The Dog Stop - Long Hill — Local services in Long Hill Township

I was excited to check this doggy daycare out and liked what I saw during the tour. They were running a $99 one month unlimited visit special which is a great deal. After my dog was evaluated I signed him up for the introductory special. When I dropped my dog off for his 1st day, I watched the television screen in the lobby or a few minutes. Someone put Loki in the room and walked away. I went out to my car and continued watching on my phone . As expected, a group of dogs that was already there surrounded Loki and chased him. What I found troubling was that one larger dog chased Loki nonstop and tried to hump Loki while Loki continued to try to get away. I know my dog well enough to tell you that the chasing that was going on was not his idea of fun. I kept waiting for somebody to intervene, but no one did. I then realized there was no one in the indoor room with the dogs. I went back into the building and spoke at length with one of the owners, Dave, who watched what was still happening (and still no one in the room over 8 minutes later). He acknowledged that there had been some humping issues with the other dog, that the other dog was bigger and heavier "20-25 pounds", Loki 15 pounds), and conceded that when excessive, humping is not acceptable behavior. I was informed that the golden doodle was in with the smaller dogs because he's a puppy and older dogs would not tolerate that behavior. After I insisted, he did call for somebody go to to the room to remove the dog to give him and my dog a break. The reason the humping behavior could not be addressed in the room was because dogs are free to go between the indoor and outdoor area and there is only one person supervising both. The person in charge of the group of dogs that included my dog was outside with part of the group . There is not even a clear line of sight from the indoor to the outdoor and the person on duty has to go down a flight of stairs to get to the outdoor area. I don't know if it's the same arrangement for the other daycare area . When I picked Loki up late in the afternoon I asked to speak to the other owner, Rob, regarding the situation. He, like Dave, offered me an immediate refund when really what I wanted was a solution. He informed me that the other dog was fluffier, but no heavier than Loki and that humping is normal behavior. The issue I had was the relentless and targeted humping of my dog which should not be tolerated in a doggy daycare center . He also pointed out that even if nobody is in the room with the dogs, they have cameras in every room, but I don't see how that is helpful in the situation such as I observed. I asked to review the morning footage with Rob or to arrange to meet with him when I drop Loki off another time so that we can observe what's happening together. He declined. He said he would review the footage and get back to me. Not surprisingly, in his email response he said he saw nothing that, as a dog trainer, that concerned him and he claimed the dogs were alone for only a few minutes. He again offered me a refund if I wasn't comfortable.

Easy Solution: Keep the door to the outside closed and take the dogs outside periodically as a group and bring them in as a group so they always have in-person supervision. Since a person would then be actually supervising the group of dogs, they could redirect the dog displaying excessive humping. If the dog continued to display excessive humping, the person supervising would know it and be able to call somebody to remove the dog to give it a break away from the group.

Unfortunately, since there was no constructive attempt to address the situation my dog experienced on his first day, I chose a refund after only one day. Personally, if I were the business owner, I wouldn't want a dog owner so unhappy after one day that they would ask for a refund, especially when there's an...

I have two dogs — Scout (my husky) and Fozzie (my goldendoodle). Both were evaluated for group play. What really stood out to me was how thorough, honest, and professional the owners and trainers were every step of the way.

The team here is exceptional. The owners are incredibly knowledgeable, the trainers are highly qualified, and every single staff member treats your dog like their own. They take the time to get to know each dog as an individual, understanding not just their behavior, but their comfort level, personality, and emotional needs. Their goal isn’t just to provide a safe place for dogs — it’s to create an environment where dogs can thrive.

In our case, Fozzie can be a bit of a scaredy-cat and felt nervous in larger playgroups. Scout, on the other hand, made it clear he wasn’t interested in playing nice. I completely respected their honest recommendation that group play wasn’t the right fit for him. I deeply appreciate that level of transparency and care. Their priority is always keeping every dog safe and happy, and that’s exactly the kind of integrity you want in a place like this.

The storefront is also fantastic. It's full of top-quality, carefully curated dog products that you can’t find anywhere else. My dogs absolutely loved everything we brought home (see photos — they’re obsessed!).

We’ll absolutely be boarding our dogs here when we go away. The Dog Stop is a true gem in Long Hill — run by people who are experienced, compassionate, and truly dedicated to every dog’s well-being. 🐾💙

As to the negative comment posted by "Laura D." - It’s important to understand that in any off-leash group setting, dogs will establish social boundaries through normal canine behavior, including chasing, mounting, and brief dominance testing. This isn’t “neglect” or “chaos”. It’s natural communication that experienced trainers understand and supervise. The Dog Stop team is exceptionally skilled at recognizing when things are playful versus when intervention is needed and they always err on the side of caution.

They also did exactly what a responsible business should do. They reviewed the situation, explained what occurred, and offered a full refund. That’s integrity and professionalism, not avoidance.

To me, that review says more about unrealistic expectations than about the quality of care. If someone isn’t comfortable with the dynamics of supervised group play, then a one-on-one care environment may be a better fit. However, that doesn’t mean The Dog Stop did...

We’ve been bringing our golden retriever Cody to The Dog Stop, and we couldn’t be happier! The staff is friendly, professional, and truly cares about every dog. Our pup absolutely loves going — he starts wagging his tail the second we pull into the parking lot.

We love that they have cameras so we can check in on him throughout the day — it’s great to see him running around and having fun with his friends. The facility is always clean, organized, and the pickup/drop-off process is super easy.

It gives us so much peace of mind knowing he’s safe, happy, and getting plenty of playtime. Highly recommend The Dog Stop to anyone looking for a reliable,...