Outdoor dog daycare · Sintra

Here, a doggets to bea dog again.

Name: Cãotopia – Centro Canino
Address: Caminho da Ermida, 2710-286 Sintra, PT
Telephone: 910 341 978

A huge piece of Sintra countryside where dogs run off-leash, play in mixed groups, walk in nature and come home tired and happy — with Miguel and Raquel watching every paw.

Call 910 341 978 See the field

5.0★: 45 Google reviews
Mon · Wed · Fri: 09:30–16:30
Off-leash: no cages, no closed rooms

Dogs of different sizes running off-leash across a sunny field among pine trees in the Sintra hills

Running field

Pine grove

Pool

38.79° N · 9.39° W

Caminho da Ermida

No cages. Just room to run.

Four stops on the trail

Everything happens outdoors and with the same people your dog already knows.

A group of dogs playing together on a grassy field with pine trees behind

Station 01

Mon · Wed · Fri

Outdoor daycare

Full days in open nature: running, exploring, chewing sticks and pine cones, and learning to play with dogs of every size — always supervised. Come one day a week or all three.

A dog sitting attentively on a forest path, looking up at a handler seen from behind

Station 02

For dogs and owners

Training & behaviour

Raquel's training sessions and honest feedback on how your dog behaves in the group. Shy, anxious and adopted dogs gain confidence here — and owners get advice to switch off the overthinking.

A dog resting calmly on a blanket in the shade of a tree

Station 03

On request

Occasional stays

Moving house, a trip, a busy week? When owners need it, the dog can stay with the people it already trusts. Ask about availability.

A happy dog looking out of the open back of a van parked on a country lane

Station 04

Ask about your area

The van

Lots of dogs know the van — and get excited the moment they see it. Ask us whether we pass by your area.

Bigger than you'd imagine

The field

This is where the days happen. Tap a pin.

Field map01 / 05

38.79° N · 9.39° W

Legend

A dog running through an open wooden gate into a green field

Pin 01

Arrival

Quick drop-off at the gate — no hunting for parking. Most dogs run in without looking back.

Three days a week, full days

A day at Cãotopia

Open days

Mon
TueClosed
Wed
ThuClosed
Fri
SatClosed
SunClosed

09:30
Arrival
Drop-off and a big hello to the pack.
Step02
Running & the group
Free play in mixed groups, watched closely.
Step03
Walk in nature
Long walks around the Sintra countryside.
Step04
Rest in the shade
Water, shade and a breather.
Step05
Pool or tent
Depending on the weather — splash or shelter.
16:30
Pick-up
They go home tired, calm and happy.

A handler seen from behind crouching among several happy dogs in a sunny field

38.79° N · 9.39° WCaminho da Ermida

The "uncles" your dog won't stop talking about

Miguel & Raquel

Cãotopia is Miguel and Raquel's place: a big piece of land in Sintra where dogs stop being indoor dogs for a day. Elsa helps with the groups.

Clients call them "os tios" — the uncles — and call Cãotopia their dog's second home. Some dogs have come since they were puppies; one has come every week for three years.

Their idea is simple: dogs need space, other dogs and humans who understand them. They'll also tell you how your dog did — and help you switch off the overthinking.

They help switch off the overthinking — and the dogs have the time of their lives.

— Ana Paula Ribeiro, on Google

45five-star Google reviews

3full days a week

0cages

From the field

38.79° N · 9.39° W

A puppy carrying a big stick through tall grass — 01Stick season

A dog shaking off water next to the pool — 02Pool day

Two dogs asleep together in the shade — 03Well-earned nap

A mixed group of dogs walking together along a country path — 04The pack on a walk

Every one of them has a nickname

The pack

45 reviews on Google, all five stars. Here are some pack members — and what the team calls them.

5.0 on Google

See all reviews on Google

Pack member
Syrah
The team calls them
Syraaaaaah
Syrah's second home. A place that lets a dog be a dog, without being tied up or shut in. Every day is full of play, big walks through Sintra's nature, and on hot days even the pool. Miguel and Raquel treat the dogs with so much love. A true family we trust 100%.
— Inês Menezes
Pack member
Jack
The team calls them
Jackinho
Since Jack started at the daycare we've noticed a huge difference: he's much calmer, more balanced and more sociable. Jack always goes happy, and we're completely at ease knowing he's in good hands.
— Marilia Rocha
Pack member
Sasha
The team calls them
Sasha, lie doooown
The place where our Sasha is free, where she can be a dog, where she's understood and respected. The space in nature is much bigger than you can imagine. Every day she sees the van, off she goes, all happy.
— Inês da Silva Oliveira
Pack member
Paloma
The team calls them
Palomita
I couldn't have wished for a better place for my dog Paloma. Miguel and Raquel's dog philosophy suits my way of thinking completely. Paloma is a bit shy, but she very quickly felt at home. And as a keen runner she has all the space she needs at Cãotopia.
— Caroline Dawson
Pack member
Feijão
The team calls them
My pleasure, my terror
My name is Feijão. I was adopted at 4 and now I'm 6. My uncles, Raquel and Miguel, believed in me like no one else did. Thanks to them I'm learning to trust other people and other dogs. I can't wait for my next Cãotopia day!
— Beatriz Pinto
Pack member
Kitty
The team calls them
Kitty the rabble-rouser
They gave us stability, balance and calm during a difficult adjustment phase, and they still do. They're Kitty's second family. Thank you Miguel and Raquel for being so present and so professional.
— Ines Rocha
Pack member
Bella
The team calls them
Our French girl
I've brought my dog Bella once a week, sometimes more, for 3 years now. Nothing but kindness and love for our dogs. I also used their stay service during my move so Bella wouldn't be stressed, and everything was absolutely perfect.
— Amelie Roujou de Boubee
Pack member
Luna
The team calls them
Our silly head
The dog daycare where dogs get to be dogs again — they play, learn and come home happy and exhausted (amen!). The team is wonderful and really knows what they're doing. Luna now sees me as her official driver.
— Cristina Assunção
Pack member
Bella
The team calls them
Bella Bella Bella
The perfect place for my dog to run freely and without leash but still in a supervised environment. Great for socialising with dogs of all sizes. They keep them entertained even on rainy afternoons in a tented area.
— Elisabeth Murray

Before the first day

Questions

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 09:30 to 16:30. Your dog can come one, two or all three days.

Come and see the field

Call to book a visit

The best way to start is a phone call: tell us about your dog and we'll arrange a first day.

Phone

910 341 978 Call now

Address

Caminho da Ermida, 2710-286 Sintra

Directions

Hours

Monday: 09:30–16:30
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 09:30–16:30
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 09:30–16:30
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Find us

38.79° N · 9.39° WCaminho da Ermida

Miguel & Raquel

Cãotopia is Miguel and Raquel's place: a big piece of land in Sintra where dogs stop being indoor dogs for a day. Elsa helps with the groups.

Clients call them "os tios" — the uncles — and call Cãotopia their dog's second home. Some dogs have come since they were puppies; one has come every week for three years.

Their idea is simple: dogs need space, other dogs and humans who understand them. They'll also tell you how your dog did — and help you switch off the overthinking.

They help switch off the overthinking — and the dogs have the time of their lives.

— Ana Paula Ribeiro, on Google

45five-star Google reviews

3full days a week

0cages

Here, a doggets to bea dog again.