When I made my dogs appointment for grooming I called the dedham location. Once booked, they never informed me that the location I called doesn't do grooming and that I'd have to go to their other location in Jamaica plain. I drove 30 minutes to get to the Durham location just for them to tell me that I have to drive 30 minutes in the opposite direction. When I arrived at the correct location, the lady who I spoke to about how I wanted my dogs haircut to look seemed a bit ignorant like she knew nothing about dog haircuts. I showed her a picture of how I wanted my dog to look. They also said that they don't brush dogs teeth which is odd. Never been to a dog salon that doesn't brush the dogs teeth. We were originally told it would take 2 hours and it took almost 3 for my dog to be done. Upon picking up my dog, the lady behind the front desk told my sister and I that the groomer is new and only has under a YEAR of experience. Why wouldn't they tell me that prior to getting my dog groomed? I don't want a rookie to give my dog a botched haircut(which she did) but by this point it was too late. Also, when entering the store, it smells horrible like mildew. My dog came out, his hair choppy and the final result didn't look anything like the photo that I showed the lady( she took a picture of what I showed her so there shouldn't have been any confusion) The sweater I had him wearing was covered in fur, as if they cut his hair with the sweater on. I had to request my leash and collar back from them. Anyways, the people behind the front desk were sticking their faces in front of my dogs face so that he could lick them, letting them kiss their mouth which is honestly gross and not something I want to see. Overall, unhappy with how my dog turned out. Will not be returning. read more

My dog Tessa has been part of the Tails family for 6 wonderful years :) She is always well taken care of, even when she has special dietary needs and vet requirements. Tessa has friends at Tails in Boston and always comes home exhausted after playing with them all day. Their overnight staff are so kind and make sure she is comfortable, even though she is not used to sharing space with other animals at night time. We are really excited that Tails is expanding to Dedham - we just tried it out today and will be returning soon! Thank you to all of the staff, Tessa is a really lucky dog :) read more

I love taking my poodle here. He always comes out looking absolutely adorable, clean, smelling fresh. I highly recommend them.

I have been bringing my Boxer, Ziggy, to Tails almost 5 days a week for the past 4+ years. The kind and patient staff that work there are incredible with every dog I see them interact with. They clearly build individual relationships with with each pup and understand how to manage individual needs and behaviors. They are responsive to my questions and thorough with vaccine checks. They have even helped me care for Ziggy through tough times post-surgery and addressed behavioral challenges thoughtfully. They are so caring and focused with Ziggy, I have complete and total trust in them when I leave town. I have boarded him for extended stays (up to 2 weeks) at both the JP and Dedham locations and he always comes home cared for, clean, and happy (not to mention, exhausted). Tails truly feels like family to Ziggy. We'd be lost without them. read more

Thank you Tails for your great work this morning clipping Athena's claws! We know that our cat is not always the most cooperative client and very much appreciate the groomer's skill and dedication to getting the job done. We are always happy with the friendly and professional service we receive at Tails. So glad you're in the neighborhood! read more

Grooming- I've been to tails many times when Gabrielle was there. However, I brought my dog in the other day and asked if their new groomer was certified. As my dog gets really nervous and uncomfortable is stressful situations. I could immediately tell there was something fishy going on as they wouldn't let me speak to the groomer either. I have never not been able to talk to their old groomer.. The receptionist seemed flustered and confused with my questions. She tried to contact the manager but he was not around. When I asked where the old groomer had went they told me down the street.. okaaay very helpful. Means to say will not be back. read more

Tails absolutely butchered my poor dog's grooming. I explained my dog was fairly matted, I asked about de-matting, their rate, etc. We agreed that a 1/2 inch off would be a good length, I was told I would be called if something came up and they had to go shorter. I stated my preferences and gave them two pictures from a previous grooming for reference. I was told the grooming appointment would take three hours and they would call when I could come pick her up. Three and a half hours in I texted the lady at the front desk, no response. After about another 30 minutes I got a text apologizing and that I could come get my dog. I arrive, it's a different person at the front desk and my dog is completely shaved. The groomer didn't even try to de-matte her. They shaved off her eyelashes, her paws are not even shaped, no technique at all. What I am most upset about is the lack of transparency. We agreed on a 1/2 inch off and now there isn't even a 1/4 inch left. No call, or anything. I feel like they just told me what I wanted to hear and did their own thing. You get what you pay for. We will not be returning. read more

I Just picked up my cat here, and she looks wonderful! She smells so good and looks so clean. They really did a great job with her!

IDK, man, my dog returned after his boarding smelling super bad, like piss, and the hair on his paws was all super tangled from pee. Every time I dropped him off, I'd have to give him a bath when he returned. I feel pretty bad; not sure what happens in there. I don't recommend it. No personal attack on the business, but pay attention to that. My friend says his dog returned with a cough or something, so he doesn't go there anymore. Maybe Tails need to reevaluate its standards. This is my story and feedback. Good luck. read more

Every time I go in, whoever is there knows my dog by name and is overjoyed to see him. I always feel confident leaving my dog here, and he always seems to have a great time. I really trust Tails! read more

I can't say enough good things about this business. Highest compliment is that my dog literally runs to the door every morning and 'knocks' on the door to get in. Wonderful, caring staff. read more

They are wonderful for pet sitting. I am very content every time I have to leave my babies because I know they are being taken care of! I will continue using their services for as long as I need to. Thank you tails! read more

We have been bringing our 15 month old Mini Aussie to Tails for the occasional daycare and it's been great. We decide to try the grooming out yesterday and they did a wonderful job! He look like when we first picked him up when he was 6 months old :) I highly recommend them. read more

This place is great. They provide excellent care!!! Take my dog for Day care 3 days a week and he loves it. They are flexible, responsive and very good with my dog. read more

We went in to check it out w our 12 week old Schnoodle and we got a pretty cold vibe from the person at the front desk. You would have thought that we had brought in a lump of coal and not a super cute puppy- all business and no warmth. Given the fact that also a puppy died there died from choking this summer I have to pass. read more

DON'T BELIEVE THOSE POSITIVE REVIEWS! We can only assume they're written by the owner's friends or by customers who have no other dog care options. Why? Tails would not let us past their (slick) front desk citing 'covid protocols'; why then did other dog day cares let us see their whole facility while we masked? Tails couldn't tell us what our pup did on any given day; other businesses provided photos & videos - we could see her running, wrestling, being walked & petted. Tails' employees said 'I don't know' when asked how our pup was adjusting; other day care employees had anecdotes to tell. Last, but not least, our dog tried to escape out the door when we dropped him off for the day. If you love your dog, keep looking! read more

I've hesitated to write this review because I don't want to damage a locally-owned business, but reading two of the most recent reviews helped push me over the edge. When we adopted our dog last year, I was very excited that Tails was in the neighborhood because big dog + small house means help is needed. My plan was to buy the pup a package and take him there on weekdays. At the end of his first week, it was clear we needed a new plan - he started barking like crazy at strangers, in the car, etc., but we didn't hold it against Tails; we just figured he was a young puppy prone to picking up bad habits, so we'd need to find a walker rather than doggie day care. We got him a dog walker and focused on training, but figured we could still take him back to Tails every once in awhile. One day when I took our pup in to Tails for day care, he told me in the clearest way he knew that he did NOT want to go inside. First, he balked at the door, which was weird - but I shepherded him inside, thinking he must be confused. When a staff member took the leash to take him in the back, he first glued himself to my leg and then, when she pulled him away, assumed an "I don't want to go" position - put his front legs way out, tail down, and tried his hardest to back away. It was very clearly dogspeak for "I don't want to go in there." I thought maybe something spooked him outside or something, so I walked him around the block and tried again - again he balked at the door, and balked at them taking the leash. We walked out then and there, and we haven't been back. This is a dog that LOVES other dogs - when I take him to his new doggie day care, he doesn't so much as glance behind him as he bounds in to play with his human and canine pals. He's generally playful, happy and highly adaptable - he's been to several other doggie day cares since, and he's never once reacted like he did at Tails. Not to anything. Since we stopped going to Tails, I've heard lots of things from other area dog owners - that some staff members snap towels at the dogs when they're misbehaving, that some staff members yell and curse incessantly at dogs while walking them around the area, and (well before the recent posting) I heard about the tragic fate of the dog who died. But I can't speak to those things myself; what I can speak to is the fact that my dog told me in the clearest way he could that something unpleasant enough happened at Tails to make him refuse to go play with other dogs. I did like many of the staff members that I met, and I'm sure there are people there who love dogs and are skilled caretakers. But in a case like this, it takes only one bad apple to spoil the bunch in a serious and dangerous way. Based on my experience and those of a few other recent reviewers, it seems clear that there's at least one such bad apple at work here. read more

The Tails team takes great care of their clients (canine and human). My dog seems to love being there, he definitely loves Carlos.

Yessy and her team at Tails are amazing. We are so grateful to have found them! They have taken such good care of our two dogs and we cannot thank them enough. Today, the staff noticed that one of our dogs, a 4-month old Staffordshire Terrier, wasn't acting like himself, and Yessy, the owner, took him to the animal hospital herself while we were at work. That kind of customer service is above and beyond, and they have truly earned our loyalty. Thank you, Tails! read more

This is a review for the dog daycare services. Hi, my name is Wes, and I am a bougie JP young professional who puts their dog in dog daycare. But seriously though, this place is great. When my girlfriend & I adopted our dog Laika 6 months ago, she had intense separation anxiety and was scared of most other dogs. A trainer recommended we put her in dog daycare a few times a week to work on both issues at once, and it's made a huge difference. 6 months ago, Laika had to be dragged into the daycare space, now she (sometimes) will run back there when we drop her off. The staff at Tails are GREAT. I love all of them. Laika likes all of them but definitely plays favorites. They do more than make sure your dog just survives the day: they work on training, snuggle with them, play with them, walk them, feed them, etc. For this, I think the prices are reasonable-- $30/day, but there are packages you can buy and a loyalty program. We almost always put her in for the FULL day-- 6am-8pm. It's so worth it. read more

Just adopted a rescue dog and was nervous to leave him with just any dog walker! Heather went above and beyond the line of duty and made sure to answer all my questions ! She knew I was a first time dog parent and made sure to be a great resource for me! Not only is she an amazing dog walker its nice to have a professional opinion on things you are not sure about! No question is to silly for heather or her staff and they make sure to answer very quickly! Trust me I'v asked about my dogs eyes, poop etc, not just related to the dog walks! They really treat the dogs like a member of their family and you can rest easy knowing you are in good hands :) She also will pick up if they decide to "redecorate" while you are away :) Her rates are also great and the online system is amazing for tracking your calendar and walks! She is also great about being flexible with the timing of the walk if you know you have something taking you away from home early or keeping you late! read more

Tails has lots of services, but this review is really ONLY about the private dog walks. Our 85lb lab mix has been going on private 30 minute walks 5 times a week with Tails for the past 4 months now. He has never gone to the doggie daycare (mainly because we don't always trust him with other dogs/ don't trust other dogs). Instead, Tails comes to our house and picks our dog up for a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood each day. Our dog really loves his dog walkers. I see how excited he gets when they come, and the character of his walkers tells me he is in good hands. If that wasn't enough, we also bought Whistle, a device on his collar that tracks his movements and other things. Whistle lets me know when he left our house, and if his device was taken off or turned off it would tell us that too. Whistle also allows us to track our dog's walks in real time. We bought this, in part, because of a previous bad dog walking experience where our dog did end up being scared of the dog walker, and it became obvious that the dog walker wasn't taking him where she said she was but instead to her house. Anyway, unlike this other experience, we have never had a problem with Tails. We have monitored our dog's walks and Tails has always taken him for his walk around the neighborhood. That and our dog's excited demeanor at being picked up tells me that he is really in good hands. Also, we can really tell that our dog walkers care about our dog. Again, I can only really speak to the private dog walks, but for the most part I am confident in the work Tails does and their desire to care for their dogs. read more

I live around the corner from Tails and was glad to see another cute local shop pop up. I went in shortly after they opened for some grain free cat food and special litter (Cat Attract). They did have the food but did not have the type of litter -- but they did offer to order it. The space was nice and bright and clean. Seemed to have slightly more dog-related supplies than cat-related. I did overhear that they will deliver, which I think is amazing! They employees were very helpful and friendly, which -- reglardless of how nice a store is -- can always make or break an experience. As a pet owner, I would recommend them to anybody in the area! read more

Just stopped in here the other day when I noticed their sign said open! The owner was very friendly and the space was clean and inviting. They have a good area in the back for doggie daycare, but the real prize is the amazing selection of high quality dog food. They have less variety in dog/cat supplies, but they have their bases covered. I picked up some reasonably priced long-term chews for my little guy. I will go back for dog food when we need it! read more

My puppy absolutely loves going here so much so that we can't walk by without her pulling a sit down in front of the door. The staff are extremely friendly and professional and always make Hallie feel welcomed and loved. Anyone looking for a loving, clean space for their pup should definitely consider Tails. read more

I just went into Tails on a whim while I was walking my dog with my mother because I was excited to see a local pet shop so close to home - apparently they close at 8, and it was 8:07, but their doors were still open and they invited us in with open arms! The two boys working there were so nice and so helpful! They have two dogs of their own there that got along with my dog, so I was able to let my dog roam the store with their dogs with his leash on while my mother and I browsed. They have a fantastic selection of dog products! They carry the Blue Buffalo brand of food AND treats, so I'm really excited about not having to go Petco for it anymore - now I can just go up the street! The cat selection is a little small, but my mom was able to find some great toys and treats for our cats AND they did offer to order anything we might need that they don't carry - I plan on being a regular customer, so we'll see what what happens! Really though, I was simply blown away by the customer service - the cashier was so nice, the boys working the floor were so friendly and kind to my dog and made great conversation...and they have a doggy hotel - I am so picky with who I leave my dog with but if it ever became necessary, I would not hesitate to leave my dog in their hands. I really can't wait to go back with my dog! This little local shop deserves so much support and love - give them a try! read more

The best dog bath in town!! They go above and beyond, keeping our extra fluffy bernese mountain dog clean and healthy. Great owners and staff all around. read more

Love love love tails! We have two hound dogs that see tails as a home away from home. We leave them for daycare and boarding and they always come home happy and exhausted. It's such a blessing to have a place I feel comfortable leaving my beloved dogs when we are working or traveling. read more

I don't recommend this Company. On June 30, 2015 I received a call at work from Tails. My dog was rushed to the Angel Memorial Hospital E.R., after the owner at Tails had tried unsuccessfully to revive him. The doctors there attempted to bring him back but sadly it failed. Tails later informed me that one of their workers had left Lincoln unsupervised, with a noose collar of some kind around his neck, detached from the wall in an unsupervised fenced in area. A known jumper, Lincoln jumped the fence and tragically hung from the top of the fence. The cause of Lincoln's death was asphyxiation. (Choking) I believe Tail's removal of Lincoln from the other dogs was at my request, due to a cut that had healed but may have opened on his ear. However, I never imagined that he would be left unsupervised. Tails apologized and admitted a mistake had been made and compensation would be forth coming. Extensive time and energy was required for the sometimes grueling training, walking, obedience, and socialization. Lincoln was a challenging pit lab who had just turned one year. Years of countless adventures awaited us...but sadly now.... no more! This painful experience was made even worse. Tails ignored my personal settlement letter, which by their own admission, they received in mid August. Tails covered the cremation and the ER visit at Angel Memorial. It wasn't until I sought legal representation that they finally responded in December. Lincoln was much more than just property to us. He had become a family member. I asked compensation only for my expenses incurred in the eight months I owned him. These expenses were: two days lost from work at the time of Lincoln's death, his medical bills, daycare charges at Tails, adoption fees, obedience classes, and basic supplies. Not a lot in my view. Perhaps a more aware consumer would have removed their dog from Tails, due to what seemed to me an inordinate number of dogs per walker, a lack of access to the area where the dogs were kept, or having a dog walker leave a bag of poop on my kitchen table (Tails apologized and I excused it as a mistake made by a what seemed to be a young worker). A background check would have revealed that Tails was not a licensed company. I have to live with that. I hope things are changing at Tails. Lincoln's death, although unintentional, was negligent. The lack of urgency and subsequent mishandling of me after the death was unthinkable given my loss. In a post dated in July on yelp, a patron praised the way in which Tails handled Lincoln's death by referencing to a letter that was sent to them informing them of the tragedy. I would ask that person, or anyone for that matter, how they would feel if it was their dog that died and Tails denied them access to this letter, despite my request for a copy. In fact the only time Tails acted with any urgency was in their request for me to remove this post. Then I heard from them twice in one week. In the end my "right" to tell this tragic story, means more to me then signing a gag order. But I believe this industry needs work, and that this story needed to be told. Also when people are mistreated it needs to be known. Those who new Lincoln's strong personality, Tails included, know that's how he would have wanted it. I have detailed this account from my previous post due to a message from yelp saying that more detailed accounts can be more helpful for viewers. Today i met someone who knew Lincoln rather then tell this story again.... read more

I am a neighbor to this dog daycare. The outdoor space is tiny, with fake grass. When the dogs are outside they stand around barking, while someone stands there texting and not interacting with the dogs. I am an animal professional and these dogs appear stressed, anxious, and bored. They would be better suited to stay at home where at least they are comfortable. read more

DO NOT bring your animals here. I moved my partner into an apartment that overlooks Tails' backyard/play area for the dogs. You can imagine our joy to realize her new home overlooked a small yard chalk full of dogs. To our complete horror, we watched as TWO employees mistreated and abused the animals. One male employee, when picking up dogs to take indoors, would grab them by their collars and lift them by their necks up into his arms. Several times dogs cried out when being lifted. When monitoring the dogs in the yard, one female employee just sat using her cellphone and ignored the dogs. When the dogs would bark for attention or in play, she would become irate and yell at them. Finally she stood up, grabbed a handful of gravel from the yard, and chucked it with force at a corner of barking dogs. When one dog persisted, she grabbed the dog by its collar, lifted it high off the ground, and tossed it into their closed-off garage/shed. At that point I immediately called the MSPCA and reported the incident. They said they would send an officer to investigate the situation. I'm not sure what has come of the situation since my phone call, but I urge pet-owners to rethink their support of this company. read more

This is one of those places you hesitate to review, only because you don't want your secret to escape. But Tails deserves so much love! Jessie, her family, and her staff have created a pet-oasis right in the heart of Hyde Square. I am blown away by all she manages - dogs, babies, people, products...she's a star. I could tell I was going to like this place the first time I came in - I was just looking for food and she asked me why my dog wasn't visiting with me. The staff at Tails love their pets AND yours, and love is a great foundation for a family business. A family member is dealing with a long-term illness and we needed to make sure his young dog got good care and worked off some energy during the day. Thank heavens Tails opened up its day care just in time. Pup loves it so, so much. Each morning, we round the corner on Centre Street and he goes into a powerful wagging fit. Open the door to see Josue or Luisa and forget it, he loses his little doggie mind. They are kind, welcoming, and friendly, even when the pup has been a handful. They take the dogs to the park to play fetch, on frequent walks (much more frequent than most of us do at home!) and now they have a backyard for running around. Pup waits by the front door to go to "school" every morning, and comes home tired and happy. I love that he gets to play with lots of dogs and people of different ages - socialization that is great for him. (Also I think he's learning Spanish, but he's sneaky about it at home. :) ) And the price for day care is ludicrously reasonable! They also run specials for new customers in the JP Gazette, check it out. The pet supplies in the small shop are also fantastic - a variety of brands of food and treats, all the grain-free stuff the vet recommends and more, at decent prices. If they don't have it, they're willing to order it, or recommend something similar. And they deliver! Great for all us bus-dependent folks. I hope that my JP neighbors will stop by for some pet food, a toy, or their great day care/boarding service and keep Tails going strong for years to come! read more

We LOVE Tails! We take our dog, Reykja there for daycare and she get so much love and attention that she comes home and just wants to go back. The owner of the shop is absolutely lovely and her family, who are at the daycare both before and after school are the sweetest, most polite and loving family I have ever met. I am continually impressed by the family, the way they run the business, and the thought they put into each dog (and dog owner). They even gave our pup a Christmas present after her day at daycare this week. I would without a doubt highly recommend Tails and we'll keep going back. Keep up the hard work and thanks for opening in the neighborhood! read more

The pet store which has been open for about a year now is fantastic. The staff is very friendly and always helpful. I have nerve boarded my dog there so can't speak to the service - but the clients and dogs always seem very happy. Recently they opened an additional location across the street with boarding and grooming. I will never take my dog back there. While the front desk staff is very friendly and kind, the groomer is a grumpy hipster and they overbook. I dropped my dog off at 8:30am - a time they said was flexible since they didn't have any other dogs in the morning (never asked for vaccination records as they do at every other place so who knows what may be lingering back there) to get her hair cut and washed. Around 1:30pm I was wondering why I hadn't been called yet - and since I am nearby I decided to just walk up. I was told she would be another 30 minutes - 5 1/2 hours ! ! I told them this was not doable as I had to leave for work. After some debate the friendly front desk staff told me she would be able to finish her in 5 minutes - but was difficulty because the groomer has 17 DOGS to do. Way too many. After my dog was done - with a haircut that I can't speak negatively about - not the best or nearly as thorough I had gotten from other places but by no means bad - the crunchy groomer came out and barked at me about how she needed to know if I needed the dog done by a certain time (I guess 5 hours wasn't long enough after I was quoted 3-4 when I made the appt). The front desk staffer apologized for the groomer - stating "sorry about that, she can be a little rough" Also - while waiting I was asked if I would like to sign a petition for them to have a permit to have dogs on the premises because neighbors are complaining. DON'T HAVE A PERMIT FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS IN THIS LOCATION ?!?!?! Can't say enough about how great the store is across the street - but unfortunately I will not take my dog back for grooming. read more

I LOVE this place!!! I live around the corner and was thrilled that a local pet supply opened locally and that I could ditch Petco. The owner, Jessie, is a TOTAL sweetheart and will special order anything you want. Her prices are competitive and she shares the same disdain for big business as I do (we bonded over it one night as I spied that she was editing a paper on Walmart for her MBA at NEU). I am so thrilled to have her and her business in my neighborhood. EVEN BETTER is that she's Latina! (I should mention that I am a cat owner, so I cannot attest to the doggie day care, though the pups in there always seem very happy!!) read more

I've only used the doggie daycare once, but the service was great and prices reasonable. I was in town for a day with my dog and called 3 other places that were full, and in hindsight I'm glad they were. I was able to drop off my dog with no advance booking or evaluation, as long as I emailed my dog's vet records, and Yanizel was really patient with helping me do so. When I brought my dog in he was nervous and they got down on the floor to talk to him and give him treats, and generally seemed very attentive and caring. Also, they're open til 8 PM! I'm sure Winston would be a regular if I lived locally. read more

I brought my cat in for a full grooming and hair cut. When I showed up at 8 they gave me a two hour time frame, which seemed a little excessive since he was the first appointment of the day but I went with it. At 9 I popped back in to see how it was going and the groomer wasn't even there yet. The lady at the desk said she was 10 minutes away and would still be done by 10 at 940 I popped in again to pick him up and she still wasn't there. So at the point I asked for my cat back and left with him still looking the same as when we showed up 2 hours earlier. read more

Tails is a welcome addition to the neighborhood! I stopped in a couple of months ago shortly after they opened to check the store out. I saw that they carried Wellness dog food, but didn't have the large bags- I asked the owner if they were planning to get the larger bags, and she said she would start ordering them. Sure enough, next time I went in- there they were. And they are reasonably priced as well- in fact a little bit cheaper than Petco- and I would rather support a local place ANY day over Petco. I've been buying dog food here ever since. The people are so friendly, and every time I buy food they ask if I need help getting it home or to my car- a really nice touch, I think. In addition to food they offer doggie daycare (I believe it's around $25 for a full day), sweaters/coats, toys, etc. read more

Our pekingese has been to Tails several times now and they do a great job! Our dog looks great, and she comes home happy. Everyone is very friendly and scheduling an appointment was easy. Very reasonable prices compared to other groomers in the area. read more

This place was great! I took my puppy here for an overnight stay and the next day when I came to pick my pup up, he seemed very tired so I knew that they had let him play all day. I love that because some dog boardings, they keep dogs in a cage till the owner returns (which is horrible because that gives them even more anxiety). One of the lady who works there even told me that she took my pup home with her because she found him super cute! read more