On October 6th, I had seen a photo that was posted by Raise the Woof ("RTW"). In the photo, was my 14 month old Newfoundland dog, who I noticed had something that resembled a muzzle on his snout. I commented on the photo asking what was on my dog's face. Raise the Woof immediately sent me a message advising that my dog was biting staff and therefore had to be muzzled. I appreciated the prompt response from RTP but was shocked to learn that my dog had been biting and was muzzled. My partner and I went to pick up my dog and address the issue of my dog biting staff and him subsequently having to be muzzled. The staff handed me my dog and made no mention of the biting or muzzle issue. I asked about what had happened and the staff member re-iterated what was messaged to me on Facebook about my dog being muzzled due to him biting staff. I asked why I was never called about this as I pointed out that biting humans is a serious issue and that I should have been notified right away. In the event of a dog biting I would have expected that the dog be crated and the owner contacted. By way of background, my dog has never shown any sign of aggression and has never had to use a muzzle. I asked the staff member why they did not contact me to tell me about the biting and use of the muzzle and the staff member said that "they didn't feel like they had to tell us" and that "we have to do what we have to do". I asked if he had been muzzled in the past and the staff member said that "they've had to do what they've had to do in the past". The staff member also said that they "have nothing to hide", however, we were never informed in the past that muzzles were ever used and the photo of my dog in a muzzle has since been deleted by RTW on facebook. Prior to this incident, my experiences with Raise the Woof were very positive. The staff always greeted my dog by name and were always very accommodating to us so it was a shame that this situation happened. In speaking with the staff member that day, I am disappointed to know that had I never have seen the photo on facebook, I would never have been told that my dog had been muzzled that day or in the past. Me and my partner are all about positive reinforcement and if our dog had shown aggression and needed to be muzzled we would have taken the appropriate steps to ensure that proper training be done with him to correct his behavior and that if correction meant using a muzzle then we would have wanted to use positive reinforcement to ensure that him wearing a harness would be a positive experience for our dog and not a negative one. October 6 was the last time that we took our dog to RTW. I have gone back and forth over the last couple months debating if I wanted to make this post about what happened to my dog at daycare but I now feel, after a lot of thought, that it is important that people are aware of what happened so that they can make informed decisions about dog daycares and to encourage pet owners to ask questions about how their pets will be treated and dealt with while at daycare. read more

Andrea and Raise the Woof have been our go-to doggie daycare and boarding since we first adopted our 2 year-old,15-pound Havanese Hazel. We first heard about Andrea through a friend at the dog park who recommended her services. She was just setting up her own business after her previous work closed and at that point was working out of her home - with a loyal following from the very beginning. When we first dropped Hazel off for a 2 night stay, we immediately knew why our friends were so enthusiastic to see Raise the Woof grow. It has been a pleasure to watch Andrea's business grow - the daycare is awesome - so much space to play, lots of comfy couches to lounge on, and so much interaction with the staff. Although Hazel usually goes to Raise the Woof for boarding, I love knowing that she is having fun at daycare during the day too. It is obvious that Andrea takes great care of her pack - both at daycare and at home for boarding. Hazel always goes happily to Andrea and has a huge smile on her face when we come back to get her. She must get a lot of playtime, since she usually sleeps for days afterwards. Hazel is a small dog with a big personality - she can be stubborn but loves to play with big and small dogs. One of the best perks of leaving Hazel with Andrea at Raise the Woof, is being able to see her at play on their Facebook - some of Hazel's best people friends are also fans, just to watch her when she is there! We could go on and on - but the point is: you can trust Raise the Woof with you best dog friend - they will be in good hands. read more

Raise the Woof is heaven for dogs! I'm a first-time owner and was quite overwhelmed with my gorgeous but energetic rescue husky/shepherd puppy, Hector - even to the point of considering rehoming him! - but luckily for both of us I found Andrea and her team and now I wouldn't dream of it. Hector literally runs to the daycare when he realizes where we are going! He comes home completely exhausted, happy, clean and well socialized, and his energy level is way easier for me to manage. The daycare is near Trout Lake and very convenient for people living and/or working in East Van. Andrea is patient, wise, cheerful, friendly and enthusiastic about her doggy pack, and even posts pics on Facebook so you can check in on your furry friend throughout the day. Her rates are fantastic, and her facility is large, clean, and full of fun things for dogs to do. I recently had to go away for a week on business and decided to board Hector with Andrea. I was worried that Hector would be sad and miss me, but he had so much fun with the other dogs, and was treated so sweetly by Andrea, that he now loves her like a second owner. I highly recommend this service as well as the regular daycare, and like all the other services it is extremely reasonably priced (I compared with a few other places). If I was a dog I would want to hang out here! Come and see Andrea and give your furkid the best gift of all - a great place to have fun while you're busy - and yourself the gift of peace of mind that your best friend is having tons of fun and at reasonable rates to boot! read more

This review is long overdue. When we moved to downtown Vancouver, our 6 year old Weimaraner, Cobalt, had a very hard time adjusting to our new home. My girlfriend and I both work long hours, and we needed to find a place for Cobalt to make home during the day. Our pup has all the typical Weimaraner traits, and doesn't do well with change. We chose Raise the Woof based on the other Yelp reviews, and the vibe we got from Andrea when we went in for our initial consultation. We haven't looked back since. Cobalt spends almost every weekday at daycare, and the crew at Raise the Woof does an amazing job with him. They do more than send him back home tired. Since going to Raise the Woof, we've noticed a huge difference in his socialization with other dogs. He's gained confidence and now plays much more readily with dogs at the dog park and the beach. Moreover, the intensity of his separation anxiety has greatly diminished (it's a very common trait for a Weim). Recently, Cobalt broke his foot (not at Raise the Woof! - he did it himself chasing a ball), and the crew at Raise the Woof have been incredibly supportive. They've been dealing with his massive splint, helping with his rehab, and are in constant communication with us about how he's doing. We wholeheartedly recommend Raise the Woof to anybody that wants to find a great place for their pup to spend the days. Unlike some other daycares, they take a personal interest in your pup and go above and beyond in terms of the care they give. read more

Raise the Woof is the best place I have ever taken my dogs. They are happier healthier and just a little bit thinner since they've been spending every day playing with Andrea's wonderful and loving staff. Raise The Woof is not like other dog daycares. Most other facilities are smelly, reeking of urine. But, Raise The Woof is kept meticulously clean as the attentive staff are right on top of cleaning up all accidents immediately. Other daycares are impersonal and don't really take a personal interest in each individual dog. But, at Raise The Woof, Andrea and her staff know each and every dog by name as well as their individual needs by heart. I've seen problem dogs lose their problems. Antisocial dogs become well socialized, timid dogs become confident and outgoing. They get walks and routine and go home better trained then when they arrived. After a long day of work, my boys energy can be a little overwhelming when I get home, but since they've been going to Raise The Woof they always come home exhausted with what I have termed "the DCC" or "Day Care Coma" EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE THEIR DOGS TO RAISE THE WOOF!!! read more

Andrea, the owner of Raise the Woof, has been working with my dog, Radar, since before she opened the daycare. Radar absolutely loves her! When I found out that she was opening Raise the Woof at the same time as Radar's old daycare was closing shop, it was a no-brainer. Starting a new business is not easy but Andrea persisted and now has an awesome space that the dogs seem to really love. Radar comes home happy and tired and not super smelly, like at some daycares he has been to. Andrea regularly posts pictures of the dogs on the Raise the Woof Facebook page, which lets me know how Radar is doing. It is particularly great that she will ensure that pics of my dog are posted on days when I am worried about how he is doing for one reason or another. She will also alert me to any health concerns that she sees to ensure that I am aware of them. As long as Raise the Woof is open, Radar will continue to go there for his daycare needs. Thanks Andrea for creating a great space! read more

I love this dog daycare! My dog, Rolli (Boston Terrier), started going here when he was still just a young pup and what a world of difference it has made. He was timid and scared by nature so he would run and hide when large/medium dogs were around. He just didn't know how to play or approach them. Over time though, we have watched Rolli learn to have fun and socialize with all dogs and it couldn't be any better for him. Andrea and the team really worked with him on the floor to make sure he wasn't nervous and that he could safely explore at his own pace. Her own dogs are lovely and really helped pull Rolli out of his shell. It was slow at first, but he gradually opened up more and more with each visit. I never thought id see the little guy run up to two large, friendly dobermans on the beach and jump around WANTING them to chase him. I highly recommend this daycare for any lucky pup! read more

Honey and I love Raise The Woof! Andrea and the girls are so fantastic with the dogs. Honey was super shy when I started bringing her to the daycare. Now she pulls me down the block and runs in the door to see her buddies! She's slowly interacting more with the other dogs and her social skills have definitely improved. We even have more enjoyable walks now thanks to Raise The Woof! I feel completely comfortable leaving my dog with Raise The Woof and definitely recommend them to anyone considering a daycare for their dog. They always let you know how your dog's day was, and if they have any questions/concerns they let you know right away. The place is very clean and the dogs always look like they're having a ton of fun. I especially love how they post tons of photos on their Facebook page throughout the day so you can see what your dog is up to while you're at work. Two paws up!! read more

If you're looking for a doggy day care that your dog will love, look no further than Raise The Woof. Andrea and her team are the best and truly love their job. I have been bringing my 2 dogs to Raise The Woof since the Summer and my dogs LOVE IT there. Not only do they get a tonne of play time with other dogs but the staff are so attentive too! They love it so much, whenever I ask them (the dogs) if they want to go to day care, their tales wag like crazy!!! The best part is, after a day at day care, they're wiped out and sleep through the night. Perfect if you have plans for the evening on a weeknight. I have tried several other doggy day cares in Vancouver and have to say that these guys are the best. Great service and great rates! P.S. I've also done boarding with Raise The Woof and I give them 5 out of 5 stars for that service too! read more

Elvis has been going to Raise The Woof for a couple months now and I really couldn't be happier! He was having some issues with separation anxiety that was resulting in inappropriate elimination (in the house), but since he's been coming to daycare a couple days a week he has been much more relaxed in the house and is less anxious when I leave him. In fact, when he gets picked up in the morning he actually pulls on the leash to get to Pia - for a velcro dog like him this is a high compliment! Andrea and the girls are so sweet and you can see that they genuinely care for the dogs. Finding treats for him is sometimes challenging due to his allergies, and Andrea stocks the brands I sometimes have a hard time finding, which is a huge bonus! read more

Andrea and her crew are fantastic! We were referred to them by a friend when we moved away from our old doggy daycare and I'm so happy she sent us Andrea's way. You can tell just from walking into the daycare that it's a fun and friendly environment for your dog with tons of space to run and cozy couches to nap on. We had a couple bad experiences before we found our last daycare so we were worried about finding a new spot but we couldn't be happier. We boarded our dog for the night with Andrea recently and she came back happy and exhausted. We're sure she can't wait for her next sleepover! An added bonus is the pictures that they post on their facebook page, it's fun to see the dogs having a great time all day :). read more

I highly recommend this daycare. The facility is clean and there is lots of light. Andrea is knowledgeable, conscientious and very caring. Our dog has been cared for by Andrea, both in the daycare setting and boarding, since she was a puppy. She runs to the door of the daycare every time we visit and cannot wait to get inside to give Andrea a big hug doodle-style and play with her buddies. If we bump into Andrea in the park our dog also runs right up to say hello. We have been to other daycares where our dog came home stinky and dirty- or where the facility was hidden from view- none of this applies to Raise the Woof. I trust that our dog is in good hands with Andrea. read more

We started bringing our shy little Labradoodle to Raise the Woof since she was 12 weeks old. Now, she's 5.5 months and a much braver, well-socialized pup who loves to play with other dogs and meeting new people. Andrea and her staff truly care for each dog. Our puppy gets just as excited when we drop her off at Raise the Woof as she is when we pick her up. Photos and videos are posted on Facebook each day; which puts my heart at ease that our puppy is having a fun day while we are at work. read more

Raise the Woof is so great! I really appreciated the patience and care that the wonderful staff there have for all the pups. It's obvious that their top priority is what's best for all dogs in their care. My pup can be a bit of a handful sometimes (overly enthusiastic around other dogs) and they handled him with lots of patience and love. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone; just check out all the smiling faces on their Facebook feed :) read more

Best daycare that I've been to so far! Andrea and her crew definitely know what they're doing over there at Raise the Woof. I also love how she takes the extra step to make sure that her clients get what's best for their dogs. Her rates of service are also very reasonable in my opinion, and the facility is clean. My dog always goes there happy and comes back even happier. Highly recommend. read more

Andrea and her staff have been so great working with my boy Archie. Archie came to Andrea's a month ago needing some work on his interactions with other dogs. I can see a big change in him, he seems less reactive at the dog park and more chill when meeting other dogs now. Super happy I decided to send Archie to Raise the Woof, we are happy customers :) read more