Dog Daycare in Colorado

AI illustration, not a specific place.

How dog daycare works in Colorado, and what to check

Colorado has no separate daycare license. Under the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA, C.R.S. Title 35, Article 80) a daycare caring for more than three dogs at a time is licensed as a Boarding/Training Facility, the same category as a kennel, with the same Colorado Department of Agriculture inspections and annual renewal. The PACFA licensed tag means we found the license in CDA records or the business states it; a missing tag means unconfirmed, or a very small operation under the threshold.

The 2025 PACFA rule update added recordkeeping so dogs are vaccinated before they mix. Expect to show rabies, DHPP and Bordetella at minimum, and increasingly canine influenza and leptospirosis after the 2023 respiratory-illness wave. Almost every open-play daycare requires an evaluation day before the first booking, and most require spay/neuter for group play past a certain age.

The real differences are in the day itself. Open-play facilities such as the Dogtopia and Camp Bow Wow locations we list sort dogs into rooms by size, temperament and play style, with scheduled rest; Camp Bow Wow uses individual cabins for naps, while cage-free daycares such as the Woofhaus in Denver advertise no crates or forced nap times. Neither suits every dog: a young Lab may thrive in all-day play, an older or anxious dog may need the structure. Ask about group size, staff-to-dog ratio, how a scuffle is handled and whether there are webcams (the webcams tag tells you).

Published Front Range prices in October 2026 were roughly $53 to $58 for a drop-in full day, less on a weekly plan; packages are usually non-refundable and expire after six to twelve months. Typical ranges, not quotes. In mountain towns, daycare doubles as ski-day care for visitors.