The popularity of doggy daycare is booming as pet owners who are out at work all day choose this option, rather than leaving their pooch home alone. But what makes a great doggy daycare environment, and could being a dog sitter be the job you’ve always dreamed of?
Qualifications and accreditation
Although it’s not legally enforceable, it’s highly desirable that dog sitters have canine behavioural qualifications and have at least attended a pet care course.
Your day care premises will need to be inspected and approved by the local area council, too, and then you must be fully insured.
Temperament evaluation of your guests
This is an extremely important area that you will need to place at the top of your list of questions for owners. Not every dog enjoys playing and socialising with others, and introverted hounds would be better-suited to a dog-walking arrangement, rather than a full-on play-date. That means you’ll need to meet with owners and their pets before agreeing to take them on as clients.
Dog to carer ratio and group size
For safety’s sake, there should not be too many dogs allocated to one carer, and the smaller the groups, the better. Make sure you don’t overestimate how many dogs you can safely look after each day.
You should also be prepared to show owners the areas where dogs are allowed to play. These areas should be big enough to accommodate a boisterous group of canines, and everywhere should be safe, clean and adequately fenced. Decide how much play time the dogs are allowed and what the arrangements are for downtime. You will need to provide comfy beds and quiet, chill-out areas where the dogs can take a break in between play sessions.
Management
Make sure that all dogs using the daycare facility are fully vaccinated, wormed and flea-free. The last thing you want is for a dog to go home with a cough or a few unwanted passengers!
Start a doggy day care!
If you are a dog lover and you’re looking for a change in career, starting a doggy day care business could be a good move for you. For more information on moving into pet care as a job and to find out which courses would best suit your aspirations, have a chat with the helpful team at Animal Jobs Direct.
