Dropped off my dogs for 3 days and 2 nights. I was extremely pleased with Michael. I felt good leaving my pups in the hands of Michael and his staff. My dogs must have had a blast, and were worn out when we brought them back home. Cool cameras to check in on your pups during play time. read more

Hip hip hooray for Hip Hounds! The employees are very friendly and my dogs get to play all day. The best part is--I get to watch them on the webcam! I recently boarded my dogs for a 2 week trip to Europe. I emailed Hip Hounds to see if they could offer a discount since they would be staying so long. They replied and said they'd give me 15% off. It was nice to know my babies were in good hands. Also, free bath with 5 nights of boarding! read more

Had a out of state wedding to attend and my little 8lb Yorkie rocked his evaluation day at Hip Hounds. That said, he then spent 4 nights and it was great watching him on the camera live feeds. You can tell these dogs love the pack environment. Staff is wonderful and Michael the owner is amazing. This is now our go to boarding. Thank you Michael. read more

I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Hip Hounds and staff for the AMAZING care they gave my German Shepherd puppy "Justin" while we were out of the country. Hip Hounds made a stresfull time so much easier with their attentiveness, organization and attention to detail. All of my emails were answered quickly, all of Justin's toys and blanket were returned together and Justin's behavior has been exceptional since our return. I think he even learned a few new commands! His 2-week stay was even completed with a complimentary bath! If you are looking for a kennel that doesn't keep dogs crated all day they are the most affordable. They also do NOT charge for the initial evaluation in fact they allowed 2 complimentary evaluations just to make sure Justin was comfortable since we were going to be gone for so long. The webcams...what can I say? Pure genius!! I plan on bringing Justin back twice a month for daycare to keep him socialized. Michael and Daniel are the BEST and their genuine love of dogs truly shows and shines through. read more

Everyone else seems to love Hip Hounds. While there are some aspects of it that I really do like there are a few drawbacks that make us kind of uncomfortable. To be nice I'll to tell you about the love first. They have inside and outside play areas. Brilliant and necessary for Texas weather. It's basically a commercial storage building that has fences. They open the big doors and the dogs can decide if it's nice enough out to play there. There are separate areas for the more and the less playful dogs. Most good pet day care places have this and it's definitely a plus. Webcams. I. Love. This. No matter where I am I can go online and watch my dogs playing. There are several different cameras in various places so I can see them. Roxie and Winter rarely stay far apart from each other and it's really cool to watch them. They look like they're little dog dolphins swimming around together through schools of dog fish. Strange imagery but that's the best way I can describe it. I can always see an attendant watching them and keeping the peace too. They put both dogs in the same kennel together. Some places won't do this and Roxie, the smaller one, would lose her ever-lovin' mind if she couldn't see sister. They have been very nice about calling the vet to confirm the shot records. I don't always remember to get that faxed over. The place is clean and I can pay for a bath before they come home. There are lots of great aspects, to be sure. But the downside is a pretty major one: Their hours. They're closed between noon and three pm. I think the concept of nap time is a good one. The dogs have been playing and they could all use a break. But as far as we can tell there's NO ONE THERE during those hours! I was in the hospital with a heart problem and my husband wanted to drop the dogs off. He was hoping that since there were extenuating circumstances they'd understand. It was pretty much an emergency. No one answered the bell, no one seemed to be stirring inside. He didn't even see a car in the parking lot. UNACCEPTABLE. The webcams are turned off during this time too so I wouldn't be able to see a person walking around. Is there someone there? I'm not paying this kind of money for my dogs to be left alone in a building without someone making sure the place doesn't burn down. If I wanted my dogs unattended for several hours I would hire the lovely Pet Gal who visits my cats. (Incidentally she was the one who stepped up to the plate while I was in the hospital) I totally understand not being open 24-7 for drop offs and pick ups. But I assumed that there was at least someone in the building during the off hours, including at night. Yeah that might be expensive or a pain to keep an employee to do that but making sure the dogs are ok is kind of the point of the whole enterprise. The noon to three pm closing is a pain. Honestly that may be the only window of time we have to pick them up or drop them off. We can live with it. But the idea that I'm paying to have the dogs in a building with other dogs without someone present is pretty much a dealbreaker. read more

I really can't say enough nice things about Hip Hounds. This place is absolutely AMAZING! We take our dog here at least once a week for play days and we always board her here when we go out of town. If you are boarding your little beastie at the vet, they are probably keeping it in a small cage all day. At Hip Hounds, the dogs get runs or cages at night but are free to play all day. They have web cams online so that you can check in on your dog child if you desire. Really friendly staff who always remembers your name and your dog. They offer additional services like baths and nail trims too! Make sure to tell them that Brian and Magna sent you so I'll get some more free days for referrals! Corporate discounts for Dell, possibly others, so make sure to ask! Your dog will be absolutely exhausted after playing here all day. Pre-visit required to make sure your dog isn't a bully. read more

My dog loves hip hounds, he actually plays with others. But I am having problems with fleas, ticks and kennel cough. I use to take my 3 dogs to dogboys and never had any flea, tick, or kennel cough issues. I always give my dogs bath before going home to insure we doing bring anything unwanted. Here at hip hounds, I found ticks on him every time and the last time, he caught kennel cough. I love the fact that he plays with others at hip hounds, instead of being by himself at dogboys (his nick name is grumpy there), but I can't handle the ticks and kennel coughs. Since the last visit, I am having tick issue at home! So nasty!! read more

There are few people in the world whom I trust with my dog. In much the same way that parents will carefully interview babysitters, I scrutinize those who would "care" for my dog in exchange for money. Some of my findings: - Michael will remember who you are and who your dog is - Megan will accomodate special requests. When asked later on, she will know exactly which request went with which dog. - The facility is clean and well-lit. - The dogs in "time out" looked dissatisfied with but not afraid of the staff. - The dogs playing look relaxed and happy. The most important one: - My dog tried both the daycare and boarding on multiple occasions. She is still excited to go in that door when I take her up. read more

We were headed out of town for a 15 day trip and my normal boarding place had no room left at the inn. As I waited for months on the wait list, time was ticking away and I needed to find a place. Hip Hounds to the rescue! They required a play date before they would allow me to board my dog with them, which was (and should always be) free. When my vet didn't send shot records before we got there, they called my vet to verify everything. Since my dog was there for so long, they gave him a quick bath and discounted his stay a bit. The staff is super friendly and it's a little cheaper than my last place. Why not 5 stars? Well, when I went to drop him off for the boarding, he wasn't that excited to go in. I kept telling myself that it was because the entry area feels like a vet's office, which my dog doesn't like. It made me feel bad to leave him there :( I am hoping the next time he goes, he'll be more excited. If so, I will bump it up. read more

Hip Hounds has been an absolute life saver for me. Michael and his staff are amazing and I truly cannot say enough good things about this place. Not only for my high energy, high maintenance, and easily excitable Aussie, but for me as well. I never feel anxious or worried when I drop him off or pick him up and I never feel like my dog and I are a burden, like I have felt at other places. Sully always get super excited when we pull in and comes home wiped out. I love Hip Hounds!!! read more

I LOVE Hip Hounds! Been using them for 5 years. My mother drove up here and literally "interviewed" (asked tons of questions and toured entire facilities) because her "grand pup" could only have the best. Nothing compared to Hip Hounds. Why are they the best? 1. The staff! They know all the dogs and their personalities, and are very patient even when you call multiple times a day to check on your fur baby... "But does he seem like he misses me?" 2. The dogs have OPEN play time ALL day and are only crated in the middle of the day for a lunch break. 3. They are supervised at ALL times... Really! Ive checked that daycare cam religiously at times! Basically it's obvious how awesome they are when my dog jumps out of the car and runs straight into the front door of Hip Hounds and doesn't even look back to say "goodbye." read more

Hip Hounds is the Shiz-nit! I am new to Austin and work in PF so I really had no idea where to "board" them. I did a ton of research on places from downtown to G-Town. Everyone else seemed like a hassle, with scheduling a $$ "pre-visit", no vacancy for new customers, too frou frou, or cost prohibitive for 2 dogs. Usually my dogs travel with me, so having to board them for 7 days was a big issue for me. The pups are rescue Boxers and they are with me all the time, during the day at work, traveling (usually) and they sleep on the bed. So leaving them somewhere was causing ME anxiety! Thanks to Yelp! I found Hip Hounds. Scheduling the FREE pre-visit was a non-issue, the pups went for about 7 hours of day care and had a blast! They were so tired after the visit, they slept until the next morning. When we came back a week later for the actual boarding- they started going crazy in the car when they realized where we were. In the Hip Hounds entry they had completely forgotten who I was and just wanted to go play with their new friends. Prices were extremely reasonable for my two hounds. If I can't bring them with me the next trip I take, we are heading to Hip Hounds! read more

I have a very energetic 1 yr old, 70 lb "puppy" and I take her there for doggy daycare on occasion. She is so excited as soon as we pull in the lot, she can't wait to go play. When I pick her up after work, she doesn't even want to get in the car to go home. I think she likes Hip Hounds better than me! *tear* When we get home, she is PASSED OUT all night. I have to wake her up to eat, go out side and then straight back to sleep. She's even still sleepy in the morning. It's amazing. I've also used them for boarding a couple of times with no issues. The staff is really nice and patient as I blather on about my "baby". :) I have recommended them to many friends,and will continue to do so. Give them a try. You won't regret it. Also - if you go to their website, there's a coupon for your first visit/boarding. Great deal! read more

We are very pleased with Hip Hounds! Sam, our little mut, has been for overnight stays and for day care. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. We adopted our dog not quite a year ago and were nervous to leave him overnight. However, he stayed for 3 nights and was super happy and unstressed when we picked him up. We loved the web cameras and we loved that we had the choice of whether or not to crate him at night. (Our little guy does NOT like to be confined). Upon pickup, they told us all about his adventures and even introduced us to a little dog that had become his temporary buddy. We did not have any problems with ticks or fleas, though he does get a bath immediately when we return home. They staff is very careful about making sure all dogs are up to date on their vaccines. Each and every time I call to reserve a date for Sam, they check his records to make sure everything is up to date before they will say it's ok for him to stay. The best part? When you show up to drop your dog off, the staff remembers your dog and is truly glad to see him! read more

They have taken great care of our dogs over the years. The staff is amazing. Michael is so friendly to us and our pups when we come in. I highly recommend Hip Hounds for your pups. read more

Oh my lord these folks are saints! My dog comes home happy and exhausted! I have a full tilt boogie- high energy- bull terrier and Hip Hounds has become his home away from home. He is riddled with excitement when we arrive and when I pick him up he falls asleep before we get home. I have used Hip Hounds for both short and extended stays and the staff could not be more awesome. They greet us with a huge smile and have been very helpful when booking a stay. read more

My dog loved it!! Played all day. They don't lock in a crate or rotate dogs 10 times a day. He was drained when we got home. They also let you try it out for free !!!! I just wish it was closer to south austin, but we will still make it for a doggy daycare!! They also have a camera! We loved it here. Better than Taurus ! Where it's super tiny space to play and rotate your dog. No cameras. read more

first let me say that we have never boarded our dog before so I was a super nervous pet parent when we dropped Toby off. The staff was very nice and gave me a tour before we dropped Toby off the first time, which put me at ease. We took him in for daycare for a day (which is required to board) he was super nervous when I took him in but when I picked him up he seemed very relaxed. I also called halfway thru the day and they were super nice and gave me the low down on how he had done so far. When we took him back to board for the night he wasn't nearly as nervous and when we picked him up he almost seemed like he didn't want to leave! They have an indoor area that is air conditioned as well as an outdoor area when it's not so hot. The other great thing about them is that all of the dogs are in a big play group enviornment so he doesn't get locked away all day which was important to us. We are taking him back next weekend and feel great about it. Totally worth the cost. read more

Amazing service! Our four legged friends was very happy, he played a bunch durning his stay and we could watch it through the cameras. He really enjoyed himself. read more

This place is awesome! It is hard to find a facility with so much open indoor room for the dogs and in Texas, where it is super hot or pretty cold much of the year, that is very important! Most kennels leave your dog locked up except for a couple 5 minute potty breaks a day (I know, I worked at one), but Hip Hounds makes sure your dog gets lots of exercise and interaction. The staff are very friendly and have always been very on top of things. The facility looks and smells very nice. It is also obvious that they care about dogs, not just making money. The owner even takes in some foster dogs and donates food to a program to help homeless dogs. Hip Hounds is open 7-7, which is super convenient. Most places aren't open that late! This is a wonderful place hidden back in a private area. Check it out. They even offer a special where you can get your first two nights of boarding or days of doggie daycare FREE to try before you buy. How can you beat that?! read more

My dog loves it here and the front desk clerks are very friendly. Their hours are a bit odd but we've been able to make it work.

My dog Jax has been going to day care at Hip Hounds for 5 years. We both love Hip Hounds. When I work from home Jax thinks I am here to entertain him and wants more attention than I can give him while working. And when I am in the office, of course he is bored at home alone. I take him to day care at Hip Hounds a few days a week to work off his energy and save my sanity. Hip Hounds has a fantastic day care setup with both indoor and outdoor play areas. Indoors is heated/cooled as needed and dogs can go in and out as they please. It is also great to be able to check in on your pup with the webcams and see how much fun your dog is having. Michael and his staff are great dog people. If you need some place to board your dogs or just want them to leave you alone and burn off their energy, give Hip Hounds boarding or day care a try. read more

I don't think enough can be said about a place that takes such care of your family members! If you're like me, your dogs are family. I've been to other daycare places (across the country) and I recently had to move away from the Austin area. As great a city Austin is (which is hard enough to leave)... I do know the one thing I'll miss the very most is the place that makes my two dogs the happiest - HIP HOUNDS! The workers there are incredible. It's like they make actual realtionships with your dog. They seem to know ever pet; every owner (ever owner's car - to get their dog ready when they pull up in front)... and they dog's absolutely love them. The webcams are a nice extra feature that's mostly proof of the good time my dogs have when they go there. Don't get me wrong - there are some very good Daycare places out there (and some very bad ones). But, coming form somebody that has moved around a lot and taken my dogs to many different ones... Hip Hounds is hands down - the very best out there. Hat's off to Melissa - the owner. Michael is incredible - he knows everything about dogs and treats every dog like his own. Megan was Drak's favorite and Drak misses her dearly! Thanks Hip Hounds! read more

So glad we found Hip Hounds! I love knowing that Lizzy is having an awesome time instead of being in her kennel at home all day. Prices are reasonable, and after her free evaluation day she came home happy and exhausted. Love being able to watch her play on the webcams as well! read more

We have been taking our lab mix to Hip Hounds for almost 5 years now and they have been absolutely wonderful every single time she visits. Every time I call in they remember me and my dog and there' s only been 1 time they didn't have room for her, which was my fault for calling so close to a holiday. Every time I drop her off she's super excited to go play with her friends and when I pick her up she sleeps for days because she's had so much fun. Once she got a sore on the pad of her foot while we were out on vacation for a week. They bandaged her up and made sure she was comfortable. Other places would have given her all kinds of meds and charged me an arm and a leg or it at the end. Bottom line, this place is like a second home for my pup and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who likes to make sure their dog is comfortable and has fun when they can't join you on trips. read more

I just love this place. Boarded our dogs here a few days. Before they could stay, they had to have a free day of daycare to make sure their temperament is okay. When I picked them up, they looked like they had the time of their lives! Having a webcam is the cutest idea ever-- I love checking them throughout the day to see my dogs happily playing with their dog friends. This place has great customer service and my dogs were tired and sleepy when I picked them up-- so comforting to know the dogs are well taken care of when I'm not home! Now I just need to find a way to budget regular dog daycare into my monthly expenses... read more

Hip Hounds is the BEST. I don't trust taking my dogs to ANY other boarding facility. They treat my dogs as if they were their own. I have been bringing my oldest dog here for 3 1/2 years and recently started bringing my second pup and they both love it. They have been nothing short of amazing and I recommend them to all of my friends. Thank you for being AMAZING Hip Hounds!! read more

Thank you so much to the kind staff for taking care of my pup! My dog came home so happy and I was even happier knowing we have a fun and trustworthy place to take her! read more

I really like this place. I had a very energetic dog that needed constant exercise. We took her to Hip Hounds on a regular basis to run away from the Texas heat during most of the year. I found it very reassuring to be able to check on my dog online via their webcams and the owners have been nothing but wonderful. They are always available, pick up the phone promptly, and have policies that ensure that your dog will be with other well socialized dogs. I do wish they would take back the breed restriction changes as it seems like an unfair discrimination against bully breeds. If I were to guess, I would say its an insurance thing. In any case, the place is spot on. read more

I love that the staff recognize my fur babies by name and are always happy to see them. Our pups always have so much fun while they're there and get so excited on the drive there! I love that I can check up on our pups(mostly because we miss them!) Via their cameras. Our pups love to play with their friends and always come home exhausted and ready for a nap!! I highly recommend hip hounds. read more

My pup has been going to Hip Hounds for nearly 4 years, so I guess he's not technically a "pup", but all the same I don't know what we would do without them. We use them for day care and for boarding. If I start with the facility, it's clean, well managed and secure. Not only are there doggy cams to keep an eye on the play areas, but you must be buzzed in. The staff is great. My dog loves them (as do I). I have complete comfort when we leave town and leave our dog here. I call all the time to check on him, and they never get annoyed and always have a report to give me (on how he's eating, sleeping, who he's running around with, etc). All dogs are screened and monitored, to ensure a safe environment. They offer baths (which are critical with the dog slobber) and nail trims - way more convenient than the vet and/or doing myself. We have not had problems with fleas or ticks as mentioned by another reviewer - I mean never. I wish they were open a little earlier and a little later. That's my only negative feedback right now. read more

Our two pups have stayed at Hips Hounds numerous times and we always have a positive experience. The webcams give us a peace of mind and they always come home exhausted. We will never take our dogs anywhere else! read more

We often take two of our dogs for a day out at Hip Hounds. Today, one of our dogs came home with what appeared to be a puncture wound. I sent a picture to Hip Hounds and they responded almost immediately that they felt 100% responsible, and would take care of the vet bill. Now THAT is customer service! Even though dogs get rowdy and these things can happen, it was very reassuring to know that they accepted responsibility immediately, without my prompting. read more

Hip Hounds is the only place I will leave my dog. Not only do they have an amazing staff, but the staff hasn't changed in the 3+ years I've been going there. Additionally, my dog Kiko LOOOOVES their indoor/outdoor play facility, and it's a great way for her to socialize with other dogs. Cannot say enough great things about them! read more

This is my favorite place to board my dogs!! It's very important to me that wherever my dogs are boarded, they don't crate rotate. They actually do activities here! My only complaint, a very minuscule one, is that they close super early on Saturday so the dogs are laying in the dark all day and night. But I understand that the owners need a day off. Everyone who works here is so passionate for dogs and I love them! My dogs love them too! Thank you so much read more

Our pup definitely enjoyed his stay at hip hounds! He was super tired and slept during the entire ride home when normally he is anxious during car rides. Love how responsive the staff is to texts and the web cam feature - definitely put my mind at ease when I saw how happy he looked at daycare. Also love that you don't have to reserve a time for daycare for weekday and weekend times. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely would recommend! read more

HIP HOUNDS ROCKS! My dog was so happy hanging here during our vacation! This place offers such fair prices. No up charges for his meds, no nickel and diming us over his special food. The bath and nail trim was great. The webcam offers a great view of happy puppies enjoying their days. Call them. Your puppy's first two nights are free, which had us hooked! read more

We are new to hip hounds but I cant say enough good things about them already! My Gf works at an animal hospital so the care for my babies is very important to us. Even though we are new my furries ALREADY recognize hip hounds they go nuts in the car leading up to the turn and practically drag me inside! Which if you met my kiddos at-least my older one she doesn't pull me towards anything! She is the most laid back dog out there! The staff seems really great and my two kiddos are excited to see them when we walk in. The web cams mean a great deal to me and shows me that they have nothing to hide to the consumer which puts me at ease and allows me to check on them and witness all the fun they are having! I love that they are free playing ALL DAY LONG besides a two hour nap and feeding time! Besides my dogs loving it there I love that after a long day of work for me I know that I will be able to relax once we all get home! I mean who doesn't love tired cuddly puppy dogs? ( I have a mini Aussie and a border collie mix) for them to be tired is amazing! Thank you staff at hip hounds for everything that you do! read more

Being new to this area, I've searched for quality dog daycare for my "boy". Michael was welcoming and eased my anxiety about leaving him for his first day "eval". I appreciate Michael taking the time to know his customers and his honesty about dog daycare services that his company provides. Friendly service, and a clean facility (which is important to me!). Thank you Michael and staff! read more

We have been bringing Zoey for about a year now. And I can confidently say that we 100% trust this place! The staff is very knowledgable from the time we come in to drop her off to the time we come to pick her up. They know exactly who Zoey is, how much food she ate, and if she got along with other dogs. You can tell that they genuinely care! I have been to some places where they don't even know which dog is who and could careless about them. I am very happy with this place and I can tell that Zoey loves this place as well! read more