home-​away-​from home for our beloved doggies!

We have been boarding our dogs with The Golden Bone since 2009! We just couldn’t be happier with the services they provide. They have accommodated various needs our dogs have had, in the past including special diets, or medications, or even exercise restrictions. They even encouraged us to start boarding our two dogs together, after observing their behaviors when boarded separately. They have been really helpful when we’ve had to make last minute boarding plans, especially when my father very suddenly passed away just 3 days before Christmas in 2012. The Golden Bone staff made room for my dogs despite what must have been a full house that holiday season, and took them in even though we didn’t know how long we’d be gone. My dogs were there for 3 weeks, and I never once had to worry about their care or well being, allowing me to focus entirely on helping my mother and grieving with my family. I Love that they know who I am when I call, and remember my dogs by their names (hopefully b/​c they are good guests and not naughty ones!!! :]) Overall our experiences have been spectacular and I know we will be booking with The Golden Bone for years to come!

I boarded our beloved pet here several times and he was sick every time which eventually led to his death. DO NOT utilize their boarding services. I totally regret sending our pup there. I really wish we had been warned.

Had my pups there for 2 nights over the Fourth of July weekend. I chose this place because your dogs are supposed to be kept separate from other dogs unless you pay extra for group playtime. My 1 year old chihuahua and 11 month old boxer have never been boarded in any kennel before so this seemed like the perfect option. When we picked them up I was told my boxer had a blood shot eye, probably from being stressed out from the fireworks. Not happy, but what can I do. Once we got home we looked closer at her. She has a swollen, blood shot eye, bloody tail and what looked like bit marks on her stomach. She looked like she had gotten into some sort of fight with another dog but when I asked they said it hadn’t happened. We also had their nails trimmed, which were cut so short on my chihuahua she was still bleeding when we picked her up. Overall very unsatisfied with the care my puppies were given.

I haven’t been able to calm my active boxer down, I road past the Golden Bone on my way home from work and let me tell you… little Diesel stay at the Golden Bone running off all that energy. The staff is great! When he comes home. he’s so tired. Kris, Molly, Quentin, Sara, Keyana, and Crissie. see you tomorrow

We recently had our energetic terrier stay at Golden Bone while we were on vacation. It was nice to know that he was taken care of! They were great, helped us with medications, and our dog came back completely exhausted and healthy! We look forward to using their services again.

We have just picked up our cat after 1 week of boarding. When I picked him up I asked if there were any issues and was told no. I asked to hold him to put into the carrier and the employee said he preferred to do it, so I deferred. When I got him home, it was immediately apparent that he was quite sick — watery eyes with discharge, coughing, sneezing, raspy breathing, lethargic. I called Golden Bone and Kevin sternly denied that my (or any cat) was sick! He even suggested to us that the cat had an allergic reaction to the cardboard carrier in his ½ mile ride home. What this tells me is that no one was looking at the cat.

Cat fur was ruining my life, I’m not even being dramatic.
Living with my long haired white cat was like living in a snow globe full of white car hair. The day I had cat hair stuck to my contact lens was the day I was like, «The hell with this, I’m getting her shaved.»
My regular groomer does not shave cats for some reason, so after calling around I reached the Golden Bone and they did offer the services I needed.
I was very surprised when I was able to call on a Thursday and get a same Saturday morning grooming appointment.
I really think curb appeal is something that the owners of this place need to seriously re evaluate because it looked like I was taking my cat to prison. This place looks really bad from the street, I probably wouldn’t have taken her there to be groomed if I had seen the building before. Its a really seedy looking cinder block building. It obviously was a garage at one point.
HOWEVER…it’s pretty nice inside! If your cat is afraid of dogs, you’re def going to want to have the cat in a carrier. There all kinds of dogs in the waiting area. In fact, I wasnt sure if we had walked into the right place bc there was a playroom full of small dogs and then a desk. But we were at the right place. Unfortunately, there’s just one entrance.
I might be asking for the world, but as other people were bringing their large dogs in, I was kind of hesitant to take my cat out of the carrier for the grooming consultation. My cat is scared of dogs, I wish there was a room or a different area we could have gone into first.
The groomer was incredibly nice. She asked me how I wanted my cat groomed and I said, «I dont care if you have to wax her, just shave her. All of it.» Instead she suggested a lion cut which I agreed to, bc most of the fur would be gone and also the cat would look hilariously cute.
The appointment was from 9 – 12 and I picked up a new cat! She looked adorable! The groomer said that my cat was well behaved but knowing my cat that cant possibly be true. My cat seemed much more relaxed after her appointment than she has when groomed at other places.
I will absolutely come back here, and I recommend this place for grooming services.

We have been taking our border collie to Golden Bone for a few years (for daycare and boarding.) It’s important to note that the building has been renovated so any negative reviews regarding the «shabbiness» should be disregarded. The staff is very polite and professional. The owner really cares about his business and your dog. I never enjoy boarding our dog; but we know she is being treated well. But, let’s face it. Most dogs would rather be at home with their owners.

I took my dogs to be groomed here for the first time, and was very impressed. As soon as we arrived, the receptionist greeted us and explained a little bit about the grooming process. You can drop your dog off between 9 and 11, and then pick them up before 5. Emily, the groomer, came out to greet us and asked me if I had any special requests for my dogs. I have a scottie and a westie, and they can both be difficult to groom as their «traditional» cuts are pretty specific.
When I came back to pick up my dogs, they looked absolutely wonderful. They were cut perfectly, and my westie even sported a beautiful pink bow on her collar. She looked absolutely fantastic. I have never seen her coat look so shiny and white.
I thought that the prices were very reasonable as well. $ 40 for each of my dogs is more than fair, especially considering how difficult it is to groom a westie.
I am so happy to have find a wonderful place to take my dogs for grooming. I’m even thinking about trying the day care!

I took my dog here to get groomed a few days ago. She looks great! Emily did a wonderful job. She listened to everything I had mentioned during the consult. I had stressed that my dog’s nails were super brittle and crack easily, and to be extra cautious… and she was. She pretty much gave her the haircut that I had envisioned. She put a cute Halloween scarf on her as well! I will also take my dog there for doggy daycare at some point, which I’m sure she will love.

We’ve been taking our dog to the Golden Bone for over a year. Very pleased with the service and care! Frida seems to love it there, and the staff shower her with lots of attention. There was a period of time when she didn’t want to get out of the car to go in but after a few weeks that behavior went away. During that time, the staff came out to the car to greet her and help me get her out of the car. The webcam is a great addition. My vet (Point Breeze Veterinary) told me that she favors Golden Bone over the other local day cares because the staff sanitize the center and fewer dogs get sick there. Highly recommended!

I took my two Persian cats there to be bathed. When I picked them up, they were so traumatized that one hid under a bed for hours, and the other was shaking like he was going through seizures. I’ve taken them to other places to be groomed, so I know this wasn’t the standard reaction. So whatever the people here did to them, they were scared to death. Will never go back.

My dogs love the Golden Bone for daycare & boarding, & I love the owners & staff! They are caring, friendly, & genuinely care about the dogs. I am very particular as to how my thick coated, white American Eskimo is groomed, and they did an amazing job. Hours are convenient 7am-​7pm during the week, 9 – 5 on Saturday, & Sunday drop-​off/​pick-​up from 2 – 4. They offer $ saving daycare packages. I could not be happier with the Golden Bone!

I see these reviews are quite old (1 new) so I’d like to add my 2 cents. I and my poodles always had great experiences at the Golden Bone. It used to break my heart watching the girls happily walk off with the staff when we dropped them off. Then I realized the girls really liked it or else they wouldn’t walk away from me so easily. I always received them back in great condition. They even smelled better than I left them even when I didn’t have them groomed. I feel the staff is quite accommodating and pleasant… even with my off the wall questions and concerns about the girls. I also like how they have a vet on call, are located near the rescue league and how much they do for animal rights. The owners are very committed to animal rights and do a great job in building awareness especially with their greyhound rescues. You won’t get that type of commitment from other kennels. They truly care about our four legged friends and for that, I wouldn’t think about taking my pet anyplace else. I highly recommend the Golden Bone.

We have used this kennel for several years. Having had bad experiences in the last place we used — our dog came home hyper-​energetic, obviously had had no exercise — we are satisfied with this place. Our dog is obviously not bothered to go back — he trots off happily without a backward glance — and happy but not deliriously so to come home again. Unlike other reviews, I’ve always found the staff friendly and helpful. The retrictive hours aren’t a problem for me, though I can see how they would be for others.

When our regular kennel was booked for the weekend, I tried the Golden Bone as per a suggestion from the receptionist at my vet’s office (I’m pretty sure it was based solely on its proximity to their office.) Yes, the pick-​up and drop-​off hours are annoying, but I have a flexible schedule so it didn’t bother me. What really upset me was how incredibly badly my dogs reacted after we picked them up. They were both completely hoarse and seemed starved for attention. My 4-​year old dog spent the next day vomitting and having severe diarrhea. I immediately took him to the vet and they said it was probably due to stress. I will definitely be sticking to the smaller kennel that I’m used to from now on!

I think this place is fine. There are definitely fancier kennels in the Pittsburgh area, with more outdoor playing space, recently-​updated interiors, and stuff like that, but they cost more than I can afford if I need to go out of town for a weekend. The lack of Sunday hours is a bit displeasing, but definitely not out of the ordinary unless you’re in a major metropolitan area (which, much as we all love the Burgh, we know it ain’t the big city.) The 9 – 5 hours are a little bit constraining in conjunction with the lack of weekend hours, though — it wouldn’t kill them to stay open an hour or two later on Mondays and Fridays, so that people could drop off and pick up their animals a bit easier.
My dog is a dignified older gentleman who wouldn’t do well in a situation where he had to interact with rambunctious young pups without my being there, which knocks several of the local kennels out of the running. He’s always happy to see me when I come pick him up, but he’s never come home sick or emotionally traumatized. I usually get him a bath and a nail trim while he’s there, and they seem to do a perfectly fine job with that. Plus the location is very convenient to my work, so that it doesn’t take too big a chunk out of my workday to retrieve Mr. Mammal. I’ll keep using them until I leave this city.

Really, I think the kennel was fine. I grew up in the wilderness, and none of the kennels we ever used were ever open on sunday either, and also my work hours are really flexible, so it was no problem for me to drop doggie off thursday morning and pick him up monday morning.
The groomer wasn’t great, but on the other hand I think in 15 years I’ve never been 100% happy with the way a groomer groomed any of my dogs, which is why I’ve started doing it myself. The groomers DID follow my instructions for what to do to doggie– they got rid of the mats around his collar and cut him down to the same length all around, so at least they did what I wanted them to do. I had to clean up the trim everywhere when we got home though, so I probably won’t get doggie groomed at the golden bone again.
I think that maybe I want to give more like 3.5 stars: 3 for the grooming and 4 for the kennel itself.

I’m a little frustrated that The Golden Bone is my best choice in kennels here in Pittsburgh. (Are there some weird PA laws that are overly restrictive of kennels that stifle competition?) I may be jaded because Atlanta has unusually good kennels, but I was disappointed with these guys and more disappointed that I’m going to keep using them because I don’t have a better option.
The place is a little shabby outside and in the waiting area (which I can live with, because, no matter what you think about him, your dog is too dumb and clueless to notice), and the service is a little snippy and unfriendly. The prices are average for yuppie, spoiled dog kennels ($ 28 for big dogs, $ 23 for little dogs), so no issues there.
My biggest issue is the hours. I’m used to kennels being open 7 days a week and 7 – 7 minimum on work days. The Golden Bone is only open 9 – 5, Monday-​Saturday. This blows my mind; if you have a job and want to take doggy in for daycare, you have to quit your job so that you can get him in at 9 and pick him up by 5. But, if you’ve quit your job, you can stay home and don’t need to take him in for doggy daycare.
If you need to fly on business on Monday, you’re super-​screwed, because you have to drop doggy off on Saturday since they’re not open at all on Sunday. Not only are you paying for extra boarding, but doggy isn’t sleeping with you.
If these guys were more convenient, I think they’d see business spike, but I think it’s going to take a competitor to nudge them into it. Until then, find friends who can help out with your pets and convince your boss to let you come in late and leave early to accommodate The Golden Bone’s work schedule.