21/06/2025
As dog trainers, one thing we get asked about a lot is whether or not daycare is good for your dog. The truth is, there is no blanket right or wrong answer; it all depends on the facility itself, how proactive you are as an owner prior to them going, and the individual personalities of your dog.
First, do your homework about the facility. As a trainer, there are three major things I would take into consideration if I was considering a daycare facility.
1. How big are the play groups and how many handlers are there at a time? If you want to ensure that large groups of dogs are okay with one another, there has to be adequate supervision. If the dog to handler ratio is too high, there is a higher likelihood that some sort of altercation will happen and not be able to be broken up immediately.
2. Do the handlers in the play yards have dog handling experience? A common misconception is that people who work at daycare's have a lot of dog handling experience, but this is not always the case. Often, these jobs are entry level positions for people looking to break into the animal realm. While this is not a bad thing, without proper education and training, it can be dangerous for the dogs there, especially with large playgroups. When in doubt, I would ask to watch the play yard in action for yourself so you can see how the dogs interact and are handled. If they say no, I promise, there's a reason.
3. What are the behavioral intake requirements? I'm not going to sit and list everything they "should" look for, but if they don't have any and don't have an evaluation day or trial period, there are probably unsafe dogs in the play yard.
Second, as a proactive dog owner you need to take the time to socialize your dog in a positive manner. Not all interactions with other dogs are good ones, and as the owner, you should always be in control of the situation when socializing a new dog with yours. This means you need to work with your dog and teach them how to play properly and respond to another dog's boundaries, maintain your dogs boundaries, and how to disengage them to take a break when needed. Understanding your dog's play style and what they will/will not tolerate is important as well.
Additionally, understanding and excepting that not all dogs are going to get along is important, because we should never force our dogs into a situation they aren't comfortable in. This is how we are going to create more behavioral issues later, such as fear reactivity, and why it is so vital that we are paying attention to our dogs body language.
Third, I will use Koda, Bruce, and Hershey (pictured left to right) and break down why they would or wouldn't be good candidates, based on their personality and temperament so you know what I take into consideration. Please keep in mind, your dog not being a good candidate for daycare DOES NOT MEAN there is something wrong with your dog, it just means that daycare might end up doing more harm than good.
Koda: Good candidate. Koda has always been super sociable with everyone, and is independent enough that he is confident in any new environment, the walk in and own it type. I've never met a dog he wasn't good with, as he never over corrects and is very respectful of boundaries. He also has a very high tolerance for younger dogs and is a great teacher.
Bruce: Not a good candidate. Bruce isn't a super active boy, and when he's done he's done, so daycare would be too much for him. He is a scaredy cat, and daycare is a very overstimulating environment. Also, he doesn't respect boundaries as well and is big and very strong which often intimidates other dogs making them react towards him, so he needs supervision when around a lot of new dogs.
Hershey: Not a good candidate. Hershey is good with other dogs and has been socialized since he was young, however, he has pretty strict boundaries and low tolerance due to a couple unavoidable instances that made him a little fearful. He always uses proper escalation, but he is vocal about it and very strict, which isn't always perceived well by other dogs. He is also a very owner oriented type dog, and he really only tolerates other dogs because he has to, unless he is with them for a long period and is bonded.
As you can see, even with all the training, socialization, and exposure they have had, that's still 2/3 of them that I wouldn't recommend for daycare. They are amazing dogs, just not daycare dogs, and that's just fine with me.
If you are someone who is considering taking your dog to daycare, or you already are and have noticed behavioral issues developing in your dog, please take what I said above into consideration.
