Bark-Shire Park is a small rural dog day care at 1276 Great South Road in Ramarama. It keeps very few regular clients, and it does not take casual days. The business describes its approach as force-free, with routines of play, learning and socialising, and it reads each dog's body language so that the dogs feel relaxed and confident. Carers give feedback on the day at pick-up, and sometimes set homework for owners to help a dog improve at home and in company.
Regular owners say the carers are helpful and accommodating, and that their dogs have made friends here. One says a dog who would usually cower in other places walks in happily and pulls its owner to the front door. Another describes the surroundings as beautiful, with plenty of activities to keep the dogs busy. One visitor came expecting a dog park and found a day care, and wished for an open area to let a dog run without paying for daycare. For a dog that does well in a small, steady group, it is our pick in Ramarama.