Daycare Testimonial

Tails and Trails Daycare has given both of our dogs a chance to socialize in a way that suits their personalities. Barley gets to tear around with other high-energy friends in the play group yard. Kona, who been mildly dog aggressive, started off in a yard by herself. Thanks to the care and help of staff, she now shares a yard with a mellow companion. Carrie, Renee and Kayla do a fantastic job of making sure that our dogs are safe and having fun.

Boarding Testimonial

Tails and Trails offers a boarding experience like no other: heated sheds with doggie doors so our dogs could come and go as they pleased, cots to sleep on, a grassy play area and best of all, professional, caring and knowledgeable staff.

Training Testimonial

We’ve had three training sessions and are really seeing improvement in our dogs’ behavior. Carrie and Renee are teaching my husband and I how to communicate with Kona and Barley, not just command them. The one-on-one training is reward-based and fun.

Holly Kuehlwein, Phil Cousineau, Kona & Barley

Being a professional dog trainer myself I am very grateful to be able to take my dog Savannah to such a wonderful day care. She loves going there and meeting new friends. Knowing how the wrong daycare can negatively impact your dog’s behavior, I am relieved to be able to take my very active dog to a place where I feel confident of the staff and their ability to manage all the dogs appropriately. Thank you for going the extra mile to make this a special place.

Inge Goetz-Cordova and Savannah

I started this adventure in November when I had to let my beloved dog of 14 years Taz go to doggie heaven. I had decided no more dogs ... that decision lasted exactly one night! As luck would have it, one of my coworkers had a lab who just had a litter of lab puppies. I made several visits, not sure it was a smart thing to take on a puppy, as I work long hours and am not at home a whole lot. As it ended up, I couldn't decide between two females, so ended up taking on 2 lab puppies, Cleo and Anya. My adventure with Wind River Tails and Trails started long before I actually took my girls home. I spent many hours researching the available options in the bitterroot and Missoula Valleys, knowing that I would be gone for a week in Feb and needed a boarding facility who could take on 2 puppies. Renee was very patient with me, answering numerous e-mails, guiding me as to the best way to get my girls comfortable before I left, and making sure that I would have all of the necessary vet visits and paperwork completed prior to my going on vacation, no matter which facility I chose! My choice was pretty easy actually, as Wind River was the only boarding place that had 24 hour on site supervision, and I fell in love with their idea which was so unique...no kennels, no concrete and lots of yards/grass to play on. It is hard not to fall in love with a place where my girls could sleep in heated barns, complete with doggie doors for them to use the facilities at night - a HUGE plus to someone who is trying to potty train 2 dogs at the same time and did not want them backsliding when I was on vacation, by not having the ability to get outside when need be. And, who can not love the fact that during the day, they were not in a kennel, only to be let out a few times to do their business. At Wind River they would be outside the entire day, playing with all sorts of friends. It really doesn't get any better than this, especially for 2 energetic puppies.

Cleo and Anya spent 3 separate days prior to me going on vacation at Wind River, participating in the daycare program. My only purpose was to get them comfortable so when I did leave they would be happy and would know that I would be back soon to get them. Little did I know how much the daycare would become a part of our lives! My girls were so happy when I came home, actually not really caring that I was there to pick them up. I knew at that point that Wind River had become a part of my family. Cleo and Anya were so happy around their new found friends (staff and dogs alike) that I could not deny them the opportunity to continue with their new fun filled adventure.

Cleo and Anya now spend 2 to 3 days at week at Wind River, having the time of their lives. They have so many friends and are just well adjusted, happy girls. It just warms my heart to see them running and playing with all of their friends, and to see them so excited when I pull up into the driveway at Wind River...they can not wait to get out of the car and onto their adventures for the day. They could really care less when I pull out of the driveway at Wind River. What it has meant for me, is tired, happy puppies that are not destroying my home. In the beginning, my only mission was to find a good, loving boarding facility for my girls. What has transpired is an outlet for them to get rid of some of that puppy energy and peace of mind for myself knowing that they are being well taken care of and having fun while I am spending many hours at work.

We have recently started training with Renee and Carrie for basic commands and to deal with some issues that we are having in and around my home. My long term goal is to be able to hike, go to the lake, or visit anywhere with dogs that will listen to commands when off leash. I have never gone through training with a dog before, but am surprised and in awe of how easy Renee and Carrie make it look to change unwanted behaviors from my girls. It has been a blast seeing my girls change. What the training does is give me the tools to help Cleo and Anya be happy and to stay away from trouble, which to me is priceless. Renee and Carrie have all of the patience in the world with myself as well as my girls. They teach me during one session, then it is up to me to practice and get the hang of it. On the next session, they check in with me on how we are doing with the prior lesson, and then we move on to a new lesson. They go at our pace, which makes it very successful with little frustration on my part or on my girls' part.

It has been a wonderful adventure being a part of Wind River, and they have truly become part of our family. I can never thank them enough for all of their love and dedication to my girls, and being a part of giving them the best life possible.

Renee Rambo, Cleo and Anya

Before and after photos of Cleo and Anya!

Our dog, Deja, is a social girl. She loves to play with other puppies and loves people. Sometimes, when we leave town, we have to take her to a kennel to board. But it doesn't fit her personality very well when she has to stay in a small, indoor space by herself all day. When Wind River Tails and Trails opened, we decided to try it. All it took was half a day, and Deja was convinced this was the second best place in the world (the best, of course, is when she's with us). Deja loved playing chase and tug-of-war with the other dogs her age and energy level, and she loved having lots of room to roam. She also took to Carrie, Renee and Kahla like they're members of her family. She knows when we're on our way down to Tails and Trails, and she lets us know how excited she is to be going. When we pull into the parking area and let her out of the truck, she can hardly wait to join her friends in the yard. When we pick her up, whether it's a half day or a weekend later, she's happily exhausted. We could not be happier with the staff and the setup of Tails and Trails. Our dog makes new friends every time she visits, and we can rest easy knowing she's well cared for and, just as importantly, happy where she's at.

In addition to our own dog, we often care for a family member's dog. Teva is quite elderly and likes to spend most of her time relaxing. We were a little worried about how she would adjust to a new boarding situation, but we wanted to keep her with our dog since they are used to being together. When we brought her out, Carrie and Renee were so accommodating. They were patient with her and worked hard to make sure she was comfortable. Teva got to spend time during the day with other dogs her age and the night with Deja, so both dogs' needs were taken into account. Now Teva is happy spending time at Wind River Tails &Trails and even comes home with more energy. The staff at Wind River Tails and Trails cares for dogs in all stages of life.

Melanie Calahan