Tonya Putney, Owner of Tail Wags & Walks LLC
Hey there! Thanks for visiting our site! This page is an introduction about who I am and a bit of background as to why I started this pet sitting and dog walking business.
My name is Tonya. I have been living in Duluth, MN almost my entire life! I currently own two rescues: a husky/cattle dog named Bowie and a tabby cat named Epi.
We always had pets while I was growing up and the majority of the pictures from my childhood were of me with some four-legged friend. It was clear from the beginning that I have always been a HUGE animal lover.
My first job working with animals was at a boarding kennel where I spent 5 years working as a kennel attendant/office assistant. I learned so much while working there including how to give oral medications and insulin injections to pets. It was hard work, but I loved it! Especially when I would get to take the dogs out for “park runs” which were long walks around the fenced-in grounds and pond.
Eventually I got into office work full-time and spent about 10 years in a career that I didn’t find fulfilling. I knew I wanted to be outdoors and that I wanted to find a line of work where I was doing something I was passionate about. I decided the next job I would take would be focused on animal care.
One day it all clicked for me.
I realized Duluth was full of pet owners that needed help caring for their furry friends while they were out of town or busy at work — and that’s how Tail Wags & Walks LLC came to be!
For me, working with your pets is a privilege and an absolute joy. Our wonderful pet sitting and dog walking customers have made our first year in business a HUGE success. I thank each of you for coming along on this new adventure!
— Tonya Putney, Owner of Tail Wags & Walks LLC
BE SURE TO GIVE US A FOLLOW:
This weekend was a busy one for me & with a deployment I sometimes need last minute help. I have always been organized for future events to schedule doggie care but sometimes things slip thru the cracks. Tonya Putney with Tail Wags & Walks LLC has been my savior once again this weekend to help me out at the last minute with making sure the pups were walked & fed. If you’re in the area & need some animal check-ins or walks reach out to Tonya! She will do an initial meet & greet with you, take notes on feedings, personality/triggers for your dogs, and then when she’s with your animals you always get photos & a recap on how the visit went. Yes, I’ve always used ‘the app’ in the past since I had a few walkers I got to know & trust, but here’s a woman that I’ve known for years (one of Freya’s puppies is her adopted pup!) that started her own business.
Paige LarsonAugust 8, 2024
Choose Tail Wags & Walks! We couldn’t be happier! Tonya is quick to respond and thoroughly answers all of your questions. We have had pets for decades and this was our first experience using a pet service instead of friends. Tail Wags and Walks is priced just right and we will continue to use their services whenever we leave town! Having the security of leaving our pets at home was the peace of mind we needed. Tonya made the confirmation and registration process easy. In fact, she was way more thorough than we expected, because we had never used a pet service before. She was eager to learn about our pets, their ages, special needs and requests, and their personalities. She has a few forms for you to fill out, to assure every possible scenario is accounted for before you leave town. Tonya came to our home to get a tour, get a key, and to meet the pets the week before we left town. Again, she was thoroughly prepared, knew all of the pets names, and took extensive notes to prepare herself for our absence. She was quick and natural to get acquainted with each of our pets. Tonya is very friendly and easy to talk to, but also gets down to business so you and your family can continue to get ready for your trip! In addition to covering all aspects of pet feeding, cleaning, and care, Tail Wags & Walks left us feeling extremely confident leaving them to enter and exit our home while we were out of town. Then comes the best part- her updates and photos while you are away. Tonya was very timely with check ins and updates on her first visit to our home after we left. In fact, her pictures of our pets are better than anything I’ve ever taken!! We discussed every other day updates and Tonya did just that! It was sweet to see that all the pets at home were living their best life with Tonya! Again exceeding our expectations, Tonya made it to our home right after a snow & ice storm. As you can read, we are thoroughly impressed with Tonya and Tail Wags & Walks. We highly recommend this service and will certainly be booking with them again in 2026!
Alisha BlazevicJanuary 3, 2026
I’m so impressed with Tonya. She is kind, professional, and an excellent communicator. As someone who operated their own pet sitting business in the past (and is incredibly picky about who I allow to care for my pets) I’m very trusting of Tonya. I HIGHLY recommend Tail Wags & Walks. So grateful I found this business!
Ronnette UrbachSeptember 16, 2024