About Downtown Pups

Downtown Pups is a Hopewell facility on East Broadway that describes itself as "Dog Grooming, Dog Daycare, Pet Boutique, Now Offering Dog training classes". Training is the newest part of the business and is not run in house.

How the training works

The site is straightforward about the arrangement: "Downtown Pups has teamed up with ARF Limits Dog Training to offer fun and engaging group training classes and personalized 1:1 sessions to help your pups learn new tricks, brush up on their manners, and build confidence." It adds that "All training takes place in a separate, dedicated area" and that there are "training add-ons during daycare" so a dog can get individual training time while already there to play. The training menu on the site lists Private Lessons, Group Class by ARF Limits, Train & Socialize, and Board & Train.

The rest of the facility

Grooming is the longest-established service – "Each dog is groomed straight through (no long wait times in crates), ensuring a low-stress, one-on-one session with their groomer." Daycare is described as enrichment-style, with dogs split into play sessions and crated rest periods, and boarding and day-boarding are offered for dogs that prefer people to group play. There is also a boutique carrying treats, collars and gifts from local vendors.

What to ask

Ask who the trainer is, about certifications, prices and class lengths, and which training method the classes use. Owners looking for the method behind the classes will need to ask about the partner business.