I moved to Salt Lake City last June and had no idea which place I should take my 3-year old small/mid pooch (poodle mix) to. I tried a couple of facilities---including Utah Dog Park. But in the end, I found Utah Dog Park is the best for my puppy around Salt Lake City area.
Here are my four reasons:
Firstly, Utah Dog Park has a completely separate playroom (with a outside area) for small puppies, which is quite spacious. This is really nice because none of small dogs has to hear noises and barking by big dogs. I noticed that, although other facility also offer a separate area for small dogs, it is just a divided area in a big gymnasium-like building (not really a separate room) thus small dogs can still hear barking, and other noises from other areas including kennels, playroom, etc. This might not be an issue for others, but as a fur parent of a little reactive/sensitive dog, I really appreciate the structure of their facility. (BTW, their playroom has a couple of couches, which my dog takes advantage of frequently. I have seen other dogs relaxed on these couches as well.)
I also like their playroom, which comes with kennels lined up on the wall (not facing each other). This also might not be a big deal but in their room, dogs do not have to sit in their kennels face to face with other dogs when staying over night. I noticed that there is a facility that has kennels lining up facing each other, and while I have to admit that my dog might not really care, I still think the layout of the kennels at Utah Dog Park provide more comfortable, relaxed space for small dogs than other facilities.
Secondly, Utah Dog Park is open between 7am and 7pm on weekdays. Working fulltime, I always really appreciate their long business hours.
Thirdly, they offer discounted passes for daycare as well as boarding. Working full-time with some business travels, I usually buy their 30-day passes for daycare and boarding. Yes, the total amount of these passes might sound expensive, but if you think about how long your puppy play and stay in their facility, I think these passes are pretty good deals.
And lastly, but most importantly, Utah Dog Park has such wonderful people ready to take care of my dog. They are very good people--friendly, passionately, and always willing to help making my dog's stay comfortable. During the daycare, their staff members often offer their laps to my dog as well as others' dogs, and you can see how relaxed and playful your dogs become through their webcam.
I also want to point out that, when my dog requires some medication, and special meals that need to be warmed, mixed, and prepared, and over the past year, they have been always trying their best to take care of my dog by following my instruction. (BTW, my instruction is not really simple, but they always try to accommodate and follow all.) Previously in other facility, I was bluntly told that my instruction required "too much work". So I was a little hesitant when I first explained how to feed my dog, but a reaction from staff members at Utah Dog Park was: "Ooh, we can prepare some crazy meals, so this is nothing. Don't worry!" I cannot tell you how relieved I was!
Overall, Utah Dog Park is such a great place for my dog to spend time when I am away for work, or business trips. My dog, who is not particularly friendly to others, has been doing well there with nice staff members, and as a proud doggy parent, that's what it counts!
Thank you,...
Read moreI honestly cannot commend this place enough. I take my dog here for daycare twice a week, and each time we arrive, everyone is so excited to see her so I know I'm leaving her in great hands. Every time I walk in the door, they recognize me immediately and call for Luna to be brought up front. What really sets them apart happened last week though. I had a last minute business trip that required boarding. Luna was recovering from a really bad situation and required medication every 8 hours. I dropped Luna off and they explained that no one would be there every 8 hours. I had to bring food later on that day on a lunch break, so I told them I'd sort it out with them once I came back. When I came back to deliver the food, they told me that they called the vet that prescribed her medication and asked for the options so that they could make sure Luna was taken care of. They went above and beyond to help me when they could see I was visibly flustered and stressed. Seriously, dealing with dog moms could be such a pain sometimes (myself DEFINITELY included) and they never make me feel like a burden and I feel welcomed every time I'm there. Also, Luna gets pretty psyched every time we get in the car, so I know she loves this place too!
Update 12/17/19 I'm really disappointed as of late. I've been bringing my dog to daycare for a solid year here and I feel like the quality of service has gone downhill for a variety of reasons. There are a few employees there that I adore working with and trust but it's such a small number and the rest seem to have no sense of urgency or respect on occasion. Today I picked up my dog after she had been there for over 8 hours and was told they forgot to feed her. ??? How? I bring her food every time and explain when to give it to her. At this point I'm reluctant to say we're just waiting for all of her daycare days to be used.
Update as of 2/13 DO NOT BRING YOUR PET HERE. It is SO unfortunate that I've had to stop bringing my dog here because we used to love this place but it's clear that quality has declined and staff is either negligent or or poorly trained. My dog stayed over night on Sunday. I gave her a bath the previous night because she was covered in mud. Pick her up on Monday and noticed a little blood spots on a strange spot of her but there's no sore where the blood was. I assumed it was another dog's. fast forward to Wednesday and I was petting her and notice some fur covering a huge spot of matted fur. She's a husky so she had a ton of fur. There's a huge gash with dried blood and it's clear it's very sensitive and in a spot where she can't do that to herself! I called and left a voicemail and ask a manager to call me back and nothing. This is the second time she's been injured to the point of needing vet attention with no explanation. How did they have my dog as long as they did and not notice blood? Are dogs left alone to hurt each other? What do we pay for? Needless to say I refuse to go back and dont even want to take her to the vet on site. I'm beyond angered at the situation and lack...
Read moreMy experience at Utah Dog Park has always been outstanding! My Standard Poodle, Lily, has loved her overnight boarding there over the last 3 years - from short weekend stays to a 3-week stay when I went to Europe.
From the start, it was clear that this was more than just a place to leave a dog – it's a place that genuinely cares. The staff is exceptional. They know Lily now and welcome us warmly each time we arrive. When I pick her up, I get a full report on how she did, who she played with and any other info I might need. I love that they know her and are able to give me a run down of her stay.
Overnight boarding allows for the dogs to have their separate kennels for meals and sleeping (all glass fronts - SUPER nice!) and then they all play together during the day. Lily LOVES being able to play with all her "best friends" every time she stays. It's fun to watch the web cams that are available for both the indoor kennel/play area and the outdoor play yard. I can watch Lily interact with her buddies (I have never seen a problem with any of the dog-to-dog interactions - and there are soooo many breeds in there together happily co-existing), and I can also see the staff working ALL the time. They clean, refresh waters, hang with the dogs.....they really put in the time and effort to make sure everything runs smoothly.
I appreciate the policies Utah Dog Park has - including the preliminary temperament test where I brought Lily for a few hours and they were able to see she would get along happily with other dogs. This is so important in terms of her safety and that of the staff and other dogs. They also have a very good vaccination/worming requirement and I have never had a problem with Lily coming home a problem. She's always healthy and happy after her stays.
If there ever was an emergency, they have an on-site vet clinic, so that adds an extra layer of comfort for the "just in case" situation. They also offer full grooming and tons of other extras.
Location is perfect if you are heading out of the Salt Lake International Airport. It's a quick on-off of I-80 Redwood Road exit. Super convenient.
Bottom line is that Lily LOVES it at Utah Dog Park. She gets the biggest butt wiggles when we get out of the car, puts her paws on the counter to get a little greeting from the staff at the desk and happily trots down the hall to all her best friends when I drop her off. I can't think of a bigger...
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