How do I choose the right day care for my dog? We talk safety, cost and expectations.
Day care for dogs has had quite a lot of press over the last few years, well on buzzfeed at least, both good and bad. It seems that every second dog owner has their pup at one of these. But what are they, and how do you know if they are right for you and your dog?
Doggy day care is everything the title suggests. Think of child day care and it is basically the same (but with less peanut allergies). Designated play areas, toys and time. Feeding and training. Exercise and social interaction. The perfect place for any dog that is struggling to manage at home alone (or house that is struggling to manage with a dog in it alone). Today we answer some of the big questions that commonly arise when people are looking into finding the perfect day care and things to look out for in the wrong centres too.
Q: How do I find local day care centres?
A: There are lots of ways to go about this. And to be honest which ever you choose it doesn’t really make a difference- whether you google places locally, use Facebook or simply ask around. The key here is which ever you go with make sure they have a number of testimonials and positive feedback.
Q: What do I need to find out when I go and visit for the first time?
A: There are probably three important things to take note of: first, the staff and the way they interact with you, your dog and the other dogs. This is a telling sign as to how they will treat the animals when you are not there. Second, structure and set up of the locations, there should be an open area as well as smaller rooms and dogs should be rotated between all of these to be allowed exercise and play time as well as down time. Finally, are the dogs evaluated before being allowed in? There should be a rigorous vetting progress, with strict consequences for dogs that misbehave while at the centre. A lot of this will be quite clear while you re visiting the first time, watch out for antisocial behaviours and more importantly how the staff respond.
Q: What are some important things that I should look out for in good day care centres?
A: The most important is how your dog feels when it gets home from day care at the end of the day. It should be happy, relaxed and tired. Not agitated or stressed. It should want to go back- wagging it’s tail and eager to go in the morning. Happy to be left with the staff and other dogs. The staff too should look happy to see your pet, welcoming it with open arms and giving a brief report of the day at the end of the afternoon.
Q: What are some important things that I should look out for in bad day care centres?
A: First off is an unkept, dirty, unsafe environment. A lot of the telling signs will be available in the testimonials or on the Facebook page in the comments… and if they don’t have one just be careful. Also ensuring the physical safety of the dogs from items and from each other must be a priority. So no hazards and not mismatched dogs. Violent or aggressive dogs should be vetted before being allowed to join any doggy day care- for the safety of the other dogs and staff.
Q: Key questions to ask the staff at the day care centre.
A: What is the assessment process for new pets? What vaccinations are required? How do they determine groups for dogs to play in? What do they feed the dogs? How much and what training do the staff receive? What happens if an injury occurs?
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Visit us: 2 Rickard St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
Mobile: 0488 482 027
Phone: 03 93186139