How to Choose a Dog Daycare: A 10-Point Checklist

A kennel-free facility means dogs are never placed in cages or crates during the day. They move freely through open play areas, rest when they choose, and interact with the pack under staff supervision. This is the baseline standard for any facility marketing itself as a true dog daycare.

Crating is appropriate for overnight boarding — it is not appropriate for group daytime care. Dogs that spend their day confined in small cages are not receiving daycare; they are receiving supervised storage. Research on canine stress responses consistently shows that open-play environments produce lower cortisol levels and better social behaviour outcomes than kennel environments.

Ask directly: “Are dogs ever placed in kennels or crates during the day?” A facility that hedges this answer — “only when necessary,” “only for timeouts” — is not kennel-free. Walk away.

The staff-to-dog ratio determines how much supervision each dog receives and how quickly staff can intervene when behaviour escalates. The industry standard is one staff member for every 15 dogs. Accredited facilities typically target 1:10 to 1:12 during active play sessions. Ratios above 1:20 are a safety risk.

This number is easy to misrepresent. A facility might advertise “small groups” while running 30 dogs with two staff. Ask for the specific ratio at peak capacity — not the average — and ask whether the count includes staff who are doing laundry, answering phones, or working in other areas of the facility.

In my 16 years at PAWS, the ratio has always been central to how we operate. High staff ratios are expensive, which is one reason why facilities that compete primarily on price often cut here first. If the daily rate seems unusually low, ratio and supervision quality are usually where the savings come from.

Every dog in a group facility should have current, documented vaccinations. In Alberta, Rabies vaccination is mandatory by regulation. Reputable daycares also require Distemper/Parvovirus (DHPP) and Bordetella (kennel cough) at a minimum. Some require Leptospirosis as well, particularly in facilities near water or wildlife habitat.

The keyword is enforced. Ask whether the facility actually verifies vaccination records or simply asks owners to self-declare. Any facility that accepts dogs without documented proof from a licensed veterinarian is putting your dog at risk. Kennel cough spreads rapidly in group settings; a single unvaccinated dog can infect an entire pack.

Puppies must be at least 12 weeks old with initial vaccinations complete. If a facility accepts puppies younger than 12 weeks, that is a red flag — not a selling point.

Many dog owners assume their dog is getting exercise all day because they are “playing” at daycare. This is not always true. A large room full of dogs does not automatically produce healthy physical activity — it often produces overstimulation, poor social habits, and exhaustion from anxiety rather than exercise.

Structured exercise — particularly supervised pack walks — is fundamentally different from free play. A pack walk requires dogs to follow direction, maintain a walking pace, and focus on the handler rather than reacting to every stimulus. This builds calm, focused behaviour that free play does not. At PAWS, every full daycare day includes 45–60 minutes of supervised pack walking at no extra charge. Most Calgary daycares do not offer this as a standard feature.

Ask specifically: “What structured exercise does my dog receive each day, and is it included in the rate?” If the answer involves add-on pricing for walks, or if the only exercise is unsupervised free play, manage your expectations about what your dog is actually getting.

A reputable daycare offers a free or heavily discounted first day because they are confident in what they provide and because they genuinely want to assess whether your dog is a good fit for their pack. A trial day protects your dog, the other dogs in the facility, and you.

A trial day is also the most reliable evaluation tool available to you as an owner. Watch how your dog behaves when they come home after the first day. A dog that returns calm, slightly tired, and in good spirits has had a positive experience. A dog that returns hyper, over-aroused, or anxious has experienced something very different from what the marketing suggests.

Be cautious of facilities that require you to purchase a multi-visit package before you can book the first day. That is a financial pressure tactic, not a confidence signal.

Accidents happen in group environments. A dog can be injured during play, ingest something harmful, or experience a sudden health event. The question is not whether an emergency can happen — it is whether staff are prepared to respond correctly when it does.

Pet First Aid certification covers wound management, choking response, CPR for dogs, heat stroke recognition, and emergency transport protocols. Ask how many staff on site at any given time hold current certification — not just whether the facility has “some trained staff.” At minimum, there should always be at least one certified staff member on the floor during operating hours.

Also confirm the facility has a documented relationship with a local veterinary clinic and a clear protocol for what happens if your dog needs emergency care while you are unavailable. This should be part of the intake paperwork, not an afterthought.

A temperament assessment — sometimes called an evaluation day or meet-and-greet — is how a professional daycare determines whether your dog is appropriate for group play and what group they should be placed in. It is not optional; it is essential.

Without an assessment, a daycare is accepting dogs blind. A dog that is reactive toward certain breeds, has resource-guarding tendencies, or becomes overwhelmed in high-stimulation environments can cause serious harm to other dogs — and sustain serious harm themselves — if placed in the wrong group from day one.

The assessment is also your chance to observe how staff interact with your dog. Do they read canine body language accurately? Do they move calmly and confidently? Are they watching the dogs or their phones? These observations tell you more about daily operations than any marketing material ever will.

A 10-kilogram Border Collie and a 45-kilogram Mastiff should not be playing in the same unsupervised group. Size separation is a basic safety measure in any professional group daycare setting. Energy level matters equally: a high-drive working breed will overwhelm and stress a calm, low-energy senior dog if they are grouped together.

Ask whether the facility separates dogs by size, and if so, how. Some facilities separate small and large dogs completely; others use size and energy as a combined metric and form groups accordingly. Neither approach is wrong — what is wrong is no separation at all.

Proper grouping also reduces liability for the facility. An injury caused by a size mismatch is largely preventable. If a facility cannot clearly explain how they manage grouping, that is a competence gap worth noting.

Cleanliness is both a health issue and a signal of operational standards. A facility that tolerates dirty floors, standing urine, or inadequate ventilation is unlikely to be rigorous about the invisible hygiene practices — disinfection schedules, water bowl cleaning, bedding rotation — that matter even more.

When you visit, pay attention to smell. A well-managed daycare should smell clean or faintly of disinfectant — not of accumulated waste. Look at water bowls: are they individual or communal? When were they last cleaned? Communal water bowls are a common vector for kennel cough and other illnesses in group facilities.

Also assess the outdoor areas if the facility uses them. Adequate drainage, regular waste removal, and secure fencing are all indicators of a professionally managed operation. In Calgary, where winter temperatures routinely drop below −20°C, ask how the facility handles outdoor access during cold weather — the answers a lot about how seriously they take the dogs’ comfort and safety.

A facility that is confident in how it operates is also a facility that does not mind you seeing what is happening inside it. Live webcam access, daily report cards, and proactive communication when something goes wrong are all markers of an operation that prioritizes transparency over image management.

Some facilities provide webcam access during drop-off hours. Others send end-of-day summaries noting what each dog ate, how they played, and any notable behaviour. These are meaningful differentiators — not because you need to watch your dog all day, but because the willingness to offer this access reflects the facility’s confidence in what they are doing.

Also ask: “If my dog is injured or becomes ill during the day, how will you contact me and what steps will you take?” A professional facility will have a clear, documented protocol. Vague answers like “we’ll call you” are insufficient. At minimum, ask for the name of their veterinary partner and confirm they have written authorization protocols in place for emergency care.