Pooches Sport & Spa

The male owner of Pooches has to be the most horrible person in LIC.
Tonight, I witnessed an act of hostility and aggression toward a med size dog from a male worker.
As I walked past the store window; I saw a male worker lunge down and violently go to back slap a quivering dog in the face. The male work continued to yell at the dog as it shook in fright. A female worker looked on and saw the whole incident.
Inside the store I saw the owner and wanted to explain what I had seen. I thought perhaps he did not know? But from what I encountered I can only guess otherwise.
Soon as I walked in, the owner was yelling so loud at one of the workers, but soon as he saw me and shut up.
I said excuse me I need to tell you something and proceeded to tell him what I witnessed through the store window. I then pointed to the male employee as I explained what I had seen.
He immediately went on the offensive and like like a maniac man he began to yell and scream at me.
I tried to further explain what occurred, but the man would not listen.
He yelled did you see him hit the dog? Did you see him do it?
I said there could have been possible contact, but I can not be 100 percent, since I was several feet away. But it was a violent act. I said it is was not an act of kindness but aggression the way he lunged at the dog. I said the dog was shaking from fear.
Still yelling and screaming at me he said, well he is one of my most trusted employees and was most likely using hand signals.
I yelled hand signals? I stated that was way beyond hand signals!
He went on further yelling and screaming that I was exaggerating the situation, that I don’t know what I am talking about, and that I am lying.
The argument spilled onto the street where he continued to yell, scream, and mock me.
I said your a business owner? Perhaps you should looking into what occurred and find a solution? I said, you should say, okay miss I will look into your complaint.
But honest, from the way he continually yelled at me, he could not care less about the dog in question.
I could see there was no logic in trying to reason with this overly aggressive and abusive man. I told the owner I would post this to Unilocal and let everyone know what I saw tonight; since he did not care about the dog.
I made sure I repeated, I would let people know about the incident and clearly re stated the incident.
The owners response repeated response to me: «do what ever you want, tell who ever you want, let everyone know, because your so intelligent!»
He continued to mock and yell at me to my face and as I walked away; «yes your so intelligent, do what ever you want, post it every where, tell everyone, because your so intelligent!»
Well, I am glad the owner gave me his support and permission (numerous times) to post this to Unilocal.Unfortunately, I could not think of anything else to help the dog.

Love the service! The groomer did a great job. She did exactly what i showed her. I will come back for sure. Thank you soooo much!

First impression rating:
First time walking in here. The woman at the desk scolded a customer for being late for a grooming stating «we almost started on the other dog!!!» and hardly had time to answer any of my questions regarding grooming, acted like I was bothering her. I wonder how she would treat the dogs after their families drop them off!
I peeked in the back window from the street and it looks like there are way too many dogs in there, too. Seems they are overwhelmed and I wouldn’t trust them to take care of my dog here.

We really love this place. It’s been a lifesaver when our pup really needs to get out and play with others. She gets her hair cut here. We also board her here when we’re out of town. They’ve always been very sensitive to our pup’s needs, they remember her by name and our pup LOVES everyone who works there.
Our dog even had a little infection on her paw and we took her to Pooches to have their groomer check it out prior to going to the vet. Hopefully that will give you an idea of how much we trust them.
When we leave the house our dog will race to Pooches as fast as she can. She can’t wait to get there and at the end of the day she’s sad to leave. I think that’s a pretty excellent review right there.

Every now and then I speak with a business owner and just can not understand how and why they choose to run their business that way. I called this morning to arrange a very simple nail clipping. That was it. The person who answered the phone starts going on and on about since it is a grooming, that I get free day care and that my dog walker (Gimme Paw Dog Walking who are fantastic by the way) could come by and pick her up at noon. She then starts asking me about what type of haircut I would like for my dog, and I said it is JUST a nail clipping please nothing else, I just want to drop her off and wait with her.
Next thing you know the owner grabs the phone and starts going «No NO No NO NO I am the owner and a nail clipping is just $ 15 there is NO free day care» I don’t want Day care! I just want to bring in my dog and get her nails clipped and take her back. The owner starts going on about how you can only come between 10 and 2 pm (I guess they don’t think anyone else goes to work during the day) and then continues to be as rude as can possibly be. Considering I live down the street from this place its a shame I will never step foot in it. Too many other options to go deal with an owner who is choosing to be rude.

We just moved into the area and needed a place for our pup to burn off some energy while we’re at work.
Daycare is bustling! Walk-​in friendly and they most always have room. Note that they will turn away customers if playrooms are full – safety first!
Boarding was incredibly easy. We’ve also done nail trims.
Bruce (the owner) and his employees are great – incredibly helpful, professional, and loving to every dog that walks through the door. All of my questions were answered and they always make sure we have records for the little guy.

Bruce the owner is always helpful when it comes to accommodating my work schedule. He’s helped me with advice on puppy training and has tremendous experience. The staff is wonderful and my puppy loves each employee. When he sees them leaving he runs up to them and he’s always happy to turn the corner and see he’s going to daycare.
The facility is the cleanest I’ve ever seen and the pricing is not bad at all considering the free pick up and drop off that he offers.
Highly recommend this place for anyone in the neighborhood.

I have stopped taking my dog here, as the owners raised the price for my dog’s cut by almost $ 30 without telling me beforehand. When I questioned them as to why, they said it’s because she got «bigger» but she was literally the same weight in her previous visit (she came from having been weighed at the vet both times!!). Also, my dog got a puppy wart in her mouth from being at the daycare. Granted, the warts were going around a bit in LIC at the time but this was the only place she was exposed to other dogs for a prolonged period of time… will not be going back.

My dog Perl loved this place. Very convenient and affordable daycare especially the 5 hour for 20 dollar special. Bruce is very flexible and accommodating. Whether daycare or boarding you can’t really go wrong. Great staff. When my dog runs into them on the street she goes bonkers. We will miss this place in San Francisco.

Love this spot for day care and dog boarding. I have left my mini dachshund for both and he always leaves happy. The staff is friendly and if you call in they will update you on your pups status. They are great with last minute ressies and late pick up. They also have a mini shop in their lobby. If you leave your dog for day care they have a window where you can see your dog play.

The reviews here seem to be an extreme hit or miss. I was leaving for Florida and couldn’t take the pooch with. I spoke with the owner and a few others who happened to answer the phone and every question/​concern I had were patiently answered. After going through a few places I settled her in here. Right away she sauntered off to happily play with the rest of the bunch. We watched her for a little while and «score!».
I got a call in the middle of the day from the groomer as I wanted her groomed before getting picked up since she’s been needing one a while anyway. The call was to make sure I would be happy with what I would be getting back since the darn dog apparently made a bigger mess of what would be her fur. I was a little concerned they would shave her down to her skin in that we had a pretty awful experience with the shaving thing from another groomer in the past. She assured me that would not be the case and I got back a slightly less furry but a really nice and clean pup. A super tired one too! Looks like someone else had boatloads of fun!
All in all, they’re attentive, friendly and patient with the questions. Every person I’ve spoken to from owner to staff and groomers have been nothing but pleasant. If I had a complaint, all combined was a bit on the pricey spectrum, but not by so much that I wouldn’t go back. In fact, if ever I find the need to board her again, I would forego all the shopping around and just bring her back here.

This place is great for grooming, I’ve never boarded here. Everyone we’ve worked with has been nice. Our Shih tzu is a rescue and has been kicked out of other groomers for aggression. They let us come in the back for the first part of the first appt to make sure he was comfortable. He always comes out looking great (we only get short puppy cut with a rounded face, $ 75, $ 86 with tax), esp without his eye boogers :) our groomer is great and understands our puppy, I forget her name but she’s the pretty blonde one with the amazing blue eyes:) this was our second time but we’ll keep coming here!

Horrendous customer service. This place is run by a couple that will chase you down on the street asking for money.

This place is a huge asset to the neighborhood. You cannot beat the $ 20 for 5 hour stay w/​free pick up or drop off. My dog loves the spot and the staff (he jumps all over the staff when he sees them in the street). I love the fact that he comes home tired from playing all day. If you have a small dog in the area, this is the place to drop him/​her off

My girlfriend and I just had such an awful experience with the owner of Pooches that we had to call the police because he actually locked my girlfriend in his store against her will!
Our issue began with a miscommunication about the price of boarding. My girlfriend called and was told that it would be $ 45 per night (even though the website clearly says $ 40), and that we could pick our dog up at anytime before closing the following day. This sounded good, so she made the reservation. I brought our dog in on Saturday morning and met with the owner. He went through the pricing, and mentioned that there would be daycare fees on the following day. I was not involved with the initial conversation, so I did not know that my girlfriend was told something different. We were leaving for a trip in a couple hours, and I was not sent to discuss price. I dropped off our dog and left.
When we returned on Monday to pick up our pup at about 2:00, the woman at the counter (not an owner) told my girlfriend about the daycare fees. My girlfriend said that this was not discussed with her on the phone, and the woman kindly waved the $ 20 daycare fee without confrontation. We walked out of the store feeling good. We appreciated that she did not make a big deal of it, and we felt confident with this business that we would come back again and again. Then, about 30 minutes later, my phone rang and a yelling maniac was on the other end. He called me about every name in the book, yelling constantly about how I am a freeloader and that people like me are taking advantage of him. Every time I tried to speak he cut me off with his yelling. I acknowledged that he did in fact go over the fees with me when I dropped off our dog, but I wanted him to know that my girlfriend was told something different when she made the arrangements on the phone. Had she known about the additional fees, we likely would have looked elsewhere (she really wanted a place that had webcams so we could check on our dog while away, which this establishment does not have). He did not want to hear it. He just kept accusing me of taking advantage, yelling his head off, and then announced that he would no longer take my business as he hung up the phone.
My girlfriend heard the yelling on the phone, as she was in the room with me, and she wanted to go down to the store to talk about this situation with the owner to explain herself. She insisted I stay home to avoid anymore yelling. I guess she thought that the owner would talk to her in a more civil manner. Was she ever wrong.
When she arrived at Pooches, the owner was not there. He walked in the door a few minutes later and aggressively approached my girlfriend. He got so close to her face, yelling at her about how we took advantage of him, that she had to tell him to back up out of her face. He insisted that he was doing us a favor by even taking our dog because he was «snapping» at him. My girlfriend told him that he must be in the wrong business if he can’t handle dogs that have some behavior issues when they first enter a new environment. In response to this, he threatened to call the police that my girlfriend was trespassing! At that point, my girlfriend decided to make her way to the exit. As she approached the door, he actually stood between my girlfriend and the door and LOCKED THE DOOR! She tried to push the door open, and he said, «I’m holding you here.» She then pushed passed him, unlocked the door, walked out, and told him that she feels sorry for his wife. He yelled, «F**k you!» and my girlfriend returned the insult right back to him.
My girlfriend returned home and told me that the owner got in her face, yelled at her, cursed at her, and actually locked her in his store. She could barely get the words out she was so horrified. It took a lot for me to not go down and pay this guy another visit. Infuriated, I called the store up to find out about what he did to my girlfriend from his own voice. Of course, he was not there. I went over to Pooches to speak with the woman at the counter to hear from her perspective. She confirmed that he had in fact stepped in front of the door and locked it on my girlfriend. I finally got the owner back on the phone, and he started off by telling me that he will no longer accept my business. LIKE THAT IS EVEN THE CONVERSATION ANYMORE! Again, he did not give me much of a window to speak. This guy has some nerve. He told me he could not possibly come down to the store (he lives in the same building) so that it is useless for me to be there. My girlfriend and I left the store, and decided that we should call the police and let him explain it to them, since he did not want to face me. When the police arrived less than 5 minutes later, he magically appeared!
I really hope that all of you Unilocal readers avoid this place like the plague.

I have been taking both my dogs (a Shiba Inu & a Golden Doodle) to Pooches since I have lived in the neighborhood (2 years), and have been very happy with Bruce and the crew. My dogs have always been taken care of very well — the Pooches staff understand that these dogs are family and treat them with care and respect — whether it has been day care, boarding, or grooming. Bruce has been very accommodating of my schedule, and has always happily brought my dogs home when I have had to work late (even on very short notice) or delivered products/​packages to my building. The staff is all-​around great and very professional.
I am moving from the neighborhood and one of the things I will miss most is Pooches — thanks guys for taking care of my babies! You’ve really done right by me and them and I will always be grateful for that.

Had my dog groomed here about 4 times, every time he is finished he is always happy and looks nice, they never seem to get the style right time after time, I think they just ignore what you say lol, but that is ok because the last thing I would want is my little guy leaving sad or stressed out after a day at the groomers. The owner is also a very nice guy, and the location if perfect for me

I brought our Yorkipoo, Lucy, here for a grooming appointment. The groomer did a wonderful job! We’ve lived abroad, in 3 states, and on the UWS before moving to LIC, and this was the best haircut she’s ever had — really. I was very impressed. After paying twice the amount for a bath and cut in Manhattan, one that wasn’t nearly as pretty, I’ve always waited until we were going out of town to get Lucy groomed, but now I won’t have to do that. Pooches is our place!
Also, I regularly buy dog food and treats at Pooches. It’s a great price — cheaper than Petsmart in the city and about the same as the pet store on Jackson Ave. Whoever’s working at the register, one of the owners or a staff member, is always friendly.
Finally, Lucy has never been here for daycare or boarding because we have a dog walker, but I love how the dogs are permitted to run around freely and you can see them from the huge windows at all times.

Though the owner is a very nice guy. His staff is rude and unhelpful. I have brought my Pomeranian there 2 times and both
Times the groomer did the exact opposite of what I asked and then came out to the front of the store to argue with me about what she had done and tried to make me feel like I was wrong. Hello I’m pretty sure we both saw what my dog looked like before your hands butchered him. Will NEVER return to this groomer. Horrible experiences.

GROOMING REVIEW only.
Despite reading some negative reviews, I decided to give this place a try back in 2010. I needed a last minute grooming appointment for my dogs and was able to get one for BOTH! Over the years, my experiences with Bruce, in person and over the phone, have all been positive. I always ask for a short puppy cut for both my yorkie and maltese… so far I’ve never been unhappy with the way my dogs turnout after their grooming.
$ 65: full grooming for a small dog and free same-​day daycare, if you wish.
Cash or credit accepted, cash tips only!
Their website is very useful, all of their information seems to be on there including prices for daycare, boarding, and grooming.