PetSmart PetsHotel & Doggie Day Camp — Elston Ave

PetSmart PetsHotel and Doggie Day Camp — Elston Ave

Day camp and overnight boarding inside the PetSmart at 2665 N Elston Ave. One of only two PetSmart locations in Chicago offering either service — the other is in the South Loop.

Hours

• Monday–Saturday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Sunday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

The 9 PM close is the practical draw. Most independent daycares in this part of the city shut at 7, which turns a delayed flight or a long workday into a problem. Seven days a week with late pickup is what a national operator can staff and a small business usually cannot.

Doggie Day Camp: dogs grouped by size and temperament, supervised by staff PetSmart describes as safety-trained, with physical and cognitive activities. Half-day, full-day and individual (one-on-one) options.

PetsHotel: private sleeping accommodations, twice-daily walks, unlimited potty breaks, group or individual playtime, an on-call vet, and medication dispensing for an added fee. Grooming and training can be added to a stay.

Questions worth asking, since none of this is published: the staff-to-dog ratio in the camp room, what "safety-trained" covers, whether overnight guests are attended between closing and opening, and the vaccination and temperament-test requirements. Ask the same of any facility — the independents in this directory that publish their answers, like Chi-Town Dog House, make the comparison easy.

This is a national chain, owned by PetSmart. Listed for hours and seven-day availability, not for the individual attention a small facility gives. If your dog does badly in a large group, look at a capacity-capped independent instead — Furtastik caps daycare at 25.

On the neighborhood: PetSmart files this store under "Lincoln Park." It is not — 2665 N Elston is in Logan Square, around two miles northwest of Lincoln Park. Tagged by actual location.

Getting there: Elston near Logan Boulevard, with a store lot. A drive-to location rather than a walk-to one.

Hours, address, phone and services verified from PetSmart's own store page. Pricing and requirements are not published.