When looking for care for your dog while you work you may be wondering what’s the better option, an in-home dog walking service or dog daycare? Like most things there are pros and challenges to both. I am Anai Fonte, owner of Dogtown dog hotel in Miami and I am here with insider info to help you make the best decision for you and your dog.
The first thing you will need to consider is your dog’s age, activity level and social skills. Dogs under one year would benefit from daycare more so than dog walking, especially very young pups. Daycare will provide them with critical socialization skills to start them on a balanced path. Also unless you are doing multiple walks a day, a puppy under 6 months should be going out roughly every few hours to potty. If you have a very active dog, the exercise provided from a walk is not typically sufficient to really provide any benefits. A playful dog in daycare will usually run, jump and wrestle for hours and leave tired and happy. Daily exercise of that nature will usually calm anxious dogs, curb destructive behaviors and improve confidence. In an article in NaturalDogOwner.com they write “Socialized dogs are typically happier, more approachable and able to handle stress better. Dogs that are not as socialized can become shy, anxious, and sometimes even aggressive out of fear because they don’t have the social skills to deal with new situations or people.”
What if your dog doesn’t like other dogs, or they’re senior or not very active? In these cases in-home services are ideal. Most times dogs over one year do just fine with one potty break in a longer period of time. All dogs receive benefits from fresh-air and getting their blood circulating. Just like us, dogs can be introverted and extroverted. If your dog doesn’t like other dogs or doesn’t care for play, daycare can be a stressful place for them. In addition, your in-home caretaker can be a sitter when you travel. Your dog would’ve already bonded with this person through the daily dog walks and it would be a seamless handover in care especially if your dog suffers from anxiety.
To recap:
- Daycare is the way to go for dogs under one year, active and/or social dogs.
- In-home is a better choice for senior, introverted or dog aggressive pups.
Have questions? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below!
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