OUR MISSION

To make dogs’ lives better, with fun, enrichment, and training. With a thorough understanding of canine communication via body language and fear-free practice, we strive to empower you to help your dog to know they have a voice in their care, their fun, and their education.

Tails-A-Wagging is the first doggie daycare in Bellingham, opening in 1997.  Owner Angela Lenz had been working as a dog trainer and licensed animal health technician for many years and saw a need not just for dogs to have a place to play and socialize during the day- but for them to be better at the end of the day, better body and better mind.

The concept of doggie daycare was not new to the Pacific Northwest, but nothing existed in Whatcom Island or Skagit County before Tails-A-Wagging. When Angela was doing research on opening Tails-A-Wagging she met with many doggie daycare owners along the southwest coast and they all had many things in common:

Each facility left her thinking there must be a better way for dogs to have kind, compassionate, social interactions with other dogs and people AND be better for it at the end of the day.

We have all heard the phrase “a tired dog is a good dog” but is that true? It’s a common perception that exercise will solve most behavior issues “just wear them out, and then you can handle their crazy”

While exercise is essential and highly beneficial to health and well-being, there is more to good behavior than just exercise. Creating a facility that not only provided dogs with physical exercise and social interaction but also enrichment, reward-based training, and the total elimination of fear, anxiety, and stress was now the goal.

Tails-A-Wagging doggie daycare & canine training center is a reward-based, fear-free facility. Where dogs can come to play, exercise, and socialize during the day- but also have supportive care with their manners and cues.  Our highly trained daycare staff are with the daycare dogs 100% of the time. We support the manners work you do at home by incorporating sit, settle and wait cues, polite leash skills, door manners, crate skills, and appropriate greeting behaviors to people with all the dogs who come to daycare. Yes, the dogs in our care go home tired, but also better, a better mind, a better body, and a better connection.

Our training center offers group and private lessons, with many trainers on staff who all work with only reward-based, dog-friendly, fear-free practice to help you and your dog achieve the goals you set for you b

In a world where

you can be anything,

be kind