Kennel Nirvana

The only place to take your dog. The owners know how treat and take care of our pet. We found them helpful, courtious, and willing to do what ever it takes to provide excellent care & peace of mind for us. Thank you so much for your Kennel more

My 2 dogs, a 105lb yellow lab and a 50lb golden retriever mix stayed at kennel nirvana for 15 days. We had a long vacation and my parents were going to watch our dogs since we just plain do not do kennels. The plan fell through when their dog got sick and they couldn't watch our dogs for our trip which was 3 weeks away. I looked at so many kennels I thought I was never going to find a place until I drove over the hills and through the woods to kennel nirvana. For the owner who thinks a dog would like a couch and a tv with a photo of you to stare at while he falls asleep, this is not the place for you. For the owner who thinks a dog wants to run and play all day long, sleep in his bed on the cool ground and go to the bathroom outside while being around other dogs with his same level of energy then kennel nirvana is the place for you. My dog Ralph (the big one) was happy and healthy when I picked him up and my dog Sandy (a shelter dog who had no confidence) was transformed into a confident, playful dog. They were taken care of and I felt they were very safe there. The owners are a delight and give you advice about things they noticed with your dog. We will be using them again and would without a doubt say kennel nirvana is the best place to bring your pets in Tucson. more

As an owner, it's hard to know just how good a kennel is -- you're not the one staying overnight after all. I can tell you that my dog has been to several kennels in Tucson and LA but (except for one in LA), none have been right for my big ol' guy. It's important to me that my dog have some interaction with other dogs and get to do his doody in a normal fashion. Doin' it in his run is not his style. When I bring my dog home from other kennels, he goes right to the back yard, performs various bodily functions as if he hasn't gone in days, and then zonks out for hours. After I pick him up from Nirvana, he's bounding around and acting normal and -- I dare say -- he even seems happy (not resentful and guilt tripping me). It really does seem as if he's had a vacation, too. If your dog is a dog park kind of dog, this is probably a good fit for you. For me, it's worth the drive out to Nirvana. more

When we moved to Tucson our dogs were sent to Kennel Nirvana as part of the moving package we had with a pet relocation service. The owners are a bit 'gruff' but once you get passed that you realize that they are decent people who run a very good kennel. I am very comfortable sending my very large dogs there. My pets live inside at our house and are quite pampered at home but they seem none the worse when I pick them up after boarding. They are well fed, and enjoy the company of the Rhodesian Ridgebacks that the kennel owners have as pets. more

I took my ten month old boxer to Kennel Nirvana because I had no friends who could take him, and I regret it. Not once did she explain prices, which are a little too much for the kind of service i recieved. When I got home from my vacation, the owner yelled at me because my dog would not stop barking and didnt acknowledge her as someone he knew! She accused my of not properly socializing with him and even went as far as to say that he was abused by one of my neighbors or even me! She said that since i am active duty military, the dog is a liability. What does my job have to do with my dog?! Then she questioned if we checked him for parasites in his stool, and treated me as if I was stupid when i told her that he did get checked. The owners know absolutely nothing about dogs! They said that my dog was underweight, but if they knew anything about boxers they would know that he is fine! Only vets can say things about the dog's weight! They were absolutely rude and uncaring and demanded that i left them a tip. Plus the dog was absolutely flithy and didnt look like he was even taken care of! Do NOT go to Kennel Nirvana! Worst place ever! more

Neurotic pet owners are always going to be threatened by people who know a thing or two about husbanding animals. The Carletons know animals and that's all I need to know. I have been taking my two precious spoiled-rotten dogs to Kennel Nirvana for frequent, long stays for about 6 years now. I'll be darned if the little darlings don't come home totally and refreshingly in-touch with their inner Dogness. They are always happy, healthy, and restored to a life of living on four legs, sniffing around in the breeze, and rolling in the dirt; as opposed to pestering me for attention, treats, and pampering. In fact, my dog's demeanor after a stay at Kennel Nirvana always leaves me amazed and a little ashamed at how I project my very human frailties and fears onto my sturdy and lively little dogs. I will never take my dogs to anyone else, and my dogs would probably not return to me in half as natural and pleasant a state if they were kenneled anywhere else. I trust experience, but I listen carefully when I conduct my business; there are expectations and obligations on both sides of a pet-kenneling deal, and never once has the staff of Kennel Nirvana disappointed me, or surprised me with an unanticipated charge. My bottom line, if you want a secure environment with plenty of outdoor time for your pets; and supervision by folks who can read an animal from the perspective of experience and wisdom, and not guilt or neurosis, there is no better place for your pets than Kennel Nirvana. more

We've been taking our dogs to Kennel Nirvana, out on the beautiful northwest edge of town, for 20 years. Glenn and Natalie are incredibly conscientious and kind, place is immaculate, and our dogs go and come happy and healthy. We recommend absolutely without qualification. more

My dog loves going to the kennel, more than staying home it seems. He sees his bed going out the door, and he is headed for the door. Pros: Flexible with my schedule, Accomodating more

After reading some of these reviews, I was a little concerned. But based on word of mouth, I went ahead and left my dog here for Christmas. We were gone 8 days and when we returned, the first thing we did was pick up our 8 month old puppy. She looked great, seemed like she had a great time, and was very sad to leave! She was happy to see us, but I could tell she had a fun vacation. The owner was not rude, just very blunt. But I paid her to take care of my dog, not cater to me. Great job! Pros: country setting, lots of play time Cons: not cheap more

Owner extremely RUDE!!! Dogs are left unattended for hours at a time. We came back from Mexico on Friday around 2:00pm and when we called, we were told we could not pick up until 5:00. Outrageous!!!..We were told by Natalie, the owner, that there was no one there and when we were annoyed because we would have to travel back at five for two extra hours of travel time, she hung up on my wife!. Disgusting behavior. Will NEVER use again. Cons: Rude owners, animals left unattended for hours more

The vet recommended these people. They know what they are doing, and do it well. They don't spend a lot of time stroking the owner's ego, like some places. Instead they take excellent care of the animals. That's all I care about and I get it. My animals are glad to go there, glad to see me, never had a problem. The animal care world of Tucson knows abotu this outfit and respects it. Period. Pros: Take good care of my animals more

Kennel Nirvana is the BEST kennel out there. I hope others aren't fooled by the negative reviews of one person masquarading as several people. Anyone that doesn't appreciate what the staff does for the animals does not know much about animals! We have taken various pets there for years. When we ask Molly, our golden retriever mix, if she wants to go to camp, she dances and wags her tail and races around the living room in a display of pure doggy joy. Leaving the car to go in to the camp, she drags my husband to the door excited and eager to be there. She loves her ""vaca"" at Kennel Nirvana. The owners check the vaccination status by calling the vet's office, and shower the animals with attention, care, affection, exercise and professional grade standards. We would never let anyone care for our pets that we didn't trust completely and are so very appreciative of Kennel Nirvana and its people. This is the place for true pet lovers. Pros: Professional, knowledgable, attentive, heartfelt care. more

I brought my dog here because I was desperate during the holiday season. During the tour, the owner told me that I would need to bring my dog's crate as he would be housed in there for the majority of the day. She also stated that during the holiday season, the place was really busy and crates were usually stacked up on one another up to three rows lining the outer perimeter of the room. I came during the period when the dogs were ""exercised"" which consisted of taking them outside in a fenced off area for them to ""run"" around. This hardly looked like exercise. and she told me there was always a person out there watching th dogs. Well...quick math...lots of dogs + 1 person = no supervision. I also didn't like the fact that all dogs were kept in one large room. I left a deposit and quickly decided that I would only use this option if I couldn't find someone else to take care of my dog. Well, I found someone else and when I called to get my deposit back, the owner was extremely rude! I highly discourage bringing your dog here. Cons: Dogs get little attention, crowded during holiday season, customer service poor, value not as good as other places more

NEVER TAKE YOUR ANIMAL HERE unless you don't like your pet. The owners are rude, prices were misleading. They also claim to have been feeding said pet but the animal looked starved. If I could give it negative stars, I would. BEWARE. I would write more in my review if I thought it would get posted, so this post is highly censored. Pros: none. Cons: The list could go on and on.... more

We've had 2 bad experiences here. In the first one the fact that payment is only received by cash or check was not advertised, we found ourselves racing miles up the road to get cash at an ATM to spring our dog. The second time, was the same because of extra charges added at the end of our dog's stay. We were charged extra for 1 day of care, as well as a second feeding for our dog which was not listed on the website or discussed in reservation process. On the pick up day, no change would be given for cash paid, Glenn Carleton, owner called the sheriff when change was demanded, and we had to get exact change in order to complete the transaction. And no receipt or written charges were ever provided. When we received our dog she was underweight. Her rib, shoulder, and hip bones were visible. At no time were we notified of our dog's condition. This is irresponsible and shameful. We'll never take our dog here again. Cons: False advertising, hidden charges, mistreatment of dog and customers, and rude customer service. more

My math was off in the first review. To be fair, I have changed the dollar amounts. The rest of the story remains the same. more