If you are my age, mature, you may remember covering the basics before dashing off to work — dogs were fed, water bowls filled and you secured dogs outdoors with a chain or dog pen.

Fur-get necessities only for today's pet owners who want to pamper their pets and dread leaving them "home alone" for several reasons: concerns about loneliness, lack of enrichment activities or the unwanted Extreme Home Makeover due to separation anxiety.

An increasing number of communities offer doggie daycare alternatives where pets that play well together can hang out safely with other dogs during the day in both indoor and fenced outdoor play areas.

At Canine to Five in downtown Detroit, Mich., Liz Blondy indulges pampered pooches with a variety of toys, treat times, games, wading pools and things to climb on. For pets or pet owners with anxiety, Blondy encourages them to try a half-hour visit for free to size up their chances of fitting in with the massive mixed-breed pack.

In this pooch paradise, dogs have futons for lounging, but the most popular place for "nappy hour" are plastic picnic tables that sport both nappers and yappers, according to Blondy. Canine To Five (www.caninetofivedetroit.com) also offers training, grooming and overnight boarding (sleepovers) with 24-hour attendants who allow up to nine dogs sleep in bed with them.

In doggie daycares across the country you can also find amenities such as massages, nature walks, even "yappy hour" where pets are treated to Frosty Paws ice cream.

Doggy daycare facilities should require pets to have current vaccinations, effective parasite control, no communicable disease and be social enough to play nicely with other dogs. "While our No. 1 priority is safety, the No. 1 thing we give is unconditional love," says Blondy.

For more information, visit the American Boarding Kennel Association Web site at www.abka.com or the dog daycare group at Yahoo that has more than 2,400 members.