Doggie DayCare —

Check the outside area, is it grass, dirt, mulch and is it clear of any low hanging branches that could hurt a dog. Are there tools or wheelbarrow handles that dogs could run into. Does it look clean, is there visible poop? Is it fenced and how high is the fence, some dogs can scale a 4ft so, a 6ft might be preferable. If there are gates, do they latch tightly, do they appear maintained. How often are dogs outside and are there separate areas for small/large dogs. How much time do dogs spend playing with each other? What criteria is used to gauge whether dogs will play “nice”? Are small dogs left outside without supervision, some areas have coyotes/hawks in residence. How many dogs are outside at one time? How often is yard inspected for items like mushrooms? If dog has diarrhea, any extra precautions taken?

Is the business covered by insurance?

Inside areas might not be viewable but, you can ask for photos of area(s) where dog will be. Are crates used and if so, what is distance between crates and how often is dog in crate. Is there a bed in the crate? Is a dog in a separate area when napping? How many dogs are typically taken care of daily and are they large, small, docile, aggressive, reactive – same dogs or does this change daily? What time is first dropoff and last pickup or can dogs be picked up and dropped off. What are rates and when was last rate increase? Is there a community water bowl or dogs share one bowl? If dogs are feed, are they feed in a separate area or are other dogs around? Is there access to toys/chews? Are dogs vaccinated? If a dog comes in sick, what happens? Are owners notified if another client’s dog was sick while their dog is there? Are there isolation/cleaning procedures for dogs that have diarrhea? Do they run an air filter?

Does owner/service provider have a background of 2+ years in a vet hospital/shelter/groomer/trainer? Is their only noted qualification that they have owned pets? What type of pet issues have they handled over the last year? What is the largest dog they have handled- the smallest one? Is there more than 1 person handling dogs? What type of tools, if any, are used such as prong collars or e-collars? Is dog handled in such a way to reinforce training or is it dog allowed freedom?