DAYCARE

Let's talk about daycare!

The trend in American society today seems to be work, work, work, and this requires leaving the loyal family dog at home for extended periods of time. Owners then come home to find a stressed out pooch, rampant destruction, either of the house, or the yard, and neighbors who complain of barking and howling due to separation anxiety. After working your 10 to 12 hours, you then need to exercise your pet - even in inclement weather. You've heard about dog daycare. You're thinking about it, but are you sure it's right for you and your dog? Pet Pals will help to give you some insight into the growing trend of our dog daycare facility and it's benefits, to help you decide if daycare is for you and your dog, and to help you choose the best option for your dog's needs.

So what is dog daycare?

It works just like daycare for children. Drop your dog off in the morning on the way to work, and while you slave away, your pampered pooch is pampered indeed! Dogs being boarded overnight or longer can also participate in daycare daily while you are away. Dog daycare is an organized, controlled and monitored environment, in which a group of friendly dogs, from multiple families, can interact and play throughout the day in an enclosed building or yard. Depending on both your dog's activity level and the curriculum set by Pet Pals, your dog may enjoy the day playing with other dogs, playing with people, inside and outside, or whiling away the hours soaking up loving attention.

How do I know if daycare is right for my dog?

Most dogs that have had prior social experiences with other dogs will enjoy attending daycare. You may not know if your dog is a good fit for daycare until you apply and the facility performs its temperament test. Pet Pals managers will provide an assessment of your dog's fit to our facility and recommend the best way to integrate you dog into the routine of the existing pack. Daycare is not a fit for all dogs. Some dogs do fail temperament testing due to aggression that is often fear based. Other dogs pass testing, but exhibit more stress than enjoyment when attending daycare. Some of these issues can be resolved with behavior training, so discuss your dog's needs with the Pet Pals manager.

How much does dog daycare cost?

Costs vary depending on what your needs are. Pet Pals offers a daily rate, as well as a half day rate, discounted weekly, monthly, and multi-dog family rates, also. Pet Pals recommends you do not select your daycare by cost alone. The lowest priced daycare - or the highest priced daycare - may not be suitable for your dog's particular needs and play style.

Facility specifics

Pet Pals is a fully staffed facility and offers much for a social dog. The number of dogs participating each day ranges up to 15, all ready to make friends. Pet Pals trained staff keeps the dogs busy with indoor and outdoor play, or even, in some cases, happily getting tummy rubs and watching movies made just for the entertainment of dogs. Activities might include "hide and seek", or "tag", or "swimming" or anything that canine minds can come up with. Pet Pals provides a variety of toys and balls to enjoy.

How do I know if the daycare facility is safe for my dog?

When asking questions of potential facilities, confirm that trained staff supervises each playgroup at all times.

Inquire as to how many dogs each playgroup has. The dog to supervisor ratio at Pet Pals is no greater than 15:1 - this ratio is based on our physical set up, specific group of dogs at play and the experience level of the staff. Inquire about how dog incidents are handled and how many injuries have occurred in the facility. Keep in mind that accidents are injuries can happen in all facilities. Dog daycare is like a child's playground and by allowing dogs to play together there is a risk of injury. Make sure you are comfortable with the facility's responses regarding handling of dog incidents. Be sure you are comfortable that escape risks are minimal at the facility. You should see multiple doors within the facility to the playrooms and secure high fences around the outdoor play yard. Pet Pals staff are happy to explain our safety policies and the reasons for them, such as why we do not allow collars to be worn during play. Pet Pals staff is trained to deal with any outbreak of aggression that might result, and have standing agreements with several local veterinarians should an emergency arise. All dog owners must present proof of current vaccinations, and all must be healthy to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and parasites. Dogs are temperament tested in some cases to ensure the safety of all the canine attendees.