Thoughts on this doggy day care

fankino04

fankino04

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Wondered what others think of this as a doggy day care set up...
It's just 1 individual and no more than 5 dogs, is set up on a small area of land (about 1 acre) the owner has a small flat above the stables but mostly the dogs are outside if the weather is good, they are split into 2 groups for walking which they get a morning and afternoon walk of 40 mins to an hour each. When not supervised they have individual kennels leading to individual runs but at other times will be out walking or playing in their groups in securely fenced areas or in the flat. I think it sounds great but seeing kennels makes me wonder if they will really have that "day care" feel or just be in kennels. Also it's £17 per day, does this seem about right? It's just on the edge of the Cotswolds if that helps.
 
As a comparison, we do day care. I have no more than 4 dogs at a time. Walk them twice a day together (which works out to about 3-4 hours in total). They are supervised at all times and have access to a large secure garden and the house. No kennels. We are licenced and insured and charge £15 a day (we are in Wales).
 
fankino04 said:
Wondered what others think of this as a doggy day care set up...
It's just 1 individual and no more than 5 dogs, is set up on a small area of land (about 1 acre) the owner has a small flat above the stables but mostly the dogs are outside if the weather is good, they are split into 2 groups for walking which they get a morning and afternoon walk of 40 mins to an hour each. When not supervised they have individual kennels leading to individual runs but at other times will be out walking or playing in their groups in securely fenced areas or in the flat. I think it sounds great but seeing kennels makes me wonder if they will really have that "day care" feel or just be in kennels. Also it's £17 per day, does this seem about right? It's just on the edge of the Cotswolds if that helps.
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Sounds more like a boarding kennel situation than day care to me. Amymay's set up sounds more preferable to me.
 
They do stress that the dogs have minimal time in the kennels and it is just for safety when 1 group is being walked but I'm not sure that I totally believe this, then again I am cynical and question how many people looking after dogs at home just leave them to their own devices while they watch Jeremy Kyle....
 
I too would be a little concerned that the kennels may be used more than they suggest
I assume safely they can't walk 5 at a time, also can't have all 5 in their flat to chill together in a home setting probably either, so more of a kennel

Sounds like a normal price
 
Dogs needs down time- but I'm sure would rather be in the living room with you while you watch Jeremy Kyle... Rather than in a kennel
 
We have five dogs in the house here right now. No need for kennels. I would not trust a day care set-up with kennels to be a home from home for a pet dog. It does not necessarily mean the care will be sub-standard but it may not be what you want for your dog.
 
Personally I think you'd have to see the set up and decide.

As a groomer I sometimes get people be weird on me over the use of kennels. However, even if I was a 1 to 1 groomer, I'd use kennels - while waiting for a dog to be collected, if I had to use the loo, if I had to step out for lunch (btw, I always have my lunch in the company of client dogs, it's not like I swan off or an hour - I'm there all the time but need to step out now and again). But I would never ever leave a client's dog to roam where they might eat something they shouldn't, to accidently poo, mate a bitch or lord knows what. And yet sometimes those clients act like we are imprisoning their dog.

I would not mind if my precious babies went to day care and were in a kennel part of the day. In fact, I would prefer it to the alternative. I would be happy to know that my dogs were safe in the event that someone had to be "elsewhere" even for a few minutes.

It's also not a bad thing for them to be used to the kennels in the event that they should need to be kennelled by the vet, for example, rather than be stressed over something that is completely foreign to them.

I think it's just how you look at it, personally.
 
If I were looking for a dog to be kept in the house all the time then I would be wary of this set up. However like PnP I do not have a problem with dogs being kennelled and were I ever to leave mine in a boarding set up I would choose secure purpose built kennels over "doggy day care" when the dogs run free in the house/garden, every time. My main reason for this is the matter of security, just local to me there have been 2 cases of dogs escaping from home boarders in just the last couple of months, one ended happily one did not. In both instances it was what I would consider to be a basic lack of security that caused the dogs to be lost. I have seen a few home boarders advertising secure gardens and the fencing shown wouldn't keep our heeler in, never mind the GSDs. So to answer your question OP, it depends what you are looking for, I wouldn't right off this day care without a visit but if you have problems with your dog being kennelled then maybe look elsewhere.
 
I'm another that isn't agains the use of kennels tbh. I would rather that than 10 dogs lumped in together which I have seen several times recently.
I've yet to find daycare I am happy with with the exception of one whereby they are too young for yet (too much exercise!). I have found a local kennel with runs and a nice living area that I'd use if needed though. Price wise that would be on the expensive side but I am in Scotland. The price wouldn't bother me if I was confident in the set up. Being happy in kennels is a life skill like box rest imho but much depends on the dog and personal circumstances.
 
Thanks for the reply, I'm not against them being kenneled for short periods and would rather if there was 3 dogs left while the other 2 were walked that these were kept separate with no one to supervise you don't know what might happen and that's what they say the kennels are for, each kennel has a decent run attached to it so that's good just concerned that they might be in there more than I'm told but I'm totally happy with kenneling as a security measure. I have been told I can turn up any day for a visit and don't need to book so that sounds promising.
 
Everything they say sounds sensible it's just such a new thing and obviously they are my babies so I'm worried about leaving them with anyone, maybe I just need to pack in work and stay at home myself with them every day LOL
 
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