Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Brown.
Hi Eric, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been a dog lover my entire life, but Molly’s really started because of my own dog, Juno.
Like many dog owners, I wanted a place where I could leave my dog knowing she was safe, comfortable, and genuinely cared for. The more I looked around, the more I realized that many of the options available simply weren’t places where I felt comfortable leaving her. Facilities were overcrowded, dogs were left alone overnight, and the level of care often felt more focused on convenience for the facility than what each dog and parent needed.
What shocked me most was learning that overnight human supervision isn’t actually standard in the boarding industry. Many facilities have 75, 100, or even more dogs staying overnight with no staff on site. As a dog owner, that never sat right with me. I know firsthand how uneasy some dogs can be, especially on their first night away from home. When I’m staying overnight at Molly’s and a nervous dog finally settles down after seeing a familiar face nearby, it reinforces why we do things differently. I would never leave my own dog alone overnight in a building full of barking dogs, so why would I pay someone else to do that?
Once I realized that, I couldn’t stop thinking about how dog care could be done differently. That realization became the foundation for opening Molly’s. I set out to create the type of place I wished existed. A place where every decision starts with what’s best for the dog, not what’s easiest or most profitable.
My wife and I opened Molly’s Dog Care Baltimore Peninsula in May 2025 with a vision to raise the standards for dog care safety and hospitality. Three weeks before opening, we got married, and almost immediately we found ourselves pouring everything we had into building the business. My wife focused on building relationships in the community, partnerships, events, and marketing, while I focused on operations and caring for the dogs. We worked side by side every day to build the kind of place we wished existed for our own dog.
Since then, we’ve been fortunate to build an incredible team and a community of dog owners who share our belief that dogs deserve exceptional care. Today, Molly’s offers daycare, boarding, grooming, and training under one roof, but at its core we’re still driven by the same mission that inspired us from the beginning: creating a place where we’d be excited to leave our own dog.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road, but every challenge has reinforced why we do what we do.
My wife and I got married, and just three weeks later we opened the doors to Molly’s. From day one, we knew that 24/7 human care for our dogs was non-negotiable. We had learned that many boarding facilities leave dogs unattended overnight, and we were determined to build something different. Of course, when you’re starting a business and asking, “Who’s going to stay overnight with the dogs?” the answer is usually, “I am.”
We assumed that in the beginning business would be slow enough that I could spend a few nights a week at home. Instead, our boarding program filled almost immediately. It was an incredible problem to have, but it meant I probably spent only about 30 nights at home during the first year of our marriage. Looking back, those nights reinforced exactly why we built Molly’s the way we did. Many of those nights were spent helping nervous first-time boarders settle in, comforting dogs during thunderstorms, or simply being there so they knew they weren’t alone.
We made it work by working side by side. My wife focused on marketing, community partnerships, events, and building our presence on social media, while I focused on daily operations and caring for the dogs. We would bring dinner to the facility, take walks around Baltimore Peninsula with the pups, and find ways to carve out time together while building the business.
Just as important was building the right team. The responsibility of caring for someone else’s dog is something I take incredibly seriously, and I have always had very high standards. When I opened Molly’s, my goal was simple: create a place where I would feel completely comfortable bringing my own dog.
Today, I am incredibly proud of the team we have built. Two of our team members have been with us since day one, and I trust them completely. We have created a culture of kind, hardworking, dog obsessed people who genuinely love what they do. Through our team communication channels, photos and updates on every dog are shared throughout the day, and I am constantly amazed by the level of care and attention our staff provides. They know every dog’s personality, celebrate their quirks, and often notice even the smallest changes in behavior before anyone else would. Seeing that level of dedication reminds me every day that building the right team was worth every challenge along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Molly’s is built around a simple belief: every dog is different, and their care should reflect that. Our vision is to raise the standards for dog care safety and hospitality nationwide.
We provide daycare, boarding, grooming, and training, but what truly sets us apart is how those services work together. Not every dog walks through our doors ready for group play, comfortable being away from home, or confident during grooming appointments. Rather than expecting every dog to fit into the same program, we create individualized plans that meet them where they are.
Our training expertise is a big part of that. Because training is one of our core services, we’re able to help dogs build confidence and develop skills that improve their experience across daycare, boarding, and grooming. Some of our proudest success stories involve dogs whose families thought professional care would never be possible. Over time, those dogs have become more social, more confident, and more comfortable in new environments.
For example, a dog may be nervous around other dogs or unsure in a daycare environment. Instead of forcing them into a large group setting, we might start them with shorter visits on quieter days and gradually help them build confidence. Socialization is important for dogs, just like it is for people, and we’ve watched dogs go from shy wallflowers to social, playful, and sometimes even bossy playmates.
The same philosophy applies to grooming. With puppies especially, we focus on creating positive experiences from the beginning. We introduce them to regular baths, nail trims, handling, and the sights and sounds of the salon so that grooming becomes something familiar rather than stressful.
One of our biggest strengths is that all of our services work together under one roof. Training helps dogs become more confident in daycare and boarding. Daycare helps dogs become more comfortable with grooming. Grooming becomes easier because dogs already know and trust our team.
It’s also incredibly convenient for pet parents. A dog can come for daycare or boarding and go home freshly groomed at the end of the day. But beyond convenience, it’s better for the dogs. Because they spend time playing, learning, and building relationships with our team, Molly’s becomes a place they genuinely enjoy visiting. They don’t associate us with a stressful grooming appointment or being left somewhere unfamiliar. They associate us with seeing their friends, playing with people they trust, and having fun. The haircut just happens to be part of the experience.
That’s ultimately what we’re trying to create: a place that feels like a second home for dogs and a trusted partner for their people.
Safety is at the center of everything we do. We provide 24/7 human supervision, conduct thorough social evaluations, maintain small group environments, and continually educate our team on canine behavior and body language. One thing many people are surprised to learn is that overnight staffing is not standard in the boarding industry. At Molly’s, someone is always on site. Our current boarding capacity is just 18 dogs. While some facilities may have 75, 100, or more dogs staying overnight at one time, we intentionally keep our numbers low because individualized attention and supervision are critical to a dog’s comfort and safety. We know firsthand that being away from home can be stressful, especially for first-time boarders, and having a trusted human nearby makes all the difference.
We’re equally passionate about hospitality. We take inspiration from boutique hotels by focusing on personalized service, attention to detail, and building genuine relationships with our clients. We want every dog owner to feel informed, supported, and confident from the moment they walk through our doors.
What I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve earned. We don’t spend heavily on advertising. Most of our growth has come from referrals, repeat customers, and positive reviews from people who have experienced our care firsthand. When clients tell us their dog is more confident, happier, or excited to come through our doors, that’s the greatest compliment we can receive.
At the end of the day, we’re here for the dogs. Every decision we make starts with one question: Is this what’s best for the dog? If the answer is yes, we’re on the right path.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Looking back, the biggest stroke of luck in my life was having the opportunity to completely reevaluate what I wanted my future to look like.
I grew up on a farm helping my dad care for animals, and dogs have always been a huge part of my life. But for most of my early adulthood, I never seriously considered animal care as a profession. Like many people, I followed a more traditional career path after college and eventually found myself working in technology sales.
Dogs remained a passion. I dog-sat on the side, volunteered when I could, fostered dogs, and spent as much time around animals as possible. But I viewed those things as hobbies rather than a career.
Then the pandemic hit in 2020.
At the time, I was living in New York City and had recently gotten my dog, Juno. Like many people, the sudden disruption forced me to take a hard look at my life. I realized that while I was successful in my career, I wasn’t particularly fulfilled by it. When remote work became possible, I broke my lease, bought a 23 foot travel trailer, and headed west with Juno.
For the next several years, my life revolved around her in a way it never had before. We hiked, explored, trained together, and spent nearly every day side by side. I became deeply interested in dog behavior, training, nutrition, and overall wellness. My dad and I even started a healthy dog treat business. The more time I spent with dogs, the more I realized how much joy and purpose I found in caring for them.
At the same time, I became less interested in climbing the corporate ladder and more interested in finding a way to build a career around something I genuinely loved.
Eventually, that path led me to Baltimore and to Molly’s. When an old friend approached me about a new dog care concept he was developing, I immediately saw the opportunity to combine my passion for dogs with my desire to build something meaningful.
As difficult as the pandemic was for so many people, it gave me the time and space to step back and ask whether I was living the life I wanted. Had it never happened, I might still be sitting behind a desk in New York wondering what else was out there. Instead, it led me to Molly’s and to a career that feels aligned with who I am.
What felt like a major disruption at the time ended up becoming the reset I needed. It helped me realize that caring for dogs wasn’t just a passion. It was what I wanted to dedicate my life to.
Pricing:
- Daycare (Full Day | Half Day | 2 Hours of Play): $48 | $34 | $19
- Weekly Daycare Subscriptions (1 Day | 2 Days | 3 Days): $46/day | $44/day | $42/day
- Overnight Boarding: $78/night
- Grooming: prices vary by weight of dog and service
- Training: all programs are customized to suit your dogs needs, contact us or book a free training consultation for details
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mollysdogcare.com/locations/baltimore-peninsula
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollys_baltimorepeninsula/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MollysDogCareBaltimorePeninsula
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mollys-dog-care-baltimore-5
- Other: https://booking.moego.pet/ol/landing?name=MollysDogCareBaltimorePeninsula
