Features of a Good Dog Daycare

Dog daycares have become popular with dog owners but, like many pet-related services, the quality of care varies.

Here are some tips on how to find a good dog daycare:

Ask for recommendations from other dog owners, trainers and veterinarians and visit the daycare or daycares you are considering and spend some time there.

Whether the daycare is indoors, outdoors or a combination, the daycare should be spacious. The dogs should have lots of room to run and they should be able to get away from one another if they want or need to.

Note the odor of the facility. It should smell fresh and be clean and not like dog waste or harsh cleaners.

For playtime, dogs should be divided into groups (divided by size, activity levels and playstyles) either by having the groups in separate areas from one another or by having the groups out in separate playtimes.

Check what size the groups are. More than 10 or 15 dogs per group is risky. Consider also the staff to dog ratio. Most dog professionals recommend 1 staff member per 15 dogs with adjustments made for more and less active dogs. There should be continual supervision of the dogs.

Ask about the daycares’ policy on toys. Some dogs become possessive over things and many daycares avoid having toys out with the dogs for this reason.

Look for a daycare where there are rest areas for the dogs and where dogs are given rest periods.

There should be clean fresh water always available.

If it is an indoor facility, there should be a designated area where the dogs can do their business so that they are comfortable all day and so that they do not lose their housetraining skills. Some daycares incorporate walks into the day for this purpose. If you have an older dog, check to see if there are additional times for a dog who perhaps needs to void more often.

Look at the fences surrounding the outdoor area and make sure they are high and solid. I like fences which also have buried wire to avoid dogs digging their way out. Are there double gates and double doors so that dogs are secure when people are coming in and out of the facility?

Meet the staff! The staff members should really care about dogs. They should employ reward-based methods to encourage good behavior from the dogs and understand that punishment is known to create aggression. They should easily recognize stress signals in dogs. Staff members should know the difference between play and aggression and when to interrupt dog interactions. Be sure to ask what training the staff have in dog behavior and care. Your dog’s daycare experience is going to be as good as the staff who make it happen.

Ask how the staff break up fights and what tools they use. Walk away from any facility that tells you they allow dogs to just “sort it out”.

There should always be at least one staff member with current pet first aid present. Staff should also be able to give medications to your dog if required.

Ask how the daycare screens the dogs who attend the daycare (the dogs should be screened for suitability). Is there a detailed application form (there should be!)? Are there vaccination requirements (there should be)? Ask about the daycares’ policy is on emergencies.

Decide if your is dog a good candidate for a daycare. Dogs who like to play with other dogs, are active and well-socialized are good candidates for daycare. Dogs who are distressed when left at home alone can be good candidates for daycare, but they also may prefer to hang out at a friend’s house or have a caregiver come to the home in the absence of the owner.

Once your dog has been to a daycare, observe your dog to see if it looks like he likes it when you go again. Is he excited when he arrives and eager to meet up with the other dogs or is he showing stress signals and reluctant to approach the centre? If it’s the latter, then that daycare isn’t for him. Some businesses offer video access to their customers which can give peace of mind to an owner who wants to see first hand that their dog is having a great time.

Decide how long your dog will attend daycare. Some offer hourly and half-day services.

Daycares can be great for dogs but choose wisely!

Jane Bowers, B.A., CABC, CPDT-KA

Jane Bowers has been training dogs for over two decades. She teaches people to train their dogs in group and private training courses and has a keen interest in assisting dogs with behavioral issues. Her company is Dogs of Distinction Canine Training Inc. Jane has a monthly newspaper column on dog related topics and is a former host of a live call in TV show on animals. She is a strong advocate for force free and humane training methods for all animals. Jane has a degree in psychology and is certified as a dog trainer through the Certification Council of Professional Pet Dog Trainers and as a behaviour consultant through the International Association of Behavior Consultants and through the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals.

These organizations require a minimum number of continuing education units be obtained to retain certification. She is also a professional member of "The Pet Professional Guild," an organization committed to force-free training of animals and the "Association of Professional Dog Trainers," a professional organization of individual trainers who are committed to being better trainers through education. Jane is the content creator of the online course "Assessing and Interpreting Dog Behaviour," which is a course for law enforcement personnel who meet unfamiliar dogs in the course of their duties. She is the author of "Perfect Puppy Parenting," a guide to raising a happy, confident, well-behaved dog. Jane spent 17 years working for Customs Border Services and in joint teams with US Homeland Security and the RCMP. She spent a further 8 years working as an Animal Control Officer and Bylaw Enforcement Officer. Jane lives on a small farm with dogs, sheep, donkeys, and chickens. The dogs each came from situations that prevented them from living in their original homes. The dogs range in size and age and with the dog training and behavioral work, whether it's participating in the development of an online training course, working with a client's dog or tracking a lost pet or animal.