Dog daycare benefits include reducing anxiety, easing loneliness, and stopping destructive behavior. Here’s how it helps and the other perks for you and your pup:
REDUCED ANXIETY
When our dogs are at home or around their owners, they often take on a “self-perceived” job. They believe they must guard you, your family, and your home. I call it “self-perceived” because, in reality, you are the one providing security. Still, our dogs—even tiny 10 lb. Chihuahuas—feel this role belongs to them. Carrying that responsibility creates constant anxiety for dogs, and they feel it every hour of every day.
At dog daycare, your pup gets to leave that responsibility behind. They can finally play like kids (or dogs) and enjoy carefree fun. Daycare also helps them make friends. Just like people, dogs naturally gravitate toward others who share their play style and personality, creating furry BFFs. These social connections are among the many dog daycare benefits that improve your pup’s overall happiness.
Most guests attend on a regular schedule, such as every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, or even daily during the week. With this routine, dogs form strong friendships with other pups. They also see daycare staff as part of “their pack.” These bonds and experiences reflect some of the most rewarding dog daycare benefits that enrich your pup’s life.
RELIEVES BOREDOM AND LONELINESS
Mental stimulation plays a vital role in your dog’s well-being. Boredom at home often leads to destructive behavior, as dogs look for their own entertainment. This can mean chewing furniture, eating things they shouldn’t, or worse. At dog daycare, your pup stays engaged through a variety of activities that keep their mind active and stimulated
EXERCISE
Getting the proper amount of exercise is just as important for dogs as it is for humans. Attending dog daycare regularly supports a healthy weight, keeps joints limber, and lowers the risk of other health problems. Regular play also reduces behavioral issues. Without enough outlets for their energy, dogs may develop destructive habits like chewing furniture, scratching doors, counter-surfing, excessive licking, or nonstop barking. These improvements show some of the most valuable dog daycare benefits for both physical health and behavior.
SOCIALIZATION
Dogs are descended from wolves, which makes them natural pack animals designed to interact with others. Proper socialization means exposing them to people outside your family as well as other dogs. The best time to begin is during puppyhood, ideally at 4 months old. By then, their immune system has matured enough for safe and healthy interaction. This also matches the age when most doggy daycares allow puppies to start attending.
Such exposure teaches dogs that new people and other dogs are not a threat. It also builds confidence, making them less likely to bark, jump, or bite. With good socialization, you and your pup can enjoy peaceful walks in the park and relaxing time on restaurant patios. Dog daycare further helps them “talk dog,” make furry BFFs, and look forward to future visits. These experiences highlight some of the most rewarding dog daycare benefits for both puppies and adult dogs.
SAFETY
Playful pups need watchful supervision to make sure everyone follows the rules. Staff must prevent physical domination and stop body-crashing bulldogs from slamming into fragile teacup poodles. You won’t find those guarantees at a dog park. Unfortunately, many owners are distracted by their phones, and even those who watch closely often can’t recognize acceptable dog behavior or read body language well enough to stop a fight before it starts.
At reputable dog daycares, safety is the top priority. The best facilities assign at least two attendants to every playgroup. They keep the guest-to-attendant ratio at a maximum of 15 to 1, adding more staff as groups grow. These attendants are trained to understand canine behavior and body language, allowing them to react quickly before problems escalate. Because they have a vested interest in every dog going home safe and happy, your pup can return for more fun-filled daycare sessions with confidence.
LOTS OF AFFECTION AND TLC
People who own and/or work at dog daycare facilities do it because they LOVE dogs. It’s a hard job. Up early, long days. Mopping pee and picking up poop. Why? Because they LOVE dogs. The tradeoff for all this hard work is being around the sweetest creatures on the planet – dogs! Dogs love unconditionally, and the people working at dog daycare facilities return this affection in spades. Your dog will receive hugs and kisses and tummy rubs and cuddles all day long.
PEACE OF MIND FOR THE DOG PARENT
Dog daycares are brick-and-mortar businesses. A professional business owner has invested a considerable amount of time, money, and effort to open and operate their facility. They have a reputation which can be greatly impacted by poor service, so most do their best job possible to keep customers happy and attract new ones. Internet-based Dog Walking Services are only as good as the individual who shows up at your home each time. Many dog walkers were baristas last month and will be folding sweaters at the GAP next month. Nothing against those companies (we love coffee and casual clothes), but an independent dog walker generally does not provide the same peace of mind as someone who has a lot of “skin in the game,” so to speak.
PROVIDES ROUTINE
Dogs are creatures of habit. They love routine. Uncertainty creates stress for your dog. Providing a consistent routine for your dog helps keep them calm. Having a consistent time for walk times, feeding times, exercise times, and nap times all creates a routine for our dogs. Taking your dog to a well-established dog daycare helps reinforce these routines. Your dog will play at the same times, be fed at the same times, and nap at the same times.
AFFORDABILITY
When compared to the cost of using a dog walking service, dog daycare is VERY affordable. Most dog daycare services include multiple play sessions spanning a full 8 to 5 day (most are open 7 to 7) and feeding breakfast, lunch, and dinner at no additional cost. To hire a dog walker to come into your home and provide comparable services and time spent keeping your furry family member company, a recent survey shows it would cost well over $80 per day. Plus, most dog daycare providers also offer Frequent Player Discounts, which can make dog daycare even more affordable.
ONE-STOP SHOPPING
Most dog daycares do not just provide dog daycare; they also provide many other goods and services that you routinely may need for your furry family member. Most daycares also offer overnight dog boarding and dog grooming. Many others provide retail items for sale, ranging from dog food, collars, and leashes up to dog clothing or even kitschy bar wear or home goods. Some Dogg Daycares, which are partnered with vet hospitals, even provide vaccinations.
About Underdog Kennels:
At Underdog Kennels, we Temperament Test all guests during a Meet & Greet Who wish to play in Dog Daycare to ensure they are DOG FRIENDLY and then our guests are divided up into different play groups based on a combination of their: size, age, play style, and temperament to ensure they will be in a playgroup where they’ll have fun but more importantly, will be very safe for them.
Underdog Kennels Dog Daycare is structured based on the latest Dog Behavioral Research, which shows our dogs are much like small children, toddler age, or slightly older. Most dogs who are left in an open playgroup with other dogs all day long will become over-stimulated. This over-stimulation contributes to aggression, stress, and exhaustion (think about a toddler who never takes a nap).
For this reason, Underdog Kennels Dog Daycare schedules its day so each playgroup goes out and plays together in the morning and also again in the afternoon, but has restful naptimes in the comfort and privacy of their own rooms in between their play sessions. This also complements their natural circadian rhythms (body clocks) as dogs are intended to take multiple restful naps throughout the day.
Our goal is not to exhaust your dog but to send them home calm, content, and relaxed so you can still enjoy their company at the end of your busy workday.