Doggie Day Care (How many times per week?)

**maggieandfinn** · 09-30-2006, 09:34 AM

Okay...I work from home and have been with Maggie every day since we brought her home. I have to go away for work this week and we are trying to decide what to do with her. Usually during the day she gets up to go potty around 11am and then she is good until I am done with work around 5pm. If she doesn't go around that 11am time she usually goes around 2 or 3pm. She is kept in her cage most of the day bc we still have a few issues with staying out of things and we are getting ready to move so there are boxes everywhere. So being "locked up" is no big deal. My husband works about 30 min away and we have no family close by or anyone in our apt building that we trust to give a key to let her out for us. My husband can come home for his lunch break and let her out and stuff but then he will have to work until close to 6 instead of 5. Okay to the real point now that I provided a little background. Maggie went to daycare on Friday for a half day and had a blast. She is so tired and her paws got a little messed up (bag balm to the rescue). The daycare also helped her out and kept a close eye on them which I thought was great. I am worried that 5 days of day care is going to wear her out way too much and not allow her little paws to heal. I suggested taking her 3 days next week and my husband doing the lunch thing the other 2 or vice versa. He says she should go everyday and that if she doesn't want to play then she can just chill on the couches at day care. I don't think that she would chill out bc she loves being with the other pups. Advice please? Does anyone have their dog in day care every day?

**Trickster** · 09-30-2006, 09:54 AM

Does anyone have their dog in day care every day?

I can't say I have, but I don't see why not. Going to daycare sounds like a much better option than staying at home alone. Though that said if you are unhappy about the idea, what about hiring a dog walker?

**maggieandfinn** · 09-30-2006, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Trickster

Does anyone have their dog in day care every day?

I can't say I have, but I don't see why not. Going to daycare sounds like a much better option than staying at home alone. Though that said if you are unhappy about the idea, what about hiring a dog walker?

I'm not really worried about her being home alone. She got home yesterday around 1:30 and has not moved since. She has slept, ate, and pottied only in the last 20 or so hours. No interest at all in playing or running around. If she went to day care one day and stayed home the next, I am 90% sure she would just sleep the whole time and my husband would have his extended lunch time to let her out and stuff just like a dog walker. Since I am leaving tomorrow I really don't have time to try and find and interview someone that i feel comfortable giving a key to my home to.

**Trickster** · 09-30-2006, 10:06 AM

Sounds fine then if you ask me.*

Nothing like a tired pup.

**maggieandfinn** · 09-30-2006, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Trickster

Sounds fine then if you ask me.

Nothing like a tired pup.

Ok...thanks

**henrysmom** · 09-30-2006, 10:49 AM

Hi Tracie!

Henry goes to daycare every day and has done so since he was about 3 or 4 months old. At the time I worked too far from home to let him out at lunch, and had no one I trusted to come into my house to walk him (my family lives far away).

He loves it!! ;D I love it too, because I know that he's well taken care of all day and also is exhausted when he gets home!

This is something that has really worked well for us!! ;D

**maggieandfinn** · 09-30-2006, 12:29 PM

Felicia:

Thanks for responding. I just wanted to make sure that if she did go everyday it wasn't going to be too much for her since this is something new. I think i am going to leave it up to my husband if she goes everyday since he will be seeing her and I won't. I am going to miss her so much

**henrysmom** · 09-30-2006, 04:21 PM

Tracie, she'll be fine!! I'm sure she'll have a blast! Dogs are very adaptive. She's already been once and loved it (yes?) so going every day won't be a big stretch for her. Your husband will love the fact that she's exhausted in the evenings!

Have a good trip, and try not to worry too much about your furbaby!!

**Ender's Mom** · 09-30-2006, 04:54 PM

Tracie... just have Brian exercise his judgement... if two days in a row Maggie's pads are worse for wear... he can elect to keep her home the next day... knowing full well she''ll be content to sleep it away.

Probably though she will have a blast and her paws will toughen up a bit.

Nothing like a happy tired lab puppy

**imported_azlab** · 09-30-2006, 09:53 PM

Tracie,

Cinnamon goes to doggie daycare on as needed bases because my parents live with me and are retired.

However I have had occasion to send her several days in a row such as when we have workmen in during a remodel.

She is going for 2 weeks straight next month because I am determined I will have a decent winter lawn and so I am having it hydroseed and my BR is going to roto-til it for me first (my allergies won't let me do it). This will give it time to start without her playing on it except Sat & Sun and we will go to the doggie park those days.

Cinnamon has always done just fine though they comment she plays a lot less and will nap by the 3rd day. Usually her report card says nap-what's that?

Maggie will do fine but I agree use the best judgement if she needs a rest day.