Dogtopia of South Waterfront - Portland, Oregon

E

My little girl, Riley, is a shy one and we weren't sure how she would do in daycare. The staff has been incredibly patient with her, showing lots of love and attention. She now runs up to the staff and offers kisses, seeking them out to play in the rooms. This is one of those places where the staff absolutely love all the dogs. There are no favorites because everyone is a favorite.

One thing I'm super impressed with is that the dogs are sorted by size AND temperament. I was nervous she would be overrun in the room with more energetic pups, but they quickly saw she would do better in a different group and she has been safe and happy. And we can see her on the cameras every day, just to check in!

Also, for a pup that hates anything grooming related, this is the only place she will accept a bath (even letting them trim her nails). This is a HUGE win. We are so grateful she is loved and cared for by the outstanding Dogtopia staff!! <3

J B.

We had researched dog care while visiting the area while my wife had surgery at OHSU. Unfortunately we had travel issues and missed appointment screenings at Dogtopia and another business close by. I arrived at other option and explained situation and was told there was nothing they could do to accommodate me. I walked to Dogtopia and the staff were amazing. After a few minutes we did meet and greet, reviewed our Sam’s history, temperament, ect and we were good to go. The live web cams helped pass the time as well. I definitely recommend if you are looking for dog care.

Colin W.

Management seems primarily focused on sales rather than the well-being of employees or the dogs in their care. The company overprices its services while cutting corners on facility upkeep and employee support. Most workers are overwhelmed due to poor management, and only select staff, such as store leads and back-of-house leads, receive any meaningful support.

While the staff members who work directly with the dogs often have good intentions and form genuine bonds with them, the overall structure of Dogtopia leaves a lot to be desired. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Dogtopia for pet owners who prioritize safety, cleanliness, and proper care for their dogs. If you’re considering daycare or boarding for your pet, I suggest looking into alternatives that prioritize professional training, reasonable staff-to-dog ratios, and a cleaner, more compassionate environment.

Colin W.

Honest Review of My Experience Working at Dogtopia.

As a former employee of Dogtopia, I feel compelled to share my experience to help potential customers and job seekers make informed decisions.

One thing I will say is that most of the coaches genuinely care about the dogs. Many of us truly loved the dogs we cared for and did our best to make their days enjoyable. However, the overall environment and management practices made it extremely difficult to provide the level of care these dogs deserve.

Unfortunately, the facility is not as well-maintained as it should be. Cleanliness is a major issue, with unsanitary conditions that are not addressed regularly. The playrooms and kennels are often filthy, with inadequate cleaning schedules that leave strong odors and unclean surfaces. Despite the company’s claims, the rooms are overcrowded, creating a stressful and unsafe environment for both the dogs and the staff.

The so-called “coaches” are not trained or certified professionals. Many employees are thrown into their roles with little to no proper training, making it difficult to handle the high number of dogs effectively. This lack of preparation leads to unnecessary stress and, in some cases, unsafe situations.

One of the most concerning policies is the lack of basic comfort for the dogs, especially at night. Dogs are often left without bedding because management fears they may urinate on it. Toys are also prohibited at night, leaving the dogs with nothing to comfort them. This practice seems more focused on convenience rather than the well-being of the animals.

Management seems primarily focused on sales rather than the well-being of employees or the dogs in their care. The company overprices its services while cutting corners on facility upkeep and employee support. Most workers are overwhelmed due to poor management, and only select staff, such as store leads and back-of-house leads, receive any meaningful support.

While the staff members who work directly with the dogs often have good intentions and form genuine bonds with them, the overall structure of Dogtopia leaves a lot to be desired. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Dogtopia for pet owners who prioritize safety, cleanliness, and proper care for their dogs. If you’re considering daycare or boarding for your pet, I suggest looking into alternatives that prioritize professional training, reasonable staff-to-dog ratios, and a cleaner, more compassionate environment.

Brittany G.

This place is amazing. Some people like to complain about the silliest stuff. I take my dog there every day, and if it weren’t as great as it is I wouldn’t be paying for it. My dog Maui LOVES it there. She would live there if she could. The staff here have been so so so kind and accommodating. The way the love Maui makes me a little emotional, because Maui was going through a tough time before she started day care here. Our Cat, Yoshi, passed away in August. It was tough on Maui because Yoshi was her big sister. It was really tough on me and Maui was so loving and supportive to me during this time. Then we had to leave San Diego unexpectedly and move here to Portland. We didn’t know anyone, and Maui made the two day car trip with a horrible ear infection.

I needed to get her into a day care at the LAST MINUTE before started my new job. The staff were so accommodating and got her into so quickly. They have always been easy to get a hold of, checking in with me throughout the day for a long time to let me know how Maui was doing. They also pay very close attention to her, if they notice something is off or if she needs something they always contact me. They have been so welcoming to us, it has been one of my favorite experiences since moving here. It’s OBVIOUSLY Maui’s favorite. When I pick her up she tries to go back inside.

I am beyond grateful for how they love my girl 💕💕💕💕

Thank you!!

Rebecca S.

Dogtopia has slowly been going downhill for us. We used to take our dogs there and feel comfortable doing so. The last few times they’ve stayed, when watching the cameras we noticed the majority of dogs (ours included) were in crates for most of the daycare hours during the day. There is usually “nap time” from 12-2 where they are crated and resting but this was on top of that. The whole reason we bring them to a boarding location like this is so they aren’t in crates all day and get to play with other dogs. Hoping it was just a one off, we decided to give it one last try.

The last time we went to drop them off for boarding, on a Saturday at 10AM, I stood in the lobby for 20 minutes without a soul in sight, no way to ring a bell or call a phone because it sat unattended. When someone finally came back, they assured us that they had a call in and were understaffed and that “this doesn’t happen”. So there was one person on site managing god knows how many dogs.

I then asked why the dogs have been crated more often during the day and the staff member again stated “oh that doesn’t happen unless we’re super short staffed i promise it’s not like that”…do they not realize there are cameras? like… I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I just had a bad gut feeling and after reading so many other recent negative reviews we didn’t feel comfortable leaving our dogs there. We ended up having to change our travel plans (thank god we weren’t flying) to keep our dogs home.

Just to confirm if we did the right thing, we checked the cameras throughout the day and saw dogs in crates almost the entire day, at one point they turned the lights off on the dogs, and a mess that this one poor staff member was trying to manage.

Unless you want your dog in a tiny crate all day, on top of other dogs, and a severely understaffed facility managing them, don’t take your dogs here. It’s only getting worse.

isabella H.

If you truly car about your dog, I would not bring them here. They overhouse the dogs, I think I saw 50-60 dogs, all in crates, and only 3 staff members. Its very evident that the company’s focus is not on giving your dog the best experience but actually just cramming as many dogs as they can into small rooms and collecting your check. I hate to bring down a business but this is important for dog owners to know because the reality of dogtopia is very disappointing.

Ałℯϰḯṧ ?.

the staff and management are all passionate about dogs but the company’s main priority is sales, this sales oriented culture is reflected in overbooked playrooms, overpriced boarding and daycare packages, last minute / cheap craft activities (that cost money) and refunds that often take a minimum of 3 weeks to complete despite many recent complaints regarding double & over-charging, meanwhile, the dog room attendants are often undertrained or overwhelmed by large quantities of dogs or forced to take on more work than they should, this is why the cameras are often off and the dogs can be crated more than usual, this happens when there is only one dog attendant for both rooms

This said, dogtopia south waterfront is the least busy location in Portland and there’s usually never more than 25 or so dogs in each room, they also donate to many dog oriented charities and some of the playroom activities are specifically created to fund these endeavors

If your dog is injured at a dogtopia location, dogtopia will not cover your vet fees. most physical injuries aside from minor bites and crate rub are uncommon, but illnesses such as giardia, and digestive issues (diarrhea, vomiting) spread on occasion, this said, all accepted dogs are vaccinated against major illnesses like Rabies, Distemper & Influenza

If your dog is still young I cannot recommend bringing your dog here, dog coaches (the playroom attendants) are not certified trainers in any way and dogs often unlearn trained behaviors or pick up new, negative, behaviors such as poop eating, demand barking, humping, jumping, and nipping. poop eating is the most common learned behavior and often leads to digestive issues spreading throughout the rooms

Unless a suite was purchased for your dogs stay, Most dogs at all dogtopia locations are left alone in crates at night if they are there to board, though bedding can be brought or provided for them. there are no playroom attendants, managers or security people in the building at night.

Dogs are not walked and there are no outdoor activities at this location.

Though this location closes at 7:30 pm, the doors are locked by 7:00, you will have to call ahead in order to be let in if the front desk sales representative is not there to let you in.

Overall, Dogtopia south waterfront provides a valuable service to its customers, if one can afford it, but there are many things to be aware of if you plan to bring your dogs here.