Nola Bark Market

I went there recently for a vaccine event. It was very chaotic, which is understandable considering there were lots of dogs. But when I didn’t know where to go after checking in, I was very rudely yelled at by the owner. I’m sorry I didn’t know which door she was pointing at, but there were two doors. Obviously customer service isn’t her best attribute. She should consider having someone else run the place since most bad reviews are about her personally. I will not be returning to this business.

Unfortunately I too have had an unpleasant encounter here. I called ahead of time and asked if I could bring my dog in for a nail trim and was told to bring her in. We set an appointment time but it was only about 15 minutes from when I called. I put my dog in my car and headed over (we only live in the Marigny but she is old and a slow walker). On the way, I got stuck waiting for the train for about five minutes. When I arrived, about 5 minutes after the appointment time, we started to get out of the car as the owner was coming out. She said «Are you here for the nail trim? You’re ten minutes late. The groomer has left».
I won’t be coming back again.

I really wanted to like this place. It is local and there was this fire a couple of years ago that destroyed the store’s previous location — I felt particularly sympathetic back then, and determined to give the place my business once I have an animal.
I became owned by a dog last December and have been a customer since then (until today). The selection in the store is good, even if the items are pricey. The staff have also been helpful on a couple of occasions, saving boxes for me or calling me when I left my sunglasses at the dog park. Buddy does a good job with the grooming. Hence two stars, not one.
But what absolutely sours the experience of shopping there is the attitude of the owner. The condescending demeanor I see mentioned in other reviews? I have experienced that first hand, too. I particularly remember one occasion, when I was scolded in front of other customers because my dog (who loves small dogs) came up to a small pup (whose owner was signalling to me that it was OK for him, too) and they were sniffing each other. I was told that I *shouldn’t* have allowed it. Without knowing either my dog or the other one, the owner made a call that was not hers to make (it was between the other dog owner and me and we were both fine with our dogs greeting each other) and did so in a rude way. I have worked in customer service for years and I know that telling a customer «you shouldn’t» is unacceptable. Doing this in front of other customers takes unacceptable to a whole new level. The owner, Blake, knew where I was going (to the dog park in the back), she could have waited till she’s done with other customers and then approach me there in private. Instead, she chose to be condescending to me in front of other customers, in a way that actually brought me to tears.
I was on the verge of cancelling my dog’s park membership right then, but decided to continue. It’s so great to have a place where your pup (living in an apartment) can run freely, right? Right, until the owner decides to open a doggie daycare and dog park members start to be treated like second class customers. One day, I was told «Don’t come tomorrow, we have a lot of dogs in daycare». After that, several times I was greeted with «Are you going to the park?» (like I’ve ever brought my dog there *not* to go to the park), with sighing and rolling eyes and almost making me feel guilty that I came there to use the service I’ve been paying for. Today, I was flat out told «You can’t go there because daycare dogs are there and we’ve just let them out». Yes, I’ve made it all the way to the park (it’s not far, but I have a heart condition that limits my activity) only to have to turn back. To paraphrase Orwell, «all dogs are equal, but some dogs are more equal than others.»
It’s really pretty simple: if you have no facilities to accommodate *both* dog park and daycare, don’t offer both. Don’t offer two different paid services and then choose the customer who pays more.

Owner is extremely rude and judgmental. Be prepared to be shamed should she not approve of how you take care of your pet. She is particularly aggressive about telling you which food you should use. Advice is appreciated when it’s asked for.
Even though I live a few blocks away, I will go out of my way to not give this woman my business again. Looking through the reviews, it looks like she regularly treats her customers with disdain. It’s a shame, it’s a great space and is greatly needed in our neighborhood.

This is a wonderful pet store and art supply store. They have a huge selection of higher end dog and cat products. I found the staff to be very friendly and informative. The (paid) dog park is very nice and large (see the photos) and there is one for small dogs if necessary. There is a bathing stall for use for anyone paying to use the dog park. The owner clearly cares a lot about dogs. This is a great addition to the neighborhood and I urge you to check it out for yourselves.
The dog park pricing discussed by other reviewers is no longer correct. I think it is $ 5 for a single visit, $ 90ish for 30 visits, and 20 dollars/​month for fall/​winter, 30 dollars month for summer when the hours are much longer.

What a nice store fabulous old building converted to pet shop with large dog park. really a gem.

Nice local pet shop!
Good selection of good including locally made treats. They support local animal welfare organizations and have dog play yards in the back. Nice place to stop in with the pups!

Horrible attitude! I was very disappointed and found out later she is known for this type of behavior at her previous store. I just wanted to find something for my senior dog to do or chew on since she’s nearing the end of her life and so bored and has such a strict diet I thought a high end place like this would be knowledgeable and empathetic.
The lady was so pushy and very rude about something that my dog has bad allergies to and I didn’t want to take chances even after I already explained my dog is too elderly and I can’t afford to make a mistake at her age.
Even after i was happy with my potential purchase she kept trying to sell me something that would «be my best bet» without knowing the ingredients. Geez I don’t want to run her to emergency why is that so difficult for her to understand? Just so she can get an extra $ 6 at my dogs expense. That’s so unethical. Saying you won’t find anything natural in New Orleans is crazy. Apparently she has not been to other pet stores because this simply is not true with all the new allergy free diets and chews out there.
If she truly does not understand than she needs to educate herself about her products and the risks involved with selling something that is harmful. Vets do not recommend bleached rawhide for dogs they are loaded with chemicals and bleach but pushing a potential allergen on someone who already knows this is off limits for their dog is just unethical. I can’t believe they would be responsible enough to run a doggie day care.
Update: We have a new edition to our family, a shepard/​lab mix 1 yr old who needs space and a place to burn off energy. I seriously considered putting my tail between my legs and paying (yes you have to pay for the dog run LOL) for my dog to go so he can feel like the athlete he was bred to be but unfortunately this crazy place does not allow you to sit down! So you want me to walk all the way up there, pay you and you won’t even offer me a seat? And then you want me to walk all the way back. Are you out of your mind?! I’m on my feet all day at work. Gimme a break! Responsible dog guardians would best be served with a place to sit down to enjoy their dogs, not worried about back pain. Punishing everyone is out of line. I’m a certified dog trainer and walker from NYC dog parks are free, and fun. I understand all the problems associated with dog runs but why even offer a dog run then if you don’t like dog people? You’re basically nothing but a glorified fence at this point.
I’m so sick and tired of hearing about how awful the attitude at this place is. I hope it fails very soon and someone else with some common sense takes over so people in the area can have a decent reliable place for their dogs. I just took another star off.

Bark Market is open and better than ever. My dogs and I love Blake and her staff. Incredibly helpful and friendly. I really missed having reasonably priced, high quality food so close by. Dog park addition is great. Takes some of the sting out of losing Markey Park. Much better than small, poorly designed dog park on riverfront. My schnauzer mix gets such a kick out of the jungle gym.

This review is for the dog park.
If the owner hadn’t argued with me incessantly on facebook instead of just accepting it was a bad review I might have come back and changed it if I had a different experience. But are you serious? Arguing with a customer who had a negative review? I had an opinion. I don’t think it should cost an arm and your leg to bring your dog somewhere to play, and if it was more reasonable more people would come and she could make tons of money by people walking through the pet shop to get to the dog park. I instantly bought treats, which she sells bulk which is wonderful! So why not make money on all of that, and on boarding and grooming– instead of charging way too much money for dogs to run around a fenced yard?
I researched twenty other pay-​use dog parks, all of which have amenities like fountains, pools, elaborate playgrounds, free dog washes, ponds, obstacle courses. All were cheaper.
When there is a huge, well maintained, inexpensive membership dog park in city park– it’s hard to understand why anyone would pay such an insane amount of money for their dog to come to a park where there is never any dogs (with reason)
There is a pay dog wash, when the dog wash at city bark is free.
$ 5 a visit!!!
For my dog to be in a dusty poorly maintained yard with no other dogs?
Oh you can get packages. This means it’s only $ 50 a month for my dog to come unlimited. The dog park at city park is $ 50 for a YEAR, and is absolutely packed with great dogs.
I have no idea where this business idea comes from, but it is a recipe for failure.
It seems to be capitalizing on the fact that dog owners in the bywater have limited options and so they think they can charge that. What on earth does it pay for? The yard is mostly dirt with one water pail. Everything is extra. I really don’t like this type of let’s make all the money we can off people mentality.
It immediately turns me off to a business.
The only reason I bring my dog to a dog park instead of walking her on a leash is so she can run with other dogs and get tired out.
We were here in the eve between four and five which is always the busiest time, and stayed for an hour. Not one dog came in.
Your competition, though clear across town, is worth the drive.
For $ 50 bucks a year we get fountains, pools, dog washes, human bathrooms, fountains, well manicured grounds, and TONS of happy dogs,
Your competition is cheaper and kills it with amenities.
Gets five stars for cleanliness.
You’re in New Orleans. Be nice or leave. Arguing with me about your overcharged business? As if its gonna make me change my mind and say hey actually that price gouging is a great idea and I should totally come back! Wut.