Barks and Recreation

Barks and Recreation Melbourne’s ONLY Fear Free Certified Dog Daycare. Best Dog Daycare in Merri-bek 2024, 2025, 2026
Compassionate, safe, structured care for every dog.

Tours welcome!

Please welcome Max, joining us today for his first ever daycare visit! 🐶🐾Max arrived feeling a little unsure, taking som...
12/06/2026

Please welcome Max, joining us today for his first ever daycare visit! 🐶🐾
Max arrived feeling a little unsure, taking some time to settle in and get comfortable with his new surroundings. Once he relaxed, his personality started to shine, and he soon made some lovely new friends, including Bean the Dachshund and Bran the Cattle Dog x. 🥰
Max joined in with our group activities, enjoying some treat toys and rip rips before heading outside, where he really came out of his shell! He had a great time playing fetch and showing off some impressive zoomies around the yard with some play in between. 🎾💨
By quiet time Max was ready for a rest, happily curling up on Shae’s lap for a cuddle and some well-deserved downtime. 😴
We loved watching Max’s confidence grow throughout the day and can’t wait to have him back again soon! ❤️

Welcome to Barks & Rec, Goldie Hawn! 🐾🎉 Like most puppies, Goldie arrived full of wiggles, curiosity, and excitement for...
10/06/2026

Welcome to Barks & Rec, Goldie Hawn! 🐾🎉 Like most puppies, Goldie arrived full of wiggles, curiosity, and excitement for her very first daycare adventure! She took her time getting to know the team as we rotated through groups, building trust and making friends with each of our staff members. 💕 She showed a particular interest in our greyhound crew, stopping by to check out Milly and even enjoying a play session with Jax! 🐕✨ Treat toys were an instant hit, and she had a blast zooming through the caterpillar tunnel. Outside, she explored every corner with her nose, enjoying lots of sniffs around the sandpit and pirate ship. 🏴‍☠️🐾When it came time to rest, she was an absolute superstar. 😴 She settled straight into her chosen “sleep spot” for a big snooze and recharge. We’re so proud of how she handled all the new sights and sounds on her first day and are excited to see what you get up to next time 💕

A warm welcome to Bran, who joined us for his very first day at Barks and Rec! 🐾 Like many dogs visiting for the first t...
09/06/2026

A warm welcome to Bran, who joined us for his very first day at Barks and Rec! 🐾 Like many dogs visiting for the first time, Bran took a little while to take everything in, but before long he was feeling right at home. He spent the day enjoying the company of our humans, happily accepting plenty of affection and a few tasty treats along the way 🍪. Bran preferred a slower pace, settling in beautifully with our calmer group. He enjoyed wandering around the yards, taking in all the interesting sights and smells, especially around the garden areas, and found plenty of sunny spots to relax and watch the world go by. After a peaceful rest during quiet time, Bran showed off his playful side with a fun chase game alongside Mabel 🥰. It was lovely to see his confidence grow as the day went on. We loved getting to know this sweet boy and look forward to seeing more of his personality shine on his future visits 💕

🐾 Welcome to Barks & Recreation, Keira! 🐾Today was sweet little Keira’s very first day with us! 💕At just 6 months old, t...
09/06/2026

🐾 Welcome to Barks & Recreation, Keira! 🐾
Today was sweet little Keira’s very first day with us! 💕At just 6 months old, this adorable Jack Russell Terrier arrived feeling inquisitive but a little tentative as she explored her new surroundings. With plenty of pats, cuddles, and reassurance from our team, it didn’t take long for her personality to start shining through. 🥰 As the morning went on, Keira soaked up attention from staff, while using the big beds to both relax, and keep an eye on all the fun daycare action around her. 👀🛏️
Outside was where the fun really began! 🎾 She loved chasing the ball, showing off her zoomies, exploring the yard, and investigating every corner of the garden. 🌿💨 After a successful half-day adventure, Keira headed home for a well-earned rest. We can’t wait to see her again soon and watch her confidence continue to grow! ❤️

Today was Reginald’s first day with us, and this confident little British Bulldog settled in like he’d been here forever...
09/06/2026

Today was Reginald’s first day with us, and this confident little British Bulldog settled in like he’d been here forever! 🎉 🐾 Happy, forward, and ready for fun, Reginald quickly found his place amongst our excitable puppies who love a good wrestle and rough-and-tumble play session. He spent the morning boofing around with fellow puppy Pemberley, making fast friends and showing off his playful personality. 💙 With his confidence shining through, Reginald soon graduated to our high-energy pen, where he fit right in with the action-packed crew. Outside, he had a blast splashing in the pool, joining in games of chasey, and exploring the sandpit. 🌊🏃‍♂️🏖️ During quiet time, Reginald and Luka couldn’t resist squeezing in plenty more wrestling between short rests on the bed, proving that even downtime is more fun with friends! 🐶💤 We’re so excited to have you as part of the Barks and Recreation family, Reginald, and we can’t wait to see what adventures he has next visit! 🐾❤️

A big welcome to gorgeous Millie, who spent her very first day with us today! 🥰 While she took a little time to take eve...
05/06/2026

A big welcome to gorgeous Millie, who spent her very first day with us today! 🥰 While she took a little time to take everything in this morning, Millie soon discovered there was plenty of fun to be had here. Once she found her feet, she happily bounced between exploring, playing, and soaking up attention from our team. One of Millie’s highlights was making a new friend in Nala. The two quickly hit it off and spent the day racing around together, with Millie revealing just how fast those whippet legs can move! 💨 When she wasn’t busy zooming around, Millie enjoyed investigating every corner of the yard, tackling the treat puzzles and collecting cuddles whenever she could. After a big morning, Millie was more than ready to stretch out on a comfy bed and catch up on some well-deserved rest over quiet time 😴 From shy newcomer to zoomie champion, Millie had a fantastic first day, and we can’t wait to see her again soon! 💕

🐾❤️🐾

Luka’s first daycare day was all about finding her feet, making friends, and discovering just how much fun daycare can b...
02/06/2026

Luka’s first daycare day was all about finding her feet, making friends, and discovering just how much fun daycare can be! 🥰 She arrived a little unsure of the new environment, but after some introductions and a good sniff around, her confidence started to build. Luka spent much of her morning investigating all the different toys and activities on offer. She particularly enjoyed the chew toys and ball, often watching the other dogs play and tentatively trying to join in. As the day went on, Luka formed some lovely friendships with Turtle, Ahsoka and Crumble. There were plenty of happy zoomies and wagging tails as her new playmates helped her show off more of her playful personality ❤️ The afternoon saw Luka having a blast racing around with Turtle, chasing after a rope toy, sniffing through the garden, searching for treats, and digging around in the sandpit 🪏 When it was time for a break, Luka curled up beside the staff for a auick power nap before deciding there was simply too much fun still happening and heading back off to see what everyone else was up to. For a dog who started the day feeling a little shy, Luka made wonderful progress and left us with a much bigger smile and a lot more confidence than when she arrived. Well done little Luka! 👏🏼✨

Benji had a lovely first day with us! 💛 He arrived happy and confident, spending his morning exploring the daycare space...
02/06/2026

Benji had a lovely first day with us! 💛 He arrived happy and confident, spending his morning exploring the daycare space and taking in all the exciting new sights and smells. Benji was quite content wandering around at his own pace, investigating the different enrichment areas, enjoying the sandpits, and having a great time helping us with some cardboard shredding. Benji was a friendly and easy-going boy with the other dogs, enjoying some lovely interactions and a few playful moments with Gigi and Roco throughout the day. Outside, the adventures continued with even more sniffing, exploring, and sandpit investigations. After a busy morning, Benji decided it was time for a well-earned break and happily tucked himself up on one of the outdoor beds for a little rest before heading back out to see what else was happening. Overall, Benji settled in beautifully and was an absolute pleasure to have with us. We loved watching his curious personality shine through and can’t wait to see what adventures he gets up to on his next daycare day! 🐾✨

🐾 Welcome to Barks and Recreation, Frankie! 🐾Today was Frankie’s first day of doggy daycare, and this lovely Mastiff cro...
01/06/2026

🐾 Welcome to Barks and Recreation, Frankie! 🐾
Today was Frankie’s first day of doggy daycare, and this lovely Mastiff cross took everything at her own pace. 💕 She arrived feeling a little tentative but very inquisitive, so we started with some one-on-one introductions to help her settle in, and it didn’t take long for her sweet personality to shine through!
Frankie quickly discovered some of her favourite things: treats, pats, exploring her surroundings, and meeting new friends. She was also very interested in the balls and tug toys, and loved running up to our staff for plenty of cuddles and kisses.
Once outside, Frankie really came out of her shell, as she zoomed around the yard, sampled some pet grass, and was very eager to get involved in a bit of playful wrestling. 🐶❤️
We loved getting to know you today, and can’t wait to watch you make more friends during your daycare adventures! 🌟

Address

4 McDonald Street
Coburg North, VIC
3058

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 6:30pm
Thursday 7am - 6:30pm
Friday 7am - 6:30pm

Telephone

+61390990716

Website

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