DAYCARE

What is dog daycare?
Daycare is an alternative to leaving your dog at home alone while you are at work or play. It is an organized, controlled and supervised environment in which a group of dogs, from multiple families can interact and play throughout the day in an enclosed building or yard. At Canine College your dogs will never be left unattended while in the play Halls.

Do the dogs really play together? What do they do all day?
Yes, most dogs play together and often find a friend or two that has the same play style or energy they have. Your dog will be placed in a play Hall that best suits their size and temperament making it easier to find just the right canine play friend. The Halls are equipped with specially designed dog play equipment, tennis balls, soccer balls, and dog specific balls that stimulate your dogs mind and body through interactive play with our staff.

Will my small dog be in the same play area as a larger dog?
We have numerous playfields and we will place your dog in the appropriate hall for his size and temperament. We have:

• Upper Classman Hall for our larger and more rambunctious students
• Lower Classman Hall for our smaller and more timid students
• Freshman Hall for our youngest students
• Study Hall for our more mellow students
• Pledge Hall for our Upper Classmen who want a time out to sit on the bench and rest
• Private Studies Hall for our students that do not play with other students

Are there vaccination requirements?
Yes, we require documentation or vaccination records from your veterinary showing current Rabies, DHLPP, Bordatella within the last 6 months, negative fecal and negative heartworm (or preventative).

What is the Pledge or Temperament Test?
All dogs must pass a temperament test we call Pledging prior to being allowed into the play Halls with the other Canine College students. The temperament test is a process where we introduce your dog to the other dogs in our facility that day to see how your dog acts, reacts and interacts with other dogs.

Can any and every dog come to Canine College?
We do not accept aggressive dogs and not every dog is suited for this environment. All dogs must pass the Pledge in order to be allowed into our play groups. We do have a special needs or private studies section for those dogs that are not people aggressive but may not enjoy the company of other dogs or may have physical restrictions that would not allow them in our Halls. Please call our offices to discuss your dog if you feel your dog may be a candidate for our private studies area.

Why do you require that my dog be spayed or neutered?
Any dog over the age of 7 months must be spayed or neutered to attend Canine College. It is for their safety. The main reason is that intact dogs are at greater risk of injury from other dogs in the playfields. In an open social environment such as ours, intact males are often viewed as a threat by other dogs. Intact females may be picked on by other females and male dogs will treat her as an intact female.

How often do you take the dog outside to relieve themselves?
Your dog has access to the outdoors through our Halls. Our Halls have access to the outdoors so your student is able to follow the pack outdoors when the need arises!

Should I feed my dog prior to coming to Canine College?
We find many of our students are very excited to play at Canine College. For that reason and aware of the physical exercise and stimulation your dog will experience, we recommend you feed your dog 1.5 hours prior to coming to our facility. Feel free to bring your dog’s breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and we will be happy to make sure your student eats and appropriate rests after the meal at no extra charge!

I’m not sure I can afford daycare?
We have some packages available that will make daycare an affordable option for you. We pride ourselves on having one of the least expensive programs available for this area via our package purchases. Also, half day daycare is available.

How often should I bring my dog to daycare?
Your dog’s attendance should align with your budget, schedule and your dog’s energy and needs. Some dogs attend daycare every day, while others attend 3, 2 or 1 day per week. The key is consistency so your dog can interact and play with the same pack dogs that are also on a somewhat consistent schedule.

Do you have a Veterinarian on Campus?
Yes, every Wednesday Dr. Athena Demetriou from Jeffrey Animal Hospital, Farmington Hills, has an open clinic at Canine College. They are available for routine examinations, vaccinations, and can provide services required for your dog with the exception of surgery and x-rays. Appointments are available but not required. Call our offices to make an appointment.

BOARDING

Does your Room and Board fee include daycare?
Yes! All dogs that have passed our Pledge program play in our Halls! There’s no extra charge added onto your boarding fee for daycare – your boarding fee includes all day daycare!

Can I bring my dog’s own food when boarding?
Yes! We encourage you to bring your dog’s food and diet he is accustomed to. If you would prefer, we serve a high quality kibble and will be glad to provide Campus Grub for your student for an additional charge.

Should I bring my dog’s bed, toys and food bowls?
Not necessary but you are welcome to do so if you’d like. We have raised bedding, bowls and lots of toys on the playfields we provide at no extra charge. If you would like your dog to have his toys for his dormitory room or loft at night, please feel free to bring them. We will not put his toys in playgroup with him.

Is there someone there at night with my dog?
No. We have an alarm and a 24 hour security system which includes smoke, fire, carbon monoxide and motion detectors.

Can I pick my dog up on Sunday?
Yes! Our drop-off and pick-up hours are Monday through Saturday, 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Our Sunday and most holiday hours are 7-10 am and 3-6 pm. We encourage you to drop your dog off for boarding prior to 5:00 pm so as to allow your student to play in the Halls with his school chums prior to being tucked into bed for the night.

What if I need to cancel my reservations?
We understand that things happen and plans may get changed. We impose a non-cancellation fee if you do not cancel your room and board reservations within 72 hours of your dog’s scheduled stay. Check out our boarding page for more info.

Should I bring my dog in for daycare or boarding if I think he is ill or has been ill within the last few days?
No. Please call our offices to discuss if you feel your dog is or has been ill recently. For the safety of our students, we must carefully monitor our playgroups. If a dog shows any signs of cold, coughing, sneezing or itching we will remove the dog from the group, contact you or your assigned emergency contact.

What happens if my dog requires medical attention while at Canine College?
Our first priority is to seek medical treatment for your pet and we will contact you and your emergency contact you have provided us. We have a 24 hour emergency Veterinarian on call should we not be able to reach you, your emergency contact or your veterinarian.   Our staff has been trained by the American Red Cross for Dog Illness and Injury in additional to Dog CPR. 

Do you have a Veterinarian on Campus?
Yes, every Wednesday Jeffrey Animal Hospital, Farmington Hills, has an open clinic at Canine College. They can handle all services required for your dog with the exception of surgery and x-rays. Appointments are available but not required. Call our offices to make an appointment.

I’d like to tour your facility. Is an appointment required?
No appointment required! We love showing off – please drop in anytime during our open hours for a tour. If you’d like to ensure that you will be able to view the dogs in the playgroups, time your visit between meals. Call our office for an outline of our dog daycare activities schedule.

GROOMING

Is an appointment necessary?
Yes, please call our offices for an appointment and refer to our Grooming page on this website for more information and services we offer.

Can my dog be groomed just before I pick them up from boarding?
Yes. You can make a reservation for grooming when you make your boarding reservation or when you drop your dog off. We recommend making grooming reservations as far in advance as possible.

Can my dog play for half a day of daycare then be groomed?
Certainly and it is just terrific to treat your favorite student to ½ day of daycare with his school chums then treat him to a relaxing groom. You will pick up your pooch that smells fresh and has had a great day!

TRAINING

What types of training programs are available?
We have a wide variety of training programs available to our clients. Please check out the happenings section of our web site and our training page for current training offerings and schedules.