For more information on our Dog Daycare regarding pricing, policies, and schedule – click here.
If you would like to schedule an evaluation or are already evaluated and would like to schedule a day of play, socialization, games, and fun, please call us at (410) 461-2400, or you can email us at [email protected], or you can reach out on Facebook.
What are some important questions that I should ask before taking my dog to doggy daycare?
I'm glad you asked that question. First and foremost would be safety. Safety means you need to ask that all the dogs in daycare are currently vaccinated. They need to be vaccinated against the distemper virus, parvovirus, bordetella (kennel cough), both strains of canine influenza, and rabies virus. You should also make sure that the environment is clean and safe, the dogs all should have a negative fecal sample, and lastly, meet the people and make sure that it's a loving and friendly staff and that they will take great care of your dogs.
Dr. Mary Beth Soverns
Countryside Veterinary Clinic
What's the difference between a dog daycare and a dog boarding facility?
Well, dog daycare is a lot like a daycare for children. Pet parents drop their dogs off in the morning and will meet and greet them, make sure that they're all healthy and they can stay for the day, and then the dogs will run and chase and play and socialize, have a great day while their parents are either going to work. They may be going out for lunch with a friend; they may be cleaning house, or they may be shopping or attending an exercise class. It's not just for people who are going to work. And then they'll come and pick them up later on in the day. Boarding refers to overnight stays. The daycare dogs will all go home in the afternoon.
What's my dog's day like when they're at doggy daycare?
First, they come in the morning, you meet and greet them, and then they have playtime. Some of them are a bit shy. It takes a little while for them to warm up to all the fun, but then there's running and chasing and playing and games, then they'll have a little snack and then everybody has a little bit of quiet time. Sometimes that's a good time for belly rubs or brushing out—some individual attention, but they do need to rest for a while. And then in the afternoon, we start it all up again. Also in the afternoon, we might do some mental games with the dogs like puzzles and some enrichment, which is very fun for the animals and the counselors.
How do I know a doggy daycare is reputable?
Here at Countryside Veterinary Clinic, we've been a leader in the community for over 30 years, and we have veterinary assistants that have been assisting us; they'll be your counselors. They are trained in handling animals. We have a clean and safe environment, and also we want to treat your animals like they are our very own pets.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (410) 461-2400, you can email us, or you can reach out on Facebook. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can.
Dog Daycare - FAQs
Dr. Mary Beth Soverns
Countryside Veterinary Clinic
What are the most important factors for taking care of a dog?
Good question. I think of four pillars—excellent health care, good nutrition, they need plenty of exercise, and they need some mental stimulation.
Do all dogs need exercise?
All dogs need exercise. Sometimes, we're too busy in our lives to be able to give them all the attention that they need, and that's when doggy daycare comes in.
What can happen if my dog doesn't get enough exercise?
Dogs need a lot of socialization and play, and we need to exercise their mind. But when they're bored or have a lot of pent-up energy, they resort to some destructive behavior. They might bark and bark. They may also chew up their crate, and they can do some house soiling. Also, if they're in a crate or another confined area and get too frantic, they can hurt themselves.
What are the benefits of doggy daycare?
There are many benefits. First and foremost is socialization. Dogs love to play with other dogs, so they get to come out and have good socialization, making them better citizens in their neighborhoods with pets and people. Second of all, they get to play and have a lot of fun, chase and run, and they get a lot of exercise. Third, they're not lonely. They have something to do, which creates some independence, and they're less likely to have separation anxiety. Certainly, we can't forget the fact that they do have a lot of just plain fun. And lastly, because we do some enrichment and mental activities with puzzles, they get to exercise their brain a bit too. Sometimes, they come in together. It might be family members, community neighborhood members, or it could be new friends they never met before.
Can all ages of dogs benefit from doggy daycare?
Absolutely. Puppies start to learn how to behave and what the correct behaviors are in social environments like that. An adult dog wants to stretch their legs and have fun every day. And older dogs still need exercise too so they can live a long and happy, healthy life.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (410) 461-2400, you can email us, or you can reach out on Facebook. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can.