Dog Daycare Should be about Fun and Games…Not Fights and Bites

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It’s Monday morning and you arrive at your local dog daycare, hand over the leash to a smiling face behind the counter and zoom off to start your busy day. Have you ever stopped to consider what is happening behind the scenes? Will your dog be returned to you safe and sound at the end of the day?

The question about how often fights and bites occur in dog daycares is something we have been pondering for a while. In our minds there seems to be too many news stories and anecdotal reports of frequent injuries, but what is reality? Recently we took a closer look.

Earlier this year The Dog Gurus surveyed the industry to find out what is going on in daycares when it comes to fights and bites. We believe that the occurrence of these types of incidents in a professional dog daycare setting should be rare. The results confirmed that there are three critical areas which can predict a safety record for an off-leash play facility.

Dog evaluations: Your pet care center should have a formal acceptance policy in place. In addition, all dogs attending off-leash play should be required to complete a formal evaluation to determine if your pet will be a safe addition to the play group.

Staff training: Look for a pet care center that values education on dog body language. Excellent pet care centers will have a formal education process for their staff, not just a peer shadowing program.

Dog management: Daycare attendants should always be physically present in the play yard supervising no more than 10 or 15 dogs. Look for staff that give obedience commands in a calm, assertive voice (but not yelling). The team should appear to be relaxed and enjoying the day.

Daycare should help your furry family member develop into a happier, healthier pet by providing a positive energy outlet. By utilizing the information gained from our survey, you will be better equipped when looking for a pet care center that will do their best to keep your dog safe!

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