What vaccinations are required for dog daycare in Calgary?

At PAWS Dog Daycare, all dogs must be current on three core vaccinations before attending: Rabies (required by Alberta law), DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus — often called the distemper combo), and Bordetella (kennel cough). Bordetella should be administered at least two weeks before the first day so immunity is established. Proof of vaccination from your veterinarian is required at registration. Dogs over one year old must also be spayed or neutered.

What basic commands should my dog know before starting daycare?

Your dog does not need to be fully trained before starting daycare, but three commands make the first day significantly smoother: 'sit' (helps staff manage your dog during check-in), 'come' (critical for safe recall during group play), and 'leave it' (prevents resource guarding with toys or food). If your dog reliably responds to these three commands, even in moderately distracting environments, they are well-positioned for a successful first day.

What should I pack for dog daycare?

Bring your dog's leash, harness or collar with an ID tag, and proof of vaccinations on the first visit. If your dog takes medication, include clearly labelled doses in a sealed bag with dosing instructions. A small comfort item such as a worn T-shirt with your scent can help anxious dogs settle. Leave retractable leashes, raw food, rawhide chews, squeaky toys, and any high-value items at home — these can trigger resource guarding in group settings.

What happens on a dog's first day of daycare?

At PAWS, the first day follows a structured intake process. Staff greet you and your dog at the door, complete any remaining registration paperwork, and conduct a brief temperament assessment — watching how your dog responds to new people, sounds, and the energy of other dogs nearby. Your dog is then introduced to a small, calm playgroup matched to their size and temperament rather than the full pack. They join the daily pack walk (45–60 minutes through Calgary's parks and pathways), participate in supervised open play, and settle into the routine of the day. At pickup, you'll receive a verbal or written summary of how your dog did.

How to Prepare Your Dog for Daycare: A Complete Guide

A week-by-week preparation plan covering vaccinations, basic commands, socialization practice, and first-day drop-off tips — written from 16+ years of Calgary dog daycare experience.

Quick Answer

Preparing your dog for their first day of daycare comes down to four steps: confirm vaccinations are current (Rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella — at least two weeks before day one), practise three basic commands (sit, come, leave it), build comfort around other dogs and strangers through short socialization outings, and introduce the daycare gradually — starting with a tour visit, then a relaxed drop-off morning. Most dogs settle in within two to three visits. The preparation you do in the four weeks before the first day is the single biggest factor in how smoothly that morning goes.

Over the past 16+ years, we've welcomed thousands of dogs for their first day at PAWS. The dogs that transition most smoothly are not always the most social or the most trained — they're the ones whose owners took a few targeted steps in the weeks leading up to day one.

This guide gives you the exact preparation plan we recommend to every new PAWS family in Calgary. Whether your dog is a confident golden retriever or an anxious rescue still figuring out the world, the steps below apply.

Requirements

Vaccination Checklist

Every responsible dog daycare in Calgary requires proof of vaccination before a dog's first visit. These requirements protect all dogs in the facility — not just yours. Below is the complete vaccination checklist for PAWS Dog Daycare, along with notes on timing and frequency.

Vaccine	Status at PAWS	What It Covers	Timing Before First Day	Frequency
Rabies	Required	Rabies virus — required by Alberta law for all dogs	Current at time of registration	Every 1–3 years (per vet schedule)
DHPP (Distemper combo)	Required	Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus	Current at time of registration	Annual booster
Bordetella (Kennel cough)	Required	Bordetella bronchiseptica — primary cause of kennel cough in group settings	At least 2 weeks before first day — immunity needs time to develop	Every 6–12 months
Canine Influenza (H3N2 / H3N8)	Recommended	Canine influenza virus strains — spread easily in group environments	Allow 2+ weeks for full immunity after booster series	Annual
Leptospirosis	Recommended	Bacterial infection spread via wildlife urine — relevant for dogs on outdoor walks	Current at time of registration	Annual

Puppies: Welcome at PAWS once they have at least two sets of vaccinations (typically around 12 weeks of age). A letter from your veterinarian confirming daycare readiness is accepted in lieu of a full vaccination record. Puppies must be dewormed and flea-free. See our puppy daycare program for details on how we introduce young dogs.

Dogs over 1 year old: Must be spayed or neutered before attending group daycare at PAWS.

Preparation Timeline

Week-by-Week Preparation Plan

Start four weeks before your dog's first day. Each week has a specific focus that builds on the last — rushing this process is the most common reason first days go poorly. Four weeks sounds like a long time, but some of these steps (especially vaccinations and waitlist registration) have hard lead times you cannot shortcut.

4 Weeks Before Schedule Your Vet Visit & Update Vaccinations

Book a wellness exam with your vet and confirm your dog is current on Rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella. If Bordetella is due or overdue, your vet will administer it now — giving immunity a full two weeks to establish before your dog enters a group environment. Ask your vet about Canine Influenza and Leptospirosis if your dog frequents dog parks or goes on outdoor walks (both are relevant for dogs attending Calgary daycares that include pack walks).

Also confirm your dog's parasite prevention is current. Fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites spread quickly in group settings regardless of how clean a facility is.

This is also the week to register with PAWS online. We accept one new dog per day, and our intake waitlist typically runs 1–2 weeks. Registering now means your first day can be scheduled around the time your vaccinations take full effect.

2 Weeks Before Practise Basic Commands & Short Socialization Outings

Your dog does not need to be a trained competition dog before their first daycare visit. But three commands will make the first day meaningfully smoother for both your dog and the staff:

Sit — Helps staff manage your dog during check-in when the lobby can feel overwhelming. Practise asking for a sit before meals, before walks, and before going through doorways.
Come — The most important recall command in a group setting. Practise in low-distraction environments first, then gradually add distractions (another dog in the park, a squirrel, a bicycle). Reward generously every time your dog returns to you.
Leave it — Prevents resource guarding behaviour around toys, treats, or food that other dogs may have. Practise by placing a low-value treat on the ground, covering it with your hand, and rewarding your dog when they look away from it.

In parallel with command practice, take your dog on two or three short socialization outings per week. In Calgary, 17th Avenue SW, Kensington, and the pathway system along the Elbow River are good choices — busy enough to encounter other dogs and strangers, but open enough that you can manage space. The goal is not to force interaction but to build your dog's confidence that novel environments and other dogs are not threats.

If your dog is reactive on leash (lunging, barking, or fixating on other dogs), call the daycare directly before the first visit. PAWS has experience with dogs that need a slower introduction, but behavioural concerns require a different intake process than the standard free intro day.

1 Week Before Tour the Facility & Adjust Your Morning Routine

Call or email PAWS to arrange a brief tour of the facility before your dog's first day. Seeing the space, hearing the sounds of other dogs, and meeting a pack leader in a low-pressure context helps your dog's nervous system catalogue the environment as safe before they are expected to navigate it on their own.

This week is also the time to adjust your morning routine. Drop-off at PAWS is between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, with 7:30–8:00 AM being the recommended window for first-day arrivals. If you or your dog typically wake later than 6:30 AM, start shifting wake times by 15–20 minutes each day this week. A rushed, chaotic drop-off morning raises cortisol levels in both of you — and dogs read their owners' stress accurately.

Review the What to Expect page so you know exactly what drop-off looks like, what to bring, and how pickup works. Knowing the procedure in advance prevents last-minute surprises.

Night Before Pack, Light Dinner, Calm Evening

Pack your dog's daycare bag the evening before so the morning is not rushed. Give your dog a slightly lighter dinner than usual — a full stomach combined with high-energy play and a pack walk through Calgary's neighbourhood streets can cause digestive upset in some dogs. Keep the evening low-key: a calm walk, quiet time at home, and a normal bedtime.

Avoid introducing anything new the night before — a new toy, a new food, a new person visiting. Novelty raises arousal, which can make settling into sleep (and the next morning's transition) harder. Your dog's nervous system benefits from an uneventful final evening before a big day.

Day Of Drop-Off Tips & Handling Separation Anxiety

Aim for a 7:30–8:00 AM arrival. This early window is quieter, giving your dog time to become familiar with the environment and the pack leaders before the energy of the full group builds. Give your dog a potty break on the sidewalk before entering the building — this helps them start the day comfortable and prevents accidents in the lobby.

Keep your dog on leash until a staff member takes the leash. This is especially important if your dog is excited — an off-leash charge into a pen full of other dogs is unsafe for everyone. Hand the leash to the pack leader, say a brief goodbye, and leave promptly. Extended goodbyes increase separation anxiety rather than reducing it. Your dog is watching your body language: a calm, confident handoff signals that you trust this place.

If you are curious about how your dog is doing, call PAWS directly during the day. Most dogs settle in within the first 10 minutes of the owner leaving and are playing contentedly with the pack soon after. Returning to observe through the window can disrupt the settling process — dogs sense their owner nearby and it makes the transition longer, not shorter.

Packing Guide

What to Pack for Daycare

Less is more at daycare. Keeping things simple helps your dog focus on the pack and the experience, not on guarding a familiar item. Here is exactly what to bring and what to leave at home for safekeeping.

Bring These

Item	Notes
Standard leash	4–6 ft flat leash. Labelled with your dog's name
Collar or harness	With current ID tag including your phone number
Proof of vaccinations	Required on the first visit only — we keep it on file
Medications	In a sealed, clearly labelled bag with dosing instructions and timing
Comfort item (optional)	A worn T-shirt or small blanket with your scent can help anxious dogs settle. Label it
Emergency contact info	A second contact in case you are unreachable during the day

Leave These at Home

Item	Why
Retractable leash	Unsafe in group settings — creates tangling and handler control issues
Raw food or bones	High-value food is a primary trigger for resource guarding in groups
Rawhide chews	Same concern as raw food — plus a choking risk in group settings
Favourite toys from home	Leave favourite toys at home for safekeeping — high-arousal toys can escalate group play, and special items can trigger resource guarding in a group setting
Prong or shock collars	Not permitted at PAWS — all training tools must be positive and humane
A full meal right before drop-off	Feed a lighter meal the night before; a full stomach plus pack walks can cause nausea

Inside PAWS

What Happens on the First Day

Knowing the sequence of events helps you explain the day to your dog — through your own calm, confident energy at drop-off. Here is a step-by-step account of what a first day at PAWS Dog Daycare in Calgary looks like.

Arrival & Registration Check

You arrive at 1313 16 Ave SW between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. A pack leader greets you and your dog at the door. On the first visit, they confirm your dog's vaccination records are on file and complete any remaining intake paperwork. This takes 5–10 minutes. Keep your dog on leash and avoid letting them greet other dogs through the glass until staff are ready — the controlled introduction matters.

Temperament Assessment

Before joining any playgroup, new dogs go through a brief, informal temperament assessment. Pack leaders observe how your dog responds to the environment: sounds, movement, the presence of other dogs at a distance, and new people. This is not a pass/fail test — it's information-gathering so we can place your dog with the right group. Confident dogs may go straight into a small playgroup. More cautious dogs spend time in a quieter area first, settling and exploring at their own pace.

Introduction to a Small Playgroup

Once your dog is comfortable with the environment, they are introduced to a small, calm playgroup matched by size and temperament — not the full pack. This gradual introduction reduces the overwhelm that can occur when a new dog suddenly faces fifteen unfamiliar dogs at once. Pack leaders monitor body language closely during this period, watching for stress signals (excessive panting, lip licking, yawning, tail tucking) and redirecting if play escalates beyond what the new dog can manage.

The Pack Walk

The highlight of every day at PAWS is the adventure pack walk — 45 to 60 minutes of structured, on-leash group walking through Calgary's parks and pathway network. New dogs join the walk on their first day, which is often the moment they truly relax. Moving together as a group, with calm direction from pack leaders, is one of the most effective ways to build comfort between unfamiliar dogs. The physical exercise also takes the edge off any remaining first-day nerves. This walk is included in every daycare visit at no extra charge.

Supervised Open Play & Rest

After the pack walk, dogs return to the facility for supervised open play in their groups, followed by a structured rest period with fresh water and calm enrichment. The alternating rhythm of activity and rest mirrors the natural pattern most dogs thrive on. Pack leaders circulate continuously, managing interactions and preventing the arousal spikes that can tip enthusiastic play into conflict.

Pickup & Report

Pickup runs from 3:30 to 7:00 PM. When you arrive, do not tap on the window or call to your dog while they are still in the play area — this can unsettle dogs who are mid-interaction. A pack leader will bring your dog to you once you're inside. On the first day, expect a verbal summary of how your dog did: how the temperament assessment went, which group they were placed in, any standout moments (good or challenging), and any observations about their personality that will help with future visits. After the second or third visit, most dogs arrive already wagging.

Avoid These

Common First-Day Mistakes to Avoid

In 16+ years of running dog daycare in Calgary, these are the preparation errors we see most often — and the ones most easily avoided.

1
Arriving late on the first day
Drop-off ends at 10:00 AM. After that, the doors are locked until 4:00 PM. More importantly, arriving at 9:50 AM on the first day means your dog misses the calm, gradual introduction period and arrives when the group is already settled and in full swing — a harder entry point for any new dog.
2
A prolonged, emotional goodbye
Extended goodbyes with tearful voices and repeated petting tell your dog that something is wrong. Dogs are extraordinarily good at reading human emotion. A calm, matter-of-fact handoff — "All yours, see you this afternoon" — sends a completely different signal. If you are anxious about the drop-off, take a breath before you walk in. Your dog will feel the difference.
3
Skipping the vet visit and arriving with lapsed vaccinations
This is the most common logistical mistake. If your dog's Bordetella is lapsed or administered less than two weeks before the first day, we cannot accept them. There are no exceptions — the safety of every dog in our facility depends on enforced vaccination requirements. Book your vet appointment the same day you submit your registration.
4
Bringing high-value items from home
Leave favourite chews, stuffed toys, and food-stuffed KONGs at home for safekeeping. Even the most easygoing dogs can become possessive around familiar items in a group setting. Daycare provides managed enrichment — your dog's special items will be waiting for them when they get home.
5
Expecting perfection on day one
Some dogs love daycare immediately. Others need two or three visits before they fully relax. A dog that is quiet or clingy on day one is not failing — they are adjusting to an enormous amount of new sensory information. Consistency is more important than a perfect first day. Give your dog the chance to build familiarity before drawing conclusions.
6
Not telling the daycare about your dog's quirks
If your dog is noise-sensitive, dislikes being approached from behind, has had a past altercation with another dog, or tends to mount when overstimulated — tell us. This information helps pack leaders manage your dog's experience proactively rather than reactively. We are not here to judge your dog; we are here to set them up for success.

Coming Home

After the First Day — What to Expect at Home

Your Dog Will Be Tired — That Is a Good Sign

Do not be alarmed if your dog comes home and goes straight to their bed. Profound tiredness after a first daycare day is completely normal and is one of the primary benefits of the experience. Your dog has processed an enormous amount of social and sensory information — meeting new dogs, navigating a new environment, participating in a 45-60 minute pack walk through Calgary's streets. Physical tiredness from genuine exercise is categorically different from the restless, frustrated energy of a dog that has been home alone all day. Embrace it.

They May Be Quieter Than Usual

Some dogs sleep through the evening and eat less dinner than normal after their first day. Others drink more water than usual (especially after the pack walk). Both are normal physiological responses to a high-stimulation day. If your dog is not showing interest in food, wait 20–30 minutes and offer the bowl again. If they skip dinner entirely but are otherwise behaving normally — curious, responsive, moving comfortably — do not be concerned.

Soreness Is Possible After the Pack Walk

Calgary's pathway system and 16th Avenue SW neighbourhood involve hills and varied surfaces. Dogs that are not used to extended on-leash walking may experience mild muscle soreness in the first one or two visits. If your dog seems stiff getting up the morning after their first day, give them an easy morning — a short, gentle walk — and they will typically be fine within 24 hours. If soreness persists beyond 48 hours, consult your vet.

The Adjustment Period: Visits 1 Through 3

Most dogs are noticeably more comfortable by their third daycare visit than they were on their first. The environment, the smells, the faces of the pack leaders — these accumulate into familiarity, and familiarity is what turns a stressful experience into an anticipated one. Dogs that attend regularly (two or more times per week) adjust fastest. Sporadic attendance — once every two or three weeks — can actually prolong the adjustment period because the environment never fully becomes familiar. If your schedule allows, try to attend at least twice per week for the first month.

When to Talk to the Pack Leaders

After the first day, ask for a report on how your dog did. The pack leaders at PAWS know your dog by name after a single visit — they can tell you which dogs your dog gravitated toward, whether they seemed confident or cautious, and any moments (positive or challenging) worth knowing about. This feedback helps you understand whether daycare is the right fit, at the right frequency, for your specific dog. If anything concerns you, call us directly at (403) 984-9247 or email info@pawsdogdaycare.ca.

Common Questions

Preparing Your Dog for Daycare — Questions Answered

How do I prepare my dog for daycare for the first time?

Start four weeks out by visiting your vet to confirm vaccinations are current — Rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella are required at PAWS, with Bordetella needing at least two weeks to establish immunity before the first day. In the two weeks before, practise basic commands (sit, come, leave it) and take your dog on short socialization outings around Calgary to build confidence around other dogs and strangers. One week out, tour the daycare facility so the space feels familiar. The night before, pack your bag, keep dinner light, and maintain a calm evening. On drop-off morning, arrive by 7:30–8:00 AM, give your dog a potty break outside, and hand the leash to staff with a calm, confident goodbye.

What vaccinations does my dog need before starting daycare in Calgary?

At PAWS Dog Daycare, three vaccinations are required: Rabies (required by Alberta law), DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus — the distemper combo), and Bordetella (kennel cough). Bordetella must be administered at least two weeks before the first visit so immunity is established. We also recommend Canine Influenza and Leptospirosis for dogs that attend group settings or go on outdoor walks. Proof of vaccination from your vet is required at registration. Dogs over one year old must also be spayed or neutered.

What commands does my dog need to know before daycare?

Your dog does not need to be fully obedience-trained. Three commands make the biggest difference: sit (helps staff manage check-in), come (essential for safe recall in group play), and leave it (prevents resource guarding). Practise each in low-distraction environments first, then gradually add distractions. If your dog reliably responds to these three commands in moderately distracting settings, they are well-positioned for a successful first day.

My dog has never been around other dogs much. Is daycare still okay for them?

Yes, with the right introduction. Dogs with limited socialization history benefit greatly from a structured daycare environment — they are introduced to other dogs gradually, in managed groups, with experienced handlers present. The key is starting with a gradual on-site introduction rather than immediately joining a large pack. At PAWS, new dogs go through a temperament assessment before joining any playgroup. If your dog has shown reactivity (lunging, barking at other dogs on leash), call us before registering so we can discuss whether a standard intro day or a slower intake process is the right fit.

How long does it take for a dog to adjust to daycare?

Most dogs are noticeably more comfortable by their third visit. Dogs that attend two or more times per week adjust fastest — the environment becomes familiar through repetition. Sporadic attendance (once every two or three weeks) can prolong the adjustment period. After the first week of regular attendance, the vast majority of dogs begin showing clear signs of anticipation at drop-off: pulling toward the door, tail wagging, and recognizing the pack leaders. A small number of dogs — typically more anxious or under-socialized dogs — take 2–3 weeks to fully settle in. Consistency is the key variable.

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Last updated March 2, 2026