About My Puppy Daycare Salon
I’ve had this app on my Pixel 7 for just over a year. I originally downloaded it out of curiosity after seeing a post about it on a local neighborhood forum. I was skeptical—a free app that handles bookings and payments for dog care? I figured there had to be a catch. To my surprise, the core idea actually works really well. It connected me to more local daycares than I knew existed, and setting up a profile for my beagle, Baxter, was simple. It filled a genuine need, especially when my work schedule in the financial district gets chaotic. But that initial skepticism never fully went away, and over time, some of my worries were confirmed.
Features & Highlights
The photo updates are the best part, no question. Getting a notification around 2 PM on a random Tuesday with a picture of Baxter passed out in a sunbeam at the facility is a genuine mood lifter. It makes you feel connected. The booking system itself is efficient. I love that I can filter for places that accept older dogs or that have webcams. Uploading his vet records directly to the app meant I didn’t have to email them every single time, which was a huge relief. The payment is handled in-app, which is convenient, though it always makes me pause about where my card data actually lives.
User Experience
For the most part, it’s smooth. I remember one Friday morning last October, I had a client call sprung on me at 8:15 AM. I opened the app, found a daycare with a spot that day, booked Baxter, and was done by 8:20. The interface didn’t get in the way. That’s what you want. But it’s not perfect. The app can be a bit of a battery drain on my Pixel if I leave it running in the background. I also noticed that after the last major Android update, the notification sounds for new photos stopped working for a few weeks. Little glitches like that happen.
Pricing
The app doesn’t cost anything to download or use. You pay the daycare directly through the app, and as far as I can tell, the prices are the same as if you called them. I appreciate that there’s no sneaky “service fee” added on top by Lion Roar, at least not one I’ve seen. For the functionality it provides, the price is right. My concern is never about the money I pay, but about what the company might be getting out of offering this for free. That’s where my mind goes.
Updates & Support
This is a sore point for me. Updates are fairly regular, usually every couple of months, which is good. They often add small features, like a new filter option. But when I had a real problem—a double charge on my card from a booking—getting help was frustrating. I used the in-app support chat. The first response was an automated message asking for my order number, which I provided. Then, silence for two days. When someone finally replied, it was a vague “Our team is looking into this.” It took over a week and me sending two more messages to get it resolved. For an app that handles payments, that level of support feels inadequate and risky.
Security & Privacy
This is my biggest hang-up. When I first installed it, I went through the permissions carefully. It asked for location, which makes sense to find daycares. But it also asked for access to my device’s media/files and “app activity” data. That felt excessive for a booking app. I dug into their privacy policy, and it mentions sharing “aggregated data” with third-party partners for analytics. That’s a red flag for me. I don’t like the idea of Baxter’s booking patterns or my neighborhood preferences being part of some marketing profile. I’ve since turned off every permission I possibly can, but it makes me wonder what they collected in that first year before I tightened things up.
How do the photo updates work in My Puppy Daycare Salon?
You'll receive a notification around midday with a photo of your dog relaxing at the daycare. It's a simple, cheerful feature that helps you feel connected to your pet while you're away.
Can I filter daycares for specific needs like older dogs or webcams?
Yes, the booking system lets you filter facilities by criteria such as whether they accept older dogs or offer live webcams. You can also upload your dog's vet records directly to the app to avoid emailing them each time.
Why is my app draining the battery on my Pixel phone?
Some users have noticed that leaving My Puppy Daycare Salon running in the background can use more battery than expected. A quick fix is to close the app fully when you're not using it, which usually resolves the drain.
What should I do if I stop getting notification sounds for new photos?
This can happen after a major Android update. Check your app permissions and notification settings first; if that doesn't work, reinstalling the app usually restores the sounds within a few days.
How does My Puppy Daycare Salon compare to Rover for booking dog care?
Both apps connect you with local pet care, but My Puppy Daycare Salon focuses specifically on daycare facilities rather than individual sitters. Its in-app payment and vet record uploads are more streamlined, though Rover offers more one-on-one boarding options.
