Premium Dog Daycare

Winter Park Paws is a highly acclaimed, locally owned and operated pet care boutique.

Our philosophy at Winter Park Paws is quality over quantity. Our Interactive Doggie Daycare facility is designed to be a limited environment that promotes a balanced social space for dogs who are dog social and dog tolerant who can confidently socialize with other dogs in a balanced way. We are a small, intimate facility, and that is our niche.

What makes us unique is that we specialize in small-group care. As a small facility, our dog daycare groups are based on Temperament. This means dogs are in groups with dogs of various sizes, breeds, and ages and are appropriately matched. Depending on the day, our groups can be anywhere from as little as 5 dogs to 14 dogs, whatever is best for the dogs attending that day. Also, 1- 2 staff members are present at all times in group.

We offer balanced stimulation, enrichment, group matching, free play, and rest. We believe in the prevention of over-stimulation and Injury. To achieve this, we offer a group rotate-based daycare plan, which means that while one group of dogs is out socializing, the other group is up for a short rest in their private area. This method allows dogs to rest between play sessions, promotes self-regulation and balance, prevents overstimulation, And enables them to achieve a calm state of mind. We do not offer the all-day play style of daycare.

If you are looking for a cage-free facility with an AIR-CONDITIONED indoor play AREA AND an outdoor area that hosts under 25 dogs per day, has a 10:1 staff ratio, is interactive, and enriches your dog’s life, look no further!

Indoor Area

• Temperature controlled

• Air Conditioned at 65-70 degrees year round with a 72’ fan

• 3 Bi-polar ionization 5-stage medical-grade H13 HEPA filters with Germicidal UVC technology

• Seamless, Non-slip, non-absorbent flooring (best for protecting paws/nails, maintaining viruses/bacteria)

• Indestructible Play equipment designed with your pet in mind

• dog couches and elevated cots for resting

Outdoor Area

• Fully secured anti-dig 6’ privacy board-on-board fence

• K9 artificial grass

• The dog run is perfect for fetch

• Canopy’s

• Outdoor fan

• automatic fresh water bowls

• Cool down area with elevated cots & shade for sunny days

• Collapsible pools & splash pad during hot months

Daycare check-in & check-out Times

Six days per week, Monday - Saturday

Check-in 8 am-10 am

Check-out is 4 pm-6:30 pm

An early morning option is available from 7 am-8 am for an additional $10

Closed Sunday for Daycare (Dedicated to boarding guests only)

Requirements to attend

Interested customers must complete our online dog daycare & boarding new client forms.

Have your dog follow a full-day drop-off temperament evaluation.

Guests wishing to have their pet attend daycare regularly are asked to attend one day per week.

Vaccinations & Preventative Care

We require up-to-date proof (not expired) of the following vaccines:

• Rabies

• Bordetella (req. every 6-12 months)

• Distemper (DHPP)

• Canine influenza Bivalent is strongly recommended
  

  Health/Preventive Care Requirements:

• Monthly flea, tick, and heartworm prevention

• Routine fecal exams for damaging parasites (every 12 months)

• Negative heartworm test every 12 months (puppies may be exempt from this due to age)

Be sure to provide the vet-provided documentation of vaccines to us to obtain on your client file.

Your dog must…

• Be 16 weeks or four months of age or older to attend daycare.

• Be spayed/neutered by 12 months to attend— Poof required.

• Intact females under 12 months may not attend daycare while in a heat cycle and need clearance from a vet to return.

• Intact males under 12 months of age who show behavioral issues ( Territorial issues, mounting, excessive sniffing of dogs, or scent marking) will be asked to return post-neuter for re-evaluation.

• Exhibit positive dog-to-dog history.

• Be confident, Comfortable, and Safe around other dogs and humans, women and men.

• Be confident and comfortable participating with various dog breeds, ages, sexes, and sizes for daycare, as we are a mixed-group environment.

• Do not exhibit abnormal, inappropriate, out-of-context aggressive behavior (threat, Bite, Lunge, Muzzle Punch, challenge, or attack) toward dogs on or off leash.

• Not exhibit unhealthy signs of stress, fear, or anxiety (excessive barking, whining, digging, chewing, Jumping, pacing, Poop eating, or any Obsessive compulsive behaviors).

• Not exhibit unhealthy signs of separation anxiety (excessive barking and Howling, Chewing, Digging and Destruction, Escaping, Pacing, Seeking, Urinating, and Defecating when alone, Coprophagia...)

• Dogs must not exhibit signs of destructive behaviors.

attendance Information

At Winter Park Paws Dog Daycare and Boarding, we aim to create a safe, stable, and fun environment for canines. In addition, we strive to build lasting and meaningful relationships with our clients and their pets. Our mission is to provide an atmosphere conducive to leadership, education, and development. We also maintain healthy canine relationships and a positive pack balance and maintain social comfort among our guests. Dogs must practice socializing in various aspects to remain confident. Consistency gives your dog a sense of security, reduces transitional anxiety, maintains sharp social cues/manners, promotes balance, and respects others, including handlers.

As a niche facility, we are building a unique environment designed for good, balanced, well-mannered, happy canines who want to interact with people and dogs. Of course, dog-to-dog interaction is not required, nor forced, to board with us, but pets must be confident around people, balanced, and able to self-regulate.

These principles provide our guests consistency (parent and pet), reduce pet behavior inconsistency, and promote balance within the group setting. In our professional experience and observations, inconsistency often causes dogs to become insecure, experience separation and social anxiety, inability to self-regulate, and unpredictable behavior/manners. Lapses in attendance usually mean a readjustment period is needed. eadjustment time varies from one dog to the next. If your pet has the opportunity to remain familiar, readjustment is not required.

Daycare participation is a positive behavior-based program. Therefore, participation depends entirely on consistent, appropriate behavior (confidence around other dogs/people, balanced behavior, self-regulating ability, and genuine desire to be in a group setting). In addition, to be eligible to participate in our daycare program, dogs must display appropriate socialization skills and be able to rest calmly in their private area.

While in daycare, we practice the following:

• Basic obedience (sit, stay, here, off, down, place)

• Socialization skills

• Nap time

• Potty training (This pertains to puppies up to 12 months).

• Bite inhibition (This pertains to puppies up to 12 months).

• Impulse control

• Learn to earn

• Tug and settle

• Could you leave it?

• And more!
  

For pet parents who want their pets to attend daycare regularly, we ask clients to maintain a bi-weekly attendance minimum. I-weekly attendance means we would like to see your pet at least every other week. Weekly attendance would be ideal to remain sharp. Regular attendance in daycare is necessary for your pet to maintain consistent behavior in the group dynamic. Puppies are four months to 12 months, and we would like to see them once weekly, especially for those who want to board their pet with us. Practice in the environment will make for a confident daycare and boarding dog long-term. Should pet parents choose not to follow the recommendation for attendance, this will increase the chance that the dog may be ineligible for our daycare program.

At Winter Park Paws, it is crucial to communicate the need for such standards. Canine behavior is complex, and our job as pet care professionals is to understand the pet's needs and provide a space that nurtures their fundamental necessities.

Lastly, customers whose accounts remain inactive in our system for 6+ months will have their accounts deactivated. If you would like to book services with us, you need to request reactivation, and your pet will be required to attend a reassessment day.

We strive to create calm, confident, and balanced social groups. Our top priority is ensuring our guests are always safe, happy, and relaxed. We do not base our success on the number of dogs we can fit into one space but on the social group's quality. We also do not promote overcrowding within our facility.

We offer clients a safe, clean, balanced, and personalized environment full of enrichment Opportunities. Safety and security Are our top Priorities. All daycare and boarding guests will enjoy their time in our intimate indoor/outdoor facility.

Providing our staff and clients with a healthy environment during their stay is part of our quality commitment to you. Reducing the spread of bacteria and viruses within our community is very important. We achieve this by practicing a strict daily cleaning regimen, using hospital-grade, pet-safe cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing products. In addition to our strict cleaning practices, our facility is fully air-conditioned with two AirOasis IAdaptAir® HEPA filters, the most brilliant HEPA filters, and the smartest HEPA air purifiers on the market.

a day with us

Are all Dogs good candidates for Daycare and boarding?

The answer, in short, is no; not all dogs are good candidates for daycare or boarding.

Often, pet parents love the thought of their dog socializing with other dogs, playing and running around calmly and confidently. But, it can be a nightmare for some dogs as they lack social skills, are insecure, and lack experience. So, it's essential to consider your dog's personality, energy level, manners, and previous dog-dog and dog-human history when deciding whether to send your pup to daycare.

At Winter Park Paws, we don't believe in accepting every single dog into our dog daycare program because the customer wants their dog with us. However, we believe that a dog should benefit from daycare positively and safely if they will be attending. So, if your dog exhibits any concerning behaviors, we will communicate that with you, and together, we can figure out the solution for your dog.

What Is The Temperament Evaluation?

A temperament evaluation is an in-person evaluation of your overall personality, confidence, body language, behavior, likes and dislikes, and obedience. In addition, we test for stress, fear, anxiety, reactive-impulsive behaviors, and whether or not your pet possesses self-control and can confidently be in a group setting.

What Do You Do During The Temperament Evaluation?

During the evaluation, we test your dog on and off leash, with unfamiliar people (staff), other dogs of all types, food around other dogs and us, toys, indoor and outdoor, obedience, and how they respond to being alone during rest periods. The evaluation takes place over the entire period of their visit. The review is ongoing, but the initial day will tell us if your pet is an excellent candidate to move forward with daycare. If your dog is deemed unfit during their evaluation, we will ask them to be picked up and provide you with our observational feedback with recommendations.

How Do I Attend The Temperament Evaluation & How Much Is It?

You must complete our dog daycare & boarding forms first. Once we review your form, all potential candidates will be invited to attend a paid temperament evaluation. This fee is at the current daycare rate and is non-refundable. Evaluations are available Monday-Friday 8:00 am-6:00 pm; drop-off is required and is by appointment only.

Things To Keep In Mind When Choosing Us

We are a pet-forward company. We take into consideration not only your needs but also the pet’s needs, as they tell us things, too. We will not force your pet to socialize or interact with other dogs for the sake of your wanting your pet to socialize. We consider many factors with your pet’s behavior during their visits with us. If we do not feel they should be in a group around other dogs or they show signs of discomfort or insecurity, we will provide your pet the care they need and enjoy individually.

We recommend 1-2 days of daycare per week for dogs who qualify for daycare to remain consistent. Consistency provides adequate socialization and physical and mental stimulation for dogs while keeping them familiar with the daycare routine, staff, and friends.

It is recommended that dogs do not exceed three days of daycare per week (depending on breed), as overstimulation can occur.

An excited dog is not always a happy, balanced dog.

Over excitement can look like this:

• May have difficulty calming down.

• Reactivity could also be a response to overstimulation. It is exhibited by one or a few behaviors: barking, lunging, hyperexcitability, hypervigilance, mouthing, etc. The dog lacks impulse control.

• They may start behaving erratically, running silly, or playing too rough. Allowing a dog to stay in this stressed-out state of mind over an extended period in a playgroup is unhealthy or unsafe.

• The dog may attempt to hide or hover by the exits. These dogs are usually used to calm, quiet surroundings, and when suddenly introduced to the commotion and activity of doggie daycare, it’s just too much.

• Excitement can lead to escalation with other dogs.

How To Find Us

Located in the Shoppes at Howell Branch Plaza
3700 Howell Branch Rd. Winter Park, FL, 32792