I have been bringing my 4 y.o. Havapoo to Happy Paws ever since he was 4 months old. I have been so happy with the care and attention and training he has received. All the staff (Jada, Jordan, Manny) have been great, but John Erickson has been exceptional. He is a terrific trainer and always has good suggestions on how to deal with anything that arises. I recommend Stephanie and her crew very highly! read more

We love Happy Paws. They are very serious about safety and training, and we have learned so much from them on how to best train her. Our dog leaps from the car when we are going to drop her off. Always great to work with and clean. Our dog comes home exhausted from all of the fun running around all day. Very professional team and I recommend them to everyone I know. read more

My dog has been coming to Happy Paws for daycare and boarding since she was six months old. She's now 8. We trust them implicitly with her care and are incredibly grateful to have found them. Without fail, our dog pulls to go in the door and barely contains her excitement at being there. Stefanie and her team are extraordinary, our dog loves them and so do we. read more

This place is terrible. Paid for a month and kept my dog there for 1 day. Don't take my word for it, just look on the cameras while your dog is there. No walks. ( I was told by the owner it wasn't worth it because the dogs just come inside and pee and poop. Which leads me to the smell. Your dog will. I'm whole smelling like toxic cleaning fluid that they are breathing in all day as the attendants continuously mop up the messes of 30 plus dogs all day! I have since found other places that cost less and exercise and treat your dog well! read more

My (and I) dog needed some help with some training--come and leave it. He worked with John Erickson for 1 hour, which provided a framework. John explained to me how to consistently reinforce what he had worked on --- and my dog now comes whenever he's called and immediately leaves objects (when asked to do so). John is very knowledgable, calm and clearly loves dogs and training them. I highly recommend him!! read more

When I provided my feedback the owner was really rude and disrespectful. Based on my experience, I agree with the comments related about the owners behavior read more

I really appreciate that this place is a daycare, boarding, and training (Puptagon) all in one. The trainer John, who is also at the daycare, is the definition of going above and beyond. He always made himself available for questions via text or phone. As a first time dog owner, it was such a relief knowing my dog (and I) were in great hands. read more

My family and I have been bringing our dogs to Happy Paws for six years. My one dog boards there when we leave the country for trips and attends daycare, and my other dog goes to daycare multiple times a week and has also trained at Puptagon. This is my only Yelp review, as I don't usually sit down and write these. I have never once experienced an issue with the service and the people at Happy Paws. I have had many interactions with both Stefanie and Devin, all pleasant. I have had many interactions with multiple employees, all pleasant. My dogs have always come home happy, unharmed, tired out, and are always BEGGING to go inside and play whenever I bring them back. By begging, I mean they run up to the door and jump on it to get inside. It is really hard to find a company to fully trust with your babies, especially at a daycare where dogs are bound to play too rough or be overexcited or not always get along. I 100% fully trust Stefanie and Devin and the rest of the employees at Happy Paws to watch out for my two dogs and ensure that every dog is playing safely and in a way where every dog feels comfortable. I wanted to add that I saw a review that the facility is not clean. From my six years providing business to this company, I have never once experienced that. My dogs have always come home smelling nice! I even once asked what they use on my pups, and Stefanie showed me the brand of dog wipes. I promptly bought them online to use on my pups at home. In addition, I've spent a lot of time watching my pups on the webcam (which is awesome!) when I send them there. I always see the employees promptly cleaning up if the dogs make a mess on the floor. They never leave urine or poop on the ground, and they ensure the other dogs do not get messy while they clean it up. I would say that Happy Paws has never appeared unclean to me. I cannot recommend Happy Paws enough. THANK YOU Stefanie and Devin for watching my two dogs with affection, patience, and kindness. read more

Our dog loves Stefanie and Happy Paws! She is always excited to go there (she is literally jumping up on their door with her tail wagging a mile a minute when we drop her off) and happy (and exhausted!) when she comes home. We know that she will be well looked after when she goes to "camp" at Happy Paws. During Happy Paws' reduced hours during the pandemic, we tried a couple other places, and our Labrador didn't seem to have as good of a time. Their webcam is a big plus, too. Though, I warn you, if you watch it at work, you could lose hours! read more

I don't usually leave reviews , but this Happy Paws on Wisc Ave is just fantastic as a doggy day care play spot. When I got my puppy a year or so ago, I went to look at a few doggy day cares around town, and was really surprised at how poor several of them were: dark, unfriendly staff, and no place I'd want to leave my dog. So when I found this Happy Paws, it was such a stark difference in how bright, clean, professional and friendly it is. My dog absolutely loves going there to play, and it is such a great great place to have nearby and am so glad I found it. And the staff is 100% always so happy & friendly every time and are so clearly so good with the dogs as well. read more

I csm5e here to buy some gifts to my friend on 4 (: And Mrs Devin N was very helpful! She have the knowledge about the animals! She to took the time to answer all my questions and even look online for me. Thank you Mrs Devine read more

Happy Paws - The store - Pet Training Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As other reviewers have noted, the owner, Stephanie, seems to have some serious issues. Or she expects every dog who comes in to be the perfect upper northwest not a curl out of place not a nervous bone in their body sort of pup. When we spoke by phone she made some semi-snarky comments about other customers, but I passed them off and went in for the temperament test expecting a good experience. After all, it's billed as a doggie country club with the price to match! Our 6-month old puppy is an incredibly sweet dog who's never been aggressive to any person or dog he's met. I mean, he greets the world with a wagging tail and enthusiastic lick. He was a little anxious when we arrived, never having been parted from our family aside from one trip to the groomer. Nothing out of the ordinary. I checked the webcam several times while we were apart (I was away about 45 minutes) and nothing strange was happening, mostly smelling other pups. Stephanie said she was worried, however. I suggested bringing him back for a few hours to help him get used to it; the place is right near my office and would be convenient. I brought him back a week or two later, and he did not want to go in the store, so I had to scoop him up to bring him in, not unlike you might do with a 2-year-old with separation anxiety at daycare dropoff. But...you still drop the kid off because otherwise how will they learn to be apart, and because there are wonderful loving teachers you know kid will adore?! Stephanie told me in a very nasty way that it seemed clear pup didn't want to be there and proceeded to say that I could "do what I wanted and leave him but if it were her she would take her cue from the dog." I almost thought she was joking, tbh, until she repeated it, deadly serious. And I realized -- she clearly didn't want to help my dog adjust to being there (even though I was about to pay her ridiculous prices), and that if I left him I could potentially imagine him being ignored or mistreated. And I was thankful to my pup for trying to tell me he did not want to be around her awful negative energy. We will never go near that place again. My lesson: if your pup is loving and loyal, and doesn't like Stephanie, listen to your pup. read more

As other have said, owner is rude and about the money. They do not closely monitor the dogs. Facility is not clean; my dog always came back smelling. If you have a choice do not take your dog here! read more

Terrific place for daycare, training, and boarding. Absolutely wonderful, skilled staff. We've been sending our exuberant dogs to Happy Paws for over a year, and we could not be happier with the care and training that they receive. Our dogs are transformed thanks to Happy Paws! read more

I have been taking all of my dogs to Happy Paws for probably 15 years and I could not say how wonderful they are. The place is spotless and the owner and staff love the dogs. It is wonderful to see that the owner, Stephanie, has a very dedicated staff who have been with her for many, many years. They all share a deep love for the dogs and take time to get to know them. I trust that when I drop off my dog, it will be in great care. My dogs have always loved it here. As soon as I park, they run to the door excited to go and have fun. Some people have commented that the owner is rude. Let me just say that she is running a business and once you get o know her, she is a lovely human being. It says a lot about her that the staff she has working for her has been there for a long long time which means a lot to me when I drop off my dog. I know the staff, they know me and they know my dog. I find her prices competitive, bug for me, it is about the exceptional care and the cleanliness of the place. I trust Happy Paws. read more

I have two small doggies and I like to get them groomed at the same time which is nice to have both of my dogs within a 4 hour period. Sometimes the cuts are great sometimes they lack any cuteness and precise cuts. Also they didn't trim the nails once and I didn't realize til I got home, so I always check that upon pickup. The front desk lady in the early mornings, I believe, is one of the owners.. She lacks people skills or maybe she doesn't like me or my dogs because she never greets me or them with a smile. She does however make sure that my dogs don't have an accident and make me walk my dogs before their appt because they were sniiffing the store out. (hmmm .,maybe they smelled other canines?) but I walked them just to please her and maybe get a smile or friendliness when I reentered the store. I mean, I walked and fed them when I got up.. But no, I was greeted by the same rudish woman that had no time for me but to say that I needed to bring my vaccination records next time. I offered to have them faxed, but the fax machine wasn't working.. So I should go get a copy and deliever. Well.,I its better than Petco or PetSmart.. but be weary of the lady in the AMs. I just try to kill her with kindness. maybe her life sucks having to get up at the break of dawn to let dogs in to her palace of happiness. read more

Happy Paws is fun for dogs, but dealing with the owner is stressful for humans! I took my dog to Happy Paws for doggy day care for about three years (about once a week). He loved it! He went there from about 2010 to 2012. However, Stephanie (the owner) is another story. When I had to move out of town on short notice in 2012, I had just purchased a large pack of doggy day care days (20 days). It cost about $600. I called Stephanie and explained the situation. I asked if I could trade in the 20-pack for a 10-pack since I would not be able to use more than a few days, if any, before we moved. She adamantly said NO. Stephanie said that she didn't care about my circumstances and that "no returns means no returns" (or similar words). I was shocked, since I'd been a loyal customer for going on four years and had spent (probably) thousands of dollars at her business. This cost me about $300 for day care days I was completely unable to use at all. She told me I could transfer them to another customer, but when I called (twice) to ask about how to do that, nobody could give me an answer and she never called back. This horrible final experience with Happy Paws is why I feel I must give the store only 2 stars out of 5. The other reason is that they are slack with their checking on pet vaccinations; They never contacted me when my dog's records needed to be updated. I would often bring in the updated records of my own volition, but they didn't ask, like many other stores do for pet records. Moral of the story: Enjoy their services if it's convenient for you, but be careful of crossing Stephanie; she has no sympathy for anyone and makes no exceptions for even the most loyal customers. Beware! read more

This place is great! It is clean and they go out of their way to accommodate owner's wishes. I took my puppy, Norman, here on the recommendation of a friend. She was four months old, and needed proof of her shot records. They called the vet for me, and when the vet messed up my records, called and called again to get everything straightened out so I could get to work. I was blown away by the care they put into getting me and my puppy enrolled. When I watched Norman on the web cam, one of the employees (whose name I have yet to learn) was in the room with the small dogs, lying on the floor letting them climb all over him and giving them hugs and pets. The dogs looked about as happy as they can be, and it is nice to know I am leaving my dog in a well regulated place where they will play with my puppy the same way that I do. I could not recommend this place more! read more

I love Happy Paws and so does my dog! We have used them frequently for daycare and once for overnight boarding. They are always patient and caring with my rambunctious pup, and very kind to me! So glad they are in our neighborhood, so it super convenient too. read more

Our two dogs stayed here for a couple days while we were on vacation in DC. The staff is amazing, super helpful and obviously love working with dogs. The small shop in the front is really cute and unique, offering harnesses and leashes you'd never find in a big mass pet store. We loved watching the dogs on the live video stream throughout the day on our phones or computers. It was great to know that the staff was interacting with them and that the dogs were having fun. I highly recommend Happy Paws for anyone who needs their dogs looked after by a caring and genuine group of people. read more

Ugh. Owner is horrible. Combative and rude. The dogs seem to just stand around waiting at the door.

We have been bringing our dog Muddy to Happy Paws for years. They have hosted him as a puppy to now an older dog and their love and care for him have been exceptional. We never have to worry because they treat him as their own dog. Especially now that he is older, their compassion and care are so appreciated. Stefanie called us while we were away and gave Muddy some of her own dog's medicine when what I provided was not enough. They monitor his food and coax him to make sure he eats properly. Each employee knows Muddy and I can't think of another place in the area where he is cared for so well. read more

As many others have noted, the owner (Stephanie) is very rude and unreasonable. I asked a question about one provision in the contract and she told me that in the 14 years she has been in business, no one had ever questioned the contract! That is clearly not true - there is a comment about the contract in these Yelp reviews. I would not want to leave my dog under the supervision of someone so quick to anger and so nasty. I saw nothing very happy about Happy Paws. read more

I discovered Happy Paws 6 months ago and I have loved this place since i first stepped in. The care, knowledge, positive energy and love given to our dog Milo has been inspiring and so comforting. Milo plays and socializes non stop all afternoon and comes home happy, healthy and ready to rest. Stephanie the owner and her amazing team Devin, Eric...to name a few, have truly been a life saver for me. Happy paws is so clean and they are so caring and also very flexible. I am so grateful that my puppy Milo and my family have them in our life. I would recommend happy paws to anyone looking for doggie daycare. Thank you Stephanie !! read more

My dog loves it here for daycare. He has so much fun with all his friends. The online streaming is great cause I can check in and see how he is, how he is being treated and how he gets along w the others. It's more expensive then I was used to, but the location, facility and the workers all make it worth it. read more

I applied for a job Happy Paws advertised on craigslist. I recievied a prompt email from them and got an interview for a few days later. I dressed in what is considered normal interview attire (a modest dress and flats) and was immediately shamed by the owner for it. I was told I could not see the bigger dogs since they would jump on me, despite my telling her that I had shorts on under the dress and I didn't care if it got ruined by the dogs. She still said no and said that I should have worn jeans (I think she should have told people to wear jeans if that's what she wanted.) So I agreed to continue and only see the small dog room, and sat down to fill out the application. While I was filling the application out, someone who was being interviewed before me was leaving and the owner made sure to comment on how smart this girl was for wearing jeans "unlike some people." I took maybe 5 minutes to fill the application out, yet while I was doing so, the owner felt is was necessary to sit next to me and point out that she likes her employees to work quickly. When I was finished, I was given a spray bottle and lead through the door to the small dog room by an employee. I was told to "spray the dogs who bark at you" which I don't agree with, and would not want done to my dog if they were staying there. They explained how to clean the floors when a dog went to the bathroom and introduced me to as many dogs as possible and how they handle them, before completely leaving me in the room alone! They said someone is suppose to stay in the room with the dogs at all time so I didn't dare leave but I found it amazing that they would leave a complete stranger alone with all their clients dogs. I could have done anything to them, even with the camera filming me! Someone finally came and said I could join them near the front desk, where I met with the owner again. I applied for the hours advertised on the ad but the owner wanted me to do completely different ones - she got angry when I said I couldn't but said she would contact me. The second I got home, I sent them an email saying I didn't want the job. Maybe it's in better shape now but this is not a place I would want to send my dog, or people I would want to interact with. I advise you to think twice before leaving your dog here, unless you're okay with it being sprayed in the face with water by people it doesn't know/trust. read more

Awful. I wish there was a way to give them NO stars. For one thing, the owner is incredibly rude and unkind and clearly does not like dogs. So why the hell is she running this business, then? Their "temperament test" is a joke so there is no way to know what sorts of dogs they are accepting. My sister and I brought her dog here several times. He is a REALLY friendly, happy, social boy who is not at all aggressive. However, she was told that she could no longer bring her dog (on the morning that she brought him in: they did not bother to contact her in advance). Reason given was that he "went after" a dog. When my sister asked for details, the rude owner said that he "growled and snarled." Now, anyone who has spent ANY time with dogs knows that growling and snarling are a normal part of play, and that is ALL he did. Furthermore, he came home incredibly anxious and upset every single time. He also came home with multiple scratches and even lacerations. I noticed on the video monitor that the people who work there are holding huge sticks of some kind, and we think they pushed her dog around with those huge sticks. This is NOT a safe place for your dog. read more

I haven't been to this store but I did peruse the website for the grooming before calling to make an appointment. Once I called, the phone was answered by a man and then taken away by a woman who sounded angry. I asked if I could make an appointment for a nail trim for my two dogs and she said there was nothing available today. I asked if I could make an appointment for later this week and she abruptly put me on hold. When she came back she said she doesn't have a groomer so she won't be able to get me in now our in the foreseeable future. When I asked about the grooming page on the website she lashed out on me and hung up the phone. This lady should not be working with potential clients. Her attitude had definitely turned me away from ever frequenting this place. read more

I have been looking for a groomer for my two dogs and noticed there were varied reviews for happy paws so I thought I should check it out. After attempting to book an appointment I have decided not to bring my dogs to this establishment. the staff I spoke with was extremely rude. Initially asked for my name, then my dogs...I was then placed on hold and hung up on. I called in again only to get no apology but a statement that "it was loud in the back." Once again asked for my name, my dog's name...once they realized I was a new client the staff then berated me for not saying I was new...she then handed me to another person and I heard her say "I can't deal with this, you do it." Once again, the same questions. After all the information I expressed concerns as I wasn't sure how they would do with other dogs (unfortunately my dogs were rescued from an environment with aggressive dogs)...they then stated that they are a cage free environment. As I was speaking with them I was reading multiple reviews I noticed concerns about rude staff and aggressive behaviors from other owners and decided after my experience I really didn't want my dogs around the staff. So I canceled the appointment and took my business elsewhere. What can I say, first impressions mean a lot and if you want new customers, customer service should be a priority. read more

i and others i know have had very bad experiences here. as far as i can tell, they don't interact with the dogs much (watch the video feed if it's up), nor do they create play groups according to activity level and temperament. the dogs basically run around an upstairs area (visible on camera) without play areas set out or jungle gyms or anything a good place has. the proprietor's sour temper and unprofessionalism is just the icing on the cake. i think they're only in business because there are so few doggie daycares around. if you are compelled to give them a try, look up the doggie daycare criteria listed on the Whole Dog Journal website (http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_11/features/Doggie-Daycare-For-Canine-Socialization_20127-1.html). it really does matter where you send your dog. read more

I really appreciated being able to leave my daughter's Westie at Happy Paws while I was dog sitting for a few days and also needed to go to work. The owner, Stefanie, set up a time when I could bring Max by to see how he would do and after observing him with the other dogs for a few minutes, she let him stay for the day. Max has not had a lot of interaction with other dogs and after a few days at Happy Paws, he seems much calmer and well behaved. Stefanie offered several training tips which have been extremely helpful. She even let me bring him at the last minute when I needed to extend my dog sitting commitment - my daughter was in labor and was delighted to be able to watch Max being so well cared for on the live stream camera, which helped take her mind off things! Thank you Stefanie, Devin and the entire Happy Paws team for helping us get through a difficult week and for giving Max such good attention! He's doing great with the new baby, btw. read more

Love this place, and my dog does too. I don't get the comments about the owner. She has always been great to me and to my dog. No complaints at all! Love that it's a small business owner and will continue to support them. They are a little pricey but it's worth it for me. I gave them a trial run a while ago because I was a little hesitant given some of the reviews, but there was no need for concern. This is the only place I go for daycare, and I'm a pretty picky dog owner. read more

The owner is rude and it's all about the money for her. Read the contract carefully! I recommend looking for someplace else or some other solution to your dog care needs. We will not be back. read more

Our happy place! My little dog has been going to daycare at Happy Paws for almost a year. He drags me to the front door to enter, and I love checking on him on the live video feed when I get to work. My dog usually goes 2-3 afternoons per week. He has some regular buddies in the little dog room that he romps and plays with all afternoon. I also love that he can stay "after hours," 7-10 pm if I have evening plans. Just recently I had to board him there for 2 nights, and the staff was very attentive and affectionate with my spoiled, anxious little boy. I never had to worry about him because I knew he was in their capable, caring hands. I think Stefanie is a good business woman. I'll admit that she wasn't very outgoing at first, but was certainly never rude, and she will warm up to you! She has an excellent staff, starting with Devin the manager and continuing through all the doggy attendants, day and night. They will all know your dog's name, personality and quirks. They will let you know when he seems a little off. Stefanie called me when she had a concern when my dog did not seem his usual playful self and let me know they would monitor him just in case. We love Happy Paws. Like I said, it is our happy place. read more

I wanted to update that I have found a FANTASTIC groomer in DC. Doggie Style on 18th Street Northwest is amazing. The owner and staff are wonderful with my dog AND WITH ME. The grooming is fantastic, even though Happy Paws is closer to my home I make the drive to support a local business that APPRECIATES its customers. read more

I read all the reviews carefully before I brought my puppy to Happy Paws. I asked lots of questions. I could not be happier. And more important than my being happy is that as soon as I pull up my puppy is chomping at the bit to get there. The staff greets her warmly, and playfully. They are very Rofessional with me and let me know how her day was. It is so much better than having a dog walker ank keeping her at home the days that I work. Here she is well cared for, has lots of socialization, and is both happy and calm. read more

I have used Happy Paws twice, once for day care and once for am overnight boarding. I will not go back. Happy Paws is very overpriced. When I dropped my dog off I was told it would be $85 for the overnight boarding and I was asked if I wanted to add walks for $10 a walk. I said no he is going to be running and playing around so he doesn't need additional exercise. The women explained that I needed the walks so my dog could use the restroom outside. She said most the dogs treat the room as a dog park and just go inside but some dogs hold it and need to be taken outside. I was grossed out that this is their system. There is no grass or dirt inside and limited ventation and that for $85 I have to spend extra money because my dog is house broken? The worker explained that they keep the place really clean and if they notice a dog isn't going they will take them out and she resurred me they won't neglect him. When I picked my dog up, the owner told me that next time I needed to pay for the additional walks because my dog didn't want to go inside and they were forced to take him out. I told her I didn't want him walked and that I was told he would be taken out to use the restroom. She said yes they made the exception for me this time but next time I am going to have pay. While I was there I saw an employee take two dogs out for their $10 walk. He opened the front door and let them use the restroom a few feet away and they came back in. That is not a walk. When my dog came out he was so excited to see he barked and jumped and ran to the door to escape. I have been taking my dog to doggy day care since he was a puppy and he has never responded that way when I picked up. He also kept coughing and sneezing, the ower said well he might be allergic to our cleaning products. Happy Paws is overpriced and all about the money and not about the dogs. read more

Our two dogs, Rudy and Bella, was in dire need of a decent groomer since moving to DC. I was really hesitant to send them to Happy Paws after the really polarizing reviews, I decided to when I saw how pretty the dogs looked while walking towards 4912 Thai (another review). When we sent them in today, we were late by an hour but they still took us in at 11am. Once we walked in, the receptionist and the owner (?) were discussing something and we were neglected for about 5-10 minutes. However, the groomer soon came out and took the dogs. We were slightly put off that she didn't ask for their names, but we may have been a bit too worried. They called us around 2pm to let us know that they were done (which was surprising because it usually takes groomers forever) and when we went to pick them up, they were gorgeous!! Another plus is that they don't kennel up the dogs. The price was on the higher side, but it includes tip so it wasn't too bad. Don't expect amazing service, but with the quality of groomers in the district, Happy Paws is as good as it's going to get. read more

This place has the means to become an amazing spot for grooming, doggy daycare, etc but unfortunately it'll never reach that potential w current management. The owner is the rudest person I've ever dealt w. Several times I thought to myself, "does she realize she's on the phone w a paying customer???". She's awful-- so short, snarky & condescending. Why she works in a customer service business, let alone owns one, I'll never know!! read more

Apparently, my review of Happy Paws was so scathing that Yelp decided that it couldn't be legitimate and filtered it. Rest assured, I am a real person who really boarded my dog here and really experienced what I said. Thanks Yelp, for removing information that could potentially be helpful to other users. On another note, I've started daycare and boarding of my dog at Planet Pet on Florida and 17th, NW. I recommend them. They're friendly, and my dog seems happy to go there. read more