- September 8, 2026
- Dogs, Pet Behavior & Training, Pet Boarding & Daycare
Doggy daycare near Cleveland: is it right for your dog?
Doggy daycare can turn a long, quiet day at home into a day of play and company. It is not the right fit for every dog, and a good daycare in the Cleveland area will want to know about yours before the first visit. Here is how to tell whether daycare suits your dog, what a good day looks like and what to have ready.
Key takeaways
- Daycare suits dogs that enjoy other dogs. A dog that is fearful or aggressive around them is better served another way.
- Expect a good daycare to ask for proof of vaccination and to screen your dog’s health and temperament first.
- Talk with your veterinarian about Bordetella, parainfluenza and leptospirosis along with the core vaccines.
- Keep your dog home on any day he seems ill, especially with vomiting or diarrhea.
- A dog that loved daycare as a puppy can change as he matures, so keep watching how he responds.
Is doggy daycare good for dogs?
For the right dog, yes. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes dogs as highly social animals that are well adapted to living in groups, and notes that early and frequent socialization with many different dogs can help improve a dog’s ability to interact with other dogs and people.
Daycare can also help when the household schedule changes. AAHA’s advice for helping pets through the back-to-school shift points out that pets thrive on routine and that boredom can lead to destructive behavior. It suggests considering doggy daycare a few days a week, where dogs have social interaction and activities, because the social interaction and mental stimulation of being with other dogs can make the transition to a new routine less stressful.
There is one condition. Ohio State’s Indoor Pet Initiative explains that enrichment reduces stress, but that to be effective the animal cannot be made fearful and must actually engage in the activity. A day with other dogs helps a dog who enjoys it. For a dog who spends the day trying to get away from the group, it is not enrichment at all.
Signs daycare is a good fit, and signs it is not
A dog who is likely to do well:
- Enjoys interactions with other dogs and is comfortable around them, which is the outcome the AVMA describes as the goal of socialization.
- Is comfortable being handled by people he has just met.
- Is healthy and current on the vaccines and parasite control your veterinarian recommends.
The AVMA’s guidance on disease risks for dogs in social settings names the warning signs. It advises removing a dog from the situation if you see signs of aggression, fear or illness, and suggests keeping a dog away from social scenes if he behaves unpredictably or aggressively around other dogs or people. If your dog takes medication that affects the immune system, such as steroids, the AVMA recommends talking with your veterinarian about the benefits and risks of social interaction first.
Age matters as well. Merck notes that social maturity in dogs develops at 12 to 36 months of age, and that this is also the time when problems with aggression and anxiety develop. A dog who played happily at 10 months may need a different plan at two years. For puppies, the AVMA’s guide to socializing dogs and cats recommends keeping puppies that are not fully vaccinated away from animals whose vaccination status is unknown.
Daycare can be part of the answer for a dog who struggles when left alone. The ASPCA’s guidance on separation anxiety lists taking your dog to a doggy daycare as one way to avoid leaving him alone, and notes that most dogs with separation anxiety are fine as long as someone is with them. Our article on separation anxiety in dogs covers the signs and what helps.
What a daycare should ask of you first
A careful daycare asks questions before it says yes. The AVMA advises choosing settings that take steps to prevent disease transmission and promote safe interactions, such as requiring proof of vaccination, limiting group sizes, and providing waste receptacles, handwashing stations and materials for cleaning up and disinfecting surfaces. It also notes that many canine social settings require both vaccination and parasite control for dogs to be welcomed.
The reason is the close contact. The AVMA describes kennel cough as highly contagious and names daycare facilities among the settings where dogs are at particular risk. Its social settings guidance recommends vaccination against Bordetella and parainfluenza in addition to the usual core vaccines (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, Leptospira and rabies), and says vaccination against canine influenza also may be advisable.
Leptospirosis is worth a specific conversation. AAHA’s news service reports that the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s 2023 consensus statement recommends that leptospirosis vaccination be required for dogs to board or enter a daycare facility. Our article on why the leptospirosis vaccine is now core explains the change.
At our resort, guests must meet our standards for both health and temperament before they stay with us. Ask us which vaccines daycare requires when you call.
Keep your dog home on a sick day. The AVMA advises keeping a dog at home if he is ill, especially if he has vomiting or diarrhea or is urinating more frequently than usual. A frequent, honking cough that comes on suddenly is the classic sign of kennel cough. If you suspect it, the AVMA suggests calling your veterinary clinic before you take your dog in, so the team can help without exposing other patients.
What a good daycare day looks like
The AVMA counts doggy daycares among the social settings its guidance covers. It favors settings that limit group sizes, and it asks owners to monitor their dog’s behavior, to remove their dog if they see signs of fear, aggression or illness, and to keep their dog off toys, bowls and other shared items unless those items are sanitized between uses.
We have our doggie day care classes Monday-Saturday (except for certain holidays). When Cleveland weather takes a turn for the worse, your dog can still get out and play in our indoor play area. The resort offers overnight boarding, daycare and grooming in climate-controlled rooms, with supervised play areas and on-site bathing. With our 24/7 webcam system, you can check in on your dog at any time from our webcam page.
Getting ready for a first daycare day
- Check the vaccine record. Ask your veterinarian whether your dog is current on the core vaccines, Bordetella, parainfluenza and leptospirosis, and whether canine influenza makes sense for him.
- Confirm parasite control. Many social settings require it alongside vaccines.
- Fill in the paperwork. First-time guests start on our new guest page.
- Be honest about temperament. Tell us how your dog acts with strange dogs, with people and with handling.
- Keep the drop-off calm. The ASPCA recommends keeping hellos and goodbyes very calm for dogs who find separations hard.
- Watch the evening after. Note how your dog eats, rests and moves, and call if he seems anxious, hurt or unwell.
How many days a week should my dog go to daycare?
There is no single right number. AAHA’s back-to-school advice suggests considering daycare a few days a week for social interaction and activities. Starting with one or two days lets you watch how your dog does that evening and the next morning, and adjust from there.
Is doggy daycare good for a dog with separation anxiety?
It can help with the days you are away. The ASPCA lists taking a dog to a doggy daycare as one way to avoid leaving him alone, and notes that most dogs with separation anxiety are fine as long as someone is with them. Daycare does not treat the anxiety itself, so talk with your veterinarian about the longer-term plan.
Can my puppy go to daycare?
Ask your veterinarian first. The AVMA recommends keeping puppies that are not fully vaccinated away from animals whose vaccination status is unknown. Socialization still matters. The AVMA says the best time to start is between 3 and 14 weeks of age for puppies, and suggests well-managed puppy socialization classes, which expose animals to new experiences in a safe, controlled setting.
What vaccines does my dog need for daycare?
The AVMA recommends vaccination against Bordetella and parainfluenza for dogs in social settings, in addition to the core vaccines for distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, Leptospira and rabies, and says canine influenza vaccination may be advisable. Ask us which vaccines daycare requires, and ask your veterinarian which suit your dog.
Plan your dog's first daycare day
If your dog enjoys other dogs and the household routine has changed, a daycare day or two each week may be a good fit. Start with the vaccine check and an honest look at your dog’s temperament.
Our resort in Parma is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00am to 7:00pm and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, with daycare Monday through Saturday except for certain holidays. Call us at 440.845.7141, take our resort tour, or see our booking page if your dog will also stay overnight.
