Answer to dog owners'prayers

Dog daycare facilities can be a useful solution to some of these issues, but it does not suit every dog.

The fact is, many of today’s canine companions suffer from a significant lack of exercise, stimulation, and social time with their own kind. A good daycare provider can go a long way toward meeting those needs. But daycare is not the one-size-fits-all answer and there are factors to consider before enrolling your dog in daycare.

Just because they are a social species doesn’t mean that all dogs get along with each other. Humans are a social species and we certainly don’t all get along!

A good daycare will honestly evaluate your dog’s personality and behaviour to determine if he has the potential to do well at daycare. If he plays well with others, is comfortable and confident in public, and doesn’t mind being separated from you, then daycare could be a great environment for him. If your dog doesn’t enjoy interacting with other dogs, he’ll quite likely find daycare a rather unhappy experience, and his dislike of other dogs may become worse (most daycare centres will not take dogs prone to aggressive behaviour towards other dogs).

In the right environment, some dogs who are mildly fearful of others may develop greater social skills and feel more at ease with their own kind. If your dog loves to play with others, doesn’t have significant medical problems, is fully vaccinated, and has energy to spare, he could be the ideal candidate for doggie daycare and benefit greatly from it. This professional service, offered by a high-quality provider, is the perfect answer to many dog owners’ prayers.

In a future article we will give some advice on what to look for when choosing a daycare provider for your canine companion.