While most dog parents want to spend the day playing and caring for their four legged friends, the majority of us have other responsibilities. If you often find yourself in the office while your pup sits at home, you might want to sign up to doggy daycare.
Just like parents of young children, the thought of leaving your pal at daycare is often riddled with guilt (we know, we’ve been there). While many of us assume that doggy daycare is bad for our dogs, you may be surprised (or even relieved) to know that the opposite is true.
At K9 Heaven, our Auckland doggy daycare promises plenty of fun throughout the day with one-on-one human interactions, farm runs, sensory enrichment, and plenty of time to socialise with other like minded doggos.
Not only can doggy daycare boost your pal’s confidence but it can also leave them feeling happier, healthier and calmer. Now, who wouldn’t want that? To settle your nerves and rid you of some of that mum guilt, we have rounded up some of the best reasons to send your dog to daycare.
Peace of mind
Leaving your furry friend behind as you head off to work is one of the hardest parts of being a pet parent. While you sit at the desk, focusing on your to-do list, you probably find that your mind drifts to your doggo. You may notice thoughts like “Oh, I hope they’re OK”, “I wonder what they’re doing”, “I hope they don’t escape this time”, or “Maybe I can finish a bit earlier to get home to them”. Spending your days like this is no fun. Not only does it make it harder to concentrate but it also leaves you riddled with anxiety.
By choosing a doggy daycare, you can be rest assured that your doggo is in safe hands. The staff at K9 Heaven are fully trained in everything from doggy first aid to daily body observations.
By getting to know your dog and offering plenty of snuggles, we do everything we can to make them feel at home. Instead of going through your day wondering how sad they are, you can carry on safe in the knowledge that they are having a pawsitively perfect day.
Socialisation
Another benefit of sending your dog to daycare is that they get lots of fur ball interactions. Being in a pack is great for your dog’s mental wellbeing and leads to happier, friendlier pups.
At our Auckland doggy daycare, we’ll put your doggo into a pack with pups of a similar size and temperament. This means they can feel confident around their new found friends.
Improves confidence
Speaking of confidence! Doggy daycare gives your pup the opportunity to meet other dogs and humans, making them feel like they can conquer the world!
Confident dogs often benefit from a reduction in stress along with less separation anxiety and improved physical and mental health. Now doesn’t that sound great?
Exercise
Instead of your dog sitting on the sofa, pining for your return, get them to the daycare where they can venture outside and breathe in the fresh air. You see, daycare isn’t like dog kennels. In fact, it’s the polar opposite. At doggy daycare, your pup has plenty of opportunities to exercise.
Just like humans, dogs need exercise to keep their bodies fit and healthy. From lower blood pressure to healthy bones, regular exercise has tons of benefits for your doggo. It also helps them get to know the environment, staff and other doggos.
Many canines suffer from obesity which in turn leads to problems with their joints and muscles. Exercise is the best way to prevent and combat obesity. It is also great for mental health as it releases endorphins that will give your furball a natural high.
With 10 acres of farmland to explore, our doggos receive plenty of exercise. To keep your pup fit, we provide free park runs and a range of daily enrichment activities, designed with your pooch in mind.
Improves behaviour
Are you struggling with your pup’s behaviour? Perhaps they’re chewing up your furniture or maybe you find them growling at other dogs on your daily walk. Whatever the issue, doggy daycare can actually improve and even eliminate destructive behaviour. That’s because many of these behaviours stem from boredom.
When a dog is feeling bored, they’ll often behave in certain ways to use their excess energy. Doggy daycare offers alternative ways to use up that energy through games, daily runs, and stimulating activities.
It’s fun!
That’s right! Contrary to popular belief, dogs actually enjoy daycare. If you find a good centre, your dog will be treated to non-stop entertainment. Gone are the days where they spend all day sitting at home waiting for your return. At daycare, the time goes so fast that they ‘ll hardly notice you’ve gone.
While saying goodbye can be hard, we can reveal that all of our doggos return to their usual happy selves within minutes. As long as your dog is ready, there’s no reason that they won’t enjoy it.
Live, love, bark, repeat
If you’re considering a doggy daycare, we hope that this article has relieved some of your doubts.
Doggy daycare is a safe place where dogs of all shapes and sizes come to play. At K9 Heaven, we do everything we can to create a home from home experience for your pup. Believe us when we say that your pup is much better off at daycare than by themselves.
