Barks and Recreation

Barks and Recreation Melbourne’s ONLY Fear Free Certified Dog Daycare. Best Dog Daycare in Merri-bek 2024, 2025, 2026
Compassionate, safe, structured care for every dog.

Tours welcome!

A big welcome to gorgeous Millie, who spent her very first day with us today! 🥰 While she took a little time to take eve...
05/06/2026

A big welcome to gorgeous Millie, who spent her very first day with us today! 🥰 While she took a little time to take everything in this morning, Millie soon discovered there was plenty of fun to be had here. Once she found her feet, she happily bounced between exploring, playing, and soaking up attention from our team. One of Millie’s highlights was making a new friend in Nala. The two quickly hit it off and spent the day racing around together, with Millie revealing just how fast those whippet legs can move! 💨 When she wasn’t busy zooming around, Millie enjoyed investigating every corner of the yard, tackling the treat puzzles and collecting cuddles whenever she could. After a big morning, Millie was more than ready to stretch out on a comfy bed and catch up on some well-deserved rest over quiet time 😴 From shy newcomer to zoomie champion, Millie had a fantastic first day, and we can’t wait to see her again soon! 💕

🐾❤️🐾

Luka’s first daycare day was all about finding her feet, making friends, and discovering just how much fun daycare can b...
02/06/2026

Luka’s first daycare day was all about finding her feet, making friends, and discovering just how much fun daycare can be! 🥰 She arrived a little unsure of the new environment, but after some introductions and a good sniff around, her confidence started to build. Luka spent much of her morning investigating all the different toys and activities on offer. She particularly enjoyed the chew toys and ball, often watching the other dogs play and tentatively trying to join in. As the day went on, Luka formed some lovely friendships with Turtle, Ahsoka and Crumble. There were plenty of happy zoomies and wagging tails as her new playmates helped her show off more of her playful personality ❤️ The afternoon saw Luka having a blast racing around with Turtle, chasing after a rope toy, sniffing through the garden, searching for treats, and digging around in the sandpit 🪏 When it was time for a break, Luka curled up beside the staff for a auick power nap before deciding there was simply too much fun still happening and heading back off to see what everyone else was up to. For a dog who started the day feeling a little shy, Luka made wonderful progress and left us with a much bigger smile and a lot more confidence than when she arrived. Well done little Luka! 👏🏼✨

Benji had a lovely first day with us! 💛 He arrived happy and confident, spending his morning exploring the daycare space...
02/06/2026

Benji had a lovely first day with us! 💛 He arrived happy and confident, spending his morning exploring the daycare space and taking in all the exciting new sights and smells. Benji was quite content wandering around at his own pace, investigating the different enrichment areas, enjoying the sandpits, and having a great time helping us with some cardboard shredding. Benji was a friendly and easy-going boy with the other dogs, enjoying some lovely interactions and a few playful moments with Gigi and Roco throughout the day. Outside, the adventures continued with even more sniffing, exploring, and sandpit investigations. After a busy morning, Benji decided it was time for a well-earned break and happily tucked himself up on one of the outdoor beds for a little rest before heading back out to see what else was happening. Overall, Benji settled in beautifully and was an absolute pleasure to have with us. We loved watching his curious personality shine through and can’t wait to see what adventures he gets up to on his next daycare day! 🐾✨

🐾 Welcome to Barks and Recreation, Frankie! 🐾Today was Frankie’s first day of doggy daycare, and this lovely Mastiff cro...
01/06/2026

🐾 Welcome to Barks and Recreation, Frankie! 🐾
Today was Frankie’s first day of doggy daycare, and this lovely Mastiff cross took everything at her own pace. 💕 She arrived feeling a little tentative but very inquisitive, so we started with some one-on-one introductions to help her settle in, and it didn’t take long for her sweet personality to shine through!
Frankie quickly discovered some of her favourite things: treats, pats, exploring her surroundings, and meeting new friends. She was also very interested in the balls and tug toys, and loved running up to our staff for plenty of cuddles and kisses.
Once outside, Frankie really came out of her shell, as she zoomed around the yard, sampled some pet grass, and was very eager to get involved in a bit of playful wrestling. 🐶❤️
We loved getting to know you today, and can’t wait to watch you make more friends during your daycare adventures! 🌟

31/05/2026

Every last Saturday of the month is a day of long dog bliss - cuddles, treats, zoomies, social awkwardness, fashion, butt sniffs, squeaky toys, peanut butter Kongs, pickle dips and comfy beds. Thanks to our wonderful greyhound community for such a wholesome morning ❤️ See you again on June 27th!

29/05/2026

We are often questioned by some of our new families about whether their small dog will be put in a group with “the other small dogs”. The answer is, not necessarily.

We group our dogs based on compatibility. Matching energy levels, play style and confidence rather than just assigning dogs to generic “big dog” “medium dog” and “small dog” groups means that your dog spends their day with like-minded playmates.

Additionally, our groups are not set for the day. Some dogs tire out as the day goes on, and others ramp up as their confidence grows or they find new friends. As group dynamics change, we reshuffle our dogs to ensure the best fit for everyone.

So if you’re concerned that your small dog or puppy might be nervous being around ‘big’ dogs at daycare, let us assure you that an arthritic labrador or a sleeping greyhound is going to be far less intimidating for them than Cino the frenchie here 😂

Chicko the sweet Border Collie x had his very first day at Barks and Rec today 🐾💙He came in feeling a little unsure and ...
29/05/2026

Chicko the sweet Border Collie x had his very first day at Barks and Rec today 🐾💙
He came in feeling a little unsure and needing some gentle encouragement from staff, but before long he started warming up with some ball games and making new friends 🥎✨
Outside is where Chicko really came to life. He loved exploring all the smells, joining in on treat hunts, and running alongside friends Stanley and Archie for some fun games of fetch 🐶
After a big first day, Chicko was more than ready for some pats and cuddles with staff while he recharged 💤
It was so lovely meeting this gorgeous boy today and we can’t wait to watch his confidence continue to grow 🐾

Say hello to Basil the Labrador Retriever, our newest lovable goofball at daycare 💛🐾 Basil came in excited and ready to ...
29/05/2026

Say hello to Basil the Labrador Retriever, our newest lovable goofball at daycare 💛🐾
Basil came in excited and ready to get lots of love, quickly making himself at home with the crew. He wasted no time showing off the cool toys he found and letting his silly side shine when it came to rip rips, all before hitting it off with Pippa and Stanley for some playful wrestling 🐶
Outside, he joined in on games of fetch, took a dip in the pool, and sussed out all the different smells around the yard 🎾💦🐾
It was great to meet you Basil, looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Meet Frankie! This sweet little Cavoodle had his very first day at daycare and settled in so well 🐾💛Frankie came in eage...
28/05/2026

Meet Frankie! This sweet little Cavoodle had his very first day at daycare and settled in so well 🐾💛
Frankie came in eager to meet some new friends and quickly made besties with Gimli, enjoying plenty of zoomies and wrestling together 🐶✨ He also loved getting involved with the treat toys, rip rips, and relaxing with a chew toy here and there 🦴
Outside, Frankie showed off his speedy side doing laps around the yard with bestie Gimli close behind. By quiet time, he was definitely ready for a rest, although he still kept one eye open for the fun 👀💤
We can’t wait to have Frankie back for more daycare adventures 💛🐾

Address

4 McDonald Street
Coburg North, VIC
3058

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 6:30pm
Thursday 7am - 6:30pm
Friday 7am - 6:30pm

Telephone

+61390990716

Website

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