Dog Daycare

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Comment by Lola's mom on June 12, 2009 at 11:59am

I currently work at a daycare and have worked for another one in the past. They are two very different places and I can see up side to both.

Jen you brought up a lot of good questions, but I disagree that square footage should be a huge concern. When I dog sit for my friend our 3 dogs have a great time playing in her tiny one bedroom apartment... they don't need a lot of room to have fun. Not to say space to run isn't nice, but I think a lot of customers view that as the only thing that's important.

I would also ask how many dogs the place typically gets. Where I work now we never reach our max and I bet a lot of daycares don't. Some days of the week are also slower than others.

Are dogs separated in anyway? By size or energy level.

Are the dogs ever created? A lot of people view this as a bad thing, but in my experience dog often do better if they get little breaks through out the day. Also if there aren't creates what are the dogs doing when the people working are helping a customer or taking a break?

Where I work now it is hard to see the play floor, but not because we are hiding anything. We are not set up with a webcam and when people stand by the window or fence all of the dogs gather on the other side, which is not a safe situation. A lot of people came in wanting to take a look around and are sometimes upset that they can't really see anything, but most are understanding.

There are a lot of factors when picking out a daycare and each has an up and down side.

Comment by Jen on May 14, 2009 at 9:49pm

Hello?? Doesn't anyone want to chat or discuss stuff? How's business going? Anyone getting ready for events this summer?

Comment by Andrea Schneider on April 9, 2009 at 3:56pm

Thanks Marley and Sushi for the feedback. You can trust that I will make sure it stays safe and sound for everyone. Everyone should help with that too.

Comment by Marley, Sushi and their Mama on April 9, 2009 at 3:52pm

The creation of this group is a good idea and I'm glad to be part of it! However, I hope everyone takes Andrea's post below to heart: I hope that this does not become a forum to "argue about best practices".

The most important thing to remember is that those of us who choose to work in dog daycares do it out of a deep love for dogs . Our purpose is to provide safe, FUN and loving environments for doggies... a home away from home.

Comment by Jen on April 8, 2009 at 8:52pm

Your totally right Christine, thank you for adding that:)

Comment by Christine Anderson on April 8, 2009 at 11:31am

Nice list Jen! I totally agree. I think you are right on when you say 'go with your gut'. Make sure you feel comfortable with the people you leave your pup with!

I would also add -- make sure there is a trainer or two on staff so you can get quality feedback on your dog's behavior. Daycare is not necessarily the place for a lot training to take place -- but you want to make sure there is someone identifying any potential problems with the ability to work on it if possible.

Comment by Jen on April 8, 2009 at 11:24am

Here is a list of really good questions to ask your potential dog daycare:

How many square feet is the PLAY space? Not just how big is the building. You've got kennels, offices, retail etc but all dogs really want to know is about play space.

How many dogs maximum in the play space? If there is no max, RUN the other way. You want to be concerned with daycares that are just in it for the money - you want a place that lets your dog have room to roam.

Do the math. Divide play space by max number of dogs. That becomes the square feet your dog has to play in. Does it seem low to you? Does need room to run around so they don't have to be up in each other's faces all day. Compare to other daycares.

What is the staff to dog ratio? If they have one person alone in the facility what will happen to the pack if that person has to go up front and help a customer? Find the lowest dog number to staff member ratio you can. For example, 17 dogs to 1 staff is much better than 25 dogs to 1 staff.

Do they use toys? Do they throw treats out to the dogs? Do they allow unfixed dogs? These things are all fights waiting to happen.

Do they allow rough play? You want a daycare that allows dogs to be dogs and doesn't stop them from playing. Rough play is fine if the other dog is playing just as rough. Daycare staff should redirect dogs who like to play rough to find other dogs that have the same play style.

Do they use punishment? Muzzles, shock collars and other things like this are methods of control I've heard about from customers who went to other daycares. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Your dog is there to have a good time, not be shocked for barking.

Can you see the space? Your daycare should have nothing to hide from you. You may not be able to take a tour due to insurance reasons but you should be able to see the entire space somehow (ie webcams or thru a window).

Good luck finding your perfect daycare! Not all daycares are equal, some are FAR superior. Go with your gut - will they love your dog like you do? If not, keep walking.

Comment by Christine Anderson on April 8, 2009 at 11:23am

I agree, Andrea. I would like a forum for which we can all work together. This is not a place for advertisement or critics... just of help. There are plenty of customers to go around and every daycare provides a unique environment and experience for dogs. It is important to choose the one that fits the dog and owner -- daycares are not one size fits all! Let's have fun and work to help owners and the most brilliant of species, dogs!

Comment by Cindy on April 7, 2009 at 8:42pm

We bring Lola and Clyde to doggie daycare once a week and we love it!! Lola and Clyde each come with their own quirky personalities and their need for daycare is each different. Although they both really need time to let loose and play, Clyde needs time to just be with other dogs and learn how to play with each of them and Lola needs practice chilling out and not being the pushing girl that she can be. The thing that I love about the place we go is how confident they are with all of the dogs, no matter the personality of the dog! I love going in to just watch them with the dogs. They are great models for being the pack leader!

Comment by Andrea Schneider on April 7, 2009 at 7:50pm

Hello,
I think it's a great idea to develop tip sheets for dog owners, discuss dog day care issues, solve common problems and share good resources. That would be useful to everyone.

However, this group must not become a place to promote your day care facility, ignite competition between businesses for customers, create arguments about best practices, or in any way get around supporting pdxdog™.com with your advertising dollars.

Everyone is competing for business and customers in these hard times.
I trust discussions will be constructive and designed to educate the consumer and each other. I expect conversations to be respectful, even if it's controversial in nature.

Andrea