Ten Questions to Ask A Doggie Day Care

You need to find a daycare facility for your new Bernedoodle, but you do not know who to choose or even how to determine if it might be the perfect place. What are some questions to ask a potential doggie daycare?

Let’s face it. Not just any place is good enough for your pet. We get it. You want to facility that treats your precious puppy with love and care, let’s them exercise and intermingle with other dogs, but above all, keeps them safe. The last thing you want is your Bernedoodle to have an anxiety attack every morning while you try to drop them off for the day. Frankly, your job is stressful enough without worrying about fido, too.

A doggie daycare facility works a lot like a children’s daycare does. You drop off your pet in the morning while you are on your way to work so that they can be attended to while you are at your job. 

Since Bernedoodles are socially active dogs that sometimes have separation anxieties, doggie daycares can ensure that your puppy gets fed, watered, and receives suitable attention. (In addition to making some new doggie friends). After work, you pick them up and return home so that you can catch up on some cuddling.

So what are some questions you need to ask, and what specific things should you look for when choosing a suitable facility? Well, at phoenixbernedoodles.com, we love these puppies, and we have some answers to your pressing questions. 

What Are Some Questions to Ask A Potential Doggie Daycare?

There are several things to consider when attempting to find the right kind of doggie daycare facility. While many people hire dog walkers to come by a couple of times a day, the social interaction a Bernedoodle receives while at daycare can help them soak up the love of multiple interactions with people and keep them from getting bored at home. Frankly, a daycare will give them more interaction than one person walking multiple dogs might be willing to do.

1. Can I Tour The Facility? 

Any reputable doggie facility will allow you to tour the property. You can assess the place’s cleanliness and feel for the employees and atmosphere. Pay particular attention to whether the dogs seem to be having a good time, whether the staff is engaging them, and the dog-to-staff ratio. 

• Does the staff seem happy to be around the other pets?
• Is there a Smell of Feces or Urine that seems overpowering?
• How were you greeted?
• How was your pet greeted when they walked into the facility?
• Is there a dedicated play area?

2. What are the Vaccination Requirements?

Every facility will need to ensure your pet is adequately vaccinated before allowing it to have close contact with other pets. If you drop your child off at school or daycare, the school district or facility would have stringent measures before allowing you to register. Any place that does not require proof of shots is taking a risk. Avoid these operations.

3. Is There a Temperament Test, and What Does It Involve?

Most facilities will grant an initial trial period for your Bernedoodle to adjust to its new surroundings and assess how they are getting along with others. The facility must keep dogs with aggressive tendencies away from yours to minimize harm. Also, size matters because larger breeds do not mix well with tiny ones. So be on the lookout for how the dogs are grouped and exercised.

4. What is the Cost? How Often is the Payment Collected?

Whether we want to face it or not, doggie daycares cost money. You do not want to find a daycare that will break your budget, but you don’t want to find the cheapest one. So ask pricing questions upfront. It is part of the information you need. Several daycares have that information on their websites or have doggie packets with info sheets and FAQs.

5. What training and qualifications does the staff have? 

This question is crucial because you want qualified people to care for your pet. Try to determine if there are courses or certifications that the staff has to take. Do any of them have degrees as vet techs or have experience working for veterinarians. This information can be beneficial if an emergency happens and your dog needs CPR. Many agencies like PACCC or the American Red Cross offer classes and certifications for animal care workers.

6. What are Emergency Procedures? What Vet do They Use?

Another question that needs to be answered is how close the facility is to the local veterinarian they use as their clinical doctor? You do not want a daycare that would have to drive your sick or injured puppy to a vet 30 minutes away. If an emergency happens, you want a vet on the scene quickly to keep your pet from trauma.

7. What is the Schedule? How much time do the dogs play? 

You will want a daycare with an excellent schedule to match your work, but the activities scheduled for your puppy are even more critical. How much time do they stay in the kennel? How much time do they spend playing or being walked? How many times are spent indoors, and do they have an opportunity to stretch their legs and breathe in some fresh air?

8. Is There a Webcam where I can view my dog at play?

To help reassure your anxiety about leaving your Bernedoodle puppy at a new place, see if there is a webcam that you can keep open on your desktop at work. This allows you to check in during the day while you are apart and get a real-time feel from the facility.

9. What other services does the daycare offer? 

Some daycares offer additional grooming and training for your pet. Find out if there are additional services. Does the daycare include grooming a couple of times a week in the cost? Is there grooming or training available?

10. What is the Location of the Daycare? 

This question is one you need to ask yourself more than the daycare provider. The last thing you want is to add an extra hour to your commute, having to race to get to the daycare or pick up your puppy in the evening? Choose a daycare near your home or office, whichever is more convenient. Be sure that the facility has later hours if you get stuck in traffic or have to pick them up late in the evening.