Senior & Special-Needs Care
Gentle Care for Dogs Who Need a Little Extra
Older dogs and dogs with mobility, anxiety, or medical needs deserve a calmer experience. We meet your dog where they are, paced entirely to their comfort, in a familiar climate-controlled space they can trust.
How does Partners Dogs support senior and special-needs dogs?
We provide low-stress, individualized care for senior dogs and dogs with mobility, anxiety, or medical needs, paced entirely to your dog's comfort. That means patient handling, climate-controlled spaces, raised Kuranda cots, and medications given exactly per your written instructions. For dogs who cannot keep pace with a busy group day, we adapt everything: calm grooming, quiet boarding, low-impact treadmill conditioning, and private lessons at your dog's speed, all from the same familiar team in a place they already trust.
GENTLE CARE AT BOTH LOCATIONS
The Same Familiar Team, a Gentler Pace
For senior dogs and dogs with mobility, anxiety, or medical needs, the biggest source of stress at most facilities is the unfamiliar: new people, new smells, new sounds, and a rushed schedule. Here, everything runs at a calmer pace in the same building your dog already knows, with the same handlers who train and play with them.
We administer medications per your written instructions, keep staff-to-dog ratios low, feed on your dog's home schedule, and run daily wellness checks. Anxious or reactive dogs can have solo one-on-one time with our staff instead of group play. The goal is simple: your dog comes home comfortable, dignified, and still themselves.
Family-owned since 1997. 70,000+ dogs trained. 4.8 stars across 2,000+ reviews. Two Arizona campuses, Scottsdale and Cave Creek. Transparent pricing on every program.
BUILT FOR COMFORT
A Facility Designed to Put Sensitive Dogs at Ease
- Climate-controlled enclosures. Clean, temperature-regulated spaces keep your dog comfortable year-round, especially important for older dogs and those sensitive to Arizona's heat.
- Raised Kuranda cots. Easy-on-the-joints resting spots in every enclosure, so senior dogs rest comfortably without hard floors.
- Low staff-to-dog ratios. Attentive, personalized care means your dog is never lost in the crowd. Reactive, fearful, or senior dogs can get solo one-on-one time with our staff.
- Medications administered at no extra charge. Oral and topical medications given per your written instructions. Bring them clearly labeled in original containers with dosing notes.
- Daily wellness checks. Staff monitor appetite, energy, stool, and behavioral changes every day and reach out right away if anything looks off.
- Meals on your dog's home schedule. Raw, kibble, and prescription diets all accommodated, at the times your dog is used to.
IS THIS THE RIGHT FIT
Care Built for Dogs Who Need a Little Extra
This gentler, individualized care fits when:
- Your dog is slowing down. Stiff joints, less stamina, or trouble with stairs and hard floors.
- Your dog is anxious or reactive. Crowds overwhelm them, so quiet one-on-one time fits best.
- Your dog has medical or mobility needs. Daily medications, a prescription diet, or limited movement.
- You want one trusted place. One familiar team for grooming, boarding, conditioning, and training.
Not sure? Tell us what is happening at home and we will be honest.
SERVICES THAT SUIT SENIOR DOGS
Our Everyday Services, Thoughtfully Adapted
Every service we run has a gentler version. Grooming becomes a warm, unhurried bath and brush with a team your dog already knows. Boarding becomes a quiet, climate-controlled stay with raised cots, medication administration at no extra charge, and daily wellness checks. Treadmill sessions become short, one-on-one conditioning paced to an older dog's stamina, indoors and out of the Arizona heat.
DaySchool becomes calm enrichment matched to your dog's temperament instead of high-energy group play, and private lessons give anxious or reactive dogs quiet, one-on-one training away from the crowd. Pick what your dog needs below; the pace stays gentle across all of it.
PICK WHAT YOUR DOG NEEDS
Five Services, One Gentle Pace
Gentle grooming. A warm $50 bath and brush, ears included, plus $25 nail trims. See Grooming
Calm boarding. Climate-controlled suites, raised Kuranda cots, medications at no extra charge. See Boarding
Treadmill conditioning. One-on-one $50 Pacer sessions, about 15 minutes, paced to your dog. See Treadmill Sessions
DaySchool enrichment. Gentle, temperament-matched activity instead of high-energy group play. See DaySchool
Private lessons. Quiet one-on-one training for anxious or special-needs dogs. See Private Lessons
Gentle Pace, Same Standard
Older dogs and special-needs dogs get the same expertise, delivered at the speed they need.
GENTLE BY DESIGN
What a Calmer Day Looks Like
Gentle grooming, never rushedWarm, patient grooming handled by a team your dog already knows, with the time an older or nervous dog needs.
Quiet, one-on-one attentionLow ratios and solo staff time, so an older or anxious dog is never lost in a crowd.
A familiar, low-stress placeThe same calm, climate-controlled campus and the same faces every visit, on raised cots that are easy on sore joints.
A GENTLER PACE
Rest, Comfort, and Quiet Wins
For dogs who need a little extra, a good day is a calm one. Soft raised cots, unhurried sessions, and plenty of room to settle.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Getting Started Is Simple
1. Tell us about your dog. Call and walk us through age, mobility, anxieties, medications, and what helps your dog settle.
2. Meet and assess. A calm, low-key first visit where your dog takes in the space and the team at their own speed.
3. Start gently. We shape a plan around the services that fit, then revisit it as your dog's needs change.
What to bring on day one. Medications in labeled original containers with dosing notes, your dog's food, vaccination records, and a note on what comforts them.
Let's Find the Gentlest Fit for Your Dog
Tell us about your senior or special-needs dog and we'll build a calm, low-stress plan at our Scottsdale or Cave Creek location. No rushing, no pressure, just thoughtful care paced to your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the treadmill safe for older dogs?
Treadmill conditioning is one-on-one with a trainer and paced entirely to your dog's stamina and comfort, typically about 15 minutes with a warm-up and cool-down. We never leave a dog unsupervised and we stop any time your dog signals they've had enough, which makes it a gentle, low-impact way to keep an older dog moving. If you have any health concerns, please check with your veterinarian first and let us know what they advise.
Can you give my dog medications during a stay?
Yes. Our staff administers oral and topical medications per your written instructions at no extra charge. Just bring them clearly labeled in their original containers with dosing instructions, and we'll follow your dog's schedule and log every dose.
My dog is anxious or reactive. Can you accommodate that?
Absolutely. We keep staff-to-dog ratios low and can give anxious, fearful, or reactive dogs solo one-on-one time with our staff instead of busy group play. Private lessons are also a great low-pressure option, since they happen quietly away from group settings and move entirely at your dog's pace.
Is grooming gentle enough for a senior dog?
Yes. Our $50 bath and brush (ears included) and $25 nail trims are done with calm, low-stress handling by the same team your dog already trusts, not in a high-volume salon. We read your dog's body language and keep everything gentle. We offer baths, brush-outs, nails, and ear cleaning only, with no haircuts or shave-downs.
Will my older dog be comfortable boarding overnight?
Our boarding is climate-controlled with raised Kuranda cots that are easy on the joints, low staff-to-dog ratios, and daily wellness checks on appetite, energy, and behavior. Senior or anxious guests can get quieter, individualized rotations and solo staff time. We feed on your dog's home schedule, accommodate prescription diets, and call you if anything looks off.
Do you treat medical conditions or provide therapy?
No. We are not a veterinary or therapeutic provider and we don't diagnose or treat medical conditions. What we offer is comfort, enrichment, gentle handling, and accommodation, like administering the medications you provide and pacing everything to your dog. Your veterinarian remains your dog's primary care provider, and we're always happy to follow their guidance.
Which locations offer this kind of care?
Gentle, individualized care for senior and special-needs dogs is available at both our Scottsdale and Cave Creek facilities. Schedule a call or phone 480-595-6700 to talk through your dog's needs.