As yaw’ll know by now, I am one social dawg. I’m a regular at our community daycare, where me and my pals hang around a lot together. My gal is there too – you know, the one with the long red hair. She’s such a peach. Sigh.

My human Sage was getting so busy around the house, what with her home-based writing and our new baby. I needed attention! So she found the best place ever for me: doggy daycare. I run around, play, learn new tricks and obedient behaviors. They feed me delish treats, and sometimes I even get a mani/pedi (my nails grow fast, dawgs!).

Sounds de-luxe, right? My human did good. Of course. So how do you get your human to pick the best daycare ever?

Pets are family members, too. And when caregivers get too busy to be with pets all the time, daycares can provide stimulation and companionship. Pets won’t be lonely at home (which can lead to all kinds of trouble, including aggressive acting out by pet, ruffing up the house, and anxiety). Pet daycares are also great for teaching pets proper behavior, and how to socialize.

Your pet pals are like your babies. Choosing a daycare is like choosing a babysitter for your child- you want to give them the best care around! Here are some tips on choosing a daycare:

Tip #1: What are you looking for? Ask yourself what you are looking for: a few hours of play? Full grooming? Outdoor time? What is your budget? Answering these questions will help you narrow down a location.

Tip #2: Source and Referral. Yap of mouth is key. Ask your vet, fellow pet caregivers, and local pet store for referrals. And check for reviews online – these days everyone loves to give their opinion!

Tip #3: Certification! This is key, humans: make sure the daycare is certified, licensed and bonded in your state! You’re not hiring your local teenager to babysit your pet.

Tip #4: Yap up! Ask as much as possible. If your pet is little, you’ll want to ensure a class with like-sized dawgs. Same goes with a larger animal. And let the caregivers know what sort of a pet you have: confident, shy, affectionate, super-yappy – your daycare provider can help remedy these situations.

Tip #5: Audition. You should be able to observe, and watch the daycare in action. That way if you notice anything you don’t like, you can cross the daycare off your list. If you do like it, as for a drop-in. You and your dog can see how you feel there, and gradually get into the new routine.

We’ve found a great daycare directory, HERE. You can search by area, and all states are covered.

And now I’m off to see my pals, and playplayplay!

Love, Buster