What to look for when choosing day care for your dog

Choosing the right people to care for your dog is just as important at choosing a nursery for your child. Here are our top 10 things to look for when making your decision

Fox red labradore holding a ball in it's mouth

1. Are they licensed and insured?

By law, all dog/ puppy day care providers must be licenced by their local authority and have adique insurance for care, custody and control of dogs, and public liability insurance. And this goes for small scale businesses too. You can ask to see proof of both of these when you are making your enquiries.

2. Can you see what the dogs are doing each day via social media?

Being able to see the dogs in any day care environment is really important.

You get to see the place your dog will be, which is more important than ever just now because Covid restrictions mean you may not be able to get in to see for yourself.

And you get to see the other dogs and what they are getting up to.

3. What is their screening policy for new dogs?

Some dogs can actually find the whole day care experience very difficult and stressful.

Find out what they would do if that was the case for your dog.

4. What do the dogs do all day?

Dogs need a balance of play, enrichment and plenty of rest. In the past day care was simply just a group of dogs thrown together to play all day.

But now we know so much more about how important positive learning experiences and enriching activities alongside plenty of rest should be a daycare provider's priority.

So don’t settle for “They just play all day”.

5. What is their dog to human ratio?

A daycare’s licence will dictate how many dogs they are allowed to care for in their facility, and will have a strict dog:human ratio.

This is extremely important for the dog's safety, being supervised at all times.

6. What training/ experience do the team have?

The job of a dog day care supervisor is not simply to watch dogs play all day.

They should be constantly watching the dog's body language and intervening in boisterous play before energy levels get too high.

7. Are they 1st Aid certified?

This is extremely important, ensuring the people on the premises know how to help your dog if they become unwell.

8. What are their sickness and illness policies and procedures?

Just like a nursery for children it is vital that they have these in place so that all customers know what to expect in the case of a dog becoming unwell at daycare or at home to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

9. What is their vaccination policy?

Licence and insurance requirements insist that all dogs must be vaccinated, and be given regular flee and worming treatments.

They should ask for proof of your dog's annual vaccinations and they should be held on file.

10. USE YOUR GUT

How did the team member answer your questions?

How did you feel meeting them for the first time?

Do you feel you trust them enough to care for your dog?

If you are not 100% happy for your dog to be in their care, then do not leave them there.