20 Tips for Choosing a Doggie Day Care Center

Add commute time to your work schedule and you’re probably away from home 10 hours a day. That’s a long haul for your dog who anxiously awaits your return. You are, after all, the ‘leader of the pack’, and your absence is felt. Sleeping and gazing lovingly out the window can only take up so much of your dog’s time. And there are physical needs, like bladder issues, that must be addressed as well.

Fortunately you have options to leaving your dog at home. Among the solutions: doggie day care, pet sitters, day boarding, dog walkers and dog doors if you have a fenced yard.  To determine the solution that best suits you, evaluate your dog’s temperament, it’s degree of socialization and one-on-one needs. Examine your budget and schedule. Then consider:

Checklist for choosing a day care

1. Tour the center before leaving your dog there.
2. Note whether the play space seems clean, odor-free, comfortable and safe for the stated capacity of the center.
3. How and where are the dogs given down time to wind down from the flurry of activity and avoid potential conflicts?
4. Are there outdoor play areas? It not, where do the dogs relieve themselves and is there a schedule and safety rules?
5. Is the center climate-controlled during whether extremes?
6. Is it well equipped with toys, bedding and supplies?
7. Do they maintain control of interactions at all times? Dogs, particularly in groups, should be constantly supervised.
8. Are the management and staff mature, knowledgeable, courteous, professional and patient at all times?
9. How are corrections and praise administered and what provisions are there for avoiding fights? Physical punishment should never be used. Owners should make sure staff members have a plan and tools (water sprayers, hose, noisemakers) to prevent or break up fights that might occur. They should understand ‘flash points’ – circumstances that might make dogs agitated such as food, protectiveness around owners, and toys.
10. Is there at least 1 human to every 10 dogs?
11. How do the dogs respond to the staff? They should seem happy to enter the center and greet the staff enthusiastically. Cowering is a sign something is wrong.
12. Is there an in-depth interview to determine relevant background, behavioral and health information, including confirmation of spay/neuter, proof of vaccines, flea and tick prevention, etc? And is the information kept up-to-date? This will prevent transmission of parasites and disease and unwanted pregnancy.
13. Are requirements and rules in writing? All parties should know what to expect from each other.
14. Does the center maintain the same policies for the boarding dogs if applicable? Boarding dogs, if integrated into the group, should meet the same criteria as day-care dogs to ensure safety and health.
15. What is the schedule of activity, including group play, size and makeup of groups, amount and type of attention, rest and nap periods, use of toys, training reinforcement and feeding, if applicable? You should feel comfortable the staff provides a varied, active environment and that dogs get an appropriate ratio of activity to rest.
16. Does the daily cleaning seem adequate for disinfecting and preventing disease?
17. How are new dog introductions handled? New dogs should not be integrated into the entire ‘pack’ without being introduced to individual dogs- particularly more dominant or higher ranking dogs- in a controlled setting.
18. How do the other dogs act during your visit- aggressive, happy or out-of-control?
19. How does your dog behave after being there after an initial adjustment of a day or two? Is it calm and well exercised?
20. Is there a great deal of barking? Uncontrolled behavior of any kind, including barking, can raise agitation levels overall and indicate lack of control on the part of the staff.