When you need to find a doggie daycare there are a few things to take into consideration to ensure your pet is in safe hands and he is comfortable in his temporary home. You should look for daycares that have accreditation and ensure that the employees are caring and knowledgeable.
Look for a Safe and Clean Place
There are a few basic requirements that should be met by a professional dog daycare. You should always check if the daycare you are considering meets these requirements:
- Cleanliness, the place should look clean and smell clean, but not necessarily reeking of chlorine, which could cover other nasty smells
- The rooms should be properly ventilated and there should be no mold
- The rooms have heating, which can be adjusted according to each pet’s needs
- The caretakers check the vaccination records of dogs prior to accepting them in the facilities
- There are isolation rooms for pets that may have parasites, infectious diseases or are not vaccinated
- There is an area where dogs can exercise
- The water bowls are clean
- Only fresh water is provided
- The rooms are locked, so that the pets cannot get out of the facilities
How to Determine if a Daycare is Clean
To determine if the daycare is clean you should ask the staff some questions about the cleaning schedule. Ask if they disinfect after each pet that checks out.
Look for mold, which can indicate that the place is too humid.
Ask for a tour and randomly check the room of a dog and look at the food and water bowls, which should look clean.
The Staff
The staff of the facilities you choose should be knowledgeable, so that they can detect any possible health problems in your pet or the pets in the daycare.
If your dog is exposed to other pets that carry viruses, he will most likely get sick.
If the staff working at the daycare asks you vaccination details and is interested in the medical history of your pet, this is a good sign.
The staff should also be patient and sympathetic. When taking the tour of the facilities you should look at the mood of dogs. Typically dogs won’t like when they are not at home, but a caring staff can make the dogs feel more at ease. If the dogs look stressed and depressed, this may be because they are not comfortable in the daycare or because they are not being well treated.
Questions to Ask
Ask a few questions regarding:
- The frequency of feeding and what food do dogs get
- Bringing your own food
- Grooming schedule, or whether this is performed
- The bedding, which you may have to bring
- The time the staff spends with the pets
- The certification of the facilities
To find a professional doggie care, you should look for daycares online. You should also ask your friends and colleagues to recommend you one. Your vet may also help you find a good daycare.