Day Care

[Beryl]

My German Shepherd dog spent the day in my backyard communicating with neighboring friends and scaring away raccoons and squirrels. However, I now have a single Toy Poo and don't want him left alone all day like I did with my Pom many years ago. Television and radio is no substitute for live interaction.

Until I bring home a baby sister for him in a year or so, I'm planning on Day Care for 3 days a week when I work in my office. There are more of these popping up all of the time so I have a lot of shopping to do.

Facility 1 is located in a pastoral area (there are sheep and goats in neighboring lots) in Boulder. They keep the "little people" separate from the "big people" . The play area is out of doors, partially covered with artificial turf with lots of toys and a jungle gym of sorts. They bring the little ones in when it is cold. This place was highly recommended by a friend with 2 Shih Tzus. They are located very close to my home and are only $15/day

Facility 1 is on my A-list today. I'd prefer a better in-door play area though.

Facility 2 is a franchise that is very popular in Colorado. They have locations near my home in Boulder, work in Denver, and the DIA airport. I was a little concerned when the lady who gave me a tour in Boulder showed me that he'd play with 10 or more large dogs -- Labs, Sheps, etc. She said that there'd always be someone there to watch for his safety.

I sent my Pom to live with my parents after I noticed that my playful Shep pup was terrorizing him. No way would I allow my 4 lb furbaby to risk being trampled by 80 lb well-meaning youngsters. The tour guide then showed me a pleasant looking, carpeted, in-door play area with toys for smaller and older dogs. They don't use it much (it was empty) but that would be where they could keep my baby. They also have a webcam and charge $25/day.

Facility 2 is on my "maybe" list because of the standardization of care. However, I wonder how much socializing my baby would get during the day with other dogs. I'm certain the workers would play with him but that is not the same.

Facility 3 is located in an animal hospital in Boulder. The play area is all dirt in a building that is like a barn. (The picture on their website is an old one.) Dogs of all sizes are put together to play, I saw no dogs under 10lbs and most were over 50 lbs. There is a woman who sits with them all day. Because of the dirt and play, the pets would need to be bathed each day when they come home if they sleep in your bed like mine does.

Facility 3 has been eliminated for now. It would have been great for my German Shepherd who didn't sleep in my bed but not for a toy dog. If they decide to build a separate area for toys, I'd reconsider them because of the close proximity to health care.

I've never used Day Care so I'm interested in the thoughts of those on this site.

(Edited to remove actual references per site guidelines. For the record, I have no vested interest in those businesses. Having done that, I would appreciate some feedback on the issue..)

[KingdomOfFireflies]

I have a toy (a Havanese) she's a big baby who thinks she can play with big dogs, but I know better

On days when I know I'll be gone for a long period of time (I'm a college student/substitute teacher) I take my dog to a daycare center that is about an hour away. It's a long drive and traffic is insane but the daycare center is excellent (they've received multiple awards and recognitions) and so it's worth it to me.

My daycare center does what your 'facility 1' does; it separates the big dogs and the overly aggressive dogs from the small dogs and the ones who are a bit more sensative. The dogs are under the constant supervision of multiple trainers and each new dog goes through an 'introduction' day when the trainers observe the dog's behavior, how it plays, etc. and slowly 'introduces' the dog into his/her designated playgroup (they don't just throw the dog into the group and 'see what happens'). They also have a designated 'nap time' and provide the dogs with healthy treats from a nearby bakery.

But above all else, I know the trainers: I've seen how they interact with my dog, with me...I feel that my baby will be 100% safe with them and they're the only people I trust with my dog other than myself (which is huge cause I'm an overanxious mom). Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're perfect and I'm certainly not an expert on doggie daycare centers , but I get a good feeling about leaving my baby with them.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, just wanted to give you my experience with doggie daycare

Just from the description, your 'facility 1' sounds like the best bet. (Although I wish my daycare had a webcam like your facility 2)

[Beryl]

Thanks for the reply.

I've been taking my baby to Facility 1 and all has been great! He is well-socialized and is now quite the social butterfly. I can't get near another dog without him wanting to "meet and greet".

I've found several few more facilities and now that he has grown up a bit, he is ready to stay and foreign day cares when he accompanies me on business trips. I'm still very cautious because there are a lot of places where they don't see the danger in mixing smaller dogs with large ones.

Given the number of facilities opening all over the country, I'm surprised that more people have not discussed them on this site.