Wags Pet Wash & Awesome Accessories
Category: Pet Services [Edit]
Neighborhood: Nob Hill1840 Polk Street
(between Jackson St & Washington St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 409-2472
12 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"This is the place to take your dog if you want them to have tons of fun while you're stressing and working your butt off. Marc is great…" read more »
45 Reviews for Wags Pet Wash & Awesome Accessories
So they take care of my dog and he seems to like it there. But I find it a bit shady that they never give you a detailed receipt for day care.
I asked once and the woman owner bared her teeth at me...benefits of being a monopoly in the area.
Okay so I totally don't understand why people are hating on Wags.
I LOVE wag's for my bubba. Johnny is great with him.
My poor little puppy has some social issues cus he got attacked by a pitbull once. So bringing him here gives him a good opportunity to socialize with all dogs big and small.
Over the years the prices have fluctuated, but its always remained around $70 including tip. I've tried to cut his hair myself and its always come out super ugly so I wouldn't even bother again, haha. Yeah the wait is long..I have to drive all the way across town and try to hang out on Polk or something so I don't have to drive back and forth. It's worth the trip though. He always comes back to me beautiful!
What do the Incredible Hulk and my Boston Terrier have in common? When both get angry, they develop super human strength. Now my Boston Terrier Steve is generally a pretty happy-go-lucky dog. However, when it comes to getting a bath or cutting his nails, Steve becomes a monster, capable of breaking out of any grasp.
One day, after an hour of frustration of trying to wash the dog and being subjected to him "Hulking out", I gave up and walked him down the street to Wags for a bath and nail trim. They managed to soothe my "savage" dog and give him a bath. They even told me he was well behaved (I find this hard to believe, but they were swore it was true). When I picked Steve up, he was happily playing with the other dogs and was no longer smelly OR scratchy.
If you have an unruly dog like mine who hates baths and nail trims, I can't recommend this place enough. It's totally worth whatever they charge me to avoid my dog Hulking out in my apartment.
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I can't believe I haven't written a review for Wags yet! Ty and Johnny are just about the best people you will ever meet.
We were just about to adopt our big love bug of a dog Lulu and realized that we needed to set up dog walking services. I called around and Wags seemed like the perfect fit. They not only had rottie experience (with their own rottie Bea) but was more than willing to put Lulu into a doggie playgroup and take her out everyday for 3 hours a day!
They were always so willing to work with us. If Lulu needed a wash, she'd get to play with her pals all day at the shop and was ready for pick up after I got off work.
Ty and Johnny also have a huge ranch and were more than willing to take Lulu for weekends when we were out of town. We knew Lulu had an amazing time up there because she would be completely passed out on Sundays when we picked her up due to the sheer excitement of running around in nature.
The best way to attest how great Wags is is how Lulu would react every time we passed by the store. She made it MANDATORY that we stop in to say hi, get some hugs and kisses from Johnny and Ty, and drink at the water trough. She also had to say hi to some of her doggy friends too.
Unfortunately, Lulu became sick with cancer and we could tell how much the Wags staff had bonded with her. Everyone was teary eyed when they said their goodbyes. Johnny and Ty really did become a big part of Lulu's life, and they were a big reason she was such a happy dog.
I have since moved away, but I still miss being able to pop by the store to say hi to the Wags staff and the dogs there. It was more than just a store, it felt like family!
I used to bring my dog here for a wash-it-yourself but after my last time, I never went back. Even when I was still willing to go there, there were things I didn't like about this place.
The store is tiny, and there are always about 15 dogs running around, all barking and excited, behind a waist-high picket fence. I thought they were there for grooming, and would be picked up by their owners any minute, and I STILL felt sorry for them having to deal with all that chaos - but other posters have said they're for daycare. Yikes!
In order to get in there to wash your dog you and your dog have to run the gauntlet of all those dogs, half of whom are barking and jumping up on the gate. And, if your experience is like mine, you'll have to take that super-friendly golden retriever puppy out of your dog's tub because it keeps climbing in and licking your face! Granted, it's very cute but...the word CHAOS comes to mind.
The smaller dogs that are milling around in the wash area (which is also the day care area, apparently?) just seem MISERABLE. One time I saw one little Lhasa cowering in a crate, and another small dog crawled under a tub while I was washing my dog, and cowered there with a miserable look on its face. This is a very high stress environment for dogs, and if the owners were motivated more by animal welfare and less by profit, they would not pack them in like that.
A few years ago I brought a rescue dog here for grooming, a Samoyed mix. The Wags groomer said he'd give her a lion cut.. If a lion cut means every inch of the dog, including tail and head, was completely shaved then - that was a lion cut. Otherwise? Not so much.
The last time I went there was the last time I will EVER go there. A friend had given me a gift certificate, so I drove over there on a weekday afternoon to wash my dog. Turns out they were full, so they said to call on the phone next time I wanted to come in, and they'd let me know if they had room. I did call the next day, and they said to come over in an hour, so I did. But when I got there the owner Johnny, said they were full, but if I'd wait 10 minutes they'd squeeze me in. Considering someone had TOLD me to come in at that time, I figured it was appropriate that he squeeze me in. Still, it was nice of him.
So I went and sat outside. For 40 minutes. He didn't come out and give me an update - nothing. After 40 minutes I finally poked my head in and asked Johnny when I'd be able to wash my dog. Normally, he's SUPER friendly, but for some reason he was Mr. Cranky Pants that day. He yelled at me, saying that he had been doing me a favor squeezing me in, all the tubs were occupied with dogs that had appointments for drop-offs, yada yada yada, what did I want him to do? I responded by saying "If you had said to me - FORTY MINUTES AGO - "it might be 10 minutes, but it might also be 40 minutes," then I would have been able to make an informed decision. But when you say 10 minutes, and it turns into 40, that is just a waste of my time." I was pretty pissed off at his attitude. But, he made a tub available for me within 5 minutes, and I started in with the wash.
I had gotten my dog wet, but not soaped up, when the floor drain backed up! Apparently it had been happening all day. He told everybody to stop using the water while he messed with the drain a while, then he told us to start again, so I got my dog all lathered up, then the drain backed up again and he told us all to stop again - while he went to the hardware store! I said "My dog's all soapy!" and he yelled at me AGAIN. He then left the store to go to a hardware store to get something to fix the drain, didn't say how long he'd be gone, and I was in - limbo again, with a wet, soapy, 50 pound dog. This was turning into a 3 hour nightmare!
One of his employees took pity on me and told me that the drain WAS draining, but slowly, so if I used a little bit of water at a time, and stopped when it started to back up again, to go ahead and rinse her, and he'd watch the drain... that worked, I got my dog rinsed off, and then I paid, got the hell out of there and never went back.
Seriously, if you want a really NICE spacious facility for do-it-yourself dog wash, without all the chaos, and with a parking lot, go to the Pet Food Express at Market & Dolores. You can buy four wash tokens for $45, they give you towels and a rubber apron and shampoo, their washing room is HUGE, you get all the same stuff that Wags has, without the 15 gazillion barking dogs and all the chaos, and because each token gets you 25 minutes of water/shampoo/blowdry (it's all automated), you can even wash two dogs on one token! That works out to 8 washes for $45, or just over $5 per dog per wash. 75% cheaper than the $20 Wags charge
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I probably shouldn't bring my Boston Terrier in for a bath because he doesn't have much fur. Grooming expenses are probably the ONLY THING we save money on with this dog! But I brought him into Wags because I wanted them to "express" a certain part of his rear end so the bath seemed like a good idea too.
The folks at Wags didn't "express" his glands because they only squeeze the outside, my dog had an "accident" in the car on the way home. I ended up taking my dog to the vet the next day and paying an additional $30.
I'm sure Wags does a great job on furry dogs but it's a total waste for mine. I also felt like their facilities were a bit crowded and the girls that were working on the day we went looked extremely stressed.
** UPDATE, 5/14/08 - The owner of Wags responded to my comment and offered a free wash and "expression" for my dog. I think it's awesome that they actually responded! Thanks Wags but I don't think my dog needs a professional groomer, he really is low maintenance. His vet will now handle that special area from here on out... **
I recently took my dog to Russian Hill Dog Grooming because Wags was booked three weeks out and I will never, ever bring my dog anywhere else again. WAGS is by far the best place I have been to in the city. The guy who groomed my maltese was so nice and he was so good with my highly energetic dog. My dog got a great haircut and he came home happy and healthy. Everyone at Wags is super nice and they provide great customer service. I am scared to take Vinny anywhere else...he will always go to Wags.
I, and my dog, really like Wags. The owners are the folks who work there take a real interest in the dogs and like to have fun and that positive attitude really shows through. My dog Floyd hates getting a bath but still likes going there - and that says something to me. Plus, they do a great job.
I love Wags, and so does my crazy 8 month old Lab, Gary. We just moved to the city, so Gary is a little 'all over the place' in this new environment. I've started to take him down to Wags during the day, just to get his fill of playing with other dogs, and just so I can catch a break and run some errands. He loves it here, and the staff are fantastic. Do your dog a favor and send him to Johnny and Tyler's (owners) ranch up in Novato for the weekend - it's a dog's paradise up there. I feel so lucky to have these guys close by - what a lifesaver.
What's a pig to do? Pig's trusted groomer/nail trimmer at Petco, Arthur, passed away and then Petco went out of business.
Not to worry. Pig dropped by Wags and was treated like a royal pig. Pig was treated to an instant nail trim and attended to by three groomers who tried to corral the greased pig.
Pig was called a boy, had his junk checked out, then was called a girl, but then has his junk checked out a second time, and was correctly identified as a boy dog pig sans ballies.
Pig's groomers did an excellent job trimming pig's nails and pig didn't bleed at all.
Pig owes me $10. Pig tells me he'll get me later.
I love Wags! I had no idea where my owner was going to take me for my baths, daycare, boarding, etc......she had a hard time finding a place that did all these things and where she felt comfortable leaving me. We stumbled upon Wags within the first 2 weeks of moving in the the 'hood. Tyler, Johnny and the staff were all so friendly and welcoming, they took really good care of me. I was timid with all the big dogs there, but they too were so friendly as well - now I feel like a regular and actually look forward to hanging out with Johnny and my pals!
When I lived up the street from this darling shop, I would take my pup Lila Belle in for a bath on those days that she was just driving me up the wall. (C'mon, fellow dog owners, you know you've had similar days...) She not only came home smelling clean but she got to play with the other dogs (read: exerted some of her seemingly endless puppy energy) and was just tuckered out. Worth every penny.
Recently, however, I trusted Johnny (the owner) and co. with Lila's haircuts since I was consistently underwhelmed by the job they did down the street at Bow Wow Meow. Best decision I've made - she got a ridiculously better cut at a comparable price.
In short: come to Wags for your dog's grooming, bathing, nail-clipping, anal-gland whatevering...you won't be disappointed.
I'm totally confused by all the high star ratings everyone is giving - but allow me to share my experience and you can judge for yourself. I came here to do the self-wash for my dog (an aussie-mix). It was total mayhem. Total.
First negative - I have to walk thru the doggy daycare area to get to the washing stall. Why does this suck? For one, the "Doggy Daycare" area isn't really a separate designated area at all. It's this tiny space behind a gate where everything ELSE besides the merchandise is housed. So I'm walking thru this mass of dogs, who are all hyper and slobbering, I've got golden retriever hair flying in my eyes and nose - they're jumping on me (owner doesn't do crap about it even after I ask for help getting them off - GEE THANKS!) meanwhile I'm afraid my dog is gonna lose it and what am I gonna do when a fight breaks out in this chaos? After getting to the wash station and calming down I notice these two adorable small lap dogs had been cowering at the bottom of the tub, obviously here for the daycare, basically huddling on top of each other. What kind of "daycare" is that?! On top of this, EVERY time a person came in the door - half the dogs went bezerk barking. OMG, what hell is this? And I absolutely LOVE dogs.
But, it gets better. So this young groomer girl gets bitten by a dog she's washing and she's fighting back tears and anger. She exclaims it's the fourth time she's been bitten since she started working here. And what does the owner say "Well - maybe you gotta move your hand faster! Ha Ha!" Right - lovely.
The wash part - it's typical - you get shampoo/cond, brushes, an apron and a towel provided. But here's a surprise - it costs $20! Wait a minute...I just washed my dog MYSELF! I know-I know, I just moved from Denver and the cost of living isn't as much - but this is almost DOUBLE!
More importantly for you considering doggy daycare: really, really research this place first - I don't know everything. The owner seemed really nice, and is super cheery. But do you really want to put your dog into a place that is way too crowded to honestly be watched after? I mean those poor little dogs in the corner! You want to know why your dog is so "TIRED" when he comes home - it's because he's probably being over stimulated and stressed out waiting for your return. I hope to God this place takes them outdoors several times and not just pinned in that wash area. And I hope to God they don't usually have that many dogs every day. Maybe I just came on a bad day.
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WAGS is great! Everytime my girlfriend and I walk by she always oohs and aahhs over the dogs. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. Having been a dog owner and grown up with dogs I would definitely recommend this place to anyone with a dirty dog!
Lizzie, my English Setter, seems to have more fluff than fur and everything sticks to it and gets tied up in it. She does not enjoy being brushed and wiggles and squirms like crazy, but both times she has been to Wags she has come home beautiful and happy. Johnny listens to what I want and gives her gorgeous cuts so she can bounce around without getting bushes, branches and twigs attached to her, yet still look like the fabulous platinum blonde that she is.
She has great fun playing with the other dogs at Wags
I love the smell of wet dog and dog shampoo emanating from Wags, I love the cute dogs frolicking in the front window, I love the Awesome Accessories at a good price.
This review is LONG overdue. I like this place- they have everything imaginable to give your dogs a good wash and grooming. Varieties of shampoo and conditioner, brushes, really good blow dryers, and great water pressure ( which is very important for my uber thick haired, fluffy dogs.) They have cool collars for sale as well as other neat pet supplies. It is also pretty cheap, and the [people who work there are so friendly and really like animals.
My little guy (Baxter-Boo) gets his nails trimmed by the friendly Wags-ter team. They're super-nice, reasonably-priced, efficient, and don't require an appointment for mani/pedi's, so it's very convenient to swing by and prevent his paws from looking all Freddy Krueger.
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It is doggie mayhem behind the counter. All of the folks who run Wags or work there are great!
Wags ROCK!!!
We brought our "daughter" to the SF from Indianapolis back in December. since being here I have tried a couple places out. My first impression was playful as I approached. Once inside the door, they greeted me immediately and i was surrounded by many happy clean smelling dogs which told me right away this was THE PLACE for mine. It almost makes me wish I were one, lol.
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It's just OK.
Very small and crowded. I could barely shop. Also the place reeeks of stinky wet doggies. Which I totally get, because there is a wash station. The place I got to has one too, and guess what the whole place doesn't reek!
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I don't actually own a dog, but i do walk past this fabulous place everyday and i freaking love it.
So many cute little and big fat ass dogs frolick and play and you can watch them in the window. This place makes me happy when I am sad. And lately i've been down in the dumps, so it helps me to walk past this place because it lights up my face
it will light yours up too, so go a walkin past it. they have dogs that are as small as my foot and dogs that i could probably ride, i like that.
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I love when our 80lb bundle of love comes home shiny clean, soft and smelling like oatmeal soap! They cut her nails and even push the magic anal gland button (ick!) for a very reasonable price!
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Oh barren, barren womb! What torture it is to be in a neighborhood where the residents are blessed with one, sometimes two matching pups! How am I to feel?
Thank Christ for this Pet Wash and the big window where all the cuties are being bathed inside. I make it my business to stand here with my face pressed up the glass like a newly freed prisoner at a titty show.
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In my book, Wags is right up there with "Food" "Duckie" "Cookies" and "Ice Cream". When Mom and Dad take me to Wags, I get super excited. When I'm there I get to flirt with the boys and steal treats when Johnny's not looking. I know I'm always welcome 'cause when mommy calls they enthusiatically say "Of course Autumn can come, bring her on over!" Free food from the (not so)communial food bin, smelling, playing and frollicing with the Danes, what more could I ask for. The occasional bath and the extra attention makes up for smelling like a flower. Wags has some rules and all, play nice and don't pee of the floor ... but accidents happen ya' know!
they were nice and reasonably priced and my teeny family member 3.5lb mcnoogles came back in perfect condition all clean with a cute looking cut.
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This has got to be the best all around petshop/groomers of all time! I have been going here for years and have always gotten the best service but I swear my dog actually looks forward to coming here for a bath! I also love that they don't cage the dogs after bathing like most groomers but let them "hang out' together in an enclosed area. The convenient location and friendly owners(Johnny and Tyler) make this neighborhood place the go-to spot for any dog owner. They also offer dog-sitting by the hour and overnights as well!
Johnny and Tyler rule. They love dogs and our dogs always come home looking great and smelling good. When we board them with Wags they always come home exhausted from hanging out at the shop and playing at the dog park. You really couldn't ask for better, more knowledgeable people than these two to look after your pups. In addition, they have a wide range of high-quality pet foods and accessories that will definitely keep your dog happy.
The only thing I can think of that's not AMAZING about the folks that run this place is that my dog loves them more than ME. Go ahead... ask her.
Seriously, if you're a dog person; you can tell when other people are truly dog lovers. These folks are the real deal and it's really amazing to watch folks enjoy what they do.
My doggy looks so cute after getting his haircut and wash from Wags. The place is packed with dogs on the weekend, running around in an enclosed area while the staff washes and grooms dogs of all sizes. It's best to make a reservation at least 2-3 days in advance, much earlier for holidays; and plan to leave your pet for about 3 hours and pick your pet up all spankin' clean and purty! They aren't cheap - my 10 pound dog costs me about $50 to get a haircut; but he looks super cute and dashing when he's done. Parking on polk can be a bit challenging, but not too bad. We always seem to get a space.
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royce is a 10lb furry white pup w/fine hair thats easily tangled. he's super friendly and adorable, but hates to get his hair brushed. rather than fight with him over a brush, or let him become a matted mess, i took him for a wash at wags. i dropped him off on saturday morning while i ran and had my hair groomed. came back 3 hours later, and he was white, pouffy, and tangle free.
even though it is a tad pricier ($60 for wash and brush vs $20) than petsmart, the staff genuinely cares about the dogs and did a great job of picking out royce's knots. parking was relatively easy on this stretch of polk, and if you can't make it back in the allotted time, additional puppy-care is just $5 per hour.
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Okay so granted I did not stop in here to have my dog washed. My dog weighs a whopping 8lbs so unless he were 10 times his size (and I didn't possess a hose) I won't be taking him to a groomer. However, he does love bully sticks and mows through the suckers like they lace them with crack. When I have a paper to write (every week) or a test to study for (every week) or a new beau (NOT every week, jerkoffs), bully sticks keep him occupied like Sesame Street does for most 3 year olds. It is a necessity to have them on hand and his current one had been getting dangerously close to being finished off. Passing by Wags on my way to a bar I stopped in to buy a couple of the dog-crack treats. $2.50/each is highway robbery! But...it's my dog...and I'm kinda retarded for him and will deny him NOTHING (hence his Juicy Couture collection...which he hates) so I bought two. There's really not much here in the way of pet supplies so I think it's primarily just good for grooming services. Although the one dog getting shampooed didn't seem like he was enjoying himself. Big surprise there.
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Whenever I am on Polk Street I like to wander by the very silly Wags Pet Wash and Boutique. I pretend that I am going to buy something but I simply want to watch the Dr Seus collection of dogs. Some are very tiny and some are wolf hounds. They must be onto me as they set up some chairs.
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Great affordable doggie day care and pet store on Polk. The staff is amazing. Your dog will stay in a rather large area with a few other dogs and will go for a walk at least once during the day. Grooming service is also available complete with calming lavender spritz.
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I have taken my dog here regularly for his baths since they opened several years back, and the owners and staff are friendly, easy-going, and deal with the fact that my stubborn terrier hates baths with stride...
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Ever since moving from Russian Hill to Noe, I wish that Wags would become a San Francisco chain - one in each neighborhood.
What I love most is that they let you do 'self-washes' where you use their tubs and products and do the bathing yourself. I consider it a deal since it's only 20 or 25 bucks and I don't have to clean gobs of dog hair out of my tub at home. Usually you don't have to wait for a tub and can get your pooch shiny clean and mostly dry in 30 to 45 minutes.
I also love that this place is run by REAL people. Ty and Johnny designed and built the tubs themselves!!! The accessories are a tad pricey (yes, I know it's Russian Hill), but the selection is great.
Friendly staff, great job getting the stink out of one big stinky dog, reasonable prices... plus a window for the dogs to show off in front of the passersby!
This place is awesome! The people are super friendly and you can't beat the service. Wash, walk, sit, and supplies they do it all. We don't need the ultra-expensive dog groomers for our pup, but we don't want to go into some dingy dog wash either. This place is the only way to go for us.
Don't have a dog but I really wish I did so I often stop and stare in the window at this local pet haven. From what I can tell the pups are treated very well and the staff is professional and caring. I love it when the labs come press their noses to the window and I once found matching Patriots collars for my parent's spaniels back home so yes, the "Awesome Accessories" claim is legit.
love love love this place! the staff is friendly and nice. very casual lot. they groomed crombie to a perfect ball of cuteness every time! their pet sitting services are wonderful as well, they totally got my dog. they seem to adore her as well, which always makes the owner happy when you swing by after a nice weekend getaway and pick up a happy dog.
crombie stopped jumping onto furniture after a horrendous trip to the vet at marina pet hospital. we have not been able to get her to hop up on anything since. it has been rather heartbreaking since to see her so traumatized. Well, she started trying to jump and hop again after staying a weekend at johnny's ranch! it has made me so happy to feel like my dog had been taken care of as well as (or even better!) than she would be at home while i was gone. I don't know what they did but whatever it was, i am very pleased! Wags is definitely worth every penny I fork over!
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