Daycare

Daycare Structure

Reservations & Hours

Daycare at Clawington of Madison is by reservation only — we're unable to accommodate same-day requests, and availability may be limited during holidays, school breaks, and other high-volume times, so we recommend booking ahead.

Daycare runs Monday–Friday, with drive-through drop-off beginning at 7:00 AM, lobby drop-off beginning at 8:00 AM, and pickup required by 5:30 PM. If you expect to be running late, please let our team know as soon as possible — late fees may apply, up to and including overnight boarding at the owner's expense.

Half-Day & Full-Day Care

Half-day visits cover up to 4 hours in our facility, and full-day visits are any stay longer than 4 hours. Please select the appropriate duration when booking — if your dog's stay runs past 4 hours, the visit will be charged as a full day.

Meals & Belongings

All leashes and collars must be labeled, and a safety release collar is required on every dog, even if they typically wear a harness. If your pet needs a meal during their stay, please bring it in a labeled, pre-measured container or bag — one bag/container per meal, as bulk food can't be accepted. We ask that you leave toys, blankets, beds, and other personal items at home, since these can be lost or damaged during active play; all enrichment items are provided by Clawington. Any medication given during daycare must arrive in its original labeled prescription container — medications in unlabeled containers can't be administered, and medication administration fees may apply.

Evaluation Process

Every dog's first visit to daycare is an evaluation. It lasts up to four hours — the same length as a half-day visit — and is billed at our evaluation rate.

During the evaluation, we slowly introduce your dog to the facility and rest areas, our team members, other canine attendees, and the playgroup that best fits their personality and play style. This gives us time to learn your dog's behavior, comfort level, and social style. Afterward, you'll receive a detailed evaluation report summarizing how your dog did, along with any recommendations for their future care.

Re-Evaluations

Dogs may need a new evaluation if they haven't attended daycare for an extended period of time, or if our team observes significant changes in behavior, temperament, or group dynamics. This helps us keep every dog in our care safe and comfortable.

Removal from Group Play

For the safety of all attendees, we reserve the right to temporarily or permanently remove a dog from group play if they're involved in repeated incidents, or to adjust their care plan if their behavior indicates group play is no longer safe or appropriate. We'll always contact owners promptly if behavioral concerns arise or if changes to daycare eligibility are needed.

Adaptive Play Program

For dogs who don't pass their initial evaluation, or who need to step back from group play due to behavioral concerns, we offer Adaptive Play — a personalized alternative designed to help dogs succeed safely.

Adaptive Play is tailored to each individual dog and situation, focuses on building comfort, confidence, and appropriate social behavior, and often serves as a pathway toward re-integration into group play when possible. It involves frequent communication between our team and you as the owner, and may include additional fees depending on the level of support provided.

Our goal is always to create the safest, most enjoyable daycare experience for every dog in our care.

Playgroup Structure & Spay/Neuter Policies

Our playgroups are thoughtfully built around each dog's size and build, personality and social style, energy level and play intensity, and age, confidence level, and individual needs — never by breed or age alone. As dogs grow, mature, or group dynamics change, they may move between groups to keep every playgroup safe, comfortable, and fun.

Spay/Neuter Considerations

We don't enforce strict age-based spay/neuter requirements. Female dogs in heat are not permitted to attend daycare, and intact male dogs are welcome to attend unless they begin exhibiting behaviors that compromise safety or group harmony, such as excessive mounting, marking, fixation, or tension-building behaviors. In these cases, we may require the dog to be neutered to continue group play, or the dog may be eligible for our Adaptive Play program until — or if — neutering occurs.

A Note on Group Play

While we maintain high standards of safety and supervision, group play does carry inherent risks, including exposure to contagious illness, minor play-related injuries such as scratches or nicks, and, less commonly, more serious injuries from normal dog-to-dog interaction. Our staff works diligently to monitor every playgroup and strives to identify and report any injuries before pick-up, though it isn't always possible to catch every mark immediately. Owners are financially responsible for veterinary or medical expenses resulting from illness or injury during daycare, and we'll always reach out by phone, email, or text if your dog is involved in an incident.

Summer Water Play Notice

During the summer months, water play is an essential part of keeping both our turf and our daycare guests cool, so we don't offer playgroups that exclude water play during this season. Water play can sometimes exacerbate ear infections, skin irritations, hot spots, or other moisture-sensitive conditions, so please let our team know if your dog has a history of ear or skin issues so we can monitor them closely. We provide towels and drying time, but dogs should still be expected to go home a little damp during warm-weather months.

Illness Protocols

To help keep our daycare environment healthy for everyone, we ask owners to follow these guidelines before returning after an illness:

• Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (CIRD), including kennel cough-type illnesses: dogs must stay out of daycare for a minimum of 10 days from the onset of symptoms (longer if symptoms continue), and must be fully symptom-free before returning.
• Extreme fatigue or lethargy: dogs must be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.
• Suspected GI parasites, including Giardia: a negative fecal test is required before return.
• Confirmed GI parasites: dogs must stay out of daycare for 2 weeks from the start of treatment, complete all prescribed medications, and have a negative fecal test result before re-entry.
• Vomiting or diarrhea: dogs must be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.

Schedule a Visit Today!

At Clawington of Madison, we treat your dog like family. Experience the difference of a dedicated dog daycare center that prioritizes your pet's happiness. Call us at (256) 801-2529 or visit us at 11045 County Line Road, Madison, AL 35758. We are open Monday–Thursday 7am–5:30pm, Friday 7am–5:30pm.

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