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By Brad Watts

The trend in American society today seems to be work, work, work, and this requires leaving the loyal family dog at home for extended periods of time.  Owners then come home to find a stressed out pooch, rampant destruction, either of the house, or the yard, and neighbors who complain of barking and howling due to separation anxiety.  After working your 10 – 12 hours, you then need to exercise your pet even in inclement weather.  You’ve heard about dog daycare. You’re thinking about it, but you aren’t sure it’s right for you and your dog? This article is designed to give some insight into the growing trend of dog daycare facilities and their benefits.

So what is dog daycare?

It works just like daycare for children. Drop your pooch of in the morning on the way to work, and while you slave away, your pampered pooch is pampered indeed! Doggie Daycare is an organized, controlled and monitored environment, in which a group of friendly dogs, from multiple families, can interact and play throughout the day in a yard or an enclosed building.  Depending on both your dog’s activity level and the curriculum set by the daycare owners, your dog may enjoy the day by romping with other dogs, playing with people, inside or outside, or just laying back enjoying the day getting love and attention.  There is a daycare for every kind of dog, and it’s important to find one that fits the needs of your dog best.

How do I know if daycare is right for my dog?

Most dogs that have had prior social experiences with other dogs will enjoy attending daycare.  You may not know until you take your pooch to a Daycare facility and they perform a temperament test.  At Petropolis our Professional daycare managers will provide an assessment of your dog’s fit to their facility during their first visit and will integrate them into the routine of the existing pack.  Petropolis offers your first daycare session for free just to get them used to the play group.

How much does daycare cost?

Costs can vary from a few dollars to $35 dollars.   At Petropolis Daycare is $26 a day and we also offer package deals that will cut the cost considerably?

Facility specifics

Our facility offers much for a social dog. Our trained staff will keep the dogs busy with outdoor play (indoor if bad weather), a daily bakery snack, and daily scoop of frozen yogurt from our pet Ice Cream Pawlor.   Every month we have a special daycare party.  Activities might include “hide and seek”, or “tag” or of course “ball”.  At Petropolis we have play pools open most of the year and a variety of toys and balls to enjoy.

How do I know which daycare is the best?

Ask questions. Visit multiple facilities. Talk to the manager and staff, and go with your instincts.  Is the environment calm and controlled? Do the dogs seem to be stressed or happy? Are the staff members interacting with the dogs? If not, they can’t know them well enough to detect or avoid trouble.  Is the daycare sufficiently staffed? Does the daycare have a screening process?  If they don’t demand proof of vaccinations from you, they aren’t requiring it of anyone else.  Does the daycare have a relationship with a vet close by? Are there specific strategies in place for handling problems as they arise? 

Is your pooch hyper or, tearing things up while you are at work? Does your pet need to become more socialized? Visit our website at www.petropolis.com to learn more about Doggie Daycare.

Brad has worked in the animal field for 21 years and has been with Petropolis for the last seven years.

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