Become a member of our K-9 family at Alternative Dog!

Doggie Daycare can help to reduce or eliminate unwanted behaviors, add to socialization skills and is beneficial exercise! 

Established in 2007, we have maintained a limited enrollment with a smaller group with personal attention, supervision and love! Several of our dog parent's are on their second generation with us. The best Teacher's for young  dog's are adult "Mentor Dog's". We have a handful of Mentor Dog's who help us to establish peaceful packs each day. Dog's teaching Dog's about clear communication skills, respecting boundaries, impulse control and bite inhibition keeps our play groups balanced and without conflicts.

We offer a climate controlled Daycare facility with rubber flooring to help cushion joints and allow for safe playing, as we know dog's love to rough & rumble!  Over a 1/2 Acre of fenced outdoor play yard where your dog can fetch tennis balls, splash in kiddie pools, run through the agility course, jump through tires & over jumps, climb & play on on little tikes cubes, run like the wind, play with their K-9 and human friends, or just simply relax in the shade!! Many of the smaller dogs have their own days (Tuesday & Thursday) to be with dogs compatible to their own size. All the dogs are under constant supervision both indoors and out. **All of our dog's take a 2 hour crated nap each day, please read NAP & SNACK TIME information below. 

Daycare Hours: 

Monday - Friday 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM

Drop-Off's - 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM
Pickup's - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM 

There is an additional charge for any dog left after 6:00 PM unless prior arrangements have been made.

LATE FEE PICK-UP: $10.00 for 15 minutes

Daycare Admission Requirements:

Our purpose is to provide a safe and healthy atmosphere with interaction with other dogs and people during weekday business hours. To ensure the safety and health of your dog and our other guests, we require all dog owner's to comply with the following health regulations.

  • *Pre-screening health & basic behavioral assessment * Careful screening of each daycare dog creates a safer environment for all involved.

  • All dogs must be 16 weeks of age or older.

  • Must be spayed or neutered if over 12 months of age. (Exceptions have been made, the dog's behavior & maturity is the pending factor)

  • Must have up-to-date vaccinations initially (or current Antibody titers): Owners are required to submit written proof of DHPP vaccine (Distemper,Hepatitis,Parainfluenza,Parvo) and Rabies. *If you have chosen to vaccinate your dog for Bordetella (Kennel Cough) please be sure it is done at least 10 days prior to Daycare entry or a Pre-Screen day. *Please note: Bordetella vaccine's do not prevent a dog from acquiring Kennel Cough (the lay term for Bordetella-type respiratory syndromes); however, it may help prevent a dog from developing pneumonia from a case of Kennel Cough. **Vaccine Antibody Titer testing is accepted for those who choose limited vaccination protocol's. Speak with your Vet regarding the titer testing and Limited vaccination guidelines. 

  • Must have a negative fecal exam within the last 30 days and then updated every 6 months, which must include an exam for giardia and coccidia

  • Must be crate trained or in the process of learning that a crate is a good thing.  

  • Must be flea, tick and mite free. *If you choose to use monthly topical preventatives, please apply their application 48 hours prior to their Daycare day. ** DO NOT bring your dog to Daycare if you know you have an active flea or mite problem!

  • Must be in good health. Owners must certify their dog(s) are in good health and have not been ill with a communicable condition in the last 30 days. Upon admission, all dogs must be free from any condition that could potentially jeopardize other guests. Dogs that have been ill with a communicable condition in the last 30 days will require a veterinarian certification of health to be admitted or re-admitted.

  • All dogs are required to wear a flat buckle or premier-style collar on entry & exit of the daycare, with an ID tag listing the dog's name and the owner's telephone number. Collars are then removed for safe playing.

  • All dogs must be non-aggressive and neither food nor toy protective. Owners must certify that their dogs have neither harmed nor shown aggressive or threatening behavior towards any person or other dog(s).

  • Dominant play yard "bullie's", obsessive herding as well as obsessive mounting behaviors are viewed carefully, those who do not respond to re-direction with positive reinforcement for their behavior will be excused. We love the company of all dogs, however some dogs do not do well in an over stimulated environment.

  • All dogs must have been owned by the current owner for a minimum of 30 days. Newly adopted dog's may be harboring contagious illness as well as underlying behavior issues, it is important that owner's get to know their new dogs as an individual before placing them within a pack environment. Generally, newly adopted dog's begin to show their true temperaments within a 4-6 week period of time.

POOCH PRE-SCREEN ASSESSMENT: In order to determine whether daycare is right for your dog, we provide an initial assessment prior to your dog attending daycare. This requires an appointment during which we will spend approx 60-90 minutes with you and your dog. This assessment will give us a chance to meet you and get a feel for your dog’s personality and individual needs, which will help us determine if daycare would be beneficial to your dog. We will monitor how your dog reacts and responds to other dogs, and you will get a chance to walk through the Center & view the play yard. Please call 978-346-7266 for your appointment! PRE-SCREENS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. **Click HERE for driving directions

PLEASE REMEMBER: Your furry friend will be spending time with other canine's and the safety and health of all canine & human friend's who attend our daycare is our main concern. This is why pre-screening assessments are vital for everyone's safety! All pre-screening is done by appointment only.

*NAP & SNACK TIME: All of our dog's take a 2 hour crated &/or kenneled (5'X 4') nap each day. The dog's scheduled nap time may vary with weather conditions and the amount of hard running and wrestling the dogs have done through-out their morning &/or early afternoon. Another words, some days nap could be at 11AM while other days it may be 1PM. During nap time each dog is crated & given a snack, with soft music playing and the lights are turned off in the Daycare. Nap time is vital for the mental & physical health of the pooches. 

DISCOUNTS: Discounts are available for multiple dogs from the same household. Please enquire by phone for these rates.   

RESERVATIONS: Attendance is limited to keep a balance within the "pack", therefore reservations are required. Preference will be given to dogs with standing reservations.

CANCELLATIONS: Answering machine is available for after hour cancellations. Please be sure to call if you have to cancel as there will be another pooch who can benefit from a day of fun and social skills. *CANCELLATION & NO SHOW POLICY* We require advance reservations for daycare services. Reservations may be cancelled until 6:00PM of the day prior to the reservation without charge. Cancellations on the day of the reservation must be called in before 7:30 AM to avoid being charged the daycare fee. Reservations made, but not shown up for by 8:30 AM will be charged the full daycare fee* We have voice mail on the weekends and after hours if cancellations need to be made outside regular business hours. In order to be fair to all clients, no exceptions will be made.

OVER-NIGHTS: We do offer over-night boarding for our Daycare Clients only. We do not offer boarding to the general public. We find this to be the safest way to board our furry friends. They will attend daycare all day with dogs they recognize and then sleep kenneled indoors (5'x4') at night. Supper will be fed at 6:00 PM with two additional Potty Trips outdoors before 11:00PM. Breakfast & Morning Potty Trip is at 6:30AM upon opening the Daycare.

OUR STAFF: Meet The Staff

Filling out the below **forms does not guarantee a reservation for your dog(s). Please be sure the pooch profile, daycare waiver are down-loaded & filled out and accompany your dog to their pre-screen day, along with a copy of their current vaccination history and/or the Vaccination Certificate filled in by your Veterinarian. PRE-SCREENS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, MONDAY Through THURSDAY.

Free Adobe PDF Reader:

   

*Please bring the above **forms with you on your pre-screen evaluation day, along with a copy of current vaccination history.

Daycare4paws@yahoo.com 

978-346-7266

*CLICK HERE FOR DRIVING DIRECTIONS*

Our Daycare may not be suited for everyone, so please feel free to visit the local area competition. We want to help you make the best choice for you and your dog!