A well-structured dog daycare day should include more than nonstop play. Dogs need an appropriate balance of activity, enrichment, interaction and rest—and the right balance isn’t the same for every dog.
New to dog daycare? Start with our complete guide to dog daycare in Maryland to learn what to look for, how different daycare models work and how to find the right fit for your dog.
At Best Friends Fur Ever, a dog’s day depends on the kind of care that fits them best. At our Joppa and Cockeysville, Maryland resorts, dogs may spend their day in supervised Social Play, enjoy one-on-one activities and enrichment through Play My Way, or move at a gentler pace with additional support in Assisted Canine Care.
In other words: not every dog at daycare is doing the same thing all day.
For Dogs Who Love Other Dogs: Social Play
For social dogs, the day includes supervised play with compatible canine friends.
We match dogs based on factors including size, energy and play style, giving them opportunities to run, chase, sniff, explore and interact with dogs who enjoy playing the way they do.
And yes, there are zoomies.
But Social Play isn’t eight straight hours of nonstop activity.
At BFFE, the day is divided into morning and afternoon play rotations with structured midday rest in between.
Because knowing when to stop playing is part of a good daycare day, too.
For Dogs Who Prefer Their Own Kind of Fun: Play My Way
What if your dog doesn’t enjoy a traditional playgroup?
They can still have a really good day.
Play My Way is BFFE’s alternative for dogs who prefer one-on-one attention, human interaction or enrichment-based activities instead of large-group play.
And this is where one dog’s day can look completely different from another’s.
Fetch?
Absolutely.
Scent work?
Let’s investigate.
Puzzles and brain games?
Put that nose to work.
Outdoor exploration?
There’s a lot to sniff out there.
Some dogs have high toy drive. Some prefer people to groups. Some are socially selective. And some simply thrive when their day is built more around them.
Play My Way combines one-on-one caregiver attention, outdoor activity, enrichment and rest to create a day based on what engages the individual dog.
No large playgroup required. No temperament test required. Unaltered dogs are welcome.
Because at BFFE, daycare isn’t pass or fail.
For Senior, Aging and Differently Abled Dogs: Assisted Canine Care
Then there are dogs whose needs have changed.
Maybe they’re moving a little more slowly.
Maybe arthritis or mobility challenges have changed how they get around.
Maybe they’re blind or deaf, use a mobility aid, need routine medication or simply need more opportunities to rest.
That doesn’t mean their world has to get smaller.
Assisted Canine Care (ACC) provides a quieter, slower-paced daycare experience for senior and aging dogs, differently abled dogs and dogs who need more hands-on support.
A good ACC day might look like:
Sniff the yard.
Get some fresh air.
Visit with a friend.
Take your medication.
Enjoy some enrichment.
Get some extra love from your handler.
Head outside for another potty break.
Then curl up somewhere comfortable for a really good nap.
Some ACC dogs still enjoy appropriate social time. Others would rather explore, sniff or spend time with their caregivers.
We meet them where they are that day.
ACC also offers comfortable crate-free rest, assistance for many dogs with mobility challenges, support for routine medications and additional potty opportunities when needed.
Because growing older—or needing a little more help—doesn’t mean a dog has to stop having things to look forward to.
[Explore Assisted Canine Care →]
Why Do Dogs Rest at Daycare?
Around midday at BFFE?
We rest.
And we don’t apologize for it.
Rest isn’t what happens when daycare stops. It’s part of the daycare day.
Dogs need opportunities to decompress and recharge between periods of activity and enrichment. More stimulation isn’t always better, and the goal shouldn’t simply be to exhaust a dog before pickup.
The goal is a good day.
For one dog, that might mean running with friends and then taking a midday nap.
For another, it might mean a brain game, outdoor exploration and some downtime.
For a senior dog, a slow sniff around the yard followed by a comfortable nap might be exactly right.
The Most Important Part Isn’t on the Schedule
Our schedules give the day structure.
But the dog in front of us tells us what the day needs.
Is someone tired?
Overexcited?
Feeling quieter than usual?
Eager for another activity?
Having the time of their life?
Those observations matter.
Because a puppy, a social butterfly, a dog who prefers people to other dogs and a senior with mobility challenges shouldn’t necessarily be expected to enjoy the same daycare experience.
That’s one of the biggest differences in how we think about dog daycare at Best Friends Fur Ever.
We don’t ask every dog to fit into one model of care. We find the kind of day that fits the dog.
Because daycare isn’t babysitting with tennis balls.
It’s care.
Not sure which sounds like your dog?
→ Find Your Dog’s Perfect Day quiz