Kennel Nirvana

I read 5 negative reviews before we took our dog here but brushed them off. I realize every business has a few unhappy customers. But after our experience, now referring back to those reviews they are eerily similar to what my wife and I experienced. We went to check out the kennel 1^st before booking w/​them. The grounds seemed well kept w/​many tall fences. Upon our visit we asked if the dogs can get over the fences. Shawna who I think is the manager laughed and shook her head no as if that was a silly question. She assured us that wouldn’t happen. My wife explained that she gets nervous leaving him at new places. I would think a dog kennel would be sensitive to that. Once we booked with them & discussed pricing we were told how much it would be per day. We were asked if we wanted him fed once or twice a day. We requested twice a day b/​c that’s his normal eating routine. They told us 2 feedings a day would be an extra $ 2/​day. We happily agreed to that. We dropped him off & left him in their care. We called the 1^st day to check in and were told he was fine. The 2^nd day we called & spoke with Shawna. She seemed annoyed. She said «I’m mad at him.» That was just weird in and of itself. We asked why and she said «he climbed a fence.» My heart dropped. She didn’t elaborate. There was a long pause as if we were supposed to guess what happened. My wife and I thought that he got out and was MIA. We had to ask if he was ok. She didn’t offer that info. She answered «yea he’s ok.» But again didn’t elaborate. It took us prying for info to find out he jumped over a tiny fence that was inside a larger fence b/​c he was trying to get to a group of dogs to play with. After we were finally told what happened which didn’t seem that bad she told us that there may be extra charges. We asked why and she said «because we hadn’t anticipated him being such a problem.» She implied that b/​c our dog jumped over a small fence he was a «problem» and that it could be $ 5 a day more. The issue wasn’t the money. $ 5 more a day just seems punitive. It was the way we were talked to/​the fact that she scared us w/​out assuring us he was ok. Instead we were told our dog was a problem and we would maybe have to pay more. Why would you tell us that our dog is a problem when we are 2,000 miles away and can’t do anything? The next day I decided to call the owner hoping for some clarity. I spoke with Natalie, the owner, who was slightly reassuring but I still felt uneasy after I spoke with her. She apologized for Shawna’s insensitivity but stood her ground on the possible extra charges. Nobody disclosed to us that if he jumps over a fence therefore being deemed a «problem» there would be a fee. There should be at least something on their website that states that. Instead they don’t disclose this and then if your dog does in fact do this, they make the owner feel awful. We came back to Tucson eager to get our dog but had to wait until 5pm because you can only pick up your dog between 5pm and 8pm. Nobody is there if you come before 5. This raises a red flag. Where is the staff during those hours? Dogs are completely unattended? What if something happened? A dog fight or God forbid a fire? We picked our dog up and when we walked in Natalie was there. She was rude & unprofessional. She asked us how many times a day THEY fed him. Seriously? They needed me to tell them how many times they fed my dog while in their care? We were informed that he was fed only once a day even though we asked for twice a day. She then implied that our dog needed discipline classes. He’s a puppy! We brought him there to have fun and play! We didn’t bring him there to win some kind of best in show award and be judged as owners. When I told her he did have some classes and started to explain that they didn’t work, she cut us off and said «perhaps because mommy coddles him too much?» Excuse me? I was trying to explain before she rudely cut me off that the training didn’t work b/​c the instructor cancelled so often w/​out rescheduling. It was inconsistent. If Kennel Nirvana only wants Cesar Millan disciples, then specify that. Don’t act like all dogs are welcome if they aren’t. We wrote a check for $ 75 (we had already paid a $ 50 deposit) making the total $ 125 for 5 days. Upon writing the check she actually said «tips are appreciated.» If anything money should have been taken off our bill for how we were treated & for the night we laid awake in bed worried. Our dog also lost 5 pounds while there. Maybe b/​c he wasn’t fed properly! He was inside for most of the time so I know he didn’t lose weight from just playing. I get the sense that they don’t really care about the well being of the dogs staying at their kennel or how the owners feel. I think they are a tired, understaffed, older staff who have been doing this for a long time and are possibly burnt out. Well then close up shop if you can no longer provide quality care to your customers and treat the dogs the way they deserve.

We have been using Kennel Nirvana for over 10 years. Our dog is always eager to go there and be there as he has more fun with the wading pool and other dogs than he does at home. They are extremely careful to make sure all immunizations are up to date, sometimes reminding me when one is due. We would probably not even have a dog if we did not have Kennel Nirvana. Something I like is that the dogs are not allowed to bark. When they all start barking when someone arrives, they are immediately told to be quiet and they are!

I recently left my dog Monty at Kennel Nirvana for 10 full days. I was a little worried about the guy since this was the longest I’d ever left him. He is a 25 pound terrier mix who gets cold easily. I left him with a hoodie on, some of his own food, and a large towel for him to sleep on to keep warm. Natalie called me before I got on the plane to tell me that she had added padding to the concrete floor to keep his paws from the cold and that they have plenty of large dog sweaters to put on him at night. I felt relieved that they took the time to call and reassure me that Monty would be warm. Monty is especially fond of Glenn. When I picked him up, he (at first!) did not even notice me and was asking Glenn for more attention. Since Monty is very social, he has fun at Kennel Nirvana playing with the other dogs during the day. Even though I was a bit nervous about leaving my little guy for so long, I felt confident that Natalie and Glenn would take good care of him and when I picked him up he was as healthy and happy as could be. I would recommend Kennel Nirvana to anyone who has a social dog that likes to play during the day and anyone who wants their dog to be safe and happy while they travel — I guess that would be most dog owners!

Homer has been going to Kennel Nirvana since 2010. Natalie and Glenn are super people who really care for your pet. Homer comes back relaxed and full of energy. I am so happy I have found this wonderful place and can leave my dog there knowing he is so well cared for.

Took my 2 year old German Shepherd for a week, they left her outside during the monsoons and she broke her tooth trying to get out. We had given these negligent people strict instructions about our dog. They did not tell us a thing, until we asked after the fact and inquired about her broken tooth. They did not even apologize they are in this for only the money! BEWARE

This was a great place for our two yellow labs. Being able to play with other dogs and socialize is really great for our dogs. Being in a cage most of the day with only a few breaks isn’t ideal. I’ll definitely bring my dogs back even just for a day.
thanks!

This is a wonderful kennel, particularly since they allow your dog to roam during the day. My husband and I had a bad experience with the first kennel we used and I was hesitant about going back to another facility, but the owners were extremely nice and answered all of my questions, and I felt comfortable leaving our dog with them. Several reasons to go with Kennel Nirvana include that they don’t charge extra to have your dog socialize with other dogs in a doggie daycare sort of atmosphere, also the kennel is on the way to the airport so even if you don’t live close it is still convenient if you have to catch a flight. Probably the most important reason to go with Kennel Nirvana is that your dog will be happy and content after the stay. The last time we kenneled our dog he smelled horribly of urine, and was absolutely upset and whining for 12 hours after we took him home. I agree with the other reviewer that many kennels only take your dog out two times a day, and do not keep the cleanest area possible for them. We were allowed to bring our own bedding, toys and treats and the owners are so mellow my dog was relaxed for days after going to the kennel. I would definitely recommend this kennel to anyone and would use them again in a heartbeat.

I have been boarding my dogs here since 1997. The owners, Natalie and Glenn, do a great job of taking care of my animals. I like that the dogs are outside in large dog runs, grouped according to size and temperament, playing with each other all day, jumping in and out of the doggie swimming pool, wearing themselves out. They are crated at night. Other boarding facilities crate dogs all day/​night and only let the dogs out twice a day for food and bathroom breaks. When I drop off my Golden Retriever, he never even looks back to say goodbye. My dogs come home exhausted, and a tired dog is a happy owner. Kennel Nirvana is on the far West side and call for directions otherwise you will get lost in the Tucson Mountain Reserve. When you arrive at Kennel Nirvana, you will be greeted by the chickens, mules, horses, desert tortoise and a pack of Rhodesian Ridgebacks.