06/09/2022
Have you thought about a daycare setting for your dog? Or perhaps, your dog already attends. Either way, this is a fantastic read for dog guardians, and it brings up great points regarding the matter!
𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 – 𝗜𝘀 𝗜𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴?
Dog daycare has grown hugely in popularity in recent years. And, like any new industry which has grown rapidly, the variety and quality of the provision varies greatly. So how do you decide –
• whether daycare is right for your dog?
• which daycare to choose?
𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴?
Daycare isn’t right for every dog. Here are some points to consider when deciding if it’s right for yours –
❓Is your dog anxious or lacking in confidence? While an under confident dog might grow in confidence in a smaller daycare they are likely (in my experience) to struggle in a large scale daycare. It can be tempting to think that by being around other dogs they will ‘get used to it’ but, very often, it’s totally overwhelming for them and actually makes the problems worse.
❓Is your dog super interested in other dogs? And, if so, is giving him pretty much unrestricted access to other dogs likely to be helpful? Or do you run the risk of turning him into a hypersocial, overly friendly dog with an expectation that they get to interact with every dog they see?
❓Can your dog settle and relax around other dogs? If not they are going to be exhausted (and not in a good way…) after a day at day care. A daycare may say they have ‘quiet times’ but saying that is one thing…achieving it is altogether different.
❓Can your dog tolerate rude, socially clumsy dogs? Do they have the social skills to defuse and de-escalate tension or might they react if they feel painted into a corner?
❓Are you prepared to neuter your dog early? Many local authorities make neutering by a given age (often as young as 6 months) a condition of daycare licensing however early neutering can often be at odds with the health and well being of the dog, particularly for large breeds.
❓Why do you need/want daycare for your dog? Is additional care a necessity? Are you out of the home for extended periods? Does your dog have separation related problems? Or are you simply looking for a socialisation opportunity for your dog? What other options are there and which would suit your dog best? For example would they get more out of spending time outdoors with a dog walker? Do they need to have access to human contact at all times? Would a trip to the park meet their socialisation needs (bearing in mind that socialisation is not just about meeting other dogs)?
❓How will you mitigate or avoid the potential behavioural problems which can arise from daycare? The lessons your dog can learn in day care are unlikely to be helpful in the rest of their lives. Think about what daycare might teach them…they get unrestricted access to play with lots of dogs lots of the time, they may get little practice settling and switching off, they are kept physiologically aroused a lot of the time, they often practice using their voice a lot. Are these things that might become problematic in contexts other than daycare? How will the young, adolescent dog who plays all day with every dog in daycare react when he’s out in the world and can’t interact with every dog there? Frustration? Barking? Pulling?
If you’ve answered these questions and are happy that your dog would benefit from (NB not just cope with) a day care environment how do choose the right daycare?
𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲?
There are many different styles of daycare from small, in home facilities which take only a handful of dogs to large scale daycares operating in industrial units which can have upward of 60 dogs on site. So what should you consider when choosing a daycare?
❓Size. How many dogs are cared for at any one time? There’s a world of difference between being in a group of 6 dogs and one of 60. What will your dog be comfortable with (and what are you comfortable with)?
❓How many groups does the daycare normally have? Will your dog be in a small group (
