A Guide to Your Dog's First Day of Daycare

We are so excited to meet your pup and welcome them to the Pampered Pack! As pet parents ourselves, we understand what a big decision it can be entrusting someone else with your four-legged family member. We’re sure you have some questions about what happens on the first day and what the process looks like, so we put together this guide to give you a peek into your pup’s experience.

What to expect on Your Dog's First Day

Your dog may feel a little nervous or anxious, particularly if they’ve never been in a daycare environment before or spent much time away from you—and that’s okay and normal! It can take a bit of time for our new guests to get familiar with our routine and facility. Try to focus on the fact that your dog will be in a safe and fun environment and that daycare is a positive experience. Your dog can sense when you feel anxious, stressed, or sad, and that may impact their first experience. Instead, be excited about the day of play that’s to come!

We open at 7am during the week, and we recommend arriving by 8am for your dog to be assessed in time to enter the first round of play groups and make the most of their day.

Dogs playing in the pool

The fun starts here — make a daycare reservation today!

Staff walking with a dog

Check-In Process

Please have your dog on a leash with a collar or harness when you enter the building. Upon arrival, our friendly concierge staff will be ready to greet you and your dog!

A concierge or handler will take your pup back to their suite to get them settled. Our front desk will check you in, note any meals that you brought in a labeled sealed bag or container, confirm whether you want your dog to receive one of our snack time offerings, and answer any other questions you have. You can also add on extra activities to enrich your pet’s stay, like Extra Love, Extra Play, a Birthday Party, or Spa services.

At this time, we’ll check that you have completed the necessary paperwork, including the Client Owner Agreement and Getting to Know Our Guest which aids in assessing your dog. We’ll also make sure we have your dog’s up-to-date vaccination records on file.

Please complete your paperwork and have your vet send us the records before you arrive. If we do not have complete paperwork and vet records, your pup will not be allowed to stay.

Don’t worry about taking your wallet out now – you’ll pay when you pick up!

Make sure to ask for a tour if you’re interested in seeing the facility and where your pup will stay & play. We take pride in our clean, safe environment, and look forward to showing you what we’re all about!

Your Dog's Experience

Getting your dog acquainted with everything is a simple process!

We’ll perform a behavior assessment that gives us the opportunity to see how your pet does in an off leash, open group play environment and ensure they are a good fit for groups. We’ll introduce a few dogs into a yard to assess your dog’s comfort level. Our play groups are curated by temperament, play style, and size.

We’ll also have an opportunity to see how they do during rest time in their suite and how they interact with our handlers.

Your dog will receive four 30-minute play sessions and a break mid-day for lunch or snacks. In between groups, they’ll rest in their private suites.

We take it slow to not overwhelm your dog and to ensure they have the best time! On the first day, your dog may splash in the pool, sunbathe, or make a new best friend. One thing’s for sure: they’ll receive lots of love and encouragement from our handlers!

Labrador Retriever playing in the pool

The fun starts here — make a daycare reservation today!

Staff holding a small dog

Check-Out Process

And there you have it! Your pup’s first experience at Pampered Pets Inn.

When you come to pick up, we’ll radio back for your dog and a Senior Handler will deliver your pup to you as well as any belongings you came in with. You’ll also receive a Report Card that details how your dog’s first day went and any observations we made.