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The places that we use have indoor play areas for nasty weather days, and outdoor play areas for the rest of the time. Two out of the three have very high fencing, with a fenced roof. The third place has very high fencing that is bent towards the inside at the top, discouraging jumping over the edge. If your dog is a jumper, let the staff know so they can keep an eye on him. That's probably something that should be brought up at the temperament check.
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I don't take my Westie to day care, per se, but when I travel, I board her at a place that also does day care, and during the day, she's out and with the day care dogs.
I agree with others here, some places are better than others, and a place that's right for one dog may not be right for others. So you'll need to shop around and make some trial visits.
The place I use is indoor/outdoor, and when the weather is decent, the door to the outside fenced area is always open, letting the pups wander in and out as they please. It's small-dogs only, and I can't imagine an escape over the fence.
BTW, if anyone wants a recommendation for that place (N Dallas/Addison area), feel free to send me a PM.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baglab
The places that we use have indoor play areas for nasty weather days, and outdoor play areas for the rest of the time. Two out of the three have very high fencing, with a fenced roof. The third place has very high fencing that is bent towards the inside at the top, discouraging jumping over the edge. If your dog is a jumper, let the staff know so they can keep an eye on him. That's probably something that should be brought up at the temperament check.
I mentioned that she's a jumper, and the comment was, "We've never had a dog jump that high. I don't see how she could." Hence, we're going to try a different place.
__________________ “The church is near but the road is icy, the bar is far away but I will walk carefully”
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I have always avoided putting up my Cavalier at one of these doggie day care establishments. The one time I did she didn't eat for 3 days and it had received great reviews.
I follow obscure2k's approach and have had some wonderful dog owner neighbors take care of her when I am away.
Kipper... Obscure has a very good suggestion... playdates between dogs as long as they get along. You can do playdates with dogs (Cats... forget it. I tried!)
That would save on what I am about to suggest: a Pet sitter/dog walker who can spend time at your home and take your dog out and give it playtime.
Like with Doggie Day Care it's good to do the research on Pet sitters - check references and - here's the ultimate test - see if the pet sitter goes right for yoru dog within 30 seconds.
Remember, the client is the DOG (or in my case CAT) - the owner just pays.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Catman
Kipper... Obscure has a very good suggestion... playdates between dogs as long as they get along. You can do playdates with dogs (Cats... forget it. I tried!)
That would save on what I am about to suggest: a Pet sitter/dog walker who can spend time at your home and take your dog out and give it playtime.
Like with Doggie Day Care it's good to do the research on Pet sitters - check references and - here's the ultimate test - see if the pet sitter goes right for yoru dog within 30 seconds.
Remember, the client is the DOG (or in my case CAT) - the owner just pays.
I'm hesitant about letting someone in our place though. That's why I was leaning towards doggie day care. I just don't like the idea of someone being in our house when we're not there.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jennj99738
That's interesting. The 2 day care facilities I use are entirely indoors. One has a "potty room" with astroturf to attract the dogs. I had never heard of day cares with outside areas. I wouldn't want to risk it either.
Keep trying!
Our girl, Sheba, is a Great Pyrenees and because of their dew claws can climb a chain link fence better than I could. However, the day care she goes to outdoor area is fenced and I'd say the chain link is about 10' (could be another foot or two higher) and has a webbing (some kind of plastic strip) in it and she hasn't tried to climb it AFAIK.
I think having an outside area is good. Though not used much during Illinois winters. They have a bone shaped wading pool and plenty of room to roam.
I would recommend trying different day cares and particularly getting references and popping in unexpectedly during the day (just like day care for a kid). We had Sheba in one facility and though they were supposed to have the dogs in a common area together repeated trips to the facility always had her in her own pen. The place she is at now doesn't pen the daycare dogs. Though she tires out (almost 11 years old now) and ends up sleeping most of the afternoon after running around all morning.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aspex
Our girl, Sheba, is a Great Pyrenees and because of their dew claws can climb a chain link fence better than I could. However, the day care she goes to outdoor area is fenced and I'd say the chain link is about 10' (could be another foot or two higher) and has a webbing (some kind of plastic strip) in it and she hasn't tried to climb it AFAIK.
I think having an outside area is good. Though not used much during Illinois winters. They have a bone shaped wading pool and plenty of room to roam.
I would recommend trying different day cares and particularly getting references and popping in unexpectedly during the day (just like day care for a kid). We had Sheba in one facility and though they were supposed to have the dogs in a common area together repeated trips to the facility always had her in her own pen. The place she is at now doesn't pen the daycare dogs. Though she tires out (almost 11 years old now) and ends up sleeping most of the afternoon after running around all morning.
Make unannounced trips before Cobaka is there too?
__________________ “The church is near but the road is icy, the bar is far away but I will walk carefully”
---Russian proverb
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kipper
Make unannounced trips before Cobaka is there too?
I suppose you could. At least you can see if the dogs are running around together or not. Saves you putting a dog at a daycare that spends the day penned up. Most definitely after so you can see how they are treating your dog.
Doggie day care works for most dogs who are used to socializing with other dogs. If your dog is afraid of other dogs, it's not smart to use doggie day care.
It was very important to us that our Alice got to play with other dogs from the day we got her, so doggie day care works for us. She gets very tired after a day at doggie day care, so we take her there only on Fridays, she loves it! The rest of the week we have a dog walker that walks her for an hour with another pug, a setter and a bull mastiff. They get along very well.
I would have no problem recommending PetSmart. Their Doggie day care is visible to all customers shopping at PetSmart and the people working there are professional. (we have used the one in Evanston, IL for about 2 months).
But we have found Stay to be a lot better because they have so much more room for the dogs to play in. http://www.staydoghotel.com/
A little more expensive, but the place is award winning and we can board her there as well.
