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owners, due to time constraints, face the problem of leaving their beloved dog at home for extended periods of time. Dogs are social animals and leaving them alone at home will lead to behavioural problems that are difficult to cure. Dog daycare is the ideal solution under such circumstances to keep their dog healthy both at physically and mentally.

Types of Dog daycare services available
Generally three type types of services are available for taking care of your dog during day time. They are:

• Dog sitters
• Dog walkers
• Dog daycares

Which Type of dog daycare Service is right for your canine?
Selection of service required depends on following factors:

• Duration of time the dog has to be left alone
• Dog specific parameters such as
o Age
o Health
o Behaviour
• Cost of service

Dog sitting may be a suitable option for very young puppies or old dogs. A dog walker service can be considered for old and matured dogs and dogs that are to be left alone for reasonably shorter durations. Dog Daycares will be the best solution for a majority of dogs. Dog daycares are cost effective and help your dog in socialising with other canines. Remember that the well being of all the dogs at the facility is the most important factor, so aggressive dogs or dogs with behaviour problems generally will not be accepted by dog daycares.

Services offered by dog daycares:

Dog daycares offer a wide range of services for the well being of your pet dog. The services offered include:
• Scientifically designed dog exercise routines
• Group play and socialising routines with other dogs of similar size and nature
• Veterinary doctor attention and services, as desired or required
• Dog training facilities
• Personal attention by well trained professionals
• Dog grooming services

Selecting a dog daycare facility:

Demand for dog daycare services has been on the rise in recent years, resulting in an increase in number of such day care facilities. Some well known dog daycares operate throughout the country by franchise arrangement, offering similar quality and types of services everywhere.

With so many operators in the market, selecting a suitable one becomes tough and certain tips for choosing right dog daycares for your pet dog are:

• Preliminary screening
Collect all possible information about facilities available from various sources
o Consult friends and relatives for their opinion on specific dog daycares
o The Internet is a good source to get preliminary information on day care centers near your area
o Veterinary doctors and pet stores can give information on good dog daycares

• Evaluating a specific dog daycares

Select a final few based on the preliminary screening and contact them to get additional information to help in making a final decision. Your dog’s health and hygiene should be the primary consideration in the final selection

o Information on service offered
o Number of years in service
o Credentials of personnel
o Personal inspection of the dog daycare facility
o Hygiene and cleanliness
o Types of exercises provided
o Veterinary doctor support
o Type and number of dogs served
o Dog to personnel ratio in the facility
o Flexibility of Drop-off/Pickup schedule in the dog daycare
o Security arrangement
o Arrangement for emergency handling
o Pricing

• Things to note during personal inspection

Often dog daycares promise many things to attract clientele. A personal visit prior to selecting your dog’s daycare facility ensures that the company is able to provide the services being advertised. In addition to validating services, here are a few suggestions for items you should be looking for during your first visit to the dog daycare facility.

o Check for any bad odor in the facility
o General surrounding and appearance
o Check the security of the area – Example: Are all fences latched and good condition to prevent your dog from escaping?
o Food and water quality
o Frequency and method of cleaning (If they use Wysiwash Dog Kennel Cleaner in their facility, you can be assured of cleanliness of the dog daycare facility)
o Complete a visual check the health and temperament of the dogs handled by them
o Observe and ascertain the behaviour of the staff when they are interacting with the dogs

Dog Daycare related issues
After deciding on the dog daycare facility, specific factors about your dog have to be discussed in detail with the staff. The information shared should include the following:

• Immunization requirements for your dog
Many dog daycares require your dog to be vaccinated for rabies, DHLPP and kennel cough. Specific flea control programs are also recommended by some centers.
• General behavioural pattern of your dog
• Food habits
• Medicines required
• Contact person and address in case of emergency
• Current Veterinary information
• Is your dog spayed/neutered?
• Age

Dog daycares, if identified and selected properly can help your dog remain healthy and sociable. Good dog daycares can also help in providing advice for the general well-being of your dog.