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Not All Daycare Providers Are What They Seem
by John Rubin
Being in the dog business for over 20 years I have the seen dog business grow by leaps and bounds. While this is terrific on some levels as owners now have a variety of services available to them, it can be a daunting task when choosing the right person or company to help you with your dog.
We have not only provided dog training for these many years we have also run a successful doggie daycare as well. The business of dogs has indeed exploded within the last decade and doggie daycare has become an easy business for amateur dog trainers, groomers and so-called "dog-lovers" to embark upon. With little experience, and even less cash, anyone can start a doggie daycare business. Unfortunately this makes for some pretty low-quality care with providers selling their services to an unknowing public. What's worse is that many of these unqualified or even inept providers remain in business for years. Just look at the warnings on our site and you can see that some should consider another vocation. It is too easy to put clients beloved pet or be placed in a dangerous or unsafe situation with a dog - even just one. But multiply that times many and, as you can imagine, problems can and do occur. It is easy to make a mistake if you aren't 100% on top of each situation every day you have your client's dogs in your care. One simple mental mistake can be disastrous.
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.
Now for the tough questions;
Many daycare providers will tout their certifications. This mostly has to do with their own dogs and really is meaningless. It is training as a professional, working with a professional trainer/behaviorist, with many breeds of dogs and over an extended period of time that makes for a well-rounded provider. And 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. If they refuse to supply you without this reference DO NOT HIRE THEM.
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. (see alerts in the left column of this web page)
Referrals, Referrals, and More Referrals!: In conjunction with possessing the knowledge and skills necessary to care for your beloved pet in the first place, excellent referrals are vital! (Keyword "excellent") Getting an endorsement from us, or another well established professional dog trainer or behaviorist is a good start. But, several superior referrals can seal the deal. Referrals from a wide variety of sources are your best bet for a true and honest evaluation.
You Have To Like the Human: This is a no-brainer but worth mentioning. Does the provider seem open, trustworthy and personable? Does it seem like she really enjoys what she is doing as a profession? I had a customer tell me that she dropped her doggie daycare provider because she overheard her yelling at the dogs in her truck one day. Also, her kids told her that she yelled at them as well on several occasions. The final straw was her witnessing the provider speeding out of her neighborhood one morning - a neighborhood full of children playing. Another customer told me that his provider drags his less than willing dog to her vehicle every day and now the dog urinates when she greets him. The dog has to like the human too.
The Dog to Human Ratio: This is where most providers get low marks. Many doggie daycare providers do not take into consideration that dog packs require constant supervision. Just like children, dogs scuffle, play hard and get bullied. "Live" human supervision (not a camera or being within earshot) is mandatory.
If a mobile provider takes their charges to a dog park all day, what happens when she leaves to use the restroom? What if a dog gets loose or a fight starts? For this reason the dog to human ratio is important - especially for facilities or mobile daycare providers who use the same enclosed area day after day. For them there should always be two humans supervising up to 15 dogs. It would be impossible to place dogs in kennels or back in the truck for every bathroom break.
On that note: 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.
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. We have heard it all and have first-hand knowledge in many cases.
Along with all of the aforementioned knowledge, mobile doggie daycare providers must possess safe transportation practices. Indeed any provider that offers drop-off and pick-up services must guarantee to transport your canine companion in a safe manner.
If your daycare provider does not secure your dog in their vehicle by using a tether, harness, crate or other device that keeps your dog safe during transport, fire them. Harsh but necessary - your dog's life could depend on it. I have heard the excuses given by one mobile provider, who incidentally had a dog die in her care because it was not tethered down. Her reasoning was that a tethered dog could have it's neck injured in the event she had to slam on her brakes. (This dog had it's neck broken from slamming into to cab of her truck.) If this is still an issue for her then a harness or crate should be her method of transportation. But, I can only assume laziness is really the issue when a provider refuses to safely secure her client's beloved dogs.
Finally: Choosing the right doggie daycare can take some time and research. But, I am sure you will find that it is well worth it. I hope that we have been able to assist you with the knowledge necessary to make a well-informed decision. Kamp Kanine, LLC www.kamp-kanine-com Encinitas, California (760) 207-KAMP (5267) 877-447-8597
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Doggie Daycare Providers
John's Natural Dog Training Company
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