Dogs love to socialize and make
friends with other dogs, whether they are out on walks, romping in the dog park
or hanging out at a daycare. Doggy daycare centers began trending in the
1990s under the same concept that holds true for childcare centers—to offer
people a safe and interactive place for their babies to be, whether for a few
hours, the day, or overnight. But, how can dog parents be sure their furry best
friends will be safe?
Shop Around & Tour Facility
Barbara Drury, owner of
Manilow’s Canine Playground in Devens, Massachusetts (https://www.manilowsdoggiedaycare.com/
) welcomes between 25 and 30 dogs each day to her center, where she and her
staff and volunteers engage the dogs in activities, feeding, and even nap time!
Drury shares what she believes is
the most important thing to look for when searching for doggie daycare centers.
“The
most important thing is to ‘shop around.’ Go visit different daycares and
ask questions to help you decide which one will be best for your pup! Also,
ask for a tour of the facility.
If you visit a place that won't show you where the dogs play or are supervised,
than I would not take my dog to that facility.”
First-Time Doggy Day Care Date? Don’t
Worry!
Drury
offers a solid piece of advice. “Try not to worry so much about your dogs
having fun on their first day! Most of the dogs that come to our
daycare to play usually jump right in to play with group of dogs and have no
trouble at all joining the pack.”
Another great tip Drury shares is that she
also groups the dogs “according to similar size, age, and temperament.”
She
notes that sometimes a shy dog will show up at daycare and that it just takes
time, just a few days, to help them warm up and come running in when they
return!
Be Prepared for the Application Process
As a doggy
daycare owner and dog mom herself, for new clients, Drury requires “the owners
to fill out an application, proof of vaccinations for rabies, distemper, and
bordetella (kennel cough). Our first day is free so that lets me
determine if their dogs will be happy playing and socializing at our doggy
daycare. My two Labs meet and greet the new dogs when they arrive, and we both
can usually tell pretty quickly how well their first day will go.”
Dogs’ Safety is Key
Drury has been
in the doggy daycare business for more than 20 years and her clients at the
daycare range from puppies to seniors. “When I meet a new dog that comes in to
visit our facility, I can usually tell pretty quickly if they will do well at
our daycare. The safety of the dogs under our care is the most important piece of my
business. We are there to provide a safe, happy, fun environment for
all of the pups and dogs. So, that is what we strive to do each day, to send
home a very tired, happy dog back to their owners. You know the dogs have had a good
day when their owners come to pick them up and they just want to keep playing!”
Special Needs Dogs Need Daycare, Too
Drury is
familiar with dogs with special needs, and occasionally will have one visit her
daycare, including a couple of Epi-dogs (epileptic dogs). Her own boy, the late
Manilow (who the business is named after), was diagnosed with Canine Epilepsy
at age six after a bout of seizures. When a dog with special needs comes in,
Drury says she makes sure her staff and volunteers are privy. She also
gets permission frown owners to seek any necessary veterinary care with their own
emergency vet.
“We notify the owner whenever their dog’s health is a problem or
if something unusual occurs with their pup. The health and well being of each
dog under our supervision is most important to us.”
A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words
Just as
Manilow’s Canine Playground has a community Facebook page and Instagram account, where Drury
shares photos of her two Labs, along with some of the special fun adventures at
her place. A good tip when contemplating a daycare center for your dog, is to
check out the facilities’ social media pages to see the photos, read
other people’s comments, and get a feel for whether or not that is a place for your
dog to go. Then, go make an appointment and see the facility for yourself, ask
if you can bring your dog, and meet the staff who will be entrusted with the
care of your furry best friend.
*This article originally appeared in 4Knines.com
About the Author
Dorothy
Wills-Raftery is an award-winning photojournalist and author of EPIc Dog
Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Loving Life With
Canine Epilepsy; the FiveSibes™ Tales children’s books What’s Wrong With
Gibson? Learning About K-9 Epilepsy and Getting Healthy With Harley:
Learning About Health & Fitness; and Buddy, the Christmas
Husky~Based On A True Holiday Miracle books (ArcticHouse Publishing), as well as the
international FiveSibes blog,
based on the lives of her five Siberian Huskies. Her work has also appeared in American
Pet Magazine, Ruff Drafts, The Sled Dogger, and Hudson
Valley Paw Print Magazine. Dorothy is the writer and host of “The Sibe Vibe” Dog Works Radio show.” Named “Best
Author” in 2015 & 2016 by Hudson Valley Magazine and all four books
named “Best in Print” by American Pet Magazine, Dorothy is a 5-time Dog
Writers of America Association “Excellence” nominee, winning the prestigious
Maxwell Medallion in 2016 for her writing. An official International Purple
Day® for Epilepsy Ambassador since 2012 and a volunteer case manager for The Wally
Foundation-Canine Epilepsy, Dorothy is the creator of the FiveSibes
#LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness campaign inspired by her own
epileptic Husky, Gibson. In addition to her Siberian Huskies, Dorothy shares
her home with her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and new grandson. You can
follow Dorothy and her FiveSibes on Facebook at FiveSibes: Siberian Husky K9 News
& Reviews, on Google + , Twitter, and Instagram (@FiveSibesMom).
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