Dog Days in Tempe, Arizona is a beloved dog daycare and boarding facility that has built a loyal following among local families seeking exceptional care for their pets. Located on West Vaughn Street, this locally-owned business creates a welcoming environment where dogs can socialize, play, and receive personalized attention throughout their stay. Owners Gabby and Mike have cultivated a reputation for going above and beyond standard daycare services, treating each dog as part of their extended family.
Dog Care Services
Dog Days offers comprehensive daycare and boarding services designed around cage-free play and socialization. Dogs enjoy all-day open play rather than being confined to kennels, allowing them to interact naturally with other dogs and lounge on comfortable furniture throughout the facility. The business provides flexible scheduling that accommodates working families, with convenient drop-off and pick-up processes that typically take no more than a minute.
Boarding services extend the same cage-free philosophy, with dogs participating in regular daycare activities during their overnight stays rather than remaining kenneled. The facility maintains strict health protocols, requiring up-to-date vaccinations and conducting temperament testing for all new dogs to ensure safe interactions. Families can customize their pets’ dietary needs, with staff adding supplements like pumpkin puree for digestive issues and administering medications at no additional charge. Additional services include grooming, nail trims, and bathing, providing comprehensive pet care under one roof.
Communication remains a priority, with staff providing updates through social media platforms including Snapchat stories that allow families to see their dogs playing throughout the day. This transparency helps provide peace of mind for families, especially those leaving their pets for extended periods.
The Facility and Play Spaces
The facility maintains exceptional cleanliness standards that immediately impress visitors, with pet-friendly disinfectants used throughout to ensure a hygienic environment. Dog Days features both spacious indoor and outdoor play areas, with the outdoor space including covered sections for Arizona’s intense summer heat. During hot weather, staff spray down concrete surfaces to protect dogs’ paws and provide kiddie pools for water-loving dogs to cool off.
The layout includes separate enclosures designed to accommodate different dog personalities and sizes, with smaller or more docile dogs kept separate from larger, more energetic playmates. This thoughtful separation ensures all dogs can play comfortably regardless of their temperament or size. The facility’s air conditioning maintains comfortable temperatures year-round, providing relief from Arizona’s desert climate. Dogs have access to comfortable furniture throughout the space, creating a home-like atmosphere that encourages relaxation between play sessions.
Staff Expertise and Care Approach
Owners Gabby and Mike lead a dedicated team that demonstrates genuine passion for canine care and maintains low turnover, ensuring consistency in the relationships dogs build with their caregivers. The staff takes time to learn each dog’s name, personality, and individual needs, creating personalized experiences that help even anxious or shy dogs adjust at their own pace. Michael, a key team member, receives particular praise for his knowledge, patience, and ability to address concerns from nervous pet parents.
Staff members actively engage with the dogs rather than simply supervising, taking them outside every hour or two for bathroom breaks and fresh air. They monitor all interactions carefully, addressing any aggressive behaviors immediately to maintain a safe environment. The team shows special skill in working with rescue dogs and those with anxiety issues, helping them build confidence and social skills over time. Their approach focuses on positive reinforcement and patience, allowing dogs to develop natural behaviors and relationships with both staff and other dogs.
When concerns arise, staff members communicate openly with families and work collaboratively to ensure each dog’s comfort and happiness during their stay.
What Dogs and Families Experience
Dogs consistently demonstrate excitement when arriving at Dog Days, with many jumping out of cars and walking directly to the entrance, showing clear enthusiasm for their time there. The most telling sign of a successful day is how exhausted dogs are when picked up—many fall asleep immediately in the car and continue sleeping soundly at home, indicating they’ve had a full day of engaging play and activity.
Families appreciate the convenience of the scheduling system and the reliability of quick drop-offs and pick-ups, making Dog Days an excellent fit for busy work schedules. The location’s accessibility attracts families from across the Phoenix area, with some driving 20-30 minutes out of their way to maintain their relationship with Dog Days even after moving to different neighborhoods.
Long-term relationships are common, with many families using Dog Days for multiple years and describing the business as their dogs’ “home away from home.” The competitive pricing structure provides excellent value for the level of personalized care and attention provided. Families frequently mention the peace of mind they experience, knowing their dogs are safe, happy, and well-cared for during both daycare visits and extended boarding stays.
Parents of anxious dogs particularly appreciate how the staff helps their pets build confidence and social skills, often noting significant behavioral improvements over time.
Why Families Choose Dog Days
Dog Days stands out for its commitment to cage-free care and genuine relationships between staff and dogs. The combination of indoor and outdoor play areas, personalized attention, and flexible service options creates an environment where dogs truly thrive rather than simply being supervised. Families trust Dog Days for everything from single daycare visits to extended boarding because they know their pets will receive individual attention and care. The business’s local ownership and low staff turnover ensure consistency and familiarity that both dogs and their families value. For pet parents seeking a place where their dogs can be themselves while receiving professional, loving care, Dog Days delivers an experience that keeps families returning year after year.
