Tailwinds Pet Resort

I loved the reviews for Tailwind, but I’ve called three times and haven’t moved on the wait list for 5 months. I’m sure it’s a great place, but I think it’s time to start looking elsewhere as there are other great places in the valley to take your pet.

Not just a boarding facility but rather a vacation getaway for the family pet. Whenever I leave town my pups come here and they have the best time. I am grateful that I have found this little jewel as it gives me piece of mind to know that they are not just ensuring they are fed twice a day but have play time frequently throughout the day. When it’s time to pick them up they do not want to leave they are pulling on their leash to go back, this is how I know they love Tailwinds.

I loved the reviews for Tailwind, but when I called was told that there was a year-​long waiting list for daycare! I’m sure it’s a great place, but I think that other people who were hoping to have their dog have a great time should at least be warned before they call and get their hopes up. :(

We have dogs that need socialization (Chinese Shar-​Peis) so they go to Tailwinds one day a week and love it. Both get plenty of exercise and come home Good and Tired. Our bitch is dominant and jealous so the staff suggested separate play groups. It was the perfect answer: he has his friends and she doesn’t have to work being his boss all the time.
We have boarded them at times with full confidence. Each has a different diet and at times have been on medications. They are taken care of superbly and we have not had to worry.
I cannot say that about other places we had used, including vet facilities. One added feature after their stay they come home freshly bathed. This is a staff that cares and know how to do a good job. Without peer!

This is a long overdue rave about Tailwinds Pet Resort. My dog Daisy stayed at Tailwinds several times before I moved from Phoenix in 2014. She always went in happily and came home exhausted. The staff is exceptional and I always knew Daisy was in good hands.
I used their grooming services as well. Daisy is a puggle so we’re just talking a bath and nail trim, but I was pleased.
I recommended Tailwinds to friends and I know they are quite popular at my old office.

We started going to TPR a couple years ago based on the good reviews on Unilocal and have not had any issues until our last, I’d say, 3 visits.
We have a small Chihuahua and take him there for grooming and nail trimming/​filing. We specifically requested they use a the dremel (?) to smoothen/​round out his nails so he doesn’t scratch the furniture (leather) or us and it is noted on his file. The last 2x we had to take him back to have this done after picking him up. This last time it clearly was not done and we didn’t bother to go back.
The second of our issues? The 3 – 4 hours we have to wait before we can get him. That seems like a long time for a 5lb dog. I get that they are busy on Saturdays but we’re wondering now if he is left until last, hence the lack of filing of his nails as they are in a rush to finish him? I don’t know.
The final issue and most concerning? The last time we picked up him up, he couldn’t open his eyes for several hours. They thought he was sleepy. He was not sleepy. He simply could not open them and was constantly rubbing them with his paw. We talked to our vet and he suggested Visine or Refresh Eye Drops which we did, and it helped. This Saturday we took him in at around 9, picked him up the requisite 4 hours later, and he couldn’t properly open his eyes until this morning, and they still aren’t quite right at that. That’s almost 48 hours. It was really sad to see him trying to walk around with his eyes closed, pawing them, and saddest of all, bumping into things. We’ve been using the Visine and switched to Refresh which seems to help. We do not know why this is happening. Is it hair clippings getting in and irritating his eyes? Is it the shampoo? Are they spraying him with something that gets in his eyes? Are they shaving the fur too close to his eyes? We are totally at a loss. We did call on Saturday when we got home and to TPR’s credit got a call back from the groomer who claimed they did file the nails. I am questioning that as evidenced by the red scratches on my arms and chest from holding the little guy who can get a little squirmy when he wants down.
Sadly, I think we will be moving on from Tailwinds Pet Resort. We tried to give them the benefit of the doubt the last couple of times but this final visit was the final nail.
As I am writing this review, some TPR reviews are posted right next to the text field. They are all 4 – 5 stars but only talk about their kennel service and not their grooming services. Just an observation.

I am so thankful my family introduced me to Tailwinds. My puppy loves going to day care and comes back exhausted and happy. I boarded her for over 9 nights once too after I got stuck out of town due to cancelled flights. The staff was so accommodating and I know my dog was in good care. They do treat the dogs like they are their own and that gives me peace of mind. Love this place!

While my human family was off vacationing recently in Manhattan Beach, my dogs were having a vacation of their own… Minnie (my 15 year old boxer pit mix) and Georgia (my 11 month old pit) enjoyed a week long stay at Tailwinds!
This was the first time I boarded Georgia, and Minnie’s first time at Tailwinds, but I knew that they were in good hands. I called to check in a few times and was reassured that they were doing well. I even saw a video that Tailwinds posted on Facebook of Georgia playing with her new puppy friends.
The staff, especially Charlie, was very friendly from the moment I walked in for a tour. They paid close attention to detail regarding the amount of food for each dog, their medication, etc…
I loved that when I picked my girls up, they each had report cards… (see pics posted here). So proud of them!
Tailwinds is pricier than some other places I’ve seen, but it was worth it to me to go away for a week and know that my pups were well taken care of. Bonus — they each got a bath on the day I picked them up… (thanks Tailwinds!)
I’ll definitely return in the future for family get-​aways… well, Minnie and Georgia will ;)

You know the saying, «A good dog is a tired dog»? This place will help you have a good dog!
I’ve boarded my 8 month old puppy here twice and taken her countless times for daycare. She loves the daycare, in the morning I’ll say, «ready for daycare» and she’ll run to the door and drag me to the car! When we pull up she gets really excited in the car too! The best part is, she comes home exhausted from playing all day and sleeps like an angel. I’ve been using the daycare a lot more now that it’s so hot and I can’t walk her as much.
The pricing seems reasonable to me, especially considering all the benefits. This place doesn’t charge you extra for playtime or anything like some places do. They will also post videos to facebook of the dogs playing — it makes my day when I see my puppy in one of them!

I can’t say enough great things about Tailwinds. I’ve boarded here and we do daycare twice weekly. The hours are great and the prices are extremely reasonable, especially in light of how much my dog loves it. You can’t argue with her reaction to getting near the place — she vibrates with excitement.
The staff always greet her by name when we arrive and are always willing to have a brief chat about her day. You can tell that they enjoy animals and that they truly interact with them. The facility has an awesome set up and is always clean — I never worry about my dog’s security.
A great side benefit since she’s been going to daycare is that her social skills have improved tremendously. She’s very blasé about interactions with other dogs nowadays.
I also LOVE the short little videos that are occasionally posted on the Tailwinds Facebook page. Getting to see my dog having loads of fun makes me very happy indeed.

Tailwinds has been my go-​to daycare and boarding place for some time now, and it really is a top-​notch operation. It starts with the design of the facility: nice, gated entry to allow owners to enter one-​at-​a-​time with their dogs as needed, and a beautiful area for dogs to roam with artificial grass and separate large, cylindrical buildings for indoor activities (dogs are kept separated by size/​activity level). As advertised, there are snacks and «educational TV» for the dogs inside. Staff is more than happy to give you updates on your little one (s).
In the end, my dog’s reaction is my most reliable barometer. While he will sometimes cry or pull away when we go to another daycare business, he’s actually excited to run through the gates when he realizes we are at Tailwinds. I highly recommend it.

Tailwinds is a fantastic place for our 3 dogs! We take them there for play days 3 times a week and some times for overnights when we are gone for vacation. They are learning to be more social with other dogs and come home EXHAUSTED & HAPPY!
Holly clearly only hires and works with the best because it shows on the faces of her team that they love being there. Thank you Tailwinds for improving the quality of life of our dogs, our family, and our community.

Tailwinds is the 1^st pet resort for our pups, Murphy & Jane. We’ve taken them in for grooming there, but never an overnight stay. My husband and I were out of town for 5 nights and we were worried sick. I just picked them up and they were happy to see me… but they looked like they were having a ‘puppy party’ at Tailwinds! The employees knew our pups by name and were so sweet with our dogs. Murph & Janers came out with BIG smiles, trimmed nails and clean coats. They looked better coming out then they did going in! I would highly recommend Tailwinds to friends/​family and we will only use Tailwinds from here on out!

Honestly, I have no idea what a good doggie daycare place is. Since this is the first and only one I visited. And to continue down the path of honesty, I am still a shamed that I pay for a daycare for my dog. But I love my dog. And I like to see him happy and he loves it here. The crew that works here treat him like a little prince. They also greet him and give him special attention when he arrives. I actually have a this countdown when I about to let him out of the car because he runs so fast to get inside that someones I cant hold on to his lead.
And I know that it is not some prison of war camp for dogs. Because he hates to leave. He «cries» whenever we leave. Trust me, it uses up all your feels in one go when you see that. And I am saying that a manly bearded no emotions kind of man. It is a little costly but they have a buy 10 get 11 visits program that helps with that. And Tanuki (my dog) only goes 2 – 3 times a week. So I don’t run through my visits that fast. And they are great for boarding as well! Since I travel a lot and do a lot of weekend trips that sometimes mean he needs to board ed, I know I can trust Tailwinds for a spot for my little bruiser.

My beagle Sidekick has been to Tailwinds over 50 times and we have never had a problem!
I used to take my dog here daily for day care and I have never had a bad experience. He is always in a great mood when I go to pick him up and he is typically tired which makes me think he gets plenty of exercise. I am always hesitant of services I don’t get to monitor, such as doggy day care, but Tailwinds has never gave me a reason to question their services.
We have also boarded Sidekick here for up to 4 days and we have never had any problems. He requires special instructions due to allergies and it seems everything was followed correctly.
The facility is very nice and it seems like there is plenty of room in the kennels and play area.
My only suggestion is to provide a little more feedback in terms of daily activities completed and dog behavior. When my dog was a puppy it would have been really helpful to hear how he did during the day. I think it would be refreshing to learn about his day, so I can be more confident that my dog is receiving the proper care.
Keep up the good work and I am sure we will be back soon.

I wrote the following review based on a phone call because I thought people needed to know about this. After the not-​so-​pleasant call to Tailwinds, I did some more research. And I found Smelly Dog. I almost didn’t call because of the name. Schooner and I visited there this afternoon and the place looks pretty good… and they do NOT charge that ridiculous $ 10 fee for the temperment test. Schooner, of course, did great because that’s the kind of dog he is. He is scheduled to go play there one day next week so we’ll see how that goes.
Read on for my initial review, which, after the owner’s unremarkable comments, stands. I was shocked she didn’t even want to try to earn my business. If you’re looking for an overpriced place for your pooch where they’ll call you a liar on the phone, not apologize for it, then not even bother to earn your business, Tailwinds is it! Thankfully, I know I’m a great customer and I have plenty of options when it comes to spending my money on my pet.
I’d love to try this place out, but as someone who knows dogs and knows my dog, the idea of paying someone $ 10 to find out what I already know about my dog is ridiculous. The young lady I just spoke with was as polite as she could be, but just because other dog owners have lied about their dog’s temperment does not mean I am. I was offended. It felt like I was being called a liar. By the end of the conversation, all I could say was to tell the owner she’s losing business and to have a nice day.
Now, signing on to Unilocal,I see there are some free days for new clients. Well, maybe if the young lady had bothered to mention that I might have reconsidered. I still do NOT like what amounts to a ridiculous fee (that only one other place has done and I was able to convince them not to charge that fee).
Gilbert Dogs remains my favorite doggie day care place! Sadly, the day I was calling about requires my dog and I to be up at Villa la Paws for an evening class and our first day care experience there was not stellar. Plus, they’re the only other dog day care place that tries to bilk out an additional $ 10 for this temperment test. I’ll give you references. I’ll bring him in for a quick visit. But I am NOT paying that fee. It’s the principle of the thing at this point.
By the way, I easily spend $ 30 to $ 40 a week on doggie day care at Gilbert Dogs and the one other place Schooner loves, Four Paws Pet Resort in Mesa. If Tailwinds doesn’t want my money (and the money of people I will talk to about this conversation), then so be it. Apparently you have enough business to make for a nice, profitable bottom line without my money.
And what a shame that Schooner’s very large fan club won’t include the wonderful people at Tailwinds. He’s a great dog! Just ask Gilbert Dogs or Four Paws.
Kind Regards,
Vicki Rumford

Extremely disappointed and very angry dog owner today! I took my dog here recently for his 3^rd and Final visit. My first 2 visits were great, but the last one lost my faith for good on their unprofessional and uncaring service.
I have a Frenchie with a very sensitive stomach. In the multiple page application they have you fill out I mention that, as well as advised them that the cause of his stomach ailments is rawhide treats. In fact I put on his application that he is ALLERGIC to rawhides and mentioned not to give it to him because he gets bad diarrhea. So when I took him the last time, my dog apparently threw a «temper tantrum» which usually means he squeals really loud when you crate him. I advised the owner of this and she assured me they get that all the time and they can handle it. Well let me tell you how they «handled» it. Yup, to quiet him up, they gave him a rawhide treat which he swallowed whole. When the handler that day told me that I was extremely upset. And rightfully so because tonight my poor guy is suffering from awful diarrhea. He is not as active and constantly having to go.
What compounded matters more is the gal at the desk was looking over my paperwork to see where I mentioned rawhide and she couldn’t find out. I advised her that the paperwork she was reading wasn’t mine, and then she laughed it off when she realized her mistake and thought it read wrong because the documents described a cat’s history. I was already so angry that they did not read my paperwork, but she was so unskilled to realize the difference between a cat and a dog. I had to point out her error, opposed to her not figuring out that my dog was not abandoned by a cat like the paperwork said. Ugh!!! When I first visited I was also advised that I shouldn’t worry about treats because rawhide is not one of them. Well guess what, it is.
If you take your dog here, make sure they read your documents. Go over everything with them and mention your dogs issues, otherwise you’ll end up like me staying up to take care and clean up after your sick puppy.

This place is impressive looking but for daycare the price is a little ridiculous. The main reason I am only giving it 2 stars is that I feel tha I am constantly being sold to here. The almost make you feel guilty about not having a grooming done on an overnight visit.
We selected this location because it is somewhat near the airport and we had read other nice reviews. It’s not a bad place it’s just that they never let you forget that this is a business.

Daisy Dog is a Pit Bull/​Dalmatian mix with a sunny disposition and a whole lot of energy. In the cooler months she gets to go to the dog park, but when it gets too hot for her humans to play with her outside, she visits the well-​manicured Tailwinds daycare facility conveniently located near my office in downtown Phoenix
Daisy has been a Monday-​Wednesday-​Friday regular at Tailwinds this summer. I purchased their buy 10 get 1 free package, so I only pay $ 20 for a full day, from 7:30am to 6:30pm. She gets lots of time in the water, playing ball, and socializing with other dogs in the pink group that have similar temperaments.
The staff treats her like one of their own. Daisy can’t wait to get out of the car when we arrive and greets them enthusiastically, ready for her daily activities. I will often see her through the gate as I am leaving the property already running and playing in the grass outside. It’s reassuring to know that she has the option of a safe and happy place to spend her day instead of waiting at home alone for her people to arrive from work. At the end of the day she usually gets a big hug and sometimes even a kiss from one of the staff members. Daisy usually falls asleep on the car ride home and is blissfully wiped out for the rest of the night.
The only bad thing I have to say about Tailwinds is that my sweet girl never wants to leave! Other than the want for some extra shade for morning drop offs in the summer sun to protect paws from hot pavement, this property is truly top-​notch.

Tailwinds is such a great place to send your pets! My parents have 4 dogs that range in size and age (they are suckers for the humane society) and they often take 7 – 14 day long trips. They are gone at least once a month, and this is where they take their pets! Their dogs love coming here, and are often quite sad to leave.
Thus, once I got my dog Danny, I knew I had a reliable place to take my boy when I am on vacation! He loves playing with all of the other animals that are there, and the staff takes really great care of him.
The groomer on property is also fantastic! Danny is half Pomeranian and has quite a bit of unruly hair, so he is difficult to take maintain 100% all of the time. The groomer here gives me tips on how to keep him healthy, and they always do such a wonderful job on him! He is such a stud muffin!
I 100% recommend Tailwinds, without a doubt!