VIDEO: Doggy Daycare: A Second Home For Your Furry Friend

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Day cares have been around for decades, but doggy day cares are a growing trend.

It’s just like daycare for kids, but instead, it’s for dogs.

There is a local place in Starkville that specializes in the business.

Shaggy Hound is a local favorite for its furry customers.

It started out as a grooming shop, but eventually grew into a grooming, boarding, and doggy daycare facility.

Shaggy Hound workers roll into work every morning at 6:30.

First order of business, taking care of their overnight guests.

Then, it’s off to catch dog parents dropping off their fur babies for canine classes.

“We have a small and medium and a large, and the same attendants work each side, so they get to learn the dogs’ personalities and who they play best with, because they get to where they have their little best friend groups that they to like run and play with and get so excited when the other one comes,” says Shaggy Hound receptionist, Olivia Whitehead.

Betsy, is one of those dogs who can’t wait to see her furry friends when her dad drops her off for the day.

“When we come up, she knows where she is and if you saw when she goes in, she knows where to go to see all of her friends and it’s really good for her and she needs the socializing,” says Shaggy Hound customer, Dr. Thomas Little.

Anywhere from 60 to 120 dogs come in on a regular basis, including dogs there for daycare, grooming, and boarding.

“Mrs. Kathy started this because she hated the idea of leaving town and her dog being up in a kennel for most of the day, getting let out just a few times. She wanted to know that they were happy and they were being able to run and have a good time while she was out of town,” says Whitehead.

The dogs are sectioned off into play groups that have 12 to 15 dogs running around at a time.

Groups rotate play times, and when it’s not time to play, pups are resting inside their own suites, stocked with beds and water.

“They don’t have to be, you know, crated up all day, you know? They can get their energy out and they can have fun and they can socialize. It’s a really big deal because like I said, when you’re tired after your long day and you want to love on your dog, but you’re exhausted too, so this is a good way for them to be exhausted too. You don’t have to worry about them at home, you just pick them up and ya’ll are done for the night,” says Shaggy Hound receptionist, Maddi Burell.

The cost for most doggy day cares is around $20 dollars a day.

The day cares usually require dogs to be current on shots and have all vaccinations.