Frequently Asked Questions

The process is simple!

Click the “sign up” button anywhere you find it on the website.

Complete the forms giving us the essentials (your name, contact information, and all your dog's vital statistics as well as background information about them).

Upload your dog's vaccine records or email them to us.

Wait 1 business day (or less).

We will email you with instructions how to schedule a free 15-minute meet and greet - once the meet-and-greet is complete, you're good to schedule services! Please note that our meet and greet sessions are available between 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM, Monday through Thursday, with our manager, Steve.

Your account lets you view reports cards, make reservations, access our cameras, and more!

Email us if you have any questions!

Wag Watch was created for dog owners who were tired of being unsure when they walked out of a dog daycare.

Unsure what happened behind that closed door after they left. Unsure how clean the facility was. Unsure what kind of space their dog was in, or with how many other dogs. Unsure if their dog was able to go outside during the day. Unsure if all the other dogs were vaccinated and well-socialized. Unsure if the staff were well-trained and experienced. Unsure if that favorite toy would be left out overnight on the bed, or if medication would be given on time. Unsure if daycare would be open on a holiday.

With Wag Watch you can be sure. Walk out of our facility and focus on work, take your trip, or enjoy your time with friends or family - you can be sure your dog is in a safe, clean place, having fun with other good dogs, watched over by people who love dogs and want them to have the happiest, healthiest time while they are with us.

That way when you come pick them up, you have both had the best possible time - short of spending it together, of course!

As the proud winner of Philadelphia’s favorite dog daycare and boarding facility in 2025, we plan to continue delivering top-notch service.

As little as 24 hours after you sign up, but typically 2-7 days.

Signing up takes most customers about 15 minutes - we just need your basic contact information as well as background on your dog’s physical and behavioral traits. We do need proof of vaccination for rabies, bordetella, and DAPP. It takes us 1 business day or less to validate your dog’s vaccines, at which point we will email you with instructions to sign up for a 15-minute Meet and Greet onsite. As soon as you complete your Meet and Greet you are free to start booking services!

Please note that our meet and greet sessions are available between 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM, Monday through Thursday, with our manager, Steve.

Your dog must be current on three vaccines in order to attend Wag Watch (including an initial meet and greet):

1. Rabies

2. DAPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus) OR DHLPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus).

3. Bordetella

You veterinary clinic can usually provide these on demand on a Certificate of Vaccination or Certificate of Rabies Vaccination. Please note we need the date these vaccines expire, not simply when they were administered.

All dogs who use any of Wag Watch’s services must be on a monthly flea/tick preventative.

Daycare passes expire after 45 days (5-pass package), 65 days (10-pass package), or 95 days (20-pass package).

Overnight boarding passes never expire!

Please bring enough pre-bagged food for your dog’s entire stay, with each meal in its own plastic bag and labeled with your dog’s name as well as any additional details you feel are necessary (“breakfast”, “dinner”, etc.) - . We do our best to return any partially or uneaten meals but cannot guarantee it. You are also welcome to bring your dog’s bed and up to 5 toys, although we recommend no more than 2. Please label all belongings. When you drop your dog off for boarding, you will be asked to complete a form listing everything you brought so we can be sure to return it to you at the end of your dog’s stay!

We can only apply passes from packages purchased before the start date of a dog’s daycare or boarding stay to the cost of that stay.

If you purchased a package after your dog’s stay mistakenly we are happy to refund that as a courtesy.

We are happy to extend a package’s expiration date under certain circumstances - for example, if you dog has been sick and unable to attend daycare, if your puppy is healing from getting neutered/spayed and cannot attend, etc. If you purchased a daycare package with more passes than you needed (e.g. a 20-pack, but you find that a 10-pack works better for your schedule given the expiration period) we are happy to refund the difference as a one-time courtesy - we know that finding the right fit for you and your dog’s schedule can take some time! Refunds are otherwise not available on packages.

We apply passes to minimize your bill, not maximize the amount of passes you use. For example, if you pick your dog up before 11am on the last day of a boarding stay (which includes a stay until 9am) it is cheaper for you to pay for 2 hours of daycare ($25) than for us to use one of your daycare passes (a cost of at least $37, even with our biggest discount). Always feel free to email us with any questions!

No, but in general we will get in touch with you if you request a stay greater than 10 days. We want to be sure your dog will be comfortable throughout their stay at Wag Watch and will discuss if we think the length of stay you are requesting might stretch your dog’s capacity. For newer clients in particular we might recommend trying a shorter stay first before going straight to a 7+ day boarding visit. We try to be a home away from home, but we know we aren’t a substitute for the real thing!

By default our system allows bookings up to 120 days in advance, provided none of your dog’s vaccinations expire before the reservation ends. If you dog does have an upcoming vaccination expiration that prevents you making a booking, or you want to book farther out than 120 days, send us an email and we will help find a solution!

Log in to your portal, select “View”…

Please note that cameras are active from 7am-6pm Eastern Time, accessing them outside that window will not show anything.

Only staff can access a dog’s in-suite camera, but pup parents are free to access the cameras in our play areas! If you are concerned about anything at all during your dog’s stay, please do get in touch and we are happy to provide extra information above and beyond your daily report cards.

Absolutely! We have a special “dogs only” fridge for their food and medicine - that way none of our handlers can get their hands on the premium kibble…

Yes, we have several suites larger than our standard size to accommodate siblings. Simply make a note in your reservation that you want your dogs to board together.

We group dogs primarily by their energy level, not their size, although there is generally a correlation between the two. Occasionally, dogs of different sizes may play together if their personalities and play styles are a good match.

If your dog has a particular friend who also attends Wag Watch, let us know and we will do our best to make sure they can be grouped together.

We are open from 7am-7pm on weekdays, and 9-4pm on weekends. As well as any time during our regular hours, you can arrange a later pick-up (as late at 9pm) any day of the week, or an earlier drop-off (as early as 7am) on weekends when you make your reservation. Stuck in traffic, SEPTA running late, or flight isn’t on time? Just give us a call or send us an email, we can adapt on the fly. Alternatively, if you would like to send a friend to pick up your dog in your place, simply let us know in advance.

We do not offer any veterinary services.

We do not offer training services.

We take dogs of all breeds and sizes, provided they are well-socialized and do not exhibit guarding or reactive behaviors - we do not work on the assumption that some breeds or weights are unacceptable! Our clients range from 7-pound Yorkshire Terriers to 100+ pound Great Pyrenees and everything in between!

We happily accept dogs of all ages at Wag Watch - please note all dogs over 9 months of age must be spayed or neutered. For dogs over 10 years old or with a serious health condition, we may request a letter from your veterinarian stating the dog’s underlying health supports boarding stays, particularly those of a longer (>5 days) duration.

Our grooming services are only available to Wag Watch customers. If you would like to sign up for our amazing grooming options please go through our standard registration process.

Yes, provided your dog will let our staff do so! We have many dogs who receive medication at least daily in their food, a pill pocket, etc. We can also apply topical medicine.

Please note that our staff will not stick their hands into a dog’s mouth if they are unwilling to take their medication, and we cannot administer medication into ear canals given the sensitivity of that region.

The first person arrives at 6:30am or 6:45am depending on the day of the week, and the last person leaves at 10pm, 365 days per year.