Introductory visit to doggy daycare this Sunday, what should I ask?

[savemejeebus]

Hi all,

Need help on questions I should ask them. Don't have skin-kids so this is the first time I'm leaving a 'kid' in someone else's care . It's mainly for Stiggy to socialize with others so he can be a well-rounded bully.

All I have so far is:
Do the dogs fight often? What do they do about them? What if they get hurt?
What treats, if any, do you feed them?
Are they well supervised, etc?

Thanks!

[Lacey28]

I am assuming you would have to show proof of shots or any other medical concerns/issues? The other thing is how do they feed them?? I know Silva would want to eat the other dogs foods because it is new, then she would get sick. I was also worried about the fighting part. I wonder too if they have a web cam that you can view if you are at work to see what is going on. Great idea, I need to look into that and see if there are any my area! Good Luck.

[bullmama]

I think between your own and Lacey28 suggestions I think you have enough. I am sure you will think of more when you get there! I am interested in how this all goes, and cannot wait to hear more about it.

[Libra926]

Ask what the itinerary is. How long are they kenneled during the day and how long is supervised play. How many EB's do they have? Do they know what to watch out for with overheating?What measures will they take if Stiggy starts to show stress? What medical knowledge do they have in case of an injury? @savemejeebus

[savemejeebus]

Wow, lots of tips, thanks all! The daycare is actually kennel free and have a/c if required. They also recently built a barn where they can all play and put up some some halloween decor. From their facebook page, I haven't seen any bullies yet, but a good mix of big and small dogs. They took a pic of the youngest and he's only 16 weeks old! I'll make sure to ask if they've had any experience with short-nosed breeds or have knowledge about them.

[Libra926]

Well, make sure Stiggy will be able to rest. It's important that he has "down" time. These guys can play hard for about 20 minutes then need some "cool off" time. Atleast, that's what I've been told by my vet and daycare. Alone time and supervised play.

[savemejeebus]

@Libra926 Gotcha, thanks! I haven't thought of that.

[savemejeebus]

Went to the consultation this morning and these are the owner's answers to the questions:

- Do the dogs fight? No, she's never had a real dog fight happen. When the dogs start to scuffle a bit, she immediately distracts them.
- First Aid? She and her employees all are per First-Aid certified.
- Experience with bullies or other short-nosed breeds? She used to get a bulldog as a regular before. Currently she has a regular boxer that comes in.
- How about feeding? Everyone gets separated and fed one at a time. She doesn't believe in treats as she says that it upsets the dogs' system.
- How long is supervised play? New dogs get introduced to the pack one at a time. She waits after she gets all the dogs for the day, then she lets them play together in the yard. Usually the dogs know when they need to sleep and let her know by scratching the door or barking. She then lets them in to nap. For short-nosed breeds, she'll also call them in and make sure they get their rest if she finds that they've been playing at long lengths. The bully that she used to babysit would sleep in the small space between the sofa and the wall. She says that Stiggy will probably find that under the sofa is best, which is what another 7-month old is currently doing.

Other info:
- She doesn't crate/kennel at all. Didn't see 1 at all in the house.
- She has, on average, about 10 dogs at a time. Not too sure if she included the 2 that she owns.
- She screens the dogs at first, to see what their temperament is like. She already had to decline 1 dog this morning before we got there. I think it was a black lab.
- A good chunk of her current clients are referrals.
- She believes is raw, let us know it's pros, but she won't push for it after this morning. Part of her 'raw' kit is a personal shopping consult at one of the grocery stores near our house.
- From her website, she also does private dog training in the owner's own house. She says that after one 3-hour consult will guarantee a big difference in the dog-owner relationship.

Here's her website: Doggie Minder, dog daycare, boarding, training, grooming, pet first aid certificate courses, dog photograpy, raw diet course, durham, whitby, ajax, oshawa, pickering, mississauga, markham, newmarket, bowmanville, toronto

All in all I think Stiggy's going to be well taken care of. His first day is this Thursday and she said that she's going to be there when we pick him up, so she'll be able to give us a report.

What do you think?

[mammyglicks]

Great information to get. I would really concentrate on her knowledge of the bully breed. If she at least had a bully to babysit than she probably knows how to handle one but then again do you know how long she had that one? Does she think she will have enough time for individual bully care? after he drinks will she dry his wrinkles? she has alot of dogs but if she has help looks like he will be fine. I would be on the look out for any allergic signs and check his wrinkles when you get him to make sure they are dry. Did she understand that bullies need rest and can't be playing like the other dogs? I gaurantee with Stig being a puppy still like Bear, will not know when to scratch at the door to come in for rest. I have to make Bear stop. Is she going to feed Stig her way? Bullies can't switch back and forth like that for the most part.