At Happy Houndz, daycare is different. We believe dogs should have more than just playtime during their day. Happy Houndz “enrichment style” daycare is designed to stimulate different parts of a dog's brain.
Step 1 is a Meet and Greet. Meet and Greets are done by appointment only and are required prior to any daycare or boarding stay.
During your dog’s Meet and Greet, they will be introduced to our team members and a couple of doggie friends! This helps us properly assess your dog and determine any special needs they may have. If your dog is shy, nervous, overly excited, we'll know best how to introduce them to the pack, and we will know the perfect fit for your pooch.
Happy Houndz has 3 different play areas. Dogs are assigned to different playgroups based on their temperament and size, or energy level and play style. We have an outdoor area where all dogs will get the chance to rotate in and out of throughout the day.
It might take a dog a few visits to daycare before they loosen up enough to play. This may be because they are over excited, and need a chance to settle into a new routine. It can take several trips to daycare for some dogs to fully sort themselves out, and that’s ok!
Dogs do an amazing job of helping each other become more balanced through socialization. Since it’s a pack environment, dogs have the opportunity to find a best friend in the group, a friend who has a similar play, or napping style as them.
The best age to start dog daycare at depends on the individual dog, but when you start to feel frustrated with your puppy, daycare can bring some much needed relief! Whether your dog is a young puppy and just starting to explore the world, or a middle-aged dog, we can find the perfect spot for them here at Happy Houndz.
Our staff is trained to understand a dog’s body language & behaviour. They are experienced working with dogs & receive ongoing training around positive reinforcement training techniques, canine body language, ways to de-escalate conflict between dogs, along with positive and humane handling techniques. Staff members are able to intervene if play becomes too rough or a dog starts to get overwhelmed.
Together, we celebrate the joy of dogs and the profound impact they have on our lives.
This is for dogs who don't enjoy our large playgroup and prefer to have individual attention and space. This fee includes potty walks every two hours, and two, one-on-one private play sessions.
Private Care Daycare & Boarding Fee is an additional $25/day on top of regular fees. Daycare packages can still be applied to Private Care.
New clients considering our Private Care program will still have to complete our Meet and Greet plus First Day Free process to ensure their dog can be happy in our environment.
Dogs must be comfortable resting in a kennel or suite. Our Private Care has limited availability.
Animal behavior is a rapidly growing field. To remain on top of the latest in dog behavior, Laurie regularly expands her knowledge. She has continued her education with The Baileys, Susan Friedman Ph.D., Kay Laurence, Ken Ramirez, Alexandra Kurland, Rachel Sanders, One Mind Dogs - Jakko and Janita, Bobbie Lyons, Sue Sternberg, Patricia McConnell - PhD, Karen Overall - PhD, Suzanne Hetts - PhD, Jean Donaldson, and Dr. Ian Dunbar.
