How To Choose a Doggy Daycare Facility

Earlier this month we posted an article, written by Kari Vanick, titled Why Would I Take My Dog To Daycare? Now we have more great tips from Kari regarding How to Choose A Doggy Daycare Facility.

Choosing a doggy daycare facility for your dog is an important decision. Some things to consider:

• Visit the facility. Check for cleanliness. A good facility should be clean and free from odor.

• Do they require you to fill out an application for your dog so they can find out important information about you and your dog and get to know your dog before he comes to play?

• Do they have any type of interview process to screen the dogs who are coming in? Do they allow all dogs or do they weed out dogs who may be a little too aggressive for an open play environment?

• Do they require your dog to be up to date on vaccinations including rabies, distemper, and also bordetella for canine cough?

• What kind of play areas do they have? Do they have indoor and outdoor space for your dog? Do they divide the dogs by size so the little ones don’t get hurt? Is the fencing secure enough (gaps) and high enough to keep everybody in?

• How are the play areas monitored? Is there a staff ratio for a certain number of dogs to make sure there are enough people watching the dogs?

• How do they discipline dogs who may play a little too rough at times? Do they have emergency procedures in place for those times when things start to get a little out of control?

• Do they offer or require a nap/lunch time? Can you bring your own lunch for your dog? What are the resting quarters offered during nap time?

• Has the staff been trained in dog behavior? Have they been trained in Pet First Aid and CPR?

• Do they have webcams so you can watch your dog at play while you are at work and know that he is getting the playtime that he needs?

Most importantly, find a doggy daycare where the staff is friendly and you can see how much they care about the dogs. You want to make sure your dog is getting the exercise that he needs, but but you also want to know that he is playing in a safe environment and that he is getting lots of love when you can’t be there with him. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog.

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