A Syllabus for Your Pet

Frequently Asked Questions

Daycare

What is dog daycare?
Are there vaccination requirements?
Do the dogs really play together? What do they do all day?
Will my small dog be in the same play area as a larger dog?
How is Doggie Daycare different from a dog walking service?
What questions should I ask when looking for a boarding facility?
Should my senior dog go to daycare?
If my dog eats a raw diet, will you feed a raw diet when my dog comes for daycare?
Do you have web cams?
What happens if I can't pick-up my dog by closing time?
I'd love to bring my dog to daycare but I might not be there to pick-up by 6:30pm?
What is the Temperament Test / "Pledging"?
Can any and every dog come to Canine College?
Why do you require that my dog be spayed or neutered?
How often do you take the dog outside to relieve themselves?
Should I feed my dog prior to coming to Canine College?
How often should I bring my dog to daycare?
Can I afford 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.

Yes, we require documentation or vaccination records from your veterinary showing current Rabies, DHLPP and Bordatella within the last 6 months. See our current VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS.

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.

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
• Sophomore Hall for our teenager group – larger dogs who are still learning their manners
• Private Studies Hall for our students that do not play with other students

Doggie daycare at Canine College is different from dog walking service in many ways.  Canine College coaches are trained in canine body language so they know what the dog’s body language is saying.  We are different from other daycares as we hug, touch and interact with our dogs all in an ENCLOSED area where there is no fear of your dog breaking free and running off.   The physical exercise the dogs receive at Canine College is enormous ….. it’s more than a 1/2 hour walk on a leash.

Great question!  There are several questions you should ask but here’s  a good starting point – and don’t be shy!  Ask these questions because a skilled, qualified facility will welcome these questions:

  1. Are you licensed kennel?  Are you legally zoned to operate a kennel? 
  2. Are you inspected by Oakland County Animal Control annually? 
  3. Is your staff trained to manage dogs?  What type of training?  Are you certified?  
  4. When can I tour your facility?
  5. Tell me about the process of how you introduce my dog to other dogs.
  6. Tell me about the room my dog will be staying in.   Is it a crate?  Is it a private room?  Can I see it?

Daycare is a terrific idea older dogs who need socialization and exercise. It keeps their joints and muscles moving which helps prevent stiffness.  Besides, the older dogs are great teachers to the younger dogs – when the younger pups come by, the older dog has the confidence to tell the young whipper snapper – “calm down” in only the way a senior dog can do.

YES! We know there are few facilities that will feed dogs a lunch or dinner meal if they are staying for daycare but not us! Many of us feed our dogs raw and the owner feeds all of her dogs a raw diet. So bring your favorite furry student’s raw lunch or dinner when he comes in for daycare!

YES! We actually have 15 public webcams!  You can easily select which camera you would like to watch via a drop-down menu.  We also have 14 private dorm room webcams so if you are traveling out of the country or on a different timezone you can rent a room with a private webcam and check in on your furry student when he is in his dorm room – snoozing away after a long day of play!  Of course, some just resist sleeping and want to get out to the play fields again!

Never fear!  Canine College has Latchkey available until 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday!  A credit card must be in your profile and an additional dog latchkey fee applies.  Call our offices for specifics.

Not a problem – we have latchkey until 9:00 PM, Monday – Saturday!  Simply call our offices to make arrangements on the day you require a later pick-up time.

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.

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.

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.

Your dog can go outdoors year-round. Our Halls have access to the outdoors so your student is able to follow the pack outdoors when the need arises!

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!

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.

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.

Boarding / Lodging

Does your Room and Board fee include daycare?
Can I bring my dog’s own food when boarding?
Should I bring my dog’s bed, toys and food bowls?
Can I pick my dog up on Sunday?
What if I need to cancel my reservations?
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?
What happens if I can't pick-up my dog by closing time?
Are you ever closed?
Do any Holiday reservations require a non-refundable deposit?
Do you have webcams?
My dog eats a raw diet - will you feed her raw while she boards with you?
What questions should I ask when looking for a boarding facility

Yes – we are an all inclusive facility! That means that you do not pay extra for daycare!  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!

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. If you feed your dog a raw diet, we will be glad to feed your dog the raw diet you provide.

We prefer that you do not bring your dog’s bedding when the pools are out during the warmer months.  Your furry swim team student will undoubtedly get the bedding wet during the lunch break when he rests.  Unfortunately, your student may be drier at bed time, but the bedding will remain wet possibly resulting in sores or hot spot development on your furry student.  Let us provide our Canine College fresh bedding every night for your furry student.  During the winter and cooler months you are welcome to bring your student’s bedding – but it is not necessary as we have lots of fresh bedding available.  We have raised beds (aka sling beds), 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.

Yes and at no additional cost!! 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.

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 48 hours of your dog’s scheduled stay. Check out our boarding page for more info.  Please note that several Holiday and peak boarding seasons do require a non-refundable overnight boarding deposit of $47.00

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, stomach virus, sneezing or itching we will remove the dog from the group, contact you or your assigned emergency contact.

Never fear!  Canine College has Latchkey available until 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday!  A credit card must be in your profile and an additional dog latchkey fee applies.  Call our offices for specifics.

Our administrative offices are closed on Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and December 25th to allow our employees to be with their families as much as possible on these two days.  However; our campus is bustling with activity and all shifts are dedicated to the care of our furry students on these two days!  Our Campus is full on Holidays – so be sure to make your reservation and deposit early!

Yes, several of our holidays do require a $47.00 non-refundable deposit.  Some of these holidays include but are not limited to Spring Break, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and any reservation made between December 20th and January 4th.

YES!  We actually have 15 public webcams!  You can easily select which camera you would like to watch via a drop-down menu.  We also have 14 private dorm room webcams so if you are traveling out of the country or on a different timezone you can rent a room with a private webcam and check in on your furry student when he is in his dorm room – snoozing away after a long day of play!  Of course, some just resist sleeping and want to get out to the play fields again!

YES!  We know there are few facilities that will feed raw to dogs when they stay – not at Canine College!  Many of us feed our dogs raw and the owner feeds all of her dogs a raw diet.

Great question!  There are several questions you should ask but here’s  a good starting point – and don’t be shy!  Ask these questions because a skilled, qualified facility will welcome these questions:

  • Are you licensed kennel?  Are you legally zoned to operate a kennel? 
  • Are you inspected by Oakland County Animal Control annually? 
  • Is your staff trained to manage dogs?  What type of training?  Are you certified?  
  • When can I tour your facility?
  • Tell me about the process of how you introduce my dog to other dogs.
  • Tell me about the room my dog will be staying in.   Is it a crate?  Is it a private room?  Can I see it?

Grooming / Training

Is an appointment necessary for Grooming?
Can my dog be groomed just before I pick them up from boarding?
Can my dog play for half a day of daycare then be groomed?
Do I need to bring vaccinations for my dog if he is only being groomed?
What types of training programs are available?

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

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.

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!

Yes. All vaccinations are required for grooming and training! Our customers depend on us to maintain a healthy Canine Community within our campus walls – you should require no less of any grooming or training facility. See our current VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS.

We have a wide variety of training programs available for students of various ages and needs. Please visit the training section of our web site for current offerings and schedules.