Dog daycare: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering dog daycare
Owners hire daycares for daytime play that is safe, supervised and sorted by temperament. Your temperament checks, your play groups and your daily reports are what win clients and keep them.
What customers ask
- How do you decide which dogs play together?
- What vaccinations do you require?
- What happens if two dogs fight?
- Can I see the play area?
- Will I get a report each day?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask about the dog's age, size, temperament, health, vaccination status and any history of fights.
- Run a temperament check or a trial day, and tell the owner what you saw.
- Show the play area, the rest area and the supervision routine on a tour.
- Send a daily report with notes on play, rest, feeding and any incident.
- Put the days, the hours, the trial day and any baths or extras in the quote.
- Explain your incident plan in plain words, including who you call and the veterinarian the owner has listed.
What to put on your profile
- Photos of your play areas and rest areas, shown with consent
- A list of your services, such as full day, half day, trial days and baths
- Your vaccination requirements and the records you check
- Your staff training, supervision routine and incident plan
- Your daycare license or permit details, where your local rules require one
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a regular weekly schedule for dogs that do well with a routine
- Suggest a bath or grooming visit between daycare days
- Offer a training session for a dog that struggles in group play
Licenses and permits
Some cities and counties license dog daycares or require a permit to run one, so check with your local city, county or animal control office. Keep your license or permit current, and list it on your profile.
Questions
Do I need a license to run a dog daycare?
Many local areas require a license or permit for daycare. Check with your city, county and animal control office before you take dogs, and keep your license current.
How do I handle a dog that is aggressive during play?
Separate the dog right away, check the other dogs for injuries, and tell the owners. Do not return the dog to group play until you have a plan, and consider refusing the dog if the risk continues.
Should I accept dogs that are not spayed or neutered?
Set a clear policy and put it in your client terms. Many daycares limit or separate intact dogs, and explain how you manage them to the owner before the first visit.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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