Dogtopia of Downtown D.C.

I called to book daycare for my dog MONTHS in advance for a trip from NY for 3 days. I confirmed they do not crate as my dog has major anxiety of being confined, and the man on the phone confirmed there was no crating. I drove 5 hours and got there for my meet and greet and the front desk girl was like no we crate and if he doesn’t pass he can’t stay. YOU’RE TELLING ME I DROVE 5 HOURS AND NOW I HAVE NOWHERE TO LEAVE MY DOG? And all I got was a “sorry”. Front desk was no help at all and did not care. I would never recommend this place especially since they said they only crate between 12-2 and there were dogs just sitting in crates when I got there at 11, meaning when they don’t want to deal with a dog they crate them. Terrible place.

The team at Dogtopia is awesome and Freyja loves spending time with her friends and the wonderful staff. She does daycare once a week and has boarded on multiple occasions – I never worry that she’s not having a good time or being cared for like their own pups would be. The staff have shared with me/ laughed at her personality quirks, and you can tell they are looking out for all the pups. Awesome crew! Thank you for all your care of my girl!

The team members of Dogtopia of Downtown DC are a super-squad of dedicated animal-lovers. Everyone is infinitely helpful and very experienced in the Art of the Dog. They ensure my jittery dog is handled with the utmost care and love when she gets dropped off for her grooming appointments. Once she settles in, she apparently calms right on down and lets herself be pruned and preened in ways she would throw a tantrum about if we did it at home!

She recently got her long talon-like nails clipped and ground down perfectly, painlessly, and in 10 minutes. When I arrived back, she was scampering around just having the best time.

Prices are also extremely reasonable, and requested services are fully fulfilled. No complaints ever regarding results.

We lost Life of Riley in Adams Morgan, where our dog had been going for two years. We then sought out another daycare and found Dogtopia. Our dog never really played here or felt comfortable. They have big, unruly, and yes stinky, rooms that the staff are watching through a video monitor.

This past Sunday, we took our dog to Dogtopia. Our dog has ZERO history of “scuffles” or any other negative interactions in two cities (NY and DC). We got a call informing us that our dog had gotten into a “scuffle” and needed to be picked up because she was bleeding.

My husband rushed over to find that our dog’s right paw’s skin had peeled clean off and hanging. He rushed her to the vet, where she had emergency surgery. Our dog had NEVER undergone an anesthesia test and my husband had to make a snap decision.

He got home 3.5 hours later with my dog stitched up but in intense pain and groggy. I called Dogtopia 6 times and there was “no one available to answer…” our call. I left an angry message, and a request to call back. This was approximately 2:45 pm on Sunday. By Monday at noon, WE HAD NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE. No one apologized. NO ONE Called to check in on whether our dog was ok, or anything even remotely humane. Is this the kind of people who care for animals?

My husband and I then took a trip to the location to speak with them. When we got there no one was at the desk, and we were told to wait. About 1.5 mins later, a woman walked in gushing about how her dog was going to be staying an overnight, and immediately multiple staff suddenly materialized. I told her to wait because we were there first and need to address an important matter.

The staff of course continued to serve her, and finally started talking to us. The first words out of their mouths were the video was too fuzzy for them to tell what “really happened”, so they had asked the GM to review “his video”. The GM had not reviewed the video, so I stood there demanding they call him right now so we could speak with him. He ignored their calls claiming he was “in a meeting” and would call us back. I refused to leave till I spoke with him.

He finally called my husband’s phone, and as we were leaving, the woman from earlier was STILL standing outside and waiting to go back in till we were done. As I was walking out, I told her wow, you’re still here. And I went back in to say to the Dogtopia staff that if this woman complained about us and they took action against us, we would absolutely take this farther, and the woman THEN tried to cajole me into a physical fight.

I looked her up and down and laughed in her face. The staff meanwhile were just standing there exerting no control over this psychotic lady who I hope never has to experience her dog being harmed by these irresponsible folk, but hey karma is real, and I walked out telling her I could handle her!

The GM simply said we take no responsibility. They have “suspended” the dog and offensive parents for now, but will not take onus of our huge vet bill, and offered not even a stitch of corrective behavior, much less accountability. They refused to ban the dog because “he had been coming to them for a year and they’ve never had any issues with the dog”.

One male staff member had even told me to “calm down” in a pretty loud voice, to which I told him to “keep stepping” before he gets fired for harassing a woman who’s dog they let come to harm.

This isn’t just an unprofessional place, they lack complete accountability, honesty or any characteristic of a place that is taking care of people’s fur babies. They leave the dogs unattended, likely cause they are understaffed and trying to maximize “profit”. Yes, your dog may not have been hurt, but with this level of unprofessional behavior it’s just a matter of time before something happens to another dog. STAY WAY, or at least have pet insurance in case of a HUGE emergency surgery vet bill in these trying times. Sick!

Highly recommend this place! My dog never wants to leave, and our lives are so much better after taking him to daycare. I am so grateful for all of the employees here. The care that they take of all the dogs and the love they give them is very much appreciated.