How to Choose a Responsible Dog Day Care Provider
This is a guest article from Dan Minkle ~ We all love our dogs, and we want to make sure that they’re happy and healthy, getting plenty of exercise and fun. However, the reality is that most people just don’t have the time to give their dog all the attention they need. Commitments such as work, school, travel and other important and time-consuming factors will often keep the family’s furriest member at home or in a crate for long hours.
Many dog owners face this problem, and many find that the best answer is doggie daycare. A dog left at home all day alone may become overly anxious, barking constantly or becoming destructive or unhealthy due to stress. Exercise and socialization are very important for a dog’s mental well-being. Your friends and colleagues may have recommended daycare, but the thought of leaving your dog in the care of strangers can be just as scary as dropping off your children for their first sleepover.
As a dog daycare professional, I can offer a few tips on choosing a daycare that will help settle your nerves and give you confidence in your choice for the safety of your dog.
1. Be Choosy, Get More: There are many businesses that offer dog daycare services, and not every one is the same. You may find that some offer different services in addition to daycare; such as overnight boarding, grooming, bathing or nail-clipping. Some daycares offer webcams where you can watch your dog at play online. Some have staff trained in veterinary services or may have a veterinarian on staff.
2. Daycare prices vary from $10 to $30 per day, but be sure to investigate what is included in this price. Some daycares charge extra for walks, meals and other amenities, which can add up to more than a higher flat-rate fee daycare where those same services are included. You have lots of options in the dog daycare industry, and many highly populated areas have multiple daycares.
3. Share Information: The best way to feel confident in your dog’s safety is to learn as much as possible about the daycare and its practices. Online reviews can be a great source of information, but be wary of overly negative reviews as dog daycare is a very competitive business and there are no regulations to keep competitors from posting false reviews. Take a look at the daycare for yourself. Take a tour of the facility and ask questions of the staff and management. Voice any concerns you might have. Ask friends and family for recommendations as word of mouth is sometimes the best review you can get.
Also, be sure to share information with the staff about your dog’s history and behavior. Dogs encounter a wide variety of situations while they are at daycare, and the more the staff knows about how your dog, the better prepared they will be to handle situations and keep your dog playing safe. Do not sugarcoat aggression issues as this could lead to real problems for your dog and his playmates.
4. Remember, Dogs Will Be Dogs: Just like kids on the playground, dogs may come home with bumps, scrapes and bruises. This isn’t necessarily an indicator of an irresponsible staff, oftentimes dogs play rough and rough play leads to injuriess. If your dog comes home with minor injuries, the daycare staff should notify you when you pick him up. If you notice consistent injuries that were not reported to you, it may be time to look around at another daycare.
5. Not For Everyone: Almost every dog daycare has an evaluation process to decide whether or not a dog will fit in with their playgroup. This is done for the safety of everyone, staff and animals. If the daycare you think of sending your dog to has no evaluation, it’s possible your dog may be spending a lot of time in a crate or may be in danger of being grouped with unfriendly dogs. This is a good time to share information about your dog. If it’s decided your dog will not be a good fit for this daycare, ask what behaviors he showed that brought about his rejection. Dogs may act very differently away from mommy and daddy. Ask them to recommend training programs or obedience courses. In the long run, these can be very beneficial to your dog’s well-being.
6. Don’t Overdo: Five days a week of playing hard might be too much for your dog. Most dogs are pretty wiped out after 3 days and should be allowed to rest if you still want a busy puppy on the weekends. Look at hiring a reputable dog walker for days your dog can spend at home resting up for another day of play.
Your dog counts on you to meet all of his needs, and sometimes that can be a pretty heavy burden. Dog daycare may help relieve some of that by giving your dog a friendly, fun and safe environment to play in. A well-exercised and well-socialized dog is a satisfied dog, and your furry friend will thank you for taking great care to make sure he’s in an environment where he’ll be safe and happy.
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