Temperament check
once, for every new dog$25
- Three hours on a Tuesday or Thursday morning
- One handler throughout
- A short written note on how it went
- Needed before any other pass
Play all morning, nap after lunch, home tired at six
Pawsome Day Club looks after dogs on weekdays in supervised play groups sorted by size and play style, with two hours of rest after lunch and pick up rounds across the north and east of town. Every new dog starts with a temperament check before joining a group.
8 dogsat most for each handler
2 hoursof rest after lunch
4 groupsby size and play style
Joining the club, in four steps
Most dogs go from first message to regular days in about two weeks. Nobody is rushed into a full room.
Send the form
Tell us about your dog, their vaccinations and how they get on with other dogs. A handler replies within one working day.
Temperament check
A weekday morning with one handler: your dog meets us alone, then one calm dog, then a small group. The check costs $25.
Two half days
New dogs come for two half days in their first week, so the noise and the routine arrive a little at a time.
Regular days
Book day passes or a ten day pack. The same weekdays help most dogs settle, because they meet familiar friends.
Passes and prices
Prices include play sessions, the rest room, water through the day and a towel and brush before home. Pick up rounds are added per trip.
Half day
morning or afternoon$24
- 07:30 to 13:00, or 13:00 to 18:30
- Afternoons start with the rest hour
- Good for puppies and older dogs
Day pass
a day$36
- Play sessions morning and afternoon
- Two hours of rest after lunch
- Towel dry and brush before home
- A note in the bag about the day
Ten day pack
ten days, used in three months$320
- Works out at $32 a day
- Two half days count as one day
- Paused if your vet signs your dog off
Four play groups, matched by size and style
Size matters, but play style matters more. A gentle giant may join the seniors; a fearless terrier may join the big dogs once we know them well.
Little and steady
Dogs under about 10 kg in their own yard with low platforms, soft toys and a handler who keeps the games small and kind.
Big and bouncy
Larger, confident dogs who love to chase and wrestle. Play is paused every twenty minutes so excitement never boils over.
Puppies, 4 to 9 months
Short play sessions, more naps and gentle manners at the door and the water bowl, once the first vaccination course is done.
Seniors and quiet types
Older dogs and those who prefer people to rough games: sniff walks in the garden, soft beds and a slower day.
A group never holds more than 12 dogs, with one handler for every eight. Dogs move between groups as they grow up, slow down or show us they would be happier elsewhere.
Rest is on the timetable, not left to chance
Dogs in a lively room rarely rest on their own, and an overtired dog is the one most likely to snap. From 12:30 to 14:30 every group moves to the rest room: raised beds spaced apart, blinds half drawn, low music and a handler on a stool reading the room. Dogs who settle better alone rest in an open crate or a quiet pen with a blanket from home.
Adult dogs are not fed at lunchtime, because a full stomach and rough play do not mix. Puppies and dogs on a feeding plan from their vet eat in a separate room, from food you bring in a pot labelled with their name. Water bowls are changed every hour in every room.
- Two hours of rest every day
- Separate pens for dogs who rest best alone
- A blanket or T shirt from home is welcome
Pick up rounds
Our van runs three rounds each way. Every dog rides in its own crate, never loose, and the order of stops changes so nobody spends long on board.
| Round | Morning pick up | Home again | Each way |
|---|---|---|---|
| North round, north side and the hospital end | 07:15 to 08:30 | 17:15 to 18:30 | $7 |
| East round, east side and the river flats | 07:30 to 08:45 | 17:00 to 18:15 | $7 |
| Town round, old town and the station quarter | 08:00 to 09:00 | 16:45 to 17:45 | $5 |
| Drop off yourself at the club gate | 07:30 to 09:30 | 16:30 to 18:30 | Included |
Pick up windows are confirmed by text the evening before. Someone must hand your dog over at the door: we never collect dogs from gardens or hold house keys.
Vaccinations, health and days at home
Thirty dogs sharing water bowls and a yard need a few firm rules. These apply to every dog, every day.
- Core vaccinations up to date
- Kennel cough vaccination, as your vet advises
- Flea and worm treatment kept current
- Record shown before the temperament check
- Females in season stay home
- 24 hours clear of sickness, diarrhoea or coughing
- Medicines given only with written instructions
Countries differ on which vaccines are core and when boosters fall due, and vets differ too; we go by your own vet's record and ask to see it again after each booster.
If a dog seems unwell during the day, they rest away from the group and we call you to collect them. If it looks serious, we take them to your own vet, or the nearest open clinic, and keep phoning until we reach you.
Said at the gate at half past six (example reviews)
By Wednesday our spaniel used to chew the skirting boards. Now he comes home on the east round, eats his dinner and sleeps till morning. The note in his bag always makes us laugh.
The temperament check was slower than expected, and that was the point: our rescue met one dog at a time and nobody hurried her. Two half days later she joined the quiet group and loves it.
Our puppy joined at five months. His group naps more than it plays, and the handler explained why rest matters at that age. His manners at the door have improved more there than at home.
A day inside the club
Photos taken through the day, shared with each owner's agreement.
Asked before the first day
What does the temperament check look for?
How your dog meets a stranger, a calm dog and then a small group: whether they read other dogs' signals, recover after a fright and take a break when one is offered. Most dogs pass. Some are happier in the quiet group, and a few are happier at home or with a walker, and we say which kindly and plainly.
Can a dog try again after an unsettled check?
Yes, after a few weeks of work at home or with a trainer, if we think a second check is fair to your dog. The $25 pays for a handler's whole morning, so it is charged each time.
How many dogs does one handler watch?
Eight at most, and there are never fewer than two staff in the building. Rules on staffing for dog daycare differ by country and region, so these are our own numbers, set above the local minimum where we are.
Do dogs ever get hurt playing?
Play can bring the odd scratch or nip, even when it is watched closely. Handlers step in early when games get rough, and anything that happens is written down and told to you at pick up. If a dog needs a vet, we go to yours if it is open, or the nearest clinic if not, and phone you on the way.
Can we send toys or chews?
Please keep them at home: toys and chews start most squabbles in a group. A blanket or an old T shirt that smells of home is welcome in the rest room.
What if we need to cancel a day?
Cancel by 18:00 the day before and the day is not charged. Packs last three months from the first day used, and we pause them when your vet signs your dog off.
Request a place in the club
New dogs start with a temperament check, so choose that first if your dog has not been with us before. Tell us how your dog plays and which round suits, and a handler answers with a date, another date, or an honest reason why the club may not suit.
- Nothing is booked until a handler confirms
- Passes are paid at the gate or as agreed with us
- Bring the vaccination record to the check
Find the club
Handlers are on the floor all day, so messages are answered at drop off, at the rest hour and after pick up.
Contact
A converted workshop with a fenced yard on the east side of town, beside the old rail bridge
Club hours
| Club days, Monday to Friday | 07:30 to 18:30 |
| Temperament checks | Tuesday and Thursday, 09:00 to 12:00 |
| Phone and messages | 07:00 to 19:00 on weekdays |
| Weekends and public holidays | Closed |
Visiting before you book
Owners are welcome to look round at 11:00 on Monday or Wednesday, when the groups are in the yard. Dogs stay at home for the visit, so the room stays settled.