Sit! Stay! Play!
Sit! Stay! Play! is a dog day care center serving Tucson, AZ.
About Sit! Stay! Play!
Sit! Stay! Play! is a Tucson dog day care center offering a supervised place for dogs to play, rest, socialize, and learn. Located in mid-town Tucson near the University of Arizona, downtown, major hospitals, Davis-Monthan, Raytheon, and major highways, the facility serves dogs whose families are working, running errands, or managing busy schedules. Its programs include dog daycare, boarding, and training classes, with an emphasis on creating a safe, stimulating, nurturing, and fun environment.
The daycare is designed for friendly social dogs to interact under supervision while taking part in activities that support both mental and physical engagement. A typical day can include games, fetch, water activities, bubbles, naptime with soothing music, and practice with polite behaviors. The program reinforces appropriate social skills and behavior around both people and other dogs. Dogs are encouraged to perform sits and recalls throughout the day, with food and non-food rewards used to reinforce listening and positive choices.
Sit! Stay! Play! places particular importance on structure and informed supervision. Staff counselors are trained to understand canine body language, group dynamics, appropriate play behaviors, and signs of stress, and many staff members are dog trainers. The staff-to-dog ratio varies according to the size, personality, and activity level of the dogs present, with one counselor typically assigned to 12 to 15 dogs. Large play spaces are divided according to dogs' sizes, play styles, and personalities, and structured activities use separate groups to help support appropriate interactions.
The Tucson facility includes 6,500 square feet of indoor space and 1,000 square feet outdoors. The climate-controlled building has separate playrooms for small and large dogs, dedicated sleeping rooms, rubber flooring, a fitness room, and web cameras that allow families to watch their dogs during the day. The facility also offers a membership plan for a dog who attends on the same days each week throughout the month. Additional website features include a photo gallery, frequently asked questions, news and events, and information about booking.
The team brings a range of animal care experience to the operation. Emily Hilyard, who was born and raised in Tucson and attended the University of Arizona, has worked at Sit! Stay! Play! since 2007 and reports spending more than 35,000 hours in canine play groups. She continues to study dog training and behavior and is CPR and First Aid certified. Other team members include staff with backgrounds in veterinary assistance, dog daycare, animal care, grooming, competitive agility, nosework, and dog training studies. Their stated focus includes learning each dog's personality, helping dogs grow in confidence, improving life skills, and strengthening the bond between dogs and their families.
Families interested in Sit! Stay! Play! can begin by reviewing the daycare and membership information, contacting the facility, or booking a visit. Dogs can expect supervised play, rest periods, separated play areas, and activities that support physical, mental, and social development. The mid-town location provides access for families near central Tucson and nearby employment, university, medical, and transportation hubs.