A pup's review of Yardstick, Dallas's boutique dog hotel. (Joey Held)
Yardstick has opened two locations in Dallas this year. Here’s a peek inside the dog hotel and what your pup (and you) can expect during a visit.
Dallas was recently named the country’s top city for dogs by a Zillow/BARK survey. You’ve likely seen happy pups all over town, and perhaps your pet has a favorite spot or two to run around. But sometimes, they might need a break with some doggy daycare or boarding. Enter Yardstick, a boutique dog hotel that recently opened up two locations in Dallas.
The Design District welcomed Yardstick in February, and Lakewood just launched a second location in April. I took my dog, Merlin, to Lakewood for an overnight stay to see what Yardstick was all about. He’s taking a rest from his zoomies and is happy to share his thoughts.
Take it away, Merlin!
Making new friends
Before I could go into the main part of the hotel, the humans had to talk a little bit. I think I heard them say something about a “check-in,” which felt silly because I wanted to check out everything immediately. But fine, we can wait for a minute.
I led the way down the hall and moved into the play area to meet some of the other dogs that would be staying overnight. I like making new friends, but sometimes get anxious when there are too many other dogs all at once. The humans, Erika, America, and Raimi, did a wonderful job introducing us one at a time.
I said hello to Ahri and Tango and Crouton and Chalupa, who were all very welcoming. Crouton reminded me a bit of myself in my younger days, namely in that he needed to get all the head pats and scratches at every waking moment. I still love those, of course. I just understand humans need an occasional break.
The last pup I met was Xena, who’s a bit bigger than the rest of us. She’s only a few months old, so she’s really energetic. The humans did a good job redirecting her attention if she ever got too rambunctious, and I was proud of her for respecting everyone’s personal space!
We had about six instances of playtime throughout the day—I certainly got my steps in. We also practiced some activities like our door manners and group sits and downs. With my progress, I look forward to being invited to a formal dinner party very soon.
Feeling like home
This was my first time staying at a dog hotel, and I admit I was a little bit worried. I’m usually cozied up with or near a human in a bed or on the couch. So, I was super excited to see that Yardstick has its very own living room with a sofa, wall decorations, and plenty of cuddles from the staff. It wasn’t nearly as fun as curling up under a blanket between comfy legs at home, but I did get a pup cup, and that’s always a treat.
Throughout the buildings, there are these very cool paintings hanging on the walls. I heard the humans saying the drawings are of places you might see around the area, like White Rock Lake and the Dallas Arboretum. Both of those sound like they have a lot of room to run around.
The humans made sure to give us a potty break at the end of playtime so we didn’t have any accidents in our rooms before bed. My absolute favorite thing in the world is to run, run, run back and forth along the fence in the backyard. The grassy turf was a bit different than what I’m used to, though it was still nice to get that feeling under my feet and smell some new scents.
Getting my beauty sleep
It’s hard work running around and playing with other pups, so I’m glad we each got our own rooms for the night. After dinner, the humans made sure I had enough water throughout the night in case I needed to sip a little bit. I liked that they gave me a bed with a topper and a blanket. Sometimes I run hot. Other times, nothing’s better than curling up with a warm blankie.
I also appreciated that the rooms are soundproofed. If I hear another dog nearby—like Crouton, one of my neighbors and play pals—I want to greet them, and it’s hard to control my excited barks. Don’t you just always want to say hello to everyone all the time?
The doors of our rooms are see-through. I get to wave at the humans checking in on us, though there’s no handle on the inside, so I can’t escape. Not that I would attempt to unlock a door, or anything. I’m a very good boy!
Yardstick need-to-know owner info
Didn’t Merlin do great? Alas, dogs don’t need to handle the reservations and logistics of booking their stay, so I’m back to share some other info about Yardstick.
Cost and drop-off times
Overnight reservations start at $80 per night and may increase slightly around busier times. That cost includes supervised playtime, overnight boarding, and basic food extras like wet food, chicken, rice, and peanut butter.
Yardstick provides grooming services, too, with nail trims ($15) and bath and brush offerings. Baths, which have a base rate of $40, use a probiotic shampoo for sensitive skin and can feature blueberry facials and vanilla deodorizers. Your pup will come out smelling fresher than ever!
Room service items are also available for $7.50 each. These include gelato, puppuccinos, brain games, peanut butter hive treats, and CBD droppers or chews for nervous doggies.
Drop your dog off or pick them up between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on weekdays. Weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The nightly costs are for 24 hours rather than calendar days. For example, if you dropped off at 3 p.m. on a Saturday for a one-night stay, you’d have until 3 p.m. on Sunday to come pick up your pooch.
Boarding and cleaning
Each dog gets their own room, though siblings can stick together at the owner’s request. The largest suite can fit three dogs. Everyone on staff is CPR-certified for both dogs and cats, although only dogs are allowed at Yardstick.
Pups play in groups of similar size, so a dachshund would never find itself frolicking with a Great Dane. There aren’t any communal water bowls, and toys are a rarity to avoid resource guarding. However, dogs will get plenty of treats throughout their stay (as they deserve). If your dog finds chewing on a toy soothing, you can pack one or two to keep in their room.
The Yardstick staff cleans and disinfects the yards twice daily and vacuums to keep messes and allergens to a minimum. They’ll also wash blankets and toys the day before checkout. If a dog is nursing an injury, there are smaller medical suites to reduce their movement and keep them healthy.
How to book a reservation at Yardstick
Make nighttime reservations up to six months in advance via the online booking system. For daytime reservations, follow the email process on the booking page. Staying at Yardstick does require up-to-date vaccines for your dog, including canine influenza.
If you’re like me and have never left your dog at an overnight stay, the Yardstick staff does a great job calming any nerves. They texted plenty of pictures of Merlin enjoying himself and were always on hand to answer any questions.
Yardstick is a terrific addition to the Dallas dog scene. From the moment we walked in, Merlin said hello to a guest waiting to pick up her pup. She asked if he was a first-timer, then said, “He’s going to love it. This place is great.”
From his happy face, I think Merlin agrees.
