Family Owned. Proudly Canadian.
• Science-based handling techniques
• +R training approach
• Highly trained team of Handlers
• Exemplary customer service
Better dogs don’t just happen. They’re shaped, one rewarded moment at a time, by people who genuinely know what they’re doing. At DogPlay, we’ve been providing structured daily dog daycare and overnight boarding in Vancouver since 2014, with professional grooming under the same roof.
We’re a family-owned, proudly Canadian business based in Marpole, South Vancouver, serving dog owners across South Vancouver and nearby Richmond. One of the longest-established options for dog daycare in Vancouver, we’re open every single day of the year, including stat holidays, Christmas, and New Year’s, because dogs don’t take days off and neither do we.
Every dog who joins us starts with a trial daycare day. We accept one new dog per day, unless dogs come from the same family, so every first visit gets the individual attention it deserves.
Training
Teaching dogs that working with people is fun and rewarding is our main focus. Better behaviour and better habits follow from there. The thing we’re really building, one rewarded moment at a time, is a better dog. It is the same reward-based approach that veterinary specialists consistently recommend over correction-focused methods.
Training in Every Moment
Rather than pulling dogs aside for formal sessions, we weave training into every part of the day. A sit before a door opens. A recall when they’re deep in play. A calmer greeting rewarded on the spot. We use positive reinforcement in real time throughout the day rather than waiting for a dedicated window. We ask the dog for a new behaviour, then reward them generously when they get it right. If a dog needs to reset, they get a short break away from the group, and coming back to play is the reward for calming down. The goal is always the same: a dog that wants to engage and make good choices.
Our Handlers
All of our Handlers are trained and certified through PackPro. They move from junior to senior status only once they’re ready to lead a shift, and that promotion includes Canine First Aid certification. Every dog here is in the care of someone who has earned that role through demonstrated competence, not just logged time. The result is a team that understands the difference between a dog that’s anxious and one that’s simply undertrained, and knows how to work with both.
Socialization
Dogs are social animals, but they don’t arrive pre-programmed for it. Learning how to read other dogs, manage their own excitement, and navigate a group environment is a skill that takes guided practice.
Structured from Start to Finish
Socialization at DogPlay is intentional from start to finish. Our Handlers watch canine body language closely, monitor energy levels across the group, and step in before situations escalate. Dogs are grouped by size, age, breed, temperament, and energy level, so every dog is set up to succeed from the moment they arrive.
Who It Helps
We work with dogs across all ages and backgrounds. Puppies moving through critical early socialization windows. Adult rescues are adjusting to new environments and routines. Anxious or fearful dogs who need a slower pace and patient handling. Dog-reactive dogs learning to stay calm and focused around other animals. Each one is handled as the individual they are, because that’s the only way this kind of work actually sticks
Exercise
Tired dogs are happy dogs, but not all tiredness is equal. A dog that has run around unsupervised is not the same as a dog that has been genuinely engaged, challenged, and guided throughout the day.
Handler-Led, Purposeful, All Day Long
At DogPlay, exercise is always handler-led and structured. Our facility spans over 4,700 square feet of fully indoor space. Last year we completed a major overhaul of the building’s air system, including hospital-grade filtration, so the entire space stays properly climate-controlled year-round. If you’d like to see it before booking, you’re welcome to arrange a facility tour at any time. Dogs also get regular walks to Ebisu Park right next door, plus shorter potty walks throughout the day. A dog that has been made to think is often more genuinely tired than one that has simply been let loose to run.
Boarding Stays Included
Dogs who stay overnight are part of the daycare group all day long, with the same structured exercise and social time as day visitors. At night, they move to dedicated overnight boarding suites where a trained handler sleeps on-site in a room directly connected to the suites. Dogs are never left alone, which is something most Vancouver boarding facilities cannot say.
Ready to Shape a Better Dog?
Every service we offer comes back to the same idea: your dog deserves somewhere where something good is always happening. A place where a Handler notices them, challenges them, and sends them home genuinely better than they arrived.
That’s what we’ve been building right here in Vancouver since 2014. Get in touch with DogPlay to book your dog’s trial daycare day or take the tour. From there, you will be able to manage bookings, update your dog’s information, purchase packages, and more. Have more questions? Our full FAQ covers how everything works at DogPlay.
Phone: (604) 336-2240
Email: info@dogplay.ca
Address: 8849 Selkirk Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 4J6
Monday to Friday: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Ready to Get Started?
The first step is to register an account with DogPlay. From there you will be able to request and manage bookings, update your dog’s information, purchase packages, and much more!
DogPlay
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1122 Down Street, Princetown
London, United Kingdom
Phone: 0 (1)123 456
Contact Us
8849 Selkirk Street
Vancouver, BC V6P 4J6
Open Hours
Monday to Friday:
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
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