I had high hopes for Parkwood Pet Resort because it is new, conveniently located in Pikesville, and…read moremuch closer to me. I live in Owings Mills and normally drive to Downtown Dog Resort in Locust Point with my 70-pound, fawn-colored Lab/Pit mix, Buffy. I thought I'd try somewhere closer for a weekend boarding stay. Lesson learned: convenience isn't everything.
I went to Parkwood on Thursday for a tour, Buffy's temperament test, and to pay the deposit for her Friday and Saturday stay.
The young woman at the front desk was wonderful. She greeted Buffy warmly, gave her nose kisses, gave us a tour, and then took Buffy back for her temperament test. About five minutes later, she returned and told me everything went fine and that Buffy was a sweet dog. I left feeling very good about the facility.
Then Friday happened.
A different employee, Elizabeth, was working. The atmosphere immediately felt different. She didn't warmly greet me or Buffy. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt--it was Friday, after all.
As we went through Buffy's food, I also had treats for her. Elizabeth told me they could only feed dogs during scheduled feeding times. I explained these weren't a meal, just treats, but I accepted that they had their rules.
Buffy is trained and wears a correction collar. I was then told she could not wear it there and that I would either have to drive home for a different collar or purchase one from them. At this point, I was starting to wonder if they really wanted Buffy there, but I tried not to read too much into it.
Then another dog, whom I'll call "P," arrived. P and Buffy barked at each other. To me, this was normal excited dog behavior. P's owner didn't seem concerned and even stopped to pet Buffy. Elizabeth, however, reacted as though Buffy had done something seriously wrong.
She then brought out her own small dog to see how Buffy would react. Buffy simply sniffed and walked around her. The small dog began barking at Buffy, and Elizabeth said, "Oh, she's just setting boundaries."
That was interesting to me. When her dog barked, it was "setting boundaries," but when Buffy barked, it seemed to be a problem.
Elizabeth then took Buffy to the back with larger dogs. Again, Buffy and another dog walked around each other and barked. Elizabeth immediately brought Buffy back out and told me maybe she was just excited that day, but they couldn't have her there. She offered a refund and suggested I try their West Baltimore location instead.
If Buffy's temperament was genuinely unsuitable for Parkwood, I can respect their decision. What I couldn't understand was why she passed the temperament test the day before, why I was told she was a sweet dog, and then suddenly wasn't welcome the next morning. And if her behavior was truly the issue, suggesting another location within the same company didn't make much sense to me.
I asked for my refund and left. I was told it would take 3-5 days.
As I was leaving, I saw other dogs arriving who were also barking and getting excited. Dogs bark. Dogs get excited. That's normal. What bothered me was the apparent difference in how that behavior was interpreted when it came from Buffy.
At first, I thought perhaps I had simply encountered a staff member who wasn't a good fit for us. I later learned Elizabeth is the owner, which honestly changed my perspective.
I'm simply sharing my experience as a paying customer and dog owner. I also tried to share this on Google, but reviews are currently disabled. Interesting.
Buffy has been boarded and trained at Downtown Dog Resort in Locust Point for about two years. They know her, work with her, treat her like family, and she gets excited before we even get off the 95 exit because she knows where she's going. She boards frequently, swims there, and always comes home happy, clean, and exhausted.
I made the mistake of thinking a newer, closer facility would be worth trying.
It wasn't.
Not every dog daycare and boarding facility is created equal. I learned that lesson the hard way.
So, consider this my apology to Downtown Dog Resort for ever thinking I could find the same level of care simply by going somewhere closer.
If you want a place that genuinely knows your dog, treats them like family, and makes them excited to walk through the door, I personally recommend Downtown Dog Resort in Locust Point.
Buffy and I will happily make the drive.
