Northeast Ohio’s Premier Daycare for Dogs

Dog Daycare

We truly believe doggie daycare should be far more than just a place to leave your pups when you’re unable to be with them. We believe that daycare should be a safe, fun, and beneficial experience for your furry kids (regardless of breed) and an easy, relaxed experience for you.

Daycare Overview

Daycare should be fun for your pup. We encourage physical and mental stimulation as well as the socialization your pup craves — for a more confident, calmer dog for you to enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to entrusting someone with caring for your furry kids, we know you have questions — we’ve done our best to answer some of our most frequently asked.

Pricing

Our daycare delivers the best value in Northeast Ohio. Our pricing, multi-dog discounts, and advance purchase passes can’t be beat.

New Customers

To ensure that your pups will enjoy our daycare environment and be safe and fit in with the rest of their furry friends, all of our pups must complete a New Pup Assessment.
Learn more.

Daycare Overview

At Barks & Recreation, we truly believe that Daycare should be a safe, fun, and beneficial experience for your pup. We do not turn away dogs based on their breed and all of our pups go through the Barks & Recreation New Pup Assessment to ensure they will enjoy our daycare environment and have safe interactions with humans and other dogs. With our daycare program, your pups will run and play all day long — inside and outside — with their furry friends in our one-of-a-kind facilities. We’ve got separate areas for our smaller pups and the larger dogs so they can feel comfortable playing with friends their own size. But if mom or dad say it’s OK for the smaller pups to run with the big dogs, we can make that happen as well.

Encouraging physical and mental stimulation and giving your pups the opportunity to observe all the other dogs and their behaviors is an integral part of our philosophy for daycare. This socialization — the opportunity to be part of a pack — is deeply instinctual for your pups and they will thoroughly enjoy having time with “their own”. This means that when you pick up your pups at the end of your busy day, they will be happy and exhausted from a day of fun. Not only is this a great experience for your furry kids, but it’s also great knowing that you won’t have to exercise your pups to make sure they have an outlet for their energy after an exhausting day at work.

We also believe that working with your daycare provider should not be a hassle for you. So we do everything we can to make the entire experience as easy as possible. There are no specific drop-off or pick-up times — you can drop off or pick up your dog whenever it’s most convenient for you. Whatever your schedule, know that we will be here and ready to play when you arrive. We also don’t charge extra for special requests that help your pup feel at home — so please feel free to talk to us about special feeding instructions, medications, and other special needs. And if you have more than one pup, each additional dog you bring is 50% off the daily rate.

Many of our customers who find themselves at home most days still find it beneficial to bring their pup to daycare once or twice a week (even for a half day). Not only will your pup love the experience of playing with their friends, but you’ll also notice how much it improves their overall behavior and disposition.

So whether your weeks are packed with 14 hour days of work, or your pups just need a place to expend some energy or get some exercise every once in a while (especially during our long Ohio winters), or they have anxiety and don’t like to be alone, or you just want to socialize your dog so they learn certain pack behaviors from other dogs… whatever your reason for wanting your pups to have the best possible daycare experience, Barks & Recreation is here for you (and your pups).

"Lilly gets extremely excited when we pull into the parking lot."

I am so grateful for Barks & Recreation! I use their daycare and boarding services for my dog Lilly! The reasons why I love it there are Lilly gets extremely excited when we pull into the parking lot, every time I have been in either facility it has been extremely clean, the staff is friendly and caring, and I get to watch Lilly on camera while I am at work or on vacation. I have had nothing but great experiences here and would highly recommend it!

— Kristin Downling

What Makes Barks & Recreation Northeast Ohio’s Premier Doggie Daycare

Dog-Led Environment

At Barks & Recreation, your pups are free to play wherever, whenever, with whomever they choose. Our facility features two different areas for your pups to play with friends their own size. The Little League room is for pups 12 lbs. or smaller and the Big League area is for all pups 20 lbs. or larger — dogs between 12-20 lbs. are welcome to play in either area (we leave that choice up to their parents.) We also know some of your smaller pups love to run with the big dogs – so as long as mom or dad say it’s okay, we’ll let the Little Leaguers play with the Big Leaguers too! And when your pups feel like taking a break, we’ve got beds and cots throughout the facility to recharge the batteries before getting back at it with their furry friends.

No Fixed Pick-Up or Drop-Off Times

Your dog is not required to be dropped off or picked up at specific, set times. We understand that not everyone (nor every dog) has the same schedule — so we do our best to be flexible and accommodating. We get it — some days start at 7 AM and some don’t end until 7 PM – and we will do our best to be there when you need us and we are ALWAYS ready to play.

We're Here When You Need Us

Your pup will love coming to play with us everyday — but that doesn’t mean they have to come everyday (or even every other day) to get the benefits of daycare. Some of our stay-at-home parents are amazed at the difference in their dogs from coming by to play once a week. Some of our customers even have a standing reservation for a specific day of the week to bring their pup to play. Their dogs quickly learn what day is “daycare day” and they cannot get ready and out the door fast enough.

Special Accommodations? No Problem!

We know not all pups have the same needs — and we won’t charge you for making sure your dog’s needs are met.

Older dogs who need a nap? We can do that!

Young pups who don’t know when to quit playing hard?  We can arrange a snack and rest for them too.

Medications? Sure!

Our goal is to meet the needs of your four-legged family member – just let us know how we can help!

"The girls treat our boys like family and we love the staff there like family!"

Our two husky’s — Remington and Colt — adore the crew at Barks and Recreation. They love the time they spend there at daily “playcare” and have made many friends in the process. When we have to leave them for boarding, we feel confident they are in the best hands possible while we are gone. The girls treat our boys like family and we love the staff there like family!

— Kelli Bard

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a discount for multiple dogs?

Absolutely – we offer discounts for all additional family dogs for any of our daycare and boarding services. Please contact us for more information.

Can you provide my dog his/her medications? Is there a charge?

We will provide your dog’s medications at no extra charge.

Can I take a tour?

Absolutely! You are welcome to visit our facilities at anytime during regular business hours. However, for the safety of you and our dogs, we require an appointment after hours to view the boarding/sleeping accommodations.

Can any dog come in for dog day care or boarding?

At Barks & Recreation, we do not have breed restriction and all dogs are welcome as long as they have or have completed the following:

  • New Pup Assessment
  • Up to Date Vaccinations
  • Spayed/neutered (unless under the age of 9 months)
What is the New Pup Assessment?

Our New Pup Assessments are an opportunity for us to make sure that your dog will be safe and a good fit at Barks & Recreation. We ask that all dogs stay a minimum of 4 hours so that the dog has the chance to warm up and we have the ability to get to know him or her and their temperament/personality. When you arrive at Barks & Recreation, please plan on staying 15-20 minutes to complete the necessary paperwork. An appointment – for staffing reasons – is required. We make appointments Monday – Saturday in the mornings.

Do you turn away dogs based on their breed?

Barks & Recreation welcomes all dogs based on their behavior, ability to handle the daycare environment, and safe interactions with humans and other dogs. It is not our policy ever to turn away a dog based on breed.

What vaccinations are required?

All dogs must be current on Rabies, Bordetella, Distemper, and Influenza and confirmation from a veterinarian is required.

Do dogs ever get hurt?

Although we do our best to minimize any injury to your dog, during normal play a dog may get small scratches, nicks, or lose small patches of fur. Although rare, it is possible for more serious injuries to occur.

What do you do in case of illness or injury?

All of our Coaches are certified in pet first aid and CPR and we will take excellent care of your dog. In case of illness or injury, we quickly assess the situation to determine what plan of action to take. Our concern is always what is best for your dog and our team member. Depending on the situation, we will either rush the dog to the closest vet or, in non-emergency situations, we will make the effort to take them to their own vet. In ALL cases of illness or injury – no matter the severity – the owner or emergency contact (if the owner is unavailable) is always contacted.

Why is my dog tired when he/she comes home?

A tired and happy dog is one of the great benefits of a day at Barks & Recreation! You dog has just ran and played all day long – so yes, they are tired when you pick them up and take them home. Often, when you take your pup home, they will curl up and go to straight to sleep. If we notice that your dog becomes overly tired during the day or if you are concerned (due to personality, health or age reasons), our staff will take them to a room and allow them to take a short rest and we will NEVER force a dog to wake up if they are still napping. When we have boarders who stay for an extended period of time, they often choose to take longer naps. Because they are both mentally and physically exhausted, you may even notice a decrease in their activity levels in the days following a daycare day or stay (especially with older dogs or dogs who are not used to this much activity).

Why is my dog thirsty when he/she comes home?

While water is available at all times in all of our play areas and your dogs room, playing hard all day is definitely doggie exercise and can be as strenuous as a work out. Even though water is available, after a car ride home, it will probably be time for your dog to drink some more water to help re-hydrate after a hard day of play.

Do I need to make a reservation?

At this time, we do not require a reservation for daycare, but if you know in advance, it is helpful and we appreciate it!

We do require appointments for New Pup Assessments for appropriate staffing for the assessment and to ensure enough time to get to know your dog.

How do I make a reservation?

You can call your Barks & Recreation location or request a reservation online. You will receive a confirmation email and a staff member will contact you directly if there are any questions or conflicts.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please check with each location for their cancellation policy.

Is there a specific kind of collar my dog must wear to come to Barks & Recreation?

We do require that all dogs wear a quick release collar. If you do not have one, we’d be happy to provide one for their safety during their stay.

My dog’s paws are very sensitive after his/her stay at Barks & Recreation, did something happen to my dog’s feet?

It is very common concern that a dog’s pads are sore after playing at Barks & Recreation, especially when they first start coming. Since most dog’s paws are not used to playing all day, they can be tender temporarily, but they more they come and play, the stronger their pads will become (just like callouses in humans).

Do you offer baths and grooming services?

We offer baths and grooming services at both locations. Baths and nail trims are available daily so you can pick up a clean and fresh smelling dog after their stay at Barks & Recreation. Additional grooming services will require an appointment and can be made by calling the location or booking online.

We have a dog with white fur – will they get dirty playing with the other dogs and outside?

If you have a filthy dog from a day of romping with their friends and rolling in the mud, we will absolutely rinse your dogs and make sure they get into your car and head home clean. However, please note that mud and dirt can stain a white dog’s fur and they will look dingy – even with a quick bath.

Pricing

Full Day

Over 5 hours.

$27

Half Day

Less than 5 hours.

$18.00

Discount Passes

Save up to 50% with full day, half-day, and monthly passes. Passes don’t expire — so buy today and use when you need them.

Save Up to 50%

We're Always Here to Help

Have a question about pick up and drop off times? Need directions? Finally got that meeting on the books and have to change your schedule? Want to discuss a change in your pup's behavior? Please don't hesitate to reach out — send  us a note through the website or give us a buzz — we're always here to help.

Phone

(330) 467-9988