We have two dogs--a 4-year-old female French Bulldog and a 9-year-old male Pug--who have attended Hounds Town WP daycare (and occasional grooming) for over a year. Our Frenchie is extremely energetic, and daycare was a great outlet for her energy. We rarely boarded our dogs, but after booking a Christmas-week trip nearly a year in advance, we boarded them for a full week. They had previously boarded once for a weekend without issue.
When we picked them up, our Frenchie had visibly lost a significant amount of weight--her ribs and hip bones were clearly visible. She is normally a 20-lb dog and eats two cups of kibble daily per her vet due to her high activity level. After unpacking, we discovered that out of 7 days of packed meals (plus an extra day), 9 meal baggies remained, meaning she missed roughly half her meals. Our Pug, by contrast, returned home having eaten all but the extra day's food.
We contacted Hounds Town WP immediately to ask why we were not notified that our Frenchie wasn't eating. They said they would investigate. We also took her to the vet, who ruled out illness and confirmed rapid weight loss of approximately 4-6 lbs--nearly 30% of her body weight in one week, which is extremely concerning.
After a week with no follow-up, my husband called again and was told they had "meant to call but forgot," and that our Frenchie simply wasn't eating. When asked about their protocol for dogs that don't eat, they mentioned meal stimulants (like pumpkin puree or other safe toppers) but were unsure if these were used. That was the extent of the investigation, with no further communication.
What's most upsetting is that we were never notified during the stay. Had we known, we had friends and family nearby who could have intervened or provided alternative food. Our Frenchie is thankfully okay now and has regained her weight, but we've lost trust in their boarding and communication processes.
We didn't post this lightly, but feel it's important feedback for other pet owners as well as the company. We wanted to like Hounds Town WP, but for now, we remain skeptical of their boarding care and communication. read more