New dogs do not get dropped straight into a group here. Every dog starts with the Dog Daze Signature 5-Day Induction Program: five structured days that build up from a quiet first visit to a full routine built around your dog.

It is the thing new clients ask about most, so here is the whole process.

Before the first day

Two things have to happen before your dog can come in.

Register first. Fill out the new client registration and complete the paperwork and waivers. Once you are registered you can manage reservations and your dog's information through a MoeGo account.

Get vaccination records to us. Your dog needs to be current on:

DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus)
Bordetella
Rabies, with the certificate or documentation showing the tag number
A negative fecal float, done within the last year, or the last month for puppies

Dogs also need to be on year-round heartworm and flea/tick prevention.

One detail people miss: vaccines need to be given at least three days before arrival, unless they are boosters. If your dog gets shots on Monday for a Thursday start, that is too tight. Plan the extra few days.

If the fecal float is the thing standing in your way, we now run testing on site, so that no longer means a separate vet trip.

The five days

Day one, settling in. A calm first visit. Your dog meets the building, the staff, and the daily rhythm. No group play yet, and that is deliberate.

Day two, getting to know them. We learn your dog's play style, their energy, and how they handle new people, new sounds, and new spaces.

Day three, meeting the group. Supervised introductions to a small playgroup matched on size, age, and temperament. Not the whole room, and not all at once.

Day four, their own routine. Enrichment and activity chosen around what we have learned by now, balanced with scheduled rest.

Day five, graduation. A sensory enrichment session, a full report card, and a plan for your dog's regular days with us.

What we are actually watching

None of this is a test your dog passes or fails on personality. Across the five days we are watching:

How your dog greets people they have not met
Whether they can settle after something exciting happens
How they read other dogs, and whether they respond when another dog asks for space
How they handle the transition between activity and rest

That last one matters more than people expect. Our days are not one long free-for-all. Dogs move through supervised play, enrichment, and scheduled rest, and a dog who cannot downshift gets overtired and stops making good choices. Spreading the introduction over five days is what lets us see that properly, instead of guessing from one overwhelming morning.

What to bring

Bring your dog on a 4 to 6 foot fixed leash with a flat, quick-release collar. No retractable leashes, which give you no real control in a parking lot with other dogs arriving. Harnesses, clothing, and collars come off before your dog goes into the playroom.

Food is the only thing you need to send. We have blankets, bowls, and toys here.

A few things worth knowing

Dogs over a year old should be spayed or neutered. Unneutered males and females in heat cannot join group play.
Boarding guests are assessed for group play on their second day, so the first night is only about settling in.
If your dog is away from us for six months or more, they complete the induction again when they come back.

Questions before you book

Call us at (573) 999-5077. We would rather talk through a concern before day one than have you worry about it all week.

Dog Daycare Evaluation: What to Expect in Five Days