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The Houndry
Rating Details »
Categories: Dog Walkers, Pet Stores, Pet Training, Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting
Neighborhoods: Wrigleyville, Lakeview3945 N Sheridan Rd
(between Dakin St & Irving Park Rd)
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 281-2600
Holiday Boarding Filling up Fast!
Make Your Holiday Boarding Reservation Before December 15th And Recieve 20% Off Your Stay Of 4 Nights Or More
( first time clients only)
- Nearest Transit:
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Sheridan (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
32 reviews for The Houndry
This review is ONLY for the retail portion of this establishment, which seems to comprise a very small percentage of the business. None the less, I had a few minutes to kill...and Tillie (my dog) has been begging for some new duds.
Ok, well "dud" I guess, since a collar isn't really plural. ;)
Tillie is now proudly adorned with a red leather, skull 'n crossbone collar. She looks so ridiculously badass. Probably more than she deserves to, since she sleeps 22.5 hours per day and refuses to run more than one block at a time. (BTW, worse running partner EVER)
Either way though, she's darling and looks super cool now.
Good news: all leashes/collars and accessories were HALF off. I think they are clearing inventory altogether. Bonus, if you are an Ohio State fan, they have lots of Ohio State leashes. Random, but...hey now you know.
Total purchase: $18. Since I only buy a new collar every 3 years or so, this works out to about $6 per year in "accessories," which I think still puts me far below the level of "crazy lady that dresses up her dog."
(oh except I bought her a green polo shirt at Old Navy last weekend. $2!? C'mon, it'd have been criminal NOT to buy that)
**Collar and aforementioned polo will NOT be worn together.
woof, woof.
Disclaimer: Review is only for retail at The Houndry.
I walked in and was really confused about what this place is. I saw almost nothing in the way of retail... either they were remodeling or the picture on this yelp page is totally misleading. Furthermore, they told me they only carry a few brands of dog food... I saw two, and was extremely fortunate that one of them happens to be the brand we feed.
In terms of retail, I just really didn't see anything special or cute about this place. I'll probably go back to pick up dog food when we are in a bind, but there is nothing else drawing me back.
**They also bombarded us with a bunch of junk fliers tacked onto our condo door and mailbox the minute we moved in. One would have been fine, but there were like 3 or 4 and it was annoying and wasteful.
We never board our dog. Ever. I am that mother of an only child kind of dog mommy and so I usually get my parents to watch her but since we have moved to Chicago and they live in the east coast I have given that luxury up.
As I mentioned in my previous post, we were already big fans of the Houndry after having our pup groomed there but I saw a ton of bad reviews and was, admittedly, pretty nervous about boarding her there for FIVE nights (frankly, I would have been nervous boarding her anywhere but the bad reviews didn't help).
I decided to ignore the reviews and go ahead with it and I could judge for myself and I am so pleased to say that we are even more loyal to the Houndry now than we were before! Our dog seems to have had a great time and there are no issues that we can see. The price was also fantastic (much much cheaper than we expected) and her grooming by Chad was, again, exceptional. We loooove the way she smells when she leaves the Houndry!
If you are thinking about bringing your dog here, I urge you to ignore the reviews below and try this place out for yourself. We love it here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
We just moved to Chicago and took our dog there for some simple grooming. Prior to taking our dog… Read more »
Avoid at all costs!!
Something's changed here. We had been loyal customers of the Houndry for a long time, but the new owner, Tony, is ruining the place.
Sadly, Jack is no longer around. He and his staff truly cared about dogs. Tony does not. The place is a mess, short staffed, and everyone is apathetic.
Our dog now comes home smelling of urine, covered in scrapes and cuts, dehydrated, etc.
I have talked to multiple other Houndry goers, and everyone has noticed it too; look at the recent reviews.
Feel free to PM me for more info
Please, please, please take care and do not take your loved ones here anymore!
It *pains* me to write this review considering the glowing one I originally gave the Houndry a year ago last week. And now I will not entrust them with Sophie. Not matter who the new and/or previous owner is/was.
The ex-owner and the new one are now having an all out brawl, and my email is taking the brunt of it. It's become a he said...not *he* said back and forth and I for one am tired of it.
The review below about the poor dog that was left alone for 3 days? Yeah, that kept me up at night. And this situation, neither side is taking blame for. And someone needs to be held accountable.
I have given the Houndry so many new clients based on my recommendation and passing my Yelp review around to new dog owners in the neighborhood. Now I find myself back tracking and going through all my old messages here and elsewhere to tell them to STOP immediately.
PLEASE, for the safety of your loved one...and I know it's hard being a loyal Houndry goer for a year....just stop! James at Wigglyville gave me some good tips on who else to try that's better for the same amount of money. Our pets deserve better than to be trapped like children in a divorce in the midst of a leasing mater.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/20/2008
Sophie loves this place...it's so cute to see her excited when we're walking up to the general area… Read more »
So I set up a temp test for Riley after reading all these great reviews on yelp. (before the onslaught of bad ones started) I came in and right away I felt a uncomfortable vibe. I was greeted but nobody greeted Riley. You would think that my DOG would also get greeted at a doggie daycare.
The guy at the desk (Tony) did not even seem like he really liked dogs or really knew what to do with them. I was more comfortable with Mick however, who seemed like he actually had experience with dogs. I got a tour of the place and did not like how cramped the actual doggie daycare area was. There were tons of dogs running around in a tiny space.
The big turn off however is the spat that is going on between the former and new owner. I think it is HIGHLY unprofessional the way the two parties have been handling things and poor judgment to involve their clients. I know many people have been saying that it is because Jack has left that the business has been going down the tubes, but personally if Jack were to open up another daycare I would NOT send Riley there. I don't know who is telling the truth in this situation, but I would rather not risk Rileys safety or well-being,
To be fair, I am not a client and have not used their service, but I have heard enough from former clients to know I will never ever risk sending Riley to the Houndry. These clients are not trying to "bring the business down" or have some hidden agenda. They truly care for the well being of their pups and for the welfare of others.
I have been a little skeptical of some of these reviews written here. Some seem to be totally trashing the place and others are raving about the place. i can't tell which are fake.... I can only say that this is my experience and my opinion. Gathering the information that I have, I do not feel that Riley is in good hands at the Houndry.
I went here today, because I've been thinking about getting a dog, and I wanted to visit some dog daycare places. I was not impressed. The guy who answered my questions was super nice, and apparently he is one of the people that spends the nights with the dogs. I got to witness the way they clean up after the dogs. Using the dirty mop water. They let the dogs go to the bathroom on the floor and then mop it up... the entire upstairs smelled really strongly of amonia and just 'dirty' smell. I know a dog center isn't going to smell like roses, but this was pretty bad.
They don seperate bigger dogs from smaller dogs, and it seems that they just play in an open room.
The person running the place never even looked up when we came in. I was unimpressed. We also asked about resources for adopting a specific breed, which they couldn't help us with. I cant complain too much about that since its not really their job.
Its sad because I had read so many good reviews for this place prior to the original owner leaving. And its right down the street from my house. Bummer.
Stay away. Far, far away!
This just makes me so sad. We finally found a place that we trusted completely to take care of our dog and didn't make me worry like crazy every time I dropped him off. Unfortunately, I will never take him back there again. I don't trust the new management and I do believe Jack's side of the story - he was always excellent to work with and I think if you look at all the previous reviews here, you'll see that he was doing a great job running the Houndry.
I see a lot of people are upset or annoyed by the emails but frankly, I'm glad Jack sent them out. Otherwise I wouldn't have realized the extent of the situation and would probably have sent Yogi back there again - and who knows what would've happened? I prefer to be informed upfront and make my decision with all the information at hand. Folks, this is not just an issue of 'new management.' This was some shady shit, and I'd keep your dogs out of it.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/9/2008
I admit, I'm kind of a paranoid dog owner. I see how the owners at dog parks seem to be more… Read more »
I took my puppy to The Houndry for Mick's 4 week puppy class. Mick was great, very knowledgeable and helped my puppy (& me )greatly. I plan on enrolling him in the advanced puppy soon.
I would of given 5 stars, but I received info on the nasty emails going around from the new and former owners. Very disappointing.
We've been taking our dog to the Houndry for the past 1.5 years for daycare and boarding. They've made great improvements, added more staff and a small dog play area. The staff (especially Joe and Mick) are SO wonderful. I consider myself a crazy dog mom--who is obsessed with my dog and 100% trust them to take care of our dog. My dog LOVES the daycare and I feel at ease while working long hours knowing he's having fun. Thanks for doing a great job!
Our dog Chance loves the Houndry! And ya know what, we love the Houndry too! Chance literally pulls on his leash to go there. I could take him off the leash while getting out of the car and he would be jumping all over the door to go in.
Its a wonderful place, where I know my dog is getting the attention he deserves and he isn't locked in a cage. He just came back from a five day stay at the Houndry, and he was exhausted! He fell asleep the instant we got him in the car.
I love the Houndry and would truly recommend it to anyone!
It really saddens me that I have to write this review. I have been taking my chocolate lab Bailey to The Houndry for over a year now since she was a puppy and she loved it. However, they are now under new ownership and this past weekend they really dropped the ball.
Bailey was supposed to be picked up at noon on Friday for boarding through Monday and SHE WAS NEVER PICKED UP! She was alone for over 3 days in her crate with no food or water!!
Imagine my horror when I went to pick her up and they had no record of her being there! I ran home to get her and luckily she was still alive and hadn't died of dehydration. I had the exact day and time I had called to schedule the boarding but they still just couldn't figure out who it was I could have talked to. They admitted that they messed up-but there is NO EXCUSE for neglect like that. Don't trust The Houndry with your pets care and well-being. We were lucky and I hope nobody has to go through what myself and Bailey did.
I made arrangements the middle of February to board my dog Casey while I was on a cruise. I told them I would drop Casey off at noon on the 22nd of February. Not once did the person mention that they weren't open at noon on Sundays. When I went to drop off the dog, before catching my flight at 3pm, I found the place closed. Panic set in as my flight would take off before they would open. Thank goodness for my neighbor who dropped Casey off later that night. I haven't previously experienced such ineptness before from the Houndry so I thought it was a fluke. They also didn't have a "reservation" for Casey, when I made one the previous week.
My dog ended up catching kennel cough, which I can understand, but I knew something was off in terms of management. I have since found out that Jack is no longer the owner. Based on my recent experiences and the change in ownership, I will no longer use the Houndry for boarding or daycare. I am saddened to lose this place, but my dogs are more important. Looking for a new boarder now.
Just to set the record straight, I have no issues with the previous owner Jack. I have a problem with new management.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/19/2008
I took my 5 month puppy Casey to the Houndry for daycare in preparation for the boarding he would… Read more »
I can't, in good conscience, continue to give the Houndry 5 stars. Admittedly I have not brought my dog in for boarding since February, but after the flood of back and forth email fighting between the new owner and the old owner last weekend, I am left with a bad taste in my mouth and a distrust for the new owner. I do not know who is telling the truth, and ultimately, I do not care. All I care about is my dog.
However, I can say this for the new owner: Who emails out a 4 page email to their client base in hopes of maintaining their business? Your email not only showed me your immaturity, but your bad business sense. Nothing in that email made me want to continue using the Houndy in its current state. Also, the new owner needs to take responsibility for the dog being left in its crate for three days. That email did nothing positive for you, and I will make sure to tell everyone I know who has a dog (MANY people) to stay away...while only a few months ago, I was referring people left and right to The Houndry, where we never had a problem when it was operated by Jack.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/25/2008
I'm kind of crazy when it comes to my dog (I worry for myself when I have kids) so I spent a lot of… Read more »
The Houndry 4 stars
The 4 stars is for the fact that I don't have a dog myself, but I dog sit almost every other week for my friend's dog Elsa. She's beautiful! Anyhow, The Houndry used to be right down the street from me and Elsa always wanted to go there. She has me wrapped around her little dew claw. The staff is extraordinarily friendly and helpful. I came in looking for treats that would be nice for her stomach because she gets really really excited and throws up! They gave me the perfect treat that she loves and really seemed to calm her poor tummy.
They all pet her and she loved it and I pet their golden retriever that was browsing the treats as well. I got some little poo bags and we were off. I practically had to drag Elsa kicking and screaming out of there. And if Elsa likes it, I like it.
We've moved to Ravenswood since but Elsa still begs to go back to the Houndry.
I thought I had written a 5-star review previously about our love for The Houndry, but apparently not.... Here is my current take on a former favorite place:
My problems started when I had charges on my credit card from "Juan Fernandez" in Florida. I haven't been to Florida since i was 8 years old, and don't know anyone named Juan Fernandez. I called my credit card company, and there was no phone number associated with the charge, so I had to cancel my card.
I came to find out that Juan Fernandez is Tony, the new management of The Houndry. He told me that they passed out fliers, so I should have known. I drop my dog off at The Houndry at least twice a week for daycare, and was never given any flier or told anything.
He was apologetic and offered me a free 10 day daycare package, but it just wasn't right. The whole situation was bizarre with the change in management and the e-mails back and forth accusing each other didn't help to ease my mind. I am inclined to believe Jack (the former owner) and his side of the story, but that doesn't help me out with where to take my dog for daycare for now!
Joe and a couple of the other guys that work there are great and loved Elle... it makes me sad to leave them behind, but I am overall not comfortable with sending her there for daycare anymore, so we have looked elsewhere. I am really sad about the whole situation... Elle started being walked by the Houndry when she was 8 weeks old, and loves it there! She still tries to go in there whenever we walk in that area. :(
When i first moved to the city I came in to try working here part time. I love dogs and can't have one of my own. My interview was to hang out at the place for a few hours and see how the place worked. I can honestly tell you everyone I met working here is so passionate about what they do. The owner was extremely knowledgable and really sincere about his business. During my grand tour I could see how genuinely happy the dogs were to be there. Their 'regulars' came in with huge smiles on their furry faces. Everything was super clean and I was thrilled to learn the dogs were not crated during their overnight stays. From my knowledge, it's just a big doggie sleepover for them (with proper temperament testing of course).
Being here for those few hours made me so happy. Do yourself a favor, bring your baby (you know what i mean) here.
Big Up!
They took Jonas in for a night while we threw a party at our condo. Let me tell you, waking up at 11:30 the next morning would not have been possible with a dog in the house.
The Houndry is a pretty cool spot. After a temperament test, they'll board you pup for $45 a night, which I hear is a good rate. We provided our own food, so there no worry that he'd be eating the wrong stuff. The staff is very loving and attentive to the dog. Jonas is a little leery of dudes when he is introduced, but the guys at the houndry jumped right in and bonded with my little flea-bag.
The play room is upstairs. When I arrived to pick him up yesterday I was pleased to see that it was adequately clean and not overly crowded with canines. The staff does a good job watching the pack as well so shenanigans are kept at a minimum.
I'd definitely take Jonas back for future boarding and day care.
I went to check out this place based on the stellar reviews here on Yelp. I was looking for a place to board my dog. The staff was friendly. My dog got scared immediately by a little terrier of some sort that barked at him when we came in, so he was being a baby the whole time I was filling out paperwork.
Seriously schedule an extra 30-40 minutes just to fill out the paperwork. I appreciate that they go the extra mile but there has to be a way to streamline the information they request..
After a little bit my dog chilled out and they took him up to the playroom for his temperment test. They told me to come back in an hour to get him. No one told me that they needed me to leave him. This was a little confusing.
So I left and came back. My dog was totally happy and all went well. I talked to another staff member for a few minutes about boarding and she said that the dogs are all in a big room with dog beds just hanging out over night and someone stays with them. If my dog wasn't a dog bed eater I would've considered it. That was kind of a deal breaker for me, unfortunately. He just doesn't do well without structure, he needs boundaries. It's a huge plus that someone's there overnight, that's one thing that really freaks me out about most other boarding places.
The staff was really helpful and seemed like they really truly love dogs so even though I didn't end up using them I would still recommend them.
LOVE IT! My dog loves the water bowl.
These guys are super nice, really friendly, and it isn't so "pet boutique" that it looks like the sort of place Paris Hilton takes her little dog to. It's a place for dog lovers ran by (Im hoping) real dog lovers.
This place saved my dog's life.. If you get your food from petco or petsmart etc. You are killing your dog! They are allergic and the nutrient values in the best food they sell at those places is $#(%
This place got us on the right track and also saved my nose from a world of hurt. Dog farts can ruin your day or week if it's my dog! We got rid of that with some prebiotics and my dog is a changed women.
It's like $5 more then the crap food at petco and its even more of a deal because you feed your dog less because they are getting so much nutrients!
Be good Pet Parents and go here!
These people are saints.
Not only do they run the BEST business in this neighborhood, with everything you could possibly want to spoil and pamper your dog, they have hearts of gold as well. They have taken an active role as a neighborhood and community-minded business in assisting 2 little dogs that were purposely abandoned in the area, and not every business would bother.
That being said, they are not a dog dump. They don't have the resources to run their business and take in multitudes of helpless animals, (this case was an isolated incident that required emergency help), but they would probably be more than willing to help you get on the right track to finding a rescue group or local adoption event if you are able to help an animal that needs a good home.
I will be doing my research to find out whether our ward has some kind of a Business of the Year award, because this place needs to be recognized for being a standout operation in our neighborhood.
I was really nervous when I first got my dog about leaving him anywhere, let alone a kennel, as I've heard such horror stories about kennels in general from other people.
The Houndry has been nothing but awesome since even before I was able to board my dog there. (They don't accept dogs under 6 months.)
Mick gave me (free!) advice and help with separation anxiety training- which worked amazingly- and continues to be fantastic with my little dude whenever I drop him off. Joe, the manager, is also great and seems to care about every dog that comes in.
So long as the two of them are there and happy, I don't care who owns the place. I have found the emails annoying as well and honestly don't feel like I need to know. I love that my dog jumps out of the car and pulls me to the front door whenever I drop him off for daycare and comes home happy and safe. Thank you, Houndry Staff!
Like all the others, I can't say enough good things about The Houndry and their staff.
We love the fact that they limit the number of dogs for daycare and boarding, so while it's a fun place for our dog Colby, it's not overrun with too many canines. (When we were looking for a kennel over Christmas, Urban Outsitters scared us by telling us that because they were cage-free they - Urban Outsitters - could basically take as many dogs as they wanted!)
We also love that they temperment test, so that you know all the dogs are safe, but don't be intimidated by the temperment test. It does not mean your dog has to be a perfect angel...they just want to make sure the dogs are safe and understand their personality (Colby loves to wrestle).
The fact that it's cage free is great because the dogs play all day and come home happy and tired. Mealtime is done separately so there is no fighting over food.
It is incredibly clean.
But what we love best is that they are truly dog lovers and dog experts...there is always someone in the play room with the dogs making sure they are safe and correcting bad behavior, so each trip to The Houndry is almost like getting a private training lesson for your dog as well. We asked to peek in the window to watch Colby interacting one day and the trainer had all of the dogs in a sit, waiting patiently to receive a treat one by one - it was very impressive and adorable.
Colby actually looks forward to his visits to The Houndry and while we weren't dissatisfied with our old kennel, it doesn't hold a candle to this place. We drive from Bucktown to this Wrigleyville location for doggy daycare once a week because it's so great!
Many thanks to Jack, Lindsay, Jeremy and the rest of the staff!
One more story...when we got back from a Christmas vacation, our flight got delayed and we were well beyond the 7:00 pick up time but were excited to see our pooch and didn't want to wait to pick up Colby. Even though the lights in the main (non-kennel) area were off and the front door was locked, Jeremy, who was doing the overnight with the dogs, made a point of taking our call and willingly brought Colby downstairs so that we could pick him up after hours. Truly fantastic customer service!
Five stars for sure.
I'm not a dog owner and therefore would not know where to go shopping for dog stuff.
My sister lives in Portland, OR and her dog Izzy has been having skin problems lately and the vet recommended that Izzy wear a raincoat because it is so misty and moist out there. She also told me that Izzy was 19" from neck to tail base but that dog clothes have weird sizes.
I live near Sheridan and Irving and knew there was a dog shop there but forgot the name since I wouldn't need to pay too much attention to a dog shop. So I started a talk on Yelp and got replies immediately.
When I called Houndry a girl named Lindsay answered and, after I asked her for the store hours, gave me TONS of info on dog rain gear, and suggested that I check out Ruffwear's site. I ended up walking past there anyway and dropped in. She couldn't have been more helpful and I immediately found exactly what my sister was asking for, a fleece-lined adjustable rain coat. I wasn't sure about the sizing so had to laugh out loud when Lindsay let me borrow a measuring tape and the coat I was looking for was EXACTLY 19 inches.
I could not have been more clueless about dog stores and Lindsay could not have been more resourceful.
Also, it seemed to be a very unpretentious and chilled out-place. As I was leaving a woman and her dog walked in and Lindsay greeted both the woman and her dog by name. Again, not knowing anything about dogs and dog-type places, it was an extremely pleasant place to be.
3 star rating10/01/2008 Edit »
This place wasn't a great match for me and my dog. I dropped my dog off for 2 hours for the temperament testing and when I returned a young man came down the stairs announcing that they couldn't take my dog. I was slightly embarrassed as this was announced in front of other customers picking up their dogs and I was confused because my dog is the friendliest and has never growled or shown other aggressive traits towards people or dogs. He told me my dog was "too friendly" and had a "wirey look in his eye." I felt the latter was very unprofessional and insulting. The young man continued to compare my dog to smart dogs that are regulars there. For their safety and my dogs safety, they couldn't accept him because they have dominant dogs and pit bulls (this is a paraphrase of what I was told). The young man recommended that I take one of their classes so my 7 month old pup could learn "calm." Well, if he would've read my 6 page application he would've known that my dog is already taking classes. I left feeling insulted and confused. I think this place didn't take into consideration that my dog arrived at 3:30pm when all of the other dogs had been there most of the day for daycare, so yes my dog was ready to play while the others probably had a chance to calm down from being there all day. There was no follow up from the owner either who I had been in contact with a couple of times before bringing my dog. Overall, I found this place unprofessional and slightly pretentious. You better make sure your dog is perfect before going here or else be prepared to be rejected.
After this, I found a wonderful place to board my dog that is also cage-less where he can run around with his friends all day and be too friendly.
**Update: After I posted this and the owner saw it, he did contact me (so up one star). He explained that what the employee did wasn't typical procedure and also gave me a clearer explanation as to why my dog wasn't a good fit there.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/1/2008
This place wasn't a great match for me and my dog. I dropped my dog off for 2 hours for the… Read more »
So, we finally had to board Miss Lucy again, but didn't want to go anywhere else because we have had some bad experiences. We stopped boarding her for a while because she was having behavior problems and was coming home covered in poop and scratches from her old place. But ... not here! The Houndry always has room for Lucy - I have even walked up the stairs and dropped her off and she has been fine. She comes home sans poop and sans energy - which is perfect! And she has no weird behavior hang-ups that she has developed staying elsewhere. Thanks to all who watch Lucy while she gets boarded here, even though we drag our feet having to take her somewhere instead of going with us, we only take her here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/1/2007
I love the Houndry, in fact I may love it more than my pup.
We just moved into the hood and to be… Read more »
I can't say enough great things about the Houndry. They have been so great to us and have done amazing things for our pitt bull Bailey. We rescued Bailey June of 2007 and moved to Chicago from CA September of 2007. Bailey was my first dog and she is wonderful, but she is a bully breed. This poses many different barriers for us and for her. Moving to Chicago and not having any family or friends at first made it very difficult when we had to travel back home for the holidays. The Houndry made our life a zillion times easier. First, Bailey is an amazing dog and in CA I used her as an unofficial therapy dog with autistic children. When we moved to Chicago we wanted to make it more official, so we began the process of enrolling Bailey in other training classes. That is how we found the Houndry. Bailey began taking Canine Good Citizen classes there through Animal Sense. Shout out to Sarah Rothenberger, Bailey passed with flying colors.
While we were taking classes, Bailey would hear the daycare upstairs. We were a little reluctant and were not sure if the Houndary took bully breeds, but their philosophy really is "Judge the deed and not the breed!" They thoroughly temperment tested Bailey and she passed with flying colors. She loves going there. Bailey only gets to go every once in a while mainly for cageless boarding , but it has been wonderful for her. Since we started classes at the Houndry, we learned that Bailey may not have been socialized correctly as a puppy so she communicates quite differently that may send off mix messages to other dogs. For example, she used to growl when she would just want to play, but we thought she was just being a bully. The people at the Houndry taught us how to read our dog's signals and they also were able to retrain her. One thing with pits and dogs in general is that you never want dogs to meet nose to nose first. Bailey has learned the whole butt sniff thing and doesn't freak out when another dog comes up and smells her right away. What I really credit the Houndry for, which I am not sure what exactly happened but....Bailey barely passed the walking on a loose leash part of the CGC test and sometimes we still would have to use the prong collar. However last Thanksgiving when we had to board her, she came back to us a whole other dog. No more prong collar, no more pulling, it was amazing! All in four days!!! Through the last year, Bailey in the pit world might of been considered a little bitchy or dog selective, but she is definately now dog social thanks to the Houndry. They have helped train her and train us.
Jack the owner is amazing and always accomodating. The staff at the Houndry is equally great and truly care for all the dogs. I highly recommend the Houndry for daycare, boarding, and training.
I've been wanting to check this place out for a while now, I've walked by this place so many times. I absolutely love this place for my dogs. So far I've only used them for boarding, but I will be signing my dogs up for daycare soon. I like how their boarding is "cage free," basically the dogs hang out all day and night. So if your dogs needs alone time, this type of boarding probably isn't for them. It's fairly priced and the staff is awesome. I feel completely safe leaving my dogs in their hands.
The Houndry rocks!!! My dog, Annie, literally pulls me towards the Houndry on almost every walk we take her on. Reasons why we love the Houndry:
1) Amazing, friendly, knowledgeable staff. Jack, Tiffany, Ryan and all the others love my dog almost as much as I do.
2) Clean! The place is always spotless and doesn't have a strange funky smell like lots of doggie daycare places.
3) No crates. We leave Annie for weekends at the Houndry when she cannot travel with us. They don't close her into a little box, instead they let her lounge with whomever is staying that weekend. Just like sleeping at home with me.
4) Cool stuff. They always know the latest and greatest in food, health care, etc. If you need it, they've got it, or they will check into it for you.
5) They really do care. When my dog got sick, they made phone calls to help me find a specialist to get her the care she needed.
If your dog hasn't checked out the Houndry yet - you are neglecting your pooch!!! Get him or her there ASAP!!!
After many months of searching for a suitable boarding location for my dog, I tried the Houndry in February. I don't know who was "in charge" of the facility at that time. Although I was willing to give the Houndry another try, a couple of things bothered me. First, I left messages to see how my dog was doing and no one called me back. Second, when I went to pick up my dog, only 1-2 cups of food were missing from her food bag (she stayed several nights and eats 4 cups a day). I asked whether my dog was eating and the person at the front desk who stayed overnight with her did not know how to respond. I referenced her food intake on the forms, and I would have appreciated receiving a call from someone if she was not eating. I am going out of town next weekend and planned to go back to the Houndry . In light of the nasty e-mail correspondence and bad reviews I will go elsewhere. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could post or send a message with suggested cage-free boarding alternatives. As an aside, I agree with the poster below that all of the parties look bad in this dispute, and I've decided to start over and find someone new. Thanks to all.
They do a very nice job here with walks and daycare. The dog has gotten roughed up a couple of times, but nothing more than a few scratches. The only complaint is that they don't take the dogs out to go numero uno and dos - I think that confuses the dogs about where it's okay to poop.
