Positive Approach Dog Training & Daycare
Ranked #5 in Tacoma and #65 in Washington
Service area: Tacoma, Washington, and surrounding areas within 30 minutes of 98409 for in-home lessons.
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Biting / Nipping
- Potty Training
- Fearfulness
- Recall
Training Formats Offered
- Private Lessons
- Group Classes
- In-Home
- Private Facility
- Board and Train
- Day Training
Program Formats
- One-Time Consultation
- Sessions Package
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
- Senior (8+ years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Positive Reinforcement Only
Positive Approach offers a structured progression of training classes designed to build a strong foundation and advance a dog’s skills. The “New Puppy Class” (Level I) is for puppies up to 6 months old, covering basics like housebreaking, biting, crate training, and name recognition over 5 weekly 1-hour sessions. The “Basic Obedience” (Level II) class, for dogs 6 months and older, expands on name recognition, focus, basic commands (sit, lie down), manners, and loose leash walking, also over 5 weekly 1-hour sessions.
The “Advanced Obedience” (Level III) class, requiring completion of a prior basic class, teaches more complex behaviors such as waiting at the door, place commands, solidifying “leave-it,” and advanced stays, delivered in 5 weekly 1-hour sessions. The “Canine Good Citizen/CGC” (Level IV) class is an 8-week course preparing dogs and owners to pass the AKC CGC test. Additionally, a “Walking Class” focuses on loose leash walking, pulling, recall, and reactivity, meeting for 5 weeks at different public locations.
Private lessons are available for personalized training at their facility, your home, or other locations. For severe behavioral issues like aggression, anxiety, and fear, Positive Approach partners with and recommends Joy Ford, The Balanced Pack, for behavioral consultations.
Pricing & Policies
Pricing Summary
Daycare rates vary by day and package: single weekdays are $44, puppy Mondays are $30, and half-days are $31. Weekend single days are $36. Multi-day cards offer discounts, ranging from $37/day for a 5-day card to $32.50/day for a 22-day card. Two-dog rates are also available.
Boarding rates for kennel-only start at $45 for the first dog, with discounts for additional dogs. “Stay & Play” boarding, which includes daycare, starts at $55 for the first dog. An hourly rate of $4 applies for stays over 24 hours.
Grooming services include full baths ranging from $30-$80 based on dog weight and coat type, with additional charges for medium, long, or heavy coats. Haircuts, which include a full bath, range from $65-$115, with an added $20 fee for doodle-type dogs. Individual services like teeth brushing ($10), nail trims ($10-$13), and flea/tick treatments ($15-$20) are also offered. Extra charges may apply for matting, heavy shedding, or behavioral issues.
Training classes are priced at $225 for 5-week courses, including New Puppy, Basic Obedience, and Advanced Obedience. The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class is an 8-week course priced at $400. Private lessons are available at $160 per hour, with discounted packages: a 3-lesson pack for $375 and a 6-lesson pack for $600. In-home lessons beyond a 30-minute radius from 98409 may incur an additional travel charge.
Policies
For grooming services, cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time will incur a cancellation fee. For the Walking Class, if it is raining, the class will be postponed and added to the end of the schedule.
For daycare and boarding, all dogs must be spayed/neutered by 10 months of age at the latest; dogs showing signs of sexual maturity earlier cannot return until spayed/neutered. Female dogs in heat are not permitted in the building. All dogs for daycare and boarding must have up-to-date vaccinations (distemper, parvo, bordetella, rabies) and negative fecal tests.
Testimonials
“Staff know the customers and dogs by name. They are so friendly and my dog, Otis, is always excited and happy to come.”
– Vickie R-O
“Positive Approach is a home away from home for Bo. He loves to come and play with the other dogs and flirt with the staff. It provides such a peace of mind to know he is well taken care of by a great group of people!”
– Laura
“Positive Approach does a great job watching and taking care of your pet. The staff is amazing, helpful and totally responsible.”
– Beverly B
About the Trainer
Positive Approach is a welcoming community for dogs and their owners, serving as a comprehensive destination for all dog-related needs in Tacoma, Washington. This local small business has been operating in the dog training and daycare industry for over 20 years and is recognized as the #1 vet-referred training center in the Tacoma area.
They pride themselves on providing a safe, well-staffed daycare floor and offer a wide range of services including dog training, daycare, boarding, grooming, and a retail store, all conveniently located in one new, larger facility.
Their training philosophy centers on positive reinforcement methods, which they state produce excellent results without the need for physical corrections like choke chains, prong collars, or shock collars. They emphasize that dogs trained with these methods are generally more socially balanced and well-adjusted. Classes are kept small, with a maximum of 4 dogs per class, and are held at their private training center. Private lessons are also available and can be conducted at their facility, in the client’s home, or at other suitable locations to maximize training effectiveness.
A key advantage of Positive Approach is their commitment to trainer certification; they are the only dog training center in the area that requires its lead trainers to hold the Certified Professional Dog Trainers Certification (CCPDT).
Accomplishments
Positive Approach has been a local small business in the dog training and daycare industry for over 20 years. They are recognized as the #1 vet-referred training center in the Tacoma area.
Jeri Lynn Vosburgh, the Owner and Head Trainer, has over 30 years of experience in dog training. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT-KA), a Tellington TTouch Practitioner, and an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator. Jeri Lynn is also a Professional Premium Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), a full member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), and a supporting member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). Trainer Angie Cooke is also CCPDT-KA certified and a CGC Evaluator.
How to Get Started!
To get started with daycare or boarding, clients must first complete the Daycare/Boarding application. After completing the application, they can schedule a “Meet & Greet” by selecting a timeframe online. For training classes, clients can sign up directly or view the available catalog via links provided, which direct to the PawPartner booking platform.

Contact Information
Availability
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
Certifications
- CCPDT-KA
- Credentialed
Associations
- AKC
- APDT
- IAABC
- PPG
Misc Features
- Women-owned
- onsite services
- wheelchair accessible entrance
- wheelchair accessible parking
- LGBTQ-friendly
Other Services Offered
- Dog day care center
- Pet boarding service
- Pet groomer
- Pet supply store