Doggy Daycare & Boarding in Kansas City
Tired, happy and home by six. Three play yards split by size, one handler to every eight dogs, webcams you can watch at lunch, and an assessment day before anyone books a thing.
(816) 555-0163Daycare & Boarding
Everything starts with the same free assessment day, whether you need one Tuesday a month or ten nights at Christmas.
Package pricing drops the day rate for three or more days a week — ask when you book the assessment.
Built Around The Ratio
Most daycare problems are arithmetic. One person cannot read twenty dogs at once, so scuffles get spotted late and the good handlers burn out. Rookhaven runs one handler to every eight dogs, three yards split by size rather than by breed, and two enforced rest periods a day — because a room of exhausted over-aroused dogs is where incidents come from. It costs more to staff and it is the entire reason we have the reviews we have.
- Ratio— one handler to every eight dogs
- Splitby size, three separate yards
- Restenforced twice daily, not optional
- Handlerstrained in canine body language and first aid
What Twelve Hours Actually Looks Like
Not twelve hours of play. Nobody's dog would survive that, and neither would ours.
6:30–9:00 · Arrivals
Dogs come in, greet on lead, then join their yard in small waves rather than all at once. Early arrivals get the quietest part of the day, which suits nervous dogs.
9:00–11:30 · Morning Play
Structured group play in size-matched yards, with handlers interrupting every few minutes so nobody tips over into over-arousal.
11:30–2:00 · Rest
Everyone rests, in a crate or a settle spot, whether they think they need it or not. This is the part cheap daycare skips and the reason dogs come home wired.
2:00–4:30 · Afternoon Play
Second play block, usually calmer, with enrichment — snuffle mats, puzzle feeders, a sprinkler in summer.
4:30–6:30 · Wind Down & Pick-Up
Quiet time, a final potty break, and a short note at pick-up about how the day actually went — including the days it went badly.
Three Yards, One Puppy Room
Everything here is visible on the webcams, so there is nothing you cannot check for yourself.
Every Dog Starts With An Assessment Day
Four hours, free, so we can see how your dog actually is in a group. Sometimes the honest answer is that daycare is not for them — and we would rather tell you that on day one.
The Questions Worth Asking Any Daycare
Ask these of us and of anyone else you are considering. The answers separate the good ones fast.
What is your handler-to-dog ratio?
Ours is one to eight. Above about one to fifteen, nobody is genuinely reading the room, and incidents get spotted after they start rather than before.
Do you separate by size?
Three yards, split by size rather than temperament alone. A well-meaning shepherd can hurt a terrier without any aggression involved at all.
Is there a rest period?
Two, enforced. Continuous play produces over-aroused, snappy, exhausted dogs — and a dog who comes home unable to settle.
Can I see the dogs?
Webcams on every yard, live, with a login you keep. If a daycare will not show you the floor, ask yourself why.
What are the vaccination rules?
Rabies, DHPP and bordetella, checked against your vet's record before the assessment day, plus a flea and tick preventative.
What happens in an emergency?
Handlers are first-aid and CPR trained, we use a partner vet four minutes away, and we call you from the car — not after.
Three Steps To Your First Day
Send Your Vet Records
Rabies, DHPP and bordetella, plus flea and tick prevention. Two minutes on the form below, or ask your vet to email them straight over.
Free Assessment Day
Four hours, no charge. We introduce your dog to a small group, watch how they cope, and tell you honestly which yard suits and whether daycare suits at all.
Book Your Days
Regular days, ad-hoc days or a package rate for three or more a week. Boarding opens to you once the assessment is done.
Nights Are Not Just Daycare With The Lights Off
Boarding dogs join daycare during the day, which is the whole point — they arrive tired rather than pacing a kennel from 9am. At night they get a private suite with a real bed, not a run, with two evening potty breaks and a photo before lights out. Holiday weeks are staffed by the same handlers your dog already sees every week, because a strange building and a strange person at once is a lot to ask.
- ✓Daytime daycare included in every boarding night
- ✓Private suites with real beds, not runs
- ✓Two evening potty breaks and a lights-out photo
- ✓Same handlers your dog already knows
Before The Assessment Day
How much does doggy daycare cost in Kansas City?
Full days in Kansas City generally run $30–$45, half days $20–$30, and boarding $45–$80 a night. Ours are $38, $26 and $62, with a package rate for three or more days a week and no surcharge for medication.
What vaccinations do you require?
Rabies, DHPP and bordetella, checked against your vet's record before the assessment day, plus a flea and tick preventative. Puppies can start once their second round is a week behind them.
Is daycare right for every dog?
No, and that is the honest answer the trade avoids. Some dogs find groups stressful no matter how well run. That is exactly what the assessment day is for, and we turn dogs away when the answer is no.
What if my dog gets into a scuffle?
We call you the same day, every time, with what happened and what we are changing. Dogs who repeatedly cannot cope leave the program — keeping them would not be fair to them or to anyone else's dog.
Can I really watch the webcams?
Yes, live, with a login that stays yours. Three yards plus the puppy room. Plenty of clients watch at lunch and it is the thing they mention most in reviews.
Do you take intact dogs?
Under twelve months, yes. After that we assess case by case — intact adults often change how a group behaves around them, which is a management problem rather than a judgment about your dog.
Come And See The Place
Book the free assessment day, or just come and look around while the yards are running. We would rather you saw it than took our word for it.
Book Your Free Assessment Day
Tell us about your dog and send your vet records. We reply the same day with the next assessment slot.
- Visit usKansas City, MO 64108
- Call us(816) 555-0163
- Email ushello@rookhavendogs.com