We sit right on Scottsdale Road, just up from ASU SkySong and a few minutes from Tempe Town Lake, Tempe Marketplace and ASU, about ten minutes from Sky Harbor. Here is how to give your dog a great day near Tempe in any season: the closest dog parks, dog-friendly patios and hotels, summer paw safety, and a 25 dollar self-wash to rinse off after.
Guests and locals welcome. Here, everyone is 'ohana, the Hawaiian word for family.
Call (480) 892-PAWSGet directionsFrom May through September, pavement burns and dogs overheat fast. Walk early or late, use the hand test, stick to grass and shade, and cool down after at our self-wash. The safety facts below are worth a read before any summer outing.
Tempe winters are made for dogs: blue skies, 70 degree afternoons, and the lake loop at its finest. It is also peak visitor season, with snowbirds, spring training in February and March, and travelers who want to explore while their pup has a play day. Drop off for daycare or a groom and enjoy the perfect weather.
When the air hits 86 degrees, the asphalt under your dog's paws can reach about 135 degrees, hot enough to burn pads in roughly a minute. Once it is over 95 degrees every walk is a risk, and local trails close to dogs at 100 degrees. Use the hand test before you head out: if you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds, it is too hot for your dog. Walk early or late, watch for heavy panting and bright red gums, and when you get back, rinse the heat and grit off at our self-wash a few minutes away.
Sources: AKC, FOUR PAWS USA, Arizona Humane Society, 1st Pet Vet.
Raised no-bend tubs, warm water, premium skin-matched shampoos, towels, aprons and high-velocity dryers. You wash, we clean up, and the mess stays here instead of in your apartment tub or your back seat. Open 7 days, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Perfect after the dog park, a hike, or a Salt River float.
More about the self-wash →From the fully-fenced Bark Park at Papago (about 0.7 miles) to the lake loop, here are the closest off-leash spots and what to know before you go.
See dog parks →Visiting with your dog? See pet-friendly hotels nearby, plus daycare while you enjoy the attractions dogs cannot join.
See hotels & daycare →Where to grab a bite with your dog on the patio, including a spot with its own dog menu. Look and smell sharp first with a quick groom.
See patios →Phoenix is full of places your dog cannot join you: the Desert Botanical Garden, the Phoenix Zoo, the museums, a round of golf, a spa afternoon. So make it a vacation for both of you. Drop your dog with us for a half day or a full day; they get to play and socialize while you go enjoy the Valley, and you pick up a happy, freshly washed pup on the way back to your hotel. Flying out of Sky Harbor, about ten minutes away? Board with us and travel easy.
Spent the day on the Salt River? River sand and silt wreck a coat and clog a home drain. The Lower Salt River sits about 25 to 35 minutes east, and we are on the natural route back toward Tempe. Swing in and rinse it all off at our self-wash for 25 dollars. (A Tonto Pass is required to park, and dogs stay leashed.)
Living nearby? Your building has a dog run, not a dog wash. Bathing a dog in an apartment tub is a fight nobody wins. Bring them to our self-wash a few minutes away, with daycare while you are at work and boarding when you travel.
Look for the Burger King on the west side of Scottsdale Road near Curry. We are tucked in the plaza right behind it, sharing the center with the Goodwill, at 1290 N Scottsdale Rd, Ste 101, Tempe, AZ 85288. Once you turn in, parking is easy.
Use the hand test. If you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds, it is too hot. Risk climbs over 95 degrees, and local trails close to dogs at 100 degrees.
The Bark Park at Papago Park, about 0.7 miles away, a few minutes by car or a short walk.
It is 25 dollars and includes the tub, warm water, shampoo, towels and aprons, so the mess stays here and not in your home.
Open 7 days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yes, the self-wash is built for exactly that. Stop in on your way home and the river sand stays in our tubs instead of your car or your apartment.
Yes. Our raised tubs, warm water and supplies are made for it, so you skip the small tub, the mess and the cleanup at home.
Day board or use daycare with us while you explore. Drop off in the morning, enjoy the attractions, and pick up a happy, freshly washed dog. Guests and locals are always welcome here.
Yes. Choose a half day or a full day based on your plans. A museum or the Botanical Garden is an easy half day; a round of golf or a stadium game works as a full day.
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Summer: beat the heat
Winter: the Valley's best dog season
Tempe pavement gets dangerous fast
Dog parks nearby
Dog-friendly hotels
Dog-friendly restaurants