My daughter Bella is obsessed with dogs. Due to her anxieties, being in contact with dogs seems to relax her and help her with her feelings. She has been asking for a dog for months and because this is not possible right now, I thought going to a dog cafe could be a great idea. I love cafes, so it was amazing to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee with some friendly doggies. Following our successful visit to a cat cafe, Bella and I decided to visit King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe, a dog cafe located in South Kensington.
In this blog post, I’ll share our experience at this Dog Cafe and why we highly recommend it.
King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe In London: Exploring Their Pet-A-Pooch Experience
1. About King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe: Dog Daycare London
King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe is a premier dog daycare facility located in London. They offer a range of services to cater to the needs of pet owners in the area, including daycare, boarding, grooming, and training. Their team of trained professionals is dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for dogs to play and socialize. With over 12,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor play areas, King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe is the perfect place for dogs to get the exercise they need. They are committed to providing the highest level of care and attention to every dog that comes through their doors.
2. Arriving at King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe
As soon as we walked in, we were welcomed by the owners of the cafe. The decor was lovely, with cute dog-themed decorations throughout. We immediately felt at home.
There were a few dogs wandering around the cafe, and we were introduced to King Louie, the Chow Chow who is the host dog of the cafe. He was massive and fluffy, and Bella couldn’t resist giving him a cuddle. We were also introduced to a few other dogs, including a Chihuahua that Bella had a play with. The dogs were all so friendly and well-behaved, and we immediately felt at ease.
3. The Pet-A-Pooch Experience
We had booked the Pet-A-Pooch experience, which gave us a 45-minute slot to play and cuddle with the dogs. It cost £20 per person and included a free drink. We were able to choose from a variety of drinks from the cafe, and I opted for a cappuccino while Bella had a bottle of water.
There were about six to eight dogs in the cafe during our visit, and they were all eager for attention. We spent the first few minutes playing with them and getting to know their personalities. Some were more energetic than others, but they all loved the attention.
I spent some time petting a Pomeranian that was so funny, while Bella was cuddling with a cute Dachshund. We also spent some time with King Louie, who was a bit more reserved but still very friendly.
4. The Benefits of Animal Therapy
Animal therapy has been proven to have many benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and improving mood. Being around the dogs at King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe was a therapeutic experience for both Bella and me. We both felt much more relaxed and happy after spending time with the dogs.
King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe also hosts special sessions with trained therapy dogs in partnership with the National Charity Pets As Therapy (PAT). These sessions are designed for people with special requirements or disabilities and provide a more tailored experience with fewer people.
5. Age Restriction
It’s important to note that while the Pet-A-Pooch experience at King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe is perfect for children, it’s not suitable for very young ones. Due to safety reasons and to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone, the dog cafe has an age restriction policy in place. Only children aged 10 or over are allowed to attend the Pet-A-Pooch slots.
This is in line with their commitment to ensuring the well-being of their daycare dogs and other visitors. It’s worth noting that the dogs in the cafe are generally very friendly and gentle, but young children may not fully understand how to interact with them appropriately, and could unintentionally cause them harm.
Therefore, if you have younger children who also love dogs, it’s best to wait until they’re a bit older to bring them along to the Pet-A-Pooch experience.
6. Timings & Prices
King’s Dog Daycare offers the Pet-A-Pooch experience from 11 am Monday to Friday. The slot is for 45 minutes and includes a free drink. You can book their Pet-A-Pooch experience by visiting the King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe website and selecting their preferred date and time slot.
On Saturdays, they are open from 10 am to 4 pm, and it is walk-ins only as they tend to have fewer dogs available. They recommend booking weekdays for the best experience. The cost is £20 per person.
7. Other Dog Cafes in London
Although dog cafes are becoming more popular around the world, they are still quite a novelty in London. Note by dog cafe, I don’t mean dog friendly cafes where you could bring your own dog (as there are a number of these in London), but I mean dog cafe’s which host dogs that you can interact with. In fact, I have only come across one other dog cafe during my research: Cuppa Pug Cafe. As the name suggests, this cafe is dedicated to pugs, and visitors can interact with these adorable dogs while enjoying coffee and cake.
It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re a pug fanatic! However, it’s a shame that there aren’t more dog cafes like King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe and Cuppa Pug Cafe in London. Hopefully, more cafes like these will pop up soon, as they provide a great opportunity for dog lovers to spend time with these furry friends even if they don’t have a dog of their own.
8. Conclusion
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If you’re looking for a cosy and therapeutic experience, we highly recommend visiting King’s Dog Daycare & Cafe. It’s the perfect place to relax and spend time with some adorable dogs. Watch our reel until the end (embedded above) to see the super cute Pomeranian that I was playing with!
Have you ever visited a dog cafe or had an animal therapy experience? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by,
Love you all ❤️
Franca 💋
Wow! This is definitely something I have to try
It was such a lovely experience!
Dog cafes are great fun!
Sounds interesting and something I’ve never tried before.
I would love to visit a dog cafe! I am a massive dog advocate (pet mum to two dogs) and think they are amazing animals. We have one in our area that’s filled with chihuahuas! Unbelievably cute x
Oh really? I would love to visit it too! How cute!
I’ve never been to a dog or cat cafe but I think it’s something I should try, looks like great fun. The only thing that would worry me is I’d probably want to take one of the animals home with me
I know right? I wanted to do the same! They were all so cute!
What a great idea. Wish there were places like this up north!
They don’t seem to be many around! Apparently only 2 like that type of cafe are in London!
What a wonderful idea! I’ve seen a few dog cafes or dog friendly venues but have never been to one.
This looks like so much fun.
I’d love to visit if we had one near here!
My goodness me this is the cutest idea…I’ve heard of cat cafes before but not doggies!
Great idea if you can’t commit to owning a dog
Aww I’ve been to a cat cafe (which we loved!!) but never a dog place. Sounds like heaven!
I love a dog cafe, but we don’t have a dog!!!
Need to borrow a fluffy friend for the next time we’re in London, this place looks lush.
This looks amazing!! Sooo cute!
What a lovely idea, looks so fabulous
I’ve never heard of this before but (as a dog lover myself) it sounds amazing. I think my dog definitely had a more positive effect on my MH too, so it isn’t hard to see why pets are so therapeutic.
I love pet cafes I think they’re a great way to interact with animals and to introduce them to children at a young age and also help people get over their fears
Looks amazing!