All dogs must be at least 8 weeks in age. Puppies under 9 months old will be classified as red dogs to ensure appropriate social skills are learned, and will be placed into a Puppy Group with other puppies and appropriate adult dogs.

All newly adopted dogs, regardless of age or where they were acquired, must be in their new home for a minimum of two weeks prior to starting daycare. Exposing your recently adopted dog to too many new situations all at the same time can be detrimental to their mental and physical well being. Your recently adopted dog has undergone a huge life change and needs time to bond with you as well as time to adjust to their new home environment before exposing them to even more stressors such as what they would find in any pet care facility.

All dogs must be spayed or neutered no later than 9 months of age. Special exceptions may be made for well-mannered intact dogs on a case by case basis. However, intact females may not attend daycare when they are in season.

A current rabies vaccination (per state law) and veterinary approval is required before dogs are admitted to daycare. Veterinarians should be able to confirm that your dog is free of contagious diseases, this includes transmittable illnesses such as parvovirus and canine cough, and internal and external parasites such as worms or fleas, and that your pet can handle the physical aspect of daycare. It is advised your dog has received its first series of vaccinations, including booster shots. These are normally done as a puppy, or if you have recently adopted a dog, animal shelters will usually start the initial vaccination series for your pet. Be sure to have copies of all the vaccinations your animal has received within its lifetime whenever possible. Proof must be submitted with the application.

All dogs must be in good health. Dogs that have sensitive hips, shoulders, joints, or other chronic pain may not be eligible for daycare. Dogs that have diarrhea and/or vomiting must be seen by their veterinarian and cleared in order to return to daycare. If your dog has received any live virus vaccines (including but not limited to Bordetella “aka Canine Cough” or Distemper) please keep your dog out of daycare for seven days.

All dogs must be nonaggressive towards people and dogs. Aggressive dogs will not be accepted into daycare. Dogs with poor, but nonaggressive, play styles or other issues may be accepted into one of our specialized plans. Owners must agree to the terms of the plan.

Please refrain from bringing your pet in on a Flexi or retractable lead. This is for the safety of staff and your dog. All collars are removed for play. We strongly advise against using a choke or prong collar with your dog, please feel free to ask any staff member about alternative antipull walking aids. Please be mindful of your dog’s actions while in the lobby—while dogs do come here to play, a lot of dogs can be territorial around their parents, and may become reactive on leash.

All breeds are accepted; however, bully breeds must follow the Bully Breed Policy. (available upon request)

Monday through Friday 7am–6:30pm, Saturday 8am–4pm; We are closed for lunch 12:30–1:30pm on weekdays only.

Daycare passes are valid for 60 days from the date of purchase. Daycare passes are nonrefundable in every circumstance. A credit in the amount equal to the prorated value of the number days remaining on the pass will be applied to the customer’s account. Credit may be used for retail products or grooming services.

All dogs must have a reservation to attend daycare. Reservations can be made via phone, email, or in person. Reservations can be made on a per visit basis or on a long term basis. Reservations can be done anytime up to the evening before your intended day. Same day reservations are sometimes available. This helps us to prepare for the dogs that will be attending while maintaining a proper staff to dog ratio.

There is a $25 “no show” fee for clients who make a grooming reservation and do not show without giving prior notice. Cancellations can be done anytime up to the morning of your scheduled day.

1-15 minutes late: $15, 15-30 minutes late $30, after 30 minutes your dog is considered an overnight guest and overnight charges apply. Your pet can be picked up after 7am the following day.

Please be aware that The Good Dog Spot will be CLOSED if Chicopee Public Schools are closed. We are open 8-9 am and 4-5 pm on snow days for overnight care and emergency cases. If you have any questions, please call our office before bringing your pet for the most up to date information on our voicemail recording.

The team at The Good Dog Spot cares about keeping your pet healthy, and we make it our top priority – both while they’re here in our facility and even when they go home for the day.

We have molded our vaccination policy to reflect current concerns about vaccinations, with the goal of keeping your pet as healthy as possible.

For more information on our requirements for vaccinations please click here.

After a full-day playing with other daycare furry friends we make sure all dogs and cats are safely put into their kennels at bedtime. They always have access to water; plus they’re in a spacious, well ventilated suite so they can sleep comfortably. Our staff finishes their shift around 7pm. They return the next morning at 6:30am. In the case of an emergency, there is both a sprinkler system and an alarm system which will immediately notify our staff remotely. A few staff members live in walking distance of The Good Dog Spot; someone will always be able to get here very quickly in the event of an emergency. For many years The Good Dog Spot has earned the reputation of being the most trusted home-away-from-home for pets in the Pioneer Valley. Pet parents looking to go out of town, or just need their pet out of the house for a holiday party or spring cleaning can rest assured that their pets are comfortable and safe while they stay with us.

We welcome your puppy into daycare after Spot’s Tots hours. Puppies enrolled in our Full day program will receive nap time from 12:00pm – 2:00pm and specialized supervised play in our existing daycare groups in the afternoon until pick up. Whenever possible, puppies in the Spot’s Tots will be grouped with other puppies in the program, and/or with other appropriate dogs 4 – 8 months of age, creating a sub-set of our general small and gentle dog playgroup.

If a puppy needs care on a day that the Spot’s Tots program is not offered, regular daycare is an option. Whenever possible, puppies in the Spot’s Tots will be grouped with other puppies in the program, and/or with other appropriate dogs creating a sub-set of our general small and gentle dog playgroup. Regular daycare days are not part of Spot’s Tots and are paid for separately at the regular daycare rate.

Your puppy does not need to attend the sessions in a row.  You can pick and choose when to have your puppy in the program. The training covered for your puppy will be tailored to where they are in the sequence. For example, your puppy will graduate on the fifth day of your package, regardless of where the rest of the group is at on day 5. However, it is ideal to attend 2 or three times in sequence, as the staff leader will attempt to have as many puppies as possible on the same schedule in the curriculum.

Your puppy does not need to attend the sessions in a row.  You can pick and choose when to have your puppy in the program. The training covered for your puppy will be tailored to where they are in the sequence. For example, your puppy will graduate on the fifth day of your package, regardless of where the rest of the group is at on day 5. However, it is ideal to attend 2 or three times in sequence, as the staff leader will attempt to have as many puppies as possible on the same schedule in the curriculum.

At graduation, your puppy will receive a certificate of completion, a special treat or toy, and a photo taken with a cap!

This is a general policy of TGDS.  Think about it!  Your puppy has just undergone a HUGE life change!  He has been separated from Mom and littermates and from every other aspect of life as he knew it.  Your puppy needs time to bond with you and to adjust to life with his new family before being challenged by the exposure to so many new sights, sounds and locations (such as a pet care facility like TGDS).  Your puppy’s immune system is also developing; lots of rest and good nutrition are needed so he can be strong enough to handle vaccinations and the things he could potentially be exposed to in the environment outside your home.