Dog Daycare and Boarding FAQs

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it. We conduct our tours by appointment – Monday through Friday at either 6 or 6:30PM, and on Saturdays at either 4 or 4:30PM. Please call us at 416-461-4788 or email us at info@pawsplaygrounds.com to set up an appointment for a tour.

The assessment is an initial interview between the pup, the owners, and Paws. This is to ensure that the pup is comfortable here, the owners are comfortable with their pup here, and also to ensure that the pup is comfortable with being handled by Paws Daycare Attendants. The next step in the assessment process is to introduce other dogs to the new dog one by one to see how he interacts. All dogs must complete this process before entering our group play environment for a trial play.

Our trial plays are roughly two – three hours long and are complimentary. This give us enough time to get to know your pup, see his idiosyncrasies and personality. This is also a time to see if he is anxious or territorial without his parents around. If the pup is too anxious or territorial, then perhaps a daycare is not the best fit for the pup. If the pup is confident and happy to play, then he’ll be introduced to other dogs one by one and then into the playground to play with the rest of the doggies and will be matched based on size, energy level, and temperament.

Your pup must be at least 3 months old, and have completed their second set of puppy vaccinations to be accepted into our dog daycare program.

Yes. We require that all dogs be vaccinated against Rabies and Distemper. As well as flea and tick prevention program during the months April through to November. Please discuss with your vet.

Your dog will run and play to his heart’s content! He will play with his daycare friends, splash in the pool, slide down the slide, jump through agility playsets, and climb on the jungle gyms! When that’s enough, he can climb up on the many sofas or curl up on a Paws Daycare Attendants lap for some cuddles and quiet time.
Doggie daycare is designed to provide regular exercise for your pup, which has several key benefits for your pup’s quality of life:
o Helps to maintain a healthy weight (along with a nutritious diet)
o Stimulates your pup’s mind which leads to:
• Reduced anxiety
• Fewer destructive behaviours at home
• Improvement in general well being
o Better socialization, both with other dogs and people

Your dog will run and play to his heart’s content! He will play with his daycare friends, splash in the pool, slide down the slide, jump through agility playsets, and climb on the jungle gyms! When that’s enough, he can climb up on the many sofas or curl up on a Daycare Attendants lap for some cuddles and quiet time.

Yes, absolutely, and rest assured that every dog eats separately so no other dog will eat his food. Each dog is then given roughly 45 mins to an hour to eat to ensure they digest the food properly. If a dog goes out to play too quickly after eating, it’s possible that they could throw it up or worse, stomach bloat which may require surgery.

No, we don’t take them off the premises as we can not control the environment outside our dog daycare facility. But rest assured, the amount of exercise your dog gets from running and playing is far above a regular walk. Your dog will be tired when he gets home! Your pup will run, slide down the slides, play on the jungle gyms, jump through the agility playsets, and splash in our pools all day in a supervised environment. Paws Playgrounds was established so that we could completely control the environment in which your pup plays and exercises. From knowing all the dogs, to ensuring they’re vaccinated, to climate control, to the grounds in the playground; we look after the pups in our playground.

In a word, YES! With over 10,000 square feet of outdoor play space, we have the largest private outdoor space of any daycare in the city of Toronto! We also have a very large indoor climate controlled space for those lovely winter mornings in Toronto!

Most dogs enjoy this environment as they get to play, socialize, and wrestle with other doggies. However, sometimes older dogs tire quickly and are not in the mood to wrestle all day. We have an indoor play area specifically for older dogs who would like a slower pace of life.

We have a separate small dog daycare for those little ones who are anxious or frightened of the bigger doggies. It’s a fun environment with toys, bones and a sofa and where one doesn’t need to be worried about getting trampled on. If your smaller dog is confident and enjoys larger dogs, there isn’t any issues for you smaller dog to play and interact with larger dogs. Paws Daycare Attendants are always watching and supervising to ensure that everyone is playing properly.

Yes, we offer bathing, trimming of their nails, and ear cleaning. And if you have a Bulldog, we’ll happily clean between the rolls on their face.

Your dog will run and play to his heart’s content! He will play with his daycare friends, splash in the pool, slide down the slide, jump through agility playsets, and climb on the jungle gyms! When that’s enough, he can climb up on the many sofas or curl up on a Daycare Attendants lap for some cuddles and quiet time.

You’re more than welcome to bring his own bed however we do offer orthopedic beds for all our suites – no matter the size of your pup!

We ask that you bring his food because we don’t want to switch his food too quickly as he may experience diarrhea or unpleasant tummy issues – and that doesn’t make for a great dog boarding experience. We understand if you’re in a rush, let us know what brand of food your dog likes and we’ll happily pick it up. If your pup doesn’t have stomach issues with switching food, then we’re happy to feed him our food.

This is common among some dogs but rest assured that every dog eats separately and is given roughly 45 mins to an hour to eat to ensure they digest the food. If a dog goes out to play too quickly after eating, it’s possible that they could throw it up or worse, stomach bloat which may require surgery.

Our boarding dogs play with our daycare dogs all day long! A traditional kennel takes the dogs out of their cage/kennel for a play or a walk a couple of times per day – usually 20 mins apiece. A traditional kennel may also have individual dog runs where the dog is isolated from other dogs for the duration of the stay.

Our Paws Daycare Attendants leave at 11pm in the evening and return at 6am. Each dog is separated into their own suites with orthopedic beds, their own toys, bones, Kongs, and water for the night. After playing all day, our guests are so tired that they happily wander into their suites to hunker down for the night. Studies have also shown that dogs get a better night sleep (when in a different place than home) without a person around. This allows the dog to get a good night’s sleep to be happy and alert and ready to play come daybreak!
Our premises are secured with state of the art technology for heat detection, smoke detection, carbon monoxide detection, web cams, glass breaks, and unlawful entry.

Not right away.

Because Paws Playgrounds is an open-play environment, every dog must complete an assessment and trial play before joining dog daycare or dog boarding.

This helps us make sure your dog is comfortable, safe, and a good fit for our daycare and boarding environment.

Once your dog has successfully completed the assessment and trial play process, they may join daycare play and/or boarding.

Yes. We encourage tours by appointment.

Tours are available:

• Monday to Friday at 6:00 PM or 6:30 PM
• Saturday at 4:00 PM or 4:30 PM

To schedule a tour, call 416-461-4788 or email info@pawsplaygrounds.com.

The assessment is an initial meeting between your dog, your family, and Paws Playgrounds.

The goal is to make sure:

• Your dog is comfortable in our space
• You are comfortable leaving your dog with us
• Your dog is comfortable being handled by our Daycare Attendants
• Your dog can be safely introduced to other dogs

After the first part of the assessment, we introduce other dogs one at a time to see how your dog interacts before entering the group play environment.

Trial play is a complimentary visit that usually lasts about two to three hours.

During trial play, we get to know your dog’s personality, comfort level, energy, and play style. We also look for signs of anxiety, territorial behaviour, or discomfort when their owner is not present.

If your dog is confident and comfortable, we introduce them to other dogs one at a time. If things go well, your dog may then join the playground and be matched with dogs based on size, energy level, and temperament.

If your dog is too anxious or uncomfortable, dog daycare may not be the best fit.

Yes.

Your puppy must be at least 3 months old and must have completed their second set of puppy vaccinations before being accepted into our dog daycare program.

Yes.

All dogs must be vaccinated against Rabies and Distemper.

Dogs should also be on a flea and tick prevention program from April through November. Please speak with your veterinarian about the best prevention plan for your dog.

Dogs that are not spayed or neutered are allowed to play and stay with us until 8 months old.

After 8 months old, all dogs must be spayed or neutered to attend dog daycare or boarding.

Doggy daycare gives your dog a place to play, exercise, socialize, and rest during the day.

At Paws Playgrounds, dogs can run, play with daycare friends, splash in the pool, slide, jump through agility playsets, climb on jungle gyms, and enjoy supervised play.

When they need a break, they can relax on one of our sofas or enjoy quiet time with a Daycare Attendant.

Dog daycare can help support your dog’s quality of life by providing regular exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, and a healthy outlet for energy.

Dog daycare can help many dogs get the exercise, stimulation, and social time they need.

Benefits may include:

• Regular exercise
• Healthy weight support
• Mental stimulation
• Better socialization with dogs and people
• Reduced boredom
• Fewer destructive behaviours at home
• Improved overall wellbeing

Every dog is different, which is why we start with an assessment and trial play.

Dogs spend the day playing, socializing, exercising, and resting.

Your dog may run with daycare friends, splash in the pool, slide, climb on jungle gyms, jump through agility playsets, relax on sofas, or curl up with a Daycare Attendant for cuddles and quiet time.

The day is active, supervised, and designed to give dogs a healthy mix of play and rest.

Yes. Dogs who need lunch can eat while they are at daycare.

Every dog eats separately so no other dog can get to their food.

After eating, each dog is given about 45 to 60 minutes to digest before returning to play. This helps reduce the risk of stomach upset and gives your dog time to rest after eating.

No. We do not take dogs off the premises.

Paws Playgrounds was created so dogs can exercise and play in a supervised, controlled environment.

Inside our daycare facility, we know the dogs, their vaccination status, the play areas, the climate, and the group environment. Your dog can run, climb, slide, splash, play, and socialize without being taken into an uncontrolled outdoor setting.

Most dogs get more exercise at daycare than they would on a regular walk.

Yes.

Paws Playgrounds has both outdoor and indoor play areas.

We have over 10,000 square feet of outdoor play space, making it one of the largest private outdoor dog daycare spaces in Toronto.

We also have a large climate-controlled indoor play area for cold mornings, winter days, hot weather, rain, snow, and dogs who prefer indoor play.

It can be.

Many older dogs enjoy social time, gentle play, and being around other dogs. However, some older dogs tire more quickly and may not want to wrestle or play all day.

For dogs who prefer a slower pace, we have an indoor play area that may be a better fit.

The assessment and trial play help us understand whether dog daycare is right for your older dog.

Yes, for many small dogs.

Paws Playgrounds has a separate small dog daycare area for little dogs who may feel anxious, nervous, or overwhelmed around larger dogs.

The small dog area includes toys, bones, and a sofa so smaller dogs can play and relax in a more comfortable space.

If your small dog is confident and enjoys being around larger dogs, they may be able to play with bigger dogs when appropriate. Our Daycare Attendants supervise the dogs and match play based on size, temperament, energy, and comfort.

During the day, boarding dogs play with our daycare dogs.

Your dog can run, play with friends, splash in the pool, slide, jump through agility playsets, climb on jungle gyms, relax on sofas, or enjoy quiet time with a Daycare Attendant.

At night, each dog sleeps in their own suite.

This makes boarding at Paws Playgrounds more active and social than a traditional kennel experience.

You are welcome to bring your dog’s own bed, but you do not have to.

Paws Playgrounds provides orthopedic beds for all boarding suites, no matter the size of your dog.

Please bring your dog’s regular food.

Keeping your dog on their usual food helps avoid stomach upset, diarrhea, or other tummy issues during their stay.

If you are in a rush, let us know what brand of food your dog eats and we can pick it up for you. If your dog does not have stomach issues when switching food, we are also happy to feed them our food.

Every dog eats separately.

Dogs are given about 45 to 60 minutes to eat and digest before returning to play. This gives slower eaters time to finish their meal and helps make sure no other dog gets their food.

It also gives dogs time to digest properly before they return to an active play environment.

Paws Playgrounds is different because our boarding dogs play with our daycare dogs during the day.

In many traditional kennels, dogs spend much of the day in a cage, kennel, or individual run. They may be taken out only a few times per day for a short walk or brief play session.

At Paws Playgrounds, boarding dogs get supervised play, exercise, social time, and rest during the day. At night, each dog sleeps in their own suite with an orthopedic bed, toys, bones, Kongs, and water.

Our Daycare Attendants leave at approximately 11 PM and return at approximately 6 AM.

At night, each dog is separated into their own suite with an orthopedic bed, toys, bones, Kongs, and water.

After a full day of play, most dogs are tired and ready to sleep.

The premises are secured with technology for heat detection, smoke detection, carbon monoxide detection, web cams, glass breaks, and unlawful entry.

Yes.

Paws Playgrounds offers dog bathing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning.

If your dog needs extra care, we can help with that too. For example, if you have a Bulldog, we can clean between the rolls on their face.

Yes.

Your dog can get a bath after daycare or during a boarding stay.

This is a helpful option if your dog has been running, splashing, playing outside, or staying overnight.

Dog bathing is $40 per bath.

Nail clipping is available for $10.

There are two answers.

The simple answer is: if your dog smells, it is probably time for a bath.

The more detailed answer is that it depends on your dog’s breed, coat, skin condition, health, activity level, and environment.

Some dogs may need a bath weekly. Others may only need one every few months. Many dogs are bathed about once a month.

The Paws team can help you decide what makes sense for your dog.

Yes.

Nail clipping is available for $10.

Yes.

Paws Playgrounds offers ear cleaning along with dog bathing and nail trimming.