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How to choose your perfect home boarding or doggy day care centre

Writer's picture: Cheadle Dog HouseCheadle Dog House

Updated: Nov 17, 2022

Important information on cost, safety tips, and more if you’re considering doggy daycare or kennels.


Have you been feeling a bit guilty that your four-legged friend might need more than just you for company? Maybe you’re thinking about taking him to a nearby doggy daycare centre to get some time with his own kind? But are those places safe for your dog? And will your do dog really enjoy it?


Q: How can I tell if my pooch would like doggy day care or home boarding?


A: It’s important to look at your dogs’ personality – does he enjoy the company of other dogs? Does he like to be around other dogs? Does he play with other dogs, and how well does he play with other dogs? Does he go to the dog park and love it? And how active is he? Not all dogs are suitable for doggie day care that’s why at Cheadle Dog House, we only have a very small number of dogs at any one time, usually two or three small breeds.


Q: Have dogs ever got unwell or even been killed at doggy day care centres? Is it safe for my dog?


A: At Cheadle Dog House we do a thorough screening process and induction when the dog comes to stay? As we base the day care and boarding out of our home, dogs that come to stay with us are properly supervised at all times and the dogs are never left unattended. Our staff education programme is systematic and our premises have undergone security measures such as double gates to outside entrances, no electric cords in play areas and safe, non-skid surfaces and so on. We also have emergency procedures in case the unavoidable should ever happen.


Q: What’s a safe number of dogs per doggy day care centre? Is there a staff-to-dog ratio I should look for?


A: This much depends on the experience of the staff managing the centre and the activity level of the dogs. There are no mandated minimums, but as we are a small family-run centre, we always have at least one member of staff to every three dogs. For home boarding, we only ever have two dogs for each overnight stay.


Q: Should dogs staying at doggy day care centres be separated by size?


A: It’s not just size, because small dogs and young puppies are the same size, but they’re not appropriate players. At Cheadle Dog House we look at the activity level and the play style of the dogs including their personalities. For instance, Jack Russell terriers don’t play well with little poodles, although they’re roughly the same size.


Q: Should doggy day care centres do a temperament test before allowing dogs in?


A: We would recommend this and do use it as part of our screening process for the safety of both the dogs who come to stay with us. It helps to determine if doggy day care is right for you and for your dog. Not all dogs are suitable for day care play so it’s also used to match your dog’s personality with appropriate playmates so your dog is placed in the correct playgroup.


Q: Are there some breeds that shouldn’t be allowed in day care?


A: You really need to look at the dogs as individuals. This is where our screening process kicks-in and can usually tell how well your dog is socially as well as how comfortable we are with particular breed. If we’re not comfortable with a particular breed then we will not take it into our care. Having a very good screening process in place for the dogs is the real key to this.


Q: What kind of training should the staff of a doggy day care have?


A: We have training in body language, signs of stress and basic animal care as well as being pet lovers, and having had dogs in our family for many, many years. We understand dogs and have a solid behavioural foundation of how dogs communicate and the intricacies of the canine communication. Almost nothing a dog does is incidental or accidental, there’s a lot being said by dogs and we don’t see it, even in their overt behaviours.


Dog behaviour or communication is complex in itself and then you throw the dynamics of a group in there and it makes it even more complex. It takes a while to learn all this, and people are more aware the more they see. We can all learn so much just by watching dogs interact – we always tell our owners to just go to a safe and friendly park without their dogs and just watch the interaction.


Q: How long should my dog spend in day care? Is all day too long? How often should he go?


A: It depends on the dog. Some doggy day care centres may require a set number of visits at first to incorporate a dog into the group whereas we will let you know if your dog needs a break. Obviously, younger, more active dogs need it more, otherwise they can get into trouble at home. Older, less active dogs might only need it occasionally.


Q: Should all dogs in day care be up to date with the core vaccinations?


A: Yes. We require proof of vaccinations so we have the records of the vaccinations as well as records of each dog’s vets as part of our screening programme.


Q: How can I choose the best home boarding centre for my dog if I’m going on holiday?


A: Don’t wait. Start checking local centres as soon as you can, not the day before you have to leave. Ask friends and family for word-of-mouth referrals. Visit the centre you’re considering and ask for a tour and an understanding of the day to day activity programme. We are fully transparent at Cheadle Dog House so you’ll be able to see first-hand what kind of services we offer and learn about our structured daily activities. We ask that you bring your own dog food to keep your dog on the same diet and you can view the sleeping and resting areas, and would recommend that you provide the bedding. You’ll also be able to learn about our emergency policy and overall, how we handle dogs and the cleanliness of the centre.



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