10/05/2026
Why do we not offer day care and large group play?
We have received multiple inquires on why we don’t offer the above services or if we ever will offer them and figured it was time for a public statement.
While doggie day care and group play seems like a “fun” option for dogs and makes many unknowing owners think their dog(s) deserve or want those type of interactions the risk far outweigh the rewards.
As true professionals in the industry your dog’s safety, mental health and physical health is our job to maintain while in our care. While from the outside a seemingly “good option” for the busy pet parents, we do not jump on uneducated trends, fads and money grabs. As those are not a part of our business model or mission in providing service to our community.
We fall under the list of professionals who actually advise against it. Only a small percentage of dogs truly thrive in such environments to the trained eye.
“Tired dog is a good dog”: Chaotic, free-for-all environments easily overstimulate dogs and can remove their ability to settle. Being in a continuous state of over arousal can lead to a manifestation of behaviors like pacing, whining and hyperactivity back home. High stress fueled by unregulated adrenaline spikes. Exercise and mental enrichment is easily provided in safer ways.
Rest: Dogs are not built to run and play for hours at a time. Depriving dogs of critical down time can have huge behavioral/mental fall out. Increased anxiety being the number one. Systematic rotations and routine that cover play, exercise and rest are the most valuable to your dog.
Reactivity: Dogs being conditioned to interact and play with every dog they see in free-for-all environments can develop huge frustrations under restraint in other settings. Long hours of unrestricted chaos does not typically transfer to well mannered later around dogs they aren’t meant to interact with. Lunging, barking and reactivity become the results. Requiring a level of calm, basic manners and not encouraging bad behavior is a priority to us to keep stress levels down.
Encourage Poor Behaviors: Managing large groups of dogs is a true skill. With the ever changing pack dynamic presented with day care settings true professionals know the risk of adding constant streams of changing dogs. There is a big difference between integrating singular dogs into balanced established packs and introducing dogs at random into a pack type setting. Random packs of dogs outside of the obvious- members not getting along creating potential for fights and severe injury; excessive barking, resource guarding, hu***ng, nipping and many variations of inappropriate boundary crosses of bullying are extremely likely to happen. What may appear to the outside like play may actually be harassment. Satisfying a false social media narrative is against our integrity and we always choose to not put dogs in preventable situations.
Fear and Aggression: “Mobbing” and “bullying” happens often and quickly. Leading to trauma of the timid, shy, fearful or emotionally immature dogs. Creating reactivity or fear aggression is the opposite of what any pet parent should want and what no true professional should allow. Worse outcomes also happen when dogs have to advocate for themselves or overstimulation turns to combat. We will always advocate for dogs and their safety.
Profit over Safety: Daycare styled businesses often take high quantities at lower rates. Overcrowding of dogs with inadequate, undertrained and understaffed settings will lead to unfavorable conditions for your dog. We take low manageable numbers to limit stress, make sure your dogs have adequate care and never have to need unqualified man power to operate.
Unregulated Industry: Many jurisdictions do not require any formal licensing or certifications to open and operate these facilities. Loving dogs is not enough to provide appropriate and educated care. Please verify the credibility and credentials behind those you choose to leave your dogs with. We have built our entire life around all aspects of dogs. Breeding, training, boarding, veterinarian care, etc. We have the resume, degrees, certificates, licensing, experience, credentials and continued education to back it up.
Health Risk: Just like schools and child daycare- group settings will always be hotbeds of illness and disease. Communal water and nose to nose contact just increase transmission. Kennel cough, canine influenza, URI’s and parasites are always a risk but limiting the exposure as much as possible is a must. Facility settings that are designed to be able to be as sanitized, limit nose to nose contact, disease cross over and offer ability to quarantine if needed should be imperative. Unwavering procedure of cleaning, sanitation, upgraded facility needs and management we pride ourselves on.
We want your dogs to have the most enjoyable and stress free stay with us as they can. Enrichment and exercise is a must but will always be done appropriately. Our promise is to always attempt to provide the safest and most educated services to you. Things happen, that is life with dogs but implementing as many protocols as possible decrease the risk and is professional.
Dogs that have been trained by us do get opportunities to interact socially with their kind in safe a manner with our personal dogs or correct matches that have also been trained by us. And same household boarders of course get to enjoy eachother’s company.
Thank you to all our wonderful clients that in trust us with your beloved pets. We will never choose emotionally fueled marketing over your pets safety!
