Doggie Daycamp Can Save Your Sanity

Feel guilty when you have to leave your dog alone while you're burning the midnight oil at work?  What about when you're invited out for cocktails after work, do you decline because you have to race home to let the dog out?  Your friends want to take an impromptu trip for a day of skiing or hiking but you can't impose on family to watch your dog all day.....again.   Doggie Day Camp is a great solution to these conundrums.  Bonus point; doggie day camp can be hugely beneficial for your dog too!


Huskies are extremely high energy.  Day camp once a week or so helps Icy burn lots of excess energy when we can't get out to exercise her enough
Here are some of the biggest benefits of doggie day camp, for both you and your dog.

High Energy Dog breeds like Siberian Huskies, Border Collies, Weimaraners and other super energetic dogs need to BURN energy!  Sitting around the house all day can end up being disastrous.  This is when your high energy dog eats the couch out of sheer frustration.  At doggie day camp dogs play for hours and burn tons of energy.  At the end of the day they come home tired and feeling content.

Bored dogs.  If a dog doesn't have enough to keep him occupied for all the hours he's stuck in the house he'll find something to peak his interest himself.  You don't want this!  If your dog is consistently bored, a day at doggie day camp can be a great remedy.  It's especially helpful during inclement weather when you can't get your dog outside for fun and exercise.


Icy loves PetSmart doggie day camp!
Icy waits to get checked in for day camp, one of her favorite places to be!  She's made lots of friends there, both canine and human!
Socialization.  Doggie day camp provides great interaction with other dogs and people, namely passionate staff who love to play with dogs! If you can't get your dog out enough to socialize with other dogs and people day camp can be very beneficial. Dogs are usually grouped by size, age, and level of activity.

Day camp is a good Alternative to dog parks, which are often unpredictable environments.  You never know when a "bad" owner or dog is going to show up.  It can ruin everyone's day, especially your dog's.  In addition to vaccination requirements, doggie day camps usually require a behavior assessment of each dog before they allow them to attend camp.

Many day camps have flexible hours, allowing you to drop off your dog very early in the morning before work, and pick them up late in the evening if needed.  This is great when you're working long hours, having work done in the house, or any other reason you may need the dog to be out of the house for the day.  When our schedules got really crazy, we were grateful for the ability to drop our dogs off at 7am and pick them up as late as 8pm.  They even fed the dogs when we needed it.

Occasional day camp provides beneficial socialization for Phoebe.  She was such a shy girl when we first adopted her.
Day camp can be safer than leaving your dog with a friend or family member.  Their play is constantly supervised all day and most facilities have solid safety and security measures in place.  No danger of your dog door dashing or escaping the yard! 

When looking for a doggie day camp facility, ask lots of questions about qualifications and training of the staff, safety policies and procedures, supervision, requirements for dogs to attend, and the process for grouping and introducing the dogs to each other.  Make sure the place is climate controlled and ask about backup in the event they lose power.

No need to feel guilty when you can't be home for long hours during the day.  Line up a quality doggie day care facility you can rely on when you need it.

Do you use doggie day camp services?  When do you rely on it most?  Please leave us a comment and let us know.  We always love hearing from you!

 

4 comments:

Hailey and Zaphod and their Lady said...

We have used dog day camp. Phod, while nervous in the car has a great time. Hailey, who generally loves to play is shy. I know they are safe and well cared for and I think it is good for them to have different experiences.

Two French Bulldogs said...

Don't give mom any ideas. I hate doggy day care. I stand in the corner and hope no buddy sees me
Lily & Edward

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

I agree, the safety & care gives me peace of mind knowing I don't have to worry about them. You're right, it is good for them to have different experiences w/out us. Thanks for stopping by today!

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

LOL! That's too bad, I think the other doggies would LOVE you two, you are depriving them of your presence! Thanks for visiting us today Lily & Edward!

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