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“Let Me Tell You” is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best things to do, where to eat and drink, and what to see at the theater. They publish each Tuesday so you’re hearing from us each week. Last time, Food & Drink Editor Morgan Carter said that your Dry January doesn’t need to end.
Ten-plus years ago, I left college with a degree in hand and very little job prospects. While I dreamed of getting my career started with a “real” job right away, reality dictated that money was a more important need. So after a few applications thrown out to restaurants, grocery stores and everything in between, I ended up at a doggie daycare. The days could be a bit rough (pun intended) including cleaning up the day-to-day messes, breaking up fights and coming home with fur on everything I owned. But most of the time I couldn’t complain. After all, my days were spent playing with dogs of all sizes, from rambunctious puppies to sugar-faced sweethearts who just wanted a bit of nuzzling before napping.
So when I saw that Tribeca recently gained a dog daycare—one that is bougie as can be—I was intrigued. Billed as the Soho House for dogs, Happy Tails is geared towards dogs and the people who love them. Beyond the regular offerings of dog daycare and boarding, the facility offers sessions with a dog trainer, a station for grooming, where members can bathe their pets or book an appointment with the groomer, and onsite veterinary services. The finer things in life for Fido can be had here as well, be it designer dog perfume and even a pet psychic to reach your dog on another plane. This added luxury will cost you, running the pretty price of $1,350 a month. So, I brought my sausage dog, Franny, and we checked it out ourselves.
Walking inside, you could immediately see this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill dog daycare. Inside, the front entryway is decorated with cutesy furniture including a bench modeled after a dog balloon animal, light-up mirrors that invite selfies and a few small tables that encourage humans to sit a spell over a cup of complimentary coffee and pastries for sale. A portion of the room is dedicated to retail stocked with goods your pet may not necessarily need, but deserves, with sweaters and leashes to pup-friendly perfumes from Dolce & Gabbana. Treats are abound with peanut butter ice cream from Bushwick’s Ollie's Ice Cream + Stuff and pet-friendly wines with cheeky names like “ZinfanTail” so you and your dog can live your Real Housewives fantasy. Adding to the hospitality of it all, Franny and I were personally greeted by the owner's dog, Magic, who welcomed us with all the sniffs.
Naturally, the biggest draw for those of us who go in to the office, be it five days a week or hybrid, is the daycare aspect. The 3,000-square-foot daycare was made with Instagram in mind as each quarter of the room has a different aesthetic. One corner is painted millennial pink with a few luxe velvet dog beds and a hanging neon sign that reads, “Spill The Tea.” Another corner, a jungle theme with a jungle gym to match, geared for dogs with energy to spare. Pets of all sizes interact with each other throughout the day under the watchful eye of trained canine handlers. Yet there are gates to separate dogs as needed throughout the day.
Beyond the basics are the more outrageous amenities that come with the price of membership. Among the dog chiropractor and the opportunity to host my own “bark” mitzvah, I was able to book a virtual appointment with their pet psychic on retainer. During the 30-minute-long session, the psychic confirmed a few things for me—that Franny has tension in her hind quarters (likely thanks to her prominent knees, my vet's words, not mine) and that her motto is “Anything that drops on the floor is fair game,” which is quite true for a dog that loves a New York city street snack. Of course, there were a few things she got wrong such as my dog having a boyfriend (she doesn't, her love is fleeting). The other was that she wasn’t food motivated, which not only contradicted her first point but was wildly untrue—this is the same dog who attempted to wolf down a full loaf of bread just yesterday. While connecting with a psychic isn’t necessarily my thing, for me or for my dog, it definitely is for others as the psychic’s sessions are fully booked within hours of release.
Now Happy Tails is more luxe than other daycares that I've seen or even worked at? Some of the amenities they offer—grooming services and rooms for a trainer—is something my old, luxe-less daycare offered too. Plus, the coffee straight from an espresso machine and the corresponding cafe area that’s in earshot of barking dogs isn’t exactly the ideal place to lounge for the day either. But just as the core of Soho House is connecting with like-minded individuals, Happy Tails is facilitating the same. Each month, Happy Tails hosts events that give fellow dog owners a chance to connect with one another beyond drop-off and pick-up. So far, events have included a puppy bowl for the Super Bowl and a wine and cheese night with a kissing booth for Valentine’s Day. On the horizon, you can expect movie nights where Fido is invited and speed dating events that ensure that your next potential partner will love dogs.
So is it worth it? To be honest, the price itself is a tad more expensive than other daycare facilities in the area, with dog daycares running around $55 per day and Happy Tails running you $88 for a full day, $60 for half. But if you are working a five-day workweek, the overall discount of a membership is worth it. Plus if you have Soho House money to spend, what’s the additional cost of a New York studio in your budget, anyway?
Here's a more look in depth at this top of the line doggie daycare.
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