In England, the statutory guidance for dog day care says each member of staff should care for 10 dogs or fewer. The optional higher standard, which counts towards a four or five star rating, is at least one full-time member of staff for every 8 dogs.
These figures come from the dog day care licensing guidance, last updated on 1 June 2026. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so this post covers England.
Is the ratio written into law?
The 2018 Regulations set the condition: "Sufficient numbers of people who are competent for the purpose must be available to provide a level of care that ensures that the welfare needs of all the animals are met."
The number itself is in the statutory guidance, which councils use to license you. Before granting a new day care licence, a council has to check that the business meets every minimum standard in that guidance, and the 10 dog figure is one of them.
What does the statutory guidance actually say?
The staffing section says: "The business must have enough staff to meet all dogs' individual welfare needs fully. Each member of staff should have 10 dogs or less to care for."
It then lists what to weigh alongside that number:
6 square metres of space for each dog, which can include outside space
the breed, age, health and needs of the dogs
staff qualifications and experience
other services you offer and how much staff time they take
part-time staff and volunteers
the layout of your premises
So 10 is the most one person should look after, not a target. With new dogs, young dogs or a mix of sizes in the group, plan for fewer dogs per person.
Where does the number 6 come from?
It comes from walks. The same guidance says: "A dog walker may walk no more than 6 dogs at the same time." The owner has to agree to their dog being walked with others, and the dogs must be familiar with each other first. That limit is for walks, not for how many dogs each person looks after on site.
Does the ratio include the owner?
Yes, if you are looking after the dogs yourself. The guidance treats the licence holder as staff for training too. On your own, plan around 10 dogs at most. Your own dogs count as well: the guidance says pet dogs on site must be included in the number on your licence.
What happens if you exceed the ratio?
Your licence states the maximum number of dogs allowed on the premises, and going over it is a breach of the licence. The guidance adds that this is especially so "if not reflected in increased staffing levels". It also tells inspectors to consider whether staffing is too low whenever welfare standards are not being met.
How should you staff if you're growing?
Work it out from the 10. On your own, your 11th dog needs a second person. Two of you can look after up to 20 dogs, if your licence and your space allow it. If you are aiming for four or five stars, one full-time member of staff for every 8 dogs is one of the optional higher standards that counts towards it.
Hire before the extra dogs arrive, not after. The number on your licence is the limit either way.
In Genera you set a daily limit for each service to match your licence. Once a day is full, new bookings become waitlist requests for you to approve, so you don't go over your licensed number by accident. The rota is in the same system, so you can see who is working on the days that fill up.
Source: Dog day care licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities, GOV.UK, updated 1 June 2026. For every other licence rule in one place, see our guide to the dog daycare licence in England.