What to look for in an Enrichment Play Daycare Program for your Dog

How Does Your Daycare Stack up –

What to look for in a Daycare for a Step Above – Enrichment Play Program

• First, the facility will need room for more groups with less dogs.
  • Look for a facility with square footage of at least 10,000sf with at least 2000sf outside.
  • The Animal Care Center of NH has over 13,000sf inside and over 3000sf outside.
• Why is a large outdoor space important
  • Dogs need to RUN and chase and jump in the fresh air
  • Most dogs LOVE snow and need to run and play in it
  • If ANY daycare has less than 2000sf outside there is not enough room for dogs to really run
• How many dogs can be in a 2000 st outdoor space
  • 20 max at a time
  • Animal Care Center of NH has 3000sf which would allow for 30 dogs max but we keep our groups under 15 to allow for maximum FUN.  On special K9 turf, to keep dog paws clean and safe.
• How can I tell if my daycare has TOO many dogs
  • not much empty space can be seen between dogs in photos
  • are dogs just walking around NOT running jumping and playing
  • are dogs laying down most of the time as it is too crowded
• The Registration process should ask many questions about your dogs past experiences, personality  and training.
  • Animal Care Center of NH has a full registration process and asks lots of questions in each personal care profile.  We want to know everything about your dog.
• Staff should be interested in learning about your pets by asking about experiences, likes, dislikes, etc
  • Animal Care Center of NH ask behavior questions and Likes and Dislikes In each Personal Pet Care Profile
• Staff should have experience with lots of dog breeds and research dogs breeds to learn their instincts and traits
  • The Animal Care Center of NH staff has extensive background in breed behavioral traits, instincts as well as general behavior and psychology
• The facility would NOT encourage unstructured drop offs, as this will interrupt programs and dog groups
  • The Animal Care Center of NH has certain drop off and pick up times that are all scheduled
  • This keeps all groups and activities from being disrupted.  Making it easier for dogs to learn uninterrupted
• Groups will be smaller, in some cases much smaller
  • Groups at the Animal Care Center of NH are always smaller
  • Many activities at the Animal Care Center of NH are One on One!!
  • Groups at the Animal Care Center of NH for Enrichment Play Daycare Program can range from 2 – 20 dogs
• Prices will be higher.
  • A Step Above Enrichment Play Daycare program will range from 55 – 70 per day per dog
    • This is due to less dogs and more one on one interaction
  • If you want a cheap daycare , it will most likely be a Play All day model, if they have any activities, they will be minor with no structure or obedience
  • a good Enrichment Program or one that is a Step Above, will not be cheap
• Obedience will be part of the every day routine
• Activities will be structured.  Some daycares try to incorporate one or two activities in a month, however, days are all play.
  • Animal Care Center of NH has structured activities throughout the month.
• Look for individualized activities.
  • Animal Care Center of NH likes to incorporate individual one on one activities.
• Facilities with Enrichment, will be focused on a dog’s individual growth.
  • The Animal Care Center of NH wants to work with pups to be the best they can be.
    • This makes for happier Owner/Dog relationships for a better quality of life.
• How can I tell if my dog is happy in my enrolled daycare
  • PHOTOS – Look for lots of happy photos of your dog running and playing
  • is your dog OVERLY tired
    • if there are TOO many dogs in a group, this can be very stressful for many dogs and dogs that are stressed all day will come home overly tired.
    • many owners believe that this overly tired dog had a FUN day when in reality it was the high stress
    • a dog that has lots of room to run and play mixed in with different activities and a nap time in their own quiet space, uninterrupted by other dogs will come home tired and happy, NOT exhausted
    • Dogs like structure and routine.  Once they understand the routine, they look forward to it.  Unstructured routine or a free for all can be stressful for most dogs.

• These are just a few ways the Animal Care Center of NH goes a step above with our unique exclusive Enrichment Play Daycare Program 

Thank you for learning about what to look for in a great Enrichment Play Daycare Program!!

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