YPSILANTI, Mich. – Pup City owner Matthew Golowic can tell you about every inch of his new 10,300-square-foot doggie daycare.
He has had his hands all over the superhero-themed facility on Carpenter Road from building most of the facility’s play structures and fencing to setting up the Pup City camera system.
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Having worked in real estate for seven years, Golowic started developing Pup City in September 2021 after realizing he wanted a different career.
“I want to hang out with my dogs, and provide a service people can enjoy,” he said over the phone.
Golowic has spent thousands of hours getting the space ready for launch. Pup City is the largest facility of its kind in Washtenaw County, and Golowic wants it to be one that local pet owners want to take their dogs to.
“I want to be the option that people choose because they like our transparency, they like the communication, they like the relationships that they have with the employees here--that the employees have with their dogs,” he said.
Due to its size, the Carpenter Road facility could hold over 100 dogs but Golowic said that number is way too high. He aims to have fewer furry clients so there is more space to share, and so that the dogs are less stressed.
He has spent a lot of time designing the facility to be stress-free and fun, including custom multi-story play structures, indoor-and-outdoor spaces, glass-door kennels, privacy fences, artificial grass and rubber flooring.
As part of its services, Pup City offers overnight boarding where staff--including Golowic himself--stay overnight with the pups. This allows the dogs to spend more time playing and less time in kennels.
Golowic hopes the company’s BARKS values are what attract clients, and keep them coming back. The business aims to Be transparent, Always treat pets as family, Reduce drama, Keep the space stress-free and value Safety and sanitation.
Pup City staff want to be transparent with any pet parent who walks in the door. Having been in their shoes before, Golowic wants Pup City dog parents to be comfortable with how their dogs are being treated.
“I’ve taken my dogs to other daycares before, and there was just no transparency. I couldn’t see where they were going, what was going on,” he said.
Golowic wants clients to feel secure in their decision and is willing to answer any questions they may have.
“If someone is interested in a doggie daycare facility, they should be able to see the day-to-day operations of it,” he said. And Golowic has made that possible with camera feeds, windows into the play spaces and walk-in tours between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Extra anxious pet parents can even text or call a cell phone Golowic has set up if they want specifics on their pups.
While some dog care facilities have restricted breed lists, Pup City doesn’t. Instead, the facility has a strict “no aggressive dogs” rule.
Dogs need to pass a temperament test in order to be accepted. Golowic explained that this is for the safety of the dogs, and it is more fair to the problematic pups. He said he won’t take an owner’s money just to have their aggressive dog sit in a cage all day.
As part of the temperament test, Pup City staff will get to know potential furry clients and introduce them to other dogs at the facility, plus see how the dogs respond to different stimuli and situations. Golowic said some dogs acclimate within minutes and some take a bit longer.
He said that those interested in having their pup visit the doggy daycare should come by and take a tour of the facility. If they like what they see, they can register on the Pup City database and set up a temperament test and acclimation period.
Pup City is at 4177 Carpenter Road.