This is my first ever review. I felt compelled to do this after boarding my dog at Happy Dogs for the very first time. I generally do not trust anyone with my dog. So when a need arose and he had to be boarded, I searched for a place with (1) a live video feed and (2) cafe-free boarding. I stumbled across Happy Dogs. Before you're allowed to board at Happy Dogs, your dog must pass a behavioral assessment. I've noticed a few reviews here regarding "excitable" breeds failing the test. Happy Dogs kept my dog for about an hour and called me later on to inform me that he passed. I own a Westie. You do not get more "excitable" than a Westie. So if you're concerned that your dog is too "excitable" to pass the test just keep in mind that the test is free and "excitability" could not possibly be the only reason some dogs are failing this test. I boarded my dog at Happy Dogs over Memorial Day weekend and the staff was attentive and accommodating. For example - my dog is prone to refusing his breakfast if he's uncomfortable with his surroundings. It being his first time away from me for an extended period of time, I expected this to happen. Before I could even inform Happy Dogs, I received an e-mail from Lauren letting me know that my dog was being picky with his food in the morning. The staff was asking all the right questions and making all the right observations. At that point, I was confident that the staff sincerely cared for my dog's well-being and worried a lot less from that point forward. As far as the concerns regarding the location goes, I personally did not ask to see where all the dogs are kept in person but I did watch the live video quite a few times. The place is kept clean (you see staff members constantly cleaning up), the dogs have access to an outside area, and the staff members are seen playing with the dogs on multiple occasions. The dogs all appeared comfortable and happy, tails up and wagging. I'm not naive - I understand that a cage-free location is probably not going to be as clean as my home. But if you insist on boarding your dog cage-free you have to anticipate accidents. The important thing is that the staff is attentive to any issues and the Happy Dogs staff certainly were very attentive. Happy Dogs will provide you with a photo of your dog while you're away, which I'm sure many places do. It's hardly proof that your dog is being cared for properly because anyone can snap a picture of your dog at his happiest moment. However, Happy Dogs's attention to detail is why I will not hesitate to use their service again and it is what probably sets them apart. I have no doubt that my dog was well cared for. read more

My dog Roberta was a regular at Happy Dogs for three wonderful years and I could not be happier with my choice of daycare for her. The staff was always attentive, kind and courteous, and treated Roberta with lots of love and care. She always came home tired but happy, and I was never once nervous leaving her there either for daycare or over extended holidays. We recently moved to the UK and the staff went out of their way to write us a goodbye card and print a photo, and send Roberta off with treats that she has since devoured. Everyone at Happy, from the front office staff to the dog walkers and carers to the owner Jennifer, is fantastic, caring and devoted to the animals they are entrusted with. They take their job very seriously, and the safety and health of the animals comes first. Their strict rules on vaccinations ensures all the pets are healthy and safe. They are very good at reporting anything unusual in your dog's behavior, from bathroom and eating habits to out of the ordinary itching or scratching, and I always felt that Roberta was in the best of hands. While on vacation, it was always wonderful to get regular updates and pictures, without ever having to ask. Reading some of the previous negative reviews, I have a hard time understanding how those customers frequented the same facility as I did. Having visited or used the services of virtually all of the pet care providers in the North Williamsburg area, I can attest to the fact that Happy Dogs is by far the most professional, warm and secure daycare/boarding facility in the neighborhood, and I would recommend it above all others without fail. read more

My dog LOVES Happy Dogs day care and boarding, and I do too. Your dog doesn't ever have to stay in a crate; they sleep with the other dogs. There is a big back door, so when it's nice the dogs can go outside to play. There are a couple different play areas separated by dog energy level so a boisterous border collie isn't constantly pestering a easy-going pup all day to play. If your dog is staying for boarding, they get a nice walk in addition to their life-long play time. There is also a bath discount when you stay for boarding. There are also several discounts if you're a punchcard holder. The staff here are amazing, kind and clearly love dogs. They know who is who and really treat each person like family. There are a lot of play-plan options and great benefits for being a frequent customer. There is pickup/dropoff service available if you can't make it to the shop during regular hours, which are generous. The communication about holiday hours are very clear and helpful. I have a punchcard that auto-renews, and the communication about when that happens is very clear so there aren't ever any surprises. Dogs clearly are getting a lot of play time, even my border collie is tired by the end of the day, and that's really saying something. This is leagues better than having a dog-walker. I can't possibly say enough wonderful things about Happy Dogs, we really love them. read more

I took my girlfriend's puppy here, and they said there wasn't space or time for a dog his age (2 months) even though she called days in advance to make this appointment. Not at all professional! AND the place is too small for THAT many dogs - most of which did NOT look like "Happy Dogs." The owner was rather rude, but when a regular walked in, she was fake at best. Speaking of fake, after seeing how this place conducts business, I took a closer look at reviews and noticed a surplus are from obvious (recognizable) employees and other personal contacts, which bury the "negative" (honest) reviews. I also noticed that the owner is more occupied with being combative with honest reviews than she is with THANKING people for the positive ones. I guess like attracts like. Simply put, she's TERRIBLE at business and leaving your dog with sloppy people is a risk. No wonder why her husband is a lawyer. Yep. That tidbit, along with a lawsuit is the first thing that comes up on Google about "Happy" dogs. I'm looking forward to taking business to the better doggy day care in the neighborhood. read more

The owners of this business are borderline sociopathic at best. I have experienced the same treatment as other reviewers - they are fake to regulars, and then as soon as you have a question / issue they turn beyond nasty. They have all employees on microphone and camera at all times, and listen / watch from home. The facilities are overcrowded, dirty, and falling apart. The staff is absurdly underpaid. Staff turnover is high - I don't feel comfortable leaving my dog with new strangers every week. They employ the use of "corrections', meaning they hit your dog in the hip with their knuckles to stop behavior they don't like. I cannot recommend this place - the owners Jen and Len are insanely controlling, cruel, and selfish people and the services are sub-par. Never again. And yes, I am posting under a pseudonym JENNIFER bc you have proven to be retaliatory. Love that for you xoxo read more

Happy Dogs replaced Must Luv Dogs-- same location, better owner, friendlier service! LOVE this place! It's very convenient, right next to McCarren Park dog run. They have a bucket of water available for you to refill for the dogs at the park and are very helpful with advice for your dog. Good selection and lowest toy prices in the hood AND online (trust me, I checked). They also have daycare, boarding (cageless overnight!), grooming, and all things dog (food, toys, clothing, leashes, bags, etc etc). The new owner is so nice and she even contributed to the dog run's recent renovations. She's open to suggestions and is pretty knowledgeable about dogs. The place is spotlessly clean and all the employees are friendly. Recommended over NYC Pet's overpriced selection! Convenient, affordable, and extremely friendly! Yay for Williamsburg! read more

Our pup Harriet has been going to Happy Dogs MacCaren Park for the last 6 months. The staff go above and beyond to communicate and care for her when she goes to daycare or boards when we're out of town. When we first adopted Harriet she had quite severe barrier frustration - loving other dogs, but getting very nervous and overwhelmed at first introductions. After getting rejected from other daycares, the team at Happy Dogs worked with Harriet, slowly and patiently integrating her into the weekly daycare and with that socialisation she has made huge progress learning how to play safely with other pups. No matter how seemingly big or small the issue, the team at Happy Dogs communicate regularly with updates, which is especially important when we're out of the city. We can't thank you enough! read more

Happy Dogs at McCarren Park is the only doggie daycare/boarding that I trust in NYC. My dog, Monty, loves it there and gets excited when we drop him off. The staff is so nice and welcoming, plus they keep us updated on Monty's stays. The prices + punch cards are super affordable. I tried a few other daycare's but this spot fit the bill. They perform a behavior assessment for each dog to ensure they are a good fit & have zero behavior issues. As a member, you get access to their Nest cameras to watch your dog play! It's such a relief. Monty is sometimes finicky about food and they will reach out & carry a lot of food + treats on hand. And to purchase too! Also, it's right next to the dog run at the park, pet stores, and the L/G trains. read more

Happy Dogs is bar none the best daycare in the BK area. I moved to Williamsburg from California and was looking for a clean and spacious area for my one year old yellow lab, Stevie. I had previously worked in the customer service industry and was extremely impressed with their customer service, and how quickly the Happy Dogs team got back to me whenever I had a question. Stevie has so many friends at Happy Dogs and literally runs to the door when I drop her off in the mornings. She comes home exhausted too from playing so hard with her buddies. I love the fact that Happy Dogs is pretty transparent with their policy, and the live cam access is a major plus. Every now and then I got a kick of checking out my dog while I was at work. A+! read more

A safe space for pets to enjoy themselves. The owners are very transparent about spacing techniques and corrections. They're also very clear that bad behavior from a pup can result in probation or being asked to not return. I appreciate the honesty and forward communication. It allows me to understand how the business operates while knowing that my pup will be safe from dangerous behaved pups. I looked at quit a few dog daycares and one thing I appreciated is every daycare bashed other daycares like it was a competition. I've never heard this from Happy Dogs and it's a breathe of fresh air to feel like my dog is in the care of an authentic company. read more

Our pup LOVES Happy Dogs! It's the only daycare/boarding facility we've taken her to that she can't wait to go back to (literally - any time we take her outside, she tries to take us in the direction of HD!). We can't say enough good things about the friendly staff, clean facilities, and just how much fun our dog has while she's there. Also, they have a webcam that you can use to check up on/spy on your dog during the day if you're nervous. They're also fast and responsive to emails/questions. We've been taking our dog there for 3+ years, and truly have zero complaints. 100 percent recommend! read more

A friend takes their dog to Happy Dogs quite frequently, so it was our first choice when we got a dog of our own. Sign-up was easy, and we like the loose (no cage), pack style for daycare and boarding. We mostly take our dog there for boarding when we travel out of NYC. Whether for a couple of days or a few weeks, the staff are great about sending you little updates every couple of days or so, which are great when you are missing your dog. In the end - my dog's happiness/wagging/excitement level whenever we get close is the best review I can give. If she loves it that much - I do too! read more

My dog Lance loves Happy Dogs. As soon as he realizes we're walking towards it, he starts pulling hard. Whenever I email about anything, they're always super responsive and helpful. The check-in and check-out process is easy and seamless. Whenever I do check the live webcam, the employees are always on top of everything: cleaning up, breaking it up if the dogs are being too rowdy, and sometimes I even see them snuggling the little ones which makes me really happy to see--it's obvious that everyone who works there loves animals. Plus I love all the photos they post on their Instagram! read more

I can't even begin to say how much of a life saver Happy Dogs is. Living in the city, its crucial to have a place you trust where you can leave your dog all day and not worry about him - Happy Dogs is that place for us. They know my pup by name, and I know they take great care of him while he's there. I use Happy Dogs for both their day care service and their home drop off system where they'll even drop your pup off at home for you. They'll follow your instructions for exactly how you'd like your dog left at home too. Happy Dogs is THE BEST! You won't be disappointed! read more

We LOVE Happy Dogs! Our dog has been a regular here for over five years and he is always excited to go to daycare with these guys. The staff is always friendly and completely on-point, and they really go out of their way to accommodate you, whether you're running late from work, need a last minute drop-off, or are scheduling weekend boarding. Most importantly, they take awesome and loving care of the dogs, knowing each one by name, giving them treats at the end of the day, and showering them with affection. We've been to a few and these guys are the best in Williamsburg. read more

I recently moved to the city and have been bringing my dog to Happy Dogs once a week ever since. He loves going. He literally runs straight to the door once we turn the corner onto the building's street. I love being able to check in via the live cam during the day. Plus, the staff is always accommodating. If he doesn't eat his breakfast before daycare, I can bring it and they'll try to get him to eat around lunch. I have also boarded him for a week and when I checked in halfway through, they sent me a thoughtful email update along with a picture of him. read more

My mini dachshund Dudley has been going to Happy Dogs for over a year now (both the Southside + McCarren locations) and continues to run to the door in excitement every time we walk in. He started attending around 4 months old which helped immensely with socialization, and continues to go at least once a week to hang with his pup friends. The staff is incredibly helpful, kind, and trustworthy. They're very quick to respond on email, and will send updates during the day if necessary. Dudley always come home happy and exhausted from a day of playing. read more

We have been taking our now 1 year old pup to Happy for about 8 months now almost every day m-f, and she absolutely loves it there! She is a bit on the anxious side, so it has just been so great for her to get to know all the lovely people that work at Happy Dogs as well as get to hang out with her pack buddies all day while we are at work. We are so happy to have found them and even better it's only a 5 minute walk from home! Thanks for taking such good care of Frankie girl :) read more

We have been brining our babies to Happy Dogs for a couple of years and we are so happy with their service. The staff is incredible, the updates are informative, and the ability to watch our girls on camera saves a lot of stress. I'm always impressed that the staff knows our girls by name! Our girls always run right in and give the staff kisses. You know that's a good sign. The staff takes their job seriously and they care about all of the dogs and their health and safety. read more