To stay at PetSmart PetsHotel or attend Doggie Day Camp, a dog must be at least 4 months old, free of fleas and ticks, and have written proof of rabies, the DHPP combination shot and Bordetella (renewed every 12 months), all given at least 24 hours before arrival. Doggie Day Camp adds three more rules: no intact males, no females in heat or pregnant, and no bully breeds. PetSmart does not publish prices online, so you get a quote from your local store.
That is the short version. PetSmart's own requirement pages are bare lists, and several third-party pages copy older versions that disagree with them on timing and on canine influenza. This guide walks through what PetSmart's current pages actually say, what the rules mean in practice, what a stay tends to cost, and what to know about Petco, which works very differently. Everything below comes from PetSmart's published pages as of October 2026; policies can change and local laws can add rules, so confirm with your store before you book.
The requirements at a glance
PetsHotel (overnight boarding) and Doggie Day Camp (daycare) share one services agreement, one vaccine list and one booking system, so most rules are identical. The differences are in who is allowed into group play. The table sums up PetSmart's published rules for dogs.
| Requirement | PetsHotel (overnight) | Doggie Day Camp (daycare) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 4 months | 4 months |
| Rabies | Required (1 or 3 year) | Required (1 or 3 year) |
| DHPP / DAPP combination | Required (1 or 3 year) | Required (1 or 3 year) |
| Bordetella | Required every 12 months | Required every 12 months |
| Canine influenza, leptospirosis | Recommended, not required | Recommended, not required |
| Vaccine timing | At least 24 hours before arrival; 10 to 14 days preferred | At least 24 hours before arrival; 10 days preferred |
| Fleas and ticks | Must be free of fleas and ticks | Treated at the grooming salon at your cost before check-in |
| Intact males, females in heat, pregnant females | Not listed on the requirements page; ask your store | Not accepted |
| Bully breeds and wolf hybrids | Not listed on the requirements page; ask your store | Not accepted |
| Titer tests in place of vaccines | Not accepted | Not accepted |
Required vaccines, explained
PetSmart's vaccination policy lists three required vaccines for dogs at PetsHotel and Doggie Day Camp: rabies, the DHPP combination (PetSmart accepts DHPP, DA2PP, DAPPC, DAPP and DHLPP) and Bordetella. Rabies and the combination shot can be on a one-year or three-year schedule, as your vet and state law allow. Bordetella must be renewed every 12 months.
Canine influenza and leptospirosis are listed as "not required, but highly recommended." Several review sites say canine influenza is required. PetSmart's own pages say it is not. If your state or city has had a recent flu outbreak, your local store can still ask for it, because PetSmart also requires proof that your dog meets state and local boarding vaccine rules. If you are unsure which shots your dog has, our guide to vaccines for boarding explains each one and why facilities ask for it.
The 24-hour rule, and why to vaccinate earlier
PetSmart's current pages say vaccines must be given at least 24 hours before arrival. Some older copies of the policy, still quoted on other sites, said 48 hours. Either way, treat the minimum as a fallback, not a plan. PetSmart itself says it prefers vaccines 10 to 14 days before a PetsHotel stay and 10 days before Day Camp, and its FAQ goes further for Bordetella, recommending it at least 7 days before check-in.
There is a good reason for the gap. A vaccine given the day before a stay has not had time to build much protection, and Bordetella in particular is meant to reduce kennel cough in exactly the kind of group setting your dog is about to enter. If your dog's Bordetella has lapsed, book the vet first and the stay second. Our article on kennel cough after boarding or daycare explains why even vaccinated dogs can still pick up a cough.
What counts as proof
PetSmart wants written records. A rabies tag on the collar does not count, and the vaccination policy says titer tests are not accepted in place of vaccines. That matters for owners whose vet has moved to titer testing for older dogs: PetSmart will not accept the titer result, so your dog would need the vaccine or a different facility.
The easiest route is the Authorization for Release of Vaccinations form on the PetsHotel requirements page. Your vet fills it in and faxes it to the store. You can also bring printed records showing the vaccine, the date given and the expiry date. Records are stored in your PetSmart profile, so later bookings are quicker as long as nothing has expired.
Age and the 4-month minimum
Both services require dogs to be at least 4 months old. In practice the vaccine rules usually set the real start date, because a young puppy needs its full DHPP series and its rabies shot (usually given around 12 to 16 weeks) before it qualifies. If you have a puppy and a trip coming up, plan backward from the date of the last booster, not from the 4-month birthday.
Doggie Day Camp rules on intact dogs, heat and breeds
PetSmart's Doggie Day Camp requirements say it cannot accept intact (unneutered) male dogs, pregnant females or females in heat. This is a group-play rule: an intact male or a female in season changes how a playgroup behaves and can trigger fights or mounting. If your vet has advised you to wait before neutering, see our guide on whether a dog needs to be neutered for daycare for the options.
The same page excludes dogs of the "bully breed" classification and wolves or wolf hybrids. PetSmart names American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs and Bull Terriers, plus mixes that resemble them. This is a company policy, not a judgment about any individual dog, and it is applied by appearance at the store. If your dog could be read as one of these breeds, call ahead rather than finding out at the door.
PetsHotel's requirements page does not list the same breed or intact-dog exclusions, which suggests they apply to group play rather than to an individual room. Stores apply their own discretion, though, and PetSmart reserves the right to refuse any pet. Ask your store directly before booking a boarding stay for an intact dog or a bully-type dog.
Fleas and ticks
Every pet must be free of fleas and ticks. The rules differ slightly by service. For Day Camp, a dog that shows signs of fleas or ticks is treated at the grooming salon at your expense before it can join. For PetsHotel, the current requirements page says pets showing signs will not be allowed to check in. Either way, keep your dog on a monthly preventive and check its coat the night before.
Forms, medication and what to bring
Three forms cover a stay: the PetsHotel and Doggie Day Camp Services Agreement, a Medication Form, and the vet authorization form for vaccine records. You can sign the agreement in advance or at check-in. The person dropping off must be an adult over 18.
For medication, PetSmart asks you to call ahead and confirm it can handle the drug. Medicines must be in their original packaging with the type and dosage clearly labeled, over-the-counter products need a vet's dosage recommendation, and PetsHotel does not give injections. Medication administration is an extra charge. Bring your dog's own food too: PetsHotel feeds it at no charge, and the in-house food costs extra. Our dog boarding packing list covers the rest.
What PetsHotel and Day Camp cost
PetSmart does not publish a price list. Store pages show options such as full-day and half-day camp sessions but list them as "call for pricing," and the online booking flow shows a price only for your chosen store and dates. That is the only reliable number.
For a rough idea, third-party sites have reported PetsHotel rooms starting around $15 a night and suites running past $40 a night, with Day Camp sessions in the $20 to $40 range. Those figures are not from PetSmart, are not dated, and vary by state, so treat them as ballpark only. Add-ons such as playtime, baths at checkout, nail trims and medication are charged separately, and each pet is priced separately. Store pages have also advertised prepaid Day Camp packs that lower the per-day price. For national context, our guides to dog boarding cost and doggy daycare cost show what independent facilities charge.
PetsHotel or Day Camp: which one you need
The two services solve different problems. Day Camp is daytime group play, usually as a full day of up to about eight hours or a half day of up to about four, and your dog goes home at night. It suits a social, high-energy dog whose owner works long days. PetsHotel is overnight boarding in a room or suite, with potty breaks included and group play sold as an add-on at many stores. It is what you book for a trip.
Many owners use both: a few Day Camp sessions before a holiday so the dog knows the building and the staff, then PetsHotel for the trip itself. If your dog is anxious around other dogs, a PetsHotel stay without the group play add-on can work even if Day Camp does not. If you are still deciding between a facility, a sitter and daycare in general, our comparison of daycare, a dog walker and boarding lays out the tradeoffs.
What happens at check-in
Expect staff to confirm your dog's records, check the coat for fleas and ticks, take your feeding and medication instructions, and go over the services agreement. For Day Camp, staff watch how your dog behaves when it first meets the group, and PetSmart reserves the right to refuse any pet at its discretion. A dog that is very stressed, mounts constantly or shows aggression may be sent home or moved out of group play.
The most common reasons a dog is turned away at the desk are simple ones: an expired Bordetella, records that are not on file, fleas, or a female who has come into heat since the booking. All of these are avoidable with a quick check two or three days before you go.
Cats at PetsHotel
Some PetsHotel locations also board cats. Cats need rabies and the FVRCP combination vaccine; Bordetella is not required for cats. Cats showing signs of fleas or ticks are not admitted at all, rather than treated at the salon, so make sure a cat's preventive is current before the stay.
How to book
Book through PetSmart's services site or by calling your store. Enter your zip code, choose a store with PetsHotel or Day Camp (not every PetSmart has them), add your pet and dates, and upload or send vaccine records. Book early for holidays, because PetsHotel rooms fill fast around Thanksgiving, Christmas and summer weekends. Logging into a Treats account keeps your records and bookings in one place.
Does Petco offer boarding or doggy daycare?
Not in its stores. Petco does not run an in-store hotel or daycare the way PetSmart does. Instead, Petco partnered with Rover in 2022 so customers could book Rover sitters for boarding, house sitting, dog walking, daycare and drop-in visits through Petco's website, as dvm360 reported at launch. Rover's Petco landing page describes the same services; the discount code it shows carries a 2023 expiry date.
That means a Petco "boarding" booking is really a stay in an individual sitter's home, with that sitter's own rules on vaccines, intact dogs and breeds. Prices are set by each sitter. If you are comparing the two, PetSmart gives you a standard facility with fixed rules, while a Rover sitter gives you a home setting and more flexibility. Our Rover review covers how that side works.
Tips for a smooth first stay
- Send vaccine records at least a week ahead and confirm they show in your profile.
- Book a half day of camp before a long boarding stay so your dog meets the staff first.
- Label food portions by meal and pack a little extra in case your return is delayed.
- Leave a reachable phone number and your vet's details at check-in.
- Ask what time checkout ends, since late pickup can add another night.