Creature Feature

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette doggy daycare illustration.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette doggy daycare illustration.

I want to take my 6-month-old puppy to a puppy day care. What do I need to know when I'm trying to pick one?

Doggy day care saved my sanity when my Pomeranian was a wild-and-rascally pup. Being physically busy and mentally engaged in the daytime meant she was tired and well-behaved at home in the evenings. As the professional dog trainer running the facility liked to say, "A tired puppy is a good puppy."

When a friend first suggested enrolling Simone in a doggy day care that would help her work off her seemingly inexhaustible store of energy, I was skeptical. I was concerned that my puppy might spend more time in a kennel than with other dogs and people, or that she would end up in a group of larger, perhaps even overbearing, dogs. Neither concerns came to pass.

At Simone's day care, the small-breed dogs were grouped together and played in an area separate from larger dogs. Play time alternated with periods of rest. They were fed lunch and the occasional treat. Most days Simone had a chance for a one-on-one session with the trainer. The day care, which was at a veterinary clinic/boarding facility, had indoor and outdoor activity areas so if the weather was bad, the dogs' play sessions weren't disrupted.

When you're checking out possible day cares for your dog, gathering as much information as you can will help you make your decision. First, ask to tour the facilities. Introduce your dog to the people who will be in charge of his care and see how they react to each other. Ask about activities, the daily schedule and how play sessions are organized.

In It's a Dog's Life ... but It's Your Carpet: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Your Four-Legged Friend, veterinarian Justine Lee says to protect your dog's health by selecting a day care that is clean, provides plenty of water bowls, has multiple people supervising the dogs and has a strict policy about vaccinations.

She also advises making sure the facility requires all dogs to have had kennel-cough vaccinations. Lee doesn't mention this point to consider, but the facility I used would accept only dogs that had been spayed or neutered. This can be a safety issue so be sure to find out each day care's policy.

A reputable doggy day care will have protocols in place to protect the animals' health, according to Vetstreet.com. That means besides requiring proof of vaccinations, the day care should give your dog access to immediate veterinary care in an emergency by having a veterinarian on the premises or by taking the dog to an emergency clinic. Vetstreet, which features articles written by veterinarians, also says day-care personnel should evaluate your dog's temperament to ensure he'll get along with the other dogs. The facility may even offer a trial period to see how your pup fits in.

Evaluate the facilities for security measures such as adequate fencing in outdoor areas. Many places these days also monitor all areas with video cameras, which lets them keep an eye on all the animals at all times. A safe facility will have covered outdoor areas so the dogs always have access to shade. Indoor spaces should be heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer. Also, they should never stink.

Take the time to talk to the staff members to assure you that they use positive reinforcement in their interactions with the animals. Vetstreet advises taking note of the words staff members use when talking about the dogs. For example, it's better if the staff describes a dog's behavior objectively instead of using generic terms such as "alpha" or "dominant."

Above all, pay attention to how the people respond to your dog as well as how your dog responds to them. You want your dog to feel loved and happy while there. I know Simone enjoyed her day care and liked the trainer because she would practically leap out of my arms as soon as we walked in. I never worried about her when she was there.

Family on 02/15/2017

Upcoming Events