How much does doggy day care cost?

How do you love your pup? Let us count the ways. Ah, for man to have their best friend beside them through and through. Nothing is sweeter than the love between a person and their dog. In fact, dogs are one of Australia’s most popular pets. Studies by Animal Medicine Australia show that dog owners treat their pets as “fur babies” and spend an average of three to four hours a day with them.

Some may ask, “Why have a pet? They only incur extra costs.” But if you are on this page, chances are that you are a dog parent, and you have several reasons why. Many actually share that companionship is the main reason why they have a dog at home. But whether it be for that reason or others, they serve a certain purpose in our lives. 

But just like a human relationship, there needs to be an exchange of care in the process. How do we do so? To quote that famous jig, we need to show a little tenderness. Although we show this so affectionately while we are present, how do we do the same when we are away? Enter the doggy day care centre. 

Just like daycare for toddlers, you can drop off your dog in the morning and have sitters watch over them the whole day. After your errands or duties at work, you can pick them up and bring them home. While expenses vary, how much dog day care costs per day ranges from $15 to $90.

We have created this easy-to-refer price guide to best assess the care and keeping of your furry friend. 

Advantages of a doggy day care

As a dog parent, we tend to get separation anxiety from our dog. If you feel hesitant about the idea of leaving your dog in the hands of others, let us convince you otherwise. There are many benefits to doggy day care, and the main one is to ensure that your dog is not left alone at home. 

While most citizens still leave their dogs at home alone, it is still not advisable to leave them by themselves while you are away. It is more than a mess, but they could be susceptible to environmental circumstances beyond their control. 

This could range from eating something unhealthy to being a victim of a burglary. With dog day care, your dog receives the proper attention throughout the day and may lessen any anxious feelings they may develop. Aside from these, we have three main advantages we would like to share. 

Increase in socialisation

Socialising and meeting new friends is essential to a dog’s personal development. They can become more comfortable when surrounded by their like-minded kind, and in turn, this can lessen their social anxiety and boost their moods. Being around other dogs can also temper their aggression and stress, and they will learn how to control their instincts better. 

Developed routine

It may feel like dogs do not have to work around a schedule. They aren’t like us anyway with our 9 to 5’s and our packed lifestyle. But did you know that they also require an organised routine? Heading for a loo break, walking around the park, and mealtimes should be sectioned off accordingly. This will also develop a dog’s habits around their own lives.

In effect, this will also help you schedule your time better with them. A day care can accomplish that for you, especially if you need to be away from home or away from them. On the other hand, you can also seek their assistance should you need some tips or a proper standard routine beforehand. This especially applies to new dog parents who are still getting the hang of having an extra member in the household. 

For your peace of mind

Did you think doggy day care was just to ease your dog’s social anxiety? No! It is also to reduce your own worrying mind. Like parents and their newborns, it is not simple to ease back into normal day-to-day lives with a pet around. Contributing to your mounting worries at work and home will also be the inevitable destructive behaviour your dog could develop if they are constantly left alone. 

At least having someone around to care for your furry friend and ensure they are given the right attention will ease your worries and leave you at peace. 

Doggy day care services and their costs

If you are wondering how much doggy day care is per day, check out the table below to know the average rate depending on location:

Whether your dog is off for the day or off to sleep overnight, there are many facilities you can check out. You can even hire someone to walk your dog or have your pup bathed and groomed. 

Here is a doggy day care price list for your convenience:

How do I prepare my dog for doggy day care?

Browsing through the prices may have eased your worries a little as you get to know what the day care centre has in store for you. But in turn, you also have to make sure that you and your dog are prepared for admission.

Think of it like school - you go through a series of evaluations to see if it is the right one for you and vice-versa. But as the owner, you have to ensure that you have the following things on-call before dropping your dog off for the day or night. 

Always ask questions

You have nothing to lose if you ask questions. No matter how trivial or major they are, it is better to ask everything than pretend you know and get footed by a huge bill later on. Not only that, but you also get to know what services are available and how they care for their dogs. 

• What is their feeding schedule? 
• How long is playtime? 
• What kind of dog breeds are there at the care centre? 

Questions like these can save you the trouble of not knowing beforehand and subjecting your dog to a lot of anxiety, especially if they clash with certain breeds. Aside from these, you can also clarify before you get charged. 

Prepare certifications

Requirements differ per doggy day care, but all of them require birth certificates, vaccine papers, and other medical certifications. Your dog may have dietary restrictions, an existing ailment, or different needs that may go beyond what is regular. 

Nevertheless, it is still important to inform your day care centre beforehand so that they can prepare and assess if your dog is fit to join the club. 

Practice through the outdoors

Doggy day care centres are said to lessen your dog’s social anxiety over time. But in the beginning, it is still new territory for your pups. So, naturally, they would tend to get anxious and even tremble in response. How do you ease them into a new environment? You can practice by heading outdoors. Whether to the park or even just around the bend, it is enough for them to acclimatise.

A bonus would be to meet up and socialise with other dogs in the area. It would ease your dog to be comfortable around other dogs before entering the day care. 

Now that you have an idea about average dog day care prices, it's time to find a dog care provider near you. Put up a task on Airtasker and we'll connect you to dog lovers who can readily offer the best care for your furry friend.