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Not all doggy daycares are created equal. Find out what to consider when choosing a play place for your pup.

Considering doggy daycare? It's a great option for many pups, but there are a few things you should know before you choose a facility. Read on to learn the ins and outs of picking the perfect place for your dog and your budget as well as what a typical day at daycare looks like.

Is Doggy Daycare Good for Dogs?

There are several benefits of sending your pooch to doggy daycare. First, it helps relieve the stress of being home alone for long periods of time. Also, spending time at doggy daycare burns off energy and lets your dog make new friends. Your pup will likely be tuckered out and ready for mellow cuddling after a day at doggy daycare.

6 Tips to Help You Choose the Right Dog Daycare

Things to keep in mind when evaluating a doggy daycare include the following considerations:

1. The outside of the building is well-kept.

If the staff takes good care of the outside of the building, they probably keep everything up on the inside as well. That makes it less likely your pet will get injured.

1. The center looks and smells clean.

Messes are a normal part of doggy daycare, but staff should immediately clean up pee and poop and torn up toys or play items. Water bowls should be clean with fresh water and dog runs and kennels should be kept tidy and clutter free.

1. There's a warm, cozy feeling when you walk in the front door.

This is your dog's home-away-from-home and you should feel good about dropping your pup off. The environment should look well-suited to the needs of a dog and be temperature controlled, well-ventilated, have dog-friendly flooring, and large, fenced-in grass spaces.

1. Staff are friendly and accommodating.

If a facility refuses to do a walk-through or answer your questions, check them off the list and move on, SF Puppy Love says. Staff should be willing to provide answers about their rules and policies including how they keep and maintain veterinary records and if they maintain care reports or behavior journals of the dogs they have in their care. Also be sure to ask about their staff-to-dog ratio which are set by many states.

1. The staff has training and licensing.

Ask what training the staff has and if they are up to code according to state regulations and licensing. Review certificates and licenses that should be on display. If they offer dog training services they should ideally be certified through the CCPDT or Karen Pryor Academy, or can show proof of education in the areas of canine behavior and learning. At the very minimum, they should have basic training in pet first aid, safety, dog body language and communication, caring for dogs, and use positive reinforcement training methods rather than punishment of any kind.

1. Emergency protocols are in place.

Find out what happens if your dog gets injured or has a medical emergency while at doggy daycare. What steps does the staff take and what do they do if they can't reach you? Also, if you live in a state that commonly has bad weather events such as tornadoes, ask what happens if there's a weather emergency while your pet is there.

Choose DAY CARE SERVICES

SF Puppy Love Doggie Day Care provides dog owners with a safe, clean, fun, and stimulating environment for their dog to play off-leash with other dogs under the careful and experienced supervision of a trained staff. The benefits are numerous.