Tails A Wagging Doggie daycare & canine training center

Tails A Wagging offers both doggie daycare and a variety of training programs. Daycare provides a structured day with free play, rotation between indoor and outdoor areas, rest times in crates with stuffed Kongs, and opportunities for medication administration. Activities include interactive games, enrichment, puzzles, storytime, grooming, and clicker training, all focused on reinforcing good manners such as sit, settle, wait cues, polite leash skills, door manners, crate skills, and appropriate greeting behaviors. Dogs also receive daily teeth brushing, petting, loving, and group wrestling games.

For daycare, all dogs undergo an evaluation. Adult dogs are evaluated three times over their first 4-5 visits, while puppies under 20 weeks are evaluated five times over 7-10 visits. The evaluation assesses manners, basic skills (sit, settle, come, wait), crate napping, greeting people and other dogs, play style, leash manners, taking treats gently, and body language. The first day requires a full-day commitment (7 am to at least 3 pm) to allow ample time for the dog to become comfortable. If a dog is friendly but lacks manners, a home training plan is provided, and continued daycare is permitted if progress is observed. Puppies are welcome even if they don’t meet all evaluation criteria due to age, with a plan to work on specific goals. The facility maintains a high standard, meaning not all dogs are accepted, but no specific breeds are excluded; acceptance is based on individual temperament and behavior.

Training programs cover a wide range of needs, from Puppy Pre School and Puppy Kindergarten for young pups to intermediate classes like Rockstar Rover and Dogs in Real Life. Specialized training includes Agility FUNdamentals, Barkology 101 for barking issues, Growly Dogs for reactive dogs, and private lessons for Service Dog and Therapy Dog training. They also offer a “No Choke Challenge” to encourage humane equipment use and a Lending Library for clients. The training methods are exclusively reward-based, focusing on positive reinforcement to teach behaviors without corrections that inflict pain or fear. Classes are designed to be engaging for both dogs and their owners, with a recommended ratio of one trainer per eight dogs to ensure personalized attention. The training room is over 2500 sq. feet with rubber flooring, heating, and air conditioning, and clean-up supplies are provided.

Pricing Summary

Daycare rates include a single daily rate of $43, with the first day (including evaluation) priced at $46. Packages are available: 5 visits for $200 ($40/day), 10 visits for $380 ($38/day), 15 visits for $540 ($36/day), and a full-time package for $700 ($35/day for 5 days a week). A half-day option is $25. Pre-paid daycare packages are non-refundable, and new dogs must “pay as you go” until they pass their evaluations.

Training class costs vary by program. Basic training classes are generally $205 for a 6-week course and $160 for a 3-week course. Specific class prices include: Aged to Perfection ($120 or $90 for 3 weeks), Agility FUNdamentals ($240 for 6 weeks), Growly Dogs ($105+ for one-on-one sessions), Private Lessons ($95 or $105 for 60 minutes), Puppy Kindergarten ($205 for 6 weeks), Puppy Prep School ($205), Rockstar Rover ($240 for 6 weeks), Ruff Around the Edges ($205 for 6 weeks), Wag it! Games ($240 for 6 weeks), Pack Walk ($25 per walk), and Dogs in Real Life ($240). Service Dog Training and Therapy Dog Training are $105+ per lesson. Free offerings include the Barkology 101 seminar, Puppy Preschool, No Choke Challenge, Lending Library, and Canine Body Language online classes. Required equipment like clickers, handouts, videos, or books are provided at no additional charge, but clients must supply their own nylon leash and flat collar or harness.

Policies

Daycare services are by reservation only, though same-day care is possible if space is available. Reservations must be requested through the PAW PARTNER app. Dogs can be dropped off between 7:00 am and 10:00 am, with late drop-offs requiring prior notification. All dogs must be picked up by 6:00 pm. A strict late policy applies, with fees increasing for subsequent incidents: $1.00 per minute per dog for the first late incident, $2.00 for the second, and $3.00 for the third. A fourth late incident will result in the dog no longer being allowed to attend daycare.

For daycare cancellations, 24 hours’ notice is required via the PAW PARTNER app before 10:00 am the day before the reservation; failure to provide this notice may result in being charged full fees. The facility closes for major holidays, including December 24th through January 1st, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Day with the following Friday. Despite inclement weather, the facility remains open, and the cancellation policy still applies.

Only authorized individuals are permitted to pick up dogs, requiring their name, phone, and a photo to be on file. For the health and safety of all dogs, pets showing symptoms of illness (vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, lethargy) should not be brought to daycare. If a dog becomes ill at daycare, they will be isolated, and the owner will be called for pick-up; a veterinarian’s note may be required for their return. All dogs must be free of external parasites and on a flea preventative from April through October; if fleas are found, the dog will be isolated and sent home. Owners are asked to inform staff of any household changes or stressors that might affect their dog’s mental health.

Regarding vaccinations, only those administered by a licensed veterinary hospital or animal rescue organization are accepted; titer testing for immunity is also accepted. Pre-paid daycare packages are non-refundable. For group classes, one make-up session is allowed per 6-week course. Cancellations for group classes require 14 or more days’ written notice for a full refund or credit; cancellations with less than two weeks’ notice are not refunded. Private lesson cancellations require more than 48 hours’ written notice for a full refund, credit, or rescheduling; less than 48 hours’ notice or no-shows incur a 55% fee. Specific policies apply to mandatory lessons required by rescue groups or animal control.

Tails A Wagging Doggie Daycare & Canine Training Center is a reward-based, fear-free facility that has been serving the community since 1997. They offer a happy place where dogs can play, train, exercise, and socialize, with a strong emphasis on eliminating fear and stress.

The business provides comprehensive dog training programs ranging from Puppy Pre School to Advanced Agility, alongside their primary service of doggie daycare. Their unique advantages include having a Veterinary Technician and lead dog trainer on staff daily, being a Certified Fear Free Professional Daycare, and ensuring highly trained staff are physically with dogs at all times.

They support home training by incorporating manners and cues into daycare, offer services like teeth brushing and medication administration at no extra charge, and provide daily enrichment activities such as Kong Puzzles and organic snacks. The facility boasts live web cameras, daily manners training, temperament tests for all dogs, and progress reports using only reward-based methods.

Tails A Wagging operates with collar-free play for safety, conducts daily flea checks, celebrates dog birthdays, and offers free training advice. The facility features over 10,000 sq. feet of indoor and outdoor play space with 100% recycled rubber floors, separate playrooms for different dog sizes, and daily field trips for focus and impulse control work. They are also recognized as the “greenest Doggie Day Care in the Pacific Northwest.”

Accomplishments

Tails A Wagging Doggie Daycare & Canine Training Center has been providing daycare, training, and community services since 1997. The owner, Angela Lenz, is a licensed Animal Health Technician in Washington State and has been a dog trainer since 1989, bringing over 35 years of experience to the business.

The facility holds accreditation with the American Boarding Kennel Association for Doggie Daycare and is recognized as a Certified Fear Free Professional Daycare. They are also certified American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluators and members of the Association of Pet Dog Training. All lead staff are certified in pet CPR and first aid and have extensive behavioral training using only reward-based methods. The business was awarded “greenest Doggie Day Care in the Pacific Northwest” by Puget Sound Energy.

How to Get Started!

To get started with daycare, new clients should create a reservation for their dog’s first day, which includes an evaluation, through the PAW PARTNER app. It is recommended to plan for a full day for the initial evaluation, typically from 7 am to at least 3 pm, to allow the dog ample time to become comfortable.

For training classes, clients can sign up via the Paw Partner app. For specialized training like Service Dog or Therapy Dog lessons, clients are advised to call or email the front desk to assist with scheduling. Prospective clients are also welcome to observe any class for free by calling ahead to confirm class schedules and times.