Puppies have a lot of energy, don’t they? Typically this blog will be focused on puppy topics, but this week’s post is relevant to all ages! We are talking about doggy daycare! While you are away at work, or even running errands, what is your dog doing at home? Do you need to have someone let your dog out in the middle of the day? These were definitely the questions I faced as soon as I adopted Tucker. I didn’t want Tucker to be in a crate all day, and he definitely wasn’t completely potty trained (a topic we will talk about another time). I don’t want this post to sound like I am only selling a product, but bringing Tucker to doggy daycare at the Shamrock Pet Resort has been a lifesaver for me some days.
As soon as Tucker turned 16 weeks old I immediately signed him up for daycare. My husband and I both work very long hours and Tucker gets a limited amount of playtime each night. We could tell after sleeping all day in a crate he would release his pent-up energy at night running around with “the zoomies”, making it difficult to calm down and get ready for bed when time, or even for us to do work around the house. On days he goes to daycare he wants to play a bit once we get home but then is ready to snuggle on the couch for the night. This way, getting exercise at daycare that is important for a puppy’s overall health, both physically and mentally, can also be of benefit to you! Even if daycare is not a part of your dog’s regular weekly schedule, I would recommend it on days you know that you’ll be busy with other commitments at night where you can’t give him/her full attention.
Another benefit of daycare is that it provides a safe and fun socialization experience with other dogs, and even people! The apartment we live in has many dogs, and I could tell Tucker was afraid of some of them, especially ones that would surprise or bark at him. Daycare has provided Tucker with an experience to investigate and play with multiple different groups of dogs (medium, smaller, older, younger), and now he is not afraid to see, approach, or properly play with other dogs we come across! It is important to start socialization at a young age to prevent future behavioral problems towards animals and people, and can even help with separation anxiety. There are many more benefits to doggy daycare, but these are the ones that have meant the most to my family. I can tell Tucker is excited to see and play with his daycare friends, both two and four-legged, each day, as he runs down the hall to the resort!
We can help with puppy potty training!
How does doggie daycare work here at the Shamrock Pet Resort? Your dog has to be at least 16 weeks of age or older, be current on all age-appropriate vaccines, receive monthly preventatives, have proof of a negative fecal for intestinal parasites, and be in good health (ie. no vomiting, diarrhea, or other physical injuries). The same requirements apply to any other dog that your dog will interact with. Each new dog is assessed for proper behavior prior to introducing them to the playgroup. Our skilled staff members are trained to look for signs of aggression or insecurity, observe how they interact with different groups of dogs and test their basic obedience commands. This allows us to know that your dog and other’s dogs will be safe during the supervised play. Safety and fun are our two main goals of daycare! The resort has both an outdoor and indoor facility for the dogs to run around in all day, each with toys and playsets to enjoy!
For more information about prices and package deals (half or full-day), please visit our Daycare Page at https://spsmallanimalhospital.com/doggie-daycare/
See you next week!
Dr. Megan
Sauk Prairie Small Animal Hospital
