At Fitdog, we believe that daily activities and socialization helps your dog become the best they can be. We offer three unique programs to help you the most of your dog’s time, when your not there.
fitdog home
  • Asset 4 fitdog club
    • Services
    • Pricing
    • Assessment
    • Login
  • Asset 5 fitdog sports
    • Classes
    • Leaders
    • Sign Up
    • Login
  • Asset 3 fitdog training
    • Programs
    • Trainers
    • Get started
About
Blog: Off the Leash
Questions? Let’s Talk!
contact@fitdog.com (310) 828 - 3647
Follow us on Social Media:
Login to Club
Login to Sports
  • Club
  • Sports
  • Training
  • About
  • Blog
(310) 828 - 3647

How to choose the perfect daycare for your dog

Pick the perfect place for your pooch

Collapse
More from

Off The Leash:

Dog Parks: Harmful or Helpful?
December 12, 2022
Your Complete Guide to The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks
July 01, 2022
The Best Dog-Friendly Airlines and Their Pet Policies
June 09, 2022
How to stop your dog from digging
May 17, 2022
Five tips to follow when bringing a new pet home
November 04, 2021
Beginner’s Guide to Lure Coursing
November 03, 2021
Deadly Disease: Why Lepto Should be a Core Vaccine
July 21, 2021
Guide to Common Dog Diseases & Parasites
July 26, 2021
The 7 Best Podcasts for Dog Lovers
May 27, 2021
Avoid These Grooming Mistakes With Your Doodle
April 17, 2021
5 Benefits of Teaching Your Dog How to Swim
April 09, 2021
5 tips to re-socializing your dog after the pandemic
February 26, 2021
5 Animal Non-Profits to Donate to This Holiday Season
December 18, 2020
7 Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Foods
November 26, 2020
10 Best Dog Photography Tips
October 27, 2020
Importance of Developmental Based Dog Training
October 21, 2020
Complete guide to treating dog allergies
September 15, 2020
Overweight Dogs: COVID-19 Made My Dog Fat!
August 19, 2020
Best Pet Tech Products 2020
August 15, 2020
Best Backyard Activities for your Dog
July 30, 2020
Foxtails in dogs: A hidden danger on your hiking trail
July 23, 2020
7 Tips to Teach Your Dog How to Swim
July 15, 2020
How to modify your home for an elderly pet
July 09, 2020
Frozen Dog Treats for Summer: 4 Pupsicle Recipes to Treat your Dog
July 03, 2020
Dog scared of fireworks? Prepare your dog for 4th of July fireworks before …
June 26, 2022
Stop your puppy from biting with stuffables
June 17, 2020
Socializing Your Dog After COVID-19
June 14, 2020
Dog-Friendly Camping: 8 Pet Friendly Campgrounds in California
June 09, 2020
7 Best Easy DIY Dog Treat Recipes
May 26, 2020
Train and Play Philosophy
May 18, 2020
Puppy Socialization: Why your dog needs it
January 25, 2021
Andrea Servadio
Andrea Servadio
January 14, 2020

Choosing a daycare or overnight boarding place for your dog is no easy feat! There is a lot that goes into creating the best experience for your dog, from both an operational and parental perspective. Make sure to pay attention to these factors when determining the perfect place for your pup.

Know Your Dog

The most important thing is knowing your dog’s personality. If they love humans and other dogs, they will probably love daycare! If your dog is aggressive around other dogs and humans, you should not bring them to daycare. And if your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, daycare will not necessarily cure it.

Luckily, daycare is not the only option available. Read on to learn about alternative daycare activities!

Read our guide on poor personality types for dog daycare

Choose the Perfect Dog Daycare | Fitdog Los Angeles | Dog Daycare, Hiking + Sports Classes

How to Choose the Perfect Daycare for Your Dog

Make sure that there are dedicated play areas for dogs based on size. It’s important to be able to separate the big dogs from the little ones to prevent any discomfort or anxiety.

It’s comforting to know that your dog will only be interacting with playful dogs. Do some research and see if the daycare does any temperament testing on dogs before allowing them to visit.

Check out the daycare play space to ensure that there is plenty of room for your pup to run around. Your dog will feel anxious and nervous if they’re cooped up in a small playpen all day.

Find out if your dog will be taken on walks while visiting – this is especially important! Your pup will get some fresh air and a temporary change in surroundings.

Dogs need at least 16 hours of sleep to be fully functioning and rested. Ask about the play and rest schedule at the daycare to ensure your pup will get the rest he/she needs!

It’s always a great idea to meet the workers. These are the people that will be interacting with your dog all day – meeting them can help put your mind at ease while you’re away.

If overnight care is what you’re looking for, see to it that your pup will have a private place for eating and sleeping.

Lastly, dogs need to feel loved. You really want to find a facility that really loves dogs. (And that’s harder than you think.)

Some Dogs Need More than Daycare

If you have a super high-energy pup, working dog, or intelligent yet mischevious fur baby on your hands, daycare might not be the best option. These dogs need high-intensity exercise and mental stimulation to feel tired and satisfied at the end of the day. Since daycare is essentially open play, it doesn’t always provide enough structure or stimulation, and dogs end up acting out.

Hiking and Group Classes have been shown to help these pups, and spending time in nature has been proven to improve dog’s wellbeing. If your dog comes home still wired after a day of daycare, then you may want to consider alternative activities.

Fitdog Los Angeles

With these tips on hand, we trust you’ll pick the right daycare for you and your dog. If you have any more questions, anyone at Fitdog would be happy to assist!

Updated from original Nov 18, 2015 post on Jan 14, 2020

Categories:
  • Daycare
What’s next?
The Two Causes of Leash Aggression

Many dog owners have issues with walking their dogs on a leash. Lunging at strangers, excessive barking, and growling are all types of behaviors that indicate leash aggression or leash reactivity. If you have a dog with leash...

read more
More from Off The Leash:
Dog Parks: Harmful or Helpful?
December 12, 2022
Your Complete Guide to The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks
July 01, 2022
The Best Dog-Friendly Airlines and Their Pet Policies
June 09, 2022
More Fitdog
Fitdog Home
FAQ
Contact
Fitdog Club
  • Services
  • Pricing
  • Join the Club
Fitdog Sports
  • Classes
  • Leaders
  • Sign Up
Fitdog Training
  • Programs
  • Trainers
  • Get Started
Blog
  • Off The Leash
  • Resources
  • About
  • Become a Trainer
  • Employment Opportunities
contact@fitdog.com
(310) 828 - 3647
1712 21st Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions
© 2018 Fitdog. All Rights Reserved.
Designed and Developed by