Online through our booking system at any time. Or call us at (608) 571-7225. Usually a real person picks up.

A handler walking dogs toward the Leader of the Pack facility in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Sun Prairie · Daycare · Boarding · Grooming

The kind of place your dog actually wants to be.

We're Mary and Ray Thomson, and we started Leader of the Pack in 2016 because we wanted somewhere better to take our own dogs. 22 acres on the edge of Sun Prairie, designed from the ground up for dogs, run by people who care for them like their own.

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4.8 ★ ON 290+ REVIEWSBEST OF SUN PRAIRIE 2026 (GOLD)BEST OF MADISON 2026 (SILVER)5,600+ FAMILIES10 YEARS IN SUN PRAIRIE

4.8 ★ ON 290+ REVIEWSBEST OF SUN PRAIRIE 2026 (GOLD)BEST OF MADISON 2026 (SILVER)5,600+ FAMILIES10 YEARS IN SUN PRAIRIE22 ACRESWOMAN-OWNED

4.8 ★ 290+ REVIEWSBEST OF SUN PRAIRIE 2026 (GOLD)

5,600+ FAMILIES10 YEARS IN SUN PRAIRIE

Out here, we do four things

Four things, done with care.

We do four things: daycare, boarding, grooming, and enrichment. One purpose-built facility. The same familiar humans who know your dog’s quirks by their second visit.

Two dogs mid-play on the yard, golden hour

Daycare

01 / 04

The good kind of tired.

Guided play, not chaos. Your dog joins one of four play groups matched by size, energy, and personality, with group enrichment built into every day. Climate-controlled rooms open onto the yards, and you’ll get a daily report card with real photos.

From $34/day

Learn more

Boarding

02 / 04

Active days, peaceful nights.

A real suite with a Kuranda bed, glass door, and soft music, plus optional enrichment during the day, whether that’s daycare, a nature walk, or something else. Familiar people, familiar routines, real rest.

Suites from $40/day

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Close-up of groomer’s hands working on a coat

Grooming

03 / 04

Care you can see.

One-on-one grooming with three experienced groomers, in a calm room, on the dog’s timing. Bath, brush, full groom, breed-specific cuts. We don’t rush appointments. Ever.

Quoted per dog, no surprises

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Enrichment

04 / 04

Play with purpose.

Some dogs need more than play. Add a nature walk, a snuffle mat session, or focused one-on-one time to any daycare day or boarding stay. Monthly themed activities and seasonal puzzles that build confidence and exercise the mind, not just the body.

Group enrichment included with daycare

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How we run this place

The PACK Promise.

Four words we live by. Four ways every dog’s day is shaped, from the moment you pull into the parking lot to the moment they fall asleep on the couch back home. Not a tagline. How we hire, how we train, how we answer the phone.

Personalized

Every dog gets matched to what actually fits: group play, one-on-one enrichment, or their own pace. No two days are scripted the same.

Active enrichment

Body and brain. Yard time, puzzle work, training breaks, real naps. The kind of tired that means a good day.

Communication

Real photos every visit, notes when there's something to share. Text us during pickup. We answer, and we remember.

Kindness above all

We treat every dog like our own. It's what we hire for, and we never compromise.

How you’ll know

Every visit ends with a report card.

Real photos from every daycare day and boarding stay, sent shortly after it ends. On a quiet day, that might be the whole report. When something’s worth telling you, a handler adds the notes: who they played with, how they did, anything you should know.

And if a report card isn’t enough, call or text us. We’re a small team who actually knows your dog, so you’ll get a real answer, not a script.

Owner holding a phone showing a dog's daily report card from Leader of the Pack, dog in the background

The place

Built for dogs, not retrofitted for them.

Most daycares are converted warehouses or repurposed retail spaces. Ours was designed from the ground up: 22 acres of rolling prairie, minutes from Sun Prairie. Every door, every drain, every play room planned around what dogs actually need.

Dogs known by name, not lost in a crowd. If group play isn’t the right fit for yours, the plan changes, not the welcome. Most dogs sleep on the ride home, and not because they were just managing chaos all day.

Come see it for yourself

Wide shot: outdoor yard in late afternoon, a few dogs loose on the grass

Dogs playing in the indoor play room at Leader of the Pack, glass garage door open to the yard behind them

Golden retriever resting peacefully in a quiet corner

A Facility Built for Dogs

Four Play Areas, By Design

Direct Outdoor Access, Anytime

Private Trails, One-on-One Walks

Fresh Air, Every Play Area

Mary, Ray, and their daughter Emma standing in front of the Leader of the Pack building

Our story

We built this place because we needed it too.

We’re Mary and Ray Thomson. We met working patrol for the Sun Prairie Police Department, got married, had our daughter Emma, and like a lot of working families, struggled to find good care for our two dogs, Breck and Gil. They’re the two dogs nose-to-nose in our logo.

The local options took good care of our dogs but were hard to book, so we built something better: online booking from day one, daily report cards with real photos, and a team you could actually reach. No franchise, no investors, just us, and our own dogs still come here today.

Read the whole story

Familiar faces, every visit

The humans your dog will know.

Mary Thomson

Co-Founder

Started Leader of the Pack with Ray in 2016 because we needed somewhere better to take our own dogs.

Carson

Manager

Has been here since day one. Worked his way up to Manager through the kind of care for this place and the dogs that you can't teach.

Adam

Assistant Manager

Usually here when the day ends. Quiet, careful, and always looking out for the dogs.

Meet the full team

Heard from the parking lot

From the humans.

(The dogs agreed.)

4.8 on Google

Over 297 reviews from Sun Prairie families.

“Our dog loves this place. He's been going for like 3 years now. Staff are all super friendly and helpful. Clean and well run establishment. Wouldn't trust anybody else with our baby.”

Alex

“We have been taking our Australian Shepherd here for a year now and absolutely love it! He's always excited in the mornings that he gets to go 'play with his friends'! For an energetic breed like our pup, this is the perfect place and he always comes home tired from playing so hard.”

Kacy

“We are very satisfied. My dog was super happy. You inspire confidence and a good environment to take our little piece of our soul. Thank you so much for your great work.”

Natasha

“After trying 2 other doggy daycares I felt like this was the best fit for my puppy. She's 1 year old & extremely energetic & loves to go here. Every time we go she is pulling to get in & can't contain herself dying to see her buddies & the people working there. I think the staff is wonderful & always get the impression they're glad to see her too. I couldn't do without them!”

Jodie

Nominated and voted for by Sun Prairie and Madison families.

No closed-door panel. Local families nominate and vote for their favorites every year. We're honored to have won gold for Best of Sun Prairie in 2026, a step up from silver the year before, and silver for Best of Madison in 2026.

Best of Madison

2026 Winner

Silver

Best of Sun Prairie

2026 Winner

Gold

Best of Sun Prairie

2025 Runner-Up

Silver

Answers before you ask

Common Questions.

Can I take a tour?

Yes, just give us a call to schedule one. Walk-in tours are disruptive to the dogs in our care, so we don't accommodate them. We also ask that you leave your dog at home for the tour. Once they're enrolled, they'll get plenty of time here.

What does my dog need to attend?

Up-to-date DHPP, Rabies, and Bordetella vaccinations. A negative fecal test within the past six months, then yearly. Spayed or neutered after six months of age, unless your vet recommends waiting longer. We'll also do a temperament evaluation on the first visit.

Do you take all dogs?

We don't have breed restrictions. We do a temperament evaluation for every new dog to make sure group play is the right fit.

What if it's my dog's first time?

There's no separate trial day or evaluation fee, for daycare, boarding, or grooming. Your dog's first visit can be whichever service you actually need. For group daycare, the evaluation happens as part of that first day. If group play isn't the right fit, we'll let you know and talk through it together, solo daycare with enrichment, boarding, or grooming on its own. There's always a plan for your dog.

How will I know how my dog's day went?

Daily report cards with real photos for every daycare visit. For boarding, every stay includes a report card at checkout too, and someone's available at pickup to answer any questions. Additional report cards during the stay are available for an added fee. Either way, we're reachable by phone, text, or email.

How do I book?

Online through our booking system, anytime. Or call us at (608) 571-7225. Usually a real person picks up.

See all FAQs

Follow along

Life at the Pack.

Real days, real dogs.

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Out in the community

We feed and board local police K9 units at no cost, and we run donation drives every year for local shelters.

Local police K9 unit partner at Leader of the Pack Doggie Daycare

Come say hi

We’d love to meet your dog.

Want to see the place first? Call us and we’ll set up a tour. Your dog’s first visit, daycare, boarding, or grooming, is at the regular rate. No evaluation fee, no pressure, no hard sell.

Find us

5843 South Bird Street

Sun Prairie, WI 53590

Call or text

(608) 571-7225

Real people answer

We’re open

Mon – Fri6:30am – 6:00pm

Saturday7:00am – 6:00pm

SundayPickup only, 6–7pm

Leader of the Pack Doggie Daycare facility in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, golden hour

Ready when you are.

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The kind of place your dog actually wants to be.

Four things, done with care.

Daycare

Boarding

Grooming

Enrichment

The PACK Promise.

Personalized

Active enrichment

Communication

Kindness above all

Every visit ends with a report card.

Built for dogs, not retrofitted for them.

We built this place because we needed it too.

The humans your dog will know.

Mary Thomson

Carson

Adam

From the humans.

Nominated and voted for by Sun Prairie and Madison families.

Common Questions.

Can I take a tour?

What does my dog need to attend?

Do you take all dogs?

What if it's my dog's first time?

How will I know how my dog's day went?

How do I book?

Life at the Pack.

We feed and board local police K9 units at no cost, and we run donation drives every year for local shelters.

We’d love to meet your dog.

What would you like to do?

Log In & Book

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