How do you decide who cares for your dog? A guest blog

How do you decide who cares for your dog? For pet parents, it’s not only difficult to find the right person to watch over your pets, but it’s also even harder to know what to ask them to ensure you’re fully comfortable with their care. It’s hard enough leaving them at home alone, but feeling at ease while they’re with a new person is a whole different experience. Today, let’s chat about vetting facilities that offer dog daycare, dog boarding, training, and more.

Any new place that your dog will be spending time should come with new questions! I’m happy to suggest some you can start with 🙂

First of all, are you looking at a licensed business or a daycare run from someone’s home?

If this is a home offering dog daycare, do they offer the same type of space, professional experience, and attention? Is the staff or owner trained on dog behavior and safety?

What’s the human-to-dog ratio?

• Some businesses keep only 10 dogs in a room with a human, while others may have 60 dogs in a room with one human, and some have rooms without any humans at all.

Do dogs get any downtime?

• Will they have breaks? Are there spaces for private breaks? Will there be a place for your dog to rest if they need a nap or to relax?

What training has the staff received?

• Have they trained in dog first aid and CPR? Do they know about dog behavior and body language? Do they learn the business’s protocols?

Are there procedures to handle scuffles, medical emergencies, and other incidents? How often do incidents happen?

• Consider whether these procedures feel clear and safe enough for you to entrust your pup’s safety to them.

Do they have requirements for vaccines, spaying/neutering, and temperament?

• Disease, illness, and other problems can spread quickly in spaces that many dogs share at once. Consider your pup’s safety in any business that doesn’t have requirements on these matters.

How do social evaluations (also called temperament tests, meet and greets, etc.) work?

• Do they expect your dog to walk into a room full of dogs and immediately get along with them? Or will the business take their time to introduce their team and the dogs one by one? Do they test dogs slowly, privately, in a comfortable space, or do they leave them to their own devices immediately?

What products do they use for cleaning, and what is the cleaning schedule?

• Bleach and heavy industrial cleaners aren’t safe for dogs– but of course, you want to hear (and see) that they’re cleaning often.

How do they divide dogs into groups?

• While some businesses split them up by size, others may group them all together or separate them by play style. What works best for your dog? What kind of group would they be happiest with?

What will your dog’s time there look like?

• How much time do they spend outside vs. inside? Is there secure fencing or ways to get loose? Is there AC inside? Is there a routine, including naptime, playtime, enrichment, and the ability to take meals privately? Can someone give them medication? How do they introduce dogs to each other? Where do they go potty, inside or outside?

Will your dog get any downtime?

• Breaks can be really beneficial for dogs, but they’re often needed on an individual basis. Is there a space your pup can relax, nap, and get some downtime? Is it private? Are there mandatory breaks that the business takes for team lunches or cleaning? If so, how long are these mandatory breaks?

How does pickup and dropoff work?

• Are there specific times, or are they flexible with your schedule? Do you get to go see inside or do you drop off in a parking lot?

Does the facility monitor every space with cameras, or just certain ones? 

• Does a human monitor all areas, or only through cameras?

How do they handle resource guarding? Dogs can be protective of food, toys, and even humans.

• Some facilities won’t allow food or toys for this reason, while others give them free rein. What are you most comfortable with for your dog?

How do you receive updates?

• Do they give you a report card with thoughtful notes? Do they send pictures and videos with updates on their day? Do they give you access to only one camera for the whole facility? Can you come visit to see your dog during their time there?

What fees are involved?

• Is there one standard fee for everyone, or do you pay based on the amount of time your dog is there? Are there add-ons if your dog needs a meal, medication, or a break? Do they provide extra services like nail trims or overnight stays?

Last but not least,

Remember to take a tour! This is so important when choosing a dog daycare or similar business because you need to see how they maintain the space, how the dogs interact, how the staff operates, and other details you can only see in person. Also, consider whether they gave you a specific day and time to stop by or were invited to come at any time.

Don’t pick a business just because the staff loves animals; pick a business that will give your pup the best care possible. Pick one that’s right for you!

If you’re local to Tucson, we’d love for you to check out Dogs of Tucson, which was created with all these thoughts in mind. Frankie, the owner, actually discusses the importance of the items on this list from her podcast Wag.Wander.Repeat. Her video discusses what to look for in depth and describes how Dogs of Tucson handles each of the above topics. Their team cares for dogs in a thoughtful, transparent way that makes them a wonderful business to count on.

If your dog prefers spending time at home, or that’s what you’d be most comfortable with, then you could also get in touch with Working For Wags! They offer in-home pet sitting, dog walking, training, and drop-in visits that can give your dog exercise, enrichment, and affection while you’re busy.

You can get to know more about their indoor dog park, dog daycare, and dog boarding (“staycation”) services through their website!

Article by Frankie Lemer of Dogs of Tucson

We all know that these moments with our furry family members will race by before we’ve realized it. If you are ready to capture them so you can keep them with you forever, its time to book your pet portrait session with C. Eaton Photography.