We have been clients at The Urban Hound for 15+ years and we have never been disappointed. The services are amazing and consistent whether it is day care, boarding, training, grooming and all staff is totally dedicated to their roles. If you or your friends have dogs this is the best of the best. read more

Urban Hound is a great space in the city, especially if you don't have a yard. They aren't however, puppy friendly. The puppy day care only runs to 5 months, so my extremely well socialized 7 month old went into the normal play group. My dog frequents dog parks and has playdates often- all of which have gone swimmingly. She is also in her second training class, and is very smart. When we had our "temperament test" at UH, I expected this to go smoothly as well. I got a call shortly before the day was over that my dog was not allowed to come back until she was closer to 10 months, as she has "too much puppy energy"....I mean, maybe because she's a puppy? When asked what this meant, they told me that she was high energy, and not picking up on social cues. Yes, my 7 month old mix is high energy, I'm not sure whose puppy isn't! However, she has never missed social cues from other dogs she's played with. I have a hard time believing in this one setting she couldn't catch a hint. I respect that maybe my puppy is too energetic for the typical play group at UH, but perhaps extend the puppy age range, especially if you're making judgments related. Safe to say we will not be returning once she's 10 months. We will find a daycare that recognizes a puppy has energy like a puppy! read more

Whatever you do, DO NOT LET YOUR DOG GET GROOMED HERE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. She ruined my maltipoo's fur by using clippers after explicitly being told to only use scissors. My dog now looks like a poofy rat. The groomer was incredibly rude and LAZY to bother using scissors to give her a haircut while promising to do so before dropping the dog off. This place should have their license revoked. No reputable groomer would use clippers on a 6 month maltipoo (with long maltese-like hair) unless they were trying to get the job done in under 30 minutes. Just awful. I truly hope this groomer does not touch another dog again for the poor dog's sake. read more

We have had our dogs, a Shia Tzu and a Japanese Chin mix groomed by Vicky for years and have always been impressed with her grooming skills, and equally important, how kind she is to both our dogs. Both our dogs are very needy, in different ways, and we have not been able to find good groomers in the past. Vicky knows how to calm them both, and they no longer shriek and leap into our arms as they have done when we left them with other pet groomer businesses. Knowing that they will receive compassionate care while being professionally groomed is a top priority for us - and we are willing to drive them across the city for this experience. read more

I sent my dog to Urban Hound for two week training - he is a 70 pound black lab puppy (10 months old) and really needed to work on pulling while he walks, staying calm when people come to the house and learning to not jump all over everyone. After his first week I did notice an improvement in his walks and he was very tired when he got home from doing the work. But over the course of the next two weeks, I noticed that he was being featured on the instagram significantly less and coming home with A LOT of energy therefore needing at least an hour at the dog park to get that energy out. I found to be a bit odd but thought maybe he was just getting used to the training sessions and it wasn't as tiresome anymore. He completed his training two weeks ago, where he "learned" exactly two things. Leash etiquette & place. I have been vigilant about continuing the training that UH showed me when I went in for a 1:1 training session however whatever he did learn there has completely gone away. He still consistently drags me down the street - to the point yesterday where he pulled me so hard I FELL TO THE GROUND ... and will only listen if I dangle a treat in front of his face to get him to heal, which is extremely frustrating. Additionally - the second and only other thing he learned at UH is place. He was trained on a gray bed with a specific aztec rug. When I went in for our session, he did place beautifully and waited patiently. That as not transferred to my home in the slightest. When I ask him to place and point to his bed or stand over it with treats, he is genuinely confused and I can tell looking for that bed he leaned it on. I have been working on it for the last two weeks and we have made progress but I am frustrated that I paid $1,500 for him to learn these things when apparently, I should have just done it myself. I would recommend for daycare if you are working and need entertainment for your dog that day but I would not recommend for training - it was not worth the cost. read more

We used the dog walking services at Urban Hound for a little over a year (so this is a thoughtful review). After our prior walker left the industry, we started using Urban Hound, and the relationship started off on a great foot. We told Olivia at Urban Hound (the manager) that we have used large companies in the past and have found they grow too quickly and often end up hiring employees who don't have a passion for dogs. We noted that on several occasions we stopped utilizing certain walkers because our dogs were not really getting walked, but just taken out quickly to go to the bathroom. Olivia reassured me that I would not have to worry about that concern because Urban Hound uses a GPS system to allow dog owners to see where your dogs are actually walked. Everything was fine for several months because we started off with a great walker (who would actually walk the dogs!), so we didn't need to use the GPS. However, over time we began seeing new walkers from the company every couple of months and noticed that our dogs often seemed more energetic when we would get home from work. At that time, we tried checking the GPS system and noticed it wasn't working. When we asked about this, Urban Hound told us that the system was broken and we would be informed when it was working again. We were never received any notification that the GPS system was working again. We also began noticing that dogs would consistently be taken out for less than the 30 minute walk we were paying for and noticed 90% of the time the walker would only get the dogs to pee. We thought this was odd, and after we noticed a trend, decided to work from home a few days to get a full picture of what was going on. After essentially spying on the dog walker for a few days we saw that she was only taking the dogs behind the building (and not just our dogs but ALL the other dogs at Ink Block). The walker would then stand in the building-appointed dog park for 10 mins (when she could've been walking them). And sometimes she would stall in the apartment to run down the 30 min clock and then scan out. It appears that the company is expanding too quickly, and lost sight of what people are actually expecting - the walks you pay for. We reached out to discuss the issue and the GPS system multiple times, to never hear back. We've used companies all over the south end (for the last 7 years), and have to say this is our worst experience. If you plan to use them for grooming or boarding, it's probably OK, but if you live in a managed building and want your dog to actually get some exercise DO NOT USE THEM. read more

Up until today, my husband and I had been taking our hound mix to Urban Hound for doggy daycare regularly for about 3 years. Today, they informed me that my dog was "aggressive" and could no longer come to daycare. Last Friday was the first time they told me that he was barking loudly and had some negative interactions with the other dogs that day, but they assured me that his behavior was fairly common among the dogs and that the trainer would call me and try to work out a solution. They also admitted that the loud construction that has been occurring behind their building for several months had been causing stress and anxiety among different dogs there. So I was shocked when today they told me that my dog could no longer be present at their daycare. We take our dog to the dog park often and he's always interacted well with other dogs - he's also had multiple dog sitters on Rover and had extended overnight stays with their own dogs and even cats, and we've always had positive reviews about his behavior. We know that he is a sweet, intelligent, highly trainable dog who enjoys interacting with other dogs and people. I have from my Urban Hound records that their staff would also attest the same. He is so playful that I can't even imagine him being aggressive unless he was in a situation where he felt scared. I'm not sure how Urban Hound let things escalate to this situation. I was shocked that they did not call me earlier about any concerns or try to work with us on what a potential solution could be. As a doggy daycare and training facility that manages multiple dogs interacting, they should have used clearer communications to keep a loyal customer of 3 years and help my pup baby socialize, grow and gain the training he might need to be a productive doggy daycare citizen. I'm writing this review to let other dog owners know about my experience and to hope that Urban Hound can take this into account to reform its program and be more preemptive about these situations in the future. It's the core of their doggy daycare business to have dogs play together and get along, and I don't believe they handled this situation well at all. read more

I love the Urban hound. My dogs have been going here for years. This review is long over due but want to acknowledge all the hard work the staff is doing to ensure safety measures of Covid has been implemented. I was even able to get their nails done there as this was ling over due. We just love it there. They take care of my dogs as if they were their very own!!! I especially love that they have a Facebook page and you often find your pup on there which always gives you a smile!!! Thanks so much for all you do!! read more

Have had wonderful experience boarding my dog and leaving my dog every few weeks for daycare. Staff is really friendly and make me feel comfortable leaving my fur friend. Grooming is also tops!! Though a bit pricey it is Extremely professional and have never been disappointed. Great communication as well. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars I would... First let me start with saying I had boarded my golden doodle here before... But this time I picked her up she smelled like urine and feces and her paws were bleeding and one was infected. Vet informed us it was from unclean K9 AstroTurf that they use and the fact that they do not limit play time... She is very active and will play for days straight if you allow her, (I had asked them to limit her play time) ... Interesting since I called two times a day, asking how she was, and every time he update was favorable and something about her being happy. The webcam was down this week, so it's hard to know if it was intentional or not... Either way, I was unable to see with my own eyes. When I picked her up as well they had lost her harness, leash, blanket and toys.. Her bag they gave back to me had all of the food still in it that I had portioned out by day and time ( marked on each Baggie) and all of her treats were still there as well as bones. None of this was ever given to her... Thank goodness she has no allergies or this could have been a big problem We all know it's impossible to walk a dog home in the south end without a harness. How do you loose a harness? Also, when I called REPEATEDLY to find it how this could have ever happened...how is. My dog hurt, and smells so terrible and in so much pain... It was finger pointing and denial that she was fine. Then she was always unavailable or would call me back. After months, I have given up. It ended up not mattering that they lost the lead and harness after all, as I had to carry my Quincy all the way home, because she was unable to walk. Who sends someones dog home like that? Smelling terrible? Bleeding? Wounded? And lost all of their dog worldly possessions? A terrible place with terrible management. I wouldn't ever send anyone here and be able to sleep well knowing that they would be able to pick up their dog in the same condition. EVER. read more

We have used The Urban Hound for daycare and boarding for our 7 month old puppy, and couldn't be happier. Every time we pick him up, he tries to turn around and go back inside the front door as he's wagging his tail with a huge smile. While it's slightly more expensive than some other places, you absolutely get what you pay for and worth every cent. The facility, staff, and care are seriously top notch. read more

Beyond elated of the care my french bulldog puppy receives. Every staff member goes above and beyond to suit each clients dogs needs, and is genuinely invested. Communication is superb too. 11/10 recommend since day one of bringing my puppy here. read more

I'd give this zero stars if I could. We used the Urban Hound for dog walks for over a year now and boarding. Our first boarding experience our dog came home with a puncture wound in his leg, the Urban Hound said they didn't know how it happened. It was so deep he needed it stapled closed. Regardless, we gave them the benefit of the doubt and continued with walks. Our initial walker that we feel in love with left the company to do something with her degree, I don't blame her. But now with our new walker, we have discovered that we are being charged for a 40 minute walk and only getting a 10 minute walk. The first time we brought this up they refunded us our money but now that this has happened again I find this very upsetting. When we have a walk for our dog, we need it because we are not home all day. To find out he is only getting a 10 minute walk between the hours of 7am to 7pm is very upsetting to us. Be warned, this company is not to be trusted. read more

This review is regarding their board & train program(we worked with Ashley). Our dog stayed with them for 2 weeks. Want to start by saying my dog isn't just some rambunctious puppy who needs to learn sit(they're great for that too!), but a 90 lb, 3.5 yr very high energy & anxious hunting breed, who was in 2 shelters before being rescued. His main issues are leash reactivity with other dogs, walking calmly on a leash, and keeping him from generally going ballistic when seeing dogs/cats/squirrels on leash, behind a window, or in a car. Otherwise, he's actually been a fairly well trained dog in regards to commands and interactions with people. So it's the difficult stuff he needs work with. I couldn't believe it when I picked him up and they had me expose & walk him by other dogs. I'm now able to keep him from escalating past his initial negative signs, and have him stay calmly by my side. I consulted with 3 trainers before choosing to work with them. Ashley was honest and upfront about what to expect, without "selling" us on unreasonable results. You can tell she not only knows what she's talking about, but truly loves & enjoys working with dogs. Leaving your pup away for that long is a little stressful, but they sent plenty of same-day videos of his training, and periodic email updates. The balanced training structure they follow is great, including working with the dogs out in the "real world" of busy Boston, not just from inside a room or in a yard. The best part, is we'll be able to confidentially take our dog out in public again without being hindered by his loud "big dog" outbursts! read more

Split the daily boarding rate by picking your dog up by 8 PM. Late night option saves some Fidough! As for the actual experience, I'm not qualified to speak about what goes down in the Hound itself. So for that part, I'm breaking Yelp protocol and passing the keyboard on our furry companion, Niki. Take it away, pup! ---- hello i am niki i am a dog. i like treats and squirrels and butts. i like the urban hound. they are nice and good and my pup friends play with me all day. they are very friendly and when mom and dad are late or early because mom and dads are late they are sweet and smile and only take a little more of their moneys. sometimes i get so excited i dont eat my food and i dont pee and i dont poop and they are so nice, they dont make me do it. i save it for the fuzzy floor at home! maybe i'll do that now - dad will be so happy! ---- Oh. She just ran in to the other room, so I guess I'll wrap it up. UH has a great staff, and facilities so clean, they're practically sterile. We've had incidents of illness and stress after long weekends Niki gets boarded up, but with no visibility or report, it's hard to source what's causing them. Needless to say, it's minor and while drop-offs are bittersweet, Niki forgets about us and is ready to play in no time. What's that smell? read more

The Urban Hound is absolutely the best, hands down. Indy pretty much had a doggie breakdown when his doggie best friend past due to illness, and his separation skyrocketed to a whole new level. He basically couldn't handle being left at home at all, and would destroy wherever he was left. We had been in touch with a dog behaviorist, who gave us some stuff that was momentarily helpful, but he was still not ok. We were referred by two friends to the Urban Hound, and we stopped in for a socialization class on a Saturday and met with Nick & Ashley, the trainers. Ashley recommended the board and train program, and we agreed based on our discussion, and we were set up for Monday to drop him off and it was tentatively set for a week. I got updates from Ashley throughout on Indy's progress, which took a fair bit longer than expected. About two weeks longer, as in, he did three weeks of training. It was fine with us, as I knew he was in good hands and the training he was doing would make him a happier and more content and calm dog. We picked him up and we were wowed at his ability to sit calmly while around a lot of stimulation, listened to commands like he hadn't before, and was able to heal while walking, even off leash. We are big chickens and refuse to walk him off leash in the city, but it's good to know he's able to if he's focused. Indy went from a dog who was very stubborn and hard to walk, who didn't listen when basic commands were asked, and would eat our house when left alone to a dog who was able to show complete control over himself and now is easy to walk, happily goes into place command in the house, and being able to be left alone in the house with no issues or concerns. The Urban Hound staff has been a resource with any questions or troubleshooting help I've needed after his training, and I feel very grateful for the service that was provided to us and to Indy, and the genuine kindness of the staff. He's a much happier dog, and we're much happier dog owners knowing he's ok and able to control himself while we aren't with him. It's also great to know that the Urban Hound is there for any dog hotel stays if we ever go away, and day school if he needs a refresher or doggie daycare, if a dog dude needs to run around with dog friends for a day if the weather isn't great. read more

"The Best Thing to Happen to Your Dog Since Coming to Live With You." -Really? Are you kidding me? I pay you to babysit my dog and you have the audacity to post that to your wall? And not the Face-space-type wall, but the ACTUAL wall in your lobby? Are you really that confident that my dog would agree? Have you tried Beggin' Strips? Clearly Beggin' Strips are the best thing to happen to my dog since coming to live with me... **sound of opening a bag of Beggin' Strips, and placing one in my mouth.** **sound of me gagging, followed by 15 minutes of constant dry heaving** ok... now that I have tried a Beggin' Strip, I can say they are clearly not the best thing to happen to my dog since coming to live with me... in fact, they are pretty disgusting. I digress... My only hesitation in writing this review is that it would attract more clients to this little gem, and subsequently place my dog outside behind the velvet ropes,with no choice but to slip the bouncer a Benjamin in hopes of getting his name on the guest list. (See my review of State Street Barbers where I mention "Tom." I now have to book two weeks in advance... for my BARBER.) We discovered the Urban Hound Hotel last summer, when we got a puppy AND decided to gut renovate our kitchen at the same time. We would drop off our pup on the way to work and pick him up on the way home. Our puppy (which the staff has many nicknames for, most prominently "Sexy Paws") has a ton of energy. We purchased a 30 pack (a bulk discount for purchasing 30 days of daycare). That was the start of something special. It is now a full year later, and "Sexy Paws" is a regular at "Uh." Spending an average of three days a week there, hangin' with his friends and partying like it was 1999. Is it expensive? Define what "expensive" is? If having your dog supervised during incredibly ample amounts of playtime in a controlled and clean environment while giving you the peace of mind that he will have four paws, a nose and a tail intact when you pick him up is expensive, then you don't get out much. I find the pricing very reasonable for what we get in return. When we pick "Sexy Paws" up at the end of the day, he collapses in the back seat of his personal Escalade (vehicle make and model have been changed to protect the innocent). Once home, he is DONE for the night. The crazy blur of fur becomes the quintessential lap dog. We had a previous Golden Retriever prior to "Sexy Paws" that would stay home all day. We told ourselves that a run in the morning and two after work was enough. But to look in "Sexy Paws'" eyes (you have to lift the lids because he is sleeping) you know that this is exactly what a puppy with working parents needs. Summary: - GREAT staff. Friendly, personable, and you can tell they LOVE "Sexy Paws" - Awesome facility. It's like the Google offices for dogs. - Very reasonable prices, especially when you buy the packages in bulk - On-site grooming. They will even time the appointment so your pup is fresh and clean when you come to get him after a day of daycare and spa treatments - They even drop him off at home in a pinch! Ok, Lightning round....Common statements about daycare places in general My dog got sick after daycare! Dogs socializing with other dogs can pick up bugs. Would you sue the City of Boston every time your dog got Giardia? Don't like it? Get a hamster. My dog smells bad when I pick him up. It's a play date on a massive scale. Dogs smell. They really do. Oh, and if it really bothers you, get an Express Wash appointment! And if it still bothers you, get a hamster. So there you have it. Urban Hound Hotel. "The Best Thing to Happen to Sexy Paws Since Coming to Live With Me." As long as I live in the city, "Sexy Paws" will be a regular... unless this review banished him to the other side of the velvet ropes. read more

I have been trying to reach Nick regarding screening my dog for the advanced socialization class for nearly a month. I have sent several emails and left a few voicemails. I received 1 reply to an email and 1 call back (that I missed), but only after I left a message with another employee. I feel completely ignored and disregarded as a potential client. read more

Awesome experiences all around with the folks from Urban Hound. I can go a little over-zealous-pet-Mom when it comes to my beagle terrier mix Niki. I assume everything she does is cute ("oh you growl at other dogs! precious"... "oh you eat tin foil? where's the camcorder- this is adorable") and as all pet owners, want the very best for her whenever something rips me from the homestead and she needs tending to. I started out using their walking services when I moved up to Boston and lived in the South End. The folks at Urban Hound were consummate pro's - coming over to meet with me and Niki, get a read on her personality and what our needs would be in terms of walks and care for the pup while I was at work. Clearly genuine dog lovers, I was immediately put at ease to see my pup would be in such loving and capable hands. I returned home at the end of the day to hand written notes with details of that day's walk and anecdotes about Niki's adventures (growled at other dogs...ate tin foil...). And I appreciated their use of the BettaWalka software/website allowing for online scheduling for walks, playgroups etc. My experiences with boarding have been just as positive. My first walk through at UH's hotel revealed a clean modern space, play areas and not a cage in sight. No Motel 6 here- we're talking schmance...as in, arguably better decorated than many hotels I myself have stayed at (spoiled pup). Every time I've called to check for availability, owner Rebecca typically answers the phone herself and is a total delight. She remembers me and my pup with just a mention of Niki's name and has been completely accommodating. Effortless scheduling and email remainders are an equally nice touch. And I have to say, it's great to know that when I drop off my pup the Urban Hound team are going to give her the highest caliber of care and attention. read more

I had to respond to Shae T.'s review because I've used Urban Hound for five-days at a time on a monthly basis (travelling for work) for the past 7 months. So my dog has cumulatively spent about a month, 30 days, at the Urban Hound, and I feel like we've had enough experience with them to comment. As in, I am not posting about my friend's dog who was there for one weekend. My pup, who used to have marked separation anxiety issues will actually leap out of my arms into the arms of one of the awesome Urban Hound employees and not even look back to say goodbye to me. He couldn't be happier to stay with them and they have always called me if there was anything of concern in his behavior or health, however seemingly "insignificant". First of all, to say that this review jumps to a conclusion is an understatement. This person's friend's dog (read: not this reviewer's actual experience) got very sick, the dog was in the hospital and the owner paid 3-6k (really?? that's a pretty big spread, what was the actual cost?) and the dog also happened to have been boarded that weekend at the Urban Hound. From this, the reviewer claims that, "This is not a joke and these people need to be held responsible for the mishandling of animals." Well. Actually. I live in the South End and got a neighborhood health alert saying that an unidentified "virus" was affecting dogs all across the South End neighborhood and had symptoms like excessive drooling, peeling skin on the tongue, extreme lethargy etc etc. It did not say that this was because of the "mishandling" at the Urban Hound. In fact it attributed its spread to the local Peter's Park dog park. So really, it's much more likely that the reviewer's dog already had been infected and the symptoms manifested while the owner was away. In any case, it's inaccurate and unnecessarily slanderous to attribute this person's sick dog to "mishandling" at the Urban Hound. My dog was at UH on the same weekend as the reviewer's friend's dog and my dog came home happy, healthy, cuddly and smelling sweet and clean after four days of non-stop play. read more

When I got my pup a few years ago I scoffed when people referred to me as his "mom" and I was determined to treat him like a dog. Because he is a dog, right? False. Not according to him. He runs the world. He certainly runs daycare that's for sure. This dog is determined, strong willed, energetic, and down right full of himself. He knows he's the shiznit. And you can't help but love him. I may have added to his sense of self importance by naming him William Shatner and occasionally putting him in bow ties. Fast forward three years and I am often at the end of my rope with this little guy but I have definitely melted and turned into "that girl" about my dog. It's embarrassing. The staff at UH is fantastic. Every person I've ever handed him over to recognized him and knew his specific needs but they nodded patiently and listened while I listed ridiculous instructions and pointed out his sweatshirt in his little overnight bag. So embarrassing. They are indulgent of my reluctance to leave him, reliable in providing responsible care, and clearly keep him very happy. After a day or two at the Urban Hound he is so well exercised that he acts like an almost perfect gentleman for days afterwards. There is no possible way I could exercise him that well myself. If his wildly improved behavior wasn't proof enough that this place is the best thing to happen to my dog since living with me his reaction when he realizes we're headed toward the south end is enough to convince me. He comes marching in the front door like he owns the place, high kicks the door to the back area, and doesn't even glance back. read more

As someone who tends to stay away from Yelp, I read L.E.'s review and felt I had to respond with my own amazing experiences with this place. My wife and I have used a few doggie daycare services in Boston for our two sweet, playful and full of personality pups Diesel and Dexter. As much as I love them, I was always the person who thought, "hmp, I'm never going to spend that much on a dog, are you crazy!!!". So when Rebecca opened Urban Hound hotel, I was skeptical but my wife convinced me to give it a shot. And now I'm a believer. The space is clean and inviting. They are happy to give new comers a tour of the space. Not only did we seen a nice and pleasant space for dogs but staff that seemed genuinely happy and excited to be there working with dogs. The doggie day care is competitively priced and that really sold me. But honestly, I love my fuzzies and knowing they're safe and having a good time, well I'd be happy to pay extra for that, but I don't really have to! Plus, my pups come home just so happy to see us, but more importantly to me, they seem more than a little sad to leave Urban Hound and the staff there as well. This is a good sign! My little monsters are always on the go and our Diesel came home one day with runny poop (sorry to be graphic, but if you're a dog owner, you know what I'm talking about). We thought it was diet, maybe she was sick and then my wife read that sometimes too much exercise will cause a little GI distress. So we called UH and explained. They were more than willing to give them some quiet time out time and let them also eat some lunch in peace and quiet for a few hours out of the day. They did this and bam no runs! I think these are people who genuinely care about dogs and seem to be willing to go the distance to keep their fuzzy wards safe and healthy, no matter what. I'm sorry that L.E. had such a bad experience but please believe me when I say, your dog is in great hands. Shhh...Diesel and Dex are sleeping after a full day of fun at UH, thanks you guys! read more

We took our one year old Pointer to the Urban Hound for their 3 week "day school" program and are incredibly pleased! Like all Pointers, she's very athletic and has a high prey drive and before we started she pulled on her leash and couldn't be trusted off leash unless she was fenced in. After working with Ashley Moschella, she walks like a lady on-leash and obeys come, heel, stay and sit commands off-leash even with distractions like other dogs, humans and birds. Ashley is wonderful to work with and clearly loves dogs. It's absolutely beautiful to watch our dog hunt and point birds in the woods and we can now do so with absolute confidence that she'll come back when called! read more

A five-star review on a dog service from me is the highest rating you can get! Our Jack Russell is our baby and with us at all times; we take anything pet-care related very seriously. We were in Boston unexpectedly due to a family emergency (we live in LA) and would be attending events where we couldn't take Jack. Stress levels were already at an all-time high, and now the thought of being in a city where we weren't familiar with pet sitters was about to push us over the edge. We were referred to The Urban Hound by a friend in Boston, and after an hour or so of research, (insured? check. bonded? check. great yelp reviews? check) I gave Rebecca a frantic call and left the longest, most insane voicemail imaginable. She returned my call a few minutes later and calmly talked to me about what was needed- without making me feel like a crazy person! Obviously, one should always pre-book and not expect last-minute assistance, but Rebecca went out of her way to provide us with the best possible care for Jack. During a week when it seemed nothing was going in a positive direction, Rebecca really came through and assured us that Jack would be in good hands and well taken care of. She didn't know me and didn't need to go out of her way for an out-of-town (temporary) client, and it was appreciated beyond words. Of course, being the crazy dog-owners we are, we couldn't just leave the hotel and assume a normal person would be picking up our dog (reviews and websites aside, this is our baby!). So we hung out a little longer than necessary and boy were we glad we did. We had the opportunity to meet Cory in person, who would be saving our sanity for the next two days. He was wonderful, and Jack took to him immediately. Poor Cory didn't even blink at the five page note of instructions I handed him, and even left me a full page note to come home to telling me all about Jack's playtime. The second day, Cory even texted us pictures of Jack out playing and updates of how he was doing. Those were some of our first smiles in days! I cannot thank Rebecca, Cory and Urban Hounds enough for giving us peace of mind during one of the most difficult weeks of our lives. If you are reading this review and looking for dog care in Boston, don't hesitate on giving them a call to take care of your pup. You won't be disappointed- there is nothing like knowing your baby is in great hands while you are out in the world, and who doesn't love coming home to a happy, worn-out, content pup who is ready to snuggle? We are planning to visit Boston again soon just because we know we have reliable dog walkers! Thanks Urban Hound! read more

In a word "awesome". At times people find our very energetic boxer puppy hard to handle, if you have boxer you know they are one of the best breeds and are very energetic, jumpy and curious but also very sweet and loving, Rebecca was awesome with her and did not seem to be bothered by the energy and jumping. Her staff was very accommodating and reassuring when I made my "how is she doing" phone call like a true concerned mother. What I really impressed me is how clean the hotel is. All the rooms (not crates mind you, like other places) were clean and welcoming with water bowls and comfy beds. The toys that we brought in with the dog were returned to us and not told "sorry we lost them" like other places. They clipped her nails as requested and she did not come home with a funky dog smell (again like other places). They gave her quiet time after meals which makes a huge difference in ease of digestion and overall feeling good for the dog, I truly appreciate that! I will return here again and again! read more

My pup has been a regular at Urban Hound since the day I picked him up about 6 months ago. I cannot speak more highly about Rebecca and the entire staff at UH. With the recent negative posts about some bad experiences, I felt I had to write my first Yelp review to vouch for this business. Like a few others, my dog did have a reaction/sickness to something over at UH - however, as stated by Lisa M., this was not necessarily traced back directly to UH, but to the local park. Over the past two weeks of multiple vet visits and me being a crazy over-concerned Mom about my pup's health, I have received an uncountable amount of phone calls and emails from Rebecca checking in to see how he is doing. I got emails on the weekends and phone calls from her cell after 8PM at night... To me, that is beyond the realm of customer service. Trust me, my dog was not well, but not for one second did I blame and/or question the accountability of Rebecca and the staff. I know for a fact that she takes all precautions necessary, and deeply, deeply cares for every dog in that facility. I took my dog back today for a quick "test" to see if he reacted again to something there - when we walked in, there were almost tears in her eyes due to happiness she had to see my dog in good health. With a vet on site monitoring the pup's reaction, my dog reluctantly left with me after an hour, even though I know he was wishing I would've left him with his friends. It is a daycare - for dogs - things happen. With many other options throughout the city and metro west area (including the fact that I can bring my dog to work with me), my loyalty still lies with the UH crew. This "illness" has made me respect their organization more. I know when I pull in the parking lot and my dog's tails wags uncontrollably and he literally pulls me to the front door, that he is happy there - therefore - I am happy to have him there. read more

I've found that it's not the easiest thing to find a great dog groomer. After visiting several different places and wishing that it could be a little different, I was thrilled by my experience at the Urban Hound. My pups look happy, fresh, and perfectly cut when they are returned to me. It's a little expensive, but you get what you pay for and they look perfect! Great work by Cassie:) read more

The Urban Hound - Perfect grooming by Cassie at the urban hound! - Dog Walkers Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I've taken my dog there once for a grooming and it was a pretty good experience -- at least the outcome was good. However, their booking service is totally confusing and weird. They have an online booking service for grooming that you can't actually book with. If you call them you can either get a list of groomer's phone numbers to call or text or you can leave a message and hope someone calls you back. read more

If it were possible to give more stars, I would. My dog Sunny goes to Urban Hound almost everyday for daycare and boards there whenever I have to travel. What's great is I can also schedule his grooming for while he's there, and Vicky handles his part Chow Chow coat beautifully. He's been to a few daycares and has never connected the same way that he has at Urban Hound. Rebecca, Olivia, and the entire staff at Urban Hound treat him like their own, and it's like his second home. read more

The Urban Hound is my Gordon Setter, Hawthorne's, home away from home with everything he needs from walking, daycare, training, grooming and boarding. UH is owned by Rebecca Wilson, who truly treats each of the dogs as if they were her own.... moreover, the entire staff follow the same mantra. As a puppy, I used their dog walking services. They use BettaWalka software which allowed me to schedule and cancel walks easily online as long as you make the changes by 9:00am that morning. Other dog walking services require 48 hrs notice for schedule changes to avoid fines. For an active 1.5 year old, Hawthorne needs a lot of exercise and so I enrolled him in daycare enabling him to play all day rather than wait for me at home. When I drop him off in the morning, (reserved parking for pick up & drop off is key) we are greeted by a friendly team of staff members ready to take Hawthorne to play with his friends. Hawthorne is always eager to play and he heads straight toward the door leading to the play rooms. When I pick him up at the end of the day, he is usually so exhausted that he doesn't want to go out for his bedtime walk. However the next morning, he cannot wait to go back to daycare. Gordon Setters aren't a common breed in Boston & finding a groomer who can groom a Setter properly is even more difficult. However, UH's groomer, Vicky was up for the challenge. Before each grooming session, Vicky patiently talked with me to find out exactly what I thought Hawthorne needed to be trimmed and offered helpful recommendations. He looks amazing after each visit with Vicky! Since Hawthorne goes to daycare, I schedule to have Vicky groom him in the late afternoon to be ready for pick-up after work. You really cannot beat the Urban Hound experience. read more

Rebecca and her team are absolutely AMAZING. Their passion and love for what they do is so evident in the care and attention they give each of their adorable clients. When I first got Oscar, I signed up for one-on-one puppy walks on the few days a week I couldn't take him to work and it was wonderful. As he was still too young (not done with shots) to play with other puppies, Amy did a great job of keeping him active and happy, as well as teaching him to trust someone other than his mom or dad. I felt that at age, it was really helpful in his training and he is such a love-bug and listens well to other authority figures besides just me. Now, at about 1 yr old, Oscar still loves his walks and the best thing is that every time, Amy or Mandy leaves a note about what they did - so cute! By far, the best walking service in the city - they will certainly become your pup's (other) best friend :) read more

Urban Hound is reliable, caring and devoted to each four-legged client and their owner. Cory is our dog's daily walker and let's us know what Lou did on every walk. Rebecca Wilson runs Urban Hound with total client focus and is always available, by phone, text or via the online portal you can use to request or cancel walks. We love our dog and are grateful for the care and dedication that we know Lou (our beagle) receives everyday. For example: One afternoon I got a phone call from Urban because our dog walker, Cory, found Lou had soiled his crate. Cory went above and beyond by not only cleaning Lou's crate but also providing extra TLC to Lou, who was fighting a nasty stomach bug and felt terrible. It was reassuring that our little beagle was shown some extra love, despite the mess! Thank you to Urban Hound for the great service!! read more

Love, love, love The Urban Hound! Their facilities are clean and attractive, with lots of space for the dogs to play and get some good training time. Every person that works there is friendly and helpful - and most importantly - incredible with our dog, Rosco. After attending a few sessions of the weekly drop-in socialization class, we got to know Nick and Ashley and really appreciated their approach to training. After some discussion with Nick (who was awesome and super patient with the tons of questions I asked him), we decided to do a week of Day School. The results from just that 1 week are incredible! Rosco walks amazingly well on a leash now and is much more focused and obedient when we're out and about in the neighborhood. What impressed me most is how responsive Nick was to Rosco's particular quirks and personality, as well as our desire as his owners to find that right mixture of obedience without losing the playfulness and "attitude" that makes Rosco so special to us. Nick walked that line perfectly, and showed us how to enforce rules and gain that obedience we needed. There was a very minor billing issue, but again I was so impressed with how it was handled. I called and spoke to Rebecca and she immediately recognized the error and credited us. No fuss at all. We'll continue to use Urban Hound for boarding, daycare, and training. As other reviewers have mentioned, their services can be a little pricey. But, we tried the "cheaper" big place in South Boston before and had awful experiences. Knowing that Rosco is happy, comfortable, and well taken care of at Urban Hound makes the slight price difference more than worth it. read more

I am beyond upset with the actions of Urban Hound. After bringing my 2 year-old Labrador Retriever to their daycare in the morning, I received a call at 12 pm that my dog was involved in some rough play, not her fault and not a big deal but they just "wanted to let me know". During that call, I asked if I should come pick her up and was told it wasn't a big deal, nothing serious. When I picked her up later that day, I was told that my dog had a puncture wound (which I was not told on the call) that continued to bleed through the afternoon and that they EMAILED their on-call veterinarian a PICTURE of it and their vet made the assessment (via email) that it just needed hydrogen peroxide. After hearing this news, I questioned the employees of UH as to what exactly happened and got a much different version than on the call. I was told my was my dog was playing with two other dogs and they got into another older dog's space who isn't tolerant of play (at a dog daycare) and the dog went after mine. I was also told this wasn't the first incident of the older dog having issues and they were "talking to the owner". When I got home and was able to get better light onto the puncture wound, I could see it was very deep and brought her to her own Vet. My Vet shaved the area and realized that it wasn't just a puncture wound but also had cuts around it. The Vet put my dog on a series of antibiotics and tried to reach UH about getting the vaccination documents on the dog that attacked her to ensure she doesn't need a rabies booster and be quarantined for 45 days (state law). UH made the situation all the more stressful by being difficult to work with on getting the offending dog's rabies vaccination papers. After several calls, they eventually sent the vaccination papers to my Vet with the dog's information all blacked-out. I received no follow up from UH on this incident let alone an apology. I am very disappointed in my experience with UH. read more

This is a long overdue review as I have been bringing my dog, Wally, to The Urban Hound for over two years now. I do not have enough positives to say about Rebecca and her whole team at UH. As many other previous reviewers have mentioned, everyone at The UH has always treated and welcomed my dog as they would one of their own. It is obvious that the folks at UH truly love animals and when I drop Wally off for doggie daycare I often cannot tell who is more excited -- Wally or the The UH staff! The staff at The UH go out of their way to personalize the dog care services they provide and I experienced this first hand when Wally was recovering from joint surgery. Although healthy enough to socialize and play with other dogs, I was worried slightly about his ability to not 'overdo' it too quickly, but The UH staff were accommodating and happy to help out by limiting his play time and keeping an watchful eye for signs of over-exertion. Like all dog owners, I'm sad to have to leave my dog for extended periods of time when traveling, but knowing that he'll be surrounded and cared for by the amazing staff at The UH makes the process so much easier. If you're a dog owner looking for a reliable, trustworthy, and just all around fantastic 'home away from home" for your pooch, then I highly recommend trying out The Urban Hound. read more

How lucky I was in February 2016 to find the groomers at Urban Hound. I read a blurb about them in Boston Magazine and decided to give them a try. I have two gigantic labradoodles and before Urban Hound many negative experiences at several Boston area groomers. I have never looked back. Vickie and Cassie are so talented and kind. They have taken dog grooming to a new level. I used drop my dogs off at groomers worry all day and burst into tears when picking up their shaved, hairless bodies. Nowadays I drop my dogs off at Urban Hound and they run to the groomers and I don't think twice about their safety or how they will look. My labradoodles have long, flowing waves as they should! I can't thank this business enough for taking such wonderful care of my dogs. Urban Hound is so clean and welcoming, I would have my own hair done there! read more

PLEASE DO NOT BOARD YOUR DOG HERE! Another dog bit my dog while she was staying at Urban Hound and the staff either witnessed it and tried to cover it up or they were unaware that it happened while she was under their care (i.e. they weren't supervising the dogs). I boarded my dog here for one weekend approximately 5 weeks ago. This was the second time I boarded her (first time at Urban Hound), so I called every day to make sure she was doing okay. Each time I called, I was told she was happy and playing with the other dogs. When I picked her up on Sunday, I quickly realized something was wrong. My dog seemed scared and upon looking her over, I saw that she had a large, infected bump on her neck and one of her paws had fresh blood on it. She was in so much pain that I could barely touch her neck without her crying out. I took pictures of her neck, paw, and the blood on her collar, and took her to Angell. The vet determined that my dog had been bitten by another dog. She had an infected abscess that needed to be drained, she was put on antibiotics, and she also had to receive a rabies booster. She became sick a few days later due to the antibiotics, which she would have never had to have if this hadn't happened. When I reported this to Urban Hound, I was told there was no way this had happened while she was under their care because they would have noticed. Well, I highly doubt (if she was being watched by the staff) that someone missed her screaming out when another dog bit her, the blood that surely ended up on their floor, and the HUGE change in her personality after this happened. My friendly, happy dog was scared of other people and animals for about a week after I took her home. Nothing like this has ever happened before. I have taken her to dog parks so many times without ever having a problem with her interactions with other dogs. Now, I know these things happen when you board an animal, however, Urban Hound AVOIDED SENDING ME REIMBURSEMENT for approximately 3 weeks. They only sent a check for the boarding and vet fees when I threatened to have my lawyer contact them. I was calling them for about 3 weeks at least 3 times a week and was constantly told that the owner was not there and she would get back to me. Of course I never heard back from her (except when she answered the phone once or twice). All in all, this was a horrible experience. I CANNOT in good conscience recommend this place to anyone. read more

They forgot to walk my dog on two occasions. I can forgive that. However, when I called the owner, Rebecca, to discuss the situation and to make sure that my dog was on the schedule, she rudely said that she was in an important meeting and would call me back. She hung up on me without telling me whether my dog was on the schedule! I called back 5 hours later to check back, and she then rudely said, "Didn't I say I would call you back when I was free?" Eventually she admitted that she was wrong and made a mistake about the schedule. She didn't even apologize for it. Long story short, she doesn't care about your pet. She only cares about what will make her the most money. DO NOT TRUST HER!!!! read more

We used Urban Hound (Malden St) for our dog for years before moving to the suburbs and boy do we miss it! We started with puppy kindergarten and puppy walks and then moved to daycare and grooming when Fred was 6 mo's. Even as he aged (was 4.5 yrs old when we left), they always affectionately called him Baby Fred. The staff was so friendly - it felt like they loved him as if he was their own! (Special shout out to Olivia - Fred's BFF!) Fred was always so excited to get there and was pooped when he left - the sign of a good day! Highly recommend to anyone looking for exceptional care (daycare, training, grooming) for their beloved pup! read more

The walkers never pick up after the dogs and it's ridiculous. On a daily basis, there is dog mess everywhere on the sidewalks. Mounds of poop on a street where there's mostly business makes your business look bad. Clean it up! read more