What Should You Pack for Doggy Daycare?

• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

Are you getting ready to send your pup to doggy daycare for the first time and wondering what they’ll need? Daycare requirements will vary slightly depending on where you take your pup, but having general knowledge of what’s expected can help you better prepare for the first day of drop-off.

To help you get started, we spoke with Dr. Alex Crow, a licensed veterinarian and founder of Pet Health Guru. With his help, we’ve put together a list of everything your pup may need for daycare, from vaccines and preventatives to familiar toys and safety items.

Dog Daycare Essentials To Pack

Whether your pup is going to a facility or staying in a caretaker’s home, gathering a few personal items will set them up for success. Here are a few things you might want to include:

• Important care instructions. Write down your dog’s feeding schedule and any foundational training cues they know. If your dog has specific health needs or requires medicine administered throughout the day, include detailed instructions.
• Emergency contacts. Provide your dog’s vet information as well as a secondary contact if they’re unable to get in touch with you. Don’t forget to let your trusted secondary contact know you’ve included them as a backup.
• Leash, collar, and up-to-date tags. Before your dog strolls into their first day, make sure their ID tags are up to date. Some daycares may require puppies to wear a quick-release collar while at their facility, while others may take them off entirely. Each daycare will have their own set of safety rules, so check ahead of time and prepare accordingly.
• Prepared meals. If your dog is attending daycare during their typical mealtime, pre-measure the amount of food they’ll need in containers or baggies. It’s always good to separately pack an extra meal or two in the event of an emergency.
• Treats. Choose treats that you know sit well with your dog’s tummy. Having familiar favorites on hand also helps reinforce good behavior and give caretakers a quick way to win your dog’s heart.
• Favorite toy or comfort item. A comfort item, like a blanket or favorite toy, can help your dog adjust to being away from home. Just double-check with your daycare that these items are allowed.

Packing Tips

How you pack will also depend on a few things. Is your pup away for just a couple hours or the whole workday? Will they be at a large-scale facility or in a sitter’s home? Preparing accordingly for your dog’s specific situation will help you put together a practical daycare bag.

​Label supplies

To avoid any mix-ups, use a permanent marker and label your dog’s belongings with their first name and your last name. When labeling food, treats, or medications, include detailed instructions as well. For toys or blankets, write their name on the fabric tag.

Avoid packing anything valuable

In a fast-paced environment with multiple dogs, there’s always a risk of items getting lost or damaged. If you don’t want to risk something happening to a specific item, consider keeping it off your packing list. Similarly, if a toy is especially precious to your dog, it can cause conflict with other dogs—so those should stay home too.

Strategize for in-home or facility daycare

Tailor your packing list to your dog’s daycare setup. For a home daycare with just a few dogs, bringing your dog’s feeding bowls, crate, bed, and other routine items is usually acceptable.

At a larger-scale facility, you may not be able to tote around something as big as your dog’s crate or bed, but you’ll want to bring pre-measured food and a comfort item that smells of home.

Daycare Requirements

According to Dr. Crow, many daycares have health and behavior standards in place, so it’s always worth checking your facility’s specific policies ahead of time. Requirements can range from mandatory vaccinations to knowledge of basic training cues that help keep your pup and the other dogs safe and healthy.

Vaccinations and immunizations

Your dog should have their core vaccines before heading to daycare. These include vaccines for distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and rabies. Usually, puppies complete all their rounds of vaccinations by 16 weeks old. Additionally, many daycares require dogs to be vaccinated against Bordetella (for kennel cough), canine influenza, and leptospirosis.

Since certain vaccines aren’t given to puppies until they’re around four months old, your daycare may have strict age requirements.

Spaying and neutering

Some pet sitters or daycare facilities might require that all dogs be spayed or neutered to help reduce potential conflict or injury between play groups.

For instance, spaying and neutering can help reduce humping behaviors among older puppies. It may also help protect a home or facility from undesirable behaviors linked to reproductive hormones, such as urine marking or destroying property or furniture.

Parasite prevention

Puppies will also likely need to be on flea and tick prevention before they start daycare. Even if this isn’t a requirement, staying up-to-date on flea and tick meds helps keep your dog and home safe from pesky parasites. Your vet can help you determine which treatment is most appropriate for your pup depending on their age.

Temperament, training, and socialization

Before bringing your pup around fellow canines without your supervision, they should be able to greet, play, and socialize appropriately with other dogs. Many daycares offer a trial period for new puppies to assess their temperament and ability to be around other dogs and staff. Other sitters or facilities may require your pup to be potty trained, crate trained, or know basic cues.

How To Make the Transition to Daycare Smooth

Dr. Crow has several tips for setting your dog (and you) up for success before, during, and after daycare.

Start with short visits

Schedule a short trial run at your daycare to help your dog adjust to a new environment with you by their side. This is a great time to let the staff or sitter know about any unique needs or preferences your dog has that may impact their daycare experience.

You can also opt for short visits in the beginning to get them into the routine of staying somewhere else without overwhelming them with a full day of daycare.

Use praise and positive reinforcement

After you pick up your dog from daycare, offer praise and pets. As you make this new experience part of their regular routine, your pup will learn to expect daycare as the norm. You might bring a treat or favorite chew toy as a reward in the car to help build positive associations.

Keep a calm demeanor

While praise is crucial, it’s just as important to focus on keeping a calm and relaxed demeanor during pickup and drop-off. This shows your dog that there’s nothing to worry about and can ease the transition. A calm voice and taking a moment to wait until your pup’s excitement is under control can help reduce tension.

Focus on training and keeping a routine at home

Working on basic training at home is not only a great life skill, but can improve your dog’s daycare experience. Teaching your dog simple cues such as knowing their name and coming when called will better allow daycare staff to manage them throughout the day.

Additionally, Dr. Crow recommends establishing a good routine with your pup before starting daycare. Keep a consistent schedule for feeding, exercise, and rest.

Prioritize healthy socialization

As you prepare to bring your pup to daycare for the first time, try to expand their socialization training. The more diverse positive experiences they have in different places, with different people and dogs, the less anxiety they will experience during this transition.

What If My Dog Doesn’t Like Daycare?

If daycare isn’t the right fit for your pup, you’re not alone. Dogs with special health or behavioral needs (reactivity or anxiety) may benefit from more personalized care.

Search for sitters who provide in-home daycare and only take on one dog at a time. Or consider hiring a sitter to come stay with your dog in your home instead. If your pup is more independent, you can also book a dog walker for one or two visits a day.

Finding the right care option can make all the difference in helping your dog feel safe, comfortable, and happy. With a little patience and preparation, you can find a routine that works for both you and your pup.