New York City’s exclusive club is targeting a new clientele: dogs

A new breed of New York City business is catering to the city’s affluent dog owners, offering dog trainers, organic pet food, and spaces with curated human experiences.

“Everyone there loves dogs, so it’s kind of a magical space,” said Liam Underwood, co-founder of DogPPL, a Santa Monica members-only club opening in Williamsburg this spring. .

Some of these dog clubs also offer facilities such as coffee shops and bars. Another promises to “foster a deeper connection between you and your dog.” Some have a one-year waiting list.

Private spaces for dogs aren’t new, and dog daycare centers have been operating in the city for decades, but these clubs, in addition to programs to help socialize humans, are a new addition to the We offer luxurious amenities, including triple-filtered dog water.

For example, Dog PPL hosts a country music festival every spring, has DJs on Friday nights, and offers pottery classes to make your own dog bowls. Happy Tails in Tribeca features a cafe, multiple themed rooms for puppies, and a self-grooming station where owners can easily groom their dogs. Soho Grand, a pioneer in New York City’s upscale dog clubs, has an open-air, hydrangea-adorned fenced outdoor park open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“We don’t just drop off the dog and leave it here. We want to create an experience for the dog and the human,” says Teddy Tawil, co-founder of Tribeca’s Happy Tails.

Local fans of these clubs say they provide safety for their pups and also provide space for dogs to run. One owner said he took his Goldendoodle to a local dog park and the puppy often came back covered in bruises. But she found the dogs at Soho Grand to be “well-mannered.” Dog owners also said they appreciated the sense of community fostered at the club.

Critics, at least in local Reddit threads, say the prices, which range from about $60 for a half-day at Happy Tails to about $1,400 a month for full-time dog sitting at some clubs, are ridiculous in a city with a housing shortage. It states that Increase in homelessness.

“If you have the disposable income to waste over $1,300 a year on what is essentially a glorified dog park membership, please don’t tell me you don’t care about dogs. That’s elitist and cool. I don’t like being watched,” wrote Reddit user Few-Horror 1984.

On a recent weekday, Happy Tails in Tribeca felt like a kindergarten for dogs. The club’s 3,000 square foot playing area was brightly lit and covered in bright green Astroturf. It was divided into areas with different themes, some of which were decorated to look like a jungle. The Goldendoodle stood on the play equipment and the trainer coaxed him to go down the slide.

Dog owner Bree Groff was watching her dog, another Goldendoodle, from behind a one-way mirror.

“I’m really looking forward to the dogs having friends because they get bored at home,” she said.

Lured by the promise of social connection, Maddie Beckwith joined Dog PPL. She was visiting New York City from Los Angeles with her dog, Doug, and spent the afternoon at the Soho Grand Dog Run.

Beckwith said of joining the club: “It was great for him to have a place to go, but it was also great for me to be in a new place and meet new people.”

For fashion designer Laura Kim, the only real problem with Soho Grand was getting her Goldendoodle, King, into membership.

“I waited about a year and couldn’t get in, so I found the marketing and public relations department and begged them to let me in,” she said. She said it was worth the wait. Dr. King currently visits twice a day.

“I’ve never met a crazy dog ​​parent, and in the summer it’s so pretty here with all the hydrangeas and greenery,” she said.