Dog Daycare Near Richmond Hill, ON

Richmond Hill is one of the most dog-friendly cities in York Region — over 220,000 people, dozens of parks, and a working-professional population that takes pet care seriously. It also has no shortage of dog daycare options. PetSmart, franchise operations, and independent facilities all compete for your attention along Yonge Street and the 404 corridor.

So why do Richmond Hill dog owners drive 15-20 minutes north to Academy Daycare in Gormley?

Because there’s a meaningful difference between a place that watches your dog and a place run by canine behaviour specialists with 15 years of experience and a perfect safety record.

What Sets Academy Apart from Richmond Hill Daycares

Behaviour Specialists, Not Attendants

Most daycares in Richmond Hill staff their facilities with people who like dogs. That’s a starting point, not a qualification. At Academy Daycare, our team are canine behaviour specialists — 15 years of reading body language, managing group dynamics, identifying stress before it escalates, and preventing incidents before they happen. That’s why we’ve maintained zero serious incidents in 15 years of operation.

In a city with 5+ daycare facilities, this is the question worth asking every one of them: what are your staff’s qualifications, and what’s your safety record?

Temperament-Matched Groups

Size-based grouping is the industry default because it’s easy. Put all the big dogs together, all the small dogs together, call it a day. The problem is obvious to anyone who’s spent time with dogs — a nervous 60-pound retriever and a dominant 60-pound bully breed are not the same dog.

We match by temperament, energy level, and play style. Every dog in the group is compatible, which means every dog is actually enjoying their day — not just surviving it.

Behavioural Daycare

This is the program that Richmond Hill facilities generally can’t offer because they don’t have the staff for it. If your dog is reactive on leash, anxious in groups, over-aroused around other dogs, or has been declined by another daycare — our behavioural daycare program exists specifically for them.

Smaller group sizes, hands-on trainer management, gradual introductions, and a structured confidence-building approach. At $95/day, it turns dogs that “can’t do daycare” into dogs that thrive in it.

Day & Train

Our most popular program, and something you won’t find at any daycare in Richmond Hill. Day & Train combines full obedience training with structured socialization — your dog gets 1-on-1 training sessions throughout the day (commands, leash work, treadmill fitness, place cot training), with matched group play between sessions.

It’s a board and train without the boarding. Your dog comes home every night. At $95/day, it costs a fraction of the multi-week residential programs that charge $3,000-$5,000.

Programs and Pricing

We publish our prices. You shouldn’t have to call five places and play guessing games.

Standard Daycare

For well-socialized dogs that do well in structured group play.

Option	Price	Per Day
Single day	$55	$55
5-day pack	$265	$53
10-day pack	$500	$50
15-day pack	$705	$47
Unlimited	$649/mo	Includes bath & nail trim

Behavioural Daycare — $95/day

For reactive, nervous, or high-energy dogs. Smaller groups, hands-on trainer management, gradual introductions.

Day & Train

Option	Price	Per Day
Single day	$95	$95
5-day pack	$465	$93
10-day pack	$900	$90
15-day pack	$1,305	$87
Unlimited	$1,395/mo	Includes bath & nail trim

Boarding

$75/night standard, $65/night for stays of 7+ nights.

Add-Ons

Nail trim, bath, brush, walking, enrichment treats, treadmill, slatmill, and themed photo days — all available for daycare clients. Pricing at check-in.

The Drive from Richmond Hill

Academy Daycare is at 22 Cardico Dr, Gormley — in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, straight north of Richmond Hill.

• From central Richmond Hill (Yonge & Major Mackenzie area): North on Yonge or Leslie to Bloomington Road, then east to Gormley. About 15-20 minutes.
• From the east side (Bayview/404 area): North on the 404 to Stouffville Road, east to Gormley. About 15 minutes.
• From the north end (Jefferson/Elgin Mills area): East on Bloomington Road or north on Leslie. About 12-15 minutes.

The drive works with a commute. Drop off your dog on the way to work — many Richmond Hill clients head south on the 404 after drop-off, or work locally and pick up on the way home. Drop-off is 7:00-10:00 AM, pickup is 3:00-8:00 PM.

Our Facility

We operate out of an 8,500 sq ft purpose-built facility — not a converted retail unit or warehouse. The space includes:

• Multiple indoor play areas for different temperament groups
• Outdoor yard for exercise, fresh air, and potty breaks
• Dedicated rest zones for structured downtime
• Treadmill and slatmill for fitness and focus work
• Proper ventilation, non-slip flooring, and separated areas

It’s designed for dogs. That matters more than most people realize until they see the difference.

What Richmond Hill Clients Should Know

Hours: Monday-Friday. Drop-off 7:00-10:00 AM. Pickup 3:00-8:00 PM.

Requirements:

• Current vaccinations: rabies, bordetella, DHPP (all three)
• At least 16 weeks old
• Spay/neuter strongly recommended but not required
• Intact males over 1 year often do better in Day & Train, where they get individualized management rather than open group play

No assessments required. We don’t need a multi-visit trial to decide if we can handle your dog. We can handle any dog — that’s the whole point of having behaviour specialists on staff.

Weekly report cards keep you informed about your dog’s behaviour, progress, and social dynamics. No facility tours — they’re disruptive to dogs in session.

Why the Drive Is Worth It

Richmond Hill has closer options. Some of them are fine. But if you’ve ever picked up your dog from daycare and they seemed stressed, overstimulated, or came home with a scratch and a vague explanation — you know that proximity isn’t the only thing that matters.

Fifteen minutes north gets your dog into a facility run by people who’ve spent 15 years doing nothing but this. Behaviour-matched groups, expert supervision, and programs that actually improve your dog’s behaviour instead of just tiring them out.

Call us at 437-776-9563 or fill out the form below. We’ll help you figure out the right program — and yes, we’ll be honest if standard daycare isn’t the best fit and your dog needs something more structured.