It’s that time of year again! Summer is winding down, and the kids are going back to their Treasure Coast schools. If the start of the school year will leave your canine furkid home alone for much of the day, you may want to consider sending Fido to doggy day care. For further guidance on how to ensure your pet’s safety during the school year, check out our article on “Back To School Pet Safety.”
Doggy day cares are rapidly gaining in popularity. Not only does Fido get to spend his day romping and playing with his friends, chances are, he may learn something, too! Dogs that frequently interact with other dogs and people are often happier and better socialized. Your dog will burn off lots of excess energy during ‘recess’, so you may find yourself with a better-behaved, if slightly tired pooch when you go home.
Different doggy day care facilities offer many different services. Your pup may also get brushed, or get some additional training while he’s in school. He may get a chance to play with all sorts of fun new toys, or even get to have some fun on a doggy playground or pool. He may also simply be supervised in an off-leash area, where he can run and play with his canine friends. Do some research on local facilities, and decide which one sounds best for you.
Currently, there are few laws regulating doggy day cares. The bulk of the work, when it comes to vetting possible day care centers, is on you. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions about qualifications, training, and backgrounds. Stopping in for an unscheduled visit will also give you a chance to observe the daily goings-on at doggy day care. Look and see how closely the dogs are observed, and keep an eye out for aggressive dogs. It’s also a good sign if they ask you lots of questions, and take notes of your answers. If the school doesn’t ask for proof of vaccination, stay away.
When it comes to deciding whether or not Fido should go back to school, you want to consider not only whether the school is right for Fido, but if Fido is right for the school. Aggressive or extremely nervous dogs may not be good candidates for doggy day care. That said, dogs, like kids, can play rough sometimes. Just as it’s fairly normal for a child to occasionally come home with a bump or scrape, you may see minor scratches on your dog now and then. An occasional, tiny scrape is normal when dogs play. Serious cuts, bites, or scratches, however, are not. Look at reviews, if possible, to find out what experiences other clients had with the facility.
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