Wag Hotels - Lincoln Park

We dropped off our dog on March 11th for a ten day stay at the Pooch Hotel boarding facility in the West Loop. When we dropped him off at the facility, he was in perfect health. We gave the facility extra food for our dog (approximately 14 days worth). When we picked up our dog on the night of March 22nd, the clerk at the facility told us that he had eaten all his food during the course of his stay and was doing fine. Upon getting the dog home, we noticed that he had several open wounds on his face and ears, and was scratching at his head constantly. During the course of his stay at Pooch Hotel, we received no notification of any wounds, or any notification of illness. We took him to the vet the next day and the vet informed us that the dog had two severe ear infections, which she prescribed medication for. The vet also treated the bleeding wounds. She noted that he had lost 10% of his body weight during his stay (indicating to us that he had NOT eaten all his food as Pooch had represented to us). We have attempted to contact Pooch Hotel several times over the course of the last week and have not had any of our calls returned. We are concerned not only for the health of our dog, but for other dogs who go there in the future. more

If I could give this place more than 5 stars I totally would! I was in a pinch right before Thanksgiving and I called Pooch to see if there was any way I could get my dog Mo in to stay here and luckily they had room! I came right over to check everything out before I booked him. BOY was I surprised! The place was SUPER clean and actually did not smell of dog at all. They have 3 separate floors as well as 2 playrooms AND an outdoor play area. The dogs are separated by energy level which is nice because my guy is big but VERY shy. I know they take a lot of interest in the dogs because Mo has a very unique personality and when I called to check in on him the manager answered and really described him to a T. I was extremely happy and comfortable leaving Mo at Pooch Hotel and I will be bringing him back for boarding very soon! Keep up the good work guys!! more

I thought you would want to know about our experience with Pooch Hotel. They don't even deserve an "EH" rating! They were very rude when I dropped our dog off in the morning. I was very careful to show them his food and treats (he has a sensitive stomach). Since this was his first time at daycare, I asked them to call me if he wasn't doing well and I would pick him up. When I asked to see the dog areas or at least pictures of the rooms/play area, they were very dismissive and told me to come back another time. (Shouldn't there be full transparency at these places?!) When we picked up our dog, his nails were bleeding and his food and treat bags were full. I called the manager immediately and never received a return call from her. They were non-responsive to my calls and finally (over a month later) someone (who did not sign their name) gave me an explanation (over email!) for why his lunch (that we provided to the manager) wasn't eaten and why his toenails were bleeding when we picked him up. Food: They said the "couldn't find his food". They gave him their food and our dog had diarrhea for a week. Since most dogs don't do well with food changes, I am totally floored that they wouldn't bother to call when they "couldn't find his food," (let alone, respond to any of my voicemails after his stay). Bleeding Nails: The person who sent the email said that the security tapes revealed that during nap time, our dog clawed the cage until his nails bled. Wouldn't this qualify as not doing well and a reason for me to come and pick him up?!! Or were they just not paying attention to the dogs locked up? I thought you should know so that you don't end up with the same horrible experience or worse. Thank you for listening! more

My wife and I had a disappointing experience with pooch hotel. Initially we signed up for a daycare 10 pack, however every time we tried to tour the facility despite calling ahead we were unable to do so because a manager wasn't available (we called ahead!). Not only was it waste of our time, but also unsettling. Why all the secrecy? Why couldn't the other employees give tours? Additionally, we felt the staff was generally confused and unfriendly. When we went to cancel the daycare pack, naturally it took a lot of time because the manager wasn't present. When she finally did show up, it took about 10 minutes to find our keys while searching with her employees (nobody ever seems to know what's going on). After speaking with the manager about the cancellation it confirmed our belief that Pooch Hotel is an inferior dog daycare service. We didn't even get an apology for the missed appointments. After our experience, we ended up finding another doggy daycare with knowledgeable and friendly staff, and open door policy. Sure, the pooch hotel has a slick website and a beautiful exterior, but beyond the flash there's a mediocre dog daycare center. Do yourself a favor and shop around. You'll notice a difference. Pros: NA Cons: No open door policy, confused and unfriendly staff more

I left my dog there for the weekend and besides of getting charged more than the told me I would, my dog came back with TICKS!!! N I don't know what they did to him but he spent a WEEK under the couch crying!. PLUS, he got home starving like crazy! Neverr ever leave your pet there. EVER! Pros: 24 hrs Cons: everything else! more

After 4 days of boarding ,our dogs were very sick and had to go to the vet. After a nearly 500 dollar bill from pooch, the vet bills were over 1000 dollars. Would never recommend this facility to anyone. Read the negative reviews, they far out weigh the positive ones written by pooch themselves. Anyone with a brain can see this. Pros: None Cons: everything more

Rex loves Pooch Hotel. We started using Pooch for daycare services with transportation a few months ago. The convenience of having a responsible company come to my home to get Rex every day of the week is so wonderful. I no longer have to worry about him during the day. When I get home from work he is usually passed out on my kitchen floor waiting for me to get home to feed him dinner. After he eats we usually go for a quick stroll to Wiggley field and then its' off to bed for the night. Another great feature of Pooch Hotel is that they are open 24 hrs a day! I board Rex with Pooch about once every few months and I love,love, love that I can pick him up late (1AM) on Sunday night. The management are always very accommodating to my every changing schedule. Even if I call at 7:30AM to tell them that Rex doesn't need to get picked up today they are always understanding and they don't charge me for the last minute cancellation like my old dog walker used too. Honestly, I don't know why anyone uses dog walking services anymore. I used to pay $15 for a 20 minute walk. Now I pay $23 for 8 hours of playtime and round trip service to and from my house! It is so much better for my Rex! I am really lucky that we found Pooch Hotel. Pros: Helpful staff, clean, great hours more

I have been a customer of Pooch Hotel for about 4 months. I am actually a customer of the West Loop location on Monroe Street but I didn't see a page to review that location so I am using their Lincoln Park page. I really cannot say enough great things about Pooch. I use them for both boarding and daycare and my dog, Mika, just loves it! She literally drags me through the door and she is depressed on the days I work from home and don't take her there. I can tell that the staff loves Mika and that makes me feel so comfortable. They even have a facebook page and upload pictures and updates about the dogs every day. I have never encountered anything negative about Pooch when I use them. Their management is super nice and very customer service focused. One time I picked Mika up and she wasn't completely dry from her bath. I didn't care but Margaret gave me a 50% discount on the service! She certainly did not need to do that but I was impressed!! To me, that is awesome customer service. Their facility is so clean and orderly....I LOVE IT! What more can Mike and I say...There's NO better place than Pooch Hotel for me and Mika! Pros: best service, quality care, they love the dogs!! Cons: limited parking more

This is for the West Loop location. They advertise one price, charge another and do not tell you until you arrive to get your dog. I have one dog that is 43 lbs. They advertise $40 for him and $50 for my dog who is 52 lbs. When I came to pick them up the bill was $100.00. When I complained the desk girl insisted that it was 50 each because of the brush out. My dogs are Shar-peis. The are short-haired. Had they asked me for an extra $10 in advance because my bigger dog is shedding, I would have gone elsewhere. The smaller dog is a horsecoat and not currently shedding. Margaret,the manager, is condescending and very difficult to deal with. Amanda is great and we love her, but the rest of the staff are gestapo girly girls. I am sending my documentation to the Illinois Attorney General, as it is illegal to advertise one price and charge another in this state. While I am at it I am going to file a Better Bureau complaint. Cons: Do not Honor advertised pricing more

As the parent of a rescue dog, I have always been apprehensive about leaving my dog anywhere when I go away. Pooch came highly recommended to me from a friend when I moved to Chicago from New York. Everyone at Pooch is always so friendly and kind. Dexter and I are greeted at the door and addressed by our names, which is very important to me. I like that the staff is always excited to see my dog, it is clear he is just as excited to see them! Pooch remains the ONLY place I would entrust my dog to. It is second to none and although the price may appear a bit high, I can't put a price on the fact that I know my dog is in a safe, clean, and loving facility when I am out of town!!! Once you try it, you will be hooked, and so will your POOCH! Pros: staff and facility Cons: NONE more

Callie had the greatest experience at Pooch Hotel. I had been taking her to another boarding place for a few years but when I received a coupon in the mail for 50% off my first stay I couldn't pass up the opportunity to save a few pennies. WOW! I was really impressed and didn't know what we had been missing out by not checking out Pooch sooner. The facility is ridiculously nice...much nicer than the places I stay at. The staff was very warm and you could tell that they really value each and every client that walks through their doors. I was able to call several times over Callie's stay to check on her and they always gave me a positive update and were very nice to me on the phone. Callie came back a tired and happy puppy. I was just really impressed by Pooch Hotel's professionalism. I am really glad we tried them out because now I am a Pooch convert. I am looking forward to taking Callie back when my travel needs arise in the future. Pros: Accommodating, Service, Hours, Staff, Location Cons: none more

I have attempted to post a negative review on City Search twice and both times the review was removed so, instead of posting a review here, I urge you ALL to read the accurate reviews of Pooch Chicago/Pooch Hotel at YELP! I don't know who the owner is related to, or knows, at City Search but the fact that I have been unable to post a negative review here and the fact that the reviews are far different on Yelp!, tells me that she is related to, or knows, someone at City Search. UPDATE: Within hours of recommending Yelp as a more accurate site, my review on Yelp was removed due to a Yelp community complaint and then someone posted a 5 star recommendation referring to the negative reviews by other "customers" as "ignorance". Pros: None! Cons: Inexperienced/Unsympathetic staff and way over priced more

My dog Bauer really enjoys this place but the pricing is just ridiculous. Their website says $47/night but they steal an additional night from you if you stay for a weekend. If you pick up after 12pm Sunday you get charged an additional $25 and if you pick up after 7pm Sunday you get charged an additional $22. So, all in all, Bauer stayed from 8pm Thursday night until 8pm Sunday night and it cost me $188 which is equivalent to 4 nights. Highway robbery. When I called to discuss all they said was "sorry sir". Bauer loves everyone wherever he goes so we'll be going elsewhere from now on. Pros: New Facility Cons: Pricing, Customer Service more

We let our precious family pet Bouvier, Celia, stay at Pooch Hotel whilst we went off for a much needed vacation over new year. Ever since we moved to Chicago 9 months ago our dog has been anxious after the trip over from the UK and we were really keen to find a place that would really look after her. Her return from a different kennel in Chicago left her stressed and anxious when she got home. This time she seems very relaxed, happy - she pulled to get into the Hotel after two successful day care trips the weeks before and Im very pleased with the service, attention and their obvious love of dogs. Thank you Pooch Hotel. more

I boarded my puppy over the Christmas Holiday at the Pooch Hotel West Loop location. My puppy was a first time boarder so I was a bit nervous about leaving her for the first time. Pooch's Manager Tracey made me feel so comfortable and welcome. I called every day to check on her and Tracey and the other staff members didn't seem a bit bothered that I called to check-in. I love the fact that I could see her playing on their webcam - - she was definitely having a great time and making lots of new puppy friends. When I picked her up last Sunday she was clean, happy, and tired. I am so happy that I have found a safe, reliable place for her boarding needs. Pros: people, webcams, parking, open 24 hrs more

Yes, if we could give 10 stars we certainly would! Pooch has been a godsend for me and my Big Baby Dog. We had a very unpleasant experience at another pet care place and both of us were quite reluctant to try out another one. My vet recommended Pooch Hotel so I though I would go check it out. We were welcomed by very attentive, friendly front desk staff and they immediately fell in love with my Big Baby Dog. They took us on a tour and we both decided to set up a boarding appointment to try it out for 1 night before commiting to a week long trip. Big Baby Dog did really well and when we got home he just passed out on my bed for a few hours. It was then that I knew he had received a good amount of attention and exercise and I then felt comfortable going on an extended vacation. Big Baby Dog did great the week he stayed there and the staff was very friendly and welcoming when I called to check in on BBD over the week. I think Pooch is fantastic and I have already referred a few of my boarding-hesitant friends. They have since had very good experiences as well. Pros: Nice staff, caring, they love my Big Baby Dog, they were available to answer my questions Cons: None! more

I just picked up my little maltipoo from boarding this morning and I am so pleased with how her stay was. She looked and terrific and appeared very happy when I picked her up. This was the first time I have ever left her with ANYONE so I was really, really, REALLY nervous. The worst part about it was that it was for 11 days! I reluctantly dropped her off on a Friday morning and quickly called them a few hours later to see how she was doing with the other dogs at playtime. A nice woman answered the phone and told me not to worry and that everything was going well and that Addison was doing very well and had already made a few friends. I called a few other times and they promptly got back to me with a full report. I can say that the fact that they let me call and check in on her really made the 11 days more bearable. The service I received from Pooch Hotel was really first class and I am really happy that I made the decision to use them for boarding. The staff is very, very nice and truly cared about me and Addison. I have already booked her for Christmas so we will be visiting Pooch again soon. Pros: People, Service, You can call and check on your pet more

What I thought was going to be a lovely experience for my sweet 4lb, 4 mnth yorkie was a nightmare. I had to leave him at Pooch for 2 nights while I was away and in that time my dog was so badly injured he required orthopedic surgery to the tune of $3000, 8 sutures, 1 screw and 1 pin inserted into his front arm to replace the elbow that was blown apart during his stay. Worst part, he is lame forever, requires pain medication on a daily basis and is often crying under the bed he is still in so much pain. They have taken out the screw only to find that during his injury the bone died and therefore could not heal. I was given a story about my dog playing with another dog and oops he started crying. My orthopedic surgeon said that is not possible. My dog had a force fracture which my dr says a dog does not get from playing on the ground but rather being dropped from up high onto a hard surface. When I explained this to the owner of Pooch, she liken my experience to that of a gym, her exact words, "If you sprain your ankle while working out at the gym, do you hold the gym responsible?" She apparently holds no insurance for accidents and did not offer to assist in our costs. Response, based on your Response: You only helped out with $487 because I found out you used my credit card number, which you had on file, without my knowledge to pay family pets and did not have the courtesty to tell me or provide me a receipt when I picked up my dogs belongings. I found out only by looking at my bank statement. Since I did not authorize payment, I stopped payment. Clearly, Family Pet came after you for the money which is the only reason you paid the bill. I agree fractures happen in small dogs, however a specialist can tell the difference between a fracture that occured while playing on the ground and one that occured due to a drop. Since my baby shattered his elbow completely, my Dr (specialist) concluded this would not have occured in a padded room or on the ground. Pros: None Cons: Poor Service more

I have only had great experiences at Pooch Hotel. I use them often for overnight boarding and about once a week for daycare. Their staff (Amanda, Jesse, and Margaret in particular) are so nice and they really love Cooper. He gets so excited when I pack my bags because he knows he gets to go play with his friends at the hotel. It makes me feel really comfortable knowing that he is happy and well cared for. I also love the fact they they are now open 24 hours!!! I wasn't really sure if I trusted the fact that an employee would really come to the door at 3AM, but when my flight was severely delayed and didn't get in until 3AM I decided I would at least try to get him because I missed him so much. Sure enough, I rang the buzzer and a nice gentleman greeted me within a few minutes. I just love that they added this great feature. I know it is difficult to find a dog-care facility that you can trust and feel comfortable with, but I can tell you that Pooch Hotel really is a phenomenol place to leave your pet. I have been using them for approx. 14 months and have time and time been impressed at how they treat me as a valued client and just how much they love Coop. I really have nothing but great things to say about Pooch. They are top-notch and Cooper gives them 5 PAWS up too! Pros: Accommodating and friendly staff, OPEN 24 HOURS!!!, Location more

We have nothing but wonderful things to say about Pooch Chicago, we have been sending our Maltese Jill there for over a year and she loves it! The staff has been extremely flexible with our schedule and any last minute changes, which we greatly appreciate. We have also used to Doggie Hotel and felt at ease that Jill was well taken care and probably having more fun playing with the other dogs than she would be at home. Thanks, and keep up the good work! Pros: Dogs have lots of room Cons: $$$ more