Dog Daycare

We provide dog daycare in a structured, welcoming environment with attentive staff who cater to the needs of your dog. Our indoor and outdoor spaces give pups plenty of room to romp around in. We also ensure plenty of personal attention for each of our canine guests. Separate areas are available for dogs that are less active or need solo time, but we never leave your dog alone. We match daycare dogs with others that share a similar playing style and temperament. 

All new clients must undergo a behavior evaluation prior to joining the ALC dog daycare group.

  1. Sign up as a client (and be sure to send vaccine records in the format described!)
  2. Schedule an evaluation for your dog. If you're interested in daycare, this is a day trial. If you're interested in boarding, this is an overnight trial. You can request by emailing us.
To ensure the safety and health of your dog and our other guests, we have the following requirements:
  • — Dogs must do well with other dogs and humans. If your dog has any history of aggression towards humans or other dogs, ALC is not the right fit for your pup as we do not separate our canine guests.
  • — Dogs must be four months of age or older and on course with all required vaccines. Any new clients must be under the age of 10
  • - Dogs must be spayed or neutered by 7 months of age.
  • — Dogs must be vaccinated for rabies, distemper, parvo, parainfluenza, and hepatitis, (DHPP, DA2P, or equivalent) and bordetella. The canine influenza vaccination (H3N2 & H3N8) is recommended, but not yet required.
  • — Dogs should be in good health. Upon admission, all dogs must be free from any communicable conditions including fleas and ticks. All dogs should be using flea/tick preventative(s).
  • — Dogs attending daycare services must meet a minimum of three days per month to maintain status as an active client.
  • — Dogs must have been in your care for at least three weeks prior to attending daycare/boarding.
  • - A behavior evaluation must be completed at least three days prior to boarding
  • — Dogs must be brought to ALC with a collar that clips off easily (no over-the-head collars or buckles) that they can wear for the duration of their stay.
  • - A local emergency contact must be left for the duration of all boarding stays. Read the full policy on this.
What does my dog do at daycare?

We’re so glad you asked! Our doggy daycare is structured so your dog gets maximum exercise, rest, outdoor and indoor time, and one-on-one attention. Dogs are matched based on their temperament and energy level and we encourage romping around, wrestling, and enjoying time with their fellow canines. This socialization is great for your dog’s physical and emotional needs — they stay active and learn cues about how to behave with others. We also have nap time, so your dogs get the chance to take a break, relax, and self-regulate. Dogs are meant to sleep for a portion of the day, so this helps them meet that physical need and prevents agitation. During nap time we put on soft music, turn the lights down, and arrange everybody in quarters that will allow them to best settle in. The latter half of the day is spent much the same as the first, though dogs usually get tired again as we move into the evening — that’s when we have the most opportunity to spend one-on-one time and form a greater bond with each of our furry friends. Yes, we love to snuggle them, too!

For the most part, yes. Our upstairs level is reserved for littles, tinies, and puppies. We may also have some mellow loungers that are bigger in size in this area. Our lower level is dedicated to medium to large sized dogs that have higher energy. Dogs that are boarding will mix with the group at large, though our numbers are much lower in the overnight hours and we integrate the pack slowly and carefully.

We allow puppies to begin socializing at the 13-week mark. Pups should have the full first round of vaccinations complete and be deemed healthy and able to socialize by your veterinarian. All required vaccines (rabies, DHPP and bordetella) should be administered at appropriate age markers thereafter. We also require that your dog be spayed or neutered by seven months of age to continue in daycare or boarding.

Yes, we do, but pick up and drop off is mostly done on foot, meaning you must live within a walkable distance from our facility. Occasionally we are able to accommodate pick up/drop offs by car for longer distances or for animals who cannot walk the distance from home, but this must be arranged in advance. We cannot guarantee availability to provide pick up/drop off without at least 24 hours notice, and our time windows may vary depending on the staff member providing the service.

Reservations are not required, but strongly recommended to guarantee a spot for your pup. We do hit capacity at times (often mid-week) and will announce this via our instagram. If we have not reached capacity and your dog has already passed a behavior evaluation, you are welcome to come as a walk-in.

Yes, we have water available in every room!

Yes. Please bring the pre-portioned meal with you when you drop your dog off. There is a $3 fee for meal administration during daycare

When dogs are grouped together, we must supervise them carefully at all times. Nuisance behaviors (from otherwise good dogs) that require correction include rough play, excessive barking or howling, excessive mounting, jumping or lunging inappropriately, and/or nipping. We always first attempt to correct these behaviors vocally — getting the dog’s attention with their name and a firm command. If the dog persists, we may use other forms of noise to halt the behavior, such as shaking a can of coins or spraying canned pressurized air which makes a hissing sound that attracts attention. We may also separate the dog temporarily, leash him or her and ask for a sit, gentle touching, or move the dog to a different area entirely. We do also employ squirt bottles with water for when bad behaviors persist despite multiple corrections. Most dogs respond to a splash of water and we find it is especially useful when two dogs are playing rough and their attention is not on the person supervising.

Just like when people socialize, when dogs spend time with other dogs, they may be exposed to bacteria or viruses. We require that all dogs in our care be innoculated against rabies, distemper, and bordetella (kennel cough). We also take every measure to keep things sanitary and clean to deter germs from spreading. Still, airborne contaminants remains a risk, especially for puppies with developing immune systems and for seniors/pets in poor health. We think the benefits of doggy daycare far outweigh the risk of a cold — it’s the same reason we brave crowded subways and bustling social events ?

Yes, we require that your dog attend at least three times a month to remain an active participant in our daycare program. As canine socialization is a skill, it takes regular practice for your dog to get comfortable with it and maintain good behavior in the environment. It also allows your dog to develop relationships with other regularly attending clients as well as our staff.
We require that all dogs in our care wear a collar that can be pinched for quick removal. This allows us to move dogs quickly and easily to prevent injuries, and to take the collar off with minimal effort should it get stuck on something. Dogs may wear a harness in lieu of a collar, however these tend to get ripped and damaged over time with play.