Dog owners who need to leave their dogs behind during the day or for an extended period of time while they’re out of town often ask themselves, “How do I choose one of the doggie daycares near me for my dog?” Here are 5 things to look for in the right daycare facility.
Screening Process
Not every dog is well-suited to the daycare environment, so it’s important for staff to carefully screen each dog. In some cases, it might take several days to determine whether or not a dog will work out. The daycare staff should be prepared to turn a dog away when they find out that a dog isn’t a good fit to protect the other dogs using the facility.
As part of the screening process, a good daycare won’t take breed restrictions into account. Instead, they should review the training and disposition of each dog.
Well-Trained Staff
Is the staff knowledgeable about dogs? Do they know about dog behaviors and signs to watch for to determine if a dog is aggressive or troublesome? The staff members should all know how to prevent dog fights and handle them when they occur. They should also be willing and able to communicate with owners each day to tell them about how well the dog is doing and interacting with other dogs and staff members.
What is the ratio between staff members and dogs? If the ratio is 1:12, then it’s time to keep looking for a new facility. Find one that won’t leave dogs unattended for long periods of time throughout the day.
Clean Facilities
Make a surprise visit to the facility one day to check it out. Are there unpleasant odors? Does the facility have clean drinking water? Is excrement cleaned up on a regular basis? Do they have indoor and outdoor facilities? If they have an outdoor area for dogs, make sure that dogs can’t escape. Ask the staff members if a dog has ever escaped and how they handled the situation.
Schedule
How much time do the dogs have for play every day? Are there toys and activities for dogs to enjoy? Are there playgroups with other dogs? How are they organized? Some facilities group dogs together based on their size or disposition.
Facilities have dogs spend time resting every day, too. Some places have dogs stay in a crate during this time. Although it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, make sure that dogs aren’t spending the majority of the day locked in a crate.
Good Reputation
Reputation is key. What do other dog owners think about the daycare? Would they use it? Are they currently using it? If dog owners have complaints about the facility, find out what they are and why they have those complaints.
As dog owners look for these things in the facility that they choose, they’ll be able to say “I’ve found the best of the doggie daycares near me for my dog!” Then, they can feel good about leaving their dog in the staff member’s hands.