Why Dogs Should Go to Daycare
Our dogs hold a special place in our hearts and are treated with utmost care, similar to how we treat our own children. Nurturing our furry friends demands abundant affection and attention, which may not always be feasible for every dog owner.
Thankfully, there are options available to assist us in fulfilling our responsibilities. Dog daycares and dog boarding facilities come to the rescue, offering a helping hand in caring for our beloved pets.
These establishments offer a range of advantages for both humans and dogs when managed effectively.
Benefits for Dogs
Socialization
Unlike cats, dogs are pack animals. They have an innate desire to be around and interact with other others. This is important as it actually affects their dynamic around other dogs and humans. Socialization teaches dogs to behave properly, including not jumping on strangers, being gentle around babies and kids etc. It gives them the confidence to enter new situations and react appropriately to new stimuli.
Exercise
Getting the proper amount of exercise is hard for our dogs and us humans too. Your dogs rely on you to give them the exercise they need, otherwise that excess energy turns into bad habits like excessive barking, destructive behaviours and in extreme cases, even health issues. Doggy daycares provides a safe and supervised environment for your dogs to exercise and expend their energy. After a day at daycare, your dog will come home ready for a quiet evening!
Relieve Boredom and Anxiety
This leads back to the point about exercising. A bored dog can be quite destructive as his/her energy transfers to chewing, ripping or generally destroying anything he/she can get his/her mouths on. An anxious dog can defecate or urinate in the house, bark excessively and/or defer to destructive behaviours. The mental and physical stimulation provided by going to a daycare can drastically reduce the negative behaviours associated with boredom and anxiety.
Relieve Depression
Dog depression is just as real as depression in humans. Many things can affect a dog’s mood and eventually lead to depression if left untreated like feeling lonely for an extended period of time, feeling neglected because the owner has a new baby, moving to a new home etc. Symptoms for dog depression include lack of energy, become withdrawn and inactive, lack of appetite, sleep more, do not enjoy the same activities he/she used to. Attending daycare allows dogs to socialize on a regular basis and helps alleviate some of the major changes their lives.
Benefits for Humans
Many dog owners worry about their dogs being home alone all day, whether to be kennelled or to freely roam around the house (and hopefully not destroy anything while they’re at it). It is common for working professionals to be away from their dogs for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. You feel guilty about leaving them home alone. Doggy daycares can relieve that guilt and put your mind at ease, knowing your special friends are well taken care of by professionals while you’re at work, or running errands!
Peace of Mind
Most doggy daycares offer flexible half-day, full-day and even weekend services which makes it an ideal solution for busy owners who have odd schedules or just need the occasional help.
Flexibility
Many dog owners think daycare is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, many doggy daycares offer affordable multi-day packages that you can use over a period of time. In addition, you don’t have to send your dogs to daycare every single day. Typically, going to daycare 2 to 3 times a week is enough to satisfy your dogs’ socialization and exercise needs.