When my now 3 year old 80 lb mixed breed was a puppy she went to doggy daycare one day a week - it was a wonderful way to socialize her. She seemed to really love it there. They had cameras so I could watch her whenever I wanted to. It was fun to watch and she did seem to make friends.

It's great to find a place a friend recommends - that's how I found my dog sitter and we love her dearly.

We did stop sending her to doggy day care after about a year. We have 2 other dogs, a big fenced yard and adult kids who like to bring their dogs over. I really feel that year was important to socialize her with other dogs. She is great with all dogs.

Hope Leo loves it there!

A blogger I've followed for years was moving this month (5 kids!) So they took the dog to doggie daycare daily for a couple of weeks and he loves it! She says he pulls her across the parking lot to get there.

Just make sure he is vaccinated and waring a mask :-p

We have no dogs now but at one time we had 2 labs and they seemed to be content playing with each other and a couple of the neighbor's dogs.

I'm far less of a cynic about doggy daycare than I am dog parks. :) The reason why is they are staffed, and presumably with somewhat competent people who pay attention to the dogs and their various needs.

Like everything, there are good places and less than good places. If you trust your friend sounds like you may have found a winner. I have friends who also take their high energy social dogs a few days a week, and both dogs and owners love the place.

I'm aware of other owners who had less than positive experiences at some day cares - but the reasons why are all over the map and not necessarily indicative of any one problem to keep an eye out for.

I hope you both love the place!

We have a few doggy day-cares here. They have cameras so you can see how much fun your dog is having. It's one alternative vs paying for a dog-walker for people who work.

I took our Sam (90-lb gentle giant lab mix) to doggie daycare for the exact reasons you cited. He loved playing with other pups in the neighborhood, but there is little opportunity for that anymore. He adored the people at the daycare! We received a 'report card' every day. Pretty much the same every day: "Samwise had a relaxing day. He got lots of pats from all of us," "Sam took it easy all afternoon...stuck close to us" A couple of times he actually played with other dogs. Not what I had hoped. Glad he loved the humans, but I wanted him to have fun with the other dogs and to run and wear himself out because I couldn't walk him (got a new knee in December, so hope to be walking him again come spring). Anyway, we stopped for the time being. May go back even after I can walk him again just to see if he will play.

Good luck. I hope Leo loves it! Keep us posted and let us know how it goes.

We take of furbaby to doggy daycare when we need to be out of town for the day. When we turn the corner to the street its on, he gets very excited. Totally tires him out. I love how they take hundreds of pictures each day and post them online.

The kennel we have used for many years has optional activities that you can sign up for - swimming in the summer, extra walks, ice pop treats and doggy day car. All of our dogs loved it but then I have very happy, easy going dogs - they also love trips to the Vet too.

Our poodle loves day care. There are two in my area that I use for variety. They both spoil her rotten! She comes home exhausted!

As I said on another thread, my DD and my neighbor send their dogs to day care, all very happy and doing well with it. Best of luck to you and Leo :-)

thank you all for the well wishes!!

i will keep you posted!

and yes they required shots - rabies, bordetella and distemper... he goes friday for his rabies booster, UTD on all the others. oh and he will be wearing a mask, hehe

a note to the other thread... i was taking him to the dog park, but he had an awful experience with a dog chasing him and biting his back aggressivelly and constantly humping him... my heart broke for him. i managed to get them apart, with help of other owners, and i am embarrassed to say i 'freaked out' on them (4 people) and basically said their dog had no business in the dog park. they left. Leo was not the only one he was aggressive with.

proud of my boy, no lasting effects - he still loves other dogs:)

My daughter takes her dog to day care one day a week, sometimes two. He loves it and looks for the lady he likes best there. He chases around with the other dogs and comes home dead tired and calmly happy. My tiny dog would hate it. It's all about your particular dog's personality.

years ago i left my 3 danes at a daycare/boarding facility so i could attend my son's wedding. it was a great place, lots of cameras and it was, more or less, "cage free". when the dogs weren't outside playing, they were inside in huge pens. there were a dozen little dogs all together in one big area, a few big dogs in a separate area and they gave my 3 a separate area to themselves.

before i even broached the subject, the owner told me she would be spending the night at the facility so she could keep an eye on my dogs. danes can easily bloat from being too stressed and while they were all pretty easy going dogs, i did worry about that and was very thankful she did it! i tipped her well! i have since been fortunate enough to find a wonderful dog sitter who comes to the house and stays if i have to be gone overnight.

Oh gosh, here I go again, the lone dissenter LOL. I have a mini goldendoodle about 25 pounds. I am definately not against doggy day care-it just wasn't for me or my little guy. I took him ONCE last year, it being too cold and icy outside and felt bad he wasn't getting enough exercise. Let me say, he is very spoiled and our only dog. The doggy day care I took him to, was a nice one, but my major concern, the other dogs are allowed to pee or poop in the area-and I am serious when it comes to potty training-so that wasn't going to work for me. They do clean it up as soon as they see it. I just didn't want him to think it was okay AT ALL to go potty inside. He stunk when he got home. They do have a service to give him a bath at the end of the day though. Also, he apparently is a chicken little and went off in corners probably half the time he was there that morning. I do take him to close friends who have dogs in their house and most of the time when we do or they do outdoor entertaining, he is around other dogs and is fine. I walk him twice a day and he sees other dogs, but just isn't that interested. So unlike me LOL

Awe thanks, murraysmom!

I had a rescue who loved other dogs but was shy/fearful with most humans, especially men. She loved doggy daycare and also loved one young man who worked there. We boarded her at the same place when we went on vacation and when we picked her up I think she would have preferred to stay.

Another dog liked it until they put up awnings. She was afraid of fabric flapping in the wind and just sat in a corner all day, so we stopped taking her.

Happy to report, Leo passed with flying colors!!

his only issue, and they will work with him, is he won't drink out of the water bowl if other dogs drink out of it. they said its very common with one dog in the house and he will learn. i don't think its because they drink our of it, its more that he won't budge a dog out of the way. he will figure it out with their help.

he goes tomorrow for 6 hours, so big test tomorrow! fingers crossed!

I hope it works out for Leo..... and for you too. Our current dog is older, sedate and is happiest when sleeping next to DH's reading chair. I remember the puppy days and if we ever go that route again I'd definitely consider what you're doing.