Happy Paws Washington, DC, Maryland

I really appreciated being able to leave my daughters 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.

Your dog is going to like this place more than it does being at home. The name says it all ????

I called Happy Paws LLC on Sunday 12/20 asking if I can set an appointment ASAP for a temperament test for my dog as I was looking to board him for a couple days during Christmas holiday. I was told that only managers can set up appointments and they only work Monday - Friday and that someone would call me first thing Monday morning. I waited 3 days and have not received a single call. Luckily I was able to find another facility who was responsive and followed up with me. Happy Paws definitely seems unprofessional with a lack of communication with new clients.

I have always taken my cues from my dogs. I’ve had 4. All very big. All different personalities. My current love is 118lb Yogi who is the neighborhood therapy dog. He just makes everyone feel better. When I first took him to Happy Paws, ( he has boarded where he was born, and where they spend the day outside, so he’s used to being around other dogs) it was to see how HE would take to being in a a smaller indoor space around lots of dogs. Long story short—he let me know! He loved the people and he had a lot of fun with puppies and larger dogs. He’s also very Zen, so this works for him. Not all dogs will feel the same way, so it certainly depends on your dog. Having said that, the staff is very conscientious and warm. What I like most is that you can watch your pooch whenever on the CAM. And any concern you have, they are there to address. Happy Paws takes great care to keep their space very clean. As much as Yogi would lay at my feet while I work, the stimulation he gets from being and moving around other Paws is invaluable for his mental, emotional and physical health. Dogs are just like humans. They need connection. Positive connection. Happy Paws has done that big time for Yogi. The rest of the time you can find Yogi outside Starbucks on Livingston Street NW, giving hugs to other humans who really need to connect at this time. So—I give 5 Stars to Happy Paws, knowing full well that it is expensive. But my dog is in a happy, loving and safe environment and that is priceless to me— Thank you Happy Paws for being Yogi’s happy place especially in the heat, this summer! Margo Judge Young Adult Life Coach

Stefanie and the entire crew at Happy Paws take the absolute best care of my pup who has terrible separation anxiety and can’t be left alone for long periods of time. They provide a safe, local option and always do their best to accommodate last minute requests. It’s not cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for in terms of quality with this spot. Great extended hours drop off and pick up options, with various package deals so you get the most bang for your buck. Highly recommend!!

My dog loves going to the dog care, comes back happily exhausted! Highly recommended this business

We have taken our dog to Happy Paws for over 10 years for mostly day care but also, occasionally, for boarding and recommend them highly. The management and staff work tirelessly to provide a safe, clean, and bright environment for the dogs in their care and are very understanding about accommodating reasonable individual pet needs. When checking in on the camera, I often see the staff sharing affectionate interaction with the dogs in their care. Also, the team members are very courteous and caring with their pet parent clients.

Me and my dog couldn't be happier with Happy Paws. They let me bring my new rescue dog for free MANY times prior to boarding just to make sure she was 100% comfortable with being left there. The staff are incredibly accommodating, attentive, and caring and run a very clean and efficient operation. The web cam is a really nice touch for when you want to check in on your dog.

I have been taking my dogs to Happy Paws for over 10 Years. They do a wonderful job. What is most impressive is that many of her employees stay year over year. I think that is a testament on not only how the owner treats the dogs, but the peeps who work for her

My dog is always so excited to go here! There is someone watching the dogs at all times from what I can tell on their video stream and they seem happy. The owner Stepahnie is very kind and accommodating to busy commuter schedule.

My family and I are from Williamsburg and were driving to DC for the night. We called Happy Paws in need of boarding for our dog. A woman by the name of Stephanie answered and told us we had a place for our dog to stay for the night. As we were on the road from Williamsburg to DC, we received a call saying the woman had another client that would arrive earlier in the morning so she could no longer give the room to us. She then proceeded to say she was not willing to recommend any other boarding locations even though she had ruined our plans in the first place. EDIT: since the owner has chosen to respond, I made this edit to the review: Not only was Stephanie very rude over the phone, giving absolutely no apology, but she made no effort to remedy the situation as mentioned above. When asked “is there anywhere nearby that can help out?” Stephanie proceeded to respond that she COULD; however, she would NOT do so. Additionally, there was absolutely NO mention of any policy for new dogs. We were asked about his temperament and gave all the information required. Maybe this is their policy, maybe it isn’t. I’m only aware that there is no mention on their website of any evaluation or policy (other than their cancellation policy) and it was NEVER expressed in any way.

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 !!

Great place for dogs, highly recommended!!!

Very comfortable and my dog enjoys daycare

My dog has been a Happy Paws pup for 5 years. Great, caring staff and clean facility.

I really like this place , they take good care of my dog every time i go on a long meeting for a day or a few days out of the city. Also they shower and cut the hair of my dog and have always done a great job. The place is clean and the staff is nice to the dogs , it looks like they know each dogs needs and that is great.

Not the best place to take your dog to. I didn’t like how disorganised these guys are. I tried getting them to squeeze in an appointment for my dog and all I got were rude responses. Not coming back here any time soon.

Pays careful attention to the needs of your pet

They love dogs and take great care of my Cavalier Spaniel. You can watch your dog all day on the web cam and see how well he is cared for. I could not be more satisfied.

My observations are from watching the live feed on the Web cam randomly over a week and then visiting with our pup to see if Happy Paws would be a good fit for boarding. We were not allowed to see the space because of a construction project. It appears the dogs are just put in an empty room and left to themselves. The only people I saw in the room at any time were men with mops who clean up after the dogs pee and poop in the place where they apparently are supposed to play and sleep, too. They were not interacting with the dogs, tho. Any time a person enters the space, the dogs all go a little nuts for attention. It struck me as sad. We were told there were too many dogs to put out any toys. Unclear what happens if two dogs go sideways with each other. I wondered how quickly anyone would intervene. The boarding fee does not include even one daily walk. Despite the very cheerful and polished Web site, it was a little bit like jail for dogs. We'd rather cancel our vacation than leave our pup there.

The facility is well kept and maintained meticulously by a staff that pay close attention to the dogs that stay there. Additionally the staff there knows the dogs that come on a personal level. I've witnessed on several occasions some of the staff on the floor on all fours playing with the dogs. Not sure what these other people are talking about. Notice how some of their reasons for writing a negative review are vague and dry (below). Bring your dog here. I think Happy Paws sets a high standard for doggie daycare and boarding and the others simply fall below the bar.

I would not recommend Happy Paws. Avoid at all costs. Terrible establishment. Will never board an animal there again.

This wasn't a good experience. My Dog was put on antibiotics for a cough. So I did my part to care for the dog. Upon hearing this, the owner cancels my stay. I understand the entire health of the place is a concern but this is a care facility!! For $75 a day there should be a procedure for caring for a dog that merely has to take half a pill. I didn't realize walks aren't included because to quote the owner everyone, "goes inside." To check to see if anything was bothering my dog the owner started feeling around her throat....which would bother anyone. Go with a pet sitter who is a common sense adult and can deal with basic care.

I am REALLY stunned by the negative reviews of Happy Paws, as I have had nothing but positive experiences. I've been taking my dog there since he was 15 weeks old. He was injured at 7 weeks and lost vision in his one eye. The staff have been really good about making sure he gets his drops. I can tell that the experience has had a really positive influence in his life as it gives him a bit of structure when I am not home, it has taught him how to interact with other dogs appropriately, and he is really minding his manners. Of course I'd love to say my pup is exceptional, but honestly I know that Happy Paws has something to do with that. I should also say, I LOVE that I can hop online and check in to see how he is doing via the PuppyCam. It is fun to see him romping and playing and generally enjoying himself. The staff is always quick to clean up messes, and they are really good with him. I have tried other places in the area, but Happy Paws is, by far, our favorite.

Picking a groomer feels like flipping a coin. Case in point: Happy Paws. My vet takes her golden doodle there and is very happy. I had an awful experience - and worse, I think my dog had an even tougher time. My 9.5 month old golden doodle was more than ready for a first haircut. He had matting around the neck and head that I brushed out almost every day. When I made the appointment I asked about groomer's experience with doodles and was assured she had it. I then spoke with her when I dropped off my dog and explicitly asked her to keep the hair as long as possible and avoid the poodle cut. I dropped my dog at 9:30 and was supposed to pick him up at 3:30, at noon I got a call saying he was done and afraid to be in the playroom, could I come get him. He's shaved - his ears, his face, his feet, his body - to the point you can see skin on his back. He has a nick on his eyelid - I can only imagine how traumatic that was for him. Last night after getting him home he was clingy and whined until we let him sleep on our bed that night. I called Happy Paws today to indicate my concerns and basically got the brush off. The owner/manager did not give me her name. She told me that the groomer had OK'd the shave with me and I indicated that it was just the opposite. The owner/manager apologized and asked what I wanted her to do about this. What I want is for my dog to have agood experience with the groomer and a haircut that is appropriate for a golden doodle. I want to ask those questions and get honest answers. I don't like feeling that I've been taken advantage of and it kills me that I put my dog into such a stressful situation. An offer of a refund would have been nice, giving me her name and asking for a second chance might have been nice. Instead the manager told me that I did in fact have a new groomer - despite the assurance of her expertise when I set up the appointment - and the owner would talk with her. My dog is traumatized and missing ALL his hair. Going back over doodle sites tonight there are plenty of instructions on doodle grooming and Happy Paws did the opposite of every one of them. I hope no one else has the same experience.