Dog Sitting in South Bellingham

I’ve never felt compelled to write a Google Review before but I need to sing Thomas’ praises! Truly one of the best caretakers and services I’ve ever experienced. Not only is excellent about staying in touch (reminder texts, checking in about anything around the house that seems amiss, sending pictures when he visits), I can tell that our cats absolutely love him. We have one outgoing kitty and one shy one, but when Thomas sends photos it’s so clear that the cats are having fun and are enjoying their time. Showing their bellies, playing, etc.! And Thomas’ pet photography is unmatched. I don’t know what we would do without him!

Thomas is a great pet sitter. Very caring, reliable and professional! He is wonderful with our kitties. Even our shy kitty greets him when he comes to care for them. Thomas was very thorough in the information that he gathered to care for our kitties and home. He reconfirms scheduled services a few days in advance, sends emails and pictures when caring for the kitties and asks that we notify him upon our return so he knows that we're home to take care of everything again. We've been very pleased with Thomas' services and will continue to ask him to care for our kitties. We highly recommend Thomas to anyone looking for quality pet care services. Your pets will thank you!

Thomas is a great pet sitter! While we were on vacation, he sent us emails containing photos of our cats. Our house was clean, and he did everything so well! Very professional, would recommend to others in need of a pet sitter. Thanks to you Thomas for taking care of our kitties!

Update May 2023: We picked back up with Thomas after the pandemic and his service is still wonderful. Excellent care for our cats, one of whom has a complex care routine. We've used Thomas four times since November and it's been awesome. On our most recent trip, we were delayed and had to ask for one more visit at the last minute. Thomas was flexible and accommodating. It made an already stressful situation much easier! Five stars. Original review: This was our first time using a professional pet sitter to look after our two adult cats--and we couldn't be happier with our decision. Our experience started with a home visit so that we could meet Thomas and he could meet our cats. Thomas was very accommodating of our schedules and agreed to meet on a Friday evening. His first move was to crouch down and meet our cats at their level. He treated them respectfully and non-threateningly. Then, he talked with us for about thirty minutes about our needs, our normal procedures, his normal procedures, etc. At the end of the meeting, we felt confident that he would take the responsibility seriously. He even had a number of general pet care tips that he shared with us that we hadn't heard before. A few days before we left, Thomas texted to confirm his first visit and make sure our travel plans hadn't changed. It was good to be assured that our cats were still on his radar. While we were gone, Thomas visited every day to feed and play with our cats, as well as scoop their litter boxes (daily) and water plants (per our instructions). He played with the cats more diligently than we probably do, and emailed us pictures of each day's adventures. He also left daily notes about what he'd done, what the cats were up to, etc. He even brought a few tried-and-true toys to supplement the toys we'd left. It was heartwarming to see photos of our kitties from thousands of miles away, and we were comforted to know that somebody was paying real attention to them. The day of our return, Thomas texted to make sure we were still on schedule. The plan was that if we didn't confirm that we were home, Thomas would keep visiting so that our kitties would be cared for. It made us feel good to know that if our flight was delayed--or cancelled--he would keep on taking care of the cats. We will absolutely use Pet Sitters by the Bay again when we travel. Peace of mind for a very reasonable price!

Thomas is such a wonderful pet sitter. He really took excellent care of our senior poodle, who takes medications night and day and is a picky eater as well. Thomas went out of his way to make sure she ate her food and was more than willing to carry her down the flights of stairs from our apartment because she has a weak leg. He sent us many updates during our trip so we know she was well cared for, and was very easily reached and attentive. We will absolutely be using Thomas again when we travel, and would happily recommend him to anyone looking for a quality pet sitter!

We feel very fortunate to have found Thomas!!! While we were out of town, Thomas sent us an email with photos of our cat during each visit. Our apartment was immaculate when we returned home (wow!!!). It was obvious Bernadette had been extremely well taken care of (her toys were even in her favorite places). What a huge relief to be able to go away and know that Thomas will be our pet sitter and look after our little girl and our apartment!!! Thank you very much Thomas!!!!

Just used Pet Sitters by the Bay to care for my four cats over several days and couldn't be more pleased by the service provided by Thomas! Making the arrangements was easy and the paperwork I had to fill out was straightforward and not hard since it was my chance to talk about my cats and their preferences. I was also very impressed by the professionalism of Thomas in having back up plans in case of emergencies. I also really enjoyed getting photos of my cats emailed to me while I was away, and also showed me Thomas' amazing skill in easily handing my cat's various personalities (and idiosyncrasies). I highly recommend Pet Sitters by the Bay to anyone looking for quality pet care at affordable prices!

Thomas was amazing. Our cat couldn't have had better care and we suspect misses Thomas' morning visits! His daily reports and photos were a lovely treat each day of our trip. Highly recommended.

Thomas was very professional and friendly, and did a great job with my cat. He met me for an initial consultation to get to know my pets and fill out paperwork, and my two animals -- even my shy dog who is afraid of everyone -- immediately took to Thomas. The day before my cat sitting appointment, Thomas sent me a confirmation email, and while he was at my place, he did everything we agreed on and even vacuumed around the litter box. He left a cat calendar for me to keep, and emailed me to make sure I was back home and my cat was doing okay. I definitely recommend Pet Sitters by the Bay!

Thomas was very professional and took wonderful care of our pets! We have a cat and a dwarf rabbit. Thomas came over to feed them, play with them and do some maintenance cleanup every day while we were away (for 8 days). During that time, he sent us 3 email updates with pictures of our critters, so we had no worries during our trip. When we returned home, there were detailed notes about what went on during each of his visits (plus some new catnip toys for our kitty!). He also brought in our mail every day - no extra charge. Thomas was great and we would recommend him to anyone looking for a pet sitter! We'll definitely be using his services during our next vacation.

Timber Paws is a godsend!!! I love the door to door service. And I especially appreciate their option to come inside my home to pick the dogs up/drop off when I am not home. Coming home to happy and tired GSP's helps me out tremendously! Thanks, Timber Paws!!!

We love Timber Paws! Our energetic Australian Shepherd always comes home tired and happy. The shuttle service makes everything so convenient and we love being able to follow along with our dog’s adventures on the Instagram page. I can’t recommend Timber Paws enough!

We love tired dogs, and Timber Paws can make it happen! Our two border collies are high energy and love playing in the woods, so they love to see Tanya in the morning when she picks them up. The convenience of both a front door pickup, and clean dogs, is a great combination.

Timber Paws is great! So convenient to have the pickup at our home and he always comes back tired. We totally trust Tanya with our dog so it is a stress free experience all the way.

We have tried many different dog day cares, adventure places and walkers/hikers and Timber Paws is paws down the BEST! The fenced acreage allows for dogs to be free to sniff, run and play while safely contained. We also like that the hikes in the mountains are leashed. Ivy always comes home happy and ready for a LONG nap. Tanya is a friendly and skilled dog handler and Ivy loves her. Price is very extremely reasonable for the quality of care! Thank you for the great service, Tanya!

Tanya is very personable and handles my dog, Oakley, so well! Oakley is VERY excited when the van comes and VERY pooped out at the end of each day when she gets home from her adventures! I have tried several options for helping out with Oakley when I am not able to and Timber Paws is by far the best! Thank you, Tanya!

Stella loves Tanya and Timberpaws. It so nice to have her picked up, dropped off and always come home happy, tired, and clean. 🐾 …

Timber Paws has been a wonderful addition to my pup’s life! Tanya, the owner, is incredibly kind and conscientious, and clearly loves what she does and loves her canine clients. My dog gets very excited when the Timber Paws van shows up & he cannot get to it fast enough : ) He comes home happy and tired, which is a lovely thing! I would recommend this group to any dog owner.

Tanya and Timber Paws are terrific! My two aussies are Very happy to venture off with Tanya. Timber Paws is also a very well-run and friendly business. I truly appreciate their doggie play daycare business and how well they are running it.

Hazel, our 8 month old English Cream Golden Retriever has been attending Timber Paws "dog camp" for a couple months now. We love it and more importantly, Hazel loves it! She attends once a week and we have seen such a difference in her submissive behavior & her socializing skills (yeah for Instagram - we love seeing her in the daily videos from camp). She comes home absolutely pooped and super dirty, but always excited to go back again! We also appreciate that she is picked up & returned to our home in this nifty cool van that Timberpaws uses. Thanks for taking good care of Hazel (& wearing her out)!

Jean took great care of our cats while we were away, we loved her communication, updates, and responsiveness. Would recommend to anyone looking for pet care in Whatcom County!

My pup, Luigi, has been attending Furever for a few months now and I have never seen him happier. He comes home smiling, tired, and cuddly. I swore if he could talk, he’d go on non-stop about his friends. His newfound energy and overall joy …

We have been using Forever Friends as our primary daycare since 2018 when we got Napoleon, our Frenchie. We now have a new pup, and she loves going as well! We are very pleased with the supervision and the companionship that this daycare provides for our dogs. Both dogs exhibit really happy body language both coming and going from their time at Furever Friends. They show interest in the staff as well. I know Theresa and Jenna both genuinely care about and love our dogs. I appreciate the transparency Theresa offers as she is willing to answer our questions, tell us about how our dogs are doing, and note any problem behaviors or other things she has noticed. Having two Frenchies with skin issues, she often pointed out when she would notice excessive itching, licking, vomiting, not-so-solid poops, etc (Issues we also saw at home and we're trying to problem solve). She can be assertive when expressing her opinion on dog foods and making recommendations but she is only trying to help. I can happily say that after 3 years we have finally found the right food for our pups. Furever Friends Daycare is stellar, with well-trained staff members who are attuned to socializing dogs and creating an environment that’s as nurturing as it is fun. - Valerie, Mitch, Napoleon, and Penelope

My dog attended Furever Friends daycare daily for about seven months. She was well taken care of and always got excited about going to Furever Friends. Jenna is very professional and always answered my questions. Her daycare is very clean and the dogs are consistently let out for a potty break. My dog is only fifteen pounds and I was concerned about her safety being around large dogs, but she never got hurt. The dogs are well supervised. Thank you, Jenna and staff!

We have been taking our 2 dogs here for the last 4 years on a regular basis. They’re always amazingly taken care for and our dogs just absolutely can’t wait to get out of the car when we pull into the parking lot. Owner and staff are extremely knowledgeable.

My dog Izzy has a great time when she attends daycare here! The staff members are very knowledgeable and considerate of what is best for each dog individually and that is invaluable to me.

This is the best daycare in the area. First, their operational policies are super convenient and the fact that you don’t have to have an appointment makes it always reliable in a pinch. Plus the owner and staff absolutely love dogs, and often give you tips for ways to help your own dog. If they notice something, they mention it. We have been taking two dogs here for years, and they always love getting out on of the car to run inside. The owners do a trial to make sure your dog will be a good fit with the rest of the group. If a dog isn’t a good fit, they let people know upfront so they can find other options. That may not sit well for some people, but it ensures the rest of their dogs have a good experience and our allowed to play and enjoy their day. Simply put, they’re awesome and have made our lives much easier!

Our dog (Sunka) loves going to FurEver friends. She is always so excited to go and play with her friends. I can't say enough about how friendly and helpful the staff is. We are so grateful to have found furever friends

I needed a place to take my pup at the last minute when I was sick and picked this place because of it's size. I arrived before the 730 cut off and took my pup inside. A woman came out and took my pups leash without a word and started to head into the back, then she stopped and said, "Wait, is she new?" I was taken aback because I had expected a more welcoming first time. Introductions, potential dog questions, saying hi to the puppy, basic politeness. There was none of that. I said "yes" and she pulled my pup along to a desk to take out a form, slapped it on the counter and told me to fill it out and bring it back. (I had already completed this form online.) She then took my dog into the back. I was shocked and disappointed by the bruskness of her manner, she didn't introduce herself or ask me who I was, she just pulled my dog into the back. It was very unusual and I got a bad feeling. Since this was my first time, I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe someone had been rude, maybe she is just better with pups than people. Things happen and I get it, we are not all 100%, all the time. Fast forward to pickup time. I walked in and while I was waiting for them to notice me, I looked around to see if I could see my pup through the windows. I didn't see her, but I did see a large pup in a kennel in an empty office. I wondered how long it had been there and what it had done to be put there. (I have had experience with other places. When others do "time out" , they take the pup and spend some 1 on 1 time with them in a small separate area to correct behavior and help them calm down. I have never seen a dog left alone, locked in a kennel with no one nearby.) The same woman brought out my puppy and I immediately knew something was wrong. On the rare occasion I have to take my puppy to daycare, she is excited, wagging her tail and happy to see me when I come to get her. But this time, when the lady brought my pup out, she was scared and withdrawn. I was worried for her and started checking her, thinking she'd been hurt. (She wasn't physically hurt as far as I could tell.) The lady asked if I had a card on file. I did, and realized that's where she was going to leave it. So I asked her her name, it was Jenna, and I told her my name. I then asked her how my puppy had done, since I realized she hadn't planned to give me any feedback. I also hoped I could get some insight on why my puppy was suddenly acting afraid. She said, "You need to train her not to run." She added, "the other dogs chase her when she runs and we don't allow running here." I was surprised because the whole reason I picked this daycare is because they boast such a large play area on their website for the pups to "chase" toys and get "exercise". I thought of the pup in the kennel and wondered what they had done to make my pup not run. I asked if there was anything else and she said, yes, "she's too rough with smaller dogs". This is valid as my puppy is 18 weeks old and still learning boundaries, so I understand the criticism. At her usual daycare, they exercise "gentle restraint", which is using a hand or holding them to separate pups for a few seconds. This has worked beautifully and my pup responds well to that. I wondered what they practiced here for my pup to be acting the way she was. After I got her home, she didn't recover her personality for quite a while. I cancelled the appointment for the following day. Between the unfriendly nature of Jenna, and my pups personality change I didn't feel comfortable ever bringing my pup here again. When asked (on the website) the reason for my cancellation, I simply put I didn't think my pup was a good fit. The portal then told me I would get an email confirmation of cancellation. I didn't receive it. I logged in to see if it had been cancelled and found my account with my pet info and records had been erased. Good thing I didn't change my mind. I gave my pup extra cuddles and attention last night and I'm pleased to say she is mostly back to her old self now.

Our 1 year old female French Bulldog puppy attended this daycare for a few weeks. Upon arrival I was always told she was a "menace" and had "too much energy" even though her behavior was appropriate for her puppy age. They reassured us that she needed to continue coming to help her socialize. We continued to bring her. We were notifed that our puppy plays rough with another younger 6 month old male French Bulldog. We had been told on a few occasions that they are very rough and he tends to be aggressive with other dogs. They reassured us by saying they separate our girl from the 6 month old frenchie when they get rough. We were ensured of our puppy's safety. So fast forward a week or so later, I called around 12pm to check in on our puppy. The staff had mentioned that she was in a "scuffle" but she was okay. I continued on with my day as they told me she was okay. Upon arrival around 5:30pm, I was greeted and shown a golf ball sized fluid filled lump on my puppy's neck. I was told it was fine and to put a warm compress on it as well as the dogs name who bit her. We immediately went to the animal er and the vet was extremely concerned due to signs of infection starting so quickly. She was given a lot of meds. The next day I called in to inform staff of the er visit as well as follow up on what the next steps would be for our puppy. The staff Jenna or Jen stated she didn't see our puppy get bit and she will not be comfortable saying who did it. She went on to say that the injury was a result of our puppy playing with another puppy. Due to the nature of the injury being a puncture wound we knew it was not a playful accident. Since the attack my husband and I have both had conversations with Jen regarding what happen. She continues to give us excuses and will not let us know who did it. My biggest issue is the fact that our puppies best interest, health, and safety was not thought about. I am completely infuriated that I was not told immediately OR when I called that day that our puppy was bitten and had a puncture wound to her neck, had I been told I would have picked her up immediately. I understand accidents happen but the way this was handled was completely inappropriate. We and the vet are extremely upset that our puppy had been left with a puncture wound in her neck for hours only for it to get infected and require immediate medical attention. It has been a few weeks since the incident and our puppy will have a lifelong scar. Unfortunately I am unable to post any photos but feel free to message me to see them. I just ask that you please keep an eye on your babies if they attend this daycare.

I got a new puppy a few months back and didn't realize how much attention she needed. It was hard leaving her alone because it was traumatic. The staff at Fur-Ever Friends gave Harper a ton of love and even sent her home with a jacket on the first day. They got my shy little baby playing, running and getting worn out with the other dogs. The staff are very nice and experienced. I feel fortunate that this place is available and am happy to take Harper as often as I can.

Brought both of our dogs last week for the first time and couldn’t be happier. One of our dogs which can be dog and people aggressive was allowed to come and I was told he did amazing. The staff assured us everything would be a-ok and they were right. They made sure he was kept separate and only with our other dog. Including for their time outside for play and potty. Will definitely be using them again when we go on our next Doggy free vacation.

I love this place, small background is that we have a sweet but people shy rescue named Teddy. Our good boy was rejected from another boarding place because the owner said teddy was "too shy, that he becomes aggressive" now I have never seen that side of my dog before but with him being a rescue from neglect in Texas, I believed them. On short notice I found R&R. First and foremost the kennels are filled with soft wood chips instead of concrete. The kennels are a great size and the property it Sits on is wide open. I was incredibly nervous leaving teddy anywhere but I informed the staff that I was told he can be aggressive without me around. They were so lovely and kind and understanding of this information. When I came to pick him up a week later he was a big puddle in the young man's arms. He ran straight to him and flopped right in his lap like they were long lost friends. My dog was well loved on, well cared for and it gave me great peace of mind. I encourage you to utilize this little utopia. It's ran and staffed by people who care about your floofaloof. I couldn't be more appreciative of them. Oh, it's also incredibly fair priced and quite frankly I'd pay more for the care my dog receives here. Wonderful place. Couldn't recommend it more if I tried.

Had 3 dogs to board for a week. They were happy dogs when we came home. Pens were very clean both on drop off and pick up. Dogs in the kennels all had a positive disposition. It was clear the staff spent a lot of time with the animals daily.

We've been using the kennel for about 5 years now and my dog absolutely loves it! He is excited to come and always adequately exercised. He gets lots of human attention and love! We've left him here for up to two weeks and he never comes home smelling very bad--he simply smells like wood chips! Wood chips is what they use as bedding in the (very large) cages. My pup is 95 pounds and his cage is always large enough for him! The customer service is great, always friendly. And priced are comparable! $20/day and this includes foods, walks, and play time.

We do not recommend this kennel!! We left our very healthy dog at R and R Kennels for two nights and when we came to pick her up she was standing in her kennel, coughing and dry heaving. The brutal cough was paired with a thick white foamy saliva that she vomited up. She had the kennel cough vaccine only four months before her stay, so we were surprised and concerned. When we asked the kennel employee what was wrong with her the high school-age person working at the counter handed us a pamphlet on kennel cough and said that she either had that, or she was choking. Our dog is basically like a child to us, so it was pretty traumatic. We are new to town and were traveling on a budget. The other review made us feel good about the place, but we will never leave our dog there again. It's going to cost us more in the long run with the vet exam and antibiotics, and most importantly, the stress it put on our poor pup. We are writing this review three days after we picked her up and she is still coughing and dry heaving, but showing signs of improvement. The price is right, but we recommend checking out the facility before leaving your pooch there.

I've left my dog here 3 times this year and the first two times went well; the staff was always friendly. This past time I left him for 8 nights. When I picked him up I noticed that he wasn't opening his eyes and was having trouble eating. I took him to the vet the next morning and after running tests was told he had pneumonia. My vet informed me that this was the third case of kennel cough or pneumonia from this kennel in the past few months. She informed me that she had suggested to R & R Kennel that they close temporarily and disinfect their facility. My dog is current on all shorts and received his last bordetella shot 4 months ago. When I called R&R they apologized and informed me they hadn't noticed anything wrong with my dog. His eyes were swollen nearly shut and his food was falling out of his mouth when he tried to eat! I have had my dog for almost 10 years and he is like a child to me. I will never board him here again. Please clean your facility.

Love this place. We left our Golden in February and are leaving her again this week. Very happy dog when we returned. Clean Kennel and great staff. They have strict policies about making sure your animal is up to date on shots, etc.

We had to leave our new puppy there for a trip. They did a great job caring for her. She was happy to see us when we came home. Would use again

We were told if our flight got in late we could make the arrangements to meet someone to pick up our dog. I called right when we landed to let them know we needed those arrangements and they refused. We will go somewhere else from now on. It’s kind of a bare bones boarding facility anyway - would prefer something nicer.

Our 4 year old English Bulldog died in their care in June 2017. They did not seek immediate medical attention for her. After she was dead, they contacted us. They offered to bury her on their property. I was disgusted that this was an option versus transporting her to the emergency vet. Makes me wonder how many other animals got sick or died while in their care.

This place is the best! They really cater to your dogs individual needs and support you throughout the process. You can tell all the trainers and the owner, Angie, are all very invested in your dogs success! I recommend this place to all dog owners! <3

I am so happy we found Tails! After a week of going to daycare, I already notice my Rottweiler puppy making progress in basic leash manners, greeting people calmly, and settling down. He has almost stopped biting completing! We actually get compliments in public by how well behaved he is. We are also getting private lessons in our home, as we have young children and chickens that our puppy likes to terrorize. Highly recommend for training and daycare! They truly love every single dog that comes in.

My dog loves his days at Tails-a-Wagging! He has also participated in private training sessions and an agility class at T-a-W. The staff are kind, gentle, knowledgeable and love dogs! They have helped me navigate the ups and downs of raising a puppy! I love Tails-a Wagging and highly recommend them to anyone looking for the best doggie day care!

Had a private session with Jen and it was so educational! She had great advice and tools for me to start implementing. She really helped me feel more confident in what I was already doing as well. I've had a couple different trainers in town and Tails a wagging has my loyalty. When I first called I spoke with the owner and the amount of help/information she offered me with no strings attached blew me away! I am so grateful for you all and know who to call when I'm stuck with my pups! Thanks again!

Tails has been life changing for us!!! He was literally eating drywall before we started at Tails. He’s so social and needs way more stimulation than small walks and one big outing a day. The training-based, amazing care and socializing has been the ticket! They take great care to find what works for his nap time, keep us informed on what he needs to work on at home(but not in a judgy way at all!) and are kind to pups and people alike! Just fabulous. Our EXTREMELY 😂 social boy LOVES his daycare days and he’s so happy, tired and cuddly when we pick him up. We love watching him on the live cameras! I feel Iike I can’t even say all the good things that need to be said! Thank you- seriously!

Tails staff is amazing! The ongoing training and socialization for my little rescue pup has really enriched her life, and mine. They are caring, knowledgeable, and so attentive to the needs of all the dogs in their care. My dog loves going there! I miss her on her Tails days, but I know she is safe, having fun, and learning everyday. Professional advice about dog behavior and health questions are shared when needed and very helpful. This is where you want to take your dog!

Beyond grateful to have found Tails. Angela and her skilled team are true experts in their field. The Tails team always has my fur child’s health and wellness as their top priority. I’m so thankful for all they do for my family!

I have gone to tails off and on for the last 10 years for daycare and training, and they are exceptional. I have moved states a couple of times in that 10 year period, used several daycares/training facilities in the areas that I moved to, and none even compare to tails. Tails offers so many amazing classes. Their trainers are very knowledgeable and helpful. Over the last year and a half with my younger dog, I have taken around 6 group classes, and done around 4 private sessions with my older dog. Every training class I have taken has not only been extremely helpful, but super fun. We have done daycare at tails off and on over the years. For the past year my younger dog has attended tails daycare twice a week. Unlike other daycares I have been to, I can rest easy knowing that my dog is being well looked after. Their daycare staff is very experienced. Daycare is not only a fun place for my dog to play all day, but it has also helped her with her confidence and manners, it has really helped to shape the amazing dog she is today. All that said, I cannot recommend tails enough!

Only have used the puppy training and we loved it! Great class and learning tools. Awesome social environment for our pup! Also a great lending library!

What a great experience! Angela and team are obviously devoted to helping raise well loved, positively trained family dogs! Like new parents, we’re all tired, sometimes exasperated puppy parents… Tails a Wagging is an excellent guide to help us through!!! Many thanks!