Unfortunately, when people need to leave home, they sometimes need to leave their pets behind as well. Traveling off to far off lands isn’t always ideal for man’s best friend, so doggy day care centers are often used to help keep Mr. Wiggles happy and entertained while owners are on vacation or even just working overtime in the office. Much like children, dogs need plenty of love, attention, and guidance in order to thrive and owners are often turning to pet day care centers when in need of someone to care for bored, lonely, or high-energy pets. Most places provide half-day and full-day services with daily, weekly, and occasional options, as well as rooms for boarding and amenities like grooming or training.
Rates vary city to city and typically, there’s a monthly package to choose from, which cuts down on per-day costs. Expect to pay between $240 to $550 per month and at the higher end of that range in exclusive areas such as busy metros. For your planning pleasure, here are the costs of doggie daycare in main U.S. cities.
Here's How Much Pet Daycare Costs In These 11 Cities
1. San Francisco
Given its close proximity to the busy Silicon Valley, Bay Area folks often spend long hours away at work and are prone to taking lengthy business trips that leave their canines home alone and in need of care and love. Dog boarding or day care centers can be found all across the city to help with an otherwise daunting task by providing safe and secure environments where constant social interaction, stimulation, and exercise will keep furry tails wagging happily. Day rates typically begin at $43 for a full day of care and $70 for a single night of boarding. SF Hound Lounge even offers baths starting at $35 for itty bitty dogs.
2. Los Angeles
Much like its northern counterpart, the City of Angels is a dog-filled town as well. From the Eastside to the Westside and all around the Valley, there are a plethora of services offering dog daycare, dog boarding, dog sitting, dog grooming as well as training. Typically, daycare rates start around $20 for a half day (up to 5 hours) and $35 for a full day (up to close of business). Additional fees of $10 will apply if owners pick up after 10 hours. Boarding-wise, stays cost around $45 per night, while grooming begins at $30 and up depending on the size of the canine.
3. Seattle
Pooches of all sorts are a huge part of many lives and The Emerald City takes that into deep consideration. There are daycare services aplenty that help take care of our furry favorites by allowing them to better socialize with other dogs through fun activities that’ll keep them running with boundless energy.
There’s Downtown Dog Lounge, deemed by many as the best daycare service in Seattle for both pooches and parents (owners can watch their dogs play on webcams!). Single days start at $40 for a full day and $27 for a half day with doggie care offered weekdays from 7am to 6:30pm. Toenail trimmings are also available for around $15 and you can opt for a Day Training Day package, which costs just $60 and includes daycare and training.
4. Portland
Numerous spaces around town like Dogs Dig It are available to accommodate dogs of all sizes in one of many different lodging options. There’s usually large outdoor areas for playing, as well as diet-friendly meals that are included along with ample time for running, napping, and socializing. Full days (up to 12 hours) begin at $29 and overnight stays cost $45 per night. You can even add on another dog for just $36 a night.
5. New York City
The Big Apple is no stranger to doggie daycare, with prices in the city often starting as low as $20 per full-day visit, depending on how you pay. Places like New York Dog Nanny charge on the higher end at $49 for a full day and $30 for half. Boarding typically begins at $59, and though dogs are welcome to stay after checkout times, it is important to note that there are late checkout fees to be aware of. Holiday surcharges of around $5 per night are also common.
6. Washington, D.C.
Daily dog care rates in our nation’s capital typically runs around $60 per day for twelve hours but will allow pets to be constantly supervised with the utmost of care by trained teams of day care chaperones.
Favorites such as Happy Paws Day Care are super sensitive to signs of hunger and fatigue, changes in behavior and temperament, and allow our furry friends to easily socialize and enjoy the company of other dogs in a group environment that provides both physical and mental stimulation. Most centers also take size, age, personality characteristics, and owner preference into consideration when placing each and every pet.
7. Philadelphia
Philly houses on of the state’s oldest doggie daycare centers, which has been around for so long for more than a few good reasons. Founded in 1998, Dog School offers daycare, walking services, and overnight boarding—they are literally there for your dog and your needs 24/7, often times caring for pets so well that they become a sort of second family! Single days begin at $33 and boarding on weeknights runs around $65. Weekend boarding costs $100 and holiday periods add on an extra $10 to the overall fee.
8. Chicago
The Windy City may be the birthplace of blues music, but that doesn’t mean your doggies need to sing the blues whenever you’re not with them. Daycare centers and training schools such as Pooch Hotel in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area offer help for busy weekends or work-filled weekdays by providing lots of spacious play areas and experienced staff members that always group dogs by size and personality. They even go as far as picking pets up directly from their homes! Rates begin at $40 for full days.
For something a bit more wallet-friendly, there’s also Urban Outsitters, which offers the price of $36 for a single day with transportation and overnight boarding for a mere $40.
9. St. Louis
The Gateway to the West takes extra steps to ensure for the comfort and safety of all dogs with care services starting at $25 for a full day, $17 for a half day, and $38 for overnight boarding. St. Louis-based dog day camps are a great option to let your doggies socialize and exercise while you go to work or run errands, and centers like No Leash Needed provide play areas that are way more than just open rooms and concrete floors, but complete with rubber flooring, new ventilation systems, fenced in and turfed outdoor areas, and heated indoor rooms that cater to your dog's every comfort.
There’s also The Watering Bowl, which provides cage-free daycare and boarding facilities for dogs of all sizes and breeds with convenient St. Louis locations in both Brentwood and South County.
10. New Orleans
Our four-legged family members can have some fun even away from home at dog day care service around the Big Easy offering safe and individualized care for rates starting at $28 for full days. Boarding per night runs around $42 and with grooming starts at $25 for smaller dogs.
Try Camp Bow Wow, a downtown New Orleans fave that’s a great alternative to leaving the pup home alone where they’ll probably get bored enough to gnaw through the couch or even your favorite red slippers. This premier dog day care service provides every pup with exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization within climate-controlled indoor play yards as well as large outdoor play yards. Mid City Animal House also offers services starting at $23 for a full day of care and $34 for overnight boarding.
11. Atlanta
Prices start at $21 for doggie day care services and $32 for standard boarding in the ATL, where spots like Barking Hound Village, the city’s first and largest, locally-owned dog daycare, boarding, and grooming company began in 1999 because of owner David York's love for his dog.
There are seven convenient locations all through town with large indoor and outdoor yards and swimming pools that allow man’s best friend to frolic with friends or to grab a snooze at. They also are superb at planning doggie-related celebrations and are always stocked up on tons of premium dog foods and all-natural dog treats. Other options include Wagging Tails, with prices ranging from $16-28 for a full day of care.
This article was written by Pamela Chan.