The staff here are phenomenal! Silly me, forgot to do Bordetella vaccines and unfortunately, I wasn't able to board my dog for safety and health concern because she does not have the Bordetella vaccine. The staff was very caring very concerned and very helpful giving me insight into boarding laws and regulations. I highly recommend this place. It looks very clean. There's a groomer next-door if your dog isn't clean and they are sister stores, and the grooming people next-door are just as friendly and just as helpful and for that I am very, very thankful as this is my first time traveling with my senior Chihuahua in the city. If you have a pup that needs boarding please come here they really CARE about your doggy's safety. Next time I'm in the city, I will be using this service as I frequently visit the twin cities. JJW read more

Downtown Dogs - Hailey Elisabeth Watchman - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Great atmosphere! The Manager, Jess(Jessica?) was so helpful! She goes above a& beyond to make sure your pet/child is well taken care of!

I've been taking my dogs here for over a year any time I'm going to be out of town for more than 3 days. I like that they offer both group play and solitary stay as I generally prefer to keep my dogs solitary to avoid catching illnesses from other dogs. For the most part I haven't had any issues and am happy to report my dogs give this place two paws up without bringing home any major illness as of yet. I did have one time where one of them had diarrhea afterwards, but it was manageable and is just how it goes like how kids come back from daycare sick every so often. The staff is super nice and you really get the sense they get to know the dogs and are happy to see them again. I do wish the rates for boarding were more affordable, but they're comparable to other boarding facilities. It's unfortunate to see how expensive care for pets has gotten over the years. read more

I'm giving this place 3 stars because I've had two very different experiences--nothing to do with the staff personally, but more about their overall approach. I've taken two different dogs here. My first dog was extremely laid-back and friendly--he loved everything and everyone--so we never had any issues. He was a rescue that I adopted as a pup, and he stayed with me until he passed away. Now I'm bringing my other rescue, who has been through two different families before coming to me. She struggles with severe separation and social anxiety. Unfortunately, they suggested using a shock collar on her. While I completely understand why they might make that recommendation, I'm personally not comfortable with that approach. For now, I feel this place just isn't the right fit for her. If your dog has special needs, you may want to think twice before coming here. But if your dog doesn't have those challenges, I would definitely recommend them. read more

The staff at Downtown Dogs is amazing! Always taking care of our Canela and accommodating to her needs! We love bringing her here when we can and she loves it read more

Our girls love coming here. The staff is so great with our girls, they post pictures of them playing with the other dogs, thank you! Patty Carlin read more

My dog had a great time at downtown dogs! I love how they have cameras so you can check on your pup! Plus they don't need reservations for daycare so if you're needing a place last minute for your dog then this place can take them! I love their communication with setting up my dog's eval for when she first went. It's great to see it's an open concept so you can see what the layout is like. Highly recommend going here! read more

I would not think of leaving our dog with any other boarder. Our pup jumps a foot in the air at the mention of this place! The staff truly loves the dogs, and they have staff that have been there as long as we've been coming here. The location is convenient and they also offer individual boarding for pups like ours that nervous around other dogs. They give you a write up after their boarding stay showing number of "movements", meals, and any issues. But usually they are making a comment about how sweet the dog is and that they were able to give your dog lots of free rubs. TIP: they offer nail trimming. read more

Long review coming up - honestly I don't review often, especially not negatively, but in the interest of full disclosure & the safety/health of other dogs I needed to. I hope this can help other dog owners decide against sending their dogs here to Downtown Dogs. This place is awful - money sucking company that claims to "love" dogs. We brought our furry baby to stay overnight for 4 nights, and we watched him on the live camera once we dropped him off. They immediately put him into a kennel while all the other dogs played. Then they transferred him to another kennel to sleep? He didn't get the chance even use the bathroom before being in a kennel from 6:30pm until the next morning at 7:00am. While you need reservations for overnight boarding, they allow any and all dogs during the day which results in WAY too many dogs for the limited staff to watch and "monitor." I will attach a photo of the amount of dogs they have in ONE of the 2-3 rooms they use daily. Just ridiculous. I never once saw the staff giving any dogs love or any form of attention. On top of that, each time we were there, the staff were yelling at the dogs and rude/distracted towards me and my fiancé. They weren't helpful at all about how the process works either, being that it was our first time there. The outside area is about the smallest thing I've ever seen, and WAY too small for the amount of dogs trying to use it. Most of the time, we saw multiple dogs peeing and pooping on the floors over the camera, clearly not being allowed the bathroom breaks they need. They "clean" the floors with what looks like dirty bleach water occasionally, but leave the bucket out in the play area?? So unhealthy for dogs! It was cluttered & messy in the play areas as well - kennels, buckets, and poop all over. Staff told us if anything happened out of the normal, they would give us a call just to keep us informed, but upon picking our dog up, they tell us another dog bit him on the second day he was there! Just to top it off, we were under the impression (due to what they told us) that a staff member would be at the facility 24/7, but that is not the case. They all leave until 6:45 in the morning, and say they are closely monitored. They are "monitored" through the same cameras I can use to see them online, and there is no way someone is watching throughout the night. Plus, if something were to happen it would take them so long to get there! Ugh! On top of all that, we took him in for an "evaluation" prior to actually staying overnight because it was mandatory, and staff told me over the phone it was free, due to the fact that he was mandatory. All said and done, I go to pick him up and she charges me for a full day of daycare! Honestly the only thing they care about is maximum dogs for the sole purpose of taking your money. read more

Downtown Dogs - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I just want to say, this place effin' rocks. I bring my larger than life puppy here to run off some energy and boy does he love it. I can barely contain him to get in the door at drop him off and when we leave, his tail is always wagging. They've loved him like their own, you can tell the people here truly care about our fur babies. I also love that you can drop off for a few hours in the evening or the weekend! I've also used their grooming services. They do an impeccable job on nails and bathing, which is what Mr Bowie here has done. A blowout on my boy is so cute! And I have had friends compliment his nails and the job done on them. The pricing can't be beat, especially when you consider it's a total multitask of drop your baby off for day care, and pick up a spiffy puppy! You guys have been a lifesaver! read more

My dog absolutely loves Downtown dogs. The staff is so welcoming, and I love how they know my Ned and give me good reports! they even sent a get well card when he had surgery this summer . ! So kind !! read more

We brought my dog Rasmus here for a few days while we were out of town and he had the best time! I loved being able to watch him on the web cams and watching him have so much fun. The staff is great and takes amazing care of the dogs. I would highly recommend! read more

We LOVE Downtown Dogs! Piper, our 1 year old rescue pup has a blast running around with the other dogs and playing with the wonderful staff. There are 4 different rooms that dogs are placed in based on size, energy level, and temperament. They have a relatively small number of staff so you get to know them, and they really get to know your dog. They offer baths, grooming, and nail trims as well, which is so convenient to be able to drop her off for playtime and some grooming. They have stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic and as essential employees, both my boyfriend and I really appreciate having a wonderful place to take our little love. Oh, and the cherry on top are the webcams!!!! We can watch her play during our days which is the perfect piece of mind. Thank you Downtown Dogs! read more

Downtown Dogs - Enjoying the nice weather and hanging out with friends! - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Good trustworthy people who know my dog's name even if she hasn't been there in weeks.

Downtown Dogs is wonderful! Gustav has been boarding there since he was a puppy. They evaluate his temperament and decide which room he would be best in. Gustav is happy and content and loves playing with other dogs. He loves the staff. They are so good about taking notes for us to read when we pick him up. All the staff seem to love their jobs and have nothing but nice things to say about our dog. We love the cameras that let us watch Gustav in action while we are away. Best of all Gustav is clean, happy and tired when we pick him up. Downtown Dogs is easy to access and plentiful parking. I feel like they are competitively priced as well. read more

Downtown Dogs - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

GREAT experience working with Milo for dog trainers. Seriously knows his stuff, not about about dogs, but about dog owners. Made sure I understood the concepts and skills, with just the right amount of time and repetition (for me, the owner.) :). It was sooo effective because there was so much I didn't understand about dog psychology, effective training, dos and don'ts. Worth every penny. read more

All of the staff is always so amazing! They remembered my dog's name after his second stay. And from there on all of the staff knew his name as soon as we walked in and know who I'm there to pick up when I walk in! My dog always leaves super tired after a long day of play! I wouldn't take him anywhere else! read more

Downtown Dogs - Knocked out post daycare! - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I will go against the grain and recommend you go elsewhere. Good: big play area. Really nice people. Takes big and small dogs without question and my dogs seem happy to be there. They have a separate section for older dogs which is great. Bad: biggest issue I have with them is that they take on too many dogs at once and not enough handlers. They sometimes are swarming with dogs and can't manage little scuffles. Dogs get thrown into a kennel for time outs and then are just left there for quite a while. My dogs have come out with scratches and bites that aren't noticed. My neighbors have mentioned that their dog gets put into a kennel for hours for a little bit of rough play. This all could be alleviated if they had a limit on how many dogs are to there at once. The place has a good heart but seems spread thin. read more

We recently moved into downtown Minneapolis. Our dog is easily stressed so we thought it would be good to overnight him during the moving process. He has separation anxiety, and sometimes doesn't play well. The caregivers at DG took managing care of him. When I called (multiple times, don't judge me) to ask how my baby was doing they told me the names of the dogs he played with, what he was up to. He was amazing for them, and had no issues playing. The said he bathed in the sun for awhile too. He had trouble eating the first night and they did everything hey could to help him eat, above and beyond. We WILL be returning, and I'm pretty particular.. So that's a lot for me. read more

Downtown Dogs - My baby tired after so much play - Pet Boarding Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Downtown Dogs has been a lifesaver for us! I live downtown and my new rescue dog, Winston, has made Downtown Dogs his second home. He just enjoyed his first daycare visit and was given so much attention and love. Plus, I watched him on the cameras while he was there and this gave me confidence that he was doing great and at ease. We will be back A LOT! read more

We've been taking our dog Oliver to Downtown Dogs for over a year and we love it! And he does too :) The staff is super nice and call him by name when he comes in every morning. They are personable and give little updates when we pick him up in the afternoon. It makes us really happy to know we are leaving him with people that care about him and know him. It's great to be able to check-in on him during the day using the live webcam. Sometimes it's nice to just take a little break and watch him play! If you're looking for a doggie daycare near downtown, this place is highly recommended! read more

Always have been and always will be a fan of this place. Easy access from downtown, awesome staff, and really "dog-first" policies here. And they continuously go above and beyond our expectations. When our first dog passed away suddenly, DTD's made a donation to the Humane Society in his name. . I love knowing that Downtown Dogs cares about my pet as much as I do. read more

I'm a first time customer here. But I took my pretty high anxiety rescue dog (AKA MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD) here and boarded her for 5 days while I had to go out of town. I hate boarding her. It's usually a miserable experience and she comes back stressed out beyond belief and it takes several days to recover from the whole ordeal. I've never taken her to doggy daycare, she doesn't do well in dog parks and I figured it would be the same scenario. So I mentioned this to them and they said they'd evaluate and see. I left, and came back and picked up a wonderfully happy, tired, stress-free dog who loved everybody in there and was happy to see me but not freaking out in a panic to get out of there. I've never seen my dog so happy and worn out (in a good way!) from a boarding experience. They said she played with the dogs everyday, had a blast, and I can tell! What a wonderful experience. Thank you, everyone who took care of my pup. She seemed well loved while she was there. I plan on taking her back just for daycare from now on and I will board her as well of course. She's currently recovering but it's more like recovering from a day at the beach, not a day at the vet. Highly recommended. read more

In the interest of full disclosure, the event I am describing happened 1 year ago almost to the day. So why bring it up now? Well, until now I've had no place to express my displeasure and the fact is that a year later, I still feel very strongly about what happened, so I'm putting it down. Here goes... After confirming that they were experienced with special needs animals, I brought my deaf dog here for an extended stay while I went on vacation. Because he is deaf, he generally does not do well with strange dogs; a point I made clear to the staff before bringing him in. No problem, is what I was told. I brought in his food, his bedding and because he is very short haired, a 3/4 jersey for him to have on during his stay. He is all white and his hair is so short that he looks ruddy, that is his pink skin showing through. Not a lot of insulation there, hence the jersey. I explained this to the staff the day I left him in their care; I also reiterated the things I've mentioned above and gave them a list of hand commands that he's been trained to understand. So far, so good. We called every few days during the 2 weeks we were gone and were told everything was great. Upon my return, I was walked back to his "room" which was a fairly small cage; it was in a back room where it was cold enough that the staff was walking around in their coats by a metal garage door that was radiating waves of cold. My dogs kennel was right next to it and he was curled up in a tight ball as far away from the door as he could get. As I took this all in, I noticed that his jersey wasn't on him, nor was he on his bedding. They were piled along the outside of the kennel. When I asked why this was, the staff member that was back there said that they did not use any bedding but their own and she didn't know who had taken the coat off, nor why it had been removed in spite of my request that it not be. She also mentioned that they could only let him out to go to the toilet because he seemed to have difficulty hearing and didn't seem to get along with the other dogs. I looked at her to see if she was joking, but she wasn't. I immediately put on the jersey and gathered up his things, paid my hefty bill and left. To say I was rabid would not only be a really bad pun, but would be a grotesque understatement. The weather last January was brutally cold and as I said, our dog is woefully under-insulated naturally. I was going to call the owner and offer her some of my choicer thoughts, but my wife, who prefers to avoid conflict at any cost, convinced me against my better judgement to "let things alone for now" and if our dog didn't recover or got sick we would ratchet things up. Anyway, for whatever it's worth, that was my experience. read more

Downtown Dogs is (I believe) the original dog day care in Mpls. Once you can get over the fact that you're taking your dog to day care occasionally -- which is decadent in and of itself -- you can feel good about DTDogs. The staff is amazing, friendly, knowledgeable and they know and love the dogs by name. Expensive? Yes, of course.. and it would be nice if heavy users got a little more than just a package deal with a coupla bucks off per day. That said, when my dog does need to go somewhere due to house remodeling, late work hours, etc. I know these guys are great to her and she comes home totally exhausted with my shoes unendangered from her chewful wrath. I just downgraded this to three stars. If you DT dog your dog too much, you may start to notice some behavior problems or aggression. Just like kid day care, your little darlin might come home with some habits you don't like. read more

Downtown Dogs is by far the best kennel I've used. Ever. We have tried a number of different kennels, but no one provided as competent of care or friendliness. The whole staff new my dogs name after only one or two visits. Now, when I call and make a reservation, I'm greeted with a friendly voice of recognition. My dog is a highly, highly energetic breed (seriously, even two hour runs doesn't diminish her energy level). However, whenever she comes home from Downtown Dogs, she is exhausted. I'm a student, so my schedule is kind of crazy. I've picked my dog up and dropped her off at all hours of the day. Every time I go in, the dogs are out of the kennels and having a great time (I think they do kennel the dogs around 1-2pm, so they can do a thorough cleaning and feed those that get feed 3 times a day). They also have a webcam so you can see your dog in action. It is a little grainy, but I've checked it out a few times and it isn't uncommon to see a staff member running around with the pups too! I read some of the more negative reviews because I had to find out why people wouldn't like this place! While I can't speak to every review, I did want to mention a few things that I feel like deserved a bit of a follow up: - Bark collars -- they do use bark collars on a few of the dogs (including mine b/c she will bark to the point of harming her throat). However, the staff will ask you if this is okay first. - Separation & Health Concerns - your dog may be separated if it starts to bite or has a contagious health concern. I'm not sure why this would be listed as a negative, because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be taking my dog here if they were putting my dog at risk for the sake of never having to tell a puppy-parent their dog had to go in a kennel for a while. I'm glad they care about the other dogs and safety of their staff enough to separate a dog as needed. I wholly trust their discretion in this, as they have separated my dog on a few occasions, but it has never been excessive. - Treats, toys, and bones - a good way to turn boarding into a dangerous situation (for staff and dogs) is to hand out treats, toys, and bones. Anyone who has experience with dogs should understand that even the sweetest dog can become very aggressive when a bone or toy is involved, even if they show no signs of food aggressive or have other dogs in the home. My dog is literally my baby, but I recognize that she is still a dog and she has behaviors that can completely surprise me. It is concerning to me that there are dog owners out there who don't understand this concept and are willing to put the safety of their dog, other dogs, and the staff up for grabs. From what I've seen in the last 2 years of using Downtown Dogs, they have a good system down to balance the needs of everyone (or everydog) involved. Keep up the good work guys! read more

Their customer service is always top notch. They always greet me and my dog with a big smile and are very accommodating. I know my dog is in safe and caring hands whenever she's there! read more

Loved, loved, loved this place! My little one (Rossi- 1 year old lab/wiemaraner) had never been to a doggy daycare, but we were traveling to Minneapolis for business and I didn't want to leave her with just anyone.) I found Downtown Dogs, and I couldn't be happier with the service, staff, or price! The introduced her gradually to the group, and even encouraged me to call and check up on her! When I did call, they happily walked me through her day so far and were anything but bothered by my calling! The whole staff was wonder full and made her feel comfortable (and me too!) The price was FAR less expensive than I had expected and A+++ overall. I will definitely use them again the next time I am out in Minneapolis! read more

We recently found this place when we decided to take a week long vacation that wasn't dog friendly. Although I was a bit nervous about leaving our pup for that long, this place was great. They have several web cams so we were able to check in throughout and she always looked like she was having a blast. Staff is nice and scheduling is drop in and very flexible. We brought her back a week later for a few hours and she was greeted by name. We will be back! read more

My dog, Ted, LOVES Downtown Dogs and so do I. What's great about Downtown Dogs is that they clearly adore the dogs. Whenever I walk in with my pup, they enthusiastically greet my dog by name - which is so cute. It's nice to know that despite the chaos, they're paying attention to my precious pride and joy. DD also performs some grooming services. I've had them clip Ted's nails while she's there, and it's pretty reasonable and nice to get that stuff taken care of in one place. We don't go there every week since it can get pricey, but I really love bringing my dog there. She comes home tired and filthy, and you can tell she just plays and plays and plays all day. Thanks DD for exhausting my dog!! read more

I've been bringing my 8-year old toy poodle for daycare regularly since 2006, and in that time I've gotten to know the staff and gotten a good sense for how things run. They are very safety-conscious at Downtown Dogs, and without a doubt the most experienced and knowledgeable staff around in terms of dog behavior and play group management. This is esp. important to me as my dog is small and not very dominant--she could easily be picked on if the staff were not attentive to this. Anne, the owner, and Erin, the manager are pros, and when it comes to safe management of big groups of loose dogs, they know what they're doing (which is not true of all the dog daycares popping up). The one poor review on here complained that his dog was put in individual boarding after an "incident" with another dog--translation: he tried to start a fight with that dog. I'm glad that when a dog stops being able to handle being in free-play and behaves aggressively they're taken off the floor--it's what keeps my dog safe. Also, a worm test costs about $40, not $400, and I would rather have an attentive staff who report anything odd in my dog's poop rather than have them not notice or mention something that could indicate a health problem. I feel like the staff really know my dog--they care about her, and t they would be able to tell if there was anything unusual about her health or behavior, which is really important to me. She's my baby! read more

My dog needed a place to socialize with other dogs. I brought him here after a friend recommended it. He loved it. I watch him on camera and he comes home tired! Nicest people too read more

Nori (my 5 month old lab-collie puppy) LOVES it here. So naturally, I love it too. We have only used them for daycare, not boarding. We run in in the morning and I swear they have the check in procedure down to a science. You can be in and out in under a minute! They always greet the puppies by name once they know it and we really enjoy hearing the details of Nori's day when we come to pick her up (ex: "This is Nori's friend!"(while holding up another puppy), or "Today during staff meeting we took turns cuddling Nori and passing her around."). Yes, she comes home a little dirty (but really, isn't that a puppy's job? Everywhere that she really loves she comes home dirty!) What we love is that after three days in a row here our formerly shy puppy is approaching other dogs at the dog park to play! The fact that Downtown Dogs separates the dogs by play style we think has really helped get her out of her shell. Downtown Dogs has succeeded way faster than our puppy play sessions at the Humane Society, and faster than our regular visits to lake of the isles dog park and minnehaha dog park. We're lucky enough to not have to use Downtown Dogs every day (Nori can go to work with my fiance, hooray!). But when we're busy or one of us is out of town, this place is super helpful. read more

My furbaby had a great time here! The staff was professional and it was clear they care a great deal about the animals in their care. Sadly we were just in town for a couple of days, or I would make this place a part of his routine. Thank you to everyone who took care of Radu, and made this visit fun for him! read more

I love this place. What a friendly and welcoming staff. They really care for the dogs and get to know them well. My pup looooves it here and I love that I can watch her smiling on the webcam while she plays. The only thing I wish is that there was a way to get a discount for extended stays or for staying overnight so many times during a year, because boarding does get a little pricey. Aside from that, this is a wonderful place to leave your dog for the day or for a week. Plus, when you get back, your pup will be pooped from all the playing. :) Highly recommend! read more

To add to my review...we have boarded our dog there many times now and I'm happy to say they are just as great as they are in daycare!! The best part of boarding him is when we pick him up we get a report of what happened every day!! Usually stuff about who he played with, how he was, how he ate, etc. One thing I really appreciate is that one day we boarded him and they called us on our vacation to let us know our puppy wasn't eating that much and they were concerned. They wanted to see if they could give him moist food to see if he'd eat that (he did). He was a little stressed out about us not being there I guess. I really appreciate they didn't hesitate to call me when they were worried about him!! read more

My dog spent a week here while I was at a music festival, then she spent a day at daycare just recently. She came home worn out and happy, which is exactly what I was looking for. The staff here is great and seem excited to have another dog show up every time. They have different areas for different play styles (not size-specific, but energy specific which is important). I'm sure we'll be back when neither of us want to be outside much in the winter but she still needs to burn off energy. Definitely recommended. read more

I've been bringing my baby to Downtown Dogs for about six months and thought it is a good time to write a review. This place is so awesome. It seems as though each and every person genuinely loves dogs and they go out of their way to make both human and canine feel welcomed. They greet my baby by name and treat him with so much care and love. I would recommend Downtown Dogs to any pet parent. They are really wonderful! They are reasonably priced and have a number of packages to choose from. Alternatively, you can pay as you go. So financing is convenient and flexible. read more

Caution!!!! We have been in MN for aprox a little over a year and downtown dogs came highly recommended by our corp friends however a word and pre-caution if your going to board there: 1. Make sure you keep the notes they write...our husky mix has great behavior and got along with all dogs but an encounter with another dog caused our dog to loose free play and so she was in a small kennel for days at a time with a shock collar for barking. This is traumatizing especially for dogs who are accustomed to talking like huskies. 2. We were told our dog had worms in one of the notes and we immediately took her to her doggie vet and paid close to $400 bucks to find out that not only did she not have worms and was healthy but it was tennis ball string...thanks downtown dogs for that scare 3. Check your records... they like to bill you twice when you board. Im not sure how well they manage books. We told them and they corrected it but it took a week. 4. Staff is kind and does their best and work well with all types of dogs. 5. Although many of our friends have used downtown dogs, now they are trying competitors as competition ensures for accountability and better customer service...better dog service which if you love your dog you always want!! read more

I'm a big fan of Downtown Dogs. I really miss it, as we moved out of state recently. Baxter, our dog, was always well treated both for boarding and day care. Best wishes to the Downtown Dogs staff. read more