doggy daycare v dog walker

[tefal]

What is the better option on days when you have to leave your dog?

Day care for the full day or a walker who comes in?

I would think, depends on the dog/situation?

My last dog had another doggy to play with, when young, and when older (and companion-less) would sleep a lot - so a dog walker was fine. I was never out for more than about six hours anyway, so the long walk in the middle broke it up well.

My current dog is 6 months old, and still chewing everything if not crated when alone...I am a SAHM, so haven't needed it yet, but if/when I do need to leave him for more than an hour or two, I would opt for a small local doggy daycare (just a couple who take dogs in to their home and look after them) so he would have company.

I sometimes drive past a doggy day centre near Canwell, the dogs all look so happy playing in a field and they have people out with them in the field.

I'm sure they dont spend all day out with them but they do look happy dogs!

Maybe try both and see which the dog prefers?

I have a Beagle and a CKCS, about twice a month DH are both out of the house, me just school hours though. My CKCS can cope with being left for the 6 hours on this odd occasion - I walk him before I leave and as soon as I get back, but My Beagle was so naughty the evenings of the days she was left.
Even though she had long walk before and after, she just had too much energy and was a Pain in the butt, play fighting and charging round the living room like a loon.

Thing is I have to crate her when she is left as she is a room wrecker, CKCS is not crated as he is golden.

I decided to try doggy day care - found a lady who lives on route to my office, drop Beagle off on way to work and pick up after school run. Beagle loves it - has bonded with a black lab called lilly and plays with her all day! When she gets home she sleeps all evening! It's wonderful. She has great time and I get to experience life with a normal dog on those days instead of lunatic dog!

For us it works brilliantly, as CKCS wouldn't like it so I leave him at home, and Beagle loves it.

DH didn't want stranger coming in to house to take them out for walks - and I wouldn't want anyone to walk CKCS as he is nervous of other dogs when he is on his lead.

But I think it depends on your dog - there is a spaniel at daycare who spends all day sitting in kitchen as he is to0 scared of the other dogs to go outside and play!

it's £15 a day - but as I say I only need it a couple of days a month.

Daycare, if a good one. My friend runs one and the dogs who come to her get 3+ hours of walks a day, lots of company and stimulation, and often are reluctant to go home.

We have a dog walker on days when I go into work, but then dog is only left in the afternoons (DP is at home in the mornings), so dog walker in the mid/late afternoon is enough. He lives locally and if we're going to be home late for some reason he takes dog back to his house for a while.

If we were out all day, or had a dog who couldn't be left for a couple of hours, then daycare would be a better option. It's surprisingly affordable in comparison with dog walking, i.e. if you'd have to have the walker come twice a day, then you might as well go for daycare as it won't cost much/any more.

I considered daycare, but opted instead for a walker to come in, as I didn't want him too reliant on human company all the time. Inevitably there would still have been times when we needed to leave him alone and daycare would not have been easily available.

Janerae - £15! I found a place near us, and admittedly they charge more for puppies (under 1 year) which is fair enough - but its £35. I think if I had to be out all day, I would do it anyway - they take dogs from 7.30am till the evening - but its a lot more than local dogwalkers, around here.