Ask The Dog Trainer: Tips for choosing a day care

Juggling full, busy lives and having as much time as we’d like for each part can be challenging, and it’s wonderful if you are seeking ways to enrich your dog’s life during this hectic time of year.

If I can’t spend time with my dog in person, then there are some wonderful opportunities for high energy and mental stimulation to be found at dog boarding centers. These “doggy daycares” can range in size from very large to a select few dogs, and can offer bored, underwhelmed dogs a safe and secure outlet to play and engage with other dogs and people.

When looking into doggy daycare as an option for my dogs, there are a few things I personally look for. First, safety. As a professional dog trainer and a pup parent myself, safety is paramount. When interviewing a potential doggy daycare, I ask specific questions; what training does your staff receive? Have any of them been trained by a canine behaviorist? What first aid skills do they possess? What are the protocols if my dog is bitten? How are new dogs introduced to the established pack, and what supervision do they receive? What is the ratio of dogs to staff? These are such important questions because accidents do happen, and when they do, I want to make sure that my dogs are in safe, qualified hands.

The second detail I look for is a high degree of cleanliness. Community water bowls and shared spaces could lead to infections and diseases. Inquire about the required vaccinations and inspect the space yourself. You want to ensure that all waste is properly and promptly disposed of and if there are play spaces with mud or sand, there are procedures to wipe down the dogs before returning them home. I also inquire about protocols for wound management. This is one reason why I prefer doggy daycares and boarding centers that are linked to established veterinary clinics or centers. In the event of an accident, I feel more secure knowing my dog will receive prompt action to clean and care for the wound.

Most centers offer doggy play groups, so I’m always interested in how those groups are made up. Is each dog professionally evaluated and observed to discover their play style and personality, and then matched into a suitable group, or are they simply thrown into the fray? I prefer to work with a doggy daycare facility that has a mandatory meet and greet between the dog, the staff and a select “starter group” of dogs. I also inquire what happens if my dog is anxious, reserved or afraid, and respect centers that will prioritize the mental wellbeing of the dog and move them to a smaller, quieter group or give them time by themselves to adjust.

I am cautious of shared toys and treats, as these resources might heighten competitiveness and result in a fight. I might be confident in my own dog’s ability to share resources, but worry about other dogs over whom I have no control. The best compromise I have found are highly involved staff who can intervene prior to a problem and confidence building programs at the center.

Which leads me into the fourth thing that I look for when considering a doggy daycare facility; the enrichment activities. I’ve covered enrichment activities in great detail in my other articles, but to recap, these would be classes involving obedience or active participation. Kongs stuffed with frozen food, snuffle mats and chew toys are all examples of food-oriented enrichment activities. Agility training, scent work or shaping behaviors are all examples of mentally and physically stimulating activities. If you are not a dog trainer yourself, I strongly suggest that you meet with the individuals in charge of such sessions and learn about their training philosophies, styles and methods.

Lastly, I strive to integrate the time spent at doggy daycare smoothly into the remainder of my time with my dog. The goal is to avoid undesired behaviors or at least notice and resolve them if they begin. For example, many of my clients come to me because after consistently attending doggy daycare, their dogs begin to pull on leash or jump to say hi. Finding a daycare center that supports your training efforts and upholds your rules is vital. If you have spent months teaching your dog not to drag you on walks or leap onto you when saying hi, and at the facility they are being inadvertently allowed to do so, it can result in frustration and additional training costs. I usually work respectfully with the daycare center to collaborate on my dog’s training and find it makes everyone happier and safer when the standards and rules for behaviors are the same across the board.

A final bonus are centers that take photos and videos or provide live video feeds. I just love watching my dogs enjoy themselves and staying in touch with the staff I trust to watch over them.

Kendall and Chandler Brown are owners of Custom K-9 Service Dogs, a dog training business serving Minden/Gardnerville, Carson and Reno. For information go to customk9servicedogs.com or email customk9servicedogs@gmail.com.