Have you ever found yourself wondering if doggie daycare is a good option for your pup? All of us dog owners seem to hate the idea of our furbabies sitting at home alone all day or locked in a crate for hours on end. It seems like a great solution to recommend doggy day care to the average dog owner. Many dogs lack stimulation, sufficient outlets for their energy, or opportunities to socialize with other dogs.
However, doggie Daycare is not a one size fits all solution for every dog. Some older dogs or dogs that don’t like to socialize may not be ideal candidates for daycare environments. Most reputable daycare facilities recommend a “trial day” to assess how your pup reacts in the daycare environment and your dog will also be evaluated for energy level and temperament. The daycare will then advise you if your dog is an ideal candidate or not.
Here are five reasons why you might consider sending your dog to doggy daycare:
EXERCISE: Most dog owners don’t realize just how much exercise dogs get in a daycare environment. They spend a lot of their day playing, wrestling, and chasing other dogs and toys. Daycare helps provide your dog with exercise and activities if you have a busy schedule. Walks are nice and also necessary, but nothing can replicate the energy expenditure of dogs playing together. That constant wresting is the optimal way to provide them the outlet they so desperately need.
SOCIALIZATION: Dogs are pack animals. They like to interact with other people and dogs. Just like humans, all dogs have different personalities, and it's important for your dog to learn how to play and interact with others in a safe environment. Well-socialized dogs are more likely to get along with other dogs and people, and you can feel comfortable taking them out because you know they’ll behave.
SEPARATION ANXIETY: A lot of dog owners know and understand this struggle. Separation anxiety not only affects the health and emotional state of your pup but it might affect yours too. Dogs with separation anxiety can destructively chew, excessively whine, cry, bark, howl as well as attempt to escape crates or yards when you are away from home. You can also find potty accidents when you arrive home. Doggie Daycare is a great option for them, as the dogs get socialization with other dogs, a lot of stimulation, exercise and the comfort of human companionship while you’re away from them.
SUPERVISED PLAYTIME: One of the best benefits of doggy daycare is that your dog will get to play, as much as they want, and with lots of their furry friends while being fully supervised. Your dog will be mentally stimulated by the games at daycare, not just physically tuckered out. Dog parks are not always hospitable places for off-leash interaction. Daycare dogs have been evaluated for energy level and temperament, and are closely monitored while they play, to ensure every dog has fun and stays safe. The people who run doggie daycares love dogs, that’s why they run this type of business. Your dog will be getting plenty of love, scratched and belly rubs all day long.
GUILTY NO MORE: Some owners feel guilty for working more than eight hours and leaving their dog at home. Day care will allow the dog multiple opportunities to potty and be fed while the owner is away. If your dog requires medications most daycares will administer those as well. Dog daycare is usually offered in full-day or half-day options, which makes it an ideal solution for people with odd work schedules or occasional dog care needs. Doggie daycare will tire your dog out. All that running around and playing is wonderful exercise for your dog. By the time you bring them home, they will be ready to curl up at your feet and enjoy a relaxing evening watching TV together.
Be very picky when choosing a Daycare Center
If you are considering sending your canine pal off to a daycare facility for the day, you want to be confident that they will be as safe and happy in their hands as they are in yours. You should see each prospective facility.
You may need to make an appointment in order to get the best tour of a daycare facility. There are times during early morning and late evening when there will be little to no dogs which is the ideal time and safest for you to enter the facility. Call ahead and ask when it would be best to see the facility. If they won’t show you around- there is a reason for it.
As you visit facilities, observe the dogs that are present in the daycare centers. They should appear happy, not stressed. The environment should be calm and controlled, not chaotic, and your take-away impression should be one of professional competence as well as genuine caring for dogs. Trust your instincts. If anything doesn’t seem right, don’t leave your dog there.
Sanitation practices are so important
When it comes to Cleaning, daycare floor surfaces are usually bare concrete or covered with rubber mats of some kind. More importantly, a good facility provides adequate outside time to minimize the number of accidents indoors. Indoor grass litter boxes can offer appropriate indoor potty areas for those days when bad weather precludes outdoor time. The last thing anyone wants is a breakdown in your dog’s housetraining manners.
For those inevitable indoor accidents, a good daycare provider has on-the-spot cleaning protocols, so staff immediately removes any waste and cleans the area thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner designed to counteract pet waste.
Bedding and blankets at a daycare center inevitably become soiled as well. Cleaning protocols should dictate immediate removal and daily washing of dirty bedding so those odors don’t linger to suggest to canine clients that random elimination is welcome.
All water bowls should be washed, sanitized, and refilled every hour. Feeding bowls should also be washed and sanitized after each use to help prevent any cross-contamination.
In fact, aside from the pungent scent of an accident, unpleasant odors in a high-quality daycare facility should be virtually non-existent.
In your mission to find a top-notch daycare for your dog, if your nose can detect the pungent, lingering smell of inadequate sanitation practices, keep on looking because that’s what your pup will smell like every single time you pick them up.
The benefits of bringing your dog to a doggie daycare are numerous, and it is well worth the effort to find a professional facility that can help your dog be as happy, well-rounded, and well-exercised as they deserve to be.