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Choosing a dog daycare in Connecticut is an important decision to make for your fur baby. The right daycare should not only be a good source of exercise; it should be a place of socialization, care and mental engagement for your dog. The ideal daycare should take your dog’s energy levels and age into consideration and transparent procedures and policies with their customers. But with so many options, how do you choose the right one? We’ve got your tail and are here to help! Here are some things to consider when choosing a dog daycare in Connecticut.
Know Your Dog’s Needs
Your dog’s age and activity levels give a great indication of the kind of daycare they can thrive in. A good daycare will help maintain your dog’s psychological and physical health. Whether your dog is high-energy and active or older in age and slower, there is a daycare perfect for your pup. In addition to energy levels, any special needs your dog has can be a deciding factor to which daycare you choose. Knowing your dog’s needs can also help you determine whether a daycare is fitting or if maybe hiring a dog walker to provide one-on-one attention will be a better fit for your pup. Your dog’s behavior and defensive tendencies can also help you determine the best service and environment that will suit them. Knowing your dog will give you an indication of the type of daycares you should be researching.
Winnie, Chip and Cheese enjoying playtime at Where Sit Happens in Oxford, CT.
The Daycare Facility
There are three types of dog daycares that are common: dog park style, separated play area style, and homestyle. Each of these daycare structures can affect your dog differently.
The dog park style is beneficial for young active dogs that love to run around and socialize. Dogs that are also friendly with everyone without any anxiety or defenses tend to do well in these daycares. These day cares range greatly in their facilities and may or may not include outdoor play areas, splash pads or pools and fun toys to climb on.
Daycares with separated play areas, or zoning, work for all sorts of dogs. Whether your dog is older and prefers a slower pace or young and wild, there is a designated play area for them. These sort of daycares are also great for dogs that are anxious and shy and that have defensive tendencies with toys or territory. These play areas are small enough to be accurately supervised by daycare staff so you can be sure your dog is safe.
Homestyle daycares could be best for older dogs, dogs with less energy, or special needs that do better with more care and one-on-one attention. These daycares usually have smaller facilities, so spaces are limited. It is important to note that many homestyle daycares operate without the proper licensing required in Connecticut which regulates how many dogs are cared for at one time, how your pet is handled and how facilities are maintained. While some dog owners may be comfortable with this, it’s important to consider if regulation is important to you and your family.
Of course, different types of daycares have different price structures depending on the number and types of services they offer. But keep in mind that your dogs’ needs should be considered first before your budget.
Policies, Insurance and Transparency
The transparency of a facility’s policies, safety procedures and insurance is essential. These policies and procedures are a great indication of a facility’s education, experience, and commitment to the seriousness of the care of your dogs. The more transparency with customers, the better and more trustworthy the business. An excellent way to get a feel of the daycare facility is to ask for a tour or book an assessment and to check out customer reviews. While your dog is being assessed, you will have the opportunity to ask your questions, view the other dogs and staff, and see for yourself if this facility is right for your dog. In addition to a tour, find out if the facility is licensed and insured is equally important as this is essential protection for emergencies.
Ask the daycare what updates they provide. Do they send updates throughout the day? Send a report card home? See if they offer video streaming so you can check on your pup during work. Whatever their plan it should be well articulated, consistent and something you’re comfortable with.
Health and Safety
It is crucial to inquire about the health requirements of dogs enrolled in a facility. Your pup may be at risk if a daycare does not require basic protections such as being current on flea/tick preventative, rabies, Bordetella and distemper vaccines and a current negative sample for fecal parasites. The State of Connecticut requires a town license and negative fecal within the last six months as well as annual inspections at a minimum. Daycares should easily be able to provide what their sanitation procedures are when asked including what parvocides they are using. (If they don’t know what a parvocide is… consider that a red flag!)
Some daycares run very large groups of dogs while others may have smaller groups. Be sure to find out how they put together their playgroups and what the ratio of humans to pups is at any time. A small, training-based daycare program may cap their ration at 3 dogs to 1 person while a large facility may have 15+ dogs to one person.
Qualifications
Be sure to find out what credentials the owners and team members at a daycare have. Dog body language can be subtle and free play in groups of dogs requires thorough supervision. Look to see if the daycare has certified trainers on staff. Do they have a relationship with a local vet? Is everyone CPR and First Aid certified? What does their employee training program entail?
Activities
Contrary to popular belief, allowing dogs to run with one another for hours at a time can lead to overstimulated dogs. Many daycares are moving toward a model that includes rest time and mental enrichment. Ask the daycare owner questions like:
- What sort of variation they provide from day-to-day?
- Does any training occur during the day?
- If so, what methodologies are used?
- What happens if a dog is overwhelmed or needs a break?
Choosing a dog daycare in Connecticut may sound like a lot of work, but in the end, it can surely be worth it! Seeing your pup wagging their tail and panting in excitement after a day of fun is a great feeling and sense of accomplishment as a pet parent. We love to see our fur babies thrive and enjoy life, and choosing the right daycare can bring that happiness to their lives. Let us know your favorite dog daycares in Connecticut, and check out our dog walking and pet sitting sitting services if your dog prefers one-on-one time rather than a crowd!
Jessica graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut in 2015. Her animal-centered coursework here included courses in animal behavior, health and disease management, anatomy and physiology, basic through advanced nutrition and feeding, genetics, comparative exercise physiology, endocrinology, reproductive physiology and equine science.
Her resume also boasts hands-on work experience managing horse farms, working with animals ranging from prairie dogs and bison to South American Primates at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, as well as care, training and management of domestic animals from hamsters to cows.
Outside of RCO, Jessica is the dog mom of five (Rocco, Luna, Owl, River and Peanut), enjoys reading, walking and training her own dogs, visiting Disney World and pursuing further educational opportunities.
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