Playful Paws
231 Broadway, Malden, MA 02148
Overview
Playful Paws is a 24-hour staffed, cage-free dog boarding and daycare facility in Malden, MA offering both overnight boarding and daycare services with drop-off and pickup during business hours. The facility features expansive indoor and outdoor play areas with equipment, and also provides grooming services by a staff member named Dino.
Amenities & Policies
Policies & Details
Hours & Billing
Care & Play
What Reviews Say
125 reviews analyzedPlayful Paws presents a stark divide: the majority of reviewers (78%) give 5-star ratings praising affordable prices, friendly staff, and happy dogs that love attending. However, a significant minority (10%) report serious concerns including dogs returning injured or bruised, facility cleanliness issues (urine/feces smell), and staff yelling at dogs. The facility scores highest on value for money and dog happiness, but lowest on safety and cleanliness. Repeat customers are common, though some long-term patrons have left after incident-related experiences. The lack of facility transparency (no tours, no cameras) and inconsistent communication about incidents are recurring complaints alongside the positive aspects.
People love
Staff shoutouts
Worth noting
Dog injured while in care - swollen paw requiring ER visit
“The cyst just burst today morning and I had to take him to ER due to bleeding!”
Dogs left outside in cold weather and yelled at
“They keep the dogs outside all day long and it has been cold the past couple days. They yell and tell the dogs to shut up every time they start barking”
Dog behavioral changes after attending - flinching, anxiety, reactivity
“I noticed he was flinching away from random gestures and afraid of things he was never afraid of before...over a year later he still leaves the room the moment anyone slightly raises their voice”
Dog came home with bruises
“He came back quiet, trembling, and with prominent red bruises on his side”
Dogs eating feces and staff not informing owners
“my dogs would come home reeking of feces and urine...on the way home they vomited feces...the staff member told me 'oh yeah your dogs eat feces all the time' and they didn't even think to tell me”
Dogs coming home sick with infections
“Every time we pick our dog up from boarding or daycare, he comes back with some kind of infection (sometimes requiring us to take him to the vet)”
Dogs bleeding from grooming/nail trimming
“They gave me my dog bleeding for a nail cut”
Dogs fighting and crying without proper supervision
“Plenty of time I hear the dogs fighting with each other and start crying afterwards and all the staff do is scream and scream and tell them to shut up”
Cleanliness - urine/feces smell on dogs and facility(6 mentions)
“my dog came back reeking of urine and feeling greasy or oily to the touch with matted down fur. The whole place smells of urine/cheap cleaning products”
Lack of transparency - cannot see facilities, no cameras(3 mentions)
“they do not actually tour the space they keep the dogs...Can't even see the facilities and there is no camera to watch your dog”
Staff inconsistency - hot/cold behavior, sometimes rude(4 mentions)
“The staff also runs very hot and cold and can be very rude at times”
Lack of communication about incidents or daily updates(5 mentions)
“No one from the facility let me know about this despite calling them each day...Wish they gave updates to dog parents when we pick up”
Privacy breach - sharing customer contact info
“my personal contact information was given out to a customer which I am not happy about at all”
At a Glance
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