Small by design
We are not trying to be a resort. Fewer dogs means each one gets more individual attention and the building stays quiet. How boarding works.
Resort amenities and group play, compared with quiet private‑suite boarding
Mugu's Pet Resort has been a fixture in Camden County for years, and if you have lived in St. Marys for a while you have probably heard the name. Woodlands Pet Retreat opened in 2025 with a deliberately different shape: much smaller, private suites, and no group play between unrelated dogs. This page compares the two fairly so you can pick the environment that fits your dog.
The clearest way to think about it: Mugu's is a resort‑style operation with amenities, including a pool and a dock‑diving area, and a cage‑free daycare where dogs play together. Woodlands is a quiet boarding facility on a wooded lakefront where each dog has their own suite. Those are two genuinely different products, and the better one depends on your dog's temperament.
Details about Mugu's come from their own published information and may change. Check with Mugu's Pet Resort directly for current pricing, availability and policies.
Mugu's publishes a genuinely impressive list of activities: a swimming pool, a dock‑diving area, and a cage‑free daycare where dogs run and play rather than being kennelled during the day. Dock diving in particular is a real sport, and for a water‑mad retriever with energy to burn, a facility that offers it is a legitimate draw. If that describes your dog, you should weigh it heavily.
Woodlands offers none of that, and we would rather say so plainly than pretend otherwise. What we offer instead is quiet. The property is a wooded lot at the water's edge, dogs rest in private suites between outdoor breaks, and the building stays calm because we keep the numbers small and never mix households. For a dog who finds a busy resort overwhelming, the absence of amenities is the point.
These two phrases sound like they are competing on the same axis, and they are not, which confuses a lot of owners. "Cage‑free" usually means dogs are loose together in a shared space rather than crated during the day. "Private suite" means each dog has their own room. A dog can be uncrated and still be surrounded by strangers; a dog can be in a suite and still get plenty of outdoor time.
At Woodlands, dogs are not crated in the sense people usually worry about: they have their own suite with bedding and go out through the day for breaks and play. What they do not do is share space with dogs from other families. If loose group play is what you are looking for, Mugu's model gives you that and ours does not.
Worth noting that both of us require the same core vaccinations, rabies, DHLPP and bordetella, which is a good sign at any facility.
Both businesses publish rates, which makes this a rare apples‑to‑apples comparison locally.
Mugu's own boarding page lists a flat rate of $45 per night for basic boarding, plus a $6 per‑dog surcharge, and their grooming page lists spa services starting at $35 with an exact quote from a receptionist. They also note that in‑house food is available for an additional fee, while recommending you bring your own.
On like‑for‑like basic boarding the headline nightly figures are close. The practical differences are what each rate buys: a private suite with no group play here, versus their cage‑free model and access to a pool and dock‑diving area. Worth pricing both for your actual dates.
Verify current pricing with Mugu's Pet Resort directly, as published rates may be out of date.
We are not trying to be a resort. Fewer dogs means each one gets more individual attention and the building stays quiet. How boarding works.
Your dog plays with their own family or with us, and never with dogs they have not met at home.
A caretaker stays on the property overnight, in addition to motion‑activated cameras throughout.
Boarding guests can add a bath or a full groom through Chien d'amour, which is also Amber's. How that works.
Mugu's may be the better fit if their amenities, cage‑free model, location or availability suit your dog and your schedule more closely.
These are the questions that actually reveal how a facility operates. Ask us, and ask anywhere else you are considering.
Our answers are on the FAQ page, and you can see the building and yards on the facility page.
Come learn more about our boarding environment, rates and care approach. Tours are welcome before a first stay.
Questions about Mugu's Pet Resort versus Woodlands? Call or text (912) 674‑4709 and we will give you a straight answer.
Information about other businesses is provided for general comparison purposes and may change. Contact each provider directly for current services, pricing, availability and policies. Woodlands Pet Retreat is not affiliated with the businesses mentioned unless specifically stated.