The night before a first daycare day, a lot of dog parents lie awake running the worry list. Will my puppy be okay. Did I forget something. Should I have done this sooner. We see those faces every morning at the door, and we want to put the worrying to rest. A great first day isn't luck. It's prep, and the prep is honestly pretty simple.
This is your readiness guide for puppy daycare in Montreal. Not a play-by-play of how the day unfolds (your dog will fill you in with their tail), but the part you actually control: getting your puppy or your grown dog squared away beforehand so they walk in confident and you walk out calm. Here's how we get every new member of ATD Clubhouse, Montreal's 5-star clubhouse for dogs, ready for day one.
Start here: the $25 evaluation is step one
Every new dog at the Clubhouse begins the same way, with a $25 evaluation. Before you pack a single thing, this is the appointment to book, because the rest of the prep flows from it. Think of it as a getting-to-know-you visit, not a test. Our team reads your dog's temperament, how they socialize, how they like to play, so we can drop them into a playgroup where they genuinely fit, matched by size and personality. Nobody gets squeezed in wherever there's space.
For a puppy especially, this first visit does double duty. It introduces them to the building, the smells, our team, and a small, well-matched group, all in a calm and supervised setting. That's the gentlest possible on-ramp to daycare life. Book the evaluation a few days before you'd like your dog's first full day, so there's room in the schedule and nothing feels rushed.
One nice surprise: if your dog is clearly having a blast partway through the evaluation, they're welcome to stay for the rest of the day. We waive the $25 fee and simply charge the half-day rate. Sometimes day one shows up early, and we love when it does.
Book your dog's $25 evaluation
Vaccination readiness, sorted before you arrive
Here's the one piece of paperwork worth handling early, because it's non-negotiable for every dog who plays here. Proof of vaccination is part of every new dog's file, so call your vet and ask for an up-to-date copy before your evaluation. Have it ready to hand over (or email ahead) and drop-off stays smooth.
For puppies, vaccine timing matters more than for any other dog, so loop in your vet about where your pup is in their schedule before you book. A quick conversation now saves a scramble later. While you've got your vet on the phone, jot down their name and number for us, plus an emergency contact who can reach you fast if we ever need to. Round it out with the honest stuff: spayed or neutered, nervous around big dogs, completely unhinged about tennis balls, any allergies or meds. The more we know, the better the day goes. Questions about requirements before you book? Our FAQ has the details, or just ask the team.
The week before: small habits that build a calm dog
You can set your dog up to succeed days before they ever sniff our lobby. None of this is heavy lifting. It's just a few gentle reps so the new routine feels familiar instead of jarring, which matters double for a young puppy still learning that being apart from you is no big deal.
- Practise short separations. If your dog has company around the clock, leave them solo for short stretches so a few hours apart starts to feel ordinary.
- Walk before you drop off. A good morning walk takes the edge off, so your dog arrives ready to play instead of bursting with rocket fuel.
- Keep breakfast light. Big meals and big play don't mix. A lighter breakfast on daycare mornings keeps tummies happy.
- Rehearse the goodbye. Short, cheerful, confident. Long, teary farewells tell your dog something's wrong. A quick "have fun" tells them everything's right.
What to pack the night before
Get this bag ready the evening before and the morning takes care of itself. The list is refreshingly short.
- A secure collar or harness with an ID tag, plus a leash
- Proof of vaccination, if we don't already have it on file
- A labelled portion of food if your dog eats during the day
- Quick notes on quirks, allergies, or medications
- A phone number where we can actually reach you
Leave the toy bin at home. We've got plenty, and fewer personal items means fewer playground disputes over whose ball that really is. Not sure about something? Ask at drop-off. There are no bad questions at the Clubhouse.
A calm drop-off is the whole game
Your dog reads you better than you think. If you're relaxed at the door, they decide this new place must be fine. If you linger, fuss, and apologize, they conclude something's up. So the morning of, keep it brisk and upbeat. A confident "have fun, see you later," a quick check-in with our team about anything new, and out you go. We promise we've got them.
If a full first day feels like a lot, especially for a puppy, ease in with a half-day from $35. That's a five-hour morning session with pickup by 12:30 PM, a soft landing before you graduate to full days at $55 once your dog struts in like a regular. Daycare runs Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 7 PM, at 1800 Sainte-Catherine Street East in Ville-Marie. When daycare becomes the highlight of the week (it will), the Monthly Unlimited plan at $880 keeps the good times rolling. You can browse all the dog daycare options on our daycare page, and if drop-off won't fit your schedule, our services can help you sort out the logistics.
Puppy daycare in Montreal: why an early start pays off
A new puppy just landed in your life, and the window for early, positive socialization is wide open right now. It's one of the best gifts you can hand a young dog, and a well-run puppy daycare is a safe place to give it, supervised, structured, and matched to your puppy's size and confidence. Getting them in early, the right way, shapes the friendly, easygoing adult they'll grow into.
Little dogs are stars here too. Dogs under 10 lbs (4.5 kg) join Fattoush's Tiny Dog Special, a calmer full-day program built for our smallest members, where nobody gets bowled over by an enthusiastic Lab. And keep an eye out for Maïka, our three-legged Chief Dog Officer, and Max the Boston terrier, our resident mascot. They've welcomed a lot of first-timers through these doors.
The best sign you prepped right: a sleepy dog
Picture tonight. A full day of play, friends, and brand-new routines is wonderfully exhausting. Dinner, one enormous stretch, lights out early. That deep, contented daycare sleep is the surest sign all your prep paid off and day one landed exactly the way it should.
Ready for day one?
Whatever you've got at home, a ten-week-old puppy or a ten-year-old gentleman, the path to Montreal's 5-star clubhouse starts with one small step. Book the $25 evaluation online, call us at (514) 778-CLUB (2582), or drop by 1800 Sainte-Catherine Street East, steps from the Village. We'll handle the rest, including the full report at pickup.