Doggy daycare is a wonderful experience for both you and your doggo. It gives dogs a great opportunity to socialise and grow in confidence, stay active, and have fun while you're away whether it be at work or running errands. It also gives you a great piece of mind that your beloved pet is in good, experienced hands. That said, the idea of daycare can at first be a little overwhelming for both pets and their owners.

To make this transition smoother, we’ve put together this guide to ensure your pup walks in confident and ready for their new adventure. Below is a step by step guide to properly prepare your dog for their first day of daycare.

1. Assess if Your Doggo is Daycare Ready

Before jumping into the signs your dog is ready for daycare, it's important to note, not every dog is a perfect fit for daycare. Good quality daycares will conduct a temperament test to assess each dog to ensure they are a good fit and ready for daycare.

At Woof n’ Waggle it does happen that dogs are not accepted for various reasons. These tend to be related to what's best for your dog and everybody else's dog. To avoid disappointment before you start researching daycare facilities, consider the temperament and personality of your pride and joy.

Do they enjoy the company of other dogs? Do they handle new environments well? Can they follow basic commands? If your dog ticks off these boxes then your dog is possibly ready for daycare.

Other signs your dog may be ready for daycare include:

They have been socialised from a young age
They show no signs of aggression or extreme fear
They are up-to-date on vaccinations

If your dog does tend to be more anxious or reactive around others, consider starting with smaller group settings, private training, or social walks before daycare.

2. Schedule a Pre-Visit or Trial Day

Quality doggy daycares offer meet and greet initial trial days to assess dog daycare suitability. This is something we do at Woof n’ Waggle. It helps our dog handlers evaluate your dog's behaviour and gives your pup a chance to get familiar with the new surroundings, smells, and sounds of the facility.

We are here to meet the needs of you and your dog so during the meet and greet:

Ask questions about handler to dog ratios, emergency procedures, and daily routines.
Observe how the staff interact with dogs.
Watch how your dog reacts to the environment.
A positive first experience for your dog builds trust and sets the tone for future visits. It won’t take long for you and your dog to have a positive experience at Woof n’ Waggle.
3. Pack the Essentials

You won’t need a lot, a few comfort items can and will make your dog’s day easier.

At Woof n’ Waggle our daycare essentials include:

Collar with ID tag
Leash
Any required paperwork (vaccination records, medical details)

4. 🕒 Ease Into the Routine

Don’t start with a full week of daycare right away. Instead, ease your dog in gradually. Try:

A half-day session first
One or two days per week before committing to a full schedule
Dropping off at 6.45am. At Woof n’ Waggle we bring in new daycare joiners first into the space so we can spend time slowly introducing them to the other dogs as they arrive. This allows for calm controlled meets and greets.

This helps prevent overwhelm and allows your dog to adjust at a comfortable pace.

5. Brush Up on Basic Training

Good manners makes daycare safer and more enjoyable for everyone. Before sending your dog, ensure your dog has mastered basic obedience skills like recall, sit, and stay. Basic obedience skills:

Help prevent accidents or conflicts.

It allows for better social interactions. Trained dogs understand boundaries better and can communicate more clearly, this makes playtime more enjoyable for everyone.

When your dog responds to cues, our team can guide them through creating a more peaceful and fun vibe for your dog.

Support learning and enrichment. Dogs who know the basics are ready to take on more challenges, this makes activities and games even more rewarding for them.

These foundational skills go a long way in helping your pup thrive in a group care setting.

6. Health & Hygiene Check

Before attending daycare, it is strongly advised that your dog is:

Up-to-date on vaccinations (especially rabies, parvo, and bordetella)
On a flea and tick prevention program.

You should also inform the daycare about any allergies, medications, or health concerns your dog may have.

7. Communication Is Key

At Woof n’ Waggle we know every dog is different. We love to learn about the dogs in our daycare so let our handlers know about your dog’s personality, triggers, favorite toys, and anything else that could help them provide personalised care. Ongoing communication creates a better experience for everyone and ensures your dog gets the care they deserve.

8. Expect a Tired Pup

After a fun-filled day of running, wrestling, and sniffing at Woof n’ Waggle, your dog might come home exhausted. This is totally normal after an event packed day. They may also drink more water and sleep more after their stimulating day!

Final Thoughts

Doggy daycare enriches your dog's life with fun, exercise, and much needed socialisation. With a little preparation and patience, you can help make your dog feel confident, calm, and excited about their new routine. Our goal is to make daycare a safe and positive place your dogs look forward to visiting. And in our experience, dogs get excited before they reach the doors of Woof n’ Waggle!

We service Malaga and the surrounding suburbs of Alkmios, Ballajura, Butler, Mirrabooka, Noranda, Beechboro. Our customers, dogs and humans, are so happy with our service they actually come from much further away.

To see our happy clients, and our facilities, check out our Instagram & Facebook. To schedule a daycare visit fill our enrollment form and we will get back to you to arrange a time to meet you and your dog at Woof n’ Waggle.

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