Pacific Paws Resort & Spa

I used to take my dog here for grooming. They had a $ 10 bath special that I think they continue to offer. As a large dog owner, the price was a real catch.
Owners beware that there is no viewing area for the grooming section, so you will have no way to check in on your pet, or to see how they are being handled. I had taken my dog here a handful of times when I began to notice that he would get unusually nervous as we approached the facility. This should have been a red flag for me, but I chalked it off to him just not liking baths. At one appointment, he began to shake in the waiting room; instead of coaxing him, the receptionist impatiently picked him up, threw him into the back room, and slammed the door shut. He then proceeded to tell me that I could not pay upfront for the grooming appointment in case there were any ‘unforeseen’ costs. I had never been told this before. Despite my dog’s size and hyperactivity, he is highly sensitive. After seeing the receptionist’s behavior, I suddenly realized why he was always so nervous.
That was the last time we went to Pacific Paws.
For the past two years we have gone to another groomers. I pay 4x as much, but there, my dog happily bounds in, tail wagging, and kisses his groomer hello. Can’t beat that.

Due to a recent shoulder surgery, I am unable to bathe or trim my cat’s claws for the time being. I took my cat in for a bath and nail trim. After getting a call about an hour later, I came back and when they finally got my cat back into my carrier, I noticed that her paws were bleeding. The groomer had cut into the quick on a few of the claws. I was too worried about my cat to focus on much else, but the groomer apologized and they refunded the cost of the claw trim without me even asking, while they went to get some powder to stop the quick from bleeding.
The staff was friendly, the prices weren’t bad, but it all means nothing if your pet is hurt by a groomer who doesn’t understand you are not supposed to cut into the quick.
I won’t be coming back again and I will be doing the grooming for my cat again once I recover from my surgery.

I take my dog here for boarding a few times a week. She loves the employees, they love her, and she always comes home exhausted, which I consider a good thing.
The staff are all nice and knowledgable, and I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed.

At $ 10 for a bath, we thought the price was right! BUT, BUYER BEWARE — READ WHAT YOU SIGN! Pacific Paws requires that you sign a release that basically says they are not responsible for if your dog (s) get into a fight, escape, are injured, stolen, or die while under their care. The staff assured me it was just a legal formality and nothing bad has ever happened to a pet since they’ve been open. I have taken my 2 dogs to a number of different groomers and have NEVER had to sign a release like that. I asked whether I could cross that portion out since it «never happens», but was told no signature meant no service. So, off we went to Petco — where we did not have to sign such an unreasonable release. It was more expensive, but the safety of my little ones was much more important… they are family, after all.

My dog Duke has been going to PP for almost 6 years now, mostly for boarding and grooming, and I have never had a problem. The staff is professional and they treat your pet like its their pet too. When I bring my dog there, they all know who he is and call him by name, which is really comforting and what you want in a doggie day care. My dog loves going there not just for the other dogs but also for the staff that takes good care of him while I’m gone.

Brought dog here for bath.
Only place he was exposed to other dogs.
Vet says he now has kennel cough.
Not going back.

$ 10 bath special!
Can’t beat that price… Staff was friendly even when I was running late.

:edited:
I wanted to like this place because it was the only cat groomer I found within a 15 mile radius. Unfortunately, after two very expensive lion cuts ($ 80) for my Himalayan cat, Sojo, I can say we definitely won’t be back.
I had to take Sojo to the vet because I noticed a pink raw spot the size of a quarter on her back leg shortly after her grooming. I remembered she had a similar pink spot near the base of her tail after her first grooming at Pacific Paws, but at the time I didn’t think much of it because it wasn’t bleeding and didn’t look like anything I recognized.
Turns out, the vet says it was a bad clipper burn. The vet also found another smaller burn lower on Sojo’s leg, which I didn’t notice. It later developed into a larger burn, causing the skin on that area of her leg to die and slide off.
We did not know Sojo had been burned at the groomer– as we were not told anything when we picked her up– both the first time and the second time. The owner says the groomer did not know she had burned Sojo.
Nearly two months after the incident– Sojo’s wound is finally healing, however she is still wearing an elizabethan collar, to prevent her from ripping it open. The hair will likely never grow back on that portion of her leg.
The owner at Pacific Paws has refunded me the $ 400 in vet bills and the grooming, and while that is appreciated, it cannot make up for the nearly 2 months of stress endured by both myself and my cat. I had to take time off from work for weeks, in order to take Sojo to the vet every three days to get her bandage changed– and find someone to watch her every hour of the day to ensure she never got out of her e-​collar and ripped the bandage off. Needless to say, it’s been an ordeal that could have easily been prevented if I hadn’t gotten her groomed here.

I tried to check my dog in for the weekend and I was so disappointed in this place. I have a 10 month old chihuahua that weighs 4 pounds. Well I ask the receptionist where will they house my dog, he told me with the big dogs. There is a 100 pound dog in there and a bulldog that was about to fight. I told him I wasn’t comfortable with that because those dogs were showing aggression already. That place was filthy, I could smell it before I walked in. I asked the receptionist to explain the contract to me he said he couldn’t because he don’t even understand it. He had horrible customer service and he did not have any knowledge of his job. I would strongly not recommend that place. To make a long story short I canceled my reservations and took my dog to da dog house in waipahu, which I was totally satisfied with.

Disclaimer: We have not boarded our dogs at Pac Paws. We do not ever plan to board them there. Here’s why…
We drove 45 mins to Hawaii Kai for a few hours-​worth of (free) evaluations pre-​boarding. When we deploy, we need a place for our dogs for about 8 months. We were encouraged by the positive online reviews and friendliness of the staff who responded to emails and calls.
When we walked by, most of the dogs came running to the window and barked. It was chaotic. Quickly, we noticed about five different puddles of urine on the floor, dogs were running all around and through the puddles. Within 30 seconds, we saw another large brown pile which looked like vomit, but could have been feces. Two dogs were eating it. There was one person in view, a groomer who had her back to the pack in a back room. It seemed like she had no idea what was going on in that room. About 5 minutes later, we walked by and someone was cleaning up the large brown pile.
Needless to say, we continued walking and did not drop our dogs off for evaluation. We will never board our dogs there either.

Thursday night, November 17^th, 2011, we brought Duncan, our boxer, who is possibly around 14 years old, to Pacific Paws to be boarded until Sunday night.
I called Pacific Paws on Sunday morning, 9:30, to remind them that a neighbor was picking Duncan up on Sunday afternoon. Nothing was said to me about his condition.
On Sunday, around 4 PM, our neighbors went to pick him up and then were told that he hadn’t moved since Friday and was not eating. Our neighbor called us and we took an earlier plane home from Maui. These people at Pacific Paws said they assumed that because he was old, he didn’t move, however, he was quite mobile when we took him in. When we picked up Duncan on Sunday evening, he could not walk and was listless and barely picked his head up. We took him to the Vet, on Monday morning and Duncan was examined and x-​rayed. He was found to have severe tissue damage, a strain, in his right back paw. It was so severe, it could not have just happened from slipping. Duncan is now on an anti-​inflammatory and a pain killer. He is doing much better and can walk now.
These people were horribly negligent. Duncan is a sweet boxer in very good shape for his age. Prior to this he’d be walked over an hour each day. They’ve had him before and know he’s an agile dog. This was disgusting and we both were traumatized, thinking we were losing him.

I’m going to be honest — I think a lot of dog groomers in Honolulu really rip off owners of large dogs (and maybe small dogs too? I wouldn’t know because I don’t have little ones). When I first moved to town I went to every grooming facility I could find to ask for price estimates, and the majority that I found charged by weight of the dog. Huh? How does that make sense? I have worked with dogs for 10+ years and anyone with half a brain cell could tell you that bathing & grooming a Lhasa Apso is more work than bathing & grooming a Great Dane! I have an American Staffordshire Terrier who has thin fur of about 1 cm in length, and I was quoted prices upwards of $ 65 for a bath! I don’t even know how these people could quote me those prices with a straight face! However, my current apartment has only a tiny stand-​up shower so bathing him myself resulted in way too many bumps and bruises for both of us (and no yard/​hose available), so I was kinda stuck between having a stinky dog or engaging in a highly unpleasant home bathing experience on a regular basis.
That’s why I was so excited to find Pacific Paws a couple years ago! It’s kinda a hike for me to get to Hawaii Kai but it’s so worth it. Unlike other area groomers, Pacific Paws doesn’t charge ridiculous and nonsensical prices. For $ 20 total (plus tips of course) I can get my two medium/​large short-​haired dogs bathed and smelling sweet — usually with appointments available on pretty short notice too! I also like how they do the a la carte add-​ons like ear cleaning, anal glands, nails, etc. Because sometimes one of my dogs needs the works while the other only needs the basics.
I also like the staff there — very friendly and accommodating. My AmStaff especially loves Maggie, who we occasionally see out at doggie events.
I’ve never tried the doggie daycare or boarding, although I’m thinking about it for my poi dog, who is younger with more energy than my AmStaff. The dogs in the daycare area always seem like they are happy and cared for, and it seems like the staff members really keep a good eye on them and enjoy playing with them.
All in all, I give Pacific Paws two thumbs up, and my two furballs give them 8 paws up! :)

Friendly! Professional! Great prices! This crazy cat lady is picky as is my Sophia. Love it!!! Dogs have the best of this place, but my kitty gets loved and groomed to perfection! Wish they boarded kitties!!! Thank you PP!!!

I wanted to love this place, I really did. I walk past there regularly and the dogs all look so happy there! Plus, the people are super, super great. I think the guy that runs the place is a true animal lover.
However, I used them several times for their grooming services and finally stopped going.
The first time I dropped off Rudy, he was a little nervous, and when the groomer took his leash, she just pulled him down the hallway. She needn’t have done that, had she just spoken to him and greeted him, we would have immediately gone with her. I felt really bad about leaving him there.
I let it go though and brought him a second time. The next time I arrived earlier than his finish time, and from the front, I could see Rudy snarling and growling at the groomer as she finished blow drying him. Something was definitely off — I’ve never seen my dog snarl at anyone. Plus, when I take the blow dryer to him, he LOVES it. I just got this queezy feeling in my stomach watching that interaction. I just don’t think their groomer has a way with dogs.
I decided that from now on, I would just wash him myself and take him to the vet for his toe-​nail trimming. Sure, its more expensive at the vet, but I stay with him and I know how he is treated.
As I said, I really wanted to like this place, but I just don’t see myself going back there.

Update:
So, after a couple days of disappointment, to my surprise, I received a call from Maggie, our groomer at Pacific Paws. She apologized for the miscommunication and offered us a full refund. Of course, I started to feel bad about being so hard on her in the review so I offered to accept a partial refund instead. However, Maggie insisted and ended our conversation with another sincere apology and a promise to check with the owner about the full refund.
Then, a few hours later, the owner of Pacific Paws called and promised that a full refund would appear on my account a couple days later. Sure enough, I received the credit but another surprise– my tip was refunded too!
I can’t say that all of my initial disappointment suddenly disappeared after seeing the credit; because it really wasn’t about the money. I did have a special photo shoot planned for Snickers in his full Santa gear this past weekend which of course got canceled since his small hat couldn’t hide the fact that there was no hair on his ears.
But overall, I must say that I am quite impressed with the personnel at Pacific Paws. They really do live by the motto, «The customer’s always right».
So, do I believe in second chances? Well, anyone that knows me, knows that answer is always yes.

I have been taking my snow dog here for several months now for a quick bath. They usually have a spot available on weekends if I call the day before and seem to take good care of him. I do recommend a reservation, though.,
Washing a Siberian Husky is a 2 hour ordeal. The wash and condition itself is a 25 minute process, but the drying time is the big time. A dog bath for under $ 15 is a great deal. It is worth the drive out from town. We bring our own shampoo
The staff seems to be very responsible and caring. Trust is important for a dog owner when they drop off their furry child for day-​care or a bath. If I lived closer, I would actually leave my furry boy here during the day from time to time. The doggie play area seems to be clean and well kept and the dogs are monitored by the staff.

I wanted to like this place, really! I took my 10 year old English Bulldog (and the light of my life!) here several times and she seemed to really like it! So I was pretty comfortable leaving her there when I accompanied my husband on a business trip. Imagine my horror when I was awakened at 4 am Tokyo time to be told that she had been attacked by another dog! I had left specific instructions that she go to the Hawaii Kai vet in the event of an emergency but that was ignored. We got a follow-​up call to state that she was on an antibiotic for puncture wounds and was resting comfortably. My points of contact on island were never notified…
When I returned, I was handed a bill for $ 145 from a vet I didn’t know. I asked about the incident and was told that a new dog was introduced, it was aggressive, there was total chaos, no one could tell who bit whom but, in the end, it was my dog that ended up at the vet and no other dogs were injured. So I had to pay the boarding fees as well as the vet bill. Aren’t they insured for this? Was it really my dog’s fault for being the victim? I was digusted and found a woman who boards dogs in her home in Hawaii Kai. I have had no bad experiences with her.
By the way, the attack cost me even more as the antibiotic just didn’t do the trick and I had to take her to my vet right next door at Koko Marina: Hawaii Kai Vet! The vet had seen another dog with a similar story from Pacific Paws earlier that week!
My dog means too much to me to ever go there again. I never even got an apology let alone my vet fees covered! I am disgusted by their practice.

This is really out of the way for us, but a trip to the marina can be pleasant once in awhile.
We dropped Momo off for an evaluation here about a month ago. They kept him about 3 hours and from what they told us, the little guy did Ok. He was so happy to see us that he piddled on the floor of the waiting area =[
The staff is personable and were very patient answering all of my questions. My only complaints are that they don’t have a doggie cam and their reception area is a little cluttered and uninviting. I have not tried any service other than daycare.

For the majority of pet owners, their pets are the equivalent of their children.
So, when I choose a place to take care of my little Shiba, they have to know what they’re doing, be responsible and caring. They actually reminded me that her Bordetella vac was due when I tried to take her in to be groomed once!
Grooming — my dog sheds all year round, but twice a year, she explodes. Have you seen one of those Furminator commercials? I remember that they were doing a rush job for me and as I stared through the groomer’s window to see if I could catch a glimpse (which I couldn’t), I saw a huge puff of black fur fly across the room! I felt absolutely horrified and yet a little giddy at the fact that it wasn’t my home that going to have some major Shiba tumbleweed problems. She came out looking shiny as new.
Daycare/​Boarding — I gotta admit that the place is on the small side for me. Inuki loves to run, dash, and run circles around other dogs once she gets comfortable around others. Other than that, I’ve noticed that I have never seen a fight break out there and that all of the dogs that I’ve seen get along. Any urine or feces gets picked up as soon as humanly possible. And is it just me, or is the staff not afraid to get down and dirty? I think the majority of dogs there have less saliva and loose fur on them. lol I’ve also noticed that the staff doesn’t allow the dogs to jump up on them amongst other things. Thank you for not creating more bad habits for me to fix — my husband already does enough of that! :D

We took Rusty to Pacific Paws last Saturday morning — we were able to make an appointment on Friday which was awesome! When we got to the door, Rusty realized he was at a groomer and started shaking.
But hey needed a cut badly, as well as his nails trimmed, his anal glands secreted and a flea dip! He was a mess… Now he is a new handsome boy! They came out to discuss everything before they took him away — which was great… but then came out to discuss what they did when we picked him up! Explained that we need to trim his nails every 2 weeks to get the quik down because right now they are TOO long to cut! They also told us about a new Flea medication for doggies — that works better than Advantix and the other useless topicals.
When we picked Rusty up there was no shaking! He was happy to see us of course, but wasn’t rushing to leave either!
We will definitely be back!