Dogwoods Lodge

Dawn Higgins

2023-11

My dog loves Dogwoods Lodge. The staff gave my dog a lot of attention. The training is amazing. The trainers are really good. The lodging is unique. They are rooms that look like cabins. My dog was comfortable and calm in her room. That was a bit if a surprise since I adopted her from a shelter only a few weeks prior to her board and train. The staff are polite and understanding. I will be bringing my dog back for group training and for more private training. I have always trained my service dogs but I am so happy with Dogwoods Lodge training, boarding, and staff that I will have Dogwoods Lodge train my dog the service dog tasks needed. It is such a relief knowing that I have wonderful place to board my dog if I need to. I recommend Dogwoods Lodge with all my heart.

Jacquelin Nussbaum

2024-03

I highly recommend Dogwoods Lodge for any person wanting to have peace of mind that their dogs are well cared for while they are away! The staff is very caring and friendly, taking time to go over any and all details that will help them give your dogs the special attention they need. Report cards and text messages with photos keep you updated on your dog’s stay, and they are quick to call with any concerns about your dog’s health and well being…even after hours if necessary. We are grateful for their beautiful clean facility and awesome staff!

Todd Pierce

2024-05

This was the first time I’ve boarded any of my babies but it was for our daughter’s wedding in Vegas. We researched and read 100’s of reviews and toured many places. Dogwood stood out by a mile. Just the quietness when you walk into the lobby was a huge difference. There weren’t a hundred dogs barking at the same time stressed out. The staff quickly calmed my anxiety of leaving my three dogs. We chose the chalet with a private patio accessed through a doggie door. Best decision! They loved it and loved all the extra treats and outdoor time time. Dogwood cared for my babies as if they were their own and you can’t ask for anything more than that. We picked them up and they were tired and slept for hours when we got home. If you’re on the fence please choose Dogwood. And yes this is one of those situations where it does cost more here but so worth it. Don’t your fur babies deserve the best? Dogwood is fantastic!

Kelly Ross

2024-05

My dog, Moose, LOVES daycamp! She goes once a week and gets SO excited to go! I love knowing she is having a fun, fulfilling day while I am at work instead of sitting at home alone for 8+ hours. Would HIGHLY recommend Dogwoods services to anyone with a pup!

Megan Gentner

2024-05

ZERO stars. DO NOT bring your dog here. Your basically paying for them to sit in a kennel. Check out the live cams. More likely than not your dog is not playing. I first had an issue when I brought my labrador there for a D shed treatment. He has many of had many of these in the past at other places and I’ve never had an issue. I picked him up and noticed he was bathed but still extremely hairy. I called back to have it redone. I was told my elderly labrador had troubles standing so that’s why he wasn’t groomed well. Nobody ever called me to tell me this. The “second” appointment I went to pick him up and was noticeable the same. I figured I’d give this place another chance so I took him back to daycare for a couple times. We will NEVER be returning here. Today I dropped my dog off early in the morning. He was put in the kennel and remained in the kennel with no playtime. I furiously went to go pick him up. I was told he vomited twice. Nobody called me to tell me this. My Labrador loves all dogs and humans. He is also extremely lazy and often just lays there. I was told the dogs in the current playgroup were too active for him. In my picture you can see two other dogs laying down. This didn’t make sense to me. Do not bring your pet here. You’re wasting your money and your time.

Carol Rickels

2024-04

I love the environment and the happy welcome we got when we walked in the door. Mimi, my miniature poodle, was very comfortable. She enjoyed the grooming they said and she looked beautiful when I picked her up. Thank you for a fantastic job. See you in 4 weeks.

Ronda Smith

2024-04

I highly recommend Hailey at Dogwoods Lodge for grooming! She did a fantastic job with our mini English Doodle, and he looks like a new pup! I can tell she is patient, loves dogs, and truly has their best interests at heart.

Dian Gunderman

2023-12

Dogwoods was recommended by a friend, so we decided to give them a try. We took our 10 month old lab for a 2 week board and train and from the very first interaction, we knew this was the place. The front desk staff are super friendly and you can tell that they genuinely care about the animals. The facilities are impeccably clean, modern and comforting. We had a great experience and if we ever need to board or seek additional training, we will not go anyplace else. Special shout out to our trainer Page, she was amazing!

Melissa Chavas-Miller

2022-06

This place is amazing! They take wonderful care of my two English Golden Doodles. The training is going very well and the pups look forward to going every Tuesday and Thursday. And, it's very clean. The people here clearly have respect for the animals and pride in their work. THANK YOU!

Linda Evans

2018-06

When we go on vacation, this is the only place we trust to take care of our precious Shannon Emma. She stays at Dogwoods Lodge an average of 3 times a year. The care she receives is beyond perfect. She loves her cuddle times and private play times. If I could, I’d give 10 stars. The staff treats her like a princess which of course she is. She has her own room and bed, as opposed to a cage like they have at other facilities. No way! We’d stay home before we’d leave her anywhere else. Thank you to the staff for taking such good care of our girl!!

James Cord

2024-01

The folks at Dogwood are very accommodating. And the best I can tell, I think they took good care of our pup. We will go back when we have the need.

Dawn Henderson

2021-06

November 2016We have been using Dogwoods since we returned to the area a year ago. We selected them based on reviews and location. However, it is has been the excellent specialized care, we received for all three of our dogs, that has kept us coming back. In the last year our 14 yr old Boston Terrier Panda, had health issues. Dogwoods personnel gave her special attention, administered her meds and (even gave her nose spray!). This was the ONLY facility where I felt comfortable leaving her. She passed away a week ago and we received the most beautiful sympathy card. They are truly a compassionate, caring group. As for our other two goofy girls, Marley and Penny can always share a cabin so they can play together and never exhibit anxiety when we bring them inside. They are happy to visit here. What peace of mind. Thank You Dogwoods.Grateful pet ownersDan & Dawn Henderson, Urbandale

Jill King

2023-06

Wow! My puppy loved her stay @ Dogwoods! What an excellent suggestion from staff to have her attend a play day before her extended stay with them. She loved the play times in the zoom zoom room! It was awesome to see how much the staff cares about the dogs there. She returned to us happy, healthy and jumped back into her home routine with no trouble. Thank you Dogwoods!

Louie Hanson

2023-07

Jack and Sadie seemed to really enjoy their time at Dogwoods. Very friendly and professional staff. We will definitely bring our pups back.

Caroline B

2023-11

I recently boarded my dogs at this facility. My dogs were clean and happy when they returned home. The kennel was very large and had a private yard. The staff happily gave me an unscheduled tour and the facility was spotless and quiet (for a dog boarding facility). We will certainly be bringing our dogs back.

Paul Tammy Bunkofske

2020-06

Indy our Bernese Mountain Dog had a great time at day camp at Dogwoods Lodge. We love that they have different things for the dogs to do throughout the day instead of just hanging out together. Makes for a tired dog! Thanks for taking such great care of her. We will be back.

Nicole Pranke

2020-06

Dogwoods has been awesome for my dog Ryno. He has attended obedience class, one on one training and Daycamp. All of these combined have been great for helping Ryno become the great puppy boy he is! He loves going and playing with his friends Monday and Friday and is so exhausted when he gets home! He also enjoys the staff and gets so excited when we pull in the parking lot! The level of customer service and enthusiasm when you arrive helps create such a positive experience and shows the amount of love they have all customers and especially for my Ryno!

Mike Fascian

2023-11

Our dog loves attending day camp weekly and loves spending time at the lodge when we are out of town. We always miss him when we are gone but it’s comforting to know he is well taken care of and gets love and attention while we are gone.

Lynne Hoeksema

2024-04

My Maisy practically breaks through the passenger car window as she recognizes where we’re headed. She absolutely LOVES Daycamp! Everyone is wonderful with her and she comes home exhausted, which I love!

Michael Sullivan

2017-06

Our dog loves her trips to Dogwoods for Day Camp. They take great care of her, there are always cameras you can view online to see how your dog is doing, and at the end of each day they give you a report card of how your dog behaved. It's a perfect place to let your dog wear themselves out some and socialize with other dogs. Glad we found this place!

Deb Moore

2023-08

Dogwoods is my boarding place of choice for my dogs. Both are older and one needs a place where his medical issues are attended to. During their last stay, my male dog had some issues. Miranda, one of the caretakers, stayed all night with him, checking on him every 30 minutes, sleeping in between on a dog bed. After getting him to the emergency vet, she went back and brought his meds and records so the vet knew what he needed. And Dogwoods employs a lot of people like Miranda, who will love your dog almost as much as you do. Forever grateful for the care my dogs receive there. P.S. My dog is doing okay. :)

Julia Woodiwiss

2023-09

We boarded our 3 pups (16yo, 3yo and 1yo) with other family dogs for 3 total rooms for an out of town wedding. Dogwoods manager & staff were great to work with by phone/email, helping me get a bunch of new dogs entered into the system, very accommodating for arrangements, requests, and changes, and very thorough/patient for the assessment the day prior to arrival. They were able to get us adjoining chalet rooms for our 3 medium dogs, and a patio chalet for the spooky pup, which was SUPER appreciated for a first-time boarding experience. Great facilities, easy access, very customizable, etc. We were nervous parents and they did a good job with us too.A few comments mentioned after the visit: 1) The pricing was a bit confusing, but booking that many dogs was bound to be; 2) Our senior dog's bed came home wet, so unsure if pups were too distracted to potty during let-out time, or if they couldn't hold it for the overnight duration, or perhaps nervous peeing(?); 3) While we got a photo, I wished there was a camera in the room so I could see how they were reacting to the first-time boarding environment & even change the add-ons if they needed something different; 4) I wished there was an earlier Sunday pick-up time since we were traveling home. We were waiting around very anxiously for them until 4pm. :)Overall, I was very pleased with Dogwoods, and would definitely board here if we lived in town - or if we come back to town! Thanks for caring for our loves.

jennifer appenzeller

2023-10

This was the first time we had to board our 3 yorkies and to say the least leaving my babies with "strangers" was causing me alot of anxiety. We chose a chalet where all 3 could be together and they were allowed to bring their blankets from home for comfort. We had toured the facility and all our questions were answered and everyone was very nice. While we were gone one of our dogs had a possible medical issue. We were contacted and made the decision to have him seen by our vet. They had a staff member take him and later go back to retrieve him (thankfully turns out he was just fine) but that was not a short drive and we appreciate them doing so. We opted to receive a daily photo and they always looked happy. It was reassuring to know that they were being looked after and loved and most important to us, safe!

Kris Baumgart

2023-08

This was Bailey’s first time there! She had a great time with all her new people and dog friends. She came home tired from playing and doesn’t smell like a kennel! Dogwoods Lodge is our new home for Bailey when we need to have her boarding.

Nadia Clark

2023-06

Amazing experience for me and my pups! First time leaving my 4 year old and 11 month old Akitas. They were great at communicating during the week we were gone and keeping this dog mommas mind at ease. Picked them up today and they were clean, happy, and acted like they were on vacation as well! You can tell they both were well loved and taken care of while they were there! We will be using dogwoods lodge for all our vacations from now on!

Jennifer

2023-10

If you specifically have dogs that have past trauma and who you love so much, THIS IS THE PLACE! Our dogs cannot be in actual kennels or crates and they had the perfect place for them that is like a small room. They are very thorough and care about what they do and love what they do!! We will be back!! 💜💜💜Adding to my comment: they went back a second time, and they were both excited to go in. I didn't have to pick up my girl. So good!

Carrie Thomas

2022-06

So saddened to be writing this review. I have heard such great things about Dogwoods but have now been brought to tears by their apparently BRAND new breed restrictions. I was referred here by another pitbull owner and told how amazing their puppy socialization classes were. I went through the registration process, uploaded a photo of my 9 week old American Staffy and called to schedule. The woman on the phone was very kind and instantly wanted to schedule my puppy for his assessment so he could start playtime. I told her my availability and after a long pause she said her system was showing a new time to schedule and she needed to put me on hold. After a long hold she came back on the line and told me that there has been too many issues and they no longer accept pit bulls (even though I had JUST signed their paperwork which said the only breed restriction was wolf hybrids). I had to fight back tears and just ended the phone call. My dog is NINE WEEKS old, has never shown aggression in his life but will not be allowed simply because of his genetics. How can Dogwoods expect pitbull type breeds to be kind and gentle with other dogs in adulthood if they do not allow them to be socialized when they are young? Dogwoods is actively contributing to an issue that statistically doesn’t exist. It makes me ill that my sweet baby is being left out when he has done nothing wrong. There are SO MANY other doggie daycares in the Des Moines area - weather youre a bully owner or not I suggest you find a business that lets EVERYONE participate and let’s all dogs get that critical socialization.

Daniel Anderson

2023-06

We've taken our dog, Barkley, to Dogwoods Lodge three times since we moved to the area. Since we don't have any family or friends here to watch Barkley, we had to find a place to board him when traveling. So far, Dogwoods Lodge has taken great care of Barkley. The range of stays has been as short as the day for doggy day camp to an eight day stay this last week. I enjoy the webcam and doggy day camp and 2-hour play time options available in addition to the boarding. We'll continue to use Dogwoods Lodge as our place of boarding. I even think it would be fun to work there and play with all the dogs!

Michael and Mommy

2023-06

I am so happy we found such a wonderful place to take our Emma. She is a Weimaraner with lots of energy and they always take such good care of her and she always comes home from daycare one happy pooch. She knows if she is getting in the car it’s to go play with all her friends and you would think her tail was going to fall off the minute she gets inside. From boarding, grooming and daycare the love and care is phenomenal. Exceptional staff and customer service. I know I am leaving my Emma in good hands. Thanks Dogwoods Lodge for everything you do!

Andrew Faust

2023-06

We've been taking our beagle here for a few years for daycamp and he loves it. The staff are super friendly and almost always greet Baxter by name when we show up. The facilities are very clean and feel very welcoming and relaxing. There are cameras in every room that allow us to watch our dog play throughout the day. They also give you a fun report card for your dog so you know how they did throughout the day, and what dogs they interacted with most. The staff pay great attention to the dogs and interact with them. We've also done a training session here and the trainers were great with the dogs and good teachers for the "parents". The owner also volunteered to give me a ride home when my vehicle broke down unexpectedly. Great service, great staff, great doggy daycare! Highly recommend.