All dog care providers are the same, aren’t they?
Those of you who know us will agree that we do not tend to pass comment on items in the media unless we feel particularly strongly about them. Unfortunately, this is one of those occasions where we feel obliged to say our bit.
Today we have learned of the tragic death of a dog in a day care centre in our region. We were all shocked and upset to hear what had happened, but sadly we were not surprised by this tragic event.
Dog day care is not an easy thing to do, and despite the huge number of day care facilities, dog walkers and home boarders that have appeared since we were established almost 15 years ago, the industry remains unregulated. Anyone can set up a day care centre, with county council concerns being primarily about public health and noise pollution rather than the level of care that dogs will receive.
We are often stunned by what we hear from customers who’s dogs have had bad experiences elsewhere.
We are frequently left speechless at what we see being posted on social media as dogs having fun in day care when this is clearly not the case.
We are sometimes asked why our assessment process takes so long (40 hours) and why we cost more than other providers. Our answer is simple – because we do it right. We take the time to learn about each dog and how they react in different situations and with different dogs. We work with them to ensure they understand important safety commands and that they do what we ask of them, when we ask. We build trust so that dogs are comfortable in the group but can ask for reassurance if they need it. We have a high carer to dog ratio so that everyone is kept safe. We invest in training for our team to allow them to better understand and care for the dogs we are entrusted with.
This post is not about blowing our own trumpet – there are other good dog carers out there – it’s about asking that for your dogs sake, you choose their care wisely.