My husband and I LOVE Dogwood Cottage - but most importantly, our dog Reggie LOVE LOVE LOVES it. :) In fact, we love it so much that we take him for occasional daycare and whenever we need boarding all the way up to Melrose from our home in Roxbury. We have a beyond-wonderful dogwalker who takes him with other dogs for daily jaunts in the woods, but we needed a day care that could take him on days when the cleaning folks come and for boarding, since he's a big, high-energy dog who needs a lot of stimulation and is really too much work to foist upon friends. We were a little gunshy coming to Dogwood because we had a less-than-great experience with a local doggie day care, but Dogwood quickly eased our fears. The staff is wonderful - Reggie runs right to them without so much as a look over his little doggie shoulder when I drop him off. He always comes home tuckered out, and even after somewhat lengthy boarding stays, he never displays any "bad habits." If anything, he actually seems a little bit better behaved after his stays at Dogwood! The staff is great with humans, too - they're always flexible and responsive, and have consistently accommodated every request they can. I'm a mildly obsessive dog mom, and I'll be forever grateful that we have a place where we feel comfortable leaving Reggie when we have to go out of town. In addition to the outdoor play area, they also offer half-hour and hourlong walks, which make me feel so much better about leaving him. He's so comfortable there, I really get the sense that it's more of a second home for him and less of a boarding situation. Some commenters have said it's pricey, but I have to disagree; the value I get from the excellent care and peace of mind far exceeds the price tag. Thanks, Dogwood! read more

We really want to like this place - but unfortunately cannot. We used to bring our dog here regularly (when under former ownership). But ever since the transition a few years ago to Riverdog, we've seen it steadily decline. While the staff are friendly (hence two stars) the place is absolutely filthy. You just need to walk in to know what I'm talking about. The place smells terrible and there is dog hair literally everywhere - piles and clumps of it. I'm not sure when the last time was that someone vacuumed the main area (maybe never??) We've tried bringing this issue up with management several times, and while they have nodded politely, nothing has been done. While I'm not a fan of publicly posting, I'm hoping that maybe this kicks things into gear? If you want a much better option for a comparable price, we now send our dog to CommonDog in Everett. The facility is immaculate (lobby is gorgeous, cameras allow you to log in and watch your pup play all day, and the staff are amazing). It's a bit further, but luckily on the way to work (for anyone working in Boston). Until Riverdog improves, we would recommend Common Dog as a far superior alternative! And if Riverdog gets better, I'll be the first to update this post - as we would really love to have a good dog daycare in the Melrose area! read more

Dogwood Cottage took care of our wonderful Pug Ernie for 6 years and now cares for Puck our new fur friend. The Dogwood staff is wonderful, competent and caring - from Shannon who drives "The Bus", to Annie at the front desk and Carl who Puck clearly has a crush on. Puck is always excited to go (3-days a week) and exhausted when he gets home -- thank goodness as he needs to burn up that puppy energy. I highly recommend Dogwood as a daycare for your fur friend, especially when working remotely and you need time away from your "housemate" to actually work. Your dog will thank you!!!! read more

Dogwood Cottage - Puck, Boston MA - Pet Groomers Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

My neighbor's dog escaped from Dogwood at 8am in the morning and they didn't contact her until 11:30, and then didn't help with the search. Absolutely no chance I would consider sending my dog here. read more

I absolutely DO NOT recommend Dogwood Cottage, or any of the Riverdog locations for that matter. I had a NIGHTMARE of an experience with them - please DO NOT take your dog here! My dog escaped from an opening in the fenced-in backyard at Dogwood Cottage early on Monday morning (9/13/21) and I was not contacted by the daycare for 3 HOURS after he went missing. I found out that my dog was missing/running around town frantically via a Melrose, MA Community Facebook post and not by the daycare that I had trusted to care for my dog. This alone is completely unacceptable and unfathomable! After speaking with the Chief of Staff at Dogwood Cottage, I was told that the 3 staff members on site that morning did not see my dog escape (there was NO ONE watching the dogs at the time) and only realized he was missing 2 hours later when a headcount was done. I was not even contacted after headcount was done as none of the staff members on site felt comfortable picking up the phone to tell me that my dog was missing. Rather, they waited another ~hour until a manager arrived on site who then called and told me that my dog was lost. Dogwood Cottage is definitely not up to the standards that they advertise and they are understaffed (the staff aren't even WATCHING THE DOGS)! Communication amongst staff and clientele is also an enormous issue and in the business of caring for someone's pet, communication is key ESPECIALLY in the event of an emergency. I still cannot believe that I was not called immediately when my dog went missing. This resulted in additional hours of tears, worry, anguish and frantically searching all over Melrose and the surrounding towns for him. I did find my dog ~30 hours later thanks to the city of Melrose workers (mailmen, police officers and department of public works) and I am lucky he is home and safe, but I am EXTREMELY upset with the way this daycare is operating. It is disgustingly negligent, irresponsible and frankly I do not understand how they are in business. On top of all of this, the owner of Riverdog has not reached out to me once to apologize. I find this VERY odd. As an owner/CEO of a small business, I would be making every attempt to reach out to my customer to acknowledge the incident. Save yourself the trouble and take your dog to ANY OTHER day care other than Dogwood Cottage or Riverdog. read more

This place looks small but seems to carry a big ego. If you're not already a prospect here, they will refuse care for your dog. I had been referred here to have assistance clipping my small (beagle mix) dog's nails and flush his ears out, but was told "we only do do clippings for current customers here." Never have I EVER heard such a simple remark show how much someone doesn't care about your dog. I gave two stars because the only thing I can assume they were being was honest, which in this case is a shame. read more

I love Dogwood Cottage! My fiancé and I had tried out a few different daycares with no luck. When we tried Dogwood Cottage we knew right away that we liked it. My dog Josie gets so excited the second we turn onto the street and pulls me through the door. Everyone that works there is so nice. My fiancé and I moved to a new town this year and I drive 20 minutes out of the way just to continue going here because I truly trust them with my baby. :) read more

I've been sending my 5 month old puppy Tito here for a few months now and they have been so amazing! Everyone who works there is super friendly and you can tell they truly care about all the fur babies they watch. Recently my little guy had to be picked up because they saw that he was a little more tired than usual and seemed off, I picked him up and they checked in to see how he was doing a few hours after taking him home. Even today they emailed me saying that he seems so much better today! I was super appreciative of how much they care especially because I am a crazy dog mom! I would recommend this place to everyone! read more

Dogwood Cottage - Pet Groomers Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

Our dog Teddy loves going to Dogwood Cottage! He has a fun day and we get a quiet house! Win win! He comes home tired so I know he's been running and playin fall day. The staff knows each dog individually and even post pics of them on Instagram! We Dogwood! read more

STAY AWAY. Looks nice and fancy, but things aren't always what they seem. Was wondering why our dog wasn't excited to go here until I saw him in a photo they posted on social media. Other dogs looked cute and happy and then I noticed in the back of one of the photos our dog was chained to a pole while other dogs were free to roam, sniff and play around him. Our dog has NEVER had behavioral issues and if he was having them at Dogwood, they should have alerted us. We have since moved to a MUCH better facility who treats our dog like family. Dogwood, do better. read more

For the past year, Dogwood Cottage was my go-to place for my ancient yet spry little black Labrador, Miss Wade. Lindsey is amazing. You can tell that she cares for each and every one of the dogs that boards with her, and that's exactly what you want when you're trusting someone to take care of your pup. Wade LOVED Lindsey and was visibly happier and more relaxed after her time at Dogwood than she'd been at any other boarding facility over a lifetime of trying out different kennels. And Dogwood made things so easy by having super convenient drop off and pick up points in Beacon Hill--they'll even drop off or pick up the dog right from your apartment. It was so great to come home from a trip and find a clean and happy dog waiting at home! The prices are more than fair for such a nice facility with such great amenities. When Wade was diagnosed with cancer, Lindsey was so kind, not just to Wade, but also to me. Her care and concern for Wade was so apparent, and made the final days so much easier for all of us. Even after Wade had passed, Lindsey sent a card of sympathy--how sweet was that? As soon as we get a new dog, Dogwood will once again be our go-to place. We are huge fans, and Wade is a huge fan from heaven! read more

We've been sending our golden doodle to Dogwood for about a year and a half now and we have nothing but wonderful things to say. Staff are friendly and our dog always comes home happy and tired after a day at "school". Their boarding program is top notch as well. We leave for vacations knowing that our dog will be playing all day, won't be in a cage, and is well taken care of. Can't think of bringing our dog anywhere else. read more

Our pup has gone to daycare for years at Dogwood via their shuttle bus from Beacon Hill. The staff is amazing, very attentive to the dogs and offer updates on their facebook page. Our pup is always excited to ride the bus in the AM for daycare and always exhausted upon returning. The owners clearly care about keeping the dogs happy and safe. read more

"Things are not always what they seem." I would like to review Dogwood Cottage based on this quote and tell you our (husband and wife) three-year adventure with our Portuguese Water Dog, Darwin at Dogwood Cottage. Darwin is a four-year-old PWD; full of love, fun, energy, and anxiety. We sent him to Dogwood for daycare twice a week for the last three years, ever since he was one. What's not to like? The owners seemed nice, people who worked there appeared to be happy, and our dog comes home every time exhausted. However, we did notice there was a really high employee turnover rate the past couple of years. That should have been a larger "red flag" than we personally allowed it to be. Why do the employees keep leaving? How does this ultimately correlate with how our dogs are being treated and handled? Up until this past September we had a great relationship with the staff and owners of Dogwood Cottage. Upon every pick-up and drop-off we were told Darwin was great and everyone appeared to be happy to see him. At this past September's Melrose Victorian Fair we stopped by the Dogwood Cottage booth and were once again told how great Darwin has been. Literally, a few days later, we get a call from the owner, "Darwin has been super anxious, not listening to commands and policing other dogs for a while (as in several weeks), he needs to take a break from here." No amount of shock can describe what we heard. Why weren't we told this earlier? Why have we been misled and essentially lied to for the past several weeks when telling us that our dog has been great? Is this how all long time customers are treated? Per the owner, "We try to manage and train the dogs here, so we don't tell the owners." We highly disagree with this policy as it does not allow the owner the opportunity to address and fix the situation until it is too late. Until the dog has been kicked out of daycare. We have since learned on average, only 2 employees are assigned to the "large dog room" which is continuously booked to full capacity of 25 large dogs. That is one person to 12.5 large dogs. We have consulted with multiple professional dog trainers since this incident and they have all agreed that is too many dogs to one person. And sadly, the employees of Dogwood Cottage are not trained dog care professionals. It is no wonder some of them leave and why some issues do arise with dogs like ours. It makes their "don't tell the parents their dog is misbehaving while we manage it until it's too late" policy even worse. What about all the stellar five star reviews? Well, we sent Darwin there happily for three years and if this incident didn't happen, we wouldn't have known the truth. In hindsight, we realize now there was/is no way for a dog owner to truly know or see what is going on behind closed doors. Owners are only allowed in the front lobby. There is zero visibility into the back play yards and no cameras. Dogwood does post pictures online but like all pictures one can pick and choose what one wants to show. While our dog came home exhausted and physically in the same shape as we left him, we will never know if he was mentally treated well. My advice is buyers be aware. If your dog is perfectly behaved, low stress in large group situations without trained personnel and less than the adequate amount of people caring for the amount of dogs present, you can consider taking your dog there. But if you would like to have at least one trained person per 5-8 dogs, people knowing how to deal with dogs with high energy, anxiety, and stress in group play, not withholding information about your dog, you should not come here. We will never return and will warn all others. Lastly, as an update. We have gotten professional dog training for Darwin to address his anxiety. Within three sessions he is a completely different (in a good and improved way) dog. If we would have been told about his "policing" tendencies we could have nipped that in the bud quickly and not be in this current situation. read more

We had some real challenges with Dogwood Cottage. They are definitely popular but I attribute this more to the growing population in Melrose and the relative lack of competition. Our experience with Dogwood was frustrating, we were often misled and given contradictory messages - they are about growing their business first and foremost and actual care for the dogs second. Our dog was singled out because he is high energy and could be easily replaced by one of the multiple dogs on their waiting list. They have no fear of consequences because there is too much demand. We were given promises of frequent communication only to be told our dog was not welcome any longer because they are growing too fast (my opinion - understaffed and unwilling to hire the proper amount of resources needed). Do not count on this place period - our family is dealing with serious medical issues and they didn't seem to care one bit that something could matter more than the bottom line. Our dog was booted despite not having been there in weeks. read more

Our dog Maisie has been going to Dogwood since she was 4 months old and now she is almost 6. When younger, Maisie(a rescue) had some behavioral issues due to pre-adoption trauma. The staff was always encouraging and helpful and worked with Maisie and me. Now that she is a settled adult dog we continue to bring Maisie to daycare to keep her stimulated and social. read more

Dogwood is the only place my dog goes to board (female yellow lab). Pre-covid, she also did daycare there a few days each week. She's a "people" dog... she tolerates the other dogs but really loves being with people more. The staff at Dogwood get this, and always allow her some quality time with the staff in addition to playing with the dogs! As a long time client, I also appreciate the flexibility Dogwood has given me. One summer my dog was set to board for 5 days while we were on vacation, and our plans changed quickly. I stopped in on a Saturday morning to see if it was possible for her to come a few days early (like, could I drop her off in 2 hours). And without batting an eye they agreed. read more

If you can avoid going here, for your sake and your dog's sake, do so. I sent my dog here since she was a puppy until now (a year) and she has never had any issues or shown any signs of aggression ever. She ran at a dog to play with it and the workers claim she bit the other dog, when in the slowed-down video I was shown, she barely seemed to have made contact with the other dog. Then they said that 30 minutes after that they noticed a cut on the dog and that dog needed to get stitches. My question is if it was that deep of a cut that the other dog needed stitches how did they not notice that sooner if it was "caused by my dog" 30 minutes prior? (seems neglectful). Then they tried guilting me into paying for this owner's vet bill, which I gladly would do if there was actual evidence that my dog caused this, and mind you I was told multiple times that giving money towards it was optional, and they have no idea what my financial situation looks like. ALSO they didn't notify me of this "situation" until 24 hours after it occurred. Then I proceeded to ask if they had insurance for these kinds of things (accidents are bound to happen in a room full of dogs at some point) and the manager told me they did not have insurance, which seems illegal and is a huge red flag and if I would have known this prior to having my dog attend, I would have never sent her there. Thankfully I have pet insurance of my own in case something ever did happen to my dog(which I think everyone should have when attending daycare or the dog park especially). The employee turnover rate there was insane also, I felt like I was meeting a new worker every time I picked my dog up, which should've been a red flag also but I didn't think twice about it until now. The way they handled this situation was extremely unprofessional and it makes me feel uneasy that I ever left my dog here. Not to mention that there seems to be 20+ dogs in the room with one worker present in the video, one person cannot thoroughly keep their eye on 20+ dogs at one time and I'm thankful nothing happened to my dog while she went here. It also costs $38 for a full day of daycare which is very pricey to be sending your dog to a place where they're not being watched carefully, there are new employees all the time (for those with dogs who don't like new people take caution), and for them to not have insurance on top of that. Do the research and get opinions from others on where to send your dogs for daycare, because before going here 2 different people said they didn't think it was great, but I wanted to have the option to board my dog at the same place she went to daycare so it was familiar to her, trust me that is not worth it. Also to add, while my dog was going here another dog escaped out of their yard and got lost, thankfully it was found, but clearly, there is some sort of negligence happening here. read more

I would not recommend Dogwood cottage. When I moved to the stoneham area, I was looking for a great doggy day care where my boxer would be able to enjoy his exercise and be in a safe environment. There were 3 incidents with these two other boxers who are brothers and not friendly with other dogs. They are there 5 days a week and go for walks hikes etc but can't be with the other dogs. The facility is small for too many dogs to be playing outside...and it is not safe to have 1 handler with 20 dogs in one room. My boxer was bitten by one of the unfriendly boxers and had to bring otis to get staples. Dogwood did not want to take any responsibility or pay the vet bill, since the dogs were not being supervised by other handles. ONE handler can't handle too many dogs in one room. They told me when and if the other dogs leave their day-care that's when we can come back. Well, that's when I decided to take my business else where. OH before I forget these two boxers had an issue with my boxer in two separate occasions. when it happened the second time, i asked the owner. Do you think I should just take my dog else where? and their answer was: no, you shouldn't do that, we have our staff on duty watch for anything un-usual. Mind you my dog did not start any fights.. Think the place is over priced and too small. This happened 2.5 yrs ago and we are very happy to take our business else where in Saugus. One of the best facilities that provide safety for your pet. read more

We had such anxiety with finding a new dog boarder after coming from the most amazing woman in California. Since, we've moved to the Boston area and needed to find someone else. We were heading to a wedding the second weekend since moving here and I relied SOLELY on Yelp! to the find the right place. (Thank you, Yelpers!) Knowing they are a bit of a drive from me, I really didn't care. My dogs have NEVER been caged and never will. Dogwood is completely cage-free and even gives them their own room to sleep. My two Great Pyrenees enjoyed being here, and were apparently such sweethearts and were even told, "I wish every dog were like them!" Such a compliment, though I already knew that. ;) They're little angels! We even got a call on the second day from Lindsey to tell us they were doing great. I love the attention they gave our dogs. It makes me feel good to leave them with people who also consider their dogs as a family member. read more

Dogwood Cottage is amazing! The facility is clean and the staff super friendly. Our dog (border collie/black lab mix) adores Heidi and Lindsey, and loves this doggie day care. As an ower, I appreciate that the dogs do not get caged at all and free to play all day. I like the indoor/outdoor concept, and the fact that they divide the dogs by small and large. Our dog always goes with the large group, since she is super active. She is a medium size dog. My parents started sending their medium size dog to Dogwood as well, and she goes between the large and small group, depending on her mood. Our dog comes home exhausted and happy! She walks on the treadmill when she is there, and we feel like we can talk to the owners hoenstly without fear of reprecussion. For example, when we first started going, our puppy came home exhausted. After about 6-8 months, she wasn't tired anymore. We inquired, and they happily said that they will start putting her on the treadmill to help tire her more. We started with one treadmill walk, then went to two, and on some days, if she has extra energy, she walk three times! (this is after our morning walk of 3-miles, too!) We know she has had a great day when she comes out panting and groddy! But there is nothing like a tired puppy! We love you Dogwood. We also love that they post picture on facebook. read more

I cannot say enough about Dogwood Cottage and the staff. Here is my story. My boyfriend and I got a gorgeous chocolate lab puppy last year. He came to our home in January of 2009 when he was just 7 weeks old. We took care of him through his puppy stage, but his high energy level made it apparent that he would need to go to daycare a few days a week once he got a bit older. We searched around Boston, but were very hesitant about someone else taking care of our dog all day. To be honest, I did not want my puppy to go at first! My boyfriend works from home so I thought he could just care for the dog during the day and we could continue to be super protective dog owners. However, my boyfriend went to Dogwood, filled out the paperwork and toured the facility. He described the clean and remodeled building, the legitimate play area and the knowledgeable owner. I was beginning to feel better about it, but was still not convinced. Shortly thereafter, the Dogwood van came to pick up my chocolate man! Lindsey was so friendly and immediately connected with my dog, Leroy. Every time she picked him up or dropped him off, she would report on what he was up to that day. I loved knowing that someone cared so much about Leroy and paid that much attention to him! Not only were my concerns put to rest, but Leroy absolutely LOVES it at Dogwood. This is clear by the way he tackles Lindsey when she arrives in the morning and by the way he is completely tuckered out every evening after his time at daycare. Apart from daycare, the people at Dogwood have really gone above and beyond for Leroy's development. For example, they pay attention to his behavior so they know when he is chewing more than normal. When this happened, Lindsey offered to pick up toys she thought would be best for a dog of his breed, age and temperament. This was most helpful for busy people like us! Since we (and Leroy) were so comfortable with the daycare at Dogwood, we had no problem boarding him when we went on vacation. Although we missed him, it was nice to think of Leroy in a familiar place. In addition to these services, we have scheduled two grooming appointments for Leroy so far at Dogwood. Maddy, the groomer, is absolutely wonderful and did a fabulous job on our dog. If you are considering Dogwood Cottage, please feel free to message me with any questions. We are extremely happy with the services here. read more

I moved to Boston without a good sense of where to send my dog for grooming or daycare. He has been to several groomers and daycares throughout our travels and nowhere compares to Dogwood, especially because of Heidi and her staff. Even when I've had to cancel on short notice or missed the van at the stop, the staff was understanding and friendly. The van came back for me! I have never been to Dogwood in person but Heidi and her staff remember both my dog and I despite only going every few months for daycare and grooming. Heidi also personally calls after grooming to make sure you like the cut and that you are happy with everything. I am a young professional and find the prices are very reasonable for the services being provided. I cannot say enough good things about this place. read more

Dogwood is the best dog daycare & boarding business we've found. We live close by and my dog is always dragging me to their door which is the best evidence that they treat the dogs well. All the staff members love dogs and Heidi is clearly very experienced in all things canine. They are very well organized as well and billing is always accurate which I appreciate. Now, they are often very busy and can be expensive for boarding but you get total peace of mind when you drop your dog off at Dogwood. Strongly recommended. read more

Doggy daycare is great, my dog comes home exhausted. All employees are very nice and professional.

Love, love, love this place! Very professional. The staff is always accommodating and pleasant to talk to. I have a 14 month old English Bull Dog named Winston. He has been going there since he was a puppy. He is mostly home with me as I work from home, but now and again I drop him off at Dogwood Cottage for some social stimulation. Winston is a ball of fluff and they understand him well and make sure that he interacts with the right group of dogs. More importantly they know about Bull Dog behavior and their sometime special needs which leaves me with a very rested mind as I walk out the door. You know at the end of the day when you pick up your dog and his is happy, content and a little tired, he was in good hands. Winston is looking forward to his next visit:D read more

Dogwood Cottage - Winston 12 months - Pet Groomers Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

Being a dog owner for as long as I have you get to know places that provide care and grooming for your pet. Appearance is a very big item on my list. Usually you walk in and have to wait in a room and you can smell the pups, or see hair in spots, or scratches on the walls. When i walked into Dogwood i thought i was walking into a spa, for my dogs. The service is great, the girls love what they do there and my pups always come back tired, a huge plus, and well groomed. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for NICE place for their pups!! read more

Dogwood is like CHEERS for dogs--an intimate, friendly and safe setting where the staff not only knows the names of all the dogs that come through the door, but also actually spends time with them, learning their temperaments and tendencies. From previous experiences at other doggie day-cares in the Boston area, such personal attention is frequently overlooked. After shopping around over the last year for a trusted and reliable daycare facility, I have finally found it with Dogwood. Any dog owner in the Boston area who has faced similar frustrations, give Dogwood a try...you will not be disappointed! read more

I signed up for yelp because i really felt like this place deserved a review detailing their grooming service. I've since updated my review since my bad experience with them. Here is my orginal review. At the end ill give you my update. i live down the street from four preppy paws and they gave me a business card for this place. I looked at their website and found out they pick up my dog, groom her, then drop her off. let me start out by saying that since i've moved to boston i've tried four groomers in the area (not pawsh but other groomers) and their cuts have been horrible. some of these groomers get great reviews and sure the groomers are nice people, but really, the cuts are not the best. so, i didn't let my hopes get too high with this place, either. the van came to pick my dog up at 8am and the driver was early (great start since i'm always early, too). the groomer called to discuss the cut i wanted. i had hopes to get a complicated show cut and have my dog de-matted (my dog was KNOTTED like crazy) but the groomer assured me that "with a little elbow grease" (how cute is that, by the way) she could do it. I was delighted and surprised! She called me around 3:30, told me my dog did great and that she was getting free doggie day care until the bus home. I go out to pick my dog up from the van at 5:20 and the driver is early again! He gets my dog for me and she looks great. And not my expectations were low so anything above horrible is great, she really looked like a show dog. i'm at home now inspecting the job this groomer did and everything is flawless. her nails are short enough but not too short, her ears are perfectly trimmed and plucked, her sanitary is perfect, not one knick, cut or abrasion on my dog's skin and everything is in proportion and even. i'm a sculptor so i notice these things. you'd think most groomers would have a sculptor's eye, since they are pretty much sculpting dogs (in addition to dealing with a wiggling, nipping medium) but most don't seem to notice that when they shave my dog and leave all the hair on her head long, she looks like a plucked chicken. yeah, that's happened. so, i will recommend this place to everyone i know. finally, a good groomer for bostonians! and, my dog came home happy and relaxed. UPDATE When my dog was done being groomed, the lady called to tell me my dog was ready. I asked what I owed, she told me. Just to double check I asked her if that also included my dog's transportation and she said yes. I told them to add 20 percent for tip and charge my card. When I looked at the charge on my bill it was WAY more than the total with tip I told them to charge my card. I called to explain this to her and she told me the extra charge was because my dog was very tangled. I told her I understand that there may be upcharges, but that I was told a completely different final total when picking my dog up. I told her that if someone misquoted me, I needed to be told in advance to charging my card whatever extra they felt I owed.I won't get into further detail of our conversation, but Heidi was not polite, blamed me for HER mistake and I won't be back. I don't mind upcharges, or even mistakes in pricing but I need to know the REAL total before you charge my card AND you ned to contact me before charging me more than I okayed. AND if you do make this mistake, at least admit it and apologize instead of arguing about it and attempting to blame me. A business can't just decide to charge me whatever they want after they've given me a total. That is not a reasonable business practice, as many readers likely already know. I'll never be back. read more

This is the absolute worst place to send your dog! At first I thought it was great. The owners seemed real friendly, but a lot of the staff are totally clueless and they don't even seem to care about the dogs! I know of dogs that have been kicked so the staff member would appear to be what they call the "pack leader." There are normally only two employees in the large dog room which holds between 20 and 30 dogs. That's roughly 10 to 15 dogs for ONE person. Personally I don't see that safe. The large dog room is actually a sealed garage which is absolutely freezing in the winter! I heard one employee brought in their own heater so that the dogs could keep warm - yet they are subject to the cold rubber on the floor! Also you aren't allowed past the lobby door when dropping off or picking up your dogs. A staff member will come out, take your dog, make them sit and that's the last you see. I have been informed too that if you board your dog here overnight, they are not given water past 5:30 PM so they won't have to go to the bathroom during the night! Not for nothing, but I have water out for my dog all night long. Also, there are no lights left on for them at the end of the night. So they are in a strange place without their humans, freak out and are left alone in the dark. They claim somebody is there 24 hours a day seven days a week and this is the kind of treatment the dogs receive? I also hear the employee turnover rate is insane! I actually looked into it and it's true. If you look at indeed or other job search engines you'll see constant requests for new staff. I have also heard it from actual employees as well. After experiencing the "service" this place "provides" and the horrific things I have learned from other people who have boarded here - I will NEVER board my dog ANYWHERE ever again! Stay clear of this place if you love your dog. I wish I could give a NEGATIVE RATING! read more

After a bad experience at Doggy Day Care in Boston, we were reluctant to send our pup to another Day Care, BUT, this is not just another Day Care. The staff and owners are FABULOUS! They genuinely care about my dog. We board him at Dogwood when we are away and he's sooooo happy! He actually mopes around the house on his off days from Dogwood. We are so happy to have found such a great place! read more

Dogwood is aboslutely the best! Everyone is so nice and my dog loves it there. When my first dog passed away, Lindsey helped me find Clive. I just came back from nearly a 2 week vacation and I knew my little boy was in very good hands- A few months ago, Clive and I bumped into Lindsey in the South End and Clive was so excited to see her which says a lot to me. I feel very fortunate to have found Dogwood. Clive comes home tired but happy. I give Dogwood a lot of credit for making his transition from the Animal Rescue League to my home an amazing experience. read more

This place is the cutest!! If you have a dog you've been to the other places that smell terrible and look awful... you know the sort where your nose itches the minute you walk in the door. Look no further, this place is adorable and above all it's clean! The owners are as nice as the facility is charming. We love it.. your dog will too! read more

This place is the best! Lindsey and Heidi were recommended to me when I came in from out of town. I felt so confident leaving my dog at Dogwood Cottage for a few days. The facility is amazing and the people who run it are awesome! I wish there was a place like this is NYC, it's unlike any doggy daycare/grooming spa I've ever seen. read more

Great spot! Highly recommend. Fantastic, very clean, happy, doggie day care / grooming spa. Dogwood Cottage is a definitely a cut above other doggie day care spots I've used over the past several years. Lindsey and Heidi (from Four Preppy Paws on Beacon Hill) have created a state-of-the-art facility where the dogs play in a very clean, safe and fun!!! environment. Zelda gets lots of individual attention and structure -- play & rest. It's all about the dogs! Maddie does a beautiful job grooming. Very convenient with pick-up and drop off @ 4 Preppy Paws. Thanks! read more

Dogwood Cottage is one of the nicest, most reliable doggie day cares I have ever experienced. The facility is extremely impressive and includes several different rooms for the dogs to play in depending upon their size and energy level. The owners are very knowledgeable about dogs and have given us recommendations for trainers in the area to help us with our very energetic boxer. Dogwood Cottage is not just another day care for your dog. You will feel good about leaving your dog there because you will not have to worry about the love that your pup is receiving while at the doggie spa. 5 thumbs up!!!! read more