Daycare isn’t just for human children anymore. More and more places are now opening up as professional daycare centers for dogs. It’s common in American society for all members of the household to work full time jobs and/or go to school. It’s also common to have strictly indoor pets as opposed to dogs who strictly live outdoors on farms or in fenced in backyards. While we are all away working and learning, our furry children wait patiently for us to come back home to them. And maybe sometimes not so patiently. Or calmly or non-destructively. That’s where doggie daycare comes in. These are places you take your dog to socialize, learn and exercise when you have to be gone all day. But we should remember all doggie daycares are not alike. The well-being of our furry children is important and there are a lot of things to consider when choosing a facility to care for them in your place.
Last summer I thought about finding a daycare for Ares and Chaos. I work 30-45 min. away from home depending on traffic and have an 8 hour day plus 1 hour lunch 5 days a week. This meant the boys were home for about 10 hours every week day. Now, they are both crate trained and as I mentioned here, dogs sleep a lot more than humans do. But even though I knew they were okay sleeping the day away while I was gone, I wanted them to be able to spend more time with dogs and people during the week. I started looking into different daycares in my area that would be convenient enough to drop them off on my way to work and pick them up on my way home. My hours had just changed so I needed a place that would be open by 6:30 AM so I could make it to work on time. I read through the websites and reviews and made some phone calls and decided on a place that sounded the best. I made an appointment for the temperament test that both dogs would go through together and collected all their vet records.
When Chris and I arrived to drop the boys off we were given a tour of the facility and the temperament testing process was explained. We then had to leave them for 4 hours for the full evaluation. I took no phone calls as a good sign and when we returned to pick them up we were told they did great and passed the test. I signed them up for daycare twice a week and started taking them every week. Everything seemed great. They were excited to go and the handlers loved them and knew them by name right away.
But then some disturbing things started to happen. This facility was known for that fact that it’s kennel free. There’s a fenced in outdoor area, and 2 levels with large playrooms inside. The dogs run free in the playrooms with handlers walking around supervising. There is also naptime for about 2 hours in the middle of the day. The dogs are put into smaller rooms with blankets and towels during this time. I actually did not know about the naptime routine when I signed up for my membership and did not even think to ask. The handlers stayed outside the closed doors with about 20 dogs inside the room with the lights off.
I won’t go into detail but after Chaos started coming home with scratches and scrapes that seemed a bit much for just a little rough play, I was concerned. I spoke with the owner and was assured he would be watched closely to make sure he “wasn’t getting picked on”. The last straw for me was one day after coming home from picking the boys up. It was a little hectic in the daycare lobby that day so I had just grabbed their leashes when they came out and whisked them into the car and drove home. They were their usual happy but tired selves. But as I turned on the kitchen light and saw Chaos sitting there in front of me, I was horrified. He was scratched, bruised and bloodied on his head, neck and chest. I immediately knelt down to inspect everything closer and found the oozing puncture wound in his chest. He had been attacked and bitten.
I cleaned him up and called the vet and made an appointment for his wound to be checked out. I was so angry I did not call the daycare right away because I wanted to be able to speak clearly and calmly enough to ask questions. The next morning I was composed enough to do that. I wanted to know how this happened. And more importantly, why I was not contacted or even informed at all. The answers I received were not satisfactory. Essentially all I got was half-hearted apology and a vague explanation that it could have happened during naptime. She also nonchalantly threw in there that the staff was probably not alerted that something was wrong in enough time to stop Chaos from being bitten because it was probably a smaller dog. Oh and, kudos to Chaos for just taking it and not retaliating. Needless to say, no more daycare.
Chaos’s wounds healed up without issue but we were back to long days of them at home. I received a tip about a place in my area that I had never heard of so I checked the website and really liked what I saw. I contacted the facility the next day, but this time I was not naïve. I was prepared with a plethora of questions to ask and knew the type of answers I wanted. I was determined not to put my dogs in another bad situation and to find a place that would give them the structure and attention they needed with people I could trust. Our first experience had not turned out anywhere near what I had hoped for when I decided to put the dogs in daycare. But hindsight is 20/20 so even though I hadn’t known the right questions to ask or things to look for the 1st time, I was armed with that knowledge for this time around.
I spoke with the owner of the new daycare/boarding center for nearly an hour that first phone conversation. She answered all my questions and then some. I could hear her passion for dogs coming through in her voice and her knowledge was extensive. After some follow up e-mails and filling out applications, I set up a day for the boy to do a daycare trial run. When I dropped them off I was met by a handler who introduced herself to me and the boys and filled me in on how their day would go. She even called me later in the day just to update me on how the morning had gone. When I picked them up I knew we had found a great place. The boys also stayed for a week of boarding when Chris and I went on vacation last year. Although now they do not attend daycare because Chris works nights and is home with them during the day, we can feel good knowing that should we need daycare again or boarding, we have a place.
If you have never sent your dog to daycare before or maybe you’re like me and had a bad experience, these are some things to consider when making your choice.
How is the facility set up?
- Ask for a tour of all the areas your dog will go during his stay. Some places, like the one I chose, don’t allow the public tour the facility but you can ask for a detailed description or pictures. I was actually sent a blueprint via e-mail.
What about the staff?
- Is it comprised of certified trainers?
- What type of experience and/or training is required by the handlers?
How is a full day structured?
- How long is playtime, naptime, resting time, feeding time?
- Are there separate playgroups? How are those playgroups determined and what is the ratio of handlers to dogs?
What is the evaluation process for a new dog?
- Is there one physical test? Is it on site?
- Do they check any medical history as it relates to behavior?
In the event of a medical emergency, what is the standard procedure?
- Is there an on-site veterinarian or one nearby?
- If you cannot be reached quickly how will your dog be treated?
How are behavioral issues addressed?
- Are any behavioral/obedience training methods applied?
- Are all incidents documented?
- How are you notified if your dog displays behavioral issues ?
-
Toys/Treats
- Are they supplied and if so what types are used?
- If you are to bring your own, how should they be labeled and how are they stored?
I realize this a lengthy list. I’ve become that person that asks a thousand questions and then more questions after those questions are answered. But I don’t care because the care of dogs is at stake. You need to be proactive, think ahead and don’t hesitate to get clarification on anything you aren’t sure of. You wouldn’t leave your human child with just anyone, would you?
Any other suggestions for things to ask/look for when choosing a doggie daycare?
No comments
Post a Comment