Looking For A Doggy Day Care? 6 Questions To Ask

  Posted on July 7, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Although we offer in home pet sitting, we also realize it isn’t the best option for every dog when their family is away. If your dog is high energy and likes interacting with other dogs, a doggy day care might be the best option.  When evaluating doggy day cares, here are 6 things to consider to make sure you have the right spot for your dog.

1. May I take a tour?  Call and ask for a tour. Better yet,  just drop in without your dog. That will give you a more realistic look at how things are going when they are not planning on having a visitor.
2. What does the facility look like?  Does it meet your standards for a place to leave your 4 legged family member? Do things appear to be organized and safe for all the dogs involved?
3. Do they have enough staff for the number of dogs?  Is the staff adequate? Are they responsible adults or young teens? There should be at least 1 employee for every 8 dogs. Observe the employees, and whether they interact with the dogs are simply standing around talking.
4. Is it clean?  This is important. Even though accidents will happen the staff should clean it up quickly. Everything should appear clean and should smell fresh.
5. What is their admission policy?  A good facility will require that your dog is current on all vaccinations. It will also require that all dogs are either spayed or neutered. All dogs should be checked to make sure they do not show aggression with other dogs. If this facility does not require all these items then explore other day cares.
6. Will you and your dog be comfortable here?  The final thing is to pick a place that you will be comfortable leaving your dog and that your dog will enjoy as well. Do you like the staff, the location and the way that the dogs interact here?  Are dogs grouped together by size? Does the day care have cameras installed so you can check on your dog remotely?

Finding a doggy day care where you will feel comfortable leaving your dog may take a little bit of effort because they are not all the same. However it will be worth the effort because you will feel good about leaving your dog and knowing that he is in a safe friendly environment. Your dog will thank you!