New dog .... is this suitable day care?

[Shoeshelpplease]

We have a beautiful new puppy, quite hard going at the moment but we will hopefully get there.

He has been going to the breeder, on the odd occasion we can't help being out for long periods, for daycare but it's over an hour away.

We've found a lovely lady in our village, just 10 mins away who I would be more than happy leaving the dog with.

However, there's always one but, she lets her day care dogs into furniture, beds etc.

We are being v strict in a bid to encourage good manners and a well behaved dog. We are firmly no upstairs, no on furniture etc.

Will it confuse puppy to go to her? Will he come back and expect the same at home? Is that a really stupid question? I feel as though I can't ask her to offer day car on our terms as she has dogs of her own and I wouldn't think it fair for ours to abide by different rules.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Shoeshelpplease]

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful.

Also she is licenced which sets my mind at rest but to be fair it's her warmth and her home and care that made me choose her. And I'm normally really OTT about officialdom and paperwork!

[twoheaped]

The big open plan type places wouldn't suit my dog.
Small places can and should be licensed.
Each to their own though. As long as you know the risks and are happy to take them, that is fine.

[BiteyShark]

Mine goes to someone who is a dog walker but takes him as daycare for the day. He is in her home and goes on the group walks with her. He absolutely loves her and enjoys playing with the other dogs she walks.

I tried a licensed one recently as I needed a backup when she went on holiday and he hated it. They have up to 30 dogs in a warehouse type setting that was partitioned into 'rooms'. He was terrified and sat curled up in a corner and wouldn't interact or eat. The staff were lovely but the setting was awful for him as it terrified him.

I now have a backup that is similar to my main daycare which again is someone's home who looks after a small number of dogs in addition to her own.

So I agree with PP that being licensed isn't necessarily what is best for your dog.

[adaline]

I've read up on it too. I don't want my dog in a licensed kennels with loads of others - it wouldn't suit him at all.

He's in a family environment with two other dogs maximum. He fits into their routine - has full run of the house, can sleep in the beds or on the sofa and has free access to the garden. He goes to the shops with them, to the park, to work sometimes - he just fits into their routine and it's perfect for him. Daycares don't need to be licensed to be good places to send your dog.

Someone I'm friends with on Facebook sends her puppy to a licensed daycare. The place has rave reviews but there's upwards of 20 dogs a day there. My dog would just be overwhelmed in that kind of situation and I can guarantee he'd come home miserable every night.

[LisbonFalls1958]

Agree with the PPs - you'll find your dog behaves accordingly depending on who and where he is.

Our dog is allowed to sleep on the bed at my parents - when she goes there she'll automatically jump on their bed at bedtime and settles down to sleep. At home, we let her on the bed if, say, we're watching TV or reading in bed, but when it comes to going to sleep, she knows to get in her own bed. They're very clever - I'm always amazed that she knows the various 'rules' at different places.

[chipsandpeas]

my dog goes to my mums when im at work and he knows at her house he cant go on her sofa, bed etc whereas at home its fine
so your dog will getto know what they can and cant do at other places

[Lichtie]

I went to look at a couple of licensed daycare facilities, they were awful... Not saying they all are.
We found a private retired chap doing it 5 mins away. Not licensed, no training, no certificates... But he loves and cares for dogs, and isn't really doing it for the money. It was an easy choice for us.

[fleshmarketclose]

Dogs soon learn that there are different rules in different places. Eric isn't allowed upstairs here but sleeps with exh at his house. I'd say if the daycare is good grab it with both hands and ddog will learn the rules for both places anyway.

[whateveryousay]

I did read up on it, and from what I understood, the conditions necessary to be licensed, especially all of the separate areas needed, is not the environment I want my dogs in. At the moment, they go to someone and are treated like the other pets in the family home. The lady who looks after them couldn’t fulfill the criteria to be licensed in her current home. This is why I’m sticking with her, although I take your point re insurance.

[twoheaped]

Daycare that is licensed will have insurance. I doubt those who do it to make a quick buck will be insured. If your dog injures another dog, whereas a licensed daycare's insurance would kick in, it'd be your insurance or your own pocket that would be paying out.
New legislation came in on the 1st of October. DEFRA are now involved with Animal Welfare and it is a lot more stringent.
Have a Google and read up on it.

[adaline]

Our daycare isn't licensed either - he only looks after a handful of dogs and he's much better than any of the licensed places I saw.

Daycare was in his home, maximum of three dogs a day, and our pup just fits in with family life. Not all dogs cope in big licensed places and a license doesn't necessarily mean the quality of care is any good either!

[whateveryousay]

twoheaped, can I ask why you think this is a must? Genuine question, as I’m a bit conflicted over this one.
I use a lovely lady for day care when necessary, but she’s not licensed. I am very, very happy with the care she provides though, so wouldn’t want to swap to someone else just because they are licensed, and she isn’t, for eg.

[twoheaped]

Whatever you choose to do, make sure the person you use is licensed (has to be displayed) and therefore inspected.

[BiteyShark]

adaline we were all for 'not having dogs on sofas' at first. But you know what's it like, after a while you relent because there is nothing more lovely than having a cuddle on the sofa at the end of the day whilst watching the tv

[adaline]

Dogs know there are different rules in different houses. Good daycares are like gold dust, I wouldn't turn her down for this.

But your post implies that well behaved dogs aren't allowed on furniture, which is obviously untrue. I know dogs with impeccable manners and all of them are allowed on the bed or on the sofa of an evening.

[BiteyShark]

I think you can ask her to keep him off the furniture but honestly if she is lovely to the dogs I wouldn't bother as getting a good daycare or walker is like gold dust.

As for being confused you may have to reinforce the no furniture a couple of times but dogs aren't daft. My dog is allowed on the spare bed but not on our bed. Occasionally he 'chances it' (I think he's done it twice in a year) but we just say off and he doesn't do it again. He also slept on my boarders bed but again never tried to get on ours when back home. They do understand rules even those that are different at different places.

[WarlocksAreLocks]

I think that dogs are pretty clever at learning different places /people have different rules, it wouldn't worry me personally.
My BC even greets people in my house differently depending on what they tolerate... Hears my footsteps, expects hello and a brief pat. Hears my DD coming down and it's full on excitement