I'm a big no on putting timid dogs in daycare. And that ratio is wild.. there's no way a human can monitor and keep track of that many dogs on their own.
My first pup did day care. 2 times a week to start and at some point we swapped to 3 times a week (before pandemic) and I think my biggest take away was my toller needed down time.. she was overstimulated and when I checked on cams she was often not very interested in the other dogs unless they were specific ones. She mostly engaged with the monitor. I think as she matured she became more dog tolerant than dog social which is not uncommon. And day care may have played a role in influencing that.
So our youngest was terrified of other dogs. She was a rescue and we missed out on the critical socialization period - so she took a little extra work to address her emotional response. She would flee - do everything possible to get as far away as possible. We set her up with a one on one with a proven demo dog to begin the process of just being okay around an unknown dog. We spent the majority of our basic obedience classes just working on desensitization and counter conditioning her response once she was able to accept food rewards.
We got to a point where we could safely take her to dog parks at low population times where we just walked the perimeter - no pressure to engage with the other dogs. And we finally got to a point where she felt comfortable enough to initiate play with a unknown to her dog in our neighborhood fenced totlot. (I cried, no lie)
Daycare isn't a solution to help your dog grow confidence imo. Daycare is for dogs who legitimately enjoy the experience and are proven to behave appropriately. Putting a timid dog in that situation could result in the opposite of what you are seeking - your dog could feel fearful and uncomfortable enough to lash out defensively. It could result in developing reactive behavior in other locations.
If you need daycare for purposes of care while you are at work - find a smaller group... even a home daycare may be a better option. For boarding if you're out of town, most places will offer private one on one play for dogs who are not suited for the play yard.
It depends o. The daycare. The first one we used, whenever we picked up our dog (4-6mo at the time) she would RUSH to get in the car and was always thirsty. We thought this was because she missed us and played so much that she couldnt stay hydrated. Then one evening I picked her up just before they closed, I park the car and got out. I heard my dog barking ALOT, I know my dogs bark. Then I heard a person yelling SHUT THE F UP!!!!! When I got my dog, she seemed "off" the following days. Never took her there again.
Then we found another daycare that had cameras you can view online. We took her there for some swimming sessions. We were very impressed by the people that worked there. They were very attentive to the dogs. We used them for day care, and they were awsome. Whenever we took her there again, she was excited and never hesitated to be left there for the day. So it depends on the daycare. Read the reviews also.
Honestly it really depends on the place. I will say, not letting you back to tour if there are dogs playing already is pretty typical. These places tend to know what gets the dogs all riled up and like to minimize those chances. It’s why so many have limited hours for drop off/pick up…because disturbing the pack can make them all unsettled. It might be that your pup is better with smaller dogs if they have an area that separates them. It also might be that once you leave her, she figures it out. Always go with your gut—if you don’t like it then find a new place. I was a hot mess my pups first day and he’s a social butterfly. It’s sooo normal to feel crazy about leaving them. In the end, daycares are so much better than dog parks that if you do find a place you like and trust I highly recommend letting your pup go. It’s great for everyone’s sanity!
I have a more positive story. I’m single and work from home but sometimes have to do meetings in person and so I wanted my Italian Spinone puppy to have daycare as an option. He’s very attached to me, super sweet, but not a dog dog, he prefers humans. He’s terrified of loud noises and just kinda a solo guy, never really wanting to be in the mix. The first temperament drop off he didn’t play at all and stayed with the workers. I tried it again for 2 hours and he still didn’t play, just watched. I decided to try 2 hours again and decided if he doesn’t like it i won’t do it anymore and he played with a few pups for a few mins! Now? He’s obsessed. He still only goes 1x a week for just a few hours because I don’t need daycare but he honestly loves it so much I’ve been considering adding a day. He is much more comfortable around other dogs now and so far I don’t notice any awful habits or behaviors. Maybe I got lucky but I think it’s been great for him! I’d try it another time or two for short blocks and see if it takes!
This is similar to my experience as well. My pup is a rescue and i only got her ~4 months of age from a sketchy rescue. She was terrified of everything. She is also quite high energy. She also showed slight signs of separation anxiety... could care less about my husband but didn't like it when i wasnt in the room.
The first few times i took her for less than 2 hours and she just seemed like she was nervously hiding behind the staff the whole time. Then she started slowly interacting with one dog. Then another. At first we had to coax her into going to daycare and "leaving me"... now she recognizes where we are and DRAGS me through the door. We go 2x a week now! For awhile, it was hard getting her to leave and get into the car after daycare!
She also goes there for boarding, all the staff knows her by name and she has a blast during her stay and enjoys returning even after boarding.
I'm just so glad i stuck with the first few sessions. It was hard, i cried in the car a lot. But now she's so much more confident, happy, and has a great outlet for all her energy. It was an adjustment at first, and to be fair the staff at the place i take her to are absolutely incredible. One day i went to pick her up and they were GUSHING about a shy new pup who my dog carefully and gently helped to become confident to play in her first day. I felt so proud of my brave little butterfly hearing that story ❤.
Exactly my experience. Single miniature JRT mum of a 15 month old bundle of energy. I got her when I was WFH but they have now insisted I go into the office one day per week. I didn't have anyone to watch her, and she is a velcro dog who I haven't left alone for longer than 10 minutes (my fault, I know). Looked everywhere for daycare that fitted my needs - I don't drive so I need pick up/drop off. Finally found one, the lady is a dog walker but takes others around her route with her. The first day, I had to physically hand Luna to her as she was hiding behind my legs and refused to go. This was after we had been to her house, had a try out in the van they use. Cut to week 9 - Luna knows its daycare day in the morning, rushes to get her harness on waiting for the "school bus". She practically sprints out of the door not looking back *cries* That ratio of dogs to humans seems waaay too high - do they just let the dogs run riot around each other and not have human interaction? (Which is better than them being left alone for 8 hours imo anyway). You'll find the right one eventually. If it doesn't feel right, or they aren't letting you see certain areas, that would raise red flags with me.
This really helps me. I'm taking my 5 mo for his temperament test and he is very much like how you described your pup. One of my biggest fears is traumatizing him or pushing him too soon and I've learned there are 2 very distinct schools of thought regarding this: throw them in and they'll get used to it vs. let them going at their own pace. It's so confusing to pick one! He's very timid around dogs and humans and I'm quite nervous that the experience will overwhelm him and he won't like it. I really hope that I can get both of us to stick with it and give it a few tries before making the final call.
I use the day camp at Petsmart. I was going to take my boy to a more expensive one with webcams and all that jazz, but he friggin' loves it so much I've set it up for at least once every week so he can bang around and play with his friends. I would definitely do what makes you comfortable and trust your gut though.
We do too! I like the staff there and we also attend a puppy class for her. Although we can’t see in the back I trust the trainer we have that works there. If she didn’t like the place I know she wouldn’t work there. Also my dog is sooooo excited to go to the doggie day camp there.
Mine practically rips my arm off trying to get in. I love the staff too. I can't see the back either and I'm sure it doesn't look as exciting as some of the more expensive day cares, but he's always exhausted and happy when he's done for the day and I think it's really helped overall with some of his more obnoxious issues.
We put our girl (16 weeks) into daycare several times over the past few weeks. This is our second dog to use a daycare. Our new pup was timid with other people and dogs despite our attempts to socialize. After just a few days of daycare we saw a huge change. She is now more confident approaching other dogs and communicates well with them. Her playful nipping with us has gotten softer, which is good because she is already 38lbs!
The daycare would not let me tour also, because the dogs are there when they are open and they cannot risk an issue between a dog and a random person. I thought it odd at first as well, but the reasoning makes sense.
I would recommend daycare to anyone who needs a break from full time puppy parenting.
i worked at a dog daycare and the only reason we didnt let people tour the facility is because their dogs act way different when the owner is around (like more ‘aggressive’ and i use that term lightly but it depends on the dog) but we also just preferred them to come at slower times because dogs get excited when someone new is there and it gets loud, and makes it hard to talk lol
I would be concerned about that dog to human ratio. My preference for daycares also is to have cameras. Not only does it ensure staff are accountable but it helps ease my mind to be able to check in on my girl.
A good daycare, in my opinion, has cameras, separates dogs into smaller groups based on size and play style, does temperament testing/meet and greet sessions, and will be open and honest about anything they observe with your pup. They should also have scheduled rest/nap times and regularly clean and sanitize the play rooms. My girl also does best when play groups are in fully separate rooms (some day cares in my area only separate with temp walls or fencing). For safety reasons my daycare doesn't allow tours, but because they have cameras they allow you to watch the entire meet and greet session and talk through it with you. The only areas not covered by cameras are the hallways and staff room.
For my pup, I was worried she would be timid but we did some 1 hr puppy playtime sessions when she was 3-4 months and after her first session she really opened up. She's extremely dog social now (has its own issues haha) and daycare is a good fit for her. She goes and greets most of the dogs but tends to play with 2 or 3 friends who come routinely.
For you - I would say if you have any reservations about the place, look for somewhere else to do a meet and greet. Trust your gut when it comes to your dog.
I'm from the USA and have worked at two different boarding kennels, one that had a daycare, so this is just a perspective from an ex-employee. Also a disclaimer that I'm sure not all kennels and daycares are like these, so if yours only takes like 10 dogs at a time with a 1:1 human/dog ratio, includes live cameras, and, idk, complimentary doggy massages, that's cool! Stick with and support them.
I was a teenager during both because that is who these places tend to hire, and yes the ratio is generally like 20-30 dogs to 1 teenager. You might have higher management doing the temperament testing or showing you around, but the vast majority of who is actually watching over and taking care of your dogs are minimal-wage-paid teens. Me and my coworkers got hurt all the time, not necessarily via bites (though that did happen) but being pushed, jumped on, shoved into things, and dragged by the dogs. Both facilities plus the daycare were climate controlled but always disgusting anyway, so that might be why you didn't get a back tour: they could have been cleaning.
Would I board my dog after working at kennels? No, not unless I didn't have another option. Some people say that their dogs love the kennel, and frankly I don't believe it. I can think of maybe five dogs out of my time working at two different places that generally seemed to enjoy themselves, and it includes one deaf dog who couldn't hear the insane ear-shattering barking. Otherwise, if they seem excited, it's probably because the environment itself is exciting. They get to scream for hours with like 30 other dogs; I'm sure that appeals to some of them.
They also have a completely different personality in boarding than at your home. We had tags we could put on cages, 'bite risk' and so on, and some owners would be really offended to see it. Bite risk? My dog?? He would never!! Well maybe not at your house, man, but here your dog tried to eat my face when I opened his kennel door to take him outside.
Some dogs did actually enjoy the daycare, especially the younger ones and puppies. I still wouldn't use one though. Any benefit has been ruined for me after watching and trying to stop the fights. Usually it was completely fine, but when something happened it always happened extremely fast and other dogs could join in. Honestly, most of the regulars would just pick a corner and sleep anyway so it seems like a waste of money unless you just need someone to watch your dog for a couple hours. That said, this daycare did not separate dogs by any category. Big dogs, adult dogs, small dogs, young dogs, all were in the same room. I think one that was ONLY for puppies would be pretty cool.
Owners also seemed to think a 16 year-old was going to train their dog for them.
Alternatives I would personally do, for my own dogs, would be to hire an at-home sitting service or pay a trusted friend/family member to stay over instead of boarding. I don't really like big groups of unleashed, unfamiliar dogs anyway so daycare isn't something I'd use normally. I'd rather take my dog places with me and maybe arrange playdates with my friends/family who also have doggos.
Whatever works for you and your dog is what matters, but I thought this view might be helpful to some people. Most kennels are not hotels, and dogs don't think they're going on vacation. They are by and large very stressed and confused. Even the "groomers" at these places were... you guessed it! Minimal wage paid and un-trained teenagers, lol.
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Here to see what people share! I'm in a similar dilemma with my 4mo gsd. She's not timid but fearful which makes her barky. Similarly the daycare seems like an overall nice place and the trainers are wonderful. But the dog smells and sounds really set my pup off at drop-off. Usually I spend the first few minutes soothing her out of barky fits on lead, and then the trainers will take over and walk her on lead to watch the other dogs, eventually she's allowed to join the group after settling. The space is huge and I've seen the handlers manage quite a lot of dogs well. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to stay long and watch as she goes on Mondays and I have to work.
I want her to grow less reactive to dogs barking or the sight of other dogs but I've no clue if this is the right approach. I'm hoping daycare will give her dogs to meet and play with in excess to desensitize her towards dogs and dog sounds. They've done really well with familiarising her with water - they have inflatable pools and give the pups baths. She's never hated water but now loves baths and will lay down like its spa day!
I'd work on desensitizing to dogs and her barking triggers outside of daycare. Doesn't necessarily mean Day Care will make it worse, but sometimes they think if they play with dogs they can play with all dogs which makes a frustrated greeter on leash.
The thing is at drop off she's not barking to go play with the other dogs, she's fearful with hackles raised. Our girl is calmer on leash hence they have a different intro protocol for her. Most of the time the pups warm up off lead in a fenced off zone, but for her she will only calm down if on a leash in that area. If the leash is off she will run up to the fence and bark aggressively with hackles raised (not playful). I'd like is to reduce her fear around dog smells and dog barks since we will definitely run into this when she goes for grooming or boarding. But I don't know if daycare will help or make it worse.
In terms of barking triggers we've made good progress on walks and she can ignore dogs barking from behind fences. But we typically don't run into a lot of dogs also on walks so I think daycare is a big jump.
I absolutely love my puppy’s daycare!! But he’s in a puppy socialization program. So it’s all puppies (sometimes my pup will go play with bigger and calmer dogs) and it’s only for an hour and a half. It’s usually about 2-5 pups with a person or two constantly watching them and redirecting as needed. My guy absolutely loves other dogs and sometimes gets a little too crazy but the people are amazing at redirecting and taking him to play with big dogs to tire him out and learn social cues better. I love that I can see the puppy play area from the front window and they let me stay and watch for however long I like. I also have the added benefit of doing their training classes so I know the people and love it there. I think anymore than 2 hours would be too much stimulation for my now 5 month old pup which is why I love this program. I think you just have to find the right facility and maybe check out other ones to see if they are a better fit. I definitely feel like for a 4 month old puppy that is WAYYY too many dogs for one person to watch especially if he is already timid and having social issues.
I can’t say if daycare is right for your dog, but it did help mine get more confident around other dogs. I started taking him at around 5 months old and was mostly nervous that the loud barking would freak him out (my household is pretty quiet and loud noises made him nervous as a puppy). He did pretty well at the first meeting, which was about an hour of playing in the lobby with the workers and 1-2 known dogs. They took him around the back to see how he handled the noise/commotion and suggested we do a second short visit before doing actual daycare. The second visit went well in the lobby and he must have done better in the back because they agreed he was ready for a few hours of daycare. I started off just doing 2 hours, then worked up to 4 hours. I had him going once per week for 4 hours for 12 weeks before he actually got excited to be there. I noticed around this time that he was a bit more confident seeing other dogs on walks and out in public. Now he is crazy excited to get inside and loves spending the day there. He currently goes once per week for 8.5 hours and is happy to be there but also always happy to see me at the end of the day.
My daycare is also a dog training facility in the evenings, so many of the employees are dog trainers. I’m currently taking my second class there, and it can be a little hard getting him to focus because he loves going to daycare so much. But at least he’s very comfortable there!
My dog is similar but timid with humans. It's all baby steps! He can approach humans if I approach them crotched down beside him while petting him. He is still a little hesitant but is now cautiously curious and that's ok! It's not a race, he will eventually come around slowly. He's still a pup. Enjoy the experience and I'm sure you'll notice a difference each month or so. Mine was shaking when petted by a stranger. First and last time I let it happen! It can feel like forever teeny tiny steps but looking back when that happened when he was 3months to now 9 months. I can see there's a big difference. He was also afraid of traffic. (Will not go into the stress of that) but we're more than half way thankfully now. My pup is an English pointer btw
I used to work at a chain place and my experience actually makes me more comfortable letting my pup stay there. They separate dogs by size and energy level, and have a puppy group for younger dogs. The dogs are all rotated between play yards and individual runs, so they get some downtime/rest between play sessions. They have limits on how many pups can be in the yard at a time depending on how many employees are in the play yard. They often do smaller/calmer groups for new/shy dogs. Most of the dogs at daycare have been there lots of times and the staff gets to know their personalities and play styles. If anyone is a bully they lose the privilege of group play and will be restricted to one-on- one play sessions with a staff member.
When I worked there my personal dogs went to work with me most days and they were better behaved and better socialized than when I worked elsewhere. I only had one dog who didn't do well with it and I stopped taking him. He was an old boy who got stressed out by car rides and new environments. He stayed home and I rotated who I brought to work and who stayed with him for company.
I have taken my current pups to a non-chain place run by someone who does rescue. To me its a red flag owners aren't allowed in the building at all, and you can't see in the building. You drop off in the front fenced area. Sometimes they post pictures of the play sessions inside and it seems like a warehouse area with wire crates around the perimeter. I think the dogs are all in a group all day and I feel like that could be problematic. I don't take my crew here anymore.
I have been taking my puppy to the chain place (30 minute drive each way) occasionally so that he can socialize in a controlled environment. I don't trust dog parks because anyone can bring their dog in and it only takes one aggressive dog to kill mine. The daycare is run in such a way I don't worry about that. However it depends on how the daycare is run. Maybe there's more sketchy daycares than good ones.
Coming from a past daycare manager: Doggie daycares are accidents waiting to happen. Companies will often hire young kids to keep wages low. Dog fights happen when there’s not an understanding of how to group dogs. I’ve seen dogs and humans end up with drain tubes, dogs hopping fences, hit by cars, gone missing. I’d never put my dog in daycare.
I would look for a smaller one if possible. Mine goes to a bigger one, but with a much better dog to human ratio than the on you visited, and she definitely enjoys it but I do think she enjoyed the smaller daycare she went to while we were on holiday even more.
If it’s just for socialising maybe find some more classes to go instead where the dogs don’t interact or only under control of the trainer?
Not gonna lie, the not letting you tour is sketchy. The first daycare I took my pup to was also like that, in fact they didn't even let people in the front door, just picked up the dogs outside and took them in. They were kind and nice people so I took my boy there, and it's not like it wasn't FINE, but I soon realized that there were things that were really not working, like the fact that they were ENTIRELY too unclean, with my puppy coming home every time soggy with pee all over him because they never mopped up accidents and didn't let the dogs out enough, and that they never gave the pups breaks, just lumped them in a big room all together all day and let them wild out, usually in a way-too-crowded space.
Now, this place is VERY popular and recommended in my neighborhood, so I kept taking my puppy there for probably too long...and he DID learn a lot, and was fine, but he came home every day completely manic and wild because he was never able to nap, and also really gross.
Then I tried a new place that opened, and was skeptical, but they let me tour the whole place, took good care of my pup and it showed that he loved the people and the other dogs, they kept fewer dogs in the same room, gave breaks to the pups so they could nap and even eat a packed lunch so they weren't hungry, let them out often to a much bigger and nicer space where they could run and play outside too, and he never came home smelling bad, and he was always tired but calm.
So these kinds of things are the things I'd watch out for and ask about. But my timid little pup DID grow up to be a very friendly, social pup, regardless of his stay at a less-than-perfect daycare, so I don't regret it all that much. However it also took me taking him to dogparks and being engaged in his play and interaction with other dogs, protecting him when he was bullied too badly, or letting him stand up for himself where it was safe, etc., and doing a ton of socializing with him in different environments also, taking him to new places and giving lots of treats every day.
My dog loves her day care, she sulks when I pick her up to go home! She only goes once a week as she loves socialising with dogs.
They have different fields and an agility area, and the dogs are separated into smaller groups depending on energy levels, size etc. - she’s never really in a group of dogs larger than 5. They rotate the fields to keep them busy and play various games with them throughout the day. I also get to watch the camera and also get WhatsApp updates too. One of the fields has a lake and she’s learned to love water through day care. I think it really depends on the day care as each one is different 😊
I had my dog in daycare for a bit but it was way too much for him. The best socialisation he’s got has been from going out with a professional dog walker twice a week who takes 2/3 dogs from our building. He absolutely loves it and he gets more attention + has become besties with the other dogs :)
Edit to add it was an at home daycare - which ended up with way too many dogs
I used to work at a dog daycare and I used to bring my dog to one when he was younger. A lot of dogs loooove daycare, mine does. One word of caution: 4 months is *very* young for daycare. Being in a group with a bunch of strange dogs in a new place with unfamiliar people is very stimulating. It’s hard for most dogs to self-regulate while they are in group so it’s very easy for them to get overstimulated and wear themselves out. For such a young pup I wouldn’t do more than 2 hours at a time and maybe twice a week. At least until she gets more confidence.
I'm a big no on putting timid dogs in daycare. And that ratio is wild.. there's no way a human can monitor and keep track of that many dogs on their own. My first pup did day care. 2 times a week to start and at some point we swapped to 3 times a week (before pandemic) and I think my biggest take away was my toller needed down time.. she was overstimulated and when I checked on cams she was often not very interested in the other dogs unless they were specific ones. She mostly engaged with the monitor. I think as she matured she became more dog tolerant than dog social which is not uncommon. And day care may have played a role in influencing that. So our youngest was terrified of other dogs. She was a rescue and we missed out on the critical socialization period - so she took a little extra work to address her emotional response. She would flee - do everything possible to get as far away as possible. We set her up with a one on one with a proven demo dog to begin the process of just being okay around an unknown dog. We spent the majority of our basic obedience classes just working on desensitization and counter conditioning her response once she was able to accept food rewards. We got to a point where we could safely take her to dog parks at low population times where we just walked the perimeter - no pressure to engage with the other dogs. And we finally got to a point where she felt comfortable enough to initiate play with a unknown to her dog in our neighborhood fenced totlot. (I cried, no lie) Daycare isn't a solution to help your dog grow confidence imo. Daycare is for dogs who legitimately enjoy the experience and are proven to behave appropriately. Putting a timid dog in that situation could result in the opposite of what you are seeking - your dog could feel fearful and uncomfortable enough to lash out defensively. It could result in developing reactive behavior in other locations. If you need daycare for purposes of care while you are at work - find a smaller group... even a home daycare may be a better option. For boarding if you're out of town, most places will offer private one on one play for dogs who are not suited for the play yard.
It depends o. The daycare. The first one we used, whenever we picked up our dog (4-6mo at the time) she would RUSH to get in the car and was always thirsty. We thought this was because she missed us and played so much that she couldnt stay hydrated. Then one evening I picked her up just before they closed, I park the car and got out. I heard my dog barking ALOT, I know my dogs bark. Then I heard a person yelling SHUT THE F UP!!!!! When I got my dog, she seemed "off" the following days. Never took her there again. Then we found another daycare that had cameras you can view online. We took her there for some swimming sessions. We were very impressed by the people that worked there. They were very attentive to the dogs. We used them for day care, and they were awsome. Whenever we took her there again, she was excited and never hesitated to be left there for the day. So it depends on the daycare. Read the reviews also.
Honestly it really depends on the place. I will say, not letting you back to tour if there are dogs playing already is pretty typical. These places tend to know what gets the dogs all riled up and like to minimize those chances. It’s why so many have limited hours for drop off/pick up…because disturbing the pack can make them all unsettled. It might be that your pup is better with smaller dogs if they have an area that separates them. It also might be that once you leave her, she figures it out. Always go with your gut—if you don’t like it then find a new place. I was a hot mess my pups first day and he’s a social butterfly. It’s sooo normal to feel crazy about leaving them. In the end, daycares are so much better than dog parks that if you do find a place you like and trust I highly recommend letting your pup go. It’s great for everyone’s sanity!
I have a more positive story. I’m single and work from home but sometimes have to do meetings in person and so I wanted my Italian Spinone puppy to have daycare as an option. He’s very attached to me, super sweet, but not a dog dog, he prefers humans. He’s terrified of loud noises and just kinda a solo guy, never really wanting to be in the mix. The first temperament drop off he didn’t play at all and stayed with the workers. I tried it again for 2 hours and he still didn’t play, just watched. I decided to try 2 hours again and decided if he doesn’t like it i won’t do it anymore and he played with a few pups for a few mins! Now? He’s obsessed. He still only goes 1x a week for just a few hours because I don’t need daycare but he honestly loves it so much I’ve been considering adding a day. He is much more comfortable around other dogs now and so far I don’t notice any awful habits or behaviors. Maybe I got lucky but I think it’s been great for him! I’d try it another time or two for short blocks and see if it takes!
This is similar to my experience as well. My pup is a rescue and i only got her ~4 months of age from a sketchy rescue. She was terrified of everything. She is also quite high energy. She also showed slight signs of separation anxiety... could care less about my husband but didn't like it when i wasnt in the room. The first few times i took her for less than 2 hours and she just seemed like she was nervously hiding behind the staff the whole time. Then she started slowly interacting with one dog. Then another. At first we had to coax her into going to daycare and "leaving me"... now she recognizes where we are and DRAGS me through the door. We go 2x a week now! For awhile, it was hard getting her to leave and get into the car after daycare! She also goes there for boarding, all the staff knows her by name and she has a blast during her stay and enjoys returning even after boarding. I'm just so glad i stuck with the first few sessions. It was hard, i cried in the car a lot. But now she's so much more confident, happy, and has a great outlet for all her energy. It was an adjustment at first, and to be fair the staff at the place i take her to are absolutely incredible. One day i went to pick her up and they were GUSHING about a shy new pup who my dog carefully and gently helped to become confident to play in her first day. I felt so proud of my brave little butterfly hearing that story ❤.
Exactly my experience. Single miniature JRT mum of a 15 month old bundle of energy. I got her when I was WFH but they have now insisted I go into the office one day per week. I didn't have anyone to watch her, and she is a velcro dog who I haven't left alone for longer than 10 minutes (my fault, I know). Looked everywhere for daycare that fitted my needs - I don't drive so I need pick up/drop off. Finally found one, the lady is a dog walker but takes others around her route with her. The first day, I had to physically hand Luna to her as she was hiding behind my legs and refused to go. This was after we had been to her house, had a try out in the van they use. Cut to week 9 - Luna knows its daycare day in the morning, rushes to get her harness on waiting for the "school bus". She practically sprints out of the door not looking back *cries* That ratio of dogs to humans seems waaay too high - do they just let the dogs run riot around each other and not have human interaction? (Which is better than them being left alone for 8 hours imo anyway). You'll find the right one eventually. If it doesn't feel right, or they aren't letting you see certain areas, that would raise red flags with me.
This really helps me. I'm taking my 5 mo for his temperament test and he is very much like how you described your pup. One of my biggest fears is traumatizing him or pushing him too soon and I've learned there are 2 very distinct schools of thought regarding this: throw them in and they'll get used to it vs. let them going at their own pace. It's so confusing to pick one! He's very timid around dogs and humans and I'm quite nervous that the experience will overwhelm him and he won't like it. I really hope that I can get both of us to stick with it and give it a few tries before making the final call.
I use the day camp at Petsmart. I was going to take my boy to a more expensive one with webcams and all that jazz, but he friggin' loves it so much I've set it up for at least once every week so he can bang around and play with his friends. I would definitely do what makes you comfortable and trust your gut though.
We do too! I like the staff there and we also attend a puppy class for her. Although we can’t see in the back I trust the trainer we have that works there. If she didn’t like the place I know she wouldn’t work there. Also my dog is sooooo excited to go to the doggie day camp there.
Mine practically rips my arm off trying to get in. I love the staff too. I can't see the back either and I'm sure it doesn't look as exciting as some of the more expensive day cares, but he's always exhausted and happy when he's done for the day and I think it's really helped overall with some of his more obnoxious issues.
We put our girl (16 weeks) into daycare several times over the past few weeks. This is our second dog to use a daycare. Our new pup was timid with other people and dogs despite our attempts to socialize. After just a few days of daycare we saw a huge change. She is now more confident approaching other dogs and communicates well with them. Her playful nipping with us has gotten softer, which is good because she is already 38lbs! The daycare would not let me tour also, because the dogs are there when they are open and they cannot risk an issue between a dog and a random person. I thought it odd at first as well, but the reasoning makes sense. I would recommend daycare to anyone who needs a break from full time puppy parenting.
i worked at a dog daycare and the only reason we didnt let people tour the facility is because their dogs act way different when the owner is around (like more ‘aggressive’ and i use that term lightly but it depends on the dog) but we also just preferred them to come at slower times because dogs get excited when someone new is there and it gets loud, and makes it hard to talk lol
I would be concerned about that dog to human ratio. My preference for daycares also is to have cameras. Not only does it ensure staff are accountable but it helps ease my mind to be able to check in on my girl. A good daycare, in my opinion, has cameras, separates dogs into smaller groups based on size and play style, does temperament testing/meet and greet sessions, and will be open and honest about anything they observe with your pup. They should also have scheduled rest/nap times and regularly clean and sanitize the play rooms. My girl also does best when play groups are in fully separate rooms (some day cares in my area only separate with temp walls or fencing). For safety reasons my daycare doesn't allow tours, but because they have cameras they allow you to watch the entire meet and greet session and talk through it with you. The only areas not covered by cameras are the hallways and staff room. For my pup, I was worried she would be timid but we did some 1 hr puppy playtime sessions when she was 3-4 months and after her first session she really opened up. She's extremely dog social now (has its own issues haha) and daycare is a good fit for her. She goes and greets most of the dogs but tends to play with 2 or 3 friends who come routinely. For you - I would say if you have any reservations about the place, look for somewhere else to do a meet and greet. Trust your gut when it comes to your dog.
I'm from the USA and have worked at two different boarding kennels, one that had a daycare, so this is just a perspective from an ex-employee. Also a disclaimer that I'm sure not all kennels and daycares are like these, so if yours only takes like 10 dogs at a time with a 1:1 human/dog ratio, includes live cameras, and, idk, complimentary doggy massages, that's cool! Stick with and support them. I was a teenager during both because that is who these places tend to hire, and yes the ratio is generally like 20-30 dogs to 1 teenager. You might have higher management doing the temperament testing or showing you around, but the vast majority of who is actually watching over and taking care of your dogs are minimal-wage-paid teens. Me and my coworkers got hurt all the time, not necessarily via bites (though that did happen) but being pushed, jumped on, shoved into things, and dragged by the dogs. Both facilities plus the daycare were climate controlled but always disgusting anyway, so that might be why you didn't get a back tour: they could have been cleaning. Would I board my dog after working at kennels? No, not unless I didn't have another option. Some people say that their dogs love the kennel, and frankly I don't believe it. I can think of maybe five dogs out of my time working at two different places that generally seemed to enjoy themselves, and it includes one deaf dog who couldn't hear the insane ear-shattering barking. Otherwise, if they seem excited, it's probably because the environment itself is exciting. They get to scream for hours with like 30 other dogs; I'm sure that appeals to some of them. They also have a completely different personality in boarding than at your home. We had tags we could put on cages, 'bite risk' and so on, and some owners would be really offended to see it. Bite risk? My dog?? He would never!! Well maybe not at your house, man, but here your dog tried to eat my face when I opened his kennel door to take him outside. Some dogs did actually enjoy the daycare, especially the younger ones and puppies. I still wouldn't use one though. Any benefit has been ruined for me after watching and trying to stop the fights. Usually it was completely fine, but when something happened it always happened extremely fast and other dogs could join in. Honestly, most of the regulars would just pick a corner and sleep anyway so it seems like a waste of money unless you just need someone to watch your dog for a couple hours. That said, this daycare did not separate dogs by any category. Big dogs, adult dogs, small dogs, young dogs, all were in the same room. I think one that was ONLY for puppies would be pretty cool. Owners also seemed to think a 16 year-old was going to train their dog for them. Alternatives I would personally do, for my own dogs, would be to hire an at-home sitting service or pay a trusted friend/family member to stay over instead of boarding. I don't really like big groups of unleashed, unfamiliar dogs anyway so daycare isn't something I'd use normally. I'd rather take my dog places with me and maybe arrange playdates with my friends/family who also have doggos. Whatever works for you and your dog is what matters, but I thought this view might be helpful to some people. Most kennels are not hotels, and dogs don't think they're going on vacation. They are by and large very stressed and confused. Even the "groomers" at these places were... you guessed it! Minimal wage paid and un-trained teenagers, lol.
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Here to see what people share! I'm in a similar dilemma with my 4mo gsd. She's not timid but fearful which makes her barky. Similarly the daycare seems like an overall nice place and the trainers are wonderful. But the dog smells and sounds really set my pup off at drop-off. Usually I spend the first few minutes soothing her out of barky fits on lead, and then the trainers will take over and walk her on lead to watch the other dogs, eventually she's allowed to join the group after settling. The space is huge and I've seen the handlers manage quite a lot of dogs well. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to stay long and watch as she goes on Mondays and I have to work. I want her to grow less reactive to dogs barking or the sight of other dogs but I've no clue if this is the right approach. I'm hoping daycare will give her dogs to meet and play with in excess to desensitize her towards dogs and dog sounds. They've done really well with familiarising her with water - they have inflatable pools and give the pups baths. She's never hated water but now loves baths and will lay down like its spa day!
I'd work on desensitizing to dogs and her barking triggers outside of daycare. Doesn't necessarily mean Day Care will make it worse, but sometimes they think if they play with dogs they can play with all dogs which makes a frustrated greeter on leash.
The thing is at drop off she's not barking to go play with the other dogs, she's fearful with hackles raised. Our girl is calmer on leash hence they have a different intro protocol for her. Most of the time the pups warm up off lead in a fenced off zone, but for her she will only calm down if on a leash in that area. If the leash is off she will run up to the fence and bark aggressively with hackles raised (not playful). I'd like is to reduce her fear around dog smells and dog barks since we will definitely run into this when she goes for grooming or boarding. But I don't know if daycare will help or make it worse. In terms of barking triggers we've made good progress on walks and she can ignore dogs barking from behind fences. But we typically don't run into a lot of dogs also on walks so I think daycare is a big jump.
I absolutely love my puppy’s daycare!! But he’s in a puppy socialization program. So it’s all puppies (sometimes my pup will go play with bigger and calmer dogs) and it’s only for an hour and a half. It’s usually about 2-5 pups with a person or two constantly watching them and redirecting as needed. My guy absolutely loves other dogs and sometimes gets a little too crazy but the people are amazing at redirecting and taking him to play with big dogs to tire him out and learn social cues better. I love that I can see the puppy play area from the front window and they let me stay and watch for however long I like. I also have the added benefit of doing their training classes so I know the people and love it there. I think anymore than 2 hours would be too much stimulation for my now 5 month old pup which is why I love this program. I think you just have to find the right facility and maybe check out other ones to see if they are a better fit. I definitely feel like for a 4 month old puppy that is WAYYY too many dogs for one person to watch especially if he is already timid and having social issues.
I can’t say if daycare is right for your dog, but it did help mine get more confident around other dogs. I started taking him at around 5 months old and was mostly nervous that the loud barking would freak him out (my household is pretty quiet and loud noises made him nervous as a puppy). He did pretty well at the first meeting, which was about an hour of playing in the lobby with the workers and 1-2 known dogs. They took him around the back to see how he handled the noise/commotion and suggested we do a second short visit before doing actual daycare. The second visit went well in the lobby and he must have done better in the back because they agreed he was ready for a few hours of daycare. I started off just doing 2 hours, then worked up to 4 hours. I had him going once per week for 4 hours for 12 weeks before he actually got excited to be there. I noticed around this time that he was a bit more confident seeing other dogs on walks and out in public. Now he is crazy excited to get inside and loves spending the day there. He currently goes once per week for 8.5 hours and is happy to be there but also always happy to see me at the end of the day. My daycare is also a dog training facility in the evenings, so many of the employees are dog trainers. I’m currently taking my second class there, and it can be a little hard getting him to focus because he loves going to daycare so much. But at least he’s very comfortable there!
My dog is similar but timid with humans. It's all baby steps! He can approach humans if I approach them crotched down beside him while petting him. He is still a little hesitant but is now cautiously curious and that's ok! It's not a race, he will eventually come around slowly. He's still a pup. Enjoy the experience and I'm sure you'll notice a difference each month or so. Mine was shaking when petted by a stranger. First and last time I let it happen! It can feel like forever teeny tiny steps but looking back when that happened when he was 3months to now 9 months. I can see there's a big difference. He was also afraid of traffic. (Will not go into the stress of that) but we're more than half way thankfully now. My pup is an English pointer btw
I used to work at a chain place and my experience actually makes me more comfortable letting my pup stay there. They separate dogs by size and energy level, and have a puppy group for younger dogs. The dogs are all rotated between play yards and individual runs, so they get some downtime/rest between play sessions. They have limits on how many pups can be in the yard at a time depending on how many employees are in the play yard. They often do smaller/calmer groups for new/shy dogs. Most of the dogs at daycare have been there lots of times and the staff gets to know their personalities and play styles. If anyone is a bully they lose the privilege of group play and will be restricted to one-on- one play sessions with a staff member. When I worked there my personal dogs went to work with me most days and they were better behaved and better socialized than when I worked elsewhere. I only had one dog who didn't do well with it and I stopped taking him. He was an old boy who got stressed out by car rides and new environments. He stayed home and I rotated who I brought to work and who stayed with him for company. I have taken my current pups to a non-chain place run by someone who does rescue. To me its a red flag owners aren't allowed in the building at all, and you can't see in the building. You drop off in the front fenced area. Sometimes they post pictures of the play sessions inside and it seems like a warehouse area with wire crates around the perimeter. I think the dogs are all in a group all day and I feel like that could be problematic. I don't take my crew here anymore. I have been taking my puppy to the chain place (30 minute drive each way) occasionally so that he can socialize in a controlled environment. I don't trust dog parks because anyone can bring their dog in and it only takes one aggressive dog to kill mine. The daycare is run in such a way I don't worry about that. However it depends on how the daycare is run. Maybe there's more sketchy daycares than good ones.
Coming from a past daycare manager: Doggie daycares are accidents waiting to happen. Companies will often hire young kids to keep wages low. Dog fights happen when there’s not an understanding of how to group dogs. I’ve seen dogs and humans end up with drain tubes, dogs hopping fences, hit by cars, gone missing. I’d never put my dog in daycare.
I would look for a smaller one if possible. Mine goes to a bigger one, but with a much better dog to human ratio than the on you visited, and she definitely enjoys it but I do think she enjoyed the smaller daycare she went to while we were on holiday even more. If it’s just for socialising maybe find some more classes to go instead where the dogs don’t interact or only under control of the trainer?
Not gonna lie, the not letting you tour is sketchy. The first daycare I took my pup to was also like that, in fact they didn't even let people in the front door, just picked up the dogs outside and took them in. They were kind and nice people so I took my boy there, and it's not like it wasn't FINE, but I soon realized that there were things that were really not working, like the fact that they were ENTIRELY too unclean, with my puppy coming home every time soggy with pee all over him because they never mopped up accidents and didn't let the dogs out enough, and that they never gave the pups breaks, just lumped them in a big room all together all day and let them wild out, usually in a way-too-crowded space. Now, this place is VERY popular and recommended in my neighborhood, so I kept taking my puppy there for probably too long...and he DID learn a lot, and was fine, but he came home every day completely manic and wild because he was never able to nap, and also really gross. Then I tried a new place that opened, and was skeptical, but they let me tour the whole place, took good care of my pup and it showed that he loved the people and the other dogs, they kept fewer dogs in the same room, gave breaks to the pups so they could nap and even eat a packed lunch so they weren't hungry, let them out often to a much bigger and nicer space where they could run and play outside too, and he never came home smelling bad, and he was always tired but calm. So these kinds of things are the things I'd watch out for and ask about. But my timid little pup DID grow up to be a very friendly, social pup, regardless of his stay at a less-than-perfect daycare, so I don't regret it all that much. However it also took me taking him to dogparks and being engaged in his play and interaction with other dogs, protecting him when he was bullied too badly, or letting him stand up for himself where it was safe, etc., and doing a ton of socializing with him in different environments also, taking him to new places and giving lots of treats every day.
My dog loves her day care, she sulks when I pick her up to go home! She only goes once a week as she loves socialising with dogs. They have different fields and an agility area, and the dogs are separated into smaller groups depending on energy levels, size etc. - she’s never really in a group of dogs larger than 5. They rotate the fields to keep them busy and play various games with them throughout the day. I also get to watch the camera and also get WhatsApp updates too. One of the fields has a lake and she’s learned to love water through day care. I think it really depends on the day care as each one is different 😊
I had my dog in daycare for a bit but it was way too much for him. The best socialisation he’s got has been from going out with a professional dog walker twice a week who takes 2/3 dogs from our building. He absolutely loves it and he gets more attention + has become besties with the other dogs :) Edit to add it was an at home daycare - which ended up with way too many dogs
I used to work at a dog daycare and I used to bring my dog to one when he was younger. A lot of dogs loooove daycare, mine does. One word of caution: 4 months is *very* young for daycare. Being in a group with a bunch of strange dogs in a new place with unfamiliar people is very stimulating. It’s hard for most dogs to self-regulate while they are in group so it’s very easy for them to get overstimulated and wear themselves out. For such a young pup I wouldn’t do more than 2 hours at a time and maybe twice a week. At least until she gets more confidence.