If you have a dog and are planning to go back to work after a long stay home, putting your dog in doggie daycare is a good choice. This way, your dog will not have to spend the days alone. Below are some tips on choosing a doggie daycare and how to help your dog get ready to go.
Doggie Daycare
Visit a few doggie daycares in your area until you find one you feel comfortable with. Make sure there is ample room for the number of dogs they have. There should also be an outside area large enough for the dogs to play. Make sure the area is secure with a security fence and gate. The fence should be tall enough that your dog could not jump over it and secure enough so they could not knock it down or dig under it.
When it comes to playtime, they should not have all dogs in the facility out at the same time. You would not want a very small dog to be out with large dogs. Also, some dogs have better behaviors than others. If you only have small groups together, this gives the staff more time to spend with the dogs. There should be enough dog toys for each dog so they do not fight over them.
The admissions process will show you a lot about the doggie daycare. They should ask you about your dog's medical history and their behavior. For example, if your dog is fearful when it storms, the staff needs to be aware of this. Also, your dog may get upset easily if there is too much going on around them.
The dogs should have an area where they can take a nap. There should be enough dog beds to accommodate each dog. The staff may also keep the dogs in a crate during naptime to keep all the dogs separated.
Get Your Dog Ready
If your dog has never been to a doggie daycare or if it has been a long time since they've been to one, you need to get them ready. This will make things go much easier on the day you take them.
Once you find the doggie daycare you want to use, take your dog there. Let the staff meet your dog and let them walk your dog around the facility to see how it reacts. You can tell a lot from watching your dog. If your dog does not feel comfortable or seems fearful, you may want to look for another daycare. The facility may ask if you can leave your dog there for an hour or so to see how it gets along with other dogs. Take your dog's blanket with them as this will give them a sense of security.
It will take your dog a few days to get used to going to doggie daycare. Once it does, it may even look forward to going each day.
