Blog Doggie Daycare- A Luxury or a Necessity?
Doggie Daycare- A Luxury or a Necessity?
During the past five years, the pet care industry has experienced explosive growth. One of the areas that have seen the highest growth is the doggie daycare sector. Pet parents have been increasingly providing their pets with the same social outlets and care activities as they do their human children. Pets have and go to birthday parties, give and receive gifts from one another and have friends and play buddies. And, pet parents enroll their doggie daycare, just as they would a human child. They drop them off on the way to work and pick them up at the end of the day. They ask for report cards of how they are doing and what they have learned today. It is not uncommon to hear questions such as: “who did she play with today?”, “did she eat her lunch?” and “who is her best friend?”
Dog daycare, which was once thought of as a luxury for the more economically gifted, has been adopted by all segments of consumer groups. Now a days, the economic boundaries are blurred and the only common thread among pet parents that use dog daycare services is that they are” concerned” or “conscientious” pet parents.
However, as the 2008 economic slowdown continues to stretch the wallets of consumers of all socio-economic strata, the question of whether dog daycare is a necessity or a luxury will increasingly need to be answered. Depending on in what part of the country you live, a day of daycare for your pet can cost as little as $15 per day to as much as $35. This cost can be well worth the price depending on your situation. For example if you have a young puppy who is learning how to be house broken, dog daycare is a great way to keep your pup on track with having access to relief himself during those long days you are at work. The same is true for the remaining months to years of puppyhood (especially if you have a lab or golden, who never seems to grow up). Dog daycare is very effective in burning all that extra mental and physical energy.
According to Marc Street, VP of Training for Very Important Paws and owner of The Happy Dog, a dog training company in Palm Beach and Martha’s Vineyard, “most puppies and young dogs misbehave out of shear boredom and a lack of exercise”. Dog daycare is an excellent way to burn all of that pent up mental and physical energy. It is simply not enough to take Coco or Max for a 15-minute walk in the morning and evening and then leave at home sleeping on the coach and chasing dust balls for the rest of the day. This is especially true of younger dogs and puppies.
The common consensus among training and behavior professionals is that daycare is a necessity. In these times of economic uncertainty, it does not have to be an all or nothing decision. If you can’t afford 5 days a week, even 1 or 2 days per week can provide great physical and mental stimulation for your dog or pup. Most daycare companies offer flexible use of their play packages and discounts for multiple days purchased in advance to make it more affordable for their clients.
If nothing else, remember one of my favorite quotes, “a tired dog has a happy owner!”
William Corrente Partner, Very Important PawsUpscale Dog Daycare, Luxury Hotel, Grooming and Training Center Visit our website today- for your entire dog care needs! West Palm Beach, Florida you may email him at will@veryimportantpaws.com