The Watering Bowl

What The Watering Bowl does

The Watering Bowl is a private, employee-owned cage-free canine daycare, boarding, training, and grooming operator serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. Founded in 2010 and operating under the legal name The Watering Bowl Daycare & Boarding, the company currently runs three physical facilities — Brentwood, Dog Grove (St. Louis City), and St. Peters — each combining climate-controlled indoor play space with synthetic-turf outdoor runs (roughly 31,000 sq ft indoor and ~11,500 sq ft outdoor in aggregate), private boarding suites, and dedicated hangout space for small or senior dogs. A former fourth location in South County was closed in October 2022 after the building was demolished for a QuikTrip development; the company has publicly stated its intent to return to that submarket. The business operates as a branded location within the Best Friends Pet Care network, drawing on shared safety protocols and training standards while preserving local operational autonomy.

The service stack is organized around four pillars: daycare (half-day $27.50 / full-day $37 with multi-day packages from 5 to 20 days), overnight boarding ($53/night standard, $59.50/night suite, with 5- and 10-night packages and a $10 holiday surcharge), training (1-on-1 at $90, Stay & Train from $66, in-home at $141, group classes at $205 for six weeks, and enrichment sessions at $16 each) delivered under the "Butt Sniffers Academy" sub-brand using LIMA methodology by CPDT-KA certified trainers, and grooming branded "Paw Spaw" ($31–$61 scaled by dog size plus add-on services such as nail trims and de-shedding). All new canine customers must complete a 45-minute "Sniff Around" temperament evaluation ($20, convertible to store credit) before enrollment.

The company runs a direct-to-consumer local service model with no B2B or wholesale distribution. Customers are acquired and retained through an SEO-optimized website, a long-running blog called The Scoop, an email newsletter, social media (Facebook), local community sponsorships (including a Schlafly Brewery "Uncaged Ale" co-brand benefiting APA of Missouri), and a self-serve Parent Portal built on the third-party Gingr platform that handles booking, package purchases, vaccination records, and photo storage. Pricing is unit-based with multi-visit prepaid packages carrying a one-year expiration, and there is no disclosed subscription, membership, or recurring-billing product beyond the package prepayment mechanic.

Name

The Watering Bowl

Legal name

The Watering Bowl Daycare & Boarding

Website

https://thewateringbowl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Watering Bowl is an employee-owned, cage-free dog daycare, boarding, training, and grooming operator running three facilities across the St. Louis metro under the Best Friends Pet Care network, serving local pet owners since 2010.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

akta.pro primary industry

Cage-Free / Open-Play Dog Daycare (HSANAFAC)

Keywords

• Dog daycare services
• Pet boarding services
• Dog training programs
• Dog grooming services
• Cage-free pet care

Headquarters

HQ city

Missouri City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dog Daycare: Daycare services offered as half-day ($27.50) or full-day ($37) visits. Multi-day packages provide discounts: 5-day package ($163), 10-day package ($310), and 20-day package ($600). Additional fees apply for early drop-off ($5), late pick-up ($5-$10), and feeding services ($3).
2. Overnight Boarding: Overnight boarding with full-day daycare included. Standard rooms at $53/night, suites at $59.50/night. Multi-night packages offer savings: 5-night Standard ($239), 5-night Suite ($263), 10-night Standard ($470), 10-night Suite ($520). Holiday surcharge of $10 additional per night. Medication administration available for $3/day.
3. Dog Training: Training services include 1-on-1 private lessons at $90/session, Stay & Train at $66/session (plus daycare fees) or as packages ($399/5-pack with daycare, $750/10-pack with daycare), in-home training at $141/session, and enrichment sessions at $16 each ($130/10-pack). Group classes at $205 for 6-week sessions.
4. Dog Grooming (Paw Spaw): Grooming services sized by dog: Small ($31), Medium ($36), Large ($41), XL ($46), XXL ($61). Add-on services include nail trim ($18), de-shedding/Furminate ($16), ear cleaning ($4), anal glands ($16), hot oil treatment ($11), teeth cleaning ($13). Long hair upcharge ($5-$15).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Watering Bowl operates a cage-free dog daycare, boarding, training, and grooming facility serving the St. Louis metropolitan area from three physical locations. The business sells structured daytime care, overnight boarding stays, obedience/training programs branded as Butt Sniffers Academy, and grooming services branded as Paw Spaw to local dog owners.

Product overview

The Watering Bowl is a cage-free canine community offering four integrated service pillars: dog daycare, overnight boarding, professional dog training, and grooming (Paw Spaw). The core offering is cage-free daycare and boarding, where dogs enjoy supervised group play in climate-controlled indoor and outdoor spaces during the day and private sleeping accommodations overnight. Training services include 1-on-1 private sessions, group classes under the Butt Sniffers Academy brand, Stay & Train add-ons, and in-home Homeschool training, all using positive reinforcement (LIMA) methods. Grooming (Paw Spaw) provides baths, nail care, de-shedding, and breed-specific haircuts, with full-service grooming available exclusively at the St. Peters location. New customers must complete a Sniff Around temperament evaluation before enrollment. Services are accessible through a Parent Portal for online booking and record management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paw Spaw: Full-service dog grooming offered at the St. Peters location, including baths, haircuts, nail trims, de-shedding treatments, and spa services.
• Butt Sniffers Academy

Products and services

• Cage-Free Dog Daycare
• Dog Boarding
• Butt Sniffers Academy (Training)
• Paw Spaw (Grooming)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Schlafly Brewery (Uncaged Ale)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2019Collaborative beer product partnership creating 'Uncaged Ale' with proceeds benefiting APA of Missouri animal rescue efforts. Six distinct can designs featuring different dogs. Available at Dierbergs, Fields Foods, Schnucks locations, and both Schlafly locations. Limited edition commemorative t-shirts also sold at The Watering Bowl locations.
• Best Friends Pet CarecoreOthersBest Friends Pet Care is the parent company supporting The Watering Bowl as an employee-owned business. This partnership provides industry-leading safety protocols, staff training, and quality standards. The Watering Bowl operates as a branded location within the Best Friends Pet Care network, combining national brand recognition with local personalized service.
• APA of Missouri (Animal Protective Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRescue organization partnership promoting animal adoption and supporting pets in finding loving homes. The Watering Bowl actively promotes APA initiatives and has helped facilitate adoptions through their cage-free canine community.
• Five Acres Animal ShelterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal animal shelter partnership supporting rescue efforts in the St. Louis area. The Watering Bowl promotes shelter adoption and bolsters their financial efforts through various initiatives.
• Gateway Pet GuardiansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRescue organization partnership supporting the mission to bring people and pets together in the St. Louis region and extending into rural Missouri.
• Stray Rescue of St. LouisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal rescue organization partnership focused on saving stray animals and finding them permanent homes. The Watering Bowl supports their efforts financially and through promotion.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Camp Bow Wow: Largest national franchise of cage-free dog daycare and boarding with overnight camp, playgroups, grooming, and training services; closest direct competitor to The Watering Bowl in product mix and operating model.
• Dogtopia: National dog daycare, boarding, and spa franchise with open-play cage-free environments and a focus on canine enrichment and safety certifications, directly comparable in concept and service stack.
• Bar K Dog Bar: St. Louis-based dog daycare, boarding, and full-service restaurant concept offering off-leash park-style play and overnight stays; competes directly in The Watering Bowl's home market.
• Wags & Walks: Multi-location cage-free dog daycare and boarding operator offering playgroups, training, and grooming in California; comparable in customer experience, staff-heavy operations, and integrated services.
• PetSuites of America: National pet resort chain combining daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, and training in upscale facilities; mirrors The Watering Bowl's full-service campus model.

Broad incumbents

• Best Friends Pet Care: National pet care brand and parent company of The Watering Bowl operating dog daycare, boarding, grooming, and training at scale; relevant as the broader network that TWB is part of.
• PetSmart PetsHotel & Doggie Day Camp: Big-box pet retailer with in-store PetsHotel boarding and Doggie Day Camp offering daycare and grooming; a broader incumbent that overlaps with TWB in daycare and grooming categories.
• Petco Dog Training & Grooming: National pet retailer offering in-store dog training classes and grooming salons, plus boarding through partners; competes with TWB for the same dog owner customer wallet.

Emerging players

• Zoom Room Dog Training: National dog training franchise that emphasizes positive reinforcement and offers group classes, agility, and daycare add-ons; comparable on the training-plus-socialization pillar of TWB's offering.

Regional players

• K9 Club: Regional cage-free dog daycare, boarding, and training operator with multiple locations; comparable operating concept but focused in geographies outside the St. Louis metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheWateringBowl
• Xx.com/thewateringbowl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Watering Bowl