Dog Daycare

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Congratulations. You've chosen to add a needy, vulnerable, opposable thumb-less member to your family. Of course, you intend to give her the best life possible, and this means plenty of mental and physical exercise as well as lots of opportunities to play, sniff, and explore.

After all, dogs are sentient, thinking beings--pack animals who don't do well left alone all day. But the fact is, your own life doesn't stop when Buffy arrives; you've still got to go to work and bring home the bacon (or at least the bacon flavored treats).

Fortunately, there are some very practical solutions for keeping your dog stimulated (as opposed to chewing, digging, and barking) when you're not home.

Day care

While its mere existence may seem like an extravagance (or a marketing scheme aimed at people with way too much disposable income), doggie day care is actually a legitimate service. In some cases, it's an absolute necessity, alleviating boredom and offering essential human and canine interaction for dogs who would otherwise spend long days alone. While not a substitute for the quality time your dog needs with you, day care goes a long way toward keeping your dog happy and out of trouble.

Walkers and sitters

Those who roll their eyes about your decision to put your dog in day care may be a little more understanding when you tell them you're hiring a dog walker. No one can argue with the fact that dogs need exercise or--even more indisputable--that they need to pee. And a good walker offers more than just a walk and a bathroom break: She provides companionship, positive reinforcement, and a safe and rigorous workout. For a puppy or older dog, hiring someone to simply come over and pet, talk to, and see that your dog gets an outdoor break is well worth the investment.

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  • Day care is not the answer for all dogs

    I found this article informative about choosing a daycare for my dog. <a href="http://dogtime.com/dog-daycare.html">Finding a good doggie day care</a>

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    is there anyone here who has worked in a doggie daycare before?

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    My six year old Peke used to play tug of war or chase stuffed toys. In the past seven months, we moved from China back to the USA, stayed 3 weeks in Nebraska, then four months in St. Augustine, FL before finally finding a place to stay for this year in Lakaland..I'm renting a room there. I can't get Angel, my Peke to play anymore -- not anything at all -- hide & seek, tug of war, chase a toy, nothing ..am a bit worried about him. Any ideas as to what is wrong and what I should or shouldn't do to get him back to his "old" self?

  • Puppy Proof Your Home

    It's also a good idea to set your pup up for success by puppy-proofing your home. Your new bundle of sweetness can completely destroy your house in less than an hour, so make sure your pup doesn't develop destructive habits by discovering the joys of baseboards! Here's your checklist: Clear the surfaces: Keep papers, books, magazines, knick-knacks, remote controls, and everything else off your coffee table, counters and other tables for the next 2-3 months. If your pup grows up believing that there’s never anything interesting on these surfaces, he’s much less likely to search there for fun in the future. Food, food containers, plates, candy wrappers and other food-related items should be thrown out or put away as soon as you’re finished with them. Never leave food on tables or on the counter or you’ll be training him to “surf” these areas for reinforcement. If you don’t want your pup in the bathroom garbage, shut the bathroom door. Secure your kitchen garbage out of your puppy’s reach, locked under the sink or behind a shut door. Spray all baseboards, furniture legs and lower portions of walls with a taste deterrent before your pup discovers the joys of wood and drywall. Secure electrical cords to baseboards or better yet, make them inaccessible. Apply a taste deterrent to these cords as well. Keep holiday ornaments out of pup’s reach. Never burn candles where your pup can reach them by jumping. Don’t leave cigarette butts in ashtrays where your puppy can get to them. Keep medication bottles out of your pup’s way. Childproof containers are not puppy-proof. Keep the toilet lid down if you use toilet bowl cleaners. Wipe up all antifreeze drippings in garage or driveway. Antifreeze tastes sweet to your puppy but is highly toxic. If you’re using antifreeze in the toilet to stop pipes from freezing, tape the lid shut and label “Toxic to dogs!” Keep cellar doors and upper story windows closed, just as you would for a young child. Dispose of cooked poultry bones carefully; these can be life-threatening if ingested by your pup. Put away needles and pins. Use pesticides and rodent poisons with great caution, making sure your pup has no contact with them. Store all poisons out of puppy’s reach. Many lawn treatments and weed killers are also toxic. Consider other methods such as organic gardening. Toxic plants to avoid include rhododendron, Japanese yew, Lilly of the Valley. Watch out for peach and cherry pits. Complete article at http://dogdaysusa.com/puppyproofyourhome.html

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