Updating my review from 3 years ago because I really do enjoy and frequent howl to the chief. I adopted a pup a few years ago and rely 100% on howl to the chief for my dog's food and treats. I love that they offer a delivery service so I don't have to go into the store. They've even allowed me to place an order from within the store (so I don't have to carry the food home) which I thought was awesome. The vast selection of quality dog food, treats, speciality items and pet apparel! The staff is also super great and super friendly. read more

I always come here to get my cat's food. They have the best choices of food and treats that I can trust.

Love this local pet shop. Friendly staff and great snacks and toys for the doggies! Always find something to grab

This is a cute boutique pet shop that is mainly focused on dogs. It has two rooms. One room filled with treats and toys and another room filled with feed. The cashier was very friendly. They have so many dog snacks, snacks I've never seen before. Lol. My only complaint is that this place is pricey in comparison to most pet supply shops. Other than that it's great, lots of toys and surprises for your furry best friend. read more

Howl to the Chief - Pet Stores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a great little pet shop. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable and helpful. read more

This is a great little shop for your pet's needs. I have a dog, so have never critically examined what they carry for all pets. But in terms of speciality treats, foods and accessories they have definitely packed this small store tightly with just about everything you can imagine. If I ever want to pick up some extra special or natural treats, this is where I'll come. My last visit however was for a new harness. Although the selection wasn't massive, they had some of the nicest harness options (nicer than some of the larger national brands) so I ended up with something that I felt was perfect. Either way, I also love dropping by because the staff that work here are so nice and helpful. Definitely a great place to support if you're a pet owner and love shopping local! read more

Howl is right near where I live and they are huge! Their staff is friendly and some of them are very knowledgeable, but others are a lot more reserved and less helpful. They have 2 rooms, the first to get toys and treats and collars and such and the back room is where you can buy pet food in bulk, which is awesome. They're really reasonably priced and even rival Chewy and Amazon on a lot of their stuff, plus their local! Which is fantastic! My only complaint is their so incredibly dog focused. I get it, dogs are big, popular, and where the money is at. But, I have 2 cats, and I assume cats are the 2nd most popular pet in the area and yet their cat treat/toy selection is a tiny little corner with a couple of cheap toys. I wish they diversified more and found ways to incorporate other animals' needs throughout their store. Overall though, I do highly recommend them. They're an important part of Barracks Row in my opinion and overall bring a great sense of community to the block! read more

Gil did such a lovely job on my dog's groom! We have been to so many groomers and our last few experienced in DC have not been great. I'm so glad we came here. I showed Gil a photo of how I wanted my dog groomed and he told me he would be ready in a few hours. Gil was true to his word and my dog was ready very quickly! Truman looks so wonderful and seemed happy when I picked him up. The prices were very fair and comparable to other groomers. Gil did a great job. We will definitely be back! read more

Howl to the Chief - Pet Stores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Such a cute store. Had to find a new place that sold Nutrosource and they were listed. Boutique feel. Excellent customer service.

4.5 stars, rounding up for service. So this is basically our dog's version of heaven. They have every type of treat under the sun (often several varieties and sizes), ranging from cute baked goods to dried animal hearts to foot-long fish skins. They also have a variety of toys. I especially appreciated the variety of options for large and extra large dogs - it's rare to find a vendor that has multiple options for a dog over 75 pounds, and they do! They also have the essentials, like pet food, poop bags, and brushes. The woman was working when I swung by was very helpful. I described the dogs I was looking to buy toys for and she immediately found the perfect thing for each one. She really listened to everything I told her and clearly knew every item in the store. I'll definitely be back to grab more treats and get advice! read more

This is a pretty unfriendly business. I stopped in with my dog and the sales person was too busy or disinterested in giving me or my dog the time of day. There were no other customers. I asked the sales person one question and she flippantly referred me to something but took no interest in my shopping needs. I decided to drive to another dog shop across the city and got a friendly reception. I made my purchases in the other store. Perhaps the sales person was having a bad day but apparently this store has too much business for customer service. read more

Not good anymore. Carolyn's Grooming is gone. I stopped by and saw this weird flyer up. Carolyn is exceptional at what she does. She's also very considerate. Seems like she had issues with the owner of the building at Howl. Anyways not the place for me anymore. read more

Howl to the Chief - Letter - Pet Stores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great (frozen) raw food options, polite staff, and a loyalty program. What's not to love about this place!

They have a large selection of food, treats, toys and accessories (mostly for dogs). It is the only full "pet store" in our walking radius, so definitely fills a market gap. I do feel the staff could be more helpful and knowledgeable about their products especially treats and foods. One of the things I look for when shopping in person is real time help and recommendations, and unfortunately on both occasions I have experienced a reluctance for basic questions. They did allow me to try on the harness I selected to see if it did fit. My dog and I will continue to go back as it's nice to be able to stop in somewhere with him and gage what will work best. read more

Great stuff! Often less expensive and definitely higher quality than Amazon. There are sales, etc. I left with toys and treats. Awesome people! The staff cool, experienced, and animal lovers. The customers (and their pets) are fun. Excellent services! The self-service bath is $10! I'll be back from grooming. read more

Howl to the Chief - Pet Stores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Both Howl to the Chief the store and Ms. Carolyn's grooming upstairs are fantastic! The shop staff always offer to help pick something out without being pushy or overbearing. They have a good selection of toys and natural treats. Staff is always friendly to my pup when we stop in, even just to browse on a walk. Upstairs in the grooming salon Ms. Carolyn and Gil are always friendly! The prices might be slightly higher than a big box, but the service is also better and it's a neighborhood business where they actually get to know the pets. My dog hates having his feet touched and has arthritis. They are extremely patient with him and with me as an overbearing dog mom :-) read more

Never again. Not only Luna came home completely shaved but we noticed that she keeps scratching her ears. She was completely fine before we dropped her. I guess while shaving her they cut both ears. We are never going back or recommending this place. read more

Howl to the Chief - Pet Stores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Love, love, love Howl to the Chief - both the store and the dog walking service. The store has a great selection and the staff is great! It's always nice to have a place where the staff know you by name. Kim, the owner, is amazing! She's incredibly responsive, takes the time to get to know each dog her staff walks, and makes sure to go with her staff on their first walks with new dogs. I always knew my dogs were in good hands and I loved getting pictures and updates after every walk. We're moving, so we won't be able to continue walking with them, which is huge loss! I can't recommend them enough! read more

I used to come to the Howl To the Chief on 8th street and get the best service. There was this young African American guy who was always there and each time, he'd greet me and offer my dog a treat. He'd tell me about popular toys and which treat I should buy for my girl. This last visit, the girl behind the counter was sitting down and watching a movie on her phone. She could barely speak to me and seemed annoyed when I wanted to check out. Never did get a hello or thank you. There was also a very strange smell. $52 dollars later, my girl got some treats but i won't be coming back. You gotta hire people who at least like dogs.... even if they don't like people. read more

I wanted to like this store, I really did. It's a local small business, AND they hold pet adoptions every Saturday. Please know I still encourage you to visit the adoption events if you're looking for the right companion. Howl to the Chief is only the host for the event. Unfortunately, the condition of this shop really throws me off. While shopping, I literally had a substance drip on me from the ceiling. Then, once I looked up, I decided not to visit again. The place is simply a wreck. It's in desperate need of basic repairs, and a visit to the canned cat food section only further proved this, as the backdoor area looks awful. While I hate being the bearer of bad news, I would not buy food for myself from a store in this condition, due to concerns regarding safety and sanitation issues. Well, my pets are absolutely members of my family. A crowded, unhygienic store lacking basic upkeep and repair is not good enough for them either. I would certainly not feel good about trying their grooming department. I'm giving two stars because they do carry natural foods and a host of responsible products. It's just too bad their environment is not on par with the health standards they seemingly want to support. read more

Small-business customer service and knowledge, chain-store prices. I'm not sure how it gets any better than Howl to the Chief. (HTTC) The only difference between HTTC and stores like PetSmart is that HTTC has a smaller selection and is less expensive. (Yes, LESS expensive.) The smaller selection doesn't bother me at all - HTTC took all the "crap" out and the consumer is left with a choice between "great," "awesome," and "excellent" products, particularly with regard to food. The customer service is outstanding. One one occasion, the store stayed open an extra 10 minutes for me when I was desperate to get a bag of food for my dog after a late night at work. Their staff is extremely knowledgable and friendly as well. If I had to stretch to find some negatives, I guess I'd say that the shop is a little small, which can make dog-dog interactions dicey. Otherwise, HTTC is amazing. (Small disclaimer - I'm a dog owner so I can't speak as to their selection for other types of pets.) read more

Took Cat there at 8:45 am -- when they open. First, they refused to groom him the way we asked. We live on a boat, and wanted to keep him warm as possible by keeping his hair down his back and on his paws and tail. Was told "i ain't giving no cat no mohawk." Ok, fine. We asked them not to trim nails (he doesn't have front claws anyway). Got a call back at the end of the day around 2:30 saying they can't groom him because he won't let them cut his nails. Never had a problem with the 20 other groomers who have groomed him in the past, so blame has to rest on the groomers. Probably just better with dogs than cats. read more

I am very pleased with their selection of raw cat food. They offer four or five different brands of raw cat food which is wonderful! They also have a lot of cat toys, harnesses and other supplies. Customer service needs to be improved. I gave my email address to the workers two or three times asking them to email me when they got samples and they never did. I ended up having to submit a form online and got a vague response about the samples. read more

I was a little skeptical because I enjoyed previous owners so much, but the transition has been good. I think the layout is much better, there could be better selection for toys and other grooming dog products. I mostly go for the self-dog wash, which is cheap and convenient, but. the tubs need some TLC. 2/3 have missing collars used to stabilize the dog and needs a good scrub down. It's clean enough, but would love it if they really gave the self-wash area a serious clean and vacuum couple times a week. I continue to support the business and give it 3 stars because the service is good, it's convenient, and they have good food selection. read more

I. Love. This. Place. Formerly Chateau Animaux. I was sad when Chateau was closing down, but when I saw it was going to be a new pet store, I was relieved. When they opened, they continue to accept Chateau card (for discount). It's nice to see how they're keeping a piece of Chateau to their new store. They have variety of dog food (before I go on, I'm an owner of 2 dogs so I pay attention to dog sections only), dog treats, accessories, and so on. My husband and I buy food from this store for 2 reasons: it's a local business and the price are reasonable for us. Not only that, they do not sell cheap qualities of food. We bought a dog bed from this store and our dogs love the bed. They would use it often and it still looks new! It was worth the price! We haven't used their service because we clip our dogs nails, we wash our dogs, etc, but maybe someday! :) This store is highly recommended for pet owners! :) read more

I love this place!! After having some not so great experiences with dog groomers in the DC area, I was so relieved to find a place that not only cuts my dog exactly the way I ask, but is also very affordable. On top of their already competitive pricing, if you book your next visit, you get 10% off! Moose always leaves looking and smelling amazing and I love the cute bandanna with each visit :) Thank you Carolyn!! As a side note, Howl to the Chief hosts dog adoption events every Saturday. Adopt don't shop! read more

Great experience. My 3 month old corgi pup strolled up after a lengthy walk and walked in greeted by a huge bowl of water on a hot day (for him not me ;)). I let him browse and sniff out some treats and things to chew on. The store attendant asked if we needed help and I told him we were looking for a new harness. He made a suggestion or two and even helped fit and size him for his new harness. Murphy insisted on chewing his new pig skin while he was getting fitted before we paid. The attendee was very kind and knowledgeable about store products while fitting Murphy. All in all just a wonderful experience!!! We will be back and love in the neighborhood, thank you :). Prices were similar to what I've seen on Amazon,...nothing crazy unless you're counting pennies. read more

What's not to love about a local pet store with a giant selection of food and handmade treats and other various things that obsessive pet owners crave? My favorite thing about Howl To The Chief though has to be the dog washing stations downstairs. For $15 you can wash and dry the beast with towels and a blow drier included. No mess to clean up and no drains to unclog! The only slight negative is the pricing, which is a little steep, but it's local and they do have a rewards deal that'll get you a few shekels back from time to time. And don't forget to check in either, they've been running a 20% check in offer for a while! Great place to spoil the child/pet read more

This place is fantastic! They have the best treats and lots of unconventional things pets love. The selection is rather slight, but my dog loves everything she ever gets out of there. The customer service is unmatched by that of any I've experienced in any pet store ever. It's actually better than the customer service I've received in stores with merchandise for human beings! The staff is extremely knowledgeable about everything, and I've never experienced an impatient worker. They all take the time to explain things and don't skim over any details. (Example: feeding instructions for the treats, suggestions etc.) They also give the doggies samples of treats and other types of food to see if they like it before you buy. They're just so awesome! They also have some sort of pet adoption day out front on some Saturdays. It's quite admirable. read more

I really love Howl to the Chief. I think my dog love Howl to the Chief more. The store has a wide arrange food, toys, pet accessories and clothing. I understand that it may be odd to mention pet clothing... I certainly never expected to be one of those people that purchases seasonal outfits for my pet for no particular reason. I thought wrong. With this store's kind/knowledgable staff and ample selection, this is my first stop when I need anything pet-related. We are always able to find our dog's food, that flush able cat litter that smells like pine trees, sturdy toys and rubber dog boots for winter weather. A few months ago, we were worried about our cat's weight. We decided we wanted to try to change the diet and a worker suggested a workable meal plan that also fits our budget. Great people and good products that are often a few dollars cheaper than a pet store a few blocks away. I also really like the Saturday pet adoption events that they host for Rural Dog Rescue! read more

Yikes!! These prices are through the roof! The dog items I looked at (toys, food, equipment) were at least twice the cost of the exact items in Manhattan boutique dog shops! I guess they can charge such high prices because this is the only pet shop in the area but this is crazy! read more

I just picked up my dog from the groomers. I chose Ms. Carolyn's because it's close to home and I like to support small business. Oh, and the bath for under 50lbs is $40. Well, much to my surprise, I picked up my dog and was told the cost is $90. WHAT?! Why? It was a bath, nail clipping, brushing, expressing of glands, all listed on the site for $40. I was told since I requested her nails be grinded it was more, but $50 more?? I will not be back. I've paid less for full grooming elsewhere, where they do all of the above and trim fur. Don't get me wrong, I'll be back to Howl to the Chief, but the groomers needs to be more explicit with pricing and not surprise people like that. I did not budget for a $90 bath this holiday season. read more

We had a great experience here in searching for a new dog food for our recently-acquired rescue. She had some serious dander and was pretty underweight, so we needed to beef her up on some puppy food and find something that was likely to soothe her skin! We worked with an awesome slightly older gentleman who was so full of info! I had no idea there could exist to much variance between dog foods, but he really took his time in explaining the differences to us. He suggested we try a blend without chicken because her dander could be from an allergy....and lo and behold! No more dander. It's walking distance from our house, and sure, its schmancy for some owners, but we like it. They also work with rescue agencies to find foster homes for dogs, which is great! read more

A big shout out to Howl to the Chief: they hold cat adoptions every Sunday. The adoptions are upstairs (you take the stairs near the front entrance and it's in the door to your left.) With a couple of exceptions the cat ladies are a bit much, but don't let that keep you away. These kitties need homes, and as a plus they are super cute. they also have dog adoptions on Saturday, and those pups are equally cute. read more

I love this establishment and so does my cat! Very accommodating staff with a sense of customer service. The groomer Carolyn does an excellent job on my cat. They are all very happy to see her when she arrives and she looks like a dream when I pick her up each time. Do yourself a favor and try this place. read more

I absolutely love Howl to the Chief! Even though we have 2 different pet stores on Barracks Row, Howl to the Chief is my favorite. The service has always been tiptop. I love their selection. They always seem to be getting new products in which is such a great thing for my dog, but so very bad for my wallet! My favorite part will have to be the "body parts" table. My dog is a huge fan of natural dog chews - bully sticks, cow hooves, bones, etc. Howl to the Chief has the best selection of these. My dog has never been disappointed! read more

Made an appointment for 9am. Website says that dropoff is at 8:50. Still nobody here at 9am. Dude on the phone is rude and says "why would you listen to our website" and also claims to have been there at 9 am. For how expensive this place is, they should be nicer about robbing you. read more

great service! bought vegetarian sticks good for my dog to chew on! she seems to like it! can't wait to go again and buy more! great alternative for those who do not want to buy bully sticks for their dog read more

Really cute pet supply store with an AWESOME store name, reasonable prices on dog toys, and friendly, helpful employees. Super impressed with the amount of treats, toys, and dog food in a smaller dog store space than I'm used to! Snagged a 12" white rope toy ($5.99) and Kong Wubba Puppy toy ($6.39) for my new puppy nephew. read more

Howl to the Chief has a great staff! I walked in today to get some help on putting on different harnesses. Mike was extremely informative and checked in to make sure I had everything I needed. I would highly recommend this store to any pet owner! read more