Our dog day care is in a privately owned countryside setting between Danbury and Maldon in Essex, making us a convenient choice for dog owners in Danbury, Maldon, Chelmsford, and surrounding towns and villages. If you know the area well, we’re just minutes from Oak Corner roundabout and The Tin Roof Cafe.

Location Map

We offer a boutique, high-end dog day care focused on personalised attention and quality care.  Our approach is calm and considered, ensuring dogs feel safe, relaxed, and genuinely comfortable while in our company.

We are licensed by Maldon District Council under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations and proudly hold a 5-Star rating, which means we exceed the highest standards of animal welfare. Licence No: 23/00481/AWLAIA

Yes. We have the largest combined indoor and outdoor dog day care facility in our area, while keeping dog numbers low to ensure plenty of space. We have a reception/snug room, two play barns, a sensory garden, an adventure play paddock and a further 2 acres for sniff-based walks.

No.  While day care is wonderful for many dogs, it doesn’t suit all dogs. Our thorough registration, assessment and trial process allows us to determine whether your dog will feel comfortable, safe, and happy in a day care environment. Factors such as breed type, age, health, temperament, and social skills all play an important role.

The assessment is free of charge, lasts approximately one hour and includes time spent with you and your dog, time without you, and a gentle introduction to our carefully selected ‘Meet and Greet’ dogs. If the Assessment is successful, we will then arrange a half-day or full-day trial, charged at our standard pay-as-you go rate. Our Prices

Please don’t be offended. Our decisions are always based on your dog’s welfare and happiness. Just as people have different comfort levels in social situations, dogs do too. If we feel day care is not the right environment for your dog, it is simply because we want the very best outcome for them.

We offer full-day and morning-only sessions, Monday to Friday. As dogs thrive on routine and familiarity, we recommend attendance at least once per week, with flexibility on days subject to availability.

No.  We do not lock our clients into subscriptions or memberships of any type.  Instead, we earn loyalty through personalised, attentive care and a genuine connection with every dog and owner. 

Yes.  Our normal opening hours are 8am to 6pm, however, we do offer pre-arranged early starts from 7am and late collections until 7pm.

We are fully insured and operate from our own secure site with CCTV and controlled entry.  Our knowledge and experience enable us to recognise early signs of stress or overstimulation and respond quickly to keep dogs comfortable and safe.  So you can feel completely at ease, you will also receive regular photo and video updates of your dog throughout the day.

Size alone is never the deciding factor. Temperament, energy levels, and social compatibility are far more important. A calm large dog may be a perfect match for a smaller companion, while two dogs of similar size may not suit each other. That is why our assessment and trial process is so important.

Our day care follows a structured routine, like a children’s creche. Dogs enjoy a balanced day that includes supervised play, mental stimulation, socialisation, and scheduled rest periods to ensure they remain happy and relaxed.  Follow us on social media to see a typical day at Dogs of Pipers!

Dog day care is an off-lead, fully supervised environment. Dogs are only separated for individual feeding, medical needs, or additional rest.  A crate would only be used in an emergency or on an owner’s request—for example, to help a crate-trained puppy get their required sleep. No dog in any circumstances is left unattended.

Yes. We offer discounted rates for multiple dogs from the same household. Our Prices

Yes, we love puppies and we don’t charge extra to care for them!  They are welcome once they have completed their vaccinations, including Kennel Cough. Puppies receive additional support, structured play, rest times, and feeding schedules.

Yes, we do accept unneutered dogs. However, bitches in season are unable to attend day care for the duration of their season. Unneutered males in our day care are typically dogs we have cared for since puppyhood, which allows us to monitor them closely as they mature. They are carefully supervised and, if any unwanted behaviours arise, we will always work with the owner to decide what is best for the dog and the group. Older unneutered males who are new to day care are not typically suitable for our setting, as they may find it more challenging to integrate with males already attending.

No. We have chosen to be specialists in dog day care, operating Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays.

You will be contacted immediately. If required, your dog will be taken to your nominated vet or our business’ vet, located just a few minutes’ drive away.

You will always know how your dog is doing, and we’ll always be upfront about what’s best for them—even when that means recommending an alternative to day care.  Our priority is always the wellbeing of the dog, not filling spaces.

Yes, of course. We invite you to visit our facilities, meet our team, and see our day care in action—nothing is off-limits. We encourage you to visit other day cares too, so you can make the choice that feels right for you and your dog.

Yes.  Every visit includes a one-to-one handover at both arrival and collection to ensure important information is shared. Throughout the day, we provide photos and videos so you can see how your dog is enjoying their time with us.

For Our Prices