It will come as no surprise that choosing a doggy day care for your beloved dog can be daunting. Even though you don’t want to leave your furry friend you have to and finding the right doggy day care is crucial to their happiness and yours.
To make sure you and your furry friend havethe best experience away from each other as possible it is important to do your research to find the best doggy day care for you and your dog.
So today we will guide you on the top tips we follow when choosing a doggy day care:
Research
As we mentioned earlier it is important to do your research to find a doggy day care that offers what you need.
When I am choosing a day care facility before I do any searching, I try to visualize what I would like from a facility. I think about everything from feeding to dog training but moreon that later.
When searching online if you type in doggy day care you will be blown away by the options available to you.
I have found it best to include a location in your search to keep your search local to the area you live in this makes iteasier to transport your dog to and from the premises.
Then I will look at the feedback from previous customers. Luckily in the internet age you can find out lots of information about a company online very quickly. I always read the reviews good and bad to get a real feel for what people think about the facility.
Compare
Once I have read the reviews, I will compare my options so personally I like to look at two or three doggy daycares before deciding for the first time. Once you find a reliable venue stick with it as if you have to travel often your dog will get used to this particular location and it won’t be as stressful for them.
Staff
I personally like to learn about the staff that work there. This can be done by calling the location or my favorite is tovisit the facility. By doing this you can see the location and facilities first hand and not only that you can meet the staff that will be looking after your dog.
On the subject of staff whilst you are there check what qualifications the staff have some may be qualified to deliver dog training and some may not. It is important you know what each member of staff is qualified to do and what they will actually be doing before you let them interact with your dog.
Tour
I always ask for a tour of the facility soI can see how the dogs that there are already are being cared for. Do they look happy and healthy or sad and stressed animals cannot hide their feelings and this is one of the best indicators as to how a doggy day care is really being run.
Accommodation
Most doggy day cares will offer some kind of dog boarding. The dog boarding options can vary fromplace to place so throughout the tour of the facility I normally ask to see all the types of accommodation they have on offer.
Most will offer a range of dog boarding options from basic facilities to more luxurious options. When deciding what kind of dog boarding to go for I usually try to pick the option closest to what my dog is used to at home.
If it is too basic in comparison, then my dog may become depressed and uncomfortable by this and if it is too luxurious then this can also have the same effect as it may confuse my dog or worse my dog may become too accustomed to this luxurious life and not like my home anymore.
Summary
Choosing a doggy day care is a challenging task and does take time as you have many things to consider. But if you follow our guide above it will make things easier for you.
You can always recruit your dog to help dogs are a great judge of people and places so take them with you when you go to visit these places after all they are the ones that will have to stay there, and they will certainly find a way of telling you if they like it or not. Ultimately the choice lies with you just take your time and trust your gut.
