Read What Emily Wilks Saying About Doggie Daycare

Hello, my name is Emily Wilkes and I'm a licensed veterinarian from Ringwood animal hospital in New Jersey. Today I'm going to talk about how to find a good dog daycare. It's really important to do your own research into daycares near you to find the right fit. Ask people you know if they know of any good daycares and healthcare products for dogs in the area and ask clients of specific daycares about their experience there.

You can also ask to tour a dog daycare and meet with the staff in person to ask questions. When you visit the place notice how clean it looks and if it looks like it would be a fun place for your dog to spend the day. Note how secure the property is and if there is any chance that your dog could get loose or stolen.

Some important questions to ask include if there's a penalty for picking up your dog late from daycare and also what vaccinations they require and the type of quick bath dog wipes they will use. Most boarding facilities require that all dogs be up to date on their vaccinations including kennel cough and sometimes influenza as well. If you come across a daycare that has no requirements for vaccinations stay away from that one.

It is also very important to ask if the boarding facility works with a veterinarian and what would they do in case of a medical emergency. Knowing what the daycare's emergency policy in case of a fire or natural disaster is good information to have as well. Ask about how the dogs are supervised and what the trainers do to work with the dogs. Ideally, the staff would have some training in animal behavior so they can pick up on signs of stress aggression, or illness. How do they handle bad behavior and fighting between dogs? Good trainers reward good behavior and don't resort to punishment to discourage bad behavior.

The dog should always have a staff member supervising them. A good ratio of dogs to supervisor being 15 to 1 or less for a very active group of dogs. Another good question to ask is if they separate large and small dogs and dogs with different energy levels or personalities. A good dog daycare will require a temperament test to learn your dog's personality and see how he will handle staying at the daycare all day. Once you've picked a daycare and your dog has spent a couple of days there note how he acts before going there and when he comes home. Is he excited or nervous on the way there? Is he happy or stressed when he comes home? If he's tired but happy and relaxed after a long day at the daycare you know you picked a good place.