Meet The Five Happy Tails Pack

We’re Taya and Matt! The husband-and-wife team behind Five Happy Tails. We have intentionally built our daily life around owning dogs and caring for dogs.

Dogs have always been a huge part of our lives. We grew up with dogs and caring for them has always come naturally to us. Dogs aren’t just part of our schedule, they're a true passion of ours and at the center of how we live every day. What began with raising and loving our own five dogs naturally grew into welcoming other dogs into our home when families needed a safe place for theirs to stay. Over time, this has become something we truly care about and genuinely love doing!

We love getting to know each dog and their personality, what they enjoy, and helping them feel comfortable in a new environment. Most dogs settle into things pretty quickly around here. There’s something incredibly special about watching a hesitant dog settle in, seeing friendships form, and knowing their owners can relax because their dog is cared for and understood. Providing that peace of mind is something we never take lightly.

Our home operates as a structured group setting, intentionally designed for safe and balanced pack living. With experience managing multiple dogs of varying personalities, sizes, and energy levels, we focus on thoughtful introductions, consistent supervision, and maintaining healthy group dynamics throughout the day. We remain attentive to behavior shifts, energy changes, and individual needs to ensure the environment stays stable and positive.

We believe dogs thrive with consistency, routine, and affection. By doing this, we create an environment that feels steady, welcoming, and dependable - even within a dynamic group setting.

At the heart of everything we do is simple, to provide a home where dogs feel secure and owners feel complete confidence while they’re away.

And of course, none of this would be possible without the pack that started it all, our own dogs, who help set the tone and are part of everyday life in our home.

Meet The Pack

Zuek (Australian Cattle Dog Mix)

Zuek is the oldest of our pack and naturally steps into the role of leader. As a loyal Australian Cattle Dog, he is deeply devoted to his people and thrives when he’s close to us.

He is the calmest member of our group and carries himself with quiet confidence. While he enjoys being part of the pack, Zuek is especially human-focused and happiest when he’s near us - whether that’s following us from room to room or locking in for a game of fetch (his favorite pastime).

Zuek does especially well with lower-energy dogs and helps create a steady presence within our structured group setting. He values consistency and clear boundaries, which supports the balanced environment we maintain in our home.

Above all, Zuek is loyal, affectionate, and simply wants to be near his people.

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Leo (English Shepherd Mix)

Leo is our second oldest and naturally steps into a co-leader role within the pack. Often mistaken for a Border Collie, he brings both structure and personality to our home.

Leo forms strong bonds with his people and is incredibly affectionate once he feels comfortable. When meeting someone new, he can be vocal and may create distance at first, preferring to warm up on his own terms. We handle introductions thoughtfully and in a structured way to ensure everyone feels safe and settled.

Within our group setting, Leo connects especially well with calm, respectful dogs. While he isn’t a fan of overly intense, face-forward play, he happily joins in when interactions are balanced and polite. His preference for appropriate play styles helps reinforce the steady tone we maintain in our home.

He is highly treat-motivated and eager to engage, and when he’s especially excited (like when we return home) he does his signature “goofy talk,” a dramatic little celebration that always makes us laugh. Once he settles in, he’s the ultimate cuddler and happiest when he can be close to us (ideally near a fan - he tends to overheat quickly).

Loyal, expressive, and deeply bonded to his family, Leo adds both heart and structure to our pack.

Shadow (German Shepherd)

Shadow is the only girl in our pack and proudly holds her own among her brothers. As a German Shepherd, she brings confidence, enthusiasm, and a wonderfully silly personality to our home.

She is very people-focused and thrives on connection and interaction. While she enjoys being part of the group, she does take time to adjust to new dogs. Because of this, we handle introductions thoughtfully and allow space for her to become comfortable at her own pace.

Shadow has a playful, high-energy style and can be bold in her approach, so we are intentional about supervising and guiding interactions to keep play balanced and respectful. She plays especially well with her older brothers, Zuek and Leo, who understand her personality and help keep things structured.

She has a competitive streak when it comes to doors, if we start heading toward one, she’s determined to beat us to the door. And when it comes to fetch, she prefers her own version: chasing the other dogs while proudly carrying a toy in her mouth.

Confident, expressive, and full of personality, Shadow brings energy to our pack.

Jax (Australian Shepherd Mix)

Jax is the fourth oldest and the undeniable energy source of our pack. As an Australian Shepherd, he brings drive, enthusiasm, and intensity to everything he does - especially fetch. If there’s a ball involved, Jax is fully committed and gives it his absolute all every single time.

He loves getting the yard moving and often sparks lively games of chase with the other dogs. His play style is energetic and vocal, he can sound intense when he growls, but it’s simply his expressive way of playing. We remain actively engaged during group play to ensure interactions stay safe and balanced.

When we take a little too long to throw the ball again, Jax isn’t shy about letting us know, he’ll “talk back” with dramatic Aussie commentary until the game resumes. After finally burning off some energy, he cools down in his favorite way: enthusiastically jumping into the kiddie pool before gearing up to go again.

Jax is deeply bonded to his family and naturally cautious with unfamiliar people. We secure our dogs during drop-offs and carefully manage guest interactions to ensure everyone remains safe and comfortable.

With clear expectations and consistent leadership, Jax thrives in our structured environment and brings movement, excitement, and personality to the pack.

Kai (German Shepherd)

Kai is the youngest of our pack and very much the silly little brother. As a German Shepherd, he brings playful energy, personality, and a whole lot of heart to our home.

He especially loves high-energy dogs and thrives in active play sessions filled with wrestling and running. While he can appear a bit intense during initial interactions, he settles quickly once play begins and does very well with dogs who enjoy an energetic, respectful style.

Kai can be slightly cautious around new people at first, but he warms up quickly and becomes incredibly affectionate once comfortable. In fact, he’s known for stretching his entire body across you in dramatic fashion just to make sure he gets enough attention.

Unlike the rest of the pack, fetch isn’t his favorite game. He would much rather run, tumble, and wrestle with a playful companion. And when he’s especially happy, you’ll often find him rolling around on his back in the yard without a care in the world.

Sweet, expressive, and full of personality, Kai brings lighthearted energy and affection to our group.

Rari (Domestic Longhair)

Rari is our confident and ever-watchful supervisor. As a Domestic Longhair, she brings softness, independence, and quiet authority to our home.

She is extremely dog-savvy and completely comfortable living alongside an active pack. Very tolerant by nature, Rari coexists peacefully with the dogs and often chooses to nap on the bed right beside them. However, if a dog forgets their manners, she isn’t afraid to deliver a quick, appropriate reminder to respect her space.

Rari carries herself with calm confidence and rarely feels rattled by the activity around her. Despite being the “boss”, she is incredibly cuddly and truly the best kitty in the house.

She may be small compared to the rest of the crew, but there’s no question who supervises the chaos.