Wag A Tail Pawsitting

Three private training packages, all one on one.

The Puppy Pack is for dogs 8 to 16 weeks old and covers house training, crate training, puppy nipping, and basic obedience – sit, down, and stay – across six sessions.

Good Dog Basic is for puppies over four months and adult dogs, running seven sessions on basic obedience, recall, well-mannered greetings, making the crate a happy place, no jumping, and loose leash walking.

Behavior Modification has no age requirement and runs eight sessions on reactivity toward other dogs, people, and random triggers, plus separation anxiety, resource guarding, barking, and the fear, anxiety, and stress behaviors that can present as aggression.

Every package includes a written summary of what was covered and instructional videos. Unlisted training needs can be accommodated on request.

Pricing Summary

Training prices are published up front. The Puppy Pack is $420 for six sessions, Good Dog Basic is $525 for seven sessions, and Behavior Modification is $650 for eight sessions.

The wider pet care menu is priced separately: weekday leash walks run $30 for residents and $40 for non-residents, weekend walks $35 and $45, with additional dogs at $20 to $30. Ninety-minute Wag A Tail Scouts adventure walks are $125, plus $30 for each additional dog. Drop-in visits are $25 for residents and $35 for non-residents. Overnight care is $100 resident and $150 non-resident, with $30 per additional pet and a $35 surcharge on observed holidays.

Policies

Prepayment is required for all training packages and appointments are scheduled in advance. Training packages are non-refundable.

A $40 travel fee applies to appointments more than 45 minutes away; beyond 60 minutes it is $40 plus $0.70 per mile. Mileage over 10 miles is billed at $0.70 per mile on pet care visits.

Dogs are screened before joining the Wag A Tail Scouts adventure walks to confirm the group is a good fit. Every engagement starts with an initial visit to meet the owner and the dog and go through routine, diet, exercise habits, and behaviors.

Wag A Tail Pawsitting is a dog training and pet care business in Newport, Rhode Island, founded by Sheila Heavey in 2009. It began with a single client in Massachusetts and grew steadily from there; Sheila has since moved the business to Aquidneck Island, where she now works with Newport-area families.

Sheila is certified through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). She works in obedience and behavioral training paired with calming strategies, all built on positive reinforcement, and describes the method plainly: a click and a treat. She has studied dog behavior and canine body language to read what a dog is actually saying, and has worked with dogs of every age, size, breed, and history.

All training is private, one on one, and sold as packages. Every package covers a set number of sessions, a written summary of everything that was covered, and instructional videos to work from between visits. Training needs that fall outside the listed packages can be accommodated.

Alongside training, Wag A Tail runs leash walks, adventure walks with the Wag A Tail Scouts, overnight in-home pet and house sitting, drop-in visits, and pet care for wedding days. The premise across all of it is the same one Sheila leads with: dogs are family, and the relationship with the owner is part of the training.

Accomplishments

Sheila Heavey founded Wag A Tail Pawsitting in 2009 with one client and has run it continuously since, first in Massachusetts and now in Newport, Rhode Island. She is certified through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and has spent that time studying dog behavior and canine body language alongside the practical work.

The business holds a 5.0 rating from 33 Google reviews, with every rating at five stars.

How to Get Started!

Call Wag A Tail Pawsitting at (508) 320-3947, or send a message through the contact form on their site. Sheila starts every new client with an initial visit to meet you and your dog, go through his routine, diet, exercise habits, and behaviors, and work out whether training, walks, pet sitting, or some mix of the three is what you actually need. Prepayment is required once a training package is chosen.