Dog Boarding in Santa Rosa
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Tiffany recently booked dog boarding with Dawn in Santa Rosa
Dawn, is amazing! She looked after my 4 month old puppy for me and always sent the cutest pictures! I’d highly recommend her.
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Santa Rosa dog sitters were rated 5 out of 5 stars from 284+ reviews
Danielle's review on Jun 16, 2019
Tiana was amazing as always! She’s so responsive and easy to communicate with. And I always know pickles is happy and cared for well with her. Thanks for another great stay for pickles!
Kaylee's review on Jun 02, 2019
Mercedez was wonderful! My doggo had a blast staying with her and she sent daily updates as well as pictures. Highly recommend.
Karen's review on May 17, 2019
What a pleasure it was leaving my dog with Holly. I felt confidence that she was in good hands for the entire week. She sent pictures and texts throughout the week to keep me updated on how she was doing. I will definitely use Holly again!
Top Dog Parks in Santa Rosa
One visit to 138-acre, family-friendly Howarth Park, and you’ll see why it’s considered the jewel of Santa Rosa. Leash up your pups and treat them to a jaunt through 12 miles of trails—including the .4-mile Eagle Scout Trail—or grab a bench by the placid, 25-acre Lake Ralphine and relax as you watch the canoes and kayaks glide by. Nearby, kids line up for pony rides with Pony Express, or hop aboard the C.P. Huntington steam train—a replica of an 1863 model—for a quarter-mile ride past the lake, over a bridge, and into the woods. Other attractions include the Animal Barn petting zoo (open in summer only), a 30-horse carousel, softball fields, tennis courts, and a bouncy house.
Ten miles of trails provide plenty of dog walking opportunities at this popular park for camping, swimming, picnics, and sunny-day strolls. Glistening, 72-acre Spring Lake lures water lovers, who can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, and pedal boats at the park’s Violetti Road entrance. Weekends in September, dog boarders in Santa Rosa can take their furry friends to an off-leash dog swimming series in the lake called Water Bark—a fundraiser for the Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation and a perfect opportunity to let pups cool off, play fetch, and generally have a blast. The lake’s swimming lagoon, a favorite with Sonoma County kids, remains open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
The Montecito Boulevard entrance is the best bet for accessing the off-leash dog park at this 18.9-acre outdoor area between Badger Road and Montecito Boulevard—popular among Santa Rosa dog sitters and owners thanks to well-maintained lawns and a convenient wood-chip area. Small and large dogs play in separate, grassy areas, while tall trees offer shade for their owners nearby. There’s also a soccer field, picnic tables, and playground area closer to Badger Road—both picnic tables are available for parties, family gatherings, grilled meats cooked on nearby barbecues, or a quiet al fresco meal. Simply contact the park’s Picnic Desk and let them know when you and your fellow recreators wish to lay claim to them.
This intimate off-leash dog park is easy to find thanks to its proximity to the DeTurk Round Barn. Built in 1891 by one of California’s very first winemakers, Isaac DeTurk, it’s one of the state’s oldest round building and is one of Santa Rosa’s most popular wedding and event venues. At just .25 acres, the dog park is a relatively snug spot for pets to play in, but benches and water make it easy for Santa Rosa pet sitters to give their furry friends an opportunity to make friends in this cozy, well-kept space. Covered trash cans make it simple to clean up after dogs, but keep in mind that the fence at DeTurk Round is somewhat shorter than at many other Santa Rosa off-leash dog parks, so you may want to avoid bringing dogs that have a tendency to jump over walls and fences.
Santa Rosa's Bark Score
How Santa Rosa got their Bark Score
We love crunching numbers almost as much as we love caring for dogs, which is why we came up with the Bark Score. It's all about how dog-friendly a city is, and is determined using census statistics, local business information, and our own data. Santa Rosa received a 73 out of 100 in vet availability, which includes the number of emergency veterinarians, regular vets, specialists, and the average premium for pet insurance in the area. For pet services—like groomers available, number of dog trainers, and count of Rover sitters—this city earned a 89. For the parks and fun category, Santa Rosa received a 86 for its number of dog parks, sunny days, and dog-friendly restaurants and hotels. And last but not least, for quality of dog life which includes overall dog population, average yard size, and number of dog-friendly property rentals, this city earned a 77.
Top Dog Neighborhoods in Santa Rosa
Roseland
Annexed by the city in 2017, the vibrant Roseland neighborhood just south of downtown Santa Rosa is an excellent spot for dog boarders to walk their furry friends. It’s also home to the Bayer Neighborhood Park and Gardens; known informally as “Bayer Farm,” this six-acre urban farm is the heart of the neighborhood. Another favorite attraction: The Joe Rodota Regional Trail, an 8.5-mile paved, off-road trail that connects the cities of Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. A trip down this popular path for horseback riders, bikers, families, and dog walkers takes you across three bridges and meanders past the Laguna of Santa Rosa as well as agricultural ranches. Look out for all sorts of avian action—bird watchers will be in heaven—and, come springtime, don’t miss the bright patches of gorgeous California wildflowers.
Bennett Valley
Santa Rosa dog sitters and boarders will find much to explore in the quiet Bennett Valley neighborhood, a northwest- to southeast-trending valley in the southeastern corner of the city where lovely homes are nestled into woodsy settings. While most of the neighborhood’s Trione-Annadel State Park is off-limits to dogs, pups can be walked on a leash on the paved Channel Drive. Meanwhile, tucked between Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Annadel State Park, the Galvin Community Dog Park on Yulupa Avenue is a fun off-leash dog park complete with a wood-chip area, picnic tables, and barbecues—it’s just south of the Bennett Valley Golf Course.
Fountaingrove
Once the site of the Brotherhood of the New Life utopian community, this affluent hillside neighborhood boasts a rich history. Founded by Thomas Lake Harris—the neighborhood’s Thomas Lake Harris Drive is named after him—in 1875, the Santa Rosa branch of the Brotherhood community was run by Nagasawa Kanaye, who built the famous Fountaingrove Round Barn that was destroyed in October 2017 during the Tubbs fire. The leader’s namesake Nagasawa Community Park at Fountaingrove is a 33.7-acre neighborhood oasis where Santa Rosa dog walkers can enjoy scenic strolls. The centerpiece of the park is Fountaingrove Lake, a 500 ft reservoir of the Fountaingrove Dam, built in 1953. While the city of Santa Rosa owns half of this body of water, the other half is claimed by the adjacent Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club, which built its 18-hole course around the lovely lake.
Downtown
Santa Rosa attracts plenty of tourists to its downtown area, where redwood-lined Fourth Street is a main draw for restaurants and retail opportunities. Santa Rosa dog boarders can window shop while they walk the area between Santa Rosa Plaza down to E Street, home to the tome-stuffed Treehorn Books and Corrick’s, a beloved family stationary store first opened in 1915. Popular nearby restaurants include Gerard’s Paella and the Jade Room, a wine and oyster bar, both on Fourth Street. Downtown’s center, however, can be found at Courthouse Square at Mendocino Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets. It’s home to the weekly Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market, where a boisterous beer and wine garden attracts locals and visitors alike. In the western section of downtown you’ll find the Railroad Square Historic District—the city’s historic center whose turn-of-the-century stone buildings have survived several earthquakes, including the famous 7.9-magnitude San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The area is home to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot and the historic Empire Building.
Why do dog owners love Santa Rosa?
Located in the center of Sonoma County Wine Country, Santa Rosa is the largest city in California’s Redwood Empire. With its Mediterranean climate (think warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters), this 28th most populous city in California attracts plenty of tourists who come to the region to explore the Russian River resort area—home to famous wineries including Rochioli Vineyards and Winery and Emeritus Vineyards. It’s also a great jumping off point for touring outdoor attractions like the spectacular Sonoma Coast along the Pacific Ocean, the majestic redwood trees of Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve (where dogs are welcomed on paved roads), and Jack London State Park, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963 and is home to the House of Happy Walls Museum. Animal-loving tourists bunk in plush tents at Safari Park, a wildlife reserve where you can stay the night, while Schramsberg Vineyards is the spot for sampling some of the gorgeous wines made from grapes grown on the premises. In addition to its proximity to the best of wine country, Santa Rosa is ideal for dog walkers who want to enjoy exquisite outdoor attractions close to town. Head to the median strip on West Ninth Street downtown to check out the nests of great blue herons, great egrets, black-crowned herons, and snowy egrets. In the eastern hillside neighborhoods, dog walkers often spot wild deer and turkeys, and—fair warning—mountain lions are not infrequently spotted within city limits too. Meanwhile, the city abuts a trio of adjoining parks and wildlife reserves: Trione Annadel State Park, Spring Lake County Park, and Howarth Park combine to create an outdoor wonderland that couldn’t be more convenient to city dwellers. In order to preserve the parks’ delicate ecosystems, dogs are limited to certain areas of the parks, but dog boarders will find plenty of space for enjoying these green spaces with their furry friends. Founded in 1833 and named in honor of Saint Rose of Lima, this North Bay city—the fifth most populous in the San Francisco Bay Area—also boasts a rich history. Learn all about it at a trio of fascinating museums: the Charles M. Schulz Museum, home to many of the famous Peanuts cartoonist’s original comic strips; the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, the half-acre property where the famous horticulturist lived for 50 years; and the Museum of Sonoma County, the only collecting art museum in the North Bay region. Alternatively, dog walkers can simply stroll the Santa Rosa streets to admire landmarks. Start with the Railroad Square Historic District. Home to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot and the historic Empire Building, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. If the sturdy stone buildings look familiar, it may be because you’ve seen them in the movies: both Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt and Cheaper by the Dozen with Steve Martin were filmed around the train depot here.
