What should I check before buying a dog daycare?

A dog daycare is not the same business as a children’s centre or an overnight kennel, even when the listing uses similar words. Dogs arrive in the morning and leave in the evening, so the work depends on routine, trained handling and a space built for play. Your review should follow those features, and it should rest on documents you can read yourself.

Memberships and package revenue

Ask how clients pay: by the day, by prepaid packages or by monthly membership. Prepaid money is owed in service, so find out how much is outstanding and how it is recorded. Ask how long clients usually stay and how often they lapse. A roster of regular members tells you more than a busy week that happened to be recorded.

Screening and play groups

Ask to see the written temperament assessment and the rules for sorting dogs into groups by size and energy. Find out what vaccination records the daycare requires and who checks them. Watch a play session if the seller allows it. Calm, consistent handling is a sign of good practice.

Handling, incidents and insurance

Ask for the incident log, including bites, escapes and injuries, and for how each was handled and communicated to the owner. Ask how staff are trained to break up a conflict. Your lawyer and your insurance adviser can tell you what the seller’s claims history means for you.

Weekday patterns and the space

Daycares often fill on working days and empty on weekends, so ask for attendance by day. Then look at the premises: flooring, noise control, outdoor access and the lease. What daycare buyers should check in a premises lease covers lease questions that apply to many daytime-only spaces.