Average Dog Daycare Prices: How to Find a Good Place Without Spending a Fortune
Okay, so I’ve been looking into dog daycare for my little buddy, Max. He’s a bundle of energy, and I figured it would be good for him to socialize and burn off some steam while I’m at work. I started by, you know, just Googling around to get a general idea of what I was getting into. Turns out, it’s not as simple as just dropping him off and picking him up.
First off, I learned that most places won’t take puppies younger than 16 weeks, and they gotta be up-to-date on their shots. Makes sense, gotta keep all the pups healthy. Max is already six months old and fully vaccinated, so we’re good there. Phew, one hurdle down!
Then came the tricky part: figuring out the costs. I called a few places near me, and boy, was there a range! Some were like, $20 a day, which seemed pretty reasonable. Others were charging upwards of $50! I made notes of the price, location, and general information for each one.
What I Found
- The basic packages usually involve just playtime and supervision.
- Some places offer extras like grooming or training sessions, but of course, those cost more. There are even dog spas! I mean, can you imagine? Max getting a paw-dicure?
After talking to the staff at each place and visiting a couple of them (with Max, of course – he had to give his paw of approval), I think I have a good handle on what’s what. I created a detailed table of the facilities, services, and prices. It seems like the average cost around here is about $25 to $35 for a full day. That’s kind of what I expected, honestly, I read somewhere that the national average is in that ballpark, too.
I decided to sign Max up for a trial day at one of the places. He was a bit nervous at first, but he ended up having a blast! I watched the facility video for a while, and he was running around and playing with the other dogs like he’d known them his whole life. It was such a relief to see him so happy and tired out at the end of the day.
Ultimately, I think doggy daycare is gonna be a great thing for both of us. It’s a bit of an investment, but Max’s happiness and well-being are worth it. Plus, a tired pup is a good pup, right? I’m going to keep tracking the days, costs, and additional comments. I’ll keep y’all updated on how it goes!
