The following questions are intended to help you select a dog daycare that’s right for you and your dog.

First of all, we need to define “dog daycare” as the term is used for a variety of services:

Are the dogs crated or kenneled all day?

I would call this boarding – it’s a wonderful service, but quite different from the service we’re offering.

Are the dogs crated or kenneled the majority of the day with just a few play sessions or potty breaks?

These dogs are actually in a kennel run for perhaps 10 of the 11 hours they’re at the facility and only allowed out for very short play and potty sessions. There’s nothing wrong with this service, but please be sure you’re comparing apples to apples and that this is the right service for you.

Are the dogs free to play or self-direct to various activities and/or rest periods all day long? All day long except for naptime?

Here at Kim’s Canines, our dog guests are free to play, socialize, or cuddle and snooze from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. At noon our guests are crated for snack time and nap time until 2:00 p.m. then we’re back to playing until pick up time.

Second, we have some “supervision” questions:

How many dogs are allowed in the space? What is the square footage allotted per dog? What is the ratio of people to dogs? Is there someone with the dogs at all times? What is the experience of the staff? What sort of training does the staff receive? Are the dogs separated by size? If not, how do they manage predatory drift?

We follow industry standard of 50 sq. ft. per small dog, 75 sq. ft. per medium dog and 100 sq. ft. per large dog; with close to 3500 sq. ft. in the inside play area (plus the outside space), we don’t plan on ever having more than 30 large dogs in the space.

Our people to dogs ratio is a comfortable 10 dogs for 1 person to watch, which falls under the lowest dogs/people ratio considered standard for the industry. There is always someone with the dogs except at naptime.

At Kim’s Canines, our Dog Daycare Attendants are taught to read dog body language and are educated about dog behavior. They start working on the floor before we need them so they can gain experience, along with the education, before they’re ever responsible for even one dog. With experience they slowly start building up how many dogs they’re responsible for until they are proficient with monitoring 10 dogs.

Kim is a Certified Pet Care Technician through ABKA and has passed the Pet First Aid Course given by the American Red Cross. All our Dog Daycare Attendants will be required to achieve these standards too.

We absolutely separate our dogs by size so that a Yorkie is not running with a Greyhound; not only could the Greyhound “drift” into prey drive, but the size difference alone is an accident waiting to happen.

That being said, there are some medium-sized terriers that may end up playing with the larger dogs due to play style. Their play style could possibly terrorize the medium to small dogs, but they fit in great with the large dogs. This will be decided on a dog by dog basis as each dog is an individual – and will be discussed with the owners at the time.

Third, are Behavior Management type questions:

What kinds of techniques or protocols are used to control the group?
• Prevention
• Direction/Intervention
• Shouting or Yelling*
• Time Outs
• Hitting*
• Throwing cans or items towards the dogs*
• Squirt bottles*
• Physical corrections like the totally outdated “alpha roll” or “muzzle grab”*
• Bitter Apple/flavored deterrents*
• Electronic shock and/or citronella collars*

*Warning – there could be fallout or unwanted side effects with these methods, not to mention how unfair it is to punish “all” the dogs in the vicinity when throwing items, yelling, squirting, or having the strong smell of citronella in the air.

Our Dog Daycare Attendants have a good understanding of which behaviors to reinforce (to increase appropriate behaviors), which behaviors can be safely ignored (to extinguish inappropriate behaviors), and which behaviors need to be punished (to decrease inappropriate behaviors). Punishment consists of a time out. Our Dog Daycare Attendants are well-versed on the proper execution of a training time out.

By keeping a close watch on our playgroups, we will intervene early, before the arousal level goes up and redirect the dogs, ask for a settle, or if absolutely necessary, put the dog(s) in time out. We believe that proper management and careful intervention will keep your dog safe and happy.

The fourth area you should question is cleanliness:

Is there a designated potty area? Where are the dogs allowed to eliminate? What happens if a dog has an accident inside? How often are the floors and walls cleaned?

We are very lucky to have a large, fenced outside area not only for potty breaks but for a change of environment and fresh air. In the summer, we’ll have kiddie pools available for a nice cooling dip too. Solid waste is picked up immediately.

If a dog has an accident inside, it is cleaned immediately, then sprayed with a disinfectant and an enzyme deodorizer. After much research and investigation, we chose to install an epoxy floor and frp walls so that cleaning and disinfecting are easily accomplished; cleanliness is a high priority here.

The last area I suggest you ask questions about is safety/environment:

Are there double entries and exits? Is the fencing safe for small dogs? Is fencing exposed to passers-by? Are electrical cords kept out of dogs’ reach? Is there playground equipment for dogs to climb on? Can the dogs get a change in scenery by going outside? Are collars left on dogs while playing together? Are there emergency plans in case of fire, a dog fight, owners’ inability to pick up their dog?

We have a room where the cubbies are that I call the “air lock” as it can be totally enclosed so dogs don’t have access to outside doors and the street, where we remove leashes, harnesses, and collars – put them in the personal cubbie for that dog – and put a PlaySafe™ Daycare Safety Collar* back on.

* A totally new concept, this collar is designed to provide both the ability to instantly control and/or restrain your dog, as well as an emergency release. The safety feature is intended for the typical doggie day care or dog park situation.

Unlike “quick-release” buckles which jam with increased tension, Velcro® allows for an instant release if dogs become entangled, even if the collar has twisted tightly around the neck. Plus, our PlaySafe Collar features two release points, so it can be opened from either side, in case of an emergency.*

Again, after much research and thought, we decided that we needed a “safe” collar that could be quickly and easily released if dogs became entangled, but would work well if we ever had to evacuate for a fire.

Check out my Photos Page for some pictures of our playground equipment!

Additionally, we have written protocols in case of dog fights or other emergencies that we practice and rehearse in order to be ready and prepared for just about anything.

Obviously there are many more questions you can come up with – and you should. It is your obligation to find the best fit for you and your dog. During the evaluation/interview process, it should be going both ways, and if something doesn’t feel right to you, please don’t even think about leaving your dog there. That includes my place too. I truly believe that dog daycare, if done correctly and with the right dogs, can be an awesome experience and of great benefit to both the dog and the family – like with all things, just do your homework first.