How to Choose a Good Doggy Daycare
Going to work shouldn’t mean a boring day for your canine. Your dog needs to interact, exercise, and socialize with other dogs and humans as this part of its development. Leaving your dog alone enclosed in a cage or crate at home means total isolation and boredom. This can result in other behavioral problems, especially for young dogs. If you are one of those who work from 9-5, then it means your dog will have to stay alone at home alone for about eight hours. If you don’t have a home environment that cares for the mental, physical and emotional health of your canine, then you may need to consider a doggy daycare service to look after your pet when you’re away. Dog day care services are everywhere but you should never settle for less than the best daycare for your dog. Below is a guide on how to choose the best dog daycare service.
Visit the Space
Most dog daycare services allow clients to take a tour of their facilities before they can admit their dogs. A visit to the facility allows you to see the condition and environment where your dog will stay while you’re away. Take the time to analyze if they regularly clean and disinfect the facility. Good sanitation practices are the first defense against spreading parasites and diseases.
You’ll also find that modern centers provide you with live streaming that allows you to monitor your dog throughout the day over the Internet. This helps to give you the peace of mind knowing that your dog is safe. Just don’t go crazy watching the live feed all day long.
How Trained is their Staff?
The staff should be properly trained and skilled in how to supervise your dog. You want your dog’s behavioral training, commands, and rules to be reinforced. How the staff manages interaction between dogs is also critical. Consider the staff-dog ratio. Could the staff intervene quickly to prevent an altercation? Insufficient or inexperienced staff may not guarantee the best dog care service. Always emphasize on hiring a dog daycare facility with friendly staff who are trained to read the body language of the dogs in their care.
Are they Ready for Emergencies?
Ask them how they can handle cases such as aggressive dog behavior, dog first aid, dogfights and other events. The dog-care center should have a well laid-out procedures on how to handle both routine and unusual situations.
Do they have time for Exercise?
Playtime is vital regardless of the breed and age of your dog. Most well-rounded dog daycare centers provide supervised playtime for dogs. This is critical particularly if your dog is young or likes an active lifestyle. Before hiring them, consider whether they have proper exercise routines for all dogs.
How about their Feeding Program?
Good dog daycare services are always flexible and willing to modify their feeding programs to fit into the needs of each dog. This is crucial in case your dog is picky, has allergies, or other dietary restrictions. If you are more choosy than your dog, ask whether you can supply your own treats.
Are Dogs Screened?
They should always screen newcomers for temperament and vaccinations. In most daycare centers, dogs are allowed to interact and play together. Screening each dog helps assess how they will behave in a group. While nobody wants their dog to be isolated for antisocial behavior, it’s important to keep aggressive or frightened dogs separated so they don’t cause trauma for other impressionable dogs in the group.
Vaccination helps to protect your dog from any health-related issues like Bordetella or kennel cough. These diseases are common and occurs mostly in areas where several dogs are kept together. So keep up to date on vaccinations and insist that your daycare center tracks vacinnations and diseases for all of their clients.
Any Additional Services?
Some doggy daycare centers provide additional dog services such as massage, nail trimming, and grooming. Depending on the health and condition of your dog, you may like a daycare center that provides extra services such as small-group dog walking, medication, extended pick up and drop off hours, or private dog sitting.
Are Dogs Grouped?
Dogs need to be separated based on personality and size. Puppies and small breeds often feel scared and intimidated by larger dogs. A good dog care center often chooses to group dogs in separate dwellings depending on their size and disposition. Some dogs feel anxious and can suffer from separation anxiety if they’re separated from others. Therefore, it pays to ask them if they can observe and accommodate the special needs of your dog.
Bottom Line
Dog daycare means more than just dog-sitting. It deals with multiple dogs with varying temperament and needs. This is why you want a daycare that emphasises attention and proper care. Playtime, separation, staff training, health screening, and other additional services are some of the factors to consider when signing up for doggy daycare.
