You adopted a puppy because you have room at home and love in your heart. However, it’s tough to communicate to your dog that you’ll require to leave him at home five days weekly to visit work. You’ve done training him to be alone throughout the day (and even considered obtaining a second dog to keep him company), but if your gut tells you it might just not be adequate, is there another option? Is puppy day care a good option for your pet?

What Is Dog Day Care?
Very much like day care for babies and children, per day care for your puppy is a location you may bring him through the daytime to be looked after as long as you’re not around. These facilities often have structured activities, free play time, and quiet areas where pups can escape for a nap.

A dog day care is different from pet sitting or kennel boarding. Pet sitting usually consists of one individual watching only your dog or a tiny band of pets, in your house or theirs, for less than a couple of hours to some days at the same time. Boarding your pet is generally a multi-day, overnight option for situations just like a vacation or a home renovation.

Healthy Hound Playground is Northern Virginia’s Premier Dog Day Care, Boarding Kennel & Grooming Salon & Spa dedicated to providing your four-legged family member with an exceptional, safe and fun home away from home with regular outdoor potty breaks. Visit: http://healthyhoundplayground.com/

Located directly on the border of Herndon VA and Sterling VA off of Route 28 and the Dulles Toll Road, Healthy Hound Playground is central to Reston Town Center, Ashburn and Dulles Airport. The facility is also a short 10-minute drive from the Chantilly – Centreville VA area.

Dog trainer trains puppy to sit up and beg

Puppy Day Care: What things to Look For
Even whether it’s exclusively for a couple of hours per day, it’s important to ensure your dog day care is an excellent environment for your dog. Consider places that enable a short assessment. If you simply drop and go, you’ll never know what your day care is like as long as you’re away. But if you bring your dog with you to check on the area out, you can view him connect to the staff and other animals. There must be enough room for those dogs to try out, and the facilities should be clean.

You can even ask who will be watching your dog while you’re away. There should be considered a human “pack leader” and assistants to help and socialize the animals. Search for places where the human-to-dog ratio is not a greater than one adult to every ten to fifteen dogs (someone to five is better still when possible, says The Bark).

How to READY YOUR Dog for the First Day
Before attending a dog day care, your dog should learn sufficiently to answer commands. Some facilities may even require proof of an obedience training before welcoming your dog. Many groups also need confirmation from your veterinarian that your pet is current on common vaccines, such as rabies and distemper.

The original assessment will help your dog understand the environment before the wedding day, so there’s not too much prep you must do. In case your schedule can accommodate it (and the facility allows) you might want the first day or two to be half-days. This can help your pup understand that you are not ditching him with the new cool humans and other fun dogs, and that you will be back later. This is especially very important to young puppies which could have separation anxiety or former shelter dogs which may be fretful when dropped off in a strange place. See if you can stay for a little longer each day to experiment with with your dog and make him feel more relaxed.

What IN THE EVENT YOU Expect?
One of the biggest reasons to send your dog to doggy day care is to let him socialize and release energy! When you select up your dog by the end of the day, you want to see that he’s happy, healthy, and tired. All facilities plan their activities differently, so choose the one which you like best. Some may have free play all day, while others may schedule structured activities. By the end of the day, ask for a written report on your dog’s activities if you are not already given one. Some puppy day cares will text you a picture of your dog at play mid-day.

MAINTAINING YOUR Dog Safe at Dog Day Care
Similar to a children’s day care, the staff should be providing you with reports of how your dog’s day went. Are going to able to explain if there are any questionable interactions between dogs or if anyone needed to be separated. The facility should also enforce a strict stay-home-when-you’re-sick policy (yes, pets get sick too!), in case another dog is showing signs of an illness, such as kennel cough, they need to alert you immediately.

However, accidents do happen, and it’s really important to know that the business where you leave your dog has insurance and it is bonded. Since your pet cannot speak for himself and you are not there to witness any issues firsthand, you do not want to be responsible for medical bills or property damages. A facility with video monitoring should make the top of your list, though it is not necessary.

Most importantly – relax. Your dog is going to love puppy day care and you’ll, too!