TLDR: They'll do in a pinch. The good: twice now I've needed to kennel my dog on very short (day before or day of) notice and they've been able to accommodate him which I greatly appreciate. The meh: The first time when I picked him up he was inexplicably wet. Not "I just had a bath" wet, but more "I ran through a mud puddle" wet. Not a huge deal, but what was that about? The not good: The next time my usual dog sitter flaked on me due to a death in the family and I called them up at noon and booked him for that night. An hour and a half later I get a call that my regular (in home) sitter was available, so I called back to see about cancelling. No they won't give me a credit. Fair enough, I understand if they had to turn someone away because of your reservation why should they have to eat that? But this was one hour, and the net result is that I will only call them until I'm 1000% sure I'm not wasting my money. read more

Have used them before service wise. They are good, but they have a very bad cancellation policy, even for genuine reasons. Looks like they don't care once they get paid and there is no cancellation policy and plans to change and they don't understand even if it's a genuine policy they don't give you any credit. Have had dogs for over 15 years never had a boarding that does this. They keep saying we told you ahead of time that there is no cancellation policy and that's the only thing they stick by. Never taking my business back there. read more

First time planning to use Happy Tails. Had to unfortunately cancel my flight and asked if there was a certain credit which I was told there would be a 50 dollar charge if cancelled. The wouldn't send me the recording and charged me 270.00 for a no show cancellation. Terrible for business and will never use such a non reliable company. Make sure they dont screw you over especially a first time client. Great job there guys! read more

Dog Owners Beware!!! If you love your dog like a member of your family (and I hope you are reading these reviews because you do), do NOT leave your beloved family member here. We were provided a successful tour before our trip, and everyone onsite was on their best behavior. This left us naively believing we were leaving our beloved boy in good hands. Fast forward to our departure and subsequent return. Upon pickup, our dog was brought out smelling like he had lain in a pile of dog waste for an extended period of time... Perhaps the entirety of his stay. The attendant hands over the leash and blithely states that he did well, eating his meals without issue, had no accidents in his kennel, but that he had developed loose stools in the last day, probably from "stress." I am advised to give him pumpkin puree and sent on my way. Our boy was subdued the entire ride home. 2 things: if stress were a reason, it seems like that would have happened at the beginning of his stay. Since they were advised in advance that he has fear aggression towards other dogs, he was to receive daily solo "nature walks" in addition to AM/PM solo outside potty breaks. And, if pumpkin puree is a home remedy, why was I not contacted and asked permission to administer it to alleviate his suffering? But I digress... Our beloved canine returned home and was not simply suffering from "loose stool." He had explosive diarrhea every 15 mins. We contacted our vet and took him in and he was administered hydration via IV and prescribed anti-diarrheal medication. Additionally, he was found to have urine scald on his paws and his fur, though it appeared he may have been rinsed off before pick-up, had traces of fecal matter. Our wonderful vet gently bathed our boy at no charge to provide him relief from the neglectful abuse he endured at the hands the staff at Happy Tails. Folks, we are convinced our boy suffered unnecessarily due to this facility's neglect. Whether this neglect was deliberate or merely a lack of training or staffing is inexcusable. For nearly $500, we expected a level of care that did not result in veterinary care costs and an animal's suffering that were completely avoidable. We will never seek services from the facility again, nor will we provide anything but advice to others to avoid making the same mistake we did. read more

Employees are next level friendly. Always answering phone calls, uploading pictures, and making sure my dog feels at home there. read more

Happy Tails - Pet Groomers Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Happy Tails... more like Happy Fails! I paid in full for daycare + boarding for a trip that was cancelled 3 weeks in advance. I called today to (very sweetly and politely) ask if I could transfer the balance to another date. They will not issue a refund, allow me to change dates, or honor the "daycare only" portion. They're keeping over $600 for no services rendered, AND they cancelled my reservation in order to allow space for another dog. I tried everything I could think of to at least get SOME service for the money paid, but they refused. The recent reviews on google reflect similar poor service. Protect your wallets and steer clear of this place! #SadTails read more

Happy Tails - Cancellation fees from their website states $35, not the full amount. - Pet Groomers Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

We had our dog groomed about 2 months ago, the groomers name was Mo. She did a wonderful job and our price was around $90, without tip. There was an upcharge due to extra under coat with in the $90. We brought our dog for his second grooming with Mo about two weeks ago. We had our dog out of the car awaiting Mo, but she did not appear. Another women appeared, in her place and told me there has been a price increase and the basic price was now $125.00 before any extra cost for undercoat, if any. That was an approximately a 45% increase over last price. If they had a price increase of that amount, it should have been explained at the time we scheduled, not when we showed up at her door. It is my thought, can't say for sure, she had labor issues and just could not handle another dog. If she would have said some of her help did not show and she will need to reschedule us I would have been OK with that. Not sure if the women we spoke with was the manager or the owner but at any rate she may want to consider a business management course in her near future. It should be noted I wrote a 5 star review of Mo's work at this facility about 6 weeks ago, not to be confused with this review. And that review was on Mo's work not what we experienced. read more

We boarded our dog, Cece, here for 5 days, starting on May 30. After drop off, I left my phone on to hear how Cece did on the "assessment." This involves introducing calm dogs to a new dog to see the response. If the new dog is too aggressive, then dogs are required to participate in a "nature walk." Cece did NOT pass the assessment, which I found out about on Tuesday. TWO DAYS AFTER DROP OFF. The reason for her not passing was that she was "too nervous" per the owner. I understand that she didn't pass. I wasn't there, I can't argue it. I understood there was a possibility she wouldn't pass. My issue is that I didn't get a call on Sunday about the assessment. So I called Monday to check-in. That was 7:17 AM. No call back. I tried again that day at 11:29 AM, 11:30 AM, 11:56 AM. At 3:02 PM I called again, & left a second message. I waited all day Monday for a callback & got nothing. I thought maybe it was due to the holiday, that they'll call on Tuesday. It wasn't until I called Tuesday at 4:53 PM, Dawn, the owner, answered this time. But I was rushed off the line because of a check out. I was told I would get a callback in 10 mins. 10 mins passed, then 30, then 60. Nearly 90 mins later, at 6:18 PM (after hours), I got a call back. But, I missed the call. I listened to the voicemail & called back. But, no answer. The voicemail was reassuring, but I had worries. Friday, at 2:03, I called to see about the earliest pickup time, as well as talk to a manager, but no answer, so I left a voicemail. At 3:43 PM, I got a callback from Dawn. I asked about the assessment. Cece didn't pass because it didn't go well with the dogs she was introduced to. I shared with Dawn that Cece was a rescue & wasn't sure about her life before us. I then asked about the "nature walk." I asked if dogs only went on 1 walk and its length. She said that they have an AM & PM play, each for 15 mins during kennel prep, then in the middle of the day the "nature walk" is 15 mins. A total of 45 mins out of the cage. I started to get upset on the phone, sharing that this wasn't enough. I shared that I had concerns & was afraid to voice these, based on my lack of experience boarding/not knowing the staff. In response to my concerns & trembling voice, I was told to "rest" before picking Cece up the following day & that she knows the integrity of her business/employees. She knows that employees "love" the dogs, that pictures are posted to show that animals are doing okay. But a picture on FB doesn't compensate for a real-time call. As Dawn continued berating me about her business & how she "wouldn't entertain the conversation," I hung up. I called a family member, frantic, asking her to pick Cece up & she did. I called again, at 4:00 PM & it went straight to voicemail. I WAS HUNG UP ON OR BLOCKED. We called from Matt's phone & it rang once before being answered. I said my name & that someone was picking her up & I needed to pay over the phone. This was done within minutes. Cece was picked up a day early. When she was picked up, the owner hung around, but didn't speak. When asked what had been crossed off my receipt the owner said it was daycare which had been replaced with nature walk. I assume I paid a lesser amount for the daycare price, as I'm sure the nature walk is more expensive, since it requires an individualized 15 mins of attention (eye roll). Finally, my godmother was given a small garbage bag that had Cece's blanket in it. When I pulled it out of the bag, the bag was soaked, the blanket was soaked, & then, the room REEKED of dog pee. I was aware they didn't clean blankets in the event of an accident, but I can count on ONE hand how many accidents Cece has had. This was neglectful towards Cece & unsettling that employees did nothing but let it sit in a garbage bag. No call, no update, nothing. But keep in mind, they "love" animals. Horrible communication, disgusting practices, & an unprofessional owner was sad. I HIGHLY ADVISE AGAINST THIS "BUSINESS." read more

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We have been visiting HT for years. They had fair prices and we felt they always took care of our little guy. Today that all changed after being charged $70 for a "COURTESY" bath for our little guy staying one night. They said he seemed to have urinated and pooped more times than normal. We revived no call or heads up just the extra fee when we arrived. When we pulled up to pick him up we were confused that something called a courtesy would be so much. $119 for one night is ridiculous. We will not be returning and passing along to our friends to no longer book here. The prices seem to rise weekly and this was the last straw. read more

I boarded my two dogs here for just one night during spring break. We personally did not have a good experience. My one dog who goes to a different doggy daycare multiple times a week (they were full due to spring break) did not pass their temperament test, stating she was aggressive and growled at other dogs. This did not make sense to me as she is a sweet girl who gets along with everyone and we have never had a complaint with her anywhere else. They also promised to call me if something was wrong with either of my dogs. They did not call me and their excuse was, " we were really busy." My other dog came home covered in poop on his back side. While the price was decent since we got a free day of daycare, due to a poor experience we will not be going back and we do not recommend them. read more

A few years ago I boarded my dog here for a week or so while we went on vacation. She is high energy so we signed her up for whatever she could do to get out of her cage during the day (playing with other dogs, nature walks, etc.). She ultimately did not pass their assessment, despite being a kind, friendly dog to others around her. They claimed her hair was raised, but we had never once seen that in her with other dogs before, but we couldn't argue because we weren't there to see it. Arguably the most frustrating part, WE DIDN'T FIND OUT FOR THREE DAYS, of our 6 day board. During this time, she had the bare minimum. They then informed us that she did not have a vaccine she needed, but all would be okay because they could provide it onsite. About 5 days into our 6 day stay, we called to check in on her and hear about her day of activities. We were informed by another staff member that they had NOT given her the vaccine yet, and therefore she had ONLY gotten the bare minimum of activity (which I believe is 2, 15 minute breaks? I cannot remember for sure). They had assured us days before that she would be provided this vaccine at the earliest time so that she could participate in the activities, however we found out she never got it throughout her whole stay. The staff was disrespectful when we asked simple questions to clarify what our charges were. MOST IMPORTANTLY, after Coco's stay at Happy Tails, she came home with paws that flinch every time we get near them. I am drafting this review TWO YEARS LATER, and she still flinches her paws to this day. It is unclear whether this was a result of cutting her nails too short, or something else unspeakable. It is horrific either way, and I will pray and hope that her paws were not abused during her stay. We were EXTREMELY dissatisfied and picked her up a day early. Flash forward to this week, I went on vacation with a family friend and was informed that they boarded their dog with Happy Tails. I immediately informed them of our experience, but hoped and prayed that things had changed at this location. However their mission reigned true two years later: they barely communicated and disrespected this customer that had genuine concerns about her dog. The customer called time and time again, during their hours, and did not get a response for days. The same thing happened to her friendly dog, she did not pass the assessment. She then called and the owner was extremely defensive as she asked questions about her dogs stay, and ultimately ignored (or blocked) her phone number when she called afterwards to pick her dog up. This treatment towards customers is unacceptable and no way to run a business. We will not be bring out dogs back, and we will continue to suggest alternate locations for prospect customers. read more

I have never had to kennel my dog, so when I had to for a long weekend away I chose Happy Tails. I didn't know what to expect, but hoped for a good experience. It was anything but...I dropped my dog of on a Friday morning and picked him up Sunday at the 12:30 pick up time. $110 later, my dog was very thirsty. We got home and he drank two bowls of water. They up charge you for anything they can. They gave him a bath that Friday, but by the time I picked him up, he smelled like a dirty dog....did he really get a bath??? I paid for "nature walks" I think this is a sham. There were not enough staff to give walks and groom all of the dogs that were there. Not happy with the experience and I won't be back. read more

This place is AMAZING!!! They took such great care of my pups! I have two cairn terriers and they looked fantastic leaving Happy Tails. Right off the bat the whole group was very friendly. They put both my dogs in a kennel together while they had to wait which no place has ever done. They were so happy and comfortable. They gave me a tour of the place and it was great to see and know my dogs would be in a CLEAN and safe environment. The prices are extremely reasonable and the owner was very nice and professional. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a groomer in the area! read more

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Dirty smelly puppy goes in, happy clean puppy comes out! My wife and I have been taking our pets for almost 5 years now. That staff has always been super friendly and the pricing is very reasonable. I would definitely recommend Happy Tails to anyone with a dog or cat! read more

Happy Tails is probably the worst place you could take your fur baby. They won't answer your phone calls about questions, concerns, or a simple check up on your animal. We called them 7 times over the span of 2 days and then got a voicemail back. We then called back immediately and no one answered. We finally got a call back on the day we were driving back home from the owner and that's when things went even further down hill. The owner was rude, defensive, and aggressive when it came to asking questions about the procedures and methods used in the boarding practices. The owner, Dawn, was also incredibly combative when we called about our dog Cece and was more worried about talking down on their customers then reassuring them about their animals. After the phone call, the owner Dawn proceeded to block my sisters phone number so she was unable to reach her again and had to use someone else's phone to call. We hadn't even got our dog from them yet and they blocked her so she was unable to call them again about questions/informing them we were going to get the dog a day early . When we picked up Cece they handed us a dark colored trash bag with Cece's blanket that was soiled in urine from god knows when. DO NOT EVER TAKE YOUR ANIMALS HERE! THEY DON'T ANSWER ANY PHONE CALLS AND THEY WON'T GIVE YOUR DOG A GOOD EXPERIENCE WHEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES! read more

I have always had good experiences at Happy Tails. They explain their policies and I have always had to sign an agreement. Just like at any kennel I have taken my dogs to. Reading some of the other reviews, makes me wonder why they didn't read the same policy/contract that I did. Life happens and plans change unfortunately, but it's a business and they have to plan for many different people/dogs. As a small business owner, I understand having to protect yourself and your business. It's definitely not easy trying to please everyone. read more

We adore this groomer and boarder. They know our dog, Isaac, by name when he comes in the door and he is very excited when he sees the staff. His haircuts are always on point, and we know he enjoys staying with them when we are out of town. I love that they post pictures on FB when we board him. It's reassuring to see him playing with other happy dogs when we are traveling. I'm so grateful our favorite groomers are only a few minutes from our house. read more

This spot is the best, I hate to see all the bad comments that have been popping up. I've been taking my 12 year old Maltese here for years and they're always been so professional and very careful. Dawn is the absolute sweetest, no one would want to miss out :) read more

Absolutely would not recommend this place!!! We've been loyal customers for over 5 years boarding our dogs and have never no showed or given late notice. The last time we boarded our two dogs, the Happy Tails staff notified us of a recent policy change requiring a $35 non-refundable deposit per dog over the phone via debit or credit card. Considering we have never cancelled or no showed, we had absolutely no problem providing the deposit as it would be applied to our boarding services. Fast forward to our most recent experience...we called to book our dogs for Labor Day weekend. Considering holiday hours, we would need to drop off our dogs Saturday and pick up Tuesday, which we agreed to do. They proceeded to ask for a deposit, which "due to a policy change" was the full amount. With the holiday up-charge, total cost was $360 plus 4% processing credit card fee, total $374.04. Additionally, they told me the kennel was not completely full; but our dogs may be put in "pop up kennels" due to the high demand of boarding services. This seemed a bit odd to me to pay in full prior to receiving services. I called my husband to confirm we were comfortable paying in full prior to receiving services. Considering we have always been pleased with the customer service, we agreed to pay and follow protocol. Unfortunately, 72 hours prior to bringing our dogs, I tested positive for COVID, leading to a mandatory 10-day quarantine, which would mean no trip and no boarding required. Almost immediately following my diagnosis, I gave a courtesy call to Happy Tails notifying them of our change of plans and and to inquire about a partial refund. No one answered so I left a voicemail. One of the team members proceeded to call my husband back. The team member told my husband we would not get a refund. He proceeded to ask for the manager or owner and claimed she was the manager. After not refunding ANY money, the call ended without resolution or a refund of any kind. I absolutely can understand and respect a non-refundable deposit for a no show or cancellation; however, the team was unwilling to even listen to our concerns for a situation completely out of our control. I proceeded to call multiple times, sent 2 emails, and sent a Facebook message (which was read) in hopes of speaking to the owner. We have received no refund, no further call backs, and no consideration for our situation. Therefore, we are out $374.04 with zero services rendered and no one willing to give us the time of day to discuss a resolution or some sort of refund. I would like to note that considering our dogs would be placed in "pop-up kennels" due to high demand, Happy Tails could have very easily booked clients in our place. This is despicable customer service. We will be taking our business elsewhere and have notified all friends and family to never work with this business again. If they are willing to treat a customer of 5+ years this way, we can only imagine how poorly they cared for our dogs. read more

We love Happy Tails. We used a couple of other boarders when we first moved here three years ago and were not impressed. Our two boxers come home from Happy Tails relaxed and happy with no strange behaviors or strange poops like they did at other places. We have always had great experiences, and they have been boarded there probably over ten times now. read more

I recently decided to Google search other local options for grooming and boarding my dog and came across "Happy Tails Grooming & Boarding" in northern Fort Wayne, Indiana. To Happy Tails: Let me introduce you to "Customer Service 101!" No matter your issues, you should ALWAYS call clients that have scheduled appointments BEFORE they actually show up and are told that you have grooming "issues." I live nearly 20 miles from your location, and not only did you waste nearly an hour of my work day, but I had to take my dog back home! Business failure is certainly in your future should you not practice common sense when it comes to customer service. There is a lot of competition out there, and I for one will have nothing positive to share about your business! Cheers. read more

They did awesome with our Rottweiler! Posted pictures on Facebook and our dog left happy and very clean dog. They are awesome sticking to what they say they will do. She loved Happy Tails and can't wait to go back to day care. read more

I have been taking my dog to Happy Tails for thirteen years now and my Harley loves it there. The staff is always sweet, kind and considerate and treat me and my dog every time we go there with the same friendly greeting and always ask how his haircut is and if I liked it My dog always get a terrific haircut and bath every time he goes there The staff always calls my dog by name and myself also. It is really a friendly environment. This is a great place to take your animal and they are special people who really care about your animal and treat them as if your animal was their own. I would recommend Happy Tails to any animal owner. read more

Always love taking my dog Charlie here!! Love everything they have to offer for such a great price. No to mention the staff. The staff are always incredibly nice especially the person that answers the phones and sits in the front (I think her name is Brittany, but I'm really bad with names). She's always nice and has such a welcoming voice. Definitely recommend them! read more

The facility is nice. However, when they lost my dog's collar, they offered me another one from a basket of used collars. I can only come to the conclusion that they had given my collar to some other customer as they were trying to give me someone else's. I haven't been back since. read more

Great place! They did a great job with my Yorkie. Plus added bonus, they have a pet duck. Only complaint, they charge extra to use a credit card. Other than that top notch! read more

We have been using Happy Tails since they opened. We are very pleased with the facility & the staff. No reason to look any where else !

They were very friendly but its difficult to hear the receptionist because they have all the dogs in cages in the lobby barking. Also they don't give you an actual receipt they just write the totals on post-it notes, which doesn't seem very legit or professional to me. read more

I was so disappointed in the Grooming at Happy Tails, Fort Wayne, IN, I will never go back! They charged $25 extra, because they found a small matt in our STD Schnauzer's beard...the bill was $71. But, even worse than paying a ridiculous $71 for grooming, was the grooming itself...our Champion Std. Schnauzer looked terrible! The owner was very rude, as was the groomer...they won't be in business long. I can see from all the other negative reviews posted, I am not the only client not happy with this establishment. They can't mistreat clients and their pets, and still expect to be successful. read more

They get one star for past services, all the way up until today, happy tails was a great place, I'm sure it still is..for SOME pets, but for some reason not for mine or any other nervous animal. For years my dog has been groomed there, and believe me it wasn't because they are reasonably priced! Far from it, on the expensive side, BUT I have a chihuahua terrier mix, high strung and nervous, but they always did a great job in getting done what needed to be done. Not anymore, I don't know if the help is now inferior or what, but today I took my dog in specifically for a nail trim, which is included in the bath and brush out...today I paid 21.50 for a BATH! after all she barely has any hair to brush, very short hair, they REFUSED to trim her nails because the DOG was stressing..as I'm sure she was, but evidently the GROOMER was more stressed, there by stressing my pet out more! What happened to the OLD happy tails?? You don't charge a person FULL price for a service YOU refuse to finish! Very very poor place to take your animal these days. Everyone on my Facebook and google will know NOT to take there pet there unless they WANT to be screwed in every way possible by an establishment, a very UNPROFESSIONAL establishment. read more

I took my goldendoodle in for a grooming service (bath, haircut, nail trim, ears cleaned), I was asked upon dropping him off how short I wanted him to be cut based on a chart that was on the counter. I explained I wanted him short because he gets hot in the summer, but certainly didn't want him shaved. Upon returning to pick him up, I also brought with me my great Dane to get her nails trimmed quickly. I paid my bill and loaded my dogs in my van. I needed to make a stop on the way home to have my Dane weighed at our vet (which is about 1 mile from Happy Tails) to purchase more heartworm medication. While having my great Dane step up on the scale, the vet tech told me that dog was bleeding and asked if I knew. I explained that she had just had her nails trimed down the street and NO I didn't know she was bleeding. By the end of this nightmare, my Dane had to have 3 staples to close the muscle tear and an antibiotic to avoid any infections (all was incurred at Happy Tails) and my gooldendoodle was cut so short that he had so many raw patches of skin which ended up turning into a staph infection requiring shots of steroids and an antibiotic so things didn't get worse. If I could have given this business 0 stars, I would have. This person who groomer my dog is the owner (Dawn), and not once did she call to apologize or take any blame for any of the above. read more

I usually take my dogs to the Pink Poodle Pet Spa & Boutique but since they were booked I decided to try Happy Tails out. At Pink Poodle they take the time to make sure they talk to you about everything they do before they take your doggy back. We arrived at Happy Tails and everything felt rushed. They didn't want to talk to you about anything they would be doing, they just wanted to grab the dogs and go. They took no time to ask about how the dogs behaved when getting groomed. When my husband went to pick the dogs up, one of the ladies went back and mumbled "It's the crazy one." If they would have taken the time at arrival to actually listen to me, they would have know that one of the dogs gets very scared and nervous. Looking the dogs over, my miniature dachshund smells a tad nicer, but looks the same. I asked them to trim and file his nails. They charged me for filing but there is no way they did. His nails are extremely rough. Whenever I pick him up from Pink Poodle his nails are so soft and smooth. My other dog (who actually belongs to my father-in-law) Looks like they really did a number to his fur. He was going pretty short but it's uneven and doesn't seem like they even gave him a bath. And again, his nails are very rough. The prices might be reasonable, but you are getting terrible service and low quality grooming. I will not be bringing my dogs back. read more