Daycare Safety Tips
So you’ve started offering daycare and have a few regular dog owners. But how can you keep all the dogs in your care safe as your pet sitting services grow? We’ve gathered a few tips and tricks to help you run the safest doggy daycare possible. Check them out!
Meet & Greets
Meet & Greets are essential for assessing the temperaments of different dogs and making sure they’re a great fit for your home. Here are some tips for successful Meet & Greets.
- Have a checklist handy to ask the owner questions about their dog, their needs and their schedule: you want to be sure that their hours match yours.
- Meet on neutral ground if you have dogs of your own, prior to showing them the space.
- Bring treats and introduce yourself both to the owner and the dog.
Body Language
When all of the dogs have arrived, it’s important to keep an eye on their body language. Dogs are constantly talking to each other, and you can make sure everyone is getting along by watching the following.
- Happy dogs greet each other in wiggly arcs.
- Separate dogs that are exhibiting hard stares or very stiff bodies.
- If one dog is being bullied or seems nervous (lip licking, tail between legs) move them to another area so they can feel safe.
- Here is some more information on dog body language and what to watch out for.
Have a Plan to Separate
There are lots of reasons to keep dogs apart, even if they seem to be getting along. Make sure you have the ability to separate dogs. Here are some tips.
- Purchase baby gates to easily keep dogs in the same room, but apart if necessary.
- Even dogs who are best friends can be testy during feeding time: provide meals, and treats to dogs in separate areas.
- Toys can be another source of aggression, keep an eye out for resource guarding and remove toys that cause issues.
Plan Ahead
It’s important to think about what kind of pet sitting services you want to run, and what kind of dogs you’d like to take in to maximise your success. When getting more dog owners, think about the following:
- Do you want to take in puppies, elderly dogs, dogs of different sizes, or dogs that aren’t neutered? Some older dogs don’t get along with puppies, or big dogs might be too rambunctious for little dogs.
- Once you’ve decided on what kind of dogs you want to offer your services to, write that in your profile so pet owners can see if their dog is a good fit for your home.
By being prepared and keeping a watchful eye on your canine friends, you can make sure your daycare is a place where dogs can thrive safely while their owners are at work.
The Scoop on Safety
Want to be even more prepared when you look after canine friends? Check out these safety tips!
