Your Dog’s First Day at Daycare

You’ve picked a daycare. You’ve paid the deposit. Now you’re lying awake at 2 AM wondering if your dog is going to be okay.

Will they be scared? Will they get along with the other dogs? Will they eat? Will they just sit in a corner and cry? Are you a terrible person for leaving them with strangers?

Here’s the honest truth: your dog’s first day will probably be unremarkable. Most dogs walk in, sniff around, and start engaging within the first hour. The ones who take longer still settle within a few days. The drama is almost always in the owner’s head, not the dog’s experience.

But knowing what to expect — and doing a few things to prepare — makes the first day easier for both of you.

Before the First Day

Vaccinations

Your dog needs to be current on three vaccines before attending daycare: rabies, bordetella (kennel cough), and DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus). If any of these are due soon, get them updated at least a week before the first day — some vaccines take a few days to reach full effectiveness, and you don’t want to introduce a dog to a group environment with incomplete protection.

Dogs must be at least 16 weeks old, which is when the puppy vaccination series is typically complete.

Don’t Change the Routine

The morning of the first day, keep everything normal. Same wake-up time, same walk, same breakfast. Don’t skip breakfast thinking your dog won’t eat at daycare — they need the fuel, and an empty stomach can increase anxiety.

Don’t over-exercise your dog before drop-off either. Some owners try to “tire them out” so they’ll be calm. This backfires. A physically exhausted dog in a new environment is a stressed dog, not a calm one.

What to Bring

At Academy Daycare, you don’t need to bring food unless your dog is a puppy who needs a midday meal. No toys, no beds, no blankets. We provide everything your dog needs throughout the day. Just bring your dog and their vaccination records.

Skip the Long Goodbye

This is the hardest part for owners and the easiest for dogs. When you drop off, hand the leash to staff, say a quick goodbye, and leave. Don’t linger. Don’t come back for “one more hug.” Don’t stand at the door watching.

Dogs read your energy. If you’re anxious and hovering, your dog picks up on that and decides there’s something to be anxious about. A confident, quick drop-off tells your dog “this is normal, you’re fine, I’ll be back.”

Drop-off at Academy is between 7 and 10 AM. The earlier in the window you come, the quieter the transition tends to be.

What Happens During the First Day

The First Hour

Staff observe your dog during the initial period. How do they enter the space? Are they confident or cautious? Do they approach other dogs or hang back? Are they interested in play or overwhelmed?

This isn’t a formal assessment — we don’t gate enrollment behind lengthy evaluations. It’s observation. Our behaviour specialists are watching your dog’s body language to determine the right group placement. A confident, social dog goes into an active play group. A more cautious dog starts in a calmer, smaller group where they can build confidence at their own pace.

Throughout the Day

Your dog’s day follows a structured rhythm:

• Play periods in temperament-matched groups — off-leash socialization with dogs that match their energy and style
• Rest periods — enforced downtime so dogs don’t overstimulate
• Outdoor time — fresh air and yard access
• Water access throughout the day

Staff are managing interactions constantly. They’re redirecting dogs that are getting too amped up, separating dogs that need a break, and making sure every dog in the group is comfortable.

What Your Dog Is Doing

Most dogs on their first day cycle through a predictable pattern:

1. Cautious exploration (first 20-30 minutes) — sniffing the space, checking out the other dogs, staying on the periphery
2. First engagement — a tentative play bow, a sniff greeting, or just choosing to lie down near another dog
3. Active participation — joining a play group, chasing, wrestling, or simply moving around the space with confidence
4. Rest — the mental and physical effort of a new environment catches up, and they crash

Some dogs blow through steps 1-3 in fifteen minutes and are playing like they’ve been coming for months. Others spend the whole first day on steps 1-2. Both are normal.

What to Expect at Pickup

The Tired Dog

Your dog will be tired. Possibly the most tired you’ve ever seen them. A full day of social engagement, new experiences, and physical activity in a new environment is exhausting — in a good way.

Don’t be alarmed if your dog:

• Sleeps through the evening and night
• Drinks a lot of water when they get home
• Seems quieter or more subdued than usual
• Isn’t interested in dinner (or is ravenous — both are normal)

This is not a sign that something went wrong. This is a dog that had a full, engaging day and is recovering. It’s the equivalent of how you feel after your first day at a new job — tired but not injured.

The Wired Dog

Some dogs — particularly adolescents and high-energy breeds — come home wired instead of tired. They’ve been stimulated all day and haven’t fully wound down. This usually resolves within 30-60 minutes at home. A short walk and dinner typically bring them back to baseline.

Minor Marks

Dogs play with their mouths and bodies. Small scratches, a minor scrape, or a tiny patch of missing fur are normal byproducts of healthy play — just like a kid coming home from a playground with a scraped knee. Staff will let you know at pickup if anything happened during the day.

If you see anything that concerns you, ask. Good daycares welcome questions and explain exactly what happened.

The First Week

The first day is introduction. The real calibration happens over the first week.

Days 1-2: Your dog is learning the environment, the routine, and the people. They may be more reserved than usual or more excitable than usual. Both are normal responses to novelty.

Days 3-4: The routine starts to click. Your dog knows the drop-off process, recognizes staff, and has started forming preferences about which dogs they want to play with. Hesitant dogs typically show their first real comfort by day three.

Day 5: Most dogs are settled. They walk in like they own the place. Some dogs start pulling toward the door at drop-off, which is the clearest sign that they’re enjoying themselves.

By the end of the first week, you’ll have a clear picture of how your dog does at daycare. The staff will have observed your dog across multiple days and can tell you exactly how they’re fitting in — what group works best, who their play partners are, and whether any adjustments are needed.

Signs It’s Working

After a few weeks of regular daycare, look for these changes at home:

• Calmer evenings. Your dog isn’t pacing, whining, or demanding attention all night because they’ve already had a full day of engagement.
• Less destructive behaviour. The chewing, digging, and counter surfing that come from boredom and pent-up energy should decrease significantly.
• Better social behaviour. Dogs that attend daycare regularly tend to be calmer and more confident around other dogs on walks and in public.
• Morning excitement. Your dog starts getting excited when they realize it’s a daycare day. This is the best indicator — your dog is telling you they want to go.

Signs It’s Not Working

Not every dog is a daycare dog. If after two weeks your dog:

• Is consistently reluctant at drop-off (hiding, cowering, refusing to walk in)
• Comes home and shows signs of stress (excessive panting, diarrhea, loss of appetite for days)
• Seems more anxious or reactive on walks than before daycare started

Then it’s worth talking to staff about group placement. Sometimes the fix is a different group, a different program (Behavioural Daycare instead of standard), or fewer days per week. Sometimes daycare genuinely isn’t the right fit, and that’s okay — a good facility will tell you honestly.

Getting Started at Academy

Academy Daycare is at 22 Cardico Drive in Gormley. Drop-off is 7-10 AM, pickup is 3-8 PM, Monday through Friday.

Requirements:

• 16 weeks or older
• Current on rabies, bordetella, and DHPP vaccinations
• No food needed (unless puppy with midday meal)

Standard Daycare starts at $55/day, with packs available for regular attendees: 5-pack ($265), 10-pack ($500), 15-pack ($705), or Unlimited ($649/month including bath and nail trim).

Call 437-776-9563 to set up your dog’s first day. We’ll answer any questions and make sure the transition is smooth — for your dog and for you.