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Find the best place to leave your furry friend
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Ashley Knierim
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Ashley Knierim
Ashley is a product critic with a passion for writing service-oriented content that brings joy to people's lives. From home decor to pets, she loves to cover everything lifestyle related. His 10+ year experience includes writing for TIME, AOL and Fundera.
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Updated 2/1/22
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Nelva J. Bryant
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reviewed byNelva J. Bryant
Dr. Nelva Bryant, DVM, is a highly qualified veterinarian with three decades of professional experience in animal welfare, public health and zoonotic diseases. She has worked with airlines and the Centers for Disease Control to improve pet travel through veterinary surveillance. dr Bryant is a member of the Spruce Pets Veterinary Review Board.
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Elisabeth Braunfeld
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fact confirmed byElisabeth Braunfeld
Elizabeth Brownfield is a writer, editor and researcher with over 20 years of publishing experience specializing in food, travel, home and lifestyle content. She has worked for Domino, Martha Stewart, Metropolitan Home and Every Day with Rachael Ray magazines and was Senior Digital Editor for the Food Network.
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Where would we be as dog owners without dog daycare? They're a great place to drop our furry friends off, whether we're busy at work or just need to let them burn off some manic canine energy for a few hours. But with so many day care options available, it can be difficult to understand what makes one different from the other. With that in mind, we've put together our picks of the best dog daycares, each one checking the key boxes while bringing something different to the table. Our best tips Why we choose it:Camp Bow Wow is one of the nation's largest dog daycare franchises with over 170 locations and webcams to watch your pup play. what we like More than 170 locations across the country well-established team Live webcams to watch your pup what we don't like Prices vary significantly depending on location. Camp Bow Wow is one of the most trusted names in the dog daycare industry. With more than 185 locations across the United States, the company cares for more than 4.7 million dogs each year — and it's popular for good reason. Camp Bow Wow has spacious play areas and highly trained staff, all trained in dog behavior, first aid and pet resuscitation, so you can rest assured your pup is in good hands. Live webcams make it easy to follow your dog's adventures throughout the day. While prices vary from one Camp Bow Wow location to another, they often offer multi-day or half-day packages. Whatever your needs, we think they're one of the best dog daycares out there. Why we choose it:Camp Run-a-Mutt offers your pup a cage-free day care and boarding facility that's perfect for rescues or cage-shy dogs. what we like Diverse play area Live-Webcams Boarding without a cage what we don't like Smaller chain with fewer locations The "community nap" approach doesn't work for all dogs If you're looking for a kindergarten/boarding combo that never uses cages, we love Camp Run-a-Mutt because it's completely cage-free. This daycare has a park-like setting of artificial grass with a waterfall, bridges and lots of spots for the dogs to lie down or play. The dogs are never left alone by the camp's "alpha people" team and can be conveniently checked in at any time via webcam. If you're planning on extending a day care into a boarding house night, Camp Run-a-Mutt allows all dogs to sleep in the same area — what it calls "shared sleeping." An alpha human stays with the pack all night. Why we choose it:Not only is Dogtopia one of the largest dog daycare companies in the country, but their app makes it easy for customers to book stays. what we like well designed app More than 150 locations across the country 100% supervised open play what we don't like Membership plans vary by location Usually a slightly higher price When it comes to dog daycare, the customer experience applies to your pup just as much as it does to you. But Dogtopia goes one step further than the rest of the pack with its nifty mobile app that makes scheduling sessions, checking scheduled appointments and checking in on the nursery's webcam a breeze. You can even have a member of staff pick you up in your car, saving you time when dropping off your pup on the way to work. The daycare experience itself is equally excellent, with well-trained staff trained to socialize dogs and create an environment that is as nurturing as it is fun. Why we choose it:With a list of dog activities, PetSmart is a great choice for pups who love to stay active throughout the day. what we like Wide range of activities Structured day care sessions National network with multiple locations what we don't like Not all PetSmarts offer day care Fewer additional options If your dog likes structure, PetSmart's Doggie Day Camp is a great choice. Each day is broken down into a series of exciting activities, starting with a morning meetup and ending with a post-game nap. Meanwhile, your dog will engage in games like hide and seek, practice skills and even blow bubbles or enjoy a soothing story. For the dog that loves to have a little variety in their life, PetSmart's Doggie Day Camp has to be the best choice. Why we choose it:Central Bark is a full-service dog daycare with a robust care option for busy pet parents. what we like Full-Service-Salon Varied game rounds “Dog taxi” pick-up service. what we don't like No webcams to play puppies Not incredibly user friendly website Cross two items off your dog's to-do list with Central Bark, which offers an on-site salon and spa, as well as day care. The daycare's grooms are equipped to accommodate dogs of all breeds and sizes, offering everything from routine grooming to ear cleaning, nail trimming and gland expression (always popular with everyone). In addition to the spa, each session at Central Bark daycare features fun activities with individualized attention and quiet periods. Central Bark also offers departures every day of the year. Why we choose it:Rover.com is a marketplace for pet sitting and day care that you can access no matter where you are in the country. what we like Possibility to filter professionals according to your dog's needs Thousands of animal lovers across the country Great for dogs that need a solo dog sitting experience what we don't like Must rely on reviews or past experience Prices may vary depending on the nanny Rover.com is a marketplace where pet lovers can search for sitters and walkers near them. We love it because it offers a very personalized experience for your pet and gives you the ability to filter and filter professionals based on your pet's specific needs (e.g. if your pet needs medication or just having a dog at home should). Plus, it's great if you're looking for doggy daycare while traveling with your pet. Many dog daycares require a behavioral analysis upfront, making booking while on vacation in the city difficult, so the Rover is a good option if you need daycare while you're away from home. Verdict Most dog daycares offer all-day play, but some have additional add-ons and structured days to give your dog even more of an experience. Our preferred choice, Camp Bow Wow offers a fun daycare experience and has webcams so you can watch your dog play all day. If you are taking your dog on a trip and need a sitter, contact Rover to see who is available nearby. Prices vary by location and the number of dogs you send to daycare, but generally a day at daycare costs between $20 and $50. Many companies offer half-day and package prices so you can save money, if you send your dogs to the day care center often. For dogs with a lot of energy or those who get anxious when left alone, a dog daycare can be a great way out. Dog daycares come fully equipped, so it's a great, safe place for your pup to socialize with other dogs. Even if you're at work or traveling all day, dog daycare is a great alternative to hiring a dog walker to walk your pup around all day. However, doggy daycare may not be a good option for every pup, so it's important to know your dog's personality. Aggressive dogs or dogs who don't get along with others may not be good candidates for a dog daycare. In addition, most franchises require that your pet be up to date on vaccinations and be spayed or neutered. The search for the best dog daycare center started with searching all national chains that offer dog daycares. From there, we only focus on companies with great reputations and reviews. Additional points were awarded to dog daycares that offered extras like webcams (Camp Bow Wow and Dogtopia) so you could watch your pup play all day. Additionally, a few companies have made our list because of their complementary services such as clipping (Central Bark). While price wasn't a big factor in our decision (daily rates vary wildly by region), companies that offer packages and discounts to regular customers, like Camp Bow Wow, got the highest scores.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TheBestDogDayCareCentersof2022-48f6c85092a3469d8124a2f3ce335494.jpg "The best dog daycare centers of 2023 (5)")
Best Overall: Camp Bow Wow
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Best Käfigfrei: Camp Run-a-Mutt
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Best Customer Experience: Dogtopia
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Best for Activities: PetSmart
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Best to care for: central bark
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Best for on the go: Rover.com
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How much does a dog daycare cost?
Is Dog Daycare Good For Your Dog?
How we picked the best dog daycares
