GoDog Durham — Attraction in Durham

Google Review:

When Mando had his temp test at Camp Bow Wow, it was wonderful. We had a scheduled appointment, one of the staff sat with Mando to get to know him and make him feel welcomed (giving him a treat). The worker explained what the temp test was for, what it would like look (Mando was introduced to one dog at a time), and the worker prompted us to watch the specific camera he’d be on for his test. While we were watching, another worker handed us an information packet, explained their services, and answered all of our questions. My GoDog experience was completely different. I was told to drop him off where the blue awning was. When I got there, I told the lady that Mando was there for his first day. She took Mando, and he didn’t want to go in, so I told her that giving him a treat would help (Camp Bow Wow did this), but she didn’t, and just lightly tugged him in. When I asked about the process of the temp test, she told me I needed to go inside to register my card for payment and that someone inside could answer my questions. When I got inside, there wasn’t a warm welcome. There was no effort to teach us about their services or the process. I asked about how to get connected to their cameras (Camp Bow Wow has an app and this info was part of our orientation) — she pointed me to a pamphlet. All I was told was that if Mando failed they’d give me a call. When I got in my car, I tried to connect to their cameras — only two were working. We saw Mando almost immediately (I don’t know what happened to the slow introduction)? Skipping forward, after they called saying they failed Mando because he was “chaotic”, a “spitfire”, “big puppy” that “enjoyed barking at other dogs forcing them to play with him” — I asked if they had given him a slow introduction. No one was certain that Mando’s temp processing happened the way it was supposed to. Their observations seemed highly exaggerated. I couldn’t even watch the experience (only two of the four cameras were working). It was just odd and completely unexpected. Mando is not a high energy dog, and even if he were, isn’t day care the place to release the energy? He likes to play, but their “failing” description made him seem like a wild bore. It was highly offensive, honestly, and wasn’t helpful. It seemed disconnected from the objective structure of a test. As a former teacher, I know the experience of being told by a parent that “their child never acts that way at home”, after I’ve noted a bad behavior by their child. Parents often don’t believe teachers. I feel my experience with GoDog is different. I’ve exposed Mando to all types of contexts — and he never is chaotic in the ways they explained. Something doesn’t add up. I’m curious if there was any breed discrimination — or if Mando truly did “so poorly” — was it because they didn’t give him a proper introduction? We have time stamped screenshots of him with the big group right after we dropped him off. I felt compelled to write a review because things didn’t add up. We weren’t treated with care in the experience. No one was overtly disrespectful, besides maybe the hyperbolic temp test observations we got, but people weren’t warm, compassionate, or helpful either. Camp Bow Wow is a better option. They are more organized, efficient, and compassionate. I only wanted to give GoDog a try because my neighbor loves it there and it is way closer to our apartment. They offered to retest Mando, but after reflection, I’d rather drive the extra miles to support a business that is hospitable. GoDog was not hospitable with us. I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Mando there. For these reasons, I give...

This place is amazing. I have a two-year old Husky who is currently going through the most active stage in her life, and Suite Paws daycare is a life-saver. They have so many features and amenities that other places do not, and for a very reasonable price. A full month of unlimited daycare at the doggie daycare I used to use (and work at, so I know this for a fact), was just under $300, sixty dollar less than Suite Paws, but what you get for those extra sixty dollars far and away makes Suite Paws the superior choice.

My favorite feature is their VIP daycare. What this is, is that if you purchase a package or have a card on file, you can bring your dogs in for daycare through their special "VIP" entrance, where they play from the minute you drop them off until the minute you pick them up. Standard daycare is otherwise from 9am to 4pm, so with VIP daycare you can get up to five extra hours of playtime for your pup. The best part, it's no extra charge! No other daycare facility I've looked at has the option for a potential twelve(!) hours of playtime, and for someone with a high-energy dog, this is beyond perfect. My Husky actually lays down in the backseat of the car when I pick her up now because she's so worn out, which was almost never the case where she went previously.

You know you are getting what you paid for as well, because there are webcams that are set up that overlook the daycare yards. Now these webcams aren't the highest definition, but the quality is good enough that you can easily identify your dog and watch as they play, sleep, or just hang out throughout the day. The instructions provided to access the webcam service are given to you by the staff, and are simple to follow. Plus, there's an app for the webcams on your phone, for on-the-go check-ups. It's so cool to know for a fact that my dog is having fun, because I can see her running around on the screen in front of me, and definitely provides peace of mind that my dog is being looked after and cared for. The staff will also give a little daily "progress report" for your dog when you pick them up, saying who they played with throughout the day or other noteworthy stuff they did, like swimming in the pool.

Speaking of, said pool is undoubtedly my Husky's favorite thing about Suite Paws, and she swims in it almost every day. The pool is usually closed off in the later parts of the evening , so you don't have to worry about a soaking wet dog when you pick-up, which is greatly appreciated. However, especially in these hot summer days, I know that it's a great way for her to cool off. In addition to the pool, there are large fans that blow cool breeze across the indoor and outdoor yards, and abundant shade. The staff also posts a LOT of very good, high-quality pictures throughout the day, some of which have actually become some of my favorite pictures of my dogs.

Now this review is geared specifically for Suite Paws' daycare services, as I haven't boarded my dogs overnight there, but with the level of care that my pups receive in daycare, I wouldn't hesitate to leave them if I had to. They also offer cat boarding!

Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with Suite Paws, and think they are very deserving of...

Not a safe or supportive place for puppies

I would strongly caution other puppy owners from bringing their dogs to GoDog Durham. My 11-month-old golden retriever passed their temperament test with flying colors, and we were told she was a great fit. Just a couple weeks later, we suddenly received calls and an email claiming she had developed serious behavioral issues — despite no changes in her behavior at home as we work through training her on typical puppy concerns. Instead of offering constructive training support, they suggested giving her hemp treats to “calm her down,” which felt like an interesting solution rather than addressing the environment itself. They wrote a super condescending “written warning” explaining her irrational behavior and complaining that she had “zoomie brain.” Several times we even came to pick her up and saw other dogs jumping, biting and being very playful without the reprimand that they claim to use. We also have video footage of staff dragging our dog by the ear away from another dog.

GoDog only separates dogs into two large groups with no attention to temperament or play style. These packs can include 30+ dogs at a time, which creates a chaotic, overstimulating setting, especially for younger dogs still learning boundaries. On several occasions, our dog was even placed in a boarding kennel by herself without our knowledge, and we only found out at pickup. Luckily the staff will play with them for 15 minutes.

This facility may look modern and well-run from the outside, but in reality, it’s not a safe or supportive environment for puppies or social dogs. If you’re looking for a daycare that truly understands canine behavior and development, I would recommend...