Picking a Doggie Daycare - Questions To Ask

So you've decided that Fido needs a place to go to burn off extra energy and make friends so you can go about your busy day. Now comes the next step - Picking your doggie daycare.

The most important things to remember are the specific needs of your dog. If your dog is easy going, warms up to new people quickly and doesn't need to be near you to be comfortabe, then your nearest daycare can probably meet those needs. If your dog has issues such as seperation anxiety, physical or mental disability, food allergies or special behavior requests than you should prepare a list of questions to ask before you begin your search.

Getting your dog enrolled in daycare will vary from place to place. Some daycares require an appointment where your dog will meet a few dogs while staff gauge their reactions and play style. Other facilities allow drop ins (where you can show up without an appointment). You should always call the facilities ahead of time to see what their policies are. Most places will require some paper work for you to fill out before your dog can play. This can range from a questionnaire to liability waivers. All facilities should require you bring your dogs current vaccinations in. If you do not need to show proof of vaccinations, that means other dogs in there may not be vaccinated.

Regardless of when you will be speaking to staff, you have the right to ask questions about their facility. If the daycare has the dogs best interests in mind they should be very happy to tell you about the place!

The Basics

How many dogs do you allow in per day? Per staff member? There is no right answer to this question. Based on the size of the building and how many areas there are for dogs to play in the numbers will vary. The important thing is they have a cut off. This ensures that they have thought about how many is appropriate for their size and staff. The number of dogs per staff is important to ensure that there is enough supervision. Staff not only clean up after dogs, but make sure all dogs are playing appropriately and everyone is having a good time. In my experience, 15-20 dogs per person is a good number. This also depends on the behavior of the dogs as some dogs can require more human management than others. Their answer should be a number you are comfortable with as this is the situation your dog will be in later.

What is your management style? How do you manage the dogs? This question can elicit a number of responses. If they respond with words you do not understand, ask them to explain. It is OK if you don't understand the 'dog vocabulary' . One thing to be mindful of is that they use positive reinforcement . This means they use praise to reward your dog for good behavior and a lack of positive attention for bad behavior. In other words, a good act makes a good thing happen - a bad behavior makes something good go away. The staff should walk you through different management techniques they use, such as walking between dogs to make sure they both want to play, calling out (calling a dogs name for them to come) to distract from a situation before it escalates, et.c. Some daycares use tools such as squirt bottles, t-shirts and calming bands. These can help staff manage dogs in a positive way that is also conducive to working with dogs in large numbers. If you have any questions about what they are saying or why they would use a specific technique don't be afraid to ask.

What is your plan in the event of a dog emergency? All places should be prepared in the event a dog gets sick or injured. This can range from a dog coming in after eating something they shouldn't have, to a dog that got into a fight. Their first step should be to call you. Most plans will involve getting in touch with you and your dogs current vet. Based on the degree of the situation, they should either take the dog to your vet if they are available (this will cost you a lot less than using an emergency vet) or heading to the nearest available emergency vet. The number one thing is that they have a plan and that you are comfortable with that plan.

What kind of behaviors get a dog kicked out? This is a good question even if you aren't worried about your dogs behavior. This allows you to hear the kinds of things that help eliminate dogs that might ruin your dogs fun time. It also gives you a good sense of how far dogs are allowed to 'cut loose'. Some daycares are run very strict , more like a private school, while others are more like a gymboree. While neither is better than the other, one might be better suited for your dog and their specific needs.

How often do you clean/sanitize the play area? Once again here there is no 'right' answer. Personally, I like to clean and sanitize daily as smells and bacteria can build quickly in a canine rich environment. Other places do a much more stringent cleaning but less often. The important things are that there is not an overwhelming odor (sometimes you may have just walked in right after a dog has relieved themselves, it should clear quickly though). If you are concerned about chemicals, ask if they use green products.

Do you allow toys or treats on the floor? This is an important if your dog has issues sharing toys or treats with other dogs. Some daycares do not allow toys on the floor. This can help eliminate any posession based fights that might occur. If a dog is treat posessive its important staff are aware of this and can treat your dog or other dogs in a manner that will not upset your dog. If they do use treats it is important to ask what kind and how often. If your dog has allergies or is on a restricted diet you can bring special treats just for your dog or ask that they do not treat them. The important thing is to communicate exactly how you would like the staff to treat your dog.

If your dog has behavior issues that concern you in the daycare environment be clear about this with your questions. Just as you wouldn't want them to omit information about their practices, you wouldn't want to surprise them with a less than positive behavior your dog has. Knowing what they are going to have to deal with can help them prevent any further stress to your dog.

If your dog has a disability be clear with your expectations. Some disabilities pose little challenges to your dog while others require more precautions. If your dog is in a wheelchair or has mobility issues, make sure that the play environment is conduce to their needs. Ask if they have low energy play areas for slower or older dogs. Some daycares have 'small dog day' or days that would be more appropriate for your dog. You know your dog and they know the dogs they already have ; together you should be able to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

If your dog has separation anxiety, let them know and ask how they might make your dog more comfortable. If you have any suggestions, such as finding that magic spot behind her left ear share that with them. Some dogs might need their own space if they are stressed. Ask if they can make a 'time out' area for your dog so they can have some time to themselves.

If your dog is a big barker , some daycares have no policy for noise while others are located in areas that force them to try to limit the excess noise. If you have a command that tells your dog it isn't bark time share that with them. Ask if they use any type of bark collars. Citronella bark collars are a pain-free alternative to shock collars (which personally, I despise). They spray a shot of citronella when it picks up a vibration of barking. If your dog has a citronella allergy or you are uncomfortable with this ask that they not use it on your dog. I would strongly recommend not using a daycare that uses electronic or shock collars on their dogs.

If you want your dog to practice their tricks or commands while at daycare, let the staff know. It is a favorite past time of mine to have dogs practice their tricks or even teach them new ones. Having someone else practice commands in a high energy, high distraction environment can really help them get those skills down!

Remember, your dog is like your child and when it comes to the environment they are going to be in you have every right to ask questions. Having open communication with the staff at your daycare ensures you and your dog will have a great relationship with your new daycare.