This guide will help you determine if doggy daycare is the right option for your dog. A large part of dog ownership is ensuring your pup is properly cared for even when you can’t be together. Whether you work long hours or spend a lot of time outside your house, leaving your dog alone for hours at a time regularly can result in negative side effects. From safety concerns to loneliness, daycare provides a positive alternative for your canine companion.
Doggy Daycare Basics
Doggy daycare gives you a safe and fun place to leave your pet during the day when you can’t be together. While at daycare, dogs can play with other dogs (and our human staff), enjoy necessary socialization time, and burn off energy. They will also have supervision, which gives you peace of mind while you are away.
Daycare Requirements for Dogs
Dog owners interested in enrolling their pets into daycare must complete a registration form. Once that is complete, our team will review it and ensure the dog’s vaccinations are up to date. Dogs must have the following vaccines to be accepted into daycare:
- Rabies (after 4 months of age)
- Distemper combo
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
- Canine influenza vaccine is strongly recommended
We also require annual negative heartworm tests, and biannual negative intestinal parasite screenings. We typically prefer that puppies are at least 8 weeks old before joining our daycare, but we can make exceptions with a note from a veterinarian. We accept all breeds. If your dog does not play well with other dogs, we offer individualized options.
Daycare for Anxious or Aggressive Pets
At Union Lake Pet Services, we work to meet your dog where he or she is at. We happily welcome anxious or aggressive dogs, and we will work closely with them to ensure their comfort. We often find that dogs that are aggressive at home do well at daycare. No matter what, we will give each dog an initial evaluation with a certified dog trainer to see if they will do well in group play or need more individualized attention and make the necessary accommodations.
A Typical Day at Doggy Daycare
We are big proponents of alternating play and rest to give the dogs a fun day without completely exhausting them. This means they will get an hour of outside playtime with the other dogs, then an hour to relax. This pattern repeats throughout the day. We feed the dogs lunch during one of these breaks. Our outside facility includes multiple wading pools, balls for playing, bubbles, and other fun toys. We make sure to provide time to work on basic commands as well.
Most dogs will do well at doggy daycare, especially once they adjust with attention from our training staff. Imagine having a child at home alone all day. It wouldn’t be good for their mental health and the same is often true of our canine companions. They need physical exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization with other dogs.
We work hard to give dogs an unforgettable daycare experience at Union Lake Pet Services. Our dedicated team is here to provide important socialization and one-on-one attention. If you need to find a safe and fun place for your dog during the day, we are here for you. Call (248) 363-6262 to learn more.