The Right Doggie Daycare

How to Choose the Right Doggie Daycare

There is no doubt that doggie daycare has become a popular service. Because dogs are social animals, leaving them home during the day can cause problems. Young pups often experience separation anxiety, and owners experience frustration and guilt. Sending your dog to day care can be a good solution. But, just like any other service, not all doggie daycare providers are the same. Some have facilities, while others take your dog on hikes, to the beach or on other types of field trips.  We hope we can help you make a good choice for you and your dog.

It is a great idea to interview the daycare provider. I know this seems logical, but knowing what questions to ask can be very important.

• How long have you been in business?
• Where does my dog go all day?
• How is my dog transported?
• How often do you give my dog water? Shade? Rest?
• Is there access to veterinary services in the event of a problem or accident?
• Are you trained in canine first aid or CPR?
• Do you temperament test all dogs in your care?
• Are dogs separated by size, age? (a small dog recently died while in the care of a local daycare provider as she did not properly separate the dogs in her care)
• How many dogs are in your care?
• How many employees per dog?
• Can I meet all of the employees?
• Can I visit unannounced?

Please do not just go by what the prospective provider tells you. Many will not be completely honest as they really want your business. Especially if you plan to lodge your dog overnight with the provider, ask to view the property and area where your dog will be. Also, you can call us for referrals and additional information as we know most of the area day care providers and their practices.

A daycare provider who has been in business less than 5 years might not be the best choice unless they have had extensive experience elsewhere. Check references from at least 5 clients, and previous employers or business partners should be contacted. Check public records as many providers stretch the truth when it comes to the amount of time they have been in business. You can search county records online for business licenses and Fictitious Name Statements. Call previous employers too to verify actual background and experience.

Our company severed ties with a mobile daycare provider who refused to properly and safely transport dogs in her care. She also had very poor customer service skills and left two dogs in her care at a local park.  Animal control picked up the dog which is where the daycare provider had to go to retrieve her charge. I doubt she ever told the client. She left another dog at the same park not long after. Luckily a visitor was there, checked the dogs tags, and the unhappy owner was called to pick up the dog.

A daycare provider who utilizes a public dog park every day might not be the best choice. Public off-leash dog parks are great for you when you are there with your own dog. But, for a provider with many dogs in her care this can pose a real problem. Most dog parks do not have areas that allow for smaller and larger dogs to be separated. Also, there are no breed restrictions and no monitoring if un-neutered, aggressive or un-socialized dogs enter the park. This can be serious for your dog if the daycare provider has too many dogs to watch and your dog gets into a scuffle.

Another issue is sanitation. I witnessed a North County Day Care provider enter a dog park in March of 2008 where there was a sign prominently posted that stated Parvovirus was a possible issue and that entry was at risk. She took her clients dogs in anyway. I estimated she had about 9 or 10 dogs in her care but there may have been more. She could have easily avoided the park and gone to another for the next day or so. She instead chose to put her clients dogs at risk. I left after notifying my client that we would have to postpone our session for a week. He was grateful. I never took my own dogs out of my vehicle.  

Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Canine Papilloma Virus - these are just some of the viruses that can be picked up at a dog park. Parvovirus is spread through fecal matter, Leptospirosis is a water-borne bacteria and Canine Papilloma Virus is commonly thought to be transferred through saliva. As you can imagine, in a public off-leash dog park, and without adequate supervision and control your dog or puppy can be at risk.

The Mobile Doggie Day Care Provider

We personally know many of the more established providers, both facility owners as well as mobile. We also know the horror stories, bad handling practices, and customer dissatisfaction issues. (see warning in the left column of this page) We have heard it all and have first-hand knowledge in many cases.

Internet Searches  As a professional dog training company we have not only provided doggie daycare services ourselves, we have trained many of the providers that are now out there performing these services under their own business names. A few of them do an excellent job and provide the services they are touting on their websites - a few do not. Competition is fierce in the doggy day care industry and it takes a very energetic as well as a physically strong, capable and well-trained individual with an equally capable staff to properly care for your precious pup. This is especially true with Mobile Doggie Daycare. Jenny, at www.camp4dogs.com, was the first Mobile Doggie Daycare Provider in San Diego County. Her experience is second-to-none.

Consider this; Dogs run away, escape, slip out of collars - it does not happen often but what if it did?  Could your mobile provider chase after your dog for a half-mile or even longer? Young pups need lots of exercise, like to play tug-of-war and will play fetch non-stop. Is your doggie daycare provider up to the task? I noticed on a website the other day that there were several dogs on a hiking trail, off-leash no less (which is illegal in San Diego County). What if one of them were to become injured, dehydrated or bitten by a snake? Would your mobile provider have the physical strength to pick up your dog and hike it back quickly to a vehicle so as to take it to Urgent Care? Could the remaining staff member(s) handle the rest of the dogs and gather them up to get them back to the other vehicle? Are there emergency procedures in place in the event of something like this happening? What if the doggie daycare provider were to become over-taxed during a long hike on the trail?

Any website can make a claim that they perform a particular service but you as a consumer will often have no idea if it is actually being performed. One picture on a website does not tell the whole story. I know of a doggie daycare company who uses a dog park every day yet their site claims they go on hikes and excursions. The key here is to ask questions, look at the pictures (staff pics too) and a good rule of thumb is if it doesn't make sense, it is probably not true. For instance, does the staff look like they are active and frequent hikers?. Are they dressed for hiking or long physical outings? Are the pictures you see of field trips varied?  Or, do they seem like they were taken on one or two outings and just for the benefit of the website. You can never be sure so ask questions to get the answers you need.

Here are some ways you can test your provider - or potential provider;

• Do you send me daily pictures of my dogs activities? (Jenny does and they can also often be found on her site though she mostly emails them to her clients)

• Can I meet your staff? (Something to be aware of would be if your provider has just had back, knee or hand surgery, could they handle your dog?)

• How many dogs and how many day care employees? (Especially important if a provider claims your dog is receiving personal care)

• Are the dogs leashed at all times on-hikes so as not to go off trail into dangerous brush or unknown areas?

• What are your procedure in the event of an emergency when on hikes?