At The Dog Dazzlers, we’ve welcomed furry friends of all shapes, sizes and temperaments through our doors since 2017. Our purpose-built facility in Burwood has become a home away from home for countless pups across Melbourne, and each of them brings something special to our pack.
When designing our facility, it was really important to us to bear different breeds in mind. We needed plenty of areas for cuddles, as well as pens for games and play time for those more boisterous dogs. We wanted all dogs to thrive at our dog daycare.
So, which breeds do we see a lot of? And why do they tend to be perfect for daycare? Here’s what you need to know!
Some of our most beloved regular attendees are our incredible Cavoodles. The perfect blend of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel sweetness and Poodle intelligence makes them ideal for dog daycare. These pups quite often seek out a cosy spot in one of our chill-out areas to curl up with a friend (or a staff member if they’re lucky enough) for a bit of a cuddle and relax. They’re great at regulating their anxiety, making other furry friends and are usually happy enough to share their bed and toys.
The Poodle part of these amazing dogs makes them very intelligent, too. They love spending time with our doggy daycare attendants and learning new tricks and skills. They’re highly emotionally intelligent and know when another dog wants to play and when they need space.
Two of the most common pups at our dog daycare (and around the world) are Golden Retrievers and Labradors. These energetic, enthusiastic and totally loveable dogs really thrive at daycare, especially when their best friends are there to play too.
Most of the time, we see Goldies and Labradors enjoying our largest activity pen, where social interaction with both dogs and humans, as well as lots of play, is a constant. They particularly love silly toys, stimulation games and doggy activities where they can show off!
One thing we love about these breeds at daycare is that they have a natural ability to regulate themselves. They instinctively know when to take a breather and when other members of the pack might want to rest too. This self-regulation is crucial for maintaining a fun and happy group environment. It’s actually one of the key things we look for during our Golden Retriever daycare assessments.
Apart from Cavoodles, we also see many other wonderful Oodle breeds at The Dog Dazzlers. Pups such as Moodles (Maltese-Poodles), Groodles (Golden Retriever-Poodles) and Labradoodles (Labrador-Poodles) never fail to impress us with their curiosity and intelligence. They’re incredibly socially smart and always understand daycare dynamics. They can be very playful but also don’t mind relaxing when the time is right.
When their energy is high, Oodles and Poodles really benefit from our enrichment packages. Even if your Groodle is used to cuddling you on the sofa, their ancestors were bred to work, and they still need to be challenged. Our enrichment packages include activities such as snuffle mats, treat puzzles and ball pit activities to hone their skills and mentally stimulate them.
While many dogs love coming to The Dog Dazzlers to play and run around our activity pen, others prefer a little more peace and quiet. Breeds such as Pugs, Shiba Inus and Whippets can be very sociable and playful, but also love time alone to calm down and relax.
Not only do we have a special pen that’s designed for quiet time (which is also perfect for older dogs at daycare) but we also offer VIP services for breeds and doggos who need a little extra attention from one of our caring daycare attendants. They’ll play with puzzle toys as well as get extra brushes, doggy massages and full attention from their favourite member of daycare staff. If they want to, they can spend time in our photo booth and be featured on The Dog Dazzlers’ Instagram!
Before any dog enters our pack, we always carry out a thorough assessment to make sure they’re the right fit. Part of that assessment is realising that doggy daycare isn’t the best choice for every pooch and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! It’s a difficult decision to make, but it’s never about the dog being ‘bad’, daycare just isn’t the right environment for some pups, breeds and their needs.
The biggest factor we consider is a dog’s ability to manage their stress and excitement levels. Dogs who can’t regulate their emotions often become overstimulated in a group environment, which can lead to chaos for everyone involved. This is particularly common with certain large breeds that might have the size and strength to overwhelm other pack members when they become overexcited.
On the other hand, some breeds and dogs are naturally more anxious in group settings and they might have specific triggers that make social environments stressful. We’ve learned that recognising these preferences early helps us guide families toward alternatives that will make their pups genuinely happy.
Of course, we don’t have a rule against allowing specific breeds into our doggy daycare in Melbourne! It’s really about the temperament of the pup and how they fit in with the rest of the group and whether there’s any shift in dynamic.
So many breeds thrive in our purpose-built facility, not just those mentioned here. It’s always been so important to us that dogs feel happy and safe in our care, and that involves catering to different needs and temperaments. Whether your dog will love playing and being sociable in our activity pen or will prefer a bit of peace in the rest area (or a mixture of both!), we’ll be happy to carry out an assessment to make sure they get along with the rest of the pups in our pack.
Contact the team at The Dog Dazzlers to book your pup in so they can thrive in our Melbourne dog daycare!
Based in Burwood, our purpose built facility provides pups with all their daycare and grooming needs – find out more now:
If you’d like to book your furbaby in for a groom, please give us a call on 03 9808 3289, or complete the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!
All existing clients can book in below, and new clients can register their dogs for daycare.
If you have any questions, please call us on 03 9808 3289.
